The color scheme is nowhere near as pretty as the Montage, at least to my eyes.

I expect there is much more to it than blue and orange. It should be better definition because of the market it's appealing to and many of those folks like me have declining vision. I suspect that it will have an output for a very large external touch screen as well, especially since it doesn't tilt anymore. I wonder if you can mount a screen/device etc. along that contour in the rear.

It's also Monday October 2nd now in Europe so where's the new Genos information?

Okay. For those of us that haven't a life here's the countdown to the Genos launch!

Sorry this countdown was a fake.

Yamaha, how about providing a time of launch so we're all not staying up all night watching this guy frantically search the internet for Genos information.

David, check out Yamaha Corporation youtube channel. The videos are out.

I'm still going through the videos. but so far the videos suggest Genos to be geared towards songwriters and looks like workstation feature included.

check out Yamaha Corporation youtube channel. The videos are out

Links to the relevant playlists:

Genos feature demo
Genos Voice & Style demo
Genos artists impressions

For those previously complaining about lack of information in previous teasers - complain no more. There are now close to 50 videos covering various aspects of the keyboard. A comprehensive landing page introducing Genos - the design concept / mechanicals / tech specs.

We learn that the DAC is 32bit (analog output) vs. Montage's 24bit.

The expansion manager (due out in November) looks like it can handle some of the "JM Tools" type work for creating your own "voices" and "drum kits". There's also a std. MIDI to mega-voice converter due out at the same time which looks interesting. Songbook+ is an interesting iPad app which has lots of features. More than 15 songs - there's "fee" to unlock.

There's a schedule for expansion pack (Tyros 5 content conversion) content all outlined. In Aug. 2018, for example, the "Euro Dance 2016 Style Expansion" gets released. Earliest conversion content (7 packs) come in Nov 2017 when lots of other things release.

Product page is currently here:

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/keyboards/arranger_workstations/genos/index.html

Shows a "trap door" under the keyboard where there's an extra USB port (3 total "USB to Device").

Including Wifi connectivity is interesting. In keeping with previous conservative path - latest tech (802.11ac) is not supported - but previous speed king "802,11n" is (apparently only supporting 2.4GHz, not 5GHz).

Coax digital output.

Two sets of MIDI I/O (A and B).

Mic input supports supply of phantom power with a combo XLR/TRS connector.

Polyphony of 256 requires 128 notes come from preset voices and another 128 from expansion voices. Basically, your internal sounds get 128 note polyphony and stays 128 when you add expansion packs. The expansion packs get their own polyphony resources (their own 128). This goes beyond Montage's AWM2 polyphony allowing to "double up" under certain circumstances (using internal + external).

Product manuals are not live yet. This is expected as the ink dries.

Kraft Music have a couple of long videos on their Youtube site :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwBLCaBRcwY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIWjlYMf49M

Nice machine. With two midi channels to connect your Montage.
Now we can almost leave the band at home 🙂

They added a phantom 48v

Hi --

I recommend the video with Martin Harris. Martin is one of the key developers and always seems to highlight the sweet spots in a new board from Yamaha. Heck of player, too. Montage players should nod with familiarity at some points during the video. Shared DNA there.

A USB drive under the trapdoor should prevent drunks and guitar players from commiting USB interruptus. Nice feature, that.

I wrote up some more comments and opinions at: http://sandsoftwaresound.net/genos-genesis/

I'm (literally) weighing Genos vs. Montage. As Phil would say, "It comes down to musical goals."

Good luck to everyone at Yamaha with new launch!

-- pj

Hey Paul! Thanks for the great overview. For someone who has used to MOTIF ecosystem, this demonstration just touches the surface.
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Is the AEM just a new name for Super Articulation 2 or it's a completely new sample synthesis method?
Can we create our own voices using the AEM synthesis method?
The sequencer is it like motif or still, you can't do per note edits?

AEM is a subset of Super Articulation.

See https://www.yamahasynth.com/forum/montage-s,-art-2-voices-and-articulations

Paul - it's worth underlining that your comparison is using the lightest of the two - not alike number-of-key specs. The 15kg Montage is the Montage 6. Comparing the Montage with like number of keys puts the Montage 7 at 17kg.

Considering I was going to, at one point, go for the MOXF6 - more plastic doesn't bother me and a lighter 76-key "synth" (I mean arranger) with the same keybed as the Montage 7 is compelling. The S.Art for certain instruments was always something I envied from Tyros. Not sure the extra 2k-ish works out right now for me to bite as Montage is working fine. Still, obviously this instrument has interest among Montage owners.

I also noticed lack of PAC - which was surprising since this seems like a generic marketing term for laying out a PCB with best practices between digital and analog domains. I didn't translate PAC, in Montage, into any specific component choices - but I suppose if it's "better"/"different" then they may want to turn it into "Super PAC" -- or something less political.

I had to blink my eyes when reading the genos has 256 arpeggio got me off guard thinking meh, then I though what do they mean by that having variation in mind.

Then I was like heck does Genos play 256 arpeggio at ones?.