Yamaha PSR-S500 Portable Keyboard

Advantages: Elegant style, Beautiful Instrument Samples, XG MIDI Compatability, Floppy Disk Drive
Disadvantages: Keys, although semi-weighted, still not very realistic

...to own a piano (cheesy, I know... other kids want good jobs, good lives, boyfriends/girlfriends, and here is funny ole' Simon wanting a piano). I constantly looked around for cheap piano's but my parents would not let me have one, due to size, cost and maintainance. A digital grand piano was also out of the question due to major costs. I hunted and hunted looking for a way to overcome this, then I found the "Yamaha DGX Portable Grand" range of portable keyboards. As soon as I saw these I rushed to my local music store to have a go of them, and I nearly died on the spot when I heard the quality of them, and the price (in a good way!). I tried the DGX-200, 300 and 500. and I eventually plummed for the 300 because of its main features: *76 Semi-weighted Piano style keys *3.5" Floppy Disk drive *Pitch Bend Wheel *MIDI I/O with XG... Read review

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Advantages: portable, good size and easy to use, cheap
Disadvantages: sound isnt that of the best on market

...I purchased this keyboard from my friend second hand as I couldnt really aford to buy a new one. She hadnt really used it much except for christmas and the odd time when she wanted to pass time. I paid £190.00 which I think inst all that low a price under the one she paid for it 5 years ago. However I cant complain we've had some good use out of it and has even taught my 5 year old some whole piano songs - his favourite being three blind mice at the moment and, of course, the simpsons theme tune! What I love most about this Keyboard is that you can ta it ke on the go! Sounds like a toy for children, but was actually developed in 1999 for adults and professional play. This, although a bit chunky, model is ideal for piano practice and easy storage or for recording your own music. Other fearures I find useful include the playback mode... Read review

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Advantages: A tremendous instrument for the musically minded
Disadvantages: -

...was really getting hooked on the likes of Jimmy Smith (a jazz organist), so I turned my attention to the electric organ. My first instrument was a small Lowry Holiday followed by a small Hammond (great keyboard sound, but rotten base). In my twenties, I turned professional and purchased a small Yamaha with Leslie speaker - (a sort of spinning speaker inside a cabinet that produced a rich sound). Because of it's light weight for portability and reasonable prices compared to most other organs, I have stayed loyal to Yamaha ever since. I now own a HE 8 (old technology now, which I will soon be updated no doubt) and a PSR3000 - a 61-key electronic keyboard, which is the focus of this review. What I Like About The Yamaha PSR 3000 is the sound quality and a huge range of "voices" - these are synthetic sounds that even the most critical... Read review

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