Any updates still coming, or was this all that they got?

[Synthoid]

no matter what, there will always be someone complaining.

Ah yes... all part of the joy (and sorrow) that is life.

Enjoy your keyboards everyone, and continue to make good music!

[padking]

I also have a Yamaha Motif XS, and participate
on motifator forum,
yep, there to, when people do not agree with
Cies policies they speak their mind.

No problem with that.

Padking

[Synthoid]

Speaking of Yamaha, does anyone here think they will ever build a board to actually compete with the Kronos?

[afr]

Speaking of Yamaha, does anyone here think they will ever build a board to actually compete with the Kronos?

Yamaha will base their next workstation on disk streaming technology like kronos, that's the future

Probably within a couple of months we'll see something new coming out

[padking]

Yamaha are winter NAMM people, they should
have something this winter.
SSD seems logical and touchscreen. there's
many post on the forums concerning the Kronos
screen from cold to burning hot, some hope
for it others really don't want it.
Even if there are some issues with the Kronos
screen ( not always responsive) I wouldn't
go back to a non touch,I don't know how
many times I found myself hitting my XS screen and waiting for a response !!!

Padking

[Vlad_77]

Speaking of Yamaha, does anyone here think they will ever build a board to actually compete with the Kronos?

Hi Synthoid,

I would wager safely that any new workstations from other manufacturers would have to feature SSD and user sample streaming right out of the gate.

What I am curious about though is whether Yamaha needs to do this. Their marketing for the Motif series has been adding more while simultaneously keeping the Motif familiar to a huge user base. So does Yamaha need to beat Kronos? With their very large market share and the fact that so many top and mid-level acts use Yamaha as well as churches, etc., it seems to me and obviously this is just opinion, that of the other three manufacturers, Yamaha is in the enviable position of not having to try to beat Kronos. They certainly have the resources to make the attempt - lots of Yamaha motorcycles, and jet-skis out there.

I know that you and I have different feelings about Kurzweil and I still maintain that among Yamaha, Roland, and Kurzweil, it is Kurzweil that is the one to watch for a few reasons:

1. Kurzweil has not released a full blown workstation [if we define a workstation as an instrument that also includes user sampling] since the last K2xxx series. The ability to import samples in the PC3/K brings that iteration of the PC3 closer to a full workstation.

2. Kurzweil have always been innovators in powerful synthesis and whikle at first blush, Kurzweils seem to be just insanely deep subtractive synths, they can do much more. There is already a significant foundation from which to work on the PC3 and PC3/K instruments. If Kurzweil can make Dynamic VAST more transparent, do their own version of a an SGX-1 engine, and a nice large graphic based UI with touchscreen, it is my humble opinion that Kurzweil would be halfway there. Even today, some really like the Triple Strike piano and at one time it was the industry standard.

3. Minus the KORE 64 exoansion, the PC3 has a comparatively small ROM set. But what can be done with that small ROM set is staggering but many feel as you know that for them, the Kurzweil is a bit byzantine and again, Kurzweil instruments don't give up their secrets easily. In that vein, Kurzweil I would think recognizes that there is a need to truly highlight the open architecture of the instrument. It should be remembered that Kurzweil has been tossed about to parent companies who really didn't care about developing this instrument into a real force to be reckoned with; remember that Kurz was on the brink of extinction. The KORE64 expansion plus their continued support for the PC3 series while simultaneously releasing the PC3/K bodes well that Kurzweil is alive and well.

The downside to all of this is that comparatively, Kurzweil is the smallest of the Big Four and I wouldn't dare wager that the next Winter NAMM will be the unveiling of the new Kurzweil. I hope I'm wrong of course.

I hasten to add that I am not slamming Yamaha. As I stated, Yamaha could certainly do something, but, does Yamaha need to given its large market share?

I always enjoy your posts Synthoid!

Best,
Vlad

[Synthoid]

What I am curious about though is whether Yamaha needs to do this. Their marketing for the Motif series has been adding more while simultaneously keeping the Motif familiar to a huge user base..... it seems to me and obviously this is just opinion, that of the other three manufacturers, Yamaha is in the enviable position of not having to try to beat Kronos.

A valid point indeed. They sure have a decent share of the market with the Motif don't they? It's amazing that during the last 10+ years, we've only seen incremental upgrades to the Motif and keyboardists still flock to it. I even bought one a few years ago, although it only gets about half as much usage as my M3 and Radias.

I know that you and I have different feelings about Kurzweil and I still maintain that among Yamaha, Roland, and Kurzweil, it is Kurzweil that is the one to watch...

If Kurzweil can make Dynamic VAST more transparent, do their own version of a an SGX-1 engine, and a nice large graphic based UI with touchscreen, it is my humble opinion that Kurzweil would be halfway there.

Considering the difficulties they've endured over the years, I'd like to see Kurzweil release a competitor for Kronos... or at least something close. But yes--it needs a decent GUI, and a touchscreen would be a welcome addition as well!

Good to hear from you again.

Scott

[Scott]

I would wager safely that any new workstations from other manufacturers would have to feature SSD and user sample streaming right out of the gate.

Yamaha is conceivably in a good position to do this since, like Kronos, they built the XS/XF on a Linux foundation, which at least means some of the infrastructure is there. I think it would be much more difficult for anyone else (Roland, Kurzweil, Nord) to do SSD streaming since, AFAIK, there is nothing in their architecture to even begin to support it... which would mean they would be basically starting from scratch (i.e. it's probably easier for them to create a whole new Linux based system than to add streaming to their existing platforms). Though also, Roland's whole thrust has been away from sample based sounds and toward modeling, which means sample streaming isn't even necessarily relevant to their design goals. Nord, OTOH, while not making what you would consider a workstation, is very much sample oriented, so their boards would benefit, if they could find a way to do it.

[padking]

It is in fact amazing Synthoid, my XS is 7 years
old and I don't feel I am playing on a ancestral
keyboard ( 7 years is old as far as synths are
concern). Even my SY 99 still has something
special.........Quality I suppose.

The same can be said of the Korg Oasis (though
in a other price range ) Quality!

Padking

[Synthoid]

It is in fact amazing Synthoid, my XS is 7 years old and I don't feel I am playing on a ancestral keyboard ( 7 years is old as far as synths are concern).

Well, I kept my Roland D-50 until last year. Still sounded great and was very well-built, but... it was time for someone else to have some fun with it.

[Davidb]

I thought, and I was 100% sure, that a sequencer would at least be updated with touching M3 like features rather soon after its launch, but they made a cheapo synth with such functionality instead!!!

Yep.
A very historical and repetitive truth.

(FYI; It happenend as well with the OASYS and M3, OASYS users talked/demanded that upgrade for years, then the upgrade came for a cheaper model instead; and it is the very same story for the Kronos and Krome now.)

... We have to guess some things never change in Korgland.

[R Brenon]

Awww. So many people have "Gear Junkie" disease. Is anything ever enough? I've had the gotta have more disease my whole life too. Are we ever satisfied? There is NOTHING on the market that is going to make you a better musician. Only YOU can. It's what's in YOU that make things sound better. I take a 400 buck guitar and make it sound better through nothing than my buddies 4K guitar through all his expensive tubies. Ask yourself, I know it's hard, but ask yourself "Why do I have this s**t in the first place?" Are we competing to have "The Better" than the other person? Ask yourself, "What is better?" Are you making hit songs being played on the radio every day?.
Man I gotta get this, $$$, man now I gotta get that, $$$, aww now this came out and it's better, $$$, man now I need a home studio $$$$, mann, I gotta get this keyboard cause it can get closer to doing what my software sample player can already do better, $$$$$, now I need a studio like Abby Road's!! $$$$$$$$$. Man, now I'm broke and still can't play worth a s**t.
Enjoy your lives friends.

[SeedyLee]

Awww. So many people have "Gear Junkie" disease. Is anything ever enough? I've had the gotta have more disease my whole life too. Are we ever satisfied? There is NOTHING on the market that is going to make you a better musician. Only YOU can. It's what's in YOU that make things sound better. I take a 400 buck guitar and make it sound better through nothing than my buddies 4K guitar through all his expensive tubies. Ask yourself, I know it's hard, but ask yourself "Why do I have this s**t in the first place?" Are we competing to have "The Better" than the other person? Ask yourself, "What is better?" Are you making hit songs being played on the radio every day?.
Man I gotta get this, $$$, man now I gotta get that, $$$, aww now this úcame out and it's better, $$$, man now I need a home studio $$$$, mann, I gotta get this keyboard cause it can get closer to doing what my software sample player can already do better, $$$$$, now I need a studio like Abby Road's!! $$$$$$$$$. Man, now I'm broke and still can't play worth a s**t.
Enjoy your lives friends.

Man, I'm a useless musician. I just like toys and knobs and the blinkin' lights. I think, musically, the Kronos is more than I will ever need. I would feel the same about a Motif XF if I owned one I'm sure.

[Bald Eagle]

Awww. So many people have "Gear Junkie" disease. Is anything ever enough? I've had the gotta have more disease my whole life too. Are we ever satisfied? There is NOTHING on the market that is going to make you a better musician. Only YOU can. It's what's in YOU that make things sound better. I take a 400 buck guitar and make it sound better through nothing than my buddies 4K guitar through all his expensive tubies. Ask yourself, I know it's hard, but ask yourself "Why do I have this s**t in the first place?" Are we competing to have "The Better" than the other person? Ask yourself, "What is better?" Are you making hit songs being played on the radio every day?.
Man I gotta get this, $$$, man now I gotta get that, $$$, aww now this úcame out and it's better, $$$, man now I need a home studio $$$$, mann, I gotta get this keyboard cause it can get closer to doing what my software sample player can already do better, $$$$$, now I need a studio like Abby Road's!! $$$$$$$$$. Man, now I'm broke and still can't play worth a s**t.
Enjoy your lives friends.

Man, I'm a useless musician. I just like toys and knobs and the blinkin' lights. I think, musically, the Kronos is more than I will ever need. I would feel the same about a Motif XF if I owned one I'm sure.

With enough gear you can just setup a massive number of arps, drum tracks and karma modules. You don't need to play, just press a few buttons and sit back and relax

[Vlad_77]

Awww. So many people have "Gear Junkie" disease. Is anything ever enough? I've had the gotta have more disease my whole life too. Are we ever satisfied? There is NOTHING on the market that is going to make you a better musician. Only YOU can. It's what's in YOU that make things sound better. I take a 400 buck guitar and make it sound better through nothing than my buddies 4K guitar through all his expensive tubies. Ask yourself, I know it's hard, but ask yourself "Why do I have this s**t in the first place?" Are we competing to have "The Better" than the other person? Ask yourself, "What is better?" Are you making hit songs being played on the radio every day?.
Man I gotta get this, $$$, man now I gotta get that, $$$, aww now this úcame out and it's better, $$$, man now I need a home studio $$$$, mann, I gotta get this keyboard cause it can get closer to doing what my software sample player can already do better, $$$$$, now I need a studio like Abby Road's!! $$$$$$$$$. Man, now I'm broke and still can't play worth a s**t.
Enjoy your lives friends.

Man, I'm a useless musician. I just like toys and knobs and the blinkin' lights. I think, musically, the Kronos is more than I will ever need. I would feel the same about a Motif XF if I owned one I'm sure.

With enough gear you can just setup a massive number of arps, drum tracks and karma modules. You don't need to play, just press a few buttons and sit back and relax

Where's Sina?