Some Older Keyboards Still Sound Remarkably Good

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General discussions about Yamaha keyboards

Some Older Keyboards Still Sound Remarkably Good

Postby Mike Bracchi » 31 Jan 2017 19:14

Some of the older keyboard arrangers still have remarkably good sounds even compared to the sounds of the latest models ... the real beauty about them is they don't cost an arm & a leg to buy them - several hundred quid can invariably buy you a good one with extras like stand etc etc ... great if you are permanently pot-less like wot I am :lol: :lol:

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Key features of the Yamaha PSR-8000 ....

Vocal Harmony
The answer to the vocalist's dream. PSR8000's Vocal Harmony function perfectly harmonizes your voice adding powerful enhancement to your singing. Have a backup chorus provide more depth and emotion to your next ballad. Add special effects to your performance. Vocal Harmony control data can be recorded in a sequencer track--great for live performance or making Karaoke disks.

Talk Button
Proudly introduce your next song using the Talk Button function. You can add a wide variety of digital effects, from reverb to pitch shifting, to your voice for even more entertainment enjoyment. Volume levels and effect settings can be easily customized and stored in memory.

Gender Function and Pitch Correction
Shift the pitch of your voice up or down while retaining human voice quality for a remarkably realistic effect. Sophisticated Vocal Pitch Correction finely adjusts the pitch of your voice to match the key of the music for a worry-free performance.

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Direct Disk Play/Next Song
Never keep you audience waiting. The PSR8000 reads sequencer data directly from the floppy disk drive as the song plays, so there's no waiting for songs to load. Plus, a Next Song Reserve function lets you respond immediately to audience requests by preparing the song data you want to play next.

Direct Access Button
No more searching through menus. Pressing any function button while holding down the Direct Access Button will take you directly to the parameter display related to that function. Great for quickly setting split points, part on/off, foot switches/volume, effect parameters, etc.

Registration Memory
Registration Memory adds powerful support to your stage performance by storing complete control panel set ups, such as voice, style, and vocal settings, for instant recall. Even song selection can be memorized.

Loop Send/Return
A handy Send/Return Loop allows you to connect the PSR8000 to an external audio mixer. The mixed signal can then be fed back to the keyboard and monitored through the PSR8000's built-in speakers.

Voice/Style List Customize
Create a customized list of the voices and music styles you use most for speedy access and convenience while on stage.

Outstanding, High-Quality Voices
Using highly non-destructive compression, the PSR8000 gives you 12 MB of amazing sounding voices including 261 multi-sampled panel voices, 13 drum/SFX kits, and 480 XG voices. Choose from the bright and lively Sweet Tenor, Flute, Trumpet and Clarinet series, a powerful Rotor Organ with a real sampled rotary speaker, and many, many more! A unique Organ Flute function lets you change footage settings on the display. Choose from a vintage organ wave or a pure sine wave.

214 Fantastic Music Styles
From standard 8 and 16-beat, to ballad and dance, the PSR8000 has the perfect accompaniment style for your music. All the styles make full use of XG control, effects, filters, etc., to make you sound your best. The One Touch Setting feature lets you select from four different texture variations for each style to find the accompaniment that's right for you. You can also create your own custom styles and grooves.

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9 Blocks of Digital Effects
An abundance of high-quality digital effects are at your disposal. Choose from 98 types of DSP, including 24 types of reverb and 20 types of Chorus for accompaniment parts, and four blocks of DSP with 78 types of digital effects for voice parts and vocals. Use the unique Harmony/Echo to add a harmonious duet, trio, or tremolo effect to your playing. Its "MULTI" assignment function lets you easily create rich textures such as a realistic Big Band Brass sound.

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Powerful Synthesizer
Unlike conventional arranger workstations, the PSR8000 provides complete synthesis control for creating custom voices including pitch, amp, and filter EGs. Full 64-note polyphony along with two dynamic filters per tone, further expand your expressive capabilities.

High-Capacity Memory Expandability
As your needs grow, so can the PSR8000's memory. Sampling wave RAM is expandable up to 33 MB using pairs of optional DIMMs. An internal hard disk of up to 780 MB can also be installed.

MIDI Set-up Templates
The PSR8000's MIDI Template function provides instant support for a variety of connections such as PC, external tone generators, MIDI accordion, etc.

CD Quality Sampler
Add a creative edge to your music and performance with the built-in professional sampler. Featuring 16-bit 44.1 kHz mono sampling and detailed loop editing, the PSR8000 lets you capture literally any sound via its Mic input. Samples can then be edited, synthesized, and mapped out on the keyboard. Further customize your samples by adding up to three blocks of pre-effects. A long sampling time of 6 min. 30 sec. can be achieved when fully expanded. You can also import any WAV and AIFF file.

On-Board Automated Mixer
Get professional production results with the PSR8000's powerful Mixing Console function. Separate two band EQ for each of the 29 parts, plus a 5-band master EQ with gain, band width, and frequency control give you ultimate control over your sound. Top off the mix by choosing from nine blocks of DSP effects. Volume, panning, and other parameters can be recorded by the sequencer for fully automated production. You can use the mixer to control other MIDI equipment in your studio.

Fully-Editable Custom Styles and Groove Styles
On top of the detailed selection of music styles, the PSR8000 gives you the power to fully edit and create your own styles based on Yamaha's Style File format. With the Groove and Dynamics function, subtle aspects of the style's groove can be precisely controlled. A 16-beat ballad can be effortlessly transformed into the latest hip hop beat. Instrument and percussion parts can be re-voiced or muted. The possibilities are endless!

16-Track Sequencer
The sophisticated on-board sequencer allows a large recording capacity of up to 130,000 notes (2HD FD). Quick Record mode makes for quick and easy recording and editing, while Multi-track Record mode allows independent recording and playback of up to 16 tracks.

Computer Connectivity
A built-in To Host Terminal allows direct connection to a personal computer so you can take advantage of the wide selection of music software available on the market.





Moving on ... let's take a closer look at the PSR-9000 — the entertaining musician's dream machine of which you can readily pick-up in either form (9000 or 9000P) on 'fleabay' .... unfortunately, you wont find these models quite so cheap as the 8000 ... my view is that it is certainly worth serious consideration if you are about to buy a 'used' mid-range keyboard :wink:

This arranger workstation packs an impressive array of performance-oriented features: superb-sounding voices and music styles outstanding Vocal Harmony , a huge Music Database and Registration Memory, 16-bit Sampling and more! Plus it gives you vast possibilities for memory expansion and device connection, including SCSI , video , and PC keyboard terminals. And not only are the many features of the PSR-9000 incredible, they are also incredibly easy to use, allowing you to concentration making both your music and your audience livelier than ever. With the high-performance power of the PSR-9000, you'll get more than an applause...you'll get a standing ovation!

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Sound — Incredible Sounds without Compromise
The PSR-9000 is loaded with 32MB of amazing voices — over two-and-a-half times more than the previous model, the PSR-8000. Of course, all the sounds of the highly acclaimed PSR-8000 have been retained, and some even brushed up . Plus many new top-quality voices have been added, including realistic . Live! Drum Kits and Live! Voices , flashy Cool! Voices and new acoustic Sweet Voices . In addition, there's a full set of Yamaha XG MIDI voices, so you can be assured that XG and General MIDI sequences will sound their best when played back on the PSR-9000.

Easy Operation —Sophisticated Performance That's Easy to Use
The PSR-9000 was developed from a musician's perspective. As a result, it's packed with features and functions that let you maximize your music performance. Features such as a Music Database , customizable One-Touch Settings , a large Registration Memory , and a thorough selection of intros, verses, and endings for each of the auto accompaniment styles. Plus all these functions are easy to use thanks to the keyboard's Direct Access function and step-by-step on-screen guidance

Expandability — Versatile Expandability and Connection
Never before has one keyboard given you so many options for expansion and connection. The PSR-9000's sampling RAM can be increased up to 65MB using pairs of conventional SIMMs, while an internal hard disk of up to 8GB can be added for storing keyboard data such as voices, styles, and setups. A Fast SCSI terminal is also provided, to which you can connect an external storage device, such as a Zip™ drive. And to accommodate a wider range of setup environments, the PSR-9000 is equipped with a multitude of connection terminals, including video output, dual MIDI In/Out ports, PC keyboard input , and individual audio output jacks.

Live! Voices (Stereo Sampled)
Experience a new dimension in sound. Yamaha's brand new Live! Voices (acoustic instrument and human voices such as Nylon Guitar, Strings, Gospel choir and Scat Vocals) feature stereo samples to ensure the most accurate reproduction of the instruments' natural presence, resonance and vibrato.

Live! Drum Kits
Live! Drum Kits, which deliver striking realism by capturing the natural room ambience of an acoustic drum. The cymbals and toms have extra-long sampling times to achieve a natural-sounding decay. For even more authenticity, each Live! Drum sound features dynamic sampling — up to four layers of samples each set at different velocity. Play softly and you get a sample of a lightly struck drum; play firmly and you get the sample of a loudly struck drum.

Cool! Voices
Looking to spice up your performance? Yamaha offers the perfect ingredient — Cool! Voices. These new voices of electrically amplified instruments feature long samples to capture all the dynamics, warmth and harmonic content of the original instrument. As a result, they deliver a rich and expressive sound that's sure to inspire your musical creativity. Choose from a full-bodied Jazz Guitar, a chunky Vintage Guitar, a lively Jazz Organ and more!

Sweet! Voices
Specially designed Sweet Voices feature long samples to capture all the expression and natural vibrato of their respective acoustic instruments. You won't believe your ears when you hear the remarkably realistic Trombone, Soprano Sax, Alto Sax, and Pan Flute among others in the Sweet Voice family. Of course, the standard voices on the PSR-9000 are just as outstanding, including a superb Accordion, Pedal Steel Guitar, Baritone Horn and Arabic Drum Kit, as well as several exceptional Synthesizer Voices and Electric Pianos.

Professional Preset Styles
No matter what kind of music you enjoy, the PSR-9000 has the perfect accompaniment to accommodate your playing style. Over 100 styles, from standard 8- and 16-beat to swing and ballroom, are provided — all of which have been arranged by top professional musicians. Each style has its own unique 4 Main Variations, 3 Intros, 3 Endings, 4 Fill-ins and 1 Break Fill. In addition, 4 One-Touch Settings, any of which can be freely customized, are provided for each style. For a demonstration of "What is a Style", click 11509 PCT here (1.3MB download - requires Macromedia Flash).

Personal Flash Styles
On top of the wide selection of preset styles, the PSR-9000 provides up to 120 flash memory locations for you to store data from Yamaha Style File disks or compose your own original styles based on the Style File format. The Groove and Dynamics function lets you precisely control subtle aspects of a style's groove, allowing you to effortlessly transform a 16-beat ballad into a funky hip-hop beat.

Vocal Harmony
The answer to the vocalist's dream. The PSR-9000's Vocal Harmony function perfectly harmonizes your voice, adding powerful enhancement to your singing. Have a backup chorus provide more depth and emotion to your next ballad. Expand your vocal range with the unique Gender function. In addition to digital reverbs and choruses, an abundance of dedicated vocal effects are provided, including 84 types of insertion effects, noise gate, compressor and 3-band EQ.

Top-Quality Digital Effects
Effects are essential for improving the sound quality of voices and creating a professional-sounding mix. And to ensure you have all the digital processing power you need, the PSR-9000 provides 12 blocks of simultaneous DSP effects. Of these effects, 5 feature 164 preset effects ranging from spacious reverbs and delays to cutting-edge distortion. Dual Rotary Speaker realistically simulates the separate spinning horn and tweeter of a traditional rotating speaker cabinet. V Distortion delivers a natural overdriven tube sound. Several combination effects, such as Distortion + Delay, provide you with even more effects at once.

126 Notes of Polyphony
The number of notes a keyboard is capable of playing simultaneously is like the horsepower of a car — the more there is, the more power you have. And when composing complex multi-part arrangements, polyphony becomes a critical issue. Even the conventional 64 notes of polyphony featured on most other arranger workstations can run out quickly in sequences that contain multi-layered chords. The PSR-9000, however, features 126 notes of polyphony, so you can freely play sustained scales over note-intensive rhythms and chord progressions without worrying about note dropout.

Sample Layers
Taking advantage of this large amount of polyphony, some of the PSR-9000's voices feature as many as 8 layers of samples. And because you can stack a maximum of 3 voices for the right hand part, it's possible to create exceptionally rich timbres consisting of up to 24 layers!

Dynamic Speakers, Powerful Amplifier
A keyboard can only sound as good as the speakers that reproduce its sound. That's why the PSR-9000 is equipped with a newly developed two-way stereo speaker system. Each speaker has been mounted inside a wooden cabinet with a large bass port, which helps to faithfully reproduce the powerful dynamics and subtle overtones of the onboard voices and music styles. To ensure abundant sound output when playing at home, the speakers are powered by a 56-watt amplifier.

Sampling Capability
The PSR-9000 is a great-sounding synthesizer and also a high-performance sampler! Featuring 16-bit 44.1kHz mono sampling capability, the PSR-9000 lets you capture literally any sound via its mic/line input. You can also import AIFF or WAV files, giving you the support of a large library of sounds. The keyboard is equipped with 1MB of RAM, and can be expanded up to 65MB (using two 32MB SIMMs) for an enormous sampling time of 12 minutes and 52 seconds.


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EASY OPERATION

Easy Operation
Designed with the musician in mind, the PSR-9000 has several intuitive features that make operation extremely easy and convenient. An on-screen guidance function leads you step by step through various setups, making even complicated procedures simple to do. The Direct Access button allows you to jump instantly to any menu with the touch of a single hand. And to ensure smooth performance on stage, all switches necessary for live performance are conveniently located on the keyboard's front panel.

Disk Direct/Disk Cache
With the Disk Direct function, long and complicated loading procedures become a thing of the past. Simply press the Disk Direct button and select an accompaniment style; that's all there is to it. Data from the disk will be loaded automatically into the keyboard's disk cache, so you can be assured the songs you select will be ready to go when you are.

Direct Disk Play
Never keep your audience waiting. The PSR-9000 reads sequencer data directly from its internal floppy drive or any external storage device as it plays, so there's no waiting for songs or styles to load. The unique Ultra Quick Start function ensures playback will begin immediately after a making a selection.

PSR-8000 Compatibility
The PSR-9000 is fully compatible with the large selection of PSR-8000 software available on the market. Plus, if you happen to be upgrading from the PSR-8000, you'll be able to import most of your old data — including Registration Memory settings, custom styles, Multi-Pad settings and custom voices made from sampled waveforms — into the PSR-9000. Note: Custom voices that use PSR-8000 ROM waves as well as any data that may include these voices (Registration Memory, custom styles, Multi-Pad sequences, etc.) are NOT compatible with the PSR-9000.

Music Database
Right out of the box, the PSR-9000 is ready to inspire — with an onboard Music Database that provides over 600 keyboard setups for you to effortlessly play your songs! Each database setting configures the PSR-9000 with the most appropriate instrument selection, style accompaniment, effect settings and tempo based on a familiar song, from world-famous pop and folk songs to marches and classical pieces.

Registration Memory
Registration Memory gives powerful support for your live performances by letting you store entire keyboard settings, including vocal harmony settings and voice, style and song selection, for instant recall on stage. How large is your repertoire? The PSR-9000 has over 500 Registration Memory locations — more than any other keyboard on the market — to accommodate even the largest song lists.

Talk Button
Proudly introduce your next song. With the Talk Over function, you can instantly switch the mic effect from a deep reverb to a dry setting, for example, whenever you need to make an announcement. In addition, you can add a wide variety of digital effects, such as pitch shifting, to your voice for even more entertainment enjoyment. Volume levels and effect settings can be easily customized and stored in memory.

16-Track Sequencer
The sophisticated onboard sequencer allows a huge recording capacity of 38,000 notes. Two record modes are provided: Quick Record mode for easy and convenient recording, and Multi-track Record mode for independent recording and playback of up to 16 tracks.

Onboard Automated Mixer
Get professional production results with the PSR-9000's powerful Mixing Console function. Separate two-band EQ for each of the 29 parts, plus a five-band master EQ with gain, band width, and frequency control give you ultimate control over your sound. Top off the mix by choosing from 7 blocks of DSP effects. Volume, panning, and other parameters can be recorded into the sequencer for fully automated production. What's more, you can use the mixer to change the voice settings of each channel and to control external MIDI devices as well. All mixer control settings* can be stored in Registration Memory for quick and easy recall at the touch of a button. *Excluding song track settings

EXPANDABILITY

Fast SCSI Interface
Memory expansion has never been easier! The PSR-9000's fast SCSI (SCSI 2) port lets you connect an external hard drive of up to 8GB or a removable media device such as a Zip® drive. Not only does this give you a huge storage capacity for voices, samples and setups, but also it also greatly expands the number of styles and songs you can have on hand for instant playback using the Direct Disk Play function. *Note: D-sub half-50 pin SCSI terminal. Zip is a registered trademark of Iomega Corporation

Video Out
The PSR-9000 is equipped with a video out jack that mirrors the displayed contents of the LCD panel. By placing the keyboard in Song mode, lyrics from Karaoke song files can be displayed on a large television monitor, allowing your audience to sing along with your performance. Both the background and foreground colors of the output display can be changed to your taste. NTSC and PAL video formats are supported.

Flash ROM Operating System
The PSR-9000's operating system is stored completely in flash memory, which means updating the keyboard with the latest OS version is as easy as downloading it from Yamaha's Web site.

http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/pk/index.html

Internal Memory Expandability
The PSR-9000's internal memory can be easily expanded as your needs grow. Using pairs of SIMMs, the onboard sampling RAM can be expanded up to 65MB. The keyboard can also accommodate an internal hard drive up to 8GB.

PC Keyboard Interface/To Host Interface
Any standard PC keyboard can be connected to the PSR-9000, allowing you to easily input text for the names of voices, songs and styles, as well as recall Registration Memory by number. Plus, a To Host interface lets you connect the PSR-9000 directly to a personal computer and take advantage of the wide range of music software available on the market-there's no need to buy an expensive interface card or MIDI cables.

Dual MIDI In/Out Ports
Two totally independent sets of MIDI In/Out ports provide you with 32 MIDI channel capability and 28 multi-timbral parts — extremely useful when using external MIDI tone generators along with the PSR-9000.

Controllable from Yamaha MFC10
Yamaha's 1158 LNK MFC10 Foot Controller is the ideal match for the PSR-9000. With the MFC10, you can freely control auto accompaniment styles and select Registration Memory without ever taking your hands off the keyboard. Plus you can use the MFC10;s foot pedal for real-time control over keyboard parameters such as part volume/expression, brightness, reverb/chorus depth and more.

Individual Outputs and Loop Send/Return
In addition to the main stereo outputs, two individual audio outputs are provided for you to make sophisticated mixes by routing voices or the mic signal separately to an external mixing board or effects processor. A handy Send/Return Loop allows you to connect the PSR-9000 to an on-stage mixing console. The mixed signal can then be fed back to the keyboard and monitored through the PSR-9000's built-in speakers.

Mike Bracchi
Vintage Organ Group (Facebook)
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Re: Some Older Keyboards Still Sound Remarkably Good

Postby andyg » 31 Jan 2017 19:52

Definitely worth looking at the older models if you're on a budget. :) You do have to watch the older, older ones though. Spares can be an issue with some - same with all electronic instruments. I personally don't like going back more than 10 - 12 years or so, but there are some nuggets out there that predate that, like the two mentioned.

The PSR9000 was a great pro keyboard, but if you don't need all the connectivity etc, then there's a lot to be said for the PSR3000, PSR-S900 and PSR-S-910. Screens can be an issue on the first two, but failure is still relatively rare compared to the total number out there.

Once my youngsters, usually on a small Yamaha or Casio model, get to Grade 2, I have a quiet word with the parents and tell them to buy just one keyboard that will last their child for as long as they need, right the way up to FLCM Performance Diploma if they wish. That's usually a used S900 or S910, as they have the Super Articulation voices on board, and that makes a difference. With used prices starting around £300 or less for a PSR3K, I tell them that if their child gives up the instrument, they'll get most of their money back!
It's not what you play, it's not how you play. It's the fact that you're playing that counts.

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Re: Some Older Keyboards Still Sound Remarkably Good

Postby papadeedee » 01 Feb 2017 16:09

I know that if I was in the market for a reasonably priced keyboard, I would look at something like the Orla Gt 8000 Sport Single Manual Organ Keyboard.
You get modern sounds plus a pedal board at a fraction of the price of a Tyros.
I think if it was possible, it would be nice to rig a stand to have the Yamaha 8000 on top and the Orla 8000 with bass pedals underneath.
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