Not all Multifinger are created equal!

[cando614]

I own a Tyros 5.  Had time to kill yesterday and maybe looking for something more portable, so I was fooling around with some of the lower-end Yamahas on the floor at a local music store.  The least-expensive models only have one chord recognition mode: Multifinger.  But it works differently (and better!) than it does on my Tyros.

E-series PSR: C + Eb = C minor.  Tyros: Minor not recognized in multifinger unless you play all 3 notes, or a black key to the left.
E-series PSR: C + G = C [1+5] or no 3rd in the accomp.  Tyros: power chords not recognized in multifinger, have to use AI Fingered to play them.
The down-side of the E-series: none of these models recognize on-bass or "slash" chords, no matter how hard you try to play them.  For this reason, if I were buying an instrument for a young person, I would look to Casio, or used Roland / Korg mid-range models.  Lost opportunity IMO.

Moving on, the newest piano style arranger they had in the store was the DGX-660.  This has an AI Fingered mode (which the Tyros also has.)  But in this mode, a minimum of two notes are required to trigger a major chord.  A single note produces a unison [1+8], which isn't often called for in the type of music I play.  Not very useful or convenient!

But the plot thickens... They also had an older, less expensive piano arranger, the DGX-535.  This board did not have the "AI Fingered" chord recognition mode, just Full Keyboard (which I never use) and what I would call an "expanded" version of Multifinger.  Not only did this board recognize the minor, 7th, and partial chords like Rolands and the E-series cheapies, but it also recognized slash chords when the bass note was played an appropriate distance from the rest of the chord!  Very useful- pretty much any fingering resembling the desired chord produced the expected result!!

So why can't I get the "DGX-535 version" of multifinger on my Tyros, as part of an OS update??  Also, how about adding a check box in the AI Fingered menu so I can optionally choose "One note triggers a major chord" (instead of a unison.)

Would love to hear others' thoughts on this, especially if you know an insider from Yamaha.  Why would they put the best, most versatile implementation of MultiFinger on their mid-grade board??  And why have three different implementations of the multi-finger concept at all??  I wonder what the Genos does??

[mikf]

It might be that the higher end keyboards recognize more chord types, and that is why they sometimes need more notes to more fully identify the chord.
Mike

[cando614]

Mike I don't believe that's the case.  But on the outside chance that you're right, then most of the buying public would be better served having a "basic" and "advanced" setting.  It's just very frustrating to me that what's supposed to be a top-of-the-line product is not more customizable, and actually inferior in this important area, to a midrange product aimed at a limited niche of users (e.g., the beginner digital piano crowd.)

[travlin-easy]

If I recall, the chord recognition is the same with all Yamaha arranger keyboards. However, there are just some chords that when played with two fingers are not recognized. Some require up to three fingers on the multi-finger mode. The best advice I have is to learn how to play those chords correctly using the fingered mode. Sure, it will take some time to learn how to play them properly, but it probably takes an equal amount of time to learn them using the multi-finger technique.

Good luck,

Gary

[andyg]

The down-side of the E-series: none of these models recognize on-bass or "slash" chords, no matter how hard you try to play them.

I have an E443. It has no problems recognising on-bass or 'slash' chords, assuming that the chord is basic, ie major or minor and that the on bass note is one of the notes in the chord.

So C/G is (from left to right) G C. C/E is E C. Cm/Eb is Eb C.  Cm/G is not possible. Several of my students have used these chords in exam pieces where 'On Bass' is specified in the music.

Things like C/Bb are, of course, not possible. By the time you're capable of playing this type of chord, you deserve to be playing something better than an E class!

IMHO, anyone not needing Multifinger Mode is probably best advised to use AI Fingered Mode. Compulsory for all of my students who 1) all get taught to play chords unless there's a real reason not to and 2) all get taught how to use AI mode properly, just as soon as they have a keyboard that features it.

With AI Mode as good as it is and most Genos owners playing chords, maybe Yamaha weren't too fussed about putting a more advanced Multifinger Mode in?