Best portable 61-key arranger music keyboards for the intermediate level keyboard players. If you have spent a few years playing the keyboards, your ears will now understand better what sounds good and what is mediocre; you will no longer get inspired by the entry-level keyboards. Here we take a look at keyboards that have better sound samples, are sturdier, and have some pro features as well. Suitable for hobbyists, serious students, songwriters, intermediate and experienced keyboard players, and available in the four-hundred to five-hundred dollars range. You can skip to the best arranger keyboard for intermediate players on Amazon.
Introduction
Who are intermediate players?
Intermediate players are those who have been learning to play the keyboard for a round a couple of years (at least); they are the ones who are between beginners and the experts.
Some players may reach this level a bit earlier, but for many players 2+ years is needed to reach this level, where you have a decent repertoire of songs, your fingers run smoothly on the keyboards, and more importantly, you have well-developed ears.
What do intermediate keyboard players look for in a music keyboard?
The most important factor is the sound, for which they are ready to upgrade to a better music keyboard. The keyboards listed here have a nice sound engine so the sounds and styles sound excellent.
It not only keeps you motivated to play better; it’s also great to jam with friends and to perform at smaller venues.
These keyboards also have improved design, and a lot more features (compared to entry-level music keyboards).
Best Arranger Keyboards for Intermediate Level Players
The arranger keyboards that we are going to look at here, are packed with better features, and have a much better quality overall. These arranger music keyboards are suitable for hobbyists, serious students, songwriters, intermediate and experienced keyboard players.
Checkout these keyboards if you’re looking for keyboards for absolute beginners and kids for whom the sound quality is not of the greatest concerns.
So here we go.
Casio CT-X5000 61 Keys Keyboard
A recent addition to the Casio family, the Casio CT-X5000 is an arranger keyboard with an upfated sound socurce, designed to enhance the sound of the acoustic instruments. Read more.
Powerful 30-watt speaker system, 17-track recorder, 100 DSP effects, 64 note polyphony.
Yamaha PSREW410 76-key Keyboard
A recent addition to the PSR-EW series, the PSR-EW 410 comes with 76 touch sensitive keys (semi-weighted.).
Other features include 48-note polyphony, USB Audio Recorder
AUX-IN, USB TO HOST and USB TO DEVICE connectivity, Built-in lessons
Casio WK-7600 76-Key Music Keyboard
Recent Keyboard from Casio, this is a high-end keyboard that comes with 76-keys, includes several drawbar organ tones and comes with several synth-like features. It offers powerful and extensive features at a price that is unheard of in the portable keyboard market. It offers hundreds of world-class tones & preset rhythms, sequencer, mixer, as well as audio recording capabilities. Read more…
Yamaha PSR e463 61-Key Keyboard
The Yamaha PSR e463 comes with great sounds and styles, has built-in lessons, and several pro features. Experienced players can use the Pattern function, several arpeggio types and real-time control knobs. 48-note polyphony, Pitch bend wheel, USB Port, Line Out. Read more…
Casio CTK-7200 Portable Electronic Keyboard, 61-Key
This one is similar to the casio wk-7600 but comes with 61 keys. This top model from the CTK series comes with several synth-like features and includes drawbar organ tones! It offers powerful and extensive features. Its similar to the above model but comes with 61 keys. Read more…
Yamaha YPG-535 88-key Keyboard
The Yamaha YPG-535 is a 88-Key keyboard with sound and feel of a grand piano, available in a more compact package and available at an affordable price. The YPG-535 offers a graded soft touch action that everyone from the beginner to the professional will love. Read more…
Behringer KT108 15 Watt Ultratone Keyboard Amplifier
The Behringer KT108 is a lightweight and powerful amplifier (for the price) that works quite well for limited volume situations. It will definitely make your keyboard sound several times better. Read more here…
So what are we looking at here? Definitely not a plain digital piano with the best of the keys and key touch; that is covered in another section!
Here we are still talking about arranger keyboards, though you do have option of 76 keys and 88 keys. But these keyboards are going to sound a lot better, and will provide you with voices and styles that will suit several different musical genres.
So, if you’re a song-writer looking for an inexpensive instrument, that will help you to quickly sound arranged across, various genres, then have a look at this yamaha psr-e443 package that comes with several bundled accessories. Serious students will also love this keyboard because it comes with bundled with piano instructional software.
But then there’s more to come, especially when Casio is hell-bent on introducing impressive keyboards, and this one gives you a lot more. So if you’re an experienced player look for a budget keyboard for performing onstage, do have a look at the Casio wk7600. It’s more of a workstation keyboard and comes with 76 keys (impressive). But then you also get drawbar organ tones, and many more features. Not really a pro-keyboard but definitely a keeper for amateurs, songwriters, and serious learners who want tons of features.
Fancy, a digital arranger piano that gives you all the digital keyboard features, but also provides you with 88 piano like keys? The best option within this price range is the yamaha ypg-535, comes with 88 full-sized semi-weighted piano like keys.
But in case you are looking for slightly inexpensive options, do checkout these popular options.
As you can see, these are a mix of 61 keys, 76 keys here, and some even come with semi-weighted keys suitable for piano style playing. A couple of keyboards, in addition to the 61 keys, have lots of effects and synth related features which will be appreciated by intermediate/experienced players, who are more into performance, as well as by songwriters who want to create their own music.
If you first music keyboard was a starter keyboard, then you’ll definitely enjoy the experience if you upgrade to one of these models.
Recommended Accessories for these Keyboards
Most of the keyboards mentioned here are for intermediate to experienced players, though nothing prevents a beginner from owning these. Here are some accessories that you will need, depending on how you are going to use your piano keyboard.
For most of your sustaining needs, be it for playing keyboards or for piano, you will need an excellent piano style sustain pedal. For on-stage performances, a good dust cover is a must.
Also, if you’ve recently upgraded to a better keyboard, you may also want to consider buying a powerful, yet inexpensive keyboard amplifier that will make your board sound a lot better.
For those of you, who will be playing more of piano, a good piano bench will help you maintain the right posture.
- Casio WK7500 76 Key Workstation Keyboard
- Casio CTK-7200, workstation with 61 Keys
- Yamaha PSR-E453 Premium Keyboard Package with Headphones, Stand, Power Supply, 6-Feet USB Cable and eMedia Instructional Software
- Yamaha YPG-535 88-key Portable Grand Graded-Action USB Keyboard with Matching Stand and Sustain Pedal
- Yamaha YPG-235 76-Key Portable Grand Piano Premium Pack
- Casio WK245 Keyboard Package with Closed-Cup Headphones, Keyboard Stand, Power Supply, and Instructional Software
Suresh has a background in computer science, in addition to being a keyboard/piano player. He has a keen interest in music, audio & video gear, and also manages the business part of KeytarHQ. Read more here.
Nice list of keyboards here. Usually when you ask for keyboards that are priced under $500, people recommend a digital piano with more than 61 keys. However, in this price range I want a 61-key keyboard that has nice set of sounds and styles; these need to sound fantastic. And then it should have additional features like recording capabilities.
Yes, we have only listed electronic/arranger keyboards here (a few of them with 76 keys). These are best for intermediate level players, or for players who already know how to play other musical instruments as they can appreciate the sound quality.