Yamaha has released the PSR-SX920 ($2,300) and the PSR-SX720 ($1,600).

Here is a fantastic demo of the Super Articulation 2 voices on the PSR-SX920.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXmpdnx6tbw

The PSR-SX920 presents an incredible value when compared to the Genos2 ($5,700).

Thanks for that update Tapas. The SX920 seems like a nice upgrade especially if they improved the keybed from the SX900.

Perhaps it’s just me getting old, but does anyone else find it a bit incongruous to have two older geezers do the demo, but both the first two style examples are EDM?!

Rather the mixed message…

I think that there’s a definite market for less technical young players to use arrangers rather than loopstations for creating modern dance and pop music, but trying to think from a kid’s perspective, would I be interested in watching a couple of guys old enough to be my grandparents do the presentation? From what I remember of being a kid, probably not… 😂

If I were any arranger company looking to the future and wanting to get younger players to take the product seriously, I’d probably have two separate demo teams, one with these guys showing off the older styles and sounds, and a completely different bunch showing off the modern stuff comprised of twentysomethings…

I definitely remember that it was young players playing synths (Emerson, Wakeman, Banks etc.) that fired my desire to own my first ARP’s and Yamaha’s etc.. I’m not sure how I’d have reacted if I’d seen them played by an old geezer..! Now I am one 😂

I also like that idea !

It took me quite an effort, but I finally got comfortable creating music on a computer, so I totally get now that young people will most likely buy a $100 MIDI keyboard, download (buy) some software and will proceed this way.

The companies like Yamaha see it as well. In fact, Korg hasn't replaced their PA1000 for 7 years now, Roland is out of the game; Casio introduced their CT-X models years ago, so SX920 doesn't really compete with other arrangers.

Although PA1000 is still a competetor, but an old one. SX920 sounds quite similar to SX900, and SX900 is not so different from S970, and so on, but small improvements gradually lead to a major difference between, let's say, PSR-3000 and SX920, although as for physical quality, I witness quite a regression - buttons on my S950 are unresponsive, keys on my SX900 are noisy and service doesn't fix everything. PSR-3000, meanwhile, works fine (changed contact strips).

There are two reasons why arranges aren't exactly for younger music (EDM, trap, hip-hop, etc). The sound itself is actually a second one: it's just not arrgessive/dark/solid enough for these types of music, besides this people always keep looking for new ones. The first reason it that this type of music is based on MIDI editing, not recording audio signal from your keyboard. All the notes have perfect timing (quantized), otherwise this type of music won't work. Yes, you can connect you PSR and use it as a sound engine, but it doesn't worth it.

There is a nuance, though, it is that not all young people actually like young music, and limiting yourself only to working with a computer means missing a great deal of emotions which playing an arranger can provide, but all in all I think Yamaha is being pragmatic by keeping PSR the way it is, they are willing to lose some battles in order to keep winning certain others.

I have watched nearly every SX920 video that has been uploaded to Youtube...

I still cant believe they persist with the FSB keybed - it kills me. It has been one of the biggest disasters of the SX900 / SX700 range...

I sold my SX 900 a few months ago after 3 years of ownership (from new), I just simply couldn't handle it any longer. I am not a gigging musician - I only play at home for a hobby.

The only thing preventing the keybed from rattling and clacking is some grease that they apply underneath the keys to lubricate them. The grease wears off within a few weeks... at least once a year I opened up the keyboard and replaced the grease. And when I did replace the grease - I packed in ALOT of grease - as much as I possibly could... but rest assure it eventually wore off and the clacking / rattling came back.

No other keyboard I have ever owned has EVER had this issue... even my 25 years old technics Kn6000 has held up - the keys have some rubber underneath them (which is still intact) instead of grease...


To discuss the demos of the PSR SX920 - I feel like watching "Arranger keyboards for dummies", seriously - its become so basic!! They arp on about features that have existed in arrangers for 20+ years (including older Yamaha PSR and Tyros arrangers).

I notice a lot of talk about how beautiful the keyboard casing is... ITS THE SAME as the previous models... the ONLY change is they have added white indicators on the 2 assignable live controller knobs...

In all honesty the only real feasible features that set the SX920 apart from its predecessor is the SA2 voices (and they have only added a small selection of them), AND the CFX concert piano (which really should have been in the SX900 to start with).

It really needed the new reverb system they added into the Genos2 in my opinion but I wasn't expecting that - we probably need to wait for another 10 years of PSR evolution for that feature to trickle down...

I agree Nick.
It sounds exactly the same as SX900, and I dare to say exactly the same as my s950.

As far as the demonstrators looking too old to perform EDM, you should consider that EDM has around since the 80’s, so some of the genres original practitioners could surely be senior citizens now. But I understand the sentiment, as it’s always amusing to me to see elderly musicians performing music originally marketed to youth culture. Look at the surrving members of The Rolling Stones for example. Aren’t they in their 80’s now?
They’re still rockin’, so more power to them

I agree with Nick on the unsatisfactory feel of the FSB keybed on the SX900/SX700 range.

I am sure customers would have gladly paid an extra $200 for the superior FSX keybed featured on the Genos/Genos2.

Obviously Yamaha makes these marketing decisions to urge customers to move up to their flagship line.

The SX920 is priced at $2,300.

One can find a used Genos on ebay for $3,000.

It is a far better option to spend the extra $700 and get a used Genos with a FSX keybed with 76 keys and better buttons, sliders and knobs.

The FSX keybed is Yamaha’s best synth action keybed featured in the Tyros, Genos, Motif, MODX line.

Having said that, the SX720 offers an incredible bargain at $1,600.

For a beginner learning to play the piano on a Yamaha P225 88-key graded hammer action GHC keybed, the SX720 offers the most economical way to bring Arranger capabilities. In this setup, the SX720 is used merely as a sound module. The essential arranger functions can be triggered with a Behringer FCB1010 or a Nektar Pacer MIDI Foot Controller.

For an advanced Piano player who uses a Yamaha CP88, Roland RD-2000EX or a Kawai MP7SE Stage Piano, the SX920 can be mounted on a tier to get instant access to the 575 accompaniment styles.

You would need to purchase this K&M 18953 Table Style Stage Piano Stand.

https://www.thomannmusic.com/km_18953.htm

Then add the K&M 18952 Stacker to support the SX920.

https://www.thomannmusic.com/km_18952_aufsatz.htm


Incidentally, the price of the Yamaha CP88 ($2,600) + Yamaha SX920 ($2,300) is $4,900.
This is $800 less than buying a Genos2 ($5,700), plus you get to enjoy the premium Natural Wood Graded Hammer Action NW-GH keybed.

For beginners, there is yet another option – the Yamaha DGX-670 for $850.

This features a decent 88-key GHS weighted action keybed with full arranger capabilities. It offers an unbeatable value.

Yamaha has carefully introduced each and every product to cover all the bases from beginner to advanced.

When you look at the big picture you will see why certain features have been intentionally dropped to attain certain price points.

The whole point is to get a beginner hooked on a basic model and gradually entice them into trading up to a better model as their skill levels advance through the years.

Best,

David

Tapas - just to correct you on that - the FSX keybed is not on the MODX... it is on the Montage range but not MODX... the MOdx has a unique key bed which is still not that great but definitely better than the FSB on the PSR SX series as it doesn't suffer from the grease issue...

Hi Nick,

Thanks for correcting me. I was under the wrong impression that the Yamaha MODX came with the same FSX keybed as the flagship Montage line.

This goes to show how Yamaha cut corners to deliver the MODX line as a cheaper alternative to the Montage.

I wish Yamaha had not compromised on the keybed. The keys are the very first thing a musician interacts with whenever they sit in front of a keyboard. I would gladly settle with lesser features, fewer sounds in favor of a better keybed.

Roland does not cut corners when it comes to hardware. My Roland E-80 Arranger synth action keys still feel so solid and responsive. No complaints after all these years.

David

I totally agree Tapas... I feel the same when I hit the keys on my G70 every day

A lot of us used to make fun of Yamaha’s ‘micro-updates’ until the SX900/700 seriously upped their mid-line and the Genos did the same for the TOTL.

Now they appear to have returned to their original game plan. Keybed issues aside, I don’t think anyone with an SX900 is going to seriously lust after this. It might make sense for an older S900 owner (the IFX and chord sequencer improvements alone make that a serious step up) but it’s looking like we’re back to going two or three models before an upgrade can even be audibly noticed.

Trouble now though is the timeframe between models has lengthened to over five years, so skipping a couple of micro-upgrades is a 15year wait! Skipping just one is ten years! There aren’t many of us with that kind of patience any longer..!

We spent many a thread discussing Donny’s latest acquisition, sometimes two or more a year! Nowadays even if Donny got every new arranger the minute it came out, we’d be having the conversation with a three or more year gap between the fun!

I don’t think the market’s big enough any longer for updates to be as insignificant. That’s not what’s been happening in the synth/workstation world.

And I definitely think the major manufacturers are missing a huge market for arrangers. While EDM and other loop based music is what consumes the younger player market, the tools they have to make it are STILL nowhere near as ‘instant gratification’ as an arranger. Adding modern loop capabilities and arpeggiators to arrangers is a snap and could easily ease the creation process for inexperienced younger players who struggle with things like Maschine or FantomX synths.

We all remember the runaway success of the Casio Rapman… an arranger dedicated SOLELY to (at the time) contemporary hiphop and rap. It had no old sounds, no old styles, it was focused and cheap. Why no one tried to capture that lightning again is one of life’s greatest mysteries!

It’s also interesting to note the change in preference for keybed. There was a time here you would get mocked for even wanting a decent plastic 76 action on a TOTL arranger let alone a PSR! ‘Too heavy, won’t fit in my car!’ ‘Who needs that many keys?!’ we heard them all…

The longest holdout were Yamaha, who stuck stubbornly to a 61 only for virtually the entire range including the TOTL. Now you can’t actually get a TOTL Yamaha with a 61..! Thing is, it’s not like there has been a serious changing of the guard when it comes to arrangers. Same 40 year olds who played them back in the day are the same 70 year olds playing them now! But the landscape has changed in what manufacturers are doing, 76’s are everywhere, and some 88’s have sprung up in the midline market.

What changed? Is it fewer of us still gigging, so weight and size no longer matter so much, or weight and size of 76’s is so much lower (a 25lbs drop from my G70 to the 76 note BK9!) that more of us are willing to gig one? I’m sure the manufacturers didn’t make the change without extensive market research…. But I would have bet 29 years ago, their market research said stick to 61’s.

In the meantime, there’s still some unwritten rule that only Korg defy that states no 88 will have full parity with a TOTL arranger. I guess some things never change! 🎹😂

Martin Harris presents a terrific demo of 23 Factory Styles on the Yamaha PSR-SX920.
He uses many of the Super Articulation 2 Voices.


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


20sUrbanLatin, S.Art KinoStringsViolins

ThrowbackPop, (SongStyle for Blinding Lights)

SkyPop, S.Art StageLeadGuitar, (SongStyle for A Sky Full of Stars)

10sMidTempoPop, S.Art StageLeadGuitar

EtherealMovie, S.Art CFX Concert Grand

ChilliPerformer, S.Art CFX AmbientGrand

BluesRock, S.Art C7 StudioGrand

TradPianoJazz, S.Art U3 Upright

IrishHymn, S.Art2 Celtic Hymn

CoolR&B, S.Art2 FunkTenorSax

AcousticJazz, S.Art2 Clarinet

Samba60s, S.Art2 SoftTrumpet

R&B SoulBallad, S.Art 70sSuitcaseClean

UnpluggedBallad, SArt+ SteelAcousticFinger

MainstreamCowboy, S.Art PedalSteelGuitar1

Skiffle, SArt+ 60sShadowLead

ReggaetonGroove, S.Art FlamencoGuitar

MegaHit

SchlalgerBeat, S.Art ShadowedGuitar

00sBluesyBallad, OrganFlutes

SmokingBigBand, S.Art2 Clarinet

20sDancePop, S.Art FlamencoGuitar

90sDreamHouse, S.Art CFX ConcertGrand


Nothing beats listening to the Designer of the product showcase how to make this instrument come alive.

This is the best demo of the PSR-SX920 to date on YouTube. No talking, just inspirational ideas.

Martin single handedly changed the landscape of the Arranger World with his introduction of the Tyros1 in 2002 followed by the Tyros2 in 2005.

Roland released the E-80 in 2007, but could not quite match up to the sound quality of the Tyros2.

Since the Tyros2, Yamaha has ruled the Arranger scene.

Yamaha owes a lot to Martin Harris and his R&D team for the Tyros, Genos and the PSR family of Arranger Workstations and pushing the boundary of Arranger Technology.

This would actually be an opinion, not a fact..!

Most Roland users at the time (and Korg and Ketron too) considered the overall sound of the Yamaha’s to be very compressed and flat sounding. Something they have emphasized lately by bringing out the Revo drums and room ambience drums with the Genos line, and indeed, a lot of the earlier criticism of how compressed they sounded has gone.

But, in fairness, Roland’s ALWAYS sounded punchy and ‘live’.

What I think gave Yamaha the edge back in the early 21st century was that each model upgrade had very little difference in OS and features from the previous model. Older players could comfortably upgrade and have very little to learn. Sounds got better, but how you played it didn’t (much).

Roland, OTOH, seemed to want to completely reinvent itself every model change. The transition from say a G1000 to a VA7 to an E80 to the BK9 meant almost completely learning a new arranger each time. Features would get mysteriously dropped, then only brought back 20 years later. Data seldom migrated well (except the style format itself, which only got its first major change - multiple style drum tracks- in the BK9) and buttons and sliders were very different each model.

Add to that Roland’s stubborn refusal to embrace multipads (didn’t get those until the last Roland ever, the EA-7) and some other common arranger features (eg samplers), it was a recipe for failure.

But if you wanted a punchy live sound, back during the Tyros years, many tended to go with Korg and Roland, or the recorded live drums of Ketron’s SD series.

This is, of course, an OPINION… 😂