[Yamaha YC Operating system update Ver. 1.3]

I think the Hamburg has a great sound! It’s clean and crisp and really cuts especially on the high end, still playing around with the EQ on it. 

[Little Things: An Advice Thread]

Treat everyone with kindness the way you'd want to be treated & always have a smile. Not always possible on every gig but remember that's the kind of musician you'd want to hang with, right?

[Sample Conversion from Mac to Kronos?]

Been gigging the Kronos for 12 years & yet to find the cover song that can't be replicated in its internal facility.  

[stage presence, how do you deal with that as a keyboard player?]

There's no rule, whatever works for you. Be yourself & let the other lemmings chase each other in circles.  

[One keyboard for most realistic sounds - which do you choose? (no plugins allowed)]

Korg Kronos has some of the most realistic sounds, but falls kinda short in the APs & it's beefy in weight, Kurzweil  good option too.

[Yamaha CP4: A good buy in 2023?]

Happily owned a CP4 a while back & thought I'd never part with it and then the YC88 came along... 

[Grammy Award Show]

You could give Stevie a shoebox with a rubber band on it & it would sound amazing. His voice never ages... what a performance.  

[Talk me out of getting a Nord Stage 3 Compact...]

Personal taste!

I've owned the NS3 & the feel is springy or "spongey" no connection. I went through the usual line up of top tier boards (Korg Kronos still a fav for general cover band needs) and the YC88 not only talked to me but pulled me in. The feel is about the best I've come across & feel is my first box I tick, then sound, etc.  I connect with it & it covers all bread & butter sounds...

personal taste.  

[Which one to keep? Grandstage or Rd88]

With The RD88 you connect with the key feel plus you have a vast library from Roland, there's your choice.

[Display Your Keyboard Logo On Stage?]

The best sticker / tape residue removal product is "Goo Gone", always works for me. Usually get it at Home Depot but I believe Amazon carries it. 

[Need two keyboard stand for home use only]

Got two Standtastic's in my home office, great for permanent studio residency but not for gigging.   

[Display Your Keyboard Logo On Stage?]

TommyRude, which Casio did you use on the TS tour? I would imagine you opted for VSTs as opposed to the Casio inboard sounds.  

[OT - What's your full-time job?]

Full time Choir / Music Director at a Catholic Church near Austin Texas for the last 23 years & love it. Although weekend gigs are always a tricky thing. 

[New Nord Piano Sample - Pearl Upright]

Reminds me of the UI on the Yamaha YC. 

 

[Cherry officially popped.]

Steve, thanks for always bringing your insight, wisdom and all around "crazy"!!!!!!  

[Song(s) that artist covered that became "go-to" version.]

"The Christmas Song" Nat King Cole

 

[Keyboard for a 12 year old beginner.]

Casio PX-1000, a smigen over $500.00 but weighted keys, light weight, battery powered & sounds great!!

Casio PX-S1000

[YC88 vs CP88 - Quick Question]

Had the CP, sold it & got the YC88 because I wanted an "all in one" gigging board. I have a Kronos 73 and love the sounds but the weight & boot are not cutting it whereas the YC is a lighter board, better action (for me), way better APs/EPs & the "other sounds" will get you through a gig no problem. It's become my practice board as well I love the hammer action.

[Red Piano Shell Cable Management]

Those red stools look cool. 

 

[Yamaha YC 73 as 1st tier board]

For gigs my combi is the YC88 on bottom & the MODX6 on top.  Fairly lightweight rig that covers pretty much everything (I needed to replace  my aging Kronos with its lethargic boot time & beefy weight).    

[Red Piano Shell Cable Management]

And a red throne! 

[My brain is weird (also blues scales, etc.)]

Any step forward big or small in your musical journey is awesome!!!

[Hotrodding a Kronos]

 "Boot up hell" in the middle of a gig with the KK2... done that been there. Several times when power has vanished, I had the vital keyboard intro and everybody's waiting... 

that being said it still has about the best bread & butter sounds on the market. 

[German Concert V-Piano Expansion for RD-2000]

I’m pretty sure German grand means Steinway. The only thing free in the whole equation is the update, I’m not saying I agree with their approach and I know it’s all marketing bait to reel in people into the Roland universe.

 

And yes the cloud account is a subscription.

[German Concert V-Piano Expansion for RD-2000]

Just loaded it & definitely a bigger, cleaner more defined AP sound. 17 'pay for' piano patches that are variations of the modeled German Grand, very usable for solo work as well as group. The caveat is you need a Roland cloud account to purchase & latest V2.0 update. I love the piano action of the RD-2000 so it feels & sounds awesome, but I'll admit for $149.00 its not for everyone since Yamaha, Nord 7 others add APs for free.