Amazon.com Review

Yamaha's PSR340AD is jam-packed with features, like a built-in sequencer, a disk drive on which original songs can be saved, 100 accompaniments (on an included floppy disk), and more than 200 voices. The voice bank on the PSR340AD contains 100 panel voices, 10 drum kits, and 128 General MIDI voices.The inclusion of the General MIDI voices means that the PSR340AD willcorrectly play General MIDI files (a standard of most of the MIDI files in educational software and of those available on the Internet). Add an accompaniment to the voice that you are already playing and suddenly you arecontrolling a whole music ensemble. The keyboard also has a dual mode, in which two voices can be combined, and a split mode, in which one voice can be assigned to the upper half of the keyboard and another voice to the lower half.

You can set some effects for the voices such as eight types of reverb, four types of chorus, and 26 types of harmony. The PSR340AD can, of course, be connected to a computer via MIDI cables (sold separately), which canrecord musical performances from the keyboard and then play them back using the synthesizer's instrument voices. The sequencer allows you to record an original song.It works very much like a multi-track cassette recorder; you can first record one instrument, say a bass, then you can add another instrument like a guitar while listening to your first track.If the guitar track is not quite right, then you can record it again without changing the bass part.This sequencer allows you to record music in real time or record it in step time, the virtual equivalent of writing parts down on paper.

The best feature of the PSR340AD is the built-in floppy drive.The drive accepts standard 3.5-inch computer floppy disks.Disks can contain MIDI files downloaded from the Internet or purchased from Yamaha, Yamaha createdaccompaniments, and user composed songs.

A couple of tools on the PSR340AD will help you play chords on your own. If you can play the root of the chord, the "Smart" tool will play the rest. The "EZ Chord" tool allows you to program a series of chords-then you just have to play one key to trigger each of the chords. If you decide that you are ready to learn how chords are constructed, you can use the "Dictionary" tool, which willmap out the parts of the chord on the staff display.

On the whole we liked the PSR340AD, but the keys are a bit flimsy-you definitely do not want to play them too hard. Two hundred and thirty-eight voices seem like a lot, but if you are a serious MIDI musician, you will be yearningfor more. For the price though, the PSR340AD is a fantastic buy.Items such as built-in speakers, a headphone jack, and a jack for a foot sustain pedal are also included.The keyboard can be powered either by an AC adapter orbatteries, and it can also be connected to a stereo or amplifier. With a weight of just a little over 17 pounds, the PSR340AD is easily portable. --Chris Fresolone Pros:

• Built-in sequencer
• Built-in floppy drive
• General MIDI compatible
• Touch sensitive keys
• Useful chord tools
• Many features included for the price

• Only 238 voices
• Keys are a little flimsy

Features

• Automatically configures keyboard parameters
• Comes with Yamaha education suite--great for beginners
• Choose from a wide range of digital effects
• Floppy disk drive loads songs in multiple formats
• Includes realistic grand piano sound, over 200 voices, plus 10 drum kits

Reviews (1)

PSR340
The keyboard performs flawlessly although I am having a problem interfacing with my computer.I believe this is a software problem with my computer and no fault of the keyboard.I would recommend this keyboard. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Casio CTK-731 full-size five-octave keyboard with backlit LCD includes 32-note polyphony, 232 tones, and 110 rhythm patterns. You can create your own songs with accompaniment or use Casio's chord/fingered chord auto-accompaniment. The CTK-731 also includes a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, allowing you to load and save data for song and pattern sequencer, registration memory, and synth parameters.

The onscreen keyboard displays notes and chords played, and a metronome icon indicates beat. A mixer-function allows control over each MIDI channel and accompaniment part, while one-touch preset configures keyboard for each individual rhythm with proper tone and tempo.

The CTK-731 includes MIDI in/out jacks that make it simple to connect to a computer or other peripherals. It also features transpose and tuning control and an assignable pedal jack for sustain, soft, sostenuto, or rhythm start/stop. It operates on D batteries or the included AC adapter. ... Read more

Features

• 110 rhythm patterns
• MIDI compatibility
• 5-octave, full-size keyboard
• 3.5-inch floppy disk drive for song playback and storage
• 232 synth tones

Reviews (1)

Excellent mid-range keyboard
This CTK keyboard by Casio is easily the best in its price range. It features, among other things, modifiable sounds (letting you tweak with parameters such as attack, release, pitch, etc), 61 full size keys, and a 6-track onbaord digital recorder. It also is MIDI compatible, so it's easy to operate alongside your PC.

Let's discuss the sounds: there are over 200 tones, among the best being the piano, strings, and several of the synthesizer waveforms. It also has 32 slots for user-programmed tones, which you can use to store your edited sounds.

I don't particulary care for most of the drum patterns, but there are still a few good ones, which come complete with fill, intro and outs. This keyboard also has a diskdrive for easy storage of your performances.

There are drum pads also, which can be cumbersome at first, but are still fun to learn and use.

Overall, it's a good keyboard for those who want more than the basics, but would rather not blow $1000 on a Roland or Korg. Like I said, best value for the money- and with a very nice piano section. ... Read more

Product Description

No doubt, computers have become a natural part of today's music production. The process of editing sounds and sequences is so much easier from a computer screen. Still keyboard players feel the need for portable instruments.Clavia proudly presents the second generation of the Nord Modular - the Nord Modular G2. Nord Modular G2 offers you the better of two worlds and provides an effective solution for the working musician. With the G2, Clavia introduces a truly innovative hardware platform with focus on live performance features. The G2 offers fully assignable controllers to turn, bend and tweak. In fact, the ultra-flexible user interface of the G2 takes real-time editing to a higher level.While remaining true to the traditional modular synthesis concept it manages to go where no modular synthesizer has ever gone before.Theis the big brother and offers the same features as the Nord Modular G2 with a few extras. The keyboard has five instead of three octaves. Moreover, the keys are semiweighted for more sensitivity to the touch. It?s fitted from the start with a voice expansion board offering twice the processing power compared to its little brothers (G2 and G2 engine). It holds two extra freely assignable modulation wheels. All three wheels are equipped with LED?s to indicate their position. Furthermore, the G2X is delivered with a goose neck microphone that you connect onto the top panel.Mac G3, 400 MHz, USB-port, 128 MB RAM, OSX 10.2 (or later)PC... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great sound quality and programmability
I've been so pleased with the quality and performance of my Nord Electro 73, that when I joined a new band that requires me to supply lots of synth sounds (pads, leads, effects) I knew that Nord would meet my needs with style. The G2X is truly awesome. In fact, it is such a capable synth that it might be intimidating to a lot of keyboard players. You should realize, however, that it comes with hundreds of fantastic sounds onboard that will keep you happy even if you are not a hard-core sound programmer.

Sounds are presented in categories such as FM, Lead, Synth, Classic, Pad, Acoustic, etc. This is not a synth that provides dead-on imitative sounds, such as acoustic piano, horn sections, or orchestral instruments. Rather, the focus is on synth patches. All the Moog, ARP, Oberheim, and Korg sound that you may recall from your vintage Yes and Genesis albums are here. You'll find yourself remembering how you felt the first time you heard ELP's "Lucky Man" or Styx's "Come Sail Away." There are also a ton of modern sounds that the gear from the early days of prog rock couldn't possibly produce.

If all you want is a keyboard with a ton of presets to choose from, then this keyboard may be a bit expensive. You would probably be happy with the smaller G2. I chose the G2X, however, because I need the full 5-octave keyboard. This enables me to set up various split zones so I can have several sounds ready to play at once. I can assign one sound -- a long, ghosty tone, say -- to just the bottom few notes. Meanwhile, I have an organ assigned to the next two octaves, a lead assigned to the next two, and some room left over for a few percussive or sounds at the top of the keyboard. The synth also has a full range of excellent effects which add the final bit of polish to the sounds. It's amazing what a bit of echo and chorusing can do to fatten up a patch.

The G2X also comes with a very nice gooseneck mic which goes right into a jack at the top left of the unit for vocoding-type modulation, but this is not a huge advantage over the G2. It looks very cool, yeah, but you can also plug any other mic into a jack in the back of the G2 or G2X for the same purpose, and how much vocoding do you really need to do? The G2X also offers 3 modulation wheels (and they have great-looking green led's on them to help you know their position). It is not complicated to assign any sort of modulation to these wheels, although it is unlikely you will actually need 3 of them for any given sound on a regular basis unless you are a major tweak-head. Still, there could be times when you want to adjust, say, tremolo with one, the amount of reverb with another, and the "q" with a third. Of course, you could also control all three things with just one wheel, if you like. There are also quite a number of knobs that can be assigned to various parameters, with small displays that tell you what they are controlling at any given moment.

The G2X has a nice-feeling keyboard, an unbelievable amount of flexibility in how you can set sounds up on it, 4 inputs and 4 outputs, plus the dedicated XLR mic input. It's not heavy, and of course aesthetically it is very hot. The sound programming application they include is quite good, with a new version already available as a beta from the clavia website. If you are a serious keyboardist looking for a synth that provides an incredible amount of programming and tweaking capabilities and an arsenal of synth sounds, the G2X is a fantastic choice. ... Read more

Product Description

The SL880 is an 88-note, full size keyboard with the authentic, "real piano" feel and look of velocity-sensitive Grand Hammer Action keys and after touch. You'll find that you can put huge power into chord stabs and loud passages while the natural inertia of the hammer mechanism provides exactly the right kind of dynamic counterbalance that lets you massage real piano keys for expressive pianissimo. ... Read more

Product Description

The Control 8 from DigiTech is a user friendly MIDI foot controller with enhanced features over its predecessor, the Control 7. Still no programming necessary here. Just plug in, connect a MIDI cable and go.The 7 foot switches can access any MIDI program on any MIDI channel. A built-in expression pedal can be assigned to any MIDI CC number for real time control of parameters.Foot Switch Toggle CC mode changes the 5 program switches to send 0 - 127 messages on different CC numbers to parameters. Very useful for toggling between 2 mapped parameter values or for toggling the On/Off parameters of effects in multi effects boxes and creating a stomp box mode that guitarists will find indispensable. As are all DigiTech foot controllers, the Control 8 is housed in arugged metal chassis and is much more compact and easy to transport from gig to gig than those other monstrous controllers availableon the market.The Control 8 MIDI Foot Controller is for the musician needing key performance features at a budget-conscious price.Works with all standard MIDI devices capable of receiving Program Change and / or CC messagesFive footswitches that can be assigned to transmit Program Changes or CC Toggles (CC21-CC25)Built-in Expression PedalLarge bright LED display for super visibilityHeavy Duty Metal Chassis ... Read more

Features

• Works with all standard MIDI devices capable of receiving Program Change and/or CC messages
• Five footswitches that can be assigned to transmit Program Changes or CC Toggles (CC21-CC25)
• Built-In Expression Pedal
• Large bright flourescent display for super visibility

Product Description

The AP-33 has naturally-scaled hammer keys, which are graded from heavier in the lower registers to lighter in the higher region. The sound generator utilizes stereo samples taken from acoustic instruments, enhanced by a powerful sound system, and reverb and chorus effects. ... Read more

Product Description

This is a semi-weighted, after touch-responsive MIDI keyboard with 2-channel audio and 2 digital multi-effects processors. Ideal for use with a laptop or studio set-up. Virtual synthesizer control panel layout with assignable controls. Over 50 electronic templates for Reason, Native Instruments plug-Ins, Cubase, Logic, Sonar, Live 2, etc. X/Y Touchpad for Total ExpressionA touch-sensitive pad is conveniently located next to the keyboard and may be programmed to control multiple parameters in the X and Y direction. Imagine for example, setting a distortion amount and a pan position on the left to right movement and an LFO speed and filter cut-off on the top to bottom movement. That's total creative control!Ergonomic Programmable Pitch and Modulation MechanismA slick and beautifully designed pitch and modulation control mechanism allows realtime performance. A switch on the base of the keyboard provides modulation (front to back) travel to be static or spring loaded for individual preference. The hand grip is rubberized for maximum ergonomic feel.Dedicated Transport ControlsFor your favorite sequencer control, be it Reason, Digital Performer, Cubase, Logic, or Sonar, the dedicated transport controls make the repetitive process of stop, start and record a breeze. If a specific sequencer template is called up, other buttons perform alternative common tasks such as locator marks and track creation.Backlit... ... Read more

Features

• 2-octave, semi-weighted, high-quality after touch-responsive keyboard
• Pitch bend, programmable mod wheel joystick
• Portable - can be powered with batteries, USB, or power supply
• Programmable X/Y touch pad surface
• Zero-latency headphone monitoring

Product Description

Continuing this tradition, Kurzweil is proud to offer the K2600. Fully compatible with all models that Kurzweil offers, professionals can continue their work without interruption, always confident that archived work will be compatible. ... Read more

Product Description

Simply plug it in, connect it to your keyboard via MIDI, and you're ready to enhance your playing with bass lines provided by your feet, leaving your hands free to play melody and accompaniment. When used in conjunction with Hammond's XK-2 and XB-1 drawbar keyboards, the XPK-100 allows you to create a virtual B-3.In addition to a MIDI out port, the XPK-100 features 2 separate MIDI in ports, thus allowing the easy use of 2 MIDI keyboards... an ideal twin manual MIDI system. Ideal for use with the Hammond XM-1 drawbar module and the XB-1 and XK-2 drawbar keyboards. Also suitable for use with many MIDI-compatible keyboards. ... Read more

Features

• 13-note pedalboard
• Clear LED display
• Transpose, control, preset up and down, play/edit, preset/edit buttons
• 15 presets with memory back up
• Supplied with AC adapter and MIDI cable

Amazon.com Product Description

Panasonic SXKC200 is the perfect keyboard for the intermediate and beginner keyboardist. It offers 61 full-size, touch-sensitive keys. Touch-sensitive keys provide better finger control over sound quality.Your play becomes more expressive compared to keyboards without touch-sensitivity. The SXKC200 also has 100 rhythm patterns, 150 instrument sampled sounds, and 100 accompaniment songs. The speakers project sound in full stereo with extra bass capabilities. The LCD display is backlit to ensure bright and optimum readability. The SXKC200 also includes Music Trainer software with programs like chord finder and beat master to help you easily learn to play. This Panasonic keyboard is compatible with the general MIDI scheme. ... Read more

Features

• MIDI compatibility
• 150 digitally sampled sounds
• 100-song library with music book
• 61 full-size, touch-sensitive keys
• Stereo speakers with bass port

Reviews (1)

Worth it for such an low price
I have tried other branded keyboard such as casino and Yamaha

Casio Keyboard is cheap but the sound effect and rymthdy are to my own opinion horrible!

Yahmaha Keyboard's sound effect and rym is very good but much too expensive.

I finally purchase this keyboard which I think have one of the best sound and midi. Furthermore, it is of such a low price. I personally think it is very worth it if you are a beginner and intermediate player like me. ... Read more

Product Description

The X-STATION combines a Novation-class Synthesizer, an audio solution, MIDI remote controller, MIDI interface and a multi-effects processor all in one - complete with USB or battery power for extended total mobility! SUPERB KEYBOARDThe keyboard employs a premium-class mechanism with semi-weighted keys and aftertouch. Even if you're not a trained piano player you will instantly feel the difference! Aftertouch, a joystick and the assignable X/Y touch pad controller provide you with extra dimensions of expression for your performances. AUDIO AND MIDI SOLUTIONX-STATION includes a fully featured audio interface with two phantom-powered, hi-quality converters, two Neutrik? combined XLR and jack sockets, digital S/PDIF out, and much more. Dedicated headphone and monitoring connections with separate controls even allow you to work without a mixer. What's more, the onboard DSP effects processor provides instant, zero-latency multi-effects for monitoring or recording applications. Each audio channel has its own effects chain. You can even record audio with effects on one channel - and use the synthesizer on the second at the same time!On top of that, X-STATION has a built in MIDI Interface on board, allowing you to integrate external MIDI Gear as well. HARDWARE SYNTHESIZERA fully featured NOVATION-class hardware synthesizer also runs on the unique X-STATION hardware thanks to its powerful DSP processor! The 3-oscillator virtual analog synthesizer is based on ... ... Read more

Features

• 100-song library with play-along music book
• 61 full-size, touch-sensitive keys
• 150 digitally sampled sounds
• 24-note polyphony
• Beat Master training software

Product Description

17 solid-wood-tipped, velocity-sensitive pedals with random patch access. MIDI channel and program change with MIDI output. Transposition 24 half steps. Transmits on all MIDI channels and features full bank change (0 and 32). ... Read more

Features

• 17 solid-wood-tipped, velocity sensitive pedals
• Random patch access
• MIDI channel and program change
• MIDI output
• Transposition 24 half steps

Product Description

This is the Fatar MP117 Dynamic Pedalboard with 17 solid, wood-tipped pedals, random patch access, and full bank change (0 and 32). ... Read more

Product Description

Tired of having to replace your keyboard workstation every few years? Fed up with latency and sync problems with your synth controller and computer? Want to update your sounds to the hippest, freshest sounds available, but frustrated by dealing with one manufacturer? Then neKo is for you. Think of it as a complete portable studio that offers self-contained recording, editing, and mastering.It pulls together the functions of a Digital Audio Workstation, MIDI controller, multiple control surfaces, and a 61-key semi-weighted keyboard into one unit that offers an array of I/O options. The all-in-one design eliminates the clutter and confusion of traditional desktop computer systems so you can focus on what really matters . . . the music.The neKo utilizes industry standard micro-ATX motherboards, processors, and hard drives that allow you to run standard operating systems and use standard PC-compatible hardware. It can accommodate the fastest processors available, and more RAM and storage than any other music workstation. Which means when you want more power, more memory, or more storage--you get it. It also gives you near-zero latency even under high processor loads. Already have a few PCI cards (like from Creamware or Digidesign) you'd like to keep using? No problem. The neKo accepts full-size PCI cards. And unlike traditional computers that take minutes to start up, neKo utilizes a unique boot process that... ... Read more

Features

• Audio-optimized version of Microsoft Windows XP Professional
• Dual 1.4GHz 64-bit AMD Opteron processors
• 15" LCD monitor
• Multiple audio control surfaces
• Integrated computer keyboard

Amazon.com Product Description

Panasonic's SXKC600 keyboard with disk drive features 61 touch-sensitive keys for expressive playing, skill-enriching training functions, 150 digitally sampled sounds, and 100 rhythm patterns. Your live sound won't suffer with stereo speakers and a bass port. Panasonic even added its XBS (extra bass system) for enhanced sound.

Beginner and intermediate musicians will appreciate three built-in trainer functions and a large backlit LCD. The SXKC600 is MIDI equipped for PC connectivity and includes a built-in 3.5-inch disk drive. The drive enables direct playback of standard MIDI files and storage of your own recordings. An auxiliary-in terminal allows you to connect your portable CD player and play along with a favorite recording. In addition, Panasonic has included a 100-song library with a play-along music book.

The SXKC600 keyboard's power supply is included. ... Read more

Features

• Stereo speakers with bass port
• Built-in 3.5-inch disk drive for direct playback of standard MIDI files
• XBS (Extra Bass System)
• 61 full-size, touch-sensitive keys
• 250 digitally sampled sounds and 100-song library with play-along music book

Reviews (1)

Expensive waste of time.
I'm a game designer, looking for a decent midi keyboard to compose my music on. This music will then be transferred to my PC, ready to be used in whatever game I fancy. At least that was the plan.
A few slight problems- there are no drivers included with this keyboard (nor are there any availiable) and neither do any of my music software programs work with it. But wait...it has a disk drive ! Midi files are small and fit onto a floppy disk easily, so I decided to save my files to disk and then transfer them to my PC. I checked the disk and guess what ? My PC does not recognize the file format (I use Win 98 with a pentium 3 and a good soundblaster). The files it saved were not in the midi (.mid) file format or the standard midi file (.smf) format, much ballyhooed in the instructions- instead, they were in a completely unrecognizable format which I was unable to do anything with. Don't get me wrong; the keyboard itself sounded great, but if you are buying this with the same purpose in mind as I had, then don't bother.

But then again, isn't keyboard -> PC music transfer one of the sole purposes of having a midi keyboard in the first place ? Hence the well-deserved one-star rating. ... Read more

Features

• 4-song, 5-track memory to record original songs
• Includes Yamaha software with drivers and XG files
• 61 full-size, touch-sensitive keys
• 3.5-inch floppy disk drive saves and retrieves files
• Connects to a PC or Mac with to-host interface

Reviews (1)

YAMAHA KEY TOUCH KEYBOARD WITH PC SOFTWARE AND MUSIC KIT!!
This keyboard has all the essentials you will ever need. Great keyboard with awesome sound, all the keys, and more! Plus, with new pc/music software you can hear your music on your computer, but thats not all! You can turn your music files into an mp3s...This is a great gift for people who enjoy making music and love working with computers , its perfect ,and just in time for the holidays! ... Read more