Getting my S975 Monday

[sooty8]

I am upgrading from my S950 Monday to a S975 after 6 years playing with this keyboard it will be a great change, however after buying
a Tyros 5 last year I think I will be ready.
Has anyone got any tips on the use of the S975 like the EQ settings etc. I plan to use my existing USB styles on this keyboard I know I might have to tweak a instrument here or there but that's ok.
I will be giging with my S975 the tyros stays at home, to heavy to take out.

Thank You

Steve

[Toril S]

Hello Steve! I too have a T5 and an S975. Most of the styles you can use on both keyboards, but sometimes you have to change some voices. And there are the choir voices on the Tyros that are not on the PSR. The styles from the Tyros play OK, but without those voices. I also use the PSR when I gig, and the T5 stays at home. BUT, I have ordered a bag with wheels so that it is easier to take out the Tyros if I decide to do so. I have the 61 keys version, so it is not more than a couple of kilos heavier than the PSR, but it is bulky. And there is the speakers that you have to take on and off. You will like the S975! Let us hear what you think of it.

[sooty8]

Thank you Toril, I will let you know. My first gig is on Wednesday.

Steve

[beykock]

Hi Steve,

Enjoy your new baby !🍺

Babette

[sooty8]

Thank you Babette, I am always nervous when changing a keyboard for public performances.

Steve

[travlin-easy]

Steve, the good news is the S-975 provides you with a couple additional EQ bands to work with, thus providing you with a greater latitude in your EQ settings. The bad news is that this, of course, is all very subjective and will depends greatly upon both the venue surroundings and your PA system.

Unfortunately, there is no one size fits all when it comes to EQ settings, and for some folks the factory, flat setting is just fine, while for others, we need more sizzle, emphasizing the highs and lows to provide a richer, fuller sound for our performances. For the most part, just a little adjustment usually goes a long way. And, if you are a singer, or depend on the piano voice to a great extent, the mid range will have to be raised a bit above flat. The standard smiley pattern is usually a good place to start.

Good luck and enjoy that new keyboard,

Gary

[RoyceM]

Steve, which sound external sound system are you using?

- Royce

[sooty8]

Thank you for the advice Gary.
Royce I have a Bose L1 compact for large venues, but I normally use my keyboard speakers for residential homes  of 20-30
residents, as I am on here if you are reading this Gary/Royce, if I use my existing USB stick which contains my S950  sounds would these be read by the s975 through the legacy  programme installed on the keyboard?

Regards

Steve

[travlin-easy]

Steve, this will depend upon how you have them stored on the USB drive. If they are stored within registrations, the registration may look for the corresponding registration voice number. However, if they are stored as User voices, then they will be selected directly from the USB drive as a user voice.

Until I retired two years ago, I used the S-950 with a Bose L1 Compact, which was an ideal combination. The only time I used just the onboard speakers was for very small living room parties for groups of up to a dozen ppl or less. The Bose was more than adequate for audiences to 100 or slightly more and the overall sound was absolutely superb.

Good luck, Steve,

Gary 

[Toril S]

Hello Steve. I too used only the onboard speakers for many years. But after I got my Bose L1 Compact I never play anywhere without it! So much better sound!

[RoyceM]

Steve, please clarify  what you mean when you say your "sounds" are stored on USB.

- Royce

[Telmo]

but I normally use my keyboard speakers for residential homes  of 20-30
residents,

If you could add the KS-SW100 for sub, you would be amazed with the sound quality: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/keyboards/accessories/ks-sw100/index.html

[sooty8]

Royce
I have built up a selection of styles over the years  which meet certain tunes, I name the styles with the name of the song. I put a programme together using these names for the residential homes I play in, the programme has no gaps in it I go from one song to another in seconds. As the PSR975 will be a new keyboard I was wondering if these S950 sounds would play, bearing in mind that the PSR975 should have a legacy folder built in. I might have to tweak some sounds. By using this USB it gives me a chance to lean the new keyboard.

Regards

Steve

[Pino]

I went from S950 to S975
Took me one month to get it gig ready
And 2 months to get it to where I want it.
I had most things saved to USB
But I really had to revoice the majority of my styles and OTS
That's a lot of button pushing.
I probably would have been better off getting another s/h S950

Pino

[sooty8]

Thank you Pino looks like i have some work to do then.

Steve

[RoyceM]

(See my next post)

- Royce

[RoyceM]

Royce
I have built up a selection of styles over the years  which meet certain tunes, I name the styles with the name of the song. I put a programme together using these names for the residential homes I play in, the programme has no gaps in it I go from one song to another in seconds. As the PSR975 will be a new keyboard I was wondering if these S950 sounds would play, bearing in mind that the PSR975 should have a legacy folder built in. I might have to tweak some sounds. By using this USB it gives me a chance to lean the new keyboard.

Regards

Steve

CORRECTION: Please note that I have revised my db settings. Some of my original settings I posted were in error. - Royce

Steve, perhaps I do similarly. Each song has it's own copy of a style, which then holds the OTS voicing I've chosen. Each song has it's own registration. All of this is stored on my USB...nothing on the PSR is being depended upon.

This setup has ported from the S900 to the S910 (to the Tyros 5 I tested with mostly success) to the S975.

When I got to the S975, I felt that most styles (stored on USB) needed some rework on the bass instrument used (most Acoustic Bass didn't sound good, especially through the Bose Compact when I finally got one). I selected different bass for each style and lowered its volume to about 50 or slightly higher.

Then I played with the Master EQ a whole bunch and thought I had found my best settings...many different times. As Gary mentioned, this is a highly subjective adjustment. I play mostly old standards (50's back to the 1800s) in small to medium venues.

I tried out several Master EQ schemes offered to me by forum members, most of whom didn't actually have an S975 to test on. But I needed a scheme more modest for my taste.  Here are the settings I currently use:

From the Master EQ menu, I chose POWERFUL. Then I increased the db of bands 4 and 5 one tick and 6 by two. The bass bands I lowered to -2 (for band #1) and -1 (for band #2. My idea here is to lower the bass to reduce booming and also to prevent it from masking the L1's weak mid-tones. Bumping up the mid bands is to help the mid-tones. These settings I saved in a user setting.

Here is an overview of the settings:

Band                           #1   #2   #3   #4   #5  #6   #7   #8
Original Settings             3     2      2     2     1    1      2      2
My Current Settings       -2    -1      2     3     2    3      2      2

When I first set up at a venue, I live-play a little bit and adjust bands 1 & 2 up or down as needed.

Regarding the compressor, from its menu I chose STANDARD and set the gain to 1 (and saved into a user setting).

I'm still trying to learn to control all these things. The above simply describes where I am currently. I'm open to suggestions.

Good luck!

- Royce

[sooty8]

Thank you Royce for your EQ settings I will certainly try them, as I have no idea what settings to use. My other keyboard is a Tyros 5 which is set on other members EQ settings. There is a lot of more experienced players on this forum then I. I play mainly in residential homes so volume is not the key to the performance it's the quality of the sound I am after. I am hoping to pick the keyboard up on Saturday. I mainly play 1930 - 1980s plus the usual  ABBA, James Last etc. But thank you again Royce for the EQ settings this will give me a good start. If there are any other tips you can share with me about the PSR975  I would be grateful.

Regards

Steve

[RoyceM]

You're welcome, Steve. I will be interested in your experiments and discoveries too.

- Royce