Yamaha PSR-EW410: Latest 76-key model in the popular Yamaha PSR series. Lots of pro features at entry-level prices, has a mix of advanced as well as educational features. Quick Sampler, Groove Creator, 48-note polyphony and more. See PRICE on Amazon.
Introduction
There comes a time when your talent outgrows your first instrument, and you’re ready to step up to the next level – if that is the case, you should consider the Yamaha PSR-EW series portable keyboards.
With innovative features, simple connectivity, light-weight and portable design, these instruments are the logical, and affordable partner for the next step in learning to play the piano.
And more importantly, these arranger keyboards come with 76-keys.
The Yamaha PSR-EW410 is the top model in this series, and comes with a nice set of features, including powerful speakers and excellent set of styles (rhythms).
Highlights
- 76 keys
- Voices and styles to suit every musical style
- Professional features like assignable Live Control knobs, Quick Sampling, Groove Creator
- Powerful speakers, can add an optional subwoofer for even better playing experience.
Review
For a long time, Yamaha offered only 61-keys in its popular PSR-E series that includes models that caters to beginners and intermediate level players. If someone wanted more than 61 keys, the had the option of the YPG/DGX series which mainly included weighted keys.
So finally, Yamaha comes out with a 76-key keyboard, which was eagerly awaited by its fans, and its a great keyboard. In fact, its quite similar to the Yamaha PSR-E463 (61-keyboard), just a few minor differences.
And it being the top model in the PSR-E/PSR-EW series, the keyboard comes with much better sounds, groove creator to generate backing tracks, and live control knobs — something that intermediate level players can appreciate and will look forward to using.
Here are some of the fun/useful features.
Quick Sampler: Lets you record from external audio device into the various sample zones of the keyboard; once assigned you can use those samples in your playing. You can record your voice and sync them with the notes using the sampler. You can even take sounds from an acoustic piano or a high-end stage piano, if you have one. Its really a cool feature and gives you more sound options.
Songs section (Track Control): Besides the several built-in songs already available to use (those have been recorded using the sounds and rhythms from the keyboard itself), you can also record your own songs (on the various tracks) and save it on the keyboard for later use. The various parts of the song (drums, bass, piano) can be muted as per your preference.
Groove Creator: Basically lets you act like a DJ. You can play several of the pre-programmed EDM type tracks and add effects to it.
The Live control knobs are another cool feature that you can use, especially in conjunction with the groove creator. Using the live control knobs you can adjust things like cut off, reverb on voices, you can add some cool EDM type effects. You can add these effects to the voices on the keyboard or to the styles.
Melody suppressor: Another cool feature is the melody suppressor. On the PSR-EW410, you can play songs from external sources such as iPhone. When you do that, what you can do is use the melody suppressor to take the voice out so that you can play the melody using the keyboard or sing on top of it (which can be heard through external speakers/PA). The melody suppressor works almost perfectly (it squashes the overall volume a bit too).
Voices/Styles/Effects: The keyboard comes with several voices and musical styles that can be used across various musical genres. You play the chords on the left hand side. There’s intro, fill-ins and ending. It also has cool effects such as reverb, chorus, distortion and more.
USB to Host/USB to Device: These allow you to go into iPhone, computer, and the device lets you plugin things like flash-drive. You can play track from your iPhone or the flash drive, go with the melody suppressor (there’s an audio button that shows the tracks on the flash drive), you can use it to save things on the bank memory, or in general to add things or take off things from the keyboard.
Inputs/Outputs: USB to Host/USB to device as mentioned, there’s input for sustain pedal, headphones, there’s aux-in (to take inputs from external devices), there’s a quarter inch output that you can use to send output to speaker systems, amps or whatever you like.
Apps: Yamaha also has a lot of apps that can be used with their keyboards. One such app is the Visual Performer which shows some cool graphics on the ipad/iPhone when you play the voices on the keyboard.
Pros & cons
- Pros: Reasonable pricing, several professional features, use it for songwriting as well for gigs
- Cons: Its not a high-end synth/workstation
Demo / Video
More Features/Specs
- 758 voices including Live!, Sweet! and Cool! voices, with 48-note polyphony
- Quick Sampling function – 7 sample (1 Normal type + 6 One shot/Loop type) Max 9.6 sec/sample
- Groove Creator function – 35 grooves, 5 sections(4 main +1 Musical Climax)
- 235 auto accompaniment Styles
- USB Audio Recorder – 80 minutes. (.wav)
- 12W + 12W amplifiers with 12 cm Bass Reflexed speakers
- Assignable real-time Control Knobs, DSP Effects, and Pitch Bend
- Connectivity with audio and MIDI capabilities
- USB TO DEVICE terminal
- AUX IN for connecting and playing along with your favorite music
- Arpeggio function
- Worldwide sounds support multiple kinds of music
- Add an optional subwoofer
Buying Links
The Yamaha PSR-EW410 is definitely a fun keyboard with lots of cool features.
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KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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