Topic: PSR E443 vs PSR 740

[Ishan]

Hi !
Someone doing a concert using the PSR 740. Can I know, Is it can be done by using PSR E443 with same quality and functions. Because E443 is a educational one and  740 is not like that one.
Thank you.

[SeaGtGruff]

You can certainly use the PSR-E443 for performing in a concert.

However, it does not have the same sound quality and functions as the PSR-740.

The PSR-740 is an XG-compatible keyboard that can play voices which use multiple "elements" and DSP effects, and it can play up to four different variations per style (depending on the style file).

The PSR-E443 is only an XGlite-compatible keyboard that cannot play voices which use multiple "elements" and DSP effects-- other than Reverb and Chorus-- and it can play only two different variations per style.

Aside from that, I believe the PSR-740 has a much more sophisticated Song Creator (versus the PSR-E443's Song Recorder), as well as a Style Creator (which the PSR-E443 does not have).

[Normanfernandez]

What do you want from the keyboard??

[Ishan]

Thank you very much Sir !  Mr. Michael Rideout

[Ishan]

Hello Sir !
Mr. Norman Fernandez,
I need to performing a concert by myself and need to play 100 different songs. So I like to know, is the PSR E443 enough to do that thing. One of my friend said me, PSR E443 is not so good for performing a concert in outdoor. He has a PSR 740 and I have seen that how he is performing by it. So I need to do that same performing using PSR E443.

[Normanfernandez]

I agree Michael, 740 is much better.

100 songs is a lot

Go for the 740
Regards Norman!

[ekurburski]

The 740 is quite old.  I've had mine for over 10 years now and it lacks many of the features of newer keyboards.  The sound quality is quite good especially if you run it through a stereo pa.  Biggest drawback is the floppy system.  It also uses sf1 styles format so you won't be able to use the newer sf2 styles.  You can modify the unit and add a usb drive.  I never did but instead moved up to a 3000 which is MUCH more powerful.  You can run MIDI with it but it's quite complicated.  I really would recommend finding a newer psr from the 2000 on up.  And of course you really won't go wrong if you went with a newer s model.  BTW the 740 also has a voice harmonizer that works very well for your vocals.

Bottom line, if your only choices are the E443 and a 740 I would say the 740 all the way BUT if you can find a newer model you wold be much better off.

[SciNote]

Indeed, the PSR-740 has certain features that are more advanced than the E443, such as (I believe) 64 note polyphony, as well as the other features mentioned above, such as multi-element sounds and 4-part styles.  However, when I have checked out the 740's user manual online, I could not find any evidence of any synth or sound editing capabilities, other than the usual ability to combine two sounds, change their volume and octaves independently, and apply DSP effects.  The E443 has filter and envelope features that allow greater customization of the available sounds, and while only reverb and chorusing are available for DSP-type effects, the chorus includes a flanger, which can also sound similar to a phaser under certain conditions.

[Jørgen]

...
It also uses sf1 styles format so you won't be able to use the newer sf2 styles. 
...

Hi

Check http://www.jososoft.dk/yamaha/software/sf2c/index.htm to convert SFF2 to SFF1.

Jørgen

Edit: Typo corrected

[SeaGtGruff]

However, when I have checked out the 740's user manual online, I could not find any evidence of any synth or sound editing capabilities,

The PSR-740 has such abilities, but they are not accessible via function settings or panel controls-- instead, you must use MIDI messages to change parameters such as the AEG Attack Time, Decay Time, and Release Time, the Filter Cutoff Frequency and Resonance, the Vibrato Rate, Depth, and Delay, etc. It also responds to the Portamento Time and Portamento On/Off messages. If you were to connect a MIDI controller to the PSR-740, you should be able to change those sorts of parameters on the fly using the controller.

[SciNote]

Interesting!  So, if you did this (hooked up a MIDI controller to access those parameters), would you be able to save the new sound on the keyboard as a user voice or registration?  Or would it all have to be saved externally on a computer?

Speaking of the portamento messages, I seem to remember you saying that the PSR-E433 or E443 recognizes those messages, but that they do not appear to affect the sound.  I was wondering if you could or have already tried using those messages while using the voice called "Portatone" (I'm not in front of my keyboard right now and do not have the voice number).  My theory is that maybe those portamento messages affect that voice alone, and that is why the voice has that name.  A long shot, I know, but I figure its worth a try!

[Normanfernandez]

Interesting!  So, if you did this (hooked up a MIDI controller to access those parameters), would you be able to save the new sound on the keyboard as a user voice or registration?  Or would it all have to be saved externally on a computer?

Speaking of the portamento messages, I seem to remember you saying that the PSR-E433 or E443 recognizes those messages, but that they do not appear to affect the sound.  I was wondering if you could or have already tried using those messages while using the voice called "Portatone" (I'm not in front of my keyboard right now and do not have the voice number).  My theory is that maybe those portamento messages affect that voice alone, and that is why the voice has that name.  A long shot, I know, but I figure its worth a try!

Hook up a Higher ranger Keyboard to a lower Range one via Midi?

[SeaGtGruff]

No, as far as I could tell from its manual, the PSR-740 doesn't save those AEG and LPF settings to its Registrations, nor does it let you save and load User Voice settings-- so you could make use of those functions via MIDI while using a keyboard controller to play the PSR-740 as a sound module, or you could program the MIDI messages within a Song or Style, but I guess that's all.

Of course, if you were to run a MIDI cable from the PSR-740's MIDI Out to its MIDI In, so it can send MIDI messages to itself, then you could turn off the PSR-740's Local Control and use it as a keyboard controller to play itself as a sound module, in which case you could create MIDI song files containing "User Voice" settings that make use of those functions.

As for the "PortaTone" voice on the PSR-E models, I don't know whether it can play portamento sounds, but the name refers to Yamaha's PortaTone series of keyboard. I haven't checked to see whether any current models are still marketed using that name, but I think some of the earlier PSR-E models were. "YPT" stands for "Yamaha PortaTone," and most of the PSR-E models are also sold as YPT models that have identical features and parts except for their outer casings. And if I remember correctly, some PSR-E manuals include the name "PortaTone" within their text as well as on their covers. The term "PortaSound" is also used, which is what the "PS" in the PS, PSS, and PSR models stands for. The "Porta" is for "portable," not "portamento."

However, presumably at least some of the voices in the PSR-E models can play portamento, since the MIDI Implementation Charts for these models say they respond to the "Portamento Control" message. The only problem with that message is that it ignores the "Portamento Time" setting (and the PSR-E models don't respond to that message, anyway), which means that if you play portamento notes using the "Portamento Control" message then it uses whatever portamento time is preprogrammed into the voice itself. Aside from the synthesizer voices, the voices which might be promising to check for portamento include the trombone and possibly the guitars.