Topic: Arranger keyboards after the old folks are gone

[chesterkins]

Actually if you review the styles in the Genos2 you can see the demographics being reflected already
Virtually NO new 'Dance' styles
BUT a big emphasis on the 1980's  That's 40 years ago
You can be sure Yamaha know their market
Collecting stats from all over the world   They know the age of their @Arranger customer base   and create styles accordingly

[soundphase]

Agree with Eileen on melody and chord progression.  On any unfamiliar song, that's what I key-in on.  I focus on the bass line first.  That helps in figuring out the progression, if I want to learn the tune.

There is no real melody on 7 nation army from white stripes…. Kashmir Led Zeppelin…. Interest is elsewhere. More the rhythm and global feeling….

BUT a big emphasis on the 1980's  That's 40 years ago

Yes arranger market is globally for 50 and over. That does not mean it is sticked to people who listen to music from 1920 to 1969. It evolves.

[travlin-easy]

DITTO!

[Toril S]

Arrangers will be around for many years to come! Easy to play instruments are getting popular. Now we have wind synths, autoharps and keytars. "Real musicians" can frown all they want and call such instruments toys, but the fact is that a lot more people are getting into music and having fun with it. And that is the real purpose of music. To be creative is to get something good out of your life. The first time I sat down and played 4 keys on the arranger and sounded like a whole orchestra was a magic moment. Long Live The Autocomp Keyboards 

[Keystar]

I’m a singer/guitarist converted to a singer/arranger keyboardist. It only took me less than a year with an arranger to reach the same level as a guitarist that  took me more than 10 years to reach.

I have had no piano training whatsoever but my experience with the guitar and music theory have helped me to learn how to use left hand chord/right hand melody to accompany my singing with the auto accompaniment feature.

As a solo singer/guitarist I have to add various pedals and drum machines to make the sound fuller but the arranger just add that full band effect more.

I’m sure there are and will be many more guitarists who will discover the magic of an arranger and that’ll add many more new blood to the arranger world of music.

[Divemaster]

Arrangers will be around for many years to come! Easy to play instruments are getting popular. Now we have wind synths, autoharps and keytars. "Real musicians" can frown all they want and call such instruments toys, but the fact is that a lot more people are getting into music and having fun with it. And that is the real purpose of music. To be creative is to get something good out of your life. The first time I sat down and played 4 keys on the arranger and sounded like a whole orchestra was a magic moment. Long Live The Autocomp Keyboards 

Thank You Toril and Keystar!

Your posts were like a huge breath of fresh air rushing through all the forums this morning.

So many posts recently, dissecting every possible feature of keyboards. So many criticisms of, and moans about Yamaha, as to what they could, and should have done.

I was starting to wonder if anybody actually sat down and PLAYED their keyboards.

Whatever your age, playing the instrument is surely the greatest pleasure for you and those who hear you play. I think so anyway.

Arrangers, and the older players are here to stay.... Believe it!

Keith

[EileenL]

I believe it Keith,
  I am coming up to 88 years and bye my keyboards to play. I really get sick and tired of all the moaning about what Yamaha should and should not do. I notice they never post songs so we can hear them playing.

[DrakeM]

Well, I believe Yamaha needs to put out their next SX 61 key machine ASAP, please.

My PSR-S950 needs a rest. I just replaced the power pack and my #8 Registration button is on the blink. I have already had my pitch wheel replaced about 4 years ago. If you are really playing your keyboard, in about ten years it’s worn out.

I have been spending even more time on the keyboard since the G2 styles came out. I have converted over 150 of them so far. I still have about 70 more left to go. I have been putting this S950 keyboard of mine to doing some serious work lately. 

[Gunnar Jonny]

  I am coming up to 88 years and bye my keyboards to play. I really get sick and tired of all the moaning about what Yamaha should and should not do. I notice they never post songs so we can hear them playing.

Well, the very best medicine and / or method to avoid get sick of others posts, is not to read them. 
If this 'moaning' and users wishes and remarks about the products encourage Yamaha to do develope, make new features, changes or / and bugfixes, it's worth every single word!
When it comes to publish recordings or songs, I was in fact not aware of that is a kind of criteria to be hold before anyones posts get accepted as valued in debates. 

If we're 88 or 98 and happy with things as they are, it's great. But it also should be quite OK if we have some whises and / or complaints as well. 

[Gunnar Jonny]

Arrangers, and the older players are here to stay.... Believe it!

Yes, even older arrangers seem to work well, but all that sudden they get outdated and faulty, and both electronics or other parts, also service providers seems to be hard to find.
The question is how long developements and pruduction of new arrangers as we know it will carry on. It's first and foremost about number of sales and companies income.
Another question is if those younger ones who grow up to be the 'old ones' within some years is as many that the sales will make it profitable to carry on, or if new technology and possibilities has taken completely over. 
Those of us that's the old ones now will never get to know.
But, personally I'm pretty sure that 'old faschion' acustic instruments such as piano, guitars, violins, brass, drums and whatever will keep the music alive as long as there is people in the world. 

[KurtAgain]

I really get sick and tired of all the moaning about what Yamaha should and should not do.

And I think it's uselless anyway. After many years, I have come to believe that Yamaha doesn't listen too much to what its customers say. Maybe they listen to what their elite demonstrators say. In any case, they are very successful with how they do it for many years. There is a famous quote attributed to Henry Ford: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” 

[pjd]

Famous quote attributed to Henry Ford: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” 

There's a lot of truth to this. Manufacturers need to lead their customers. The danger is getting too far out front and leaving them baffled. This was always a challenge in product planning.

Some people reacted to audio styles like they were the spawn of the devil. Could be they were ahead of their time? Might seem them again someday. Yamaha has a bunch of patents for Ketron-like styles...

All the best -- pj

[mikf]

I’m sure Yamaha pay attention to what customers say, but that doesn’t mean they rush off and implement it. Everything is filtered by their business strategy. If people make suggestions that are ‘like to have’ but make no business sense, they shouldn’t be surprised if they never see the light of day. And I’m afraid most suggestions I see on the forum likely fall into that category.
Mike

[Amwilburn]

There's a lot of truth to this. Manufacturers need to lead their customers. The danger is getting too far out front and leaving them baffled. This was always a challenge in product planning.

Some people reacted to audio styles like they were the spawn of the devil. Could be they were ahead of their time? Might seem them again someday. Yamaha has a bunch of patents for Ketron-like styles...

All the best -- pj

The biggest flaws with that (other than limited tempo ranges, which also affects the Ketrons, but nobody seems to be complaining there) were
-not easy to edit (true); could be alleviated by including the closest fit midi style drums so people have the option. They've already converted a best fit midi style for some of them, like Nature Hip Hop, 80's Rock Anthem.
-Can't record while playing with an audio style
   -true with midi (since there isn't drum midi data), but could be alleviated by allowing access of the .aus file and synch playback after recording
   -true with PSR's via audio, since they only have 2 channels of audio. *but* all they'd have to do is upgrade the PSR's to 4 channel audio (like the Genos/Tyros) so that they can play back the audio style wav drums, while simultaneously recording audio through the remaining tracks)

But boy, some of the best sounding styles were Audio styles. 80'sRockAnthem, Industrial Chill, Tango Flamenco...

Mark

[EileenL]

Yes Gunner Jonny,
  Wishes are a different matter but when people start ranting about how Yamaha don't listen and rip people off just because they have not added what they wanted then I call this moaning and also insulting members who have bought the new product and hinting we have been ripped of. The thing about posting some Music is so we can see what they are trying to do. Yamaha do not come onto forums so don't hear all this. They have there own site called Ideal scale which they do read.

[Denn]

Please tell me How do you play "Rap" or "Hip Hop" on an arranger?
Maybe turn off all the voices in the styles except for the thumping drum and put a paperweight on the lower part of the keyboard?
Denn.

[mikf]

Tell me how you play rap on a piano, or violin, or bagpipes. Does that make them a ‘failure’ as a musical instrument?
Horses for courses.
Mike

[DrakeM]

Please tell me How do you play "Rap" or "Hip Hop" on an arranger?
Maybe turn off all the voices in the styles except for the thumping drum and put a paperweight on the lower part of the keyboard?
Denn.

You play the beat on the keyboard and SAY THE WORDS, just like you would any other song. 

[Divemaster]

Reminds me of a very funny ad for a brand of tea where a firm of removal men (played by chimpanzees) let go of a piano that rockets down the stairs.
The strapline was.
Eh Dad....Do you know the piano's on my foot?

To which, the gaffer replies...

You Hum it Son... I'll play it! 🤣

Keith.

[EileenL]

Yes I remember that well. Great advert.

[mikf]

Guy in a bar approaches the entertainer and says, ‘can you play Danny Boy’. And the entertainer says it’s not something I normally play but I’ll give it a go. About half way thru he notices that the guy is in tears, so he stops and says ‘ I can’t help but notice that this song seems to be very emotional for you, are you Irish?’. And the guy says ‘no, I’m a musician!’
Mike

[Michael Trigoboff]

Reminds me of a very funny ad for a brand of tea where a firm of removal men (played by chimpanzees) let go of a piano that rockets down the stairs.

Humans have done this too…