In Tyros5, Yamaha engineers have created an extraordinary workstation keyboard with powerful functionality and incredible sound quality.
A key element in the design of Tyros5 was to produce an instrument that is easy to use. As a part of this philosophy and based on extensive feedback from Tyros owners, Voice Creator and editing functions have been transferred to an external software tool. This will make voice creation, editing and the customization of user libraries far easier than in previous models. Furthermore, with the ever increasing range of Premium software now available, this new system offers exciting possibilities to enhance the capability of Tyros5 in the future.
The external software tool is called Yamaha Expansion Manager (YEM) and YEM version 1.0 was launched in November 2013. This initial version of YEM provides an easy way to transfer Premium Pack content to the instrument and offers customized content transfer i.e. the ability to transfer elements of individual pack data.
For customers who have previously purchased Tyros3 and Tyros4 Premium Packs, most of these can now be downloaded as upgraded Tyros5 format packs completely free of charge.
In the current version of YEM, limited voice conversion is available. However, results may vary depending on the structure and complexity of the data being converted. Yamaha will aim to develop YEM functionality in the near future, including optimized conversion and editing functions.
Yamaha is reviewing the feedback from Tyros users regarding voice transfer from Tyros4 to Tyros5. Test voices from third parties like PEMO, W.O.K and other brands have been checked and Expansion Manager will be updated to achieve the best possible compatibility. Based on the new voice structure in Tyros5, complete conversions of Tyros4 Custom Voices cannot be guaranteed at this time (December 2013). However, voice libraries based on external wave data created on Tyros4 can be converted. Currently, Custom Voices created with external PC Editors cannot be converted. However this will be possible in future versions from summer 2014. Yamaha is aiming for detailed voice editing in the future, including the ability to import from several Yamaha platforms.
The estimated development and release plan of future versions of YEM is as follows:
Version Est. release date
V1.01 Dec 2013
V1.10 Feb 2014
V2.00 May 2014
V2.10 July 2014
Features
Enhanced custom voice import and conversion
Support for MacOS
Add Voice Edit function (make original voices based on user samples only)
Support the conversion of Tyros4 Custom Voice which uses Tyros4 preset samples
Thanks to the introduction of the YEM concept, Yamaha intends to deliver new ways to enhance the experience of using Tyros5. Voice creation and data management will become easier and more intuitive, and third-party software providers will be able to create and manage their individual content in the most efficient way possible. Yamaha invites you to share in this vision of the exciting future for Tyros5.
