Dedicated Mind Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I'm in the market for my first keyboard. I'm trying to decide between the Korg m50 workstation and the Yamaha psr s710. I understand the korg has 80 voice polyphony and the yamaha has 128 polyphony. Since I'm a beginner, which one produces a higher quality sound? I also noticed the korg has mono output and the yamaha has stereo output. which should I choose? Thanks for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 The PSR is an arranger, rather than a workstation. Are you looking for something that will give you pre-generated accompaniment tracks? Then the PSR could be for you. Otherwise, the Yamaha closest in functionality to the M50 would be the MOX6. Personally, I like the Yamaha sounds better overall, but that's personal preference. (I've more often been gigging with an M50 despite generally preferring the MOX sounds because I wanted the 73 keys you can get on an M50. The touchscreen is a nice perk, too.) All these boards are stereo. And in most cases, differences in polyphony are not worth worrying about. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I'm trying to decide between the Korg m50 workstation and the Yamaha psr s710. What has led you specifically to those two models? If you elaborate on your selection process, we'll be better able to help you, as you've cited two vastly different instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dedicated Mind Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 I'm trying to decide between the Korg m50 workstation and the Yamaha psr s710. What has led you specifically to those two models? If you elaborate on your selection process, we'll be better able to help you, as you've cited two vastly different instruments. well I was looking at the korg arranger and the m50 was only $100 dollars more. I thought the m50 would do the same thing as the arranger since it has a sequencer. I thought the m50 had more synth options having usb. could you expound a bit on the differences between the arranger and the workstation? I thought the workstation combined the synth and the arranger together. I'm using price range as my rule but haven't decided between the arranger or the workstation. thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Okay then. Besides price, what is your goal? When you say beginner, do you mean to piano playing itself or to the vast world of synths/workstations? Will you be gigging? Using the board for song writing at home? Please understand our questions are so we can help you. Many of us here have lots of experience with various workstations/arrangers from the various brands. If you can let us know, as Sven asked, what specifically you're trying to accomplish, we can give you a more coherent answer. As it is, both boards you've mentioned are good. However, one might be better over the other for you, but we can't opine on that until we know your usage intentions. Again, as Sven mentioned, the two you've listed are very different animals. David Gig Rig:Roland Fantom-08| Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dedicated Mind Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 escape rocks, I'm new to playing itself, though I understand music theory and play a little guitar. This will be my first keyboard. If the first poster is correct and polyphony is not a big deal, then my real choice is between the korg pa50sd and the korg m50. I mainly want to learn songs and be able to play in church. so that might be considered gigging. I'm just wondering if the arranger has enough quality sounds that I can get from the m50 that has usb capability and can add vsts or whether the arranger has enough sounds but may help me with playing by having the fills, intros and accompaniment. Which of the 2 would help me more? thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Polyphony becomes an issue when you create full songs using your sequencer, including drums, bass, guitar(s) strings, horns, and misc. percussions instruments for latin beats and heavy duty dance traks. Add to that your playing live along with your workstation and you can eat up a lot of polyphony. I have a Yamaha Motif ES8 that has 128 polyphony. There have been a few full sequences where I started hearing voice stealing during songs. (The computer in the KB will "steal" voices when you use up all the polyphony). Also, using the sustain pedal while playing the piano for arpeggios and glissandos can eat up polyphony too. Drums and percussion-every time you use any percussion sound, it uses a voice. Even a high energy bongo sound can use up a lot of polyphony. If you are not planning on doing anything too elaborate on your keyboard (in terms of recording and playback) then polyphony IS not a big deal. Personally, I would prefer 128 voices. Better more than enough than ever running out. Cheers! Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I thought the m50 had more synth options having usb. Nope, USB doesn't give you more synth options. I thought the m50 would do the same thing as the arranger since it has a sequencer.... could you expound a bit on the differences between the arranger and the workstation? An arranger creates auto-accomapniment tracks for you based on a variety of algorithms and pre-programmed patterns, giving you a kind of "boilerplate" accompaniment quickly and easily. The sequencer in a workstation is used to create your own backing tracks, instead of having the keyboard create them for you, so you create something entirely original. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dedicated Mind Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 I thought the m50 had more synth options having usb. Nope, USB doesn't give you more synth options. I thought the m50 would do the same thing as the arranger since it has a sequencer.... could you expound a bit on the differences between the arranger and the workstation? An arranger creates auto-accomapniment tracks for you based on a variety of algorithms and pre-programmed patterns, giving you a kind of "boilerplate" accompaniment quickly and easily. The sequencer in a workstation is used to create your own backing tracks, instead of having the keyboard create them for you, so you create something entirely original. can you create your own backing tracks on an arranger or can you only use prearranged patterns or adjust the patterns? I thought with a usb you could add vsts, korg says you can buy software to upgrade the m50 to an m3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus64 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 can you create your own backing tracks on an arranger or can you only use prearranged patterns or adjust the patterns? I thought with a usb you could add vsts, korg says you can buy software to upgrade the m50 to an m3 Vsts are computer-based. Before you dive into hardware, check out the differences between hardware and software. Software can do almost anything you can think of. Hardware had the advantages for live playing (although more and more are using computers as well.). No, you can't buy software to change an m50 into an m3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhouse Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Bottom line: Yamaha PSR is good for beginners and playing very standard styles with little flexibility. In other words, you'll outgro this unit quickly if you are trying to be innovative. Korg M50 is good for beginners and somewhat advanced players. It features way more options to sculpt and create. You can keep an M50 throughout your career. It is not designed to help you easily emulate existing music styles. So, if you want to paint by the numbers and keep training wheels on, get the Yamaha. If you want to draw free-hand and come up something new, get the Korg. I own stuff from both brands. Sorry if i sound one sided, but I'm trying to be honest. American Keyworks AK24+ Diablo (with bow), Hammond L100, Korg M3 expanded, Korg Sigma, Yamaha MM8, Yamaha SY99 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus64 Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Sorry if i sound one sided, You don't sound one-sided as much as extremely biased. The OP should know that there is an arranger-hate on these forums that's a cross between superstition and the Salem Witch Trials. I've always found it somewhat amusing to watch, if mildy frustrating. Dedicated Mind, here's how to decide between two musical instruments: Get the one that sounds better to you. That's it. Whether it has 89 tracks of flux capacitors or 7 billion note polyphony, it doesnt matter (especially right now for you). You want a keyboard that sounds good. If you ever find yourself saying "Keyboard A sounds better but Keyboard B has a lot more features", you should cut your ears off and do the musical walk of shame. If one doesn't like the sound of a musical instrument, all the gizmos in the world won't help inspiration. Since you are a noob, the vsts and fancy stuff will have a learning curve, so your primary purpose will be finding a keyboard that sounds good to YOU, not people on teh interwebz. Play both, listen to demos of both on Youtube, etc. Yamaha and Korg have different sounds, find the one that speaks to you and don't look back. Music = sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 You don't need USB in the board to use VSTs, though having it will save you the expense of buying an adapter ($5 online for a cheap no-name one, more like $40 for a name brand... some people find it makes a difference, others don't.) Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 korg says you can buy software to upgrade the m50 to an m3 No, you can't buy software to change an m50 into an m3. Well, you can buy software for the M50 from Stephen Kay @ the Karma Lab website that will at least give you the Karma features of the M3, but that's all. And you'll need to keep the M50 hooked up to a computer to use Karma. When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montunoman Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Rather than Korg vs. Yamaha you should be thinking Workstation Vs. Arranger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synthoid Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Rather than Korg vs. Yamaha you should be thinking Workstation Vs. Arranger. +1 When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Dedicated Mind, here's how to decide between two musical instruments: Get the one that sounds better to you. That's it. Whether it has 89 tracks of flux capacitors or 7 billion note polyphony, it doesnt matter (especially right now for you). You want a keyboard that sounds good. Flux Capacitors. NOM! http://www.ohgizmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/flux_capacitor.jpg "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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