Topic: It makes you wonder what's up with Yamaha Synth.com?

[keynote]

So, I went over to the Yamaha Synth dot com forum and decided to sign in and post under a thread about the Yamaha Montage being out of stock at all the online retailers, currently. There is a Montage 8 available on Amazon, but they want $600 more than the regular street price. Other than that, you can't find the Montage in stock in any key-size anywhere that I've looked, anyway.

But when I tried to post my message/comment, it said the algorithm had detected it as SPAM. WUT?? Here's what I tried to post, and if any of you can give me a reason why it didn't go through, be my guest.

"A couple of months prior to NAMM 2023 it was very hard to find the Montage in stock in any of the three key versions. Then right around a couple of weeks before NAMM 2023 started, you could once again find a few in stock at various online retailers. Now, when you go online to buy a Montage you can't find one anywhere in stock, at least where I've looked anyway, except one Montage 88-key currently on Amazon that is charging $600 more than the traditional street price i.e. $3,999.99. Instead, some online retailers are saying check back in September or check back in 8 to 12 weeks when they expect to have more in stock.  The Montage has been on the market for basically 7 years now, and the Yamaha Genos will be on the market 6 years come this October. We used to get new keyboard products from Yamaha every two, three, or four years, max. Although with the current supply chain crisis and other economic maladies, Yamaha could be struggling mightily to secure parts for some of their products? September isn't too far off, I reckon, and we should know more by then."  That's it.

I suspect Yamaha may be ultra 'sensitive' to posts that might be of a speculative nature and/or they perceive as being critical or detrimental to the company brand. So instead of being able to voice an honest opinion, or theory, or something of a speculative nature about one of Yamaha's products, they just silence you, which is basically a cancel culture mentality and censorship when you get right down to it. I suspect Yamaha USA received direct orders from Yamaha Japan to silence any perceived 'negative' press. Or, in this case, comments. Too bad, because it has left a bad taste in my mouth and I suspect others also, who may have tried to comment but couldn't for one reason or the other. I didn't curse, I didn't say anything derogatory, I didn't cast aspersions, I was just being me, with an honest expression of thought because of my interest in Yamaha's product(s). Thanks a lot, Yamaha.

All comments are welcome, Btw.  PS: Makes a guy almost want to ditch the Genos and buy the Korg Pa5X 76-key that is now in stock over at Sweetwater.com. But, I digress. I will wait and see what shows up at the Yamaha UK Keyboard Club event in November and/or at NAMM 2024 on January 25-28 before deciding if or when to make a move one way or the other. You're welcome, Yamaha.  Although they might not give a hoot one way or the other. Even though, Yamaha said they wanted to create a closer bond with their customers and potential customers. What? By silencing them? PJD, was probably right. Words, just words?? 

All the best, Mike

[DerekA]

I would guess you are being a little paranoid. Did you try posting something blander to see if it was accepted?

[pjd]

Hi Mike --

Hmmm, maybe reading too much into what happened recently? (And you know I'm not one to cut Yamaha much slack about customer contact...)

I visit YamahaSynth.com every day or other day. The last few days, they have been hit by a slew of junk (spam) postings. You probably saw them. The admin may be trying to block the incoming spam. I don't know for sure. It's not the first time that the Yamaha synth site has been deluged by spam. (Every freakin' night, it seems.)

BTW, your observations are valid. I just want to mention that Montage shortage has been discussed to death on that forum. I doubt if the admin blocked your post for that reason. Yamaha is getting a little testy about people claiming that Montage is discontinued based on the observed shortage. That's kind of understandable since an alleged product cancellation has serious business consequences.

As to being cancelled over there, they will pull the plug on threads that spill the beans about a new product. I have the scars.  You know you hit pay dirt when a thread is deleted or you get a take-down notice from the lawyers or one of their intermediaries.  That's why I chuckle (or grumble) about new product "navel gazing." Let me know when you have something tangible and Yamaha's lawyers are on your butt. 

Hey, peace, happiness and well-being to all -- pj

[mikf]

These posts seem odd to me. This forum has no relationship to either Yamahasynth or Yamaha company so not sure why it is posted here. We cannot possibly help or comment on issues with other websites.
And the last post about the Genos seems to have nothing to do with either the thread subject matter or the first post.
My impression is they are wrongly posted here.
Mike

[pjd]

These posts seem odd to me. This forum has no relationship to either Yamahasynth or Yamaha company so not sure why it is posted here.

Hi Mike --

I think the original poster is frustrated with Yamaha's (non-)action WRT the post he made on the Yamaha corporate site.

To me, it's reason why we need independent, respectful sites like this one. Yamaha will take down posts that it doesn't like on its own site.

As to my comment, there are lots of folks who speculate (endlessly) about future product releases, Montage or Genos, based on the most tenuous evidence. Unless someone really has hard information, we're better offer practicing and playing. [I sure need it.  ]

Much worse things to worry about -- pj

[BogdanH]

...
As to my comment, there are lots of folks who speculate (endlessly) about future product releases, Montage or Genos, based on the most tenuous evidence. Unless someone really has hard information...

Agree. And hard information is only when Yamaha officially publish it -everything else is worth as much as horoscope.

Bogdan

[mikf]

If you read your horoscope religiously every day for 50 years, then one day by sheer chance it will turn out to be accurate  - so now you are a believer in horoscopes !!
I think we follow the same theory here on the new Genos.
Mike

[keynote]

I would guess you are being a little paranoid. Did you try posting something blander to see if it was accepted?

Actually, I tried to, but it still didn't go through. The above paragraph I posted here was actually lengthier that I tried to post over at Yamaha Synth.com, but no go. So I trimmed the comment down, hoping to eliminate any possible reason why Yamaha's ultra sensitive algorithm was preventing my comment from going through. Still no go. The way the algorithm works, most likely, it will look for words or phrases Yamaha doesn't like and block them. I'm trying to figure out which word(s) or phrase I used that would prevent me from posting the comment. I knew PJD had an account over at Yamaha Synth, and perhaps others here on this forum do as well. Furthermore, I thought maybe they could provide some input instead of telling me I'm a little paranoid. 

I'll give it another shot on another topic perhaps and see what happens. Yamaha employees do keep an eye on YamahaSynth.com and if someone at Yamaha browses this forum and sees this thread, maybe they can advise the proper authorities to tweak the algorithm to be less like HAL of 2001 A Space Odyssey. 🌌

All the best, Mike   

[Lee Batchelor]

Yamaha may be doing something more simple such as flagging your name. I don't see anything offensive in your original post.

[SciNote]

Yamaha may be doing something more simple such as flagging your name. I don't see anything offensive in your original post.

Which brings to mind the saying that just because you're paranoid, that doesn't mean that people really aren't after you!

If the post is being flagged as spam, then the only thing that stands out to me is the direct reference to pricing in the post.  Maybe the algorithm associates the references to pricing as attempts to advertise and sell something.  Perhaps trying to reword the exact pricing, such as restating "$3999.99" as "about four grand" might help.  But yeah, that's a long shot.  You should be allowed to discuss pricing of product on a forum.

[ugawoga]

The Genos is still superior
Go deeper into effects, eq etc and you will surprise yourself at the quality that you can achieve.
If you have a daw and use Izotope Neutron 4 , you can even shape your sound further , the same as Ozone.
Now i am finding out a lot about Wavelab.  Already got used to Cubase 12.
The things all this opens up. Sky's the limit

[keynote]

Well, I went over to YamahaSynth.com forum again and surprise, surprise, it allowed me to post two different comments in two different threads. I'm thinking maybe it was the fact that I hadn't posted over there in quite a while, so maybe it thought I was out of the loop??  Anyway, problem solved, for now. FYI, the two comments I posted this time were very similar in nature to the one that was blocked. Go figure. Maybe a Yamaha staff member does browse PSR Tutorial and they happened to see my thread and then quickly informed the staff moderating YamahaSynth.com, and they tweaked HAL to be a little less unforgiving?   Either way, everything is now copacetic, so I'm happy. Btw, I'm very interested in a new Montage model being released. I suspect Yammie will pull out all the stops and the Montage+ or whatever they call it will be one humdinger. I could then pair it with the new Genos2 if and when it arrives on the scene, and it would be an unbeatable and future-proof setup if they meet or beat expectations. Furthermore, I'm hoping Yammie gives them USB 3.2 2x2, by way of USB-C would be preferable, and hopefully 256 note polyphony across the entire range of the keyboard. Oh yes, and better Piano sample(s), Elec. Pianos, better Organs with lighted drawbars like the YC Stage Keyboard, HDMI out, HD LCD-display - 1280x720 would be great. I'll stop there. 

All the best, Mike 

[Toril S]

It may just have been a glitch. Ir maybe a Gremlin!😀 Happens on the net from time to time!

[pjd]

I knew PJD had an account over at Yamaha Synth, and perhaps others here on this forum do as well.

Yeah, I annoy people over there, too. An equal opportunity annoyer. 

I'm glad the situation has worked itself out.

Peace to all -- pj