Good or Bad Changes

[Derrick Summers]

I have just updated my Yamaha Keyboard to the new SX900.
In the past I have had many keyboards going back to the old
Technics ones. The two I have at present are the PSR S950 and
SX 900. All the models that came out after the 950 including
the Tyros ones had a very poor Key Action, they rattled and
bumped when being played and its took a lot of complaints to
get this altered. The two mentioned are like a Rolls Royce when
compaired to the others. It seems that when they change the
layout they are not bothered on what is a good or bad thing.
On the SX 900 they have removed the two buttons for Country
and Ballads and scattered all these styles into different groups
In the Voice section Trumpets are now in the Brass section and
Saxophones into the Woodwind, it just makes things harder to
find. They have also done away with the USB Button and you
have to use the expansion button to get a menu up for this.
At least with the new touch screen you still have the option of
a button to select if you prefer. I am a bit long in the tooth and
old fashioned to welcome changes that in my opinion did not
need to be changed, I found nothing wrong with Music Finder.
My advice to Yamaha is to get someone on board who knows
what the older end Home user Keyboard players like to use.
Derrick

 

[Biggles]

The top end arrangers are aimed at an older market hence probably a design or two decisions had to be made on layouts to at least provide a nod to product evolution since Yamaha arranger buyers do mostly seem to stick within brand.

Last time I was in what was my favourite music store but it is now no longer the case the staff where doing the hard sell on an SX900 to a pair of customers who wanted options but was not given any.

The sales guy did say to the customers that the Genos was sold primarily to musicians who have been retired for many years.

I have to say that both the SX models are vastly superior to the prior S models.

Curious as to why you bought an SX?

 

[Derrick Summers]

The top end arrangers are aimed at an older market hence probably a design or two decisions had to be made on layouts to at least provide a nod to product evolution since Yamaha arranger buyers do mostly seem to stick within brand.

Last time I was in what was my favourite music store but it is now no longer the case the staff where doing the hard sell on an SX900 to a pair of customers who wanted options but was not given any.

The sales guy did say to the customers that the Genos was sold primarily to musicians who have been retired for many years.

I have to say that both the SX models are vastly superior to the prior S models.

Curious as to why you bought an SX?

 

[Derrick Summers]

I had the 970 and 950 models above each other but not linked
so I could play the styles on any and mix the sounds from both
Worked fine but the Key Action on the 970 was rubbish so I went
for the updated 900 key action. I could not afford the Genos, in
fact when I had a look at it in the showroom I just did not like it.
All the Demos I have been to give you a superb musician but they
all seem to go a bundle on the screaming synth and disco sounds
I'm affraid its just not my type of music. Saddly my wife as had to
go into an old folks care home but when I go down there 2 or 3
times a week they get me on the piano to play all the old tunes.
They all seem to love it and my wife used to be a beautiful singer.
Derrick

 

[RedBeard]

"Genos was sold primarily to musicians who have been retired for many years" What part of left field did that BS come from? My ongoing caution is, and it makes no matter what is being sold, that all salespeople are not your friend. They have a job to do and we must be aware that we are no more than a prospective sale and you will not be their personal Christmas card list. If that sounds cynical it is a caution forged by decades of dealing with them. For we musicians who are about to pay out some of our hard-earned money, we must do our own research and testing. It is our job to know more than the salesperson but not to let them know it.

 

[Biggles]

Very well said RedBeard.

In fact the Sales Guy said that they mostly sell the Genos to customers who are over 80.

It is sad that effectively there are only Yamaha and Korg in the market for top end Arrangers.

Over here in the UK every keyboard store bar two that I have been into have probably 50% of the keyboard sales area for acoustic and digital pianos, 40% on Arrangers and the rest synths and workstations. With low cost Yamaha E series arrangers probably accounting for the bulk of sales of the number of boxes sold.

Going back to the store in question the customers both had piano experiences and hence probably a DP with Arranger functions would suit them better than a Yamaha SX or Korg Pa.

 

[Derrick Summers]

Very well said RedBeard.

In fact the Sales Guy said that they mostly sell the Genos to customers who are over 80.

It is sad that effectively there are only Yamaha and Korg in the market for top end Arrangers.

Over here in the UK every keyboard store bar two that I have been into have probably 50% of the keyboard sales area for acoustic and digital pianos, 40% on Arrangers and the rest synths and workstations. With low cost Yamaha E series arrangers probably accounting for the bulk of sales of the number of boxes sold.

Going back to the store in question the customers both had piano experiences and hence probably a DP with Arranger functions would suit them better than a Yamaha SX or Korg Pa.

I am very fortunate in having a good store, its 40 miles away but well worth a visit ( A & C Hamiltons of Preston )
The staff are very good musicians and they do not try to force any product on you, and they have a really good
selection of instruments. If you give them details of what you want they will give you some good advice on it.
I was surprised to hear you say that Genos was sold mainly to over 80s, I would have thought it was more for
those doing gigs. I am 84 today and I had saved up for the Genos when it came out, after looking at it in the shop
I decided that it was not for me, I just did not like the layout it looked all cluttered up on the left side, and bare on
the other, but everyone has thier own ideas. Yamaha are a long way behind when it comes to so called new things
All the models after the 950 had a very poor action keyboard, if you were playing using headphones and someone
was in the same room all they would hear is the thumping and rattling of the keys, Very anoying to listen to.
They have at last put this right on the SX 900, but at the same time messed up other things. Why have they done
away with the buttons for Ballad and Country rythems, these have been scattered among the other groups. Why ?
Its the same for Saxes and Trumpets. Surley a few extra buttons is not going to up the price to much, the USB one
is now under the expansion button in a menu
As I have got older I find that the old brain likes to keep things as simple as possible, and my fingers no longer play
what I used to play. The Joys of old age !! Its time Yamaha got some good designers on board who know what is
wanted. I prefered the Music Finder to the Play list, could they not have included both ?
I scrapped the 970 model for the SX 900, It has a very nice key action and three buttons now for layering the voices
A touch screen as been on other models for a long time and a tilting screen would also have been nice for the price
Alas if you like something its Pay Up or Shut Up.
Derrick

 

[Biggles]

Derrick

It was Justin of A&C Hamilton who made the comment about selling Genos to the over 80’s.

It was one of his colleagues who was doing the push sell of Yamaha products to the customers who just wanted options.

Last week when I was in the store the Yamaha display area had expanded considerably with the numbers of keyboards on display, Rolands had reduced to hardly any, there were a few Korg’s, a couple of Nord’s and two Kursweil piano’s.

There is now a much better Music Store in Preston which is aimed at a more Pro market yet they still have affordable kit not only on display but functioning which is more than can be said for a lot of kit at A&C H. Music Matter is the company, five minutes from J31A.

 

[Derrick Summers]

Derrick

It was Justin of A&C Hamilton who made the comment about selling Genos to the over 80’s.

It was one of his colleagues who was doing the push sell of Yamaha products to the customers who just wanted options.

Last week when I was in the store the Yamaha display area had expanded considerably with the numbers of keyboards on display, Rolands had reduced to hardly any, there were a few Korg’s, a couple of Nord’s and two Kursweil piano’s.

There is now a much better Music Store in Preston which is aimed at a more Pro market yet they still have affordable kit not only on display but functioning which is more than can be said for a lot of kit at A&C H. Music Matter is the company, five minutes from J31A.

Thanks for the information I will check it out, at my age and playing ability Its likely that I will be sticking with the ones I have now
Justin has been a very good friend for a long time, way back when they had a store near Walkden, most of the time I have dealt with him
and he as never tried to push any product, I think he prefers Korg keyboards
Some time ago I tried a Korg, the one with the big speaker that clipped onto the back, but I found that it was far to complicated with all
the menus that came up, just could not get used to it. Like I said the old brain likes to keep things as simple as possible.
I mentioned that I had saved up to buy a Genos when it came out, and then found I did not like it, so I put the money to good use and
bought Two identical Pianoes. ( Clavinova CVP 701 ) for the same price,one for myself and one for the Care Home that my wife is in to
replace the clapped out old one they kept trying to get me to play. The price was O.K and the layout was the type I wanted so I can set
them both up how I like. I must admit I find it hard work playing the piano compared to a keyboard.
I started playing the Piano at around 10 years old and I have played in clubs for singers and other functions over the years. At one time
every pub had a piano, but now its all disco's and noise with TVs and Juke Boxes everywhere.
I think I mentioned that my wife was a very good singer, she was a member of an Opera set up for years but never took it up seriously
Pitty we can't turn the clocks back.

 

[Biggles]

The keyboard you tried would have been the Pa4X which is the top of range and the Korg competitor to the Yamaha Genos.

That said once mastered the Korg menu system on all of their Pa arrangers is rapid to use and much less button pressing than there is with a Yamaha.

I have listened to the Genos and SX models and they are vastly better built compared to the Tyros and S models but personally Korg have the better array of sounds to my ears.