Press release:
https://www.yamaha.com/en/news_release/2018/18012201/

Excerpt from that:
“In the Keyboard product area, a wide spectrum of Yamaha products will be displayed ranging from premium pianos to new digital pianos and flagship digital workstation”

I don’t want to raise any false expectations, but Yamaha has tended to refer to the Montage as a “synthesizer”, not a “workstation” (although others have used that term).

In a little over 24 hours we should know if Yamaha has listened to some of us, or ignored us once again.

I have a horrible feeling they might only be talking about Genos. They refer to Genos as “The new world of Digital Workstations.” I sure hope I’m wrong…

lastfermata - 24 January 2018 05:55 PM

I have a horrible feeling they might only be talking about Genos. They refer to Genos as “The new world of Digital Workstations.” I sure hope I’m wrong…

Although I personally wouldn’t refer to an arranger as a workstation, you may indeed be right.

Yeah, I wouldn’t refer to the Genos as a workstation either. Read down to the bottom section (Yamaha) of this Billboard article:

https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8095005/namm-2018-top-music-gear-companies-to-watch-list

Apparently if you no longer have a real flagship workstation in your lineup, you can still make believe that you do.

Perhaps “workstation” has a new connotation, with the emphasis on “work” - a reminder of how many hours you’d need to spend at your job in order to afford a Genos.  ;-)

5pinDIN - 24 January 2018 07:42 PM

Apparently if you no longer have a real flagship workstation in your lineup, you can still make believe that you do.

Perhaps “workstation” has a new connotation, with the emphasis on “work” - a reminder of how many hours you’d need to spend at your job in order to afford a Genos.  ;-)

LOL, yea, $6000

But..... the sweetwater ad for the genos:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Genos?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI96i0q6bz2AIVVzVpCh29zguHEAAYASAAEgLuavD_BwE

does refer to it as Yamaha’s Flagship workstation.  My MotifXF8 and MOX 8 has the description “music production synthesizer” printed on them.  My MM8 has the description “music synthesizer” and the Genos has the description “digital workstation” printed on it. Since the Genos is not a synthesizer, what else would you call the Genos?  Digital Keyboard fits.  And if you add the software editing and arranging capabilities, I guess “workstation” fits, add to that the $6000 price, that would make it the most expensive digital keyboard workstation that Yamaha sells, so description Flagship fits LOL (at least as far as price point goes)

Since we are only hours away from finding out what Yamaha’s press release is actually referring to.  I won’t be too speculative, but if Yamaha were to announce a true continuation or revitalization of the Motif series that would mark an incredible reversal of direction and admission of a bad decision “a.k.a the montage”.  That would be an amazing development indeed.

Yamaha will release a workstation successor to the Motif series in about 2-3 years.

It’s priority, after the Motif series and the other downgraded MO models then came the synthesizer (Montage), then came the Genos, (arranger) next up will be a flagship workstation again.

kday - 27 January 2018 06:58 PM

Yamaha will release a workstation successor to the Motif series in about 2-3 years.

It’s priority, after the Motif series and the other downgraded MO models then came the synthesizer (Montage), then came the Genos, (arranger) next up will be a flagship workstation again.

The MOXF is pretty close.  It hasn’t been discontinued has it?  Its a full blown music synthesizer production instrument.

lastmonk - 29 January 2018 12:55 AM

kday - 27 January 2018 06:58 PM

Yamaha will release a workstation successor to the Motif series in about 2-3 years.

It’s priority, after the Motif series and the other downgraded MO models then came the synthesizer (Montage), then came the Genos, (arranger) next up will be a flagship workstation again.

The MOXF is pretty close.  It hasn’t been discontinued has it?  Its a full blown music synthesizer production instrument.

The MOXF is not a flagship workstation. Yamaha will release a full blown flagship workstation within the next few years when the times comes around.

kday - 01 February 2018 05:23 AM

lastmonk - 29 January 2018 12:55 AM

kday - 27 January 2018 06:58 PM

Yamaha will release a workstation successor to the Motif series in about 2-3 years.

It’s priority, after the Motif series and the other downgraded MO models then came the synthesizer (Montage), then came the Genos, (arranger) next up will be a flagship workstation again.

The MOXF is pretty close.  It hasn’t been discontinued has it?  Its a full blown music synthesizer production instrument.

The MOXF is not a flagship workstation. Yamaha will release a full blown flagship workstation within the next few years when the times comes around.

I agree.

But do keep in mind that the marketing folks are referring to the Genos as a Yamaha Flagship workstation.

I assume you are referring to Yamaha releasing a new Music Production Synthesizer Flagship :-)

Which I agree with you we’ll probably see in the next few years.

lastmonk - 01 February 2018 09:05 PM

kday - 01 February 2018 05:23 AM

lastmonk - 29 January 2018 12:55 AM

kday - 27 January 2018 06:58 PM

Yamaha will release a workstation successor to the Motif series in about 2-3 years.

It’s priority, after the Motif series and the other downgraded MO models then came the synthesizer (Montage), then came the Genos, (arranger) next up will be a flagship workstation again.

The MOXF is pretty close.  It hasn’t been discontinued has it?  Its a full blown music synthesizer production instrument.

The MOXF is not a flagship workstation. Yamaha will release a full blown flagship workstation within the next few years when the times comes around.

I agree.

But do keep in mind that the marketing folks are referring to the Genos as a Yamaha Flagship workstation.

I assume you are referring to Yamaha releasing a new Music Production Synthesizer Flagship :-)

Which I agree with you we’ll probably see in the next few years.

Yeah you’re right. And in some retailer ads the Genos is also listed as a Keyboard Arranger Workstation too, I see “Arranger” Workstation listed in some places I see the Genos, but not all places. It seems like they try to confuse the consumer also by making it seem like it’s the Flagship Production Workstation successor to the Motif line. They are also promoting the Montage as the Flagship Production successor to the Motif line also, even with half the features of the Motif or traditional keyboard workstation.

A flagship Keyboard workstation should have
1. ROMpler sounds
2. Sequencer
3. Digital Sampler

Anything less than that is just a synthesizer or keyboard to me.