I agree after touch is an essential dynamic playing feature.
is it a deal breaker for you with the SX900?

I don't understand the logic of keeping a Kb you don't like and has features you enjoy playing.

I must be stupid because I love mine.

I close my eyes and I hear and feel like I am playing my old S970.
Sorry that's the way I feel.

The Dumb----- at Yamaha marketing make sure they don't interfere with Genos sales....Actually they are missing the boat because putting aftertouch on a SX-900 would cost very little and make a lot of us happy. It would not cut into sales for Genos, IMHO.

There are many reasons for loving or not loving a keyboard, it is personal preference.
Personal preference, John C

I closed my eyes when I listened to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVSmjvxCRo0

Anyone have these styles/registrations. I love the way they use the registrations - too cool.

Danny,
I have regretted often selling my Tyros 4. None of the keyboards after the T4 suited my needs. I had the Tyros 5 and the Genos and sold both of them. I also had the PSR 950 which I wish I had kept. Glad I have my Ketron SD40. Like you it really fills the bill for me.

Deane

That makes 2 of us Bernie.

Just a thought.

Does the SX900 recognize aftertouch via midi control? If so, why not just hook it up to the T4?

Sqk

Rikki, no it’s not 2 it’s 3 of us, you need to add me into the equation. I know at least one other SZ guy who would make #4 but I’ll wait for him to speak for himself.

Hi Sqk,

Thank you for your reply.

I've not tried to do that as of yet, I could hook it up to the SD7 since it's on the same stand as it. The T4 is currently in it's box since I don't have room to have all of my keyboards out. I may set it up in another room since now my children have moved out I have the house totally to myself and the second bedroom I can use it for some of my stuff.

Rikki, no it’s not 2 it’s 3 of us, you need to add me into the equation. I know at least one other SZ guy who would make #4 but I’ll wait for him to speak for himself.

The Dumb----- at Yamaha marketing make sure they don't interfere with Genos sales....Actually they are missing the boat because putting aftertouch on a SX-900 would cost very little and make a lot of us happy. It would not cut into sales for Genos, IMHO.

Eddie thats great news.....what confuses me is I read some players just want to pick a style and just play without tweaking anything using only the ots sounds the factory has given each style and in no way want to delve into the os to "make it yours" so to speak....
it just bewilders me why

What bewilders me even more is the amount of users that never alter a style to make it their own.

How simple to just use Style Assembly, if something doesn’t quite work for a song
ie bass doesn’t work in vari 3, but sounds great in vari 2, or drums are too busy in vari4 but perfect in vari 3. Why literally not just copy the track you want to the offending track using the style assembly function.
It doesn’t require one to be a genius and have to redo ntt and ntr settings etc, it just gets copied. You have a style that sounds the way one wants.

I love MY 900 ... but it's the Pa900 ...

Chas, not a cost issue, it's the Marketing plan to not let you have certain stuff unless you buy TOTL.
I think Yamaha needs a model between the Genos and SX_900, after all Genos is 2x at least of SX-900....

Rikki, You are so right...you have encouraged me to do some of my own style tweeking...
What I really want is to be able to do a style that is like the original song in almost every way (maybe using MIDI file is easier??)

Select a song and save it in Regs, use one bank per song.

1-Set up the keyboard for the song you want to play

2-Set a Live Control knob to muting the Accompaniment. The knob changes the Accomp. gradually

3-Play the song and turn the knob – when you here what you want, save it in one of the regs.

You just changed the style with little effort. I play with a full left hand, so this method fits what I am doing.

John C.

The assignable Live Control knobs (left side bottom) have taken the keyboard one step further. The Live Control button removes parts gradually. If I want Count Basie, turn the knob to the left and you get drums and bass. I little further, and you get just drums – add some pads – wow, boring is leaving my keyboard. The combination of Live Control, pads, and variations brings us closer to sound like a live band; Yamaha just made it easier to do. Most of the Yamaha pads are too busy, gotta write my own.

John C.

Rikki, You are so right...you have encouraged me to do some of my own style tweeking...
What I really want is to be able to do a style that is like the original song in almost every way (maybe using MIDI file is easier??)

I do think with all the capabilities of the SX-900 (Genos someday) I can accomplish what I want. Using styles, MIDI files AND doing my own multi-track sequencing.

I am not a great musician, I'm a home player, so to really come up with my own full arrangements, maybe simple ones....not the stuff I like.

If you leave to many parts in, you lead the audience to believe you are not really playing.

I'm no psychoanalyst but this seems to be a recurring theme among arranger players. Why do you suppose that is? Is it because they're afraid people (audiences) may not think they're real musicians? Why do arranger players buy expensive keyboards and spend hours in preparation while big-name 'pro's' use backing tracks. Why is it SO important to convince people that you're 'actually playing' a musical instrument. The very sounds coming out of an arranger keyboard would indicate to all but an idiot that you're not ('cause it's not possible to play drums, piano, horns, strings, bass, and guitar, at the same time - unless you're a very talented octopus). Furthermore, arranger music will only work in certain types of venues. It will NOT work in a concert hall, a jazz club, a rock concert/club, a church (although some try to force-fit it into some churches -probably none with over 100 members), or high-end hotels or casinos. Why? For one thing, in places where people spend a LOT of money, they want to hear LIVE music (or what they consider 'live music'). For another, the management won't hire them.

Despite the opinion of a small group of aficionados, the reason (legitimate or not) Arrangers are not that popular within the broader musical community is that most serious musicians, especially trained professionals, don't consider them a legitimate instrument. This rankles arranger enthusiasts but is nonetheless true. I think their thinking is that 'if you didn't work for it, it's worthless' (meaning, of course, the years of study and practice to learn and master your instrument).

I know that this argument/discussion will go on forever and be repeated endlessly with each iteration generating it's share of animosity, but the truth is whatever each individual thinks it is, and nobody is right or wrong.

BTW, I agree with John Smies; why would one spend large sums of money to (poorly) duplicate something that already exists. The whole point of an Arranger (at least in my mind) is to PERSONALIZE it. Oh well, different strokes......

chas

I'm no psychoanalyst but this seems to be a recurring theme among arranger players. Why do you suppose that is? Is it because they're afraid people (audiences) may not think they're real musicians? Why do arranger players buy expensive keyboards and spend hours in preparation while big-name 'pro's' use backing tracks. Why is it SO important to convince people that you're 'actually playing' a musical instrument. The very sounds coming out of an arranger keyboard would indicate to all but an idiot that you're not ('cause it's not possible to play drums, piano, horns, strings, bass, and guitar, at the same time - unless you're a very talented octopus). Furthermore, arranger music will only work in certain types of venues. It will NOT work in a concert hall, a jazz club, a rock concert/club, a church (although some try to force-fit it into some churches -probably none with over 100 members), or high-end hotels or casinos. Why? For one thing, in places where people spend a LOT of money, they want to hear LIVE music (or what they consider 'live music'). For another, the management won't hire them.

Despite the opinion of a small group of aficionados, the reason (legitimate or not) Arrangers are not that popular within the broader musical community is that most serious musicians, especially trained professionals, don't consider them a legitimate instrument. This rankles arranger enthusiasts but is nonetheless true. I think their thinking is that 'if you didn't work for it, it's worthless' (meaning, of course, the years of study and practice to learn and master your instrument).

I know that this argument/discussion will go on forever and be repeated endlessly with each iteration generating it's share of animosity, but the truth is whatever each individual thinks it is, and nobody is right or wrong.

BTW, I agree with John Smies; why would one spend large sums of money to (poorly) duplicate something that already exists. The whole point of an Arranger (at least in my mind) is to PERSONALIZE it. Oh well, different strokes......

chas

Why is it SO important to convince people that you're 'actually playing' a musical instrument. The very sounds coming out of an arranger keyboard would indicate to all but an idiot that you're not ('cause it's not possible to play drums, piano, horns, strings, bass, and guitar, at the same time - unless you're a very talented octopus). .

... Buying used is the ticket for totl purchases to save money

One fact that I feel is missing from chas' post is the fact that working professionals - stage musicians, studio guys, and the like - are playing with other MUSICIANS and therefore don't need a machine to play drums, bass lines, etc. ...

But it's fun and people enjoy it.

For me, one mark of a 'professional' is that they CAN play with other musicians. The machine plays it's part precisely, consistently, and predictably, no matter WHAT YOU'RE PLAYING. Good musicians, especially in jazz but also in other forms, play to complement what the OTHER musicians are playing; in other words, they are listening and responding in real time. It's going to be awhile before AI catches up to that.

chas

I guess I'm #6 in loving the SX-900.
My last Yamaha arranger was the PSR-3000, so this was a major step up for me.

Chas +1... that was a Brilliant Post that I totally agree with
on all levels,...so well said and so true!!
I suggest people should read this entire post at least three times and let it sink in deep.

Oh please! Why don't we have an arranger jam and we can all throw our boards in a big bon fire.

Where the focus should be, in my opinion, is to help one another use, understand and appreciate playing our arranger keyboards. Focus on the strengths of what we do rather the limitations.
I'm gettin' old and cranky. Sorry.

Where the focus should be, in my opinion, is to help one another use, understand and appreciate playing our arranger keyboards. Focus on the strengths of what we do rather the limitations.
I'm gettin' old and cranky. Sorry.

The SX900 has done two things for me.
It woke me up from the slumber of being too comfortable with the S970 and taking it for granted.
and
has given me a challenge, discovering the new features, some refreshing styles and voices.... and the anticipation of looking forward to getting the main tweaking done to the point I will feel confident with it on a gig.

Now, if only I could stop touching the screen of the S970.

Eddie

On the subject of tweaking. What you do at home using the onboard speakers and/or headset are not indicative of the sound you can expect through an external sound system. I play one club every week which allows me to come in when closed to the public so I can do some serious tweaking while connected to my Bose or Maui system.
Eddie