Having carried this board to many gigs - and having to unpack/repack the keyboard in a case every gig/practice and back in the home studio - I've developed a "grudge" for this scoop in the back which Yamaha engineers have mentioned could harness audience energy.

On the more practical side - I do recognize that the circular-radius "scoop" along the back side of the keyboard does provide a place for the silkscreens of the ports - and does make connecting plugs easier. However, although "ugly" - the top face of the keyboard could have also been utilized to place these silkscreens.

I would rather the "scoop" be placed on the bottom half of the keyboard rather than top half. Here's the scenario:

1) I place my keyboard in the case with the keys facing UP - and keys furthest from the "hinge" of the case.
2) When getting the keyboard out of the case, I want to wrap my hand around the back of the keyboard - have the keys facing my arm (not my body) and hold the keyboard under my arm with my hand "grabbing" the back of the keyboard.

The issue is that the "scoop" makes it so I cannot really "grab on" to the back of the keyboard. I do not have Oscar Peterson hands - so I cannot grab all the way around to the back of the keyboard. If the "scoop" was the other way - I could grab on. Flipping the keyboard around and having the keys face my body does provide an easy way to "grab on". The problem is the keyboard in the case is not oriented this way for easily "lifting it out" that way.

I may need to develop a "bra" which would have some "belts" at each end of the keyboard and along the middle of the keyboard with a handle near the keyboard-keys side so I can "grab on" to this handle to transport the keyboard between the case and a stand. Usually the distance of perhaps 0-60 feet.

I've also "wished" there was maybe a handle that popped out of the front of the keyboard (near keys) that would allow me to carry the Montage as a luggage-like piece - again for the purpose of transporting from the case to the keyboard stand.

Overall, I would say that the ergonomics of carrying the Montage could be improved for those who have to do this several times a week and do not have hired hands to deal with this.

Also note that most of the time the stage is up high, audience is down low, so the scoop being on the bottom instead of the top would harness more audience energy (just trying to "sell" this thing from multiple angles).