Yamaha YPG-535 88-Key Portable Grand Keyboard

zZounds' Take on Yamaha YPG-535

The ability to quickly and accurately sight-read music is invaluable for any musician, and there's no better tool for learning to read and understand music than the piano. Unfortunately, most of us don't have the room in our homes (or budgets) for a full-sized piano, nor do we all have time in our hectic daily lives for private instruction. The Yamaha YPG-535, with its detailed stereo piano sounds and integrated learning and composition tools, fits any home, budget, and lifestyle. It makes starting to play easy, and learning to play fun and rewarding.

The Yamaha Education Suite: Learn At Your Own Pace

Making use of the YPG-535's large, highly visible LCD screen and three lesson modes, the Yamaha Education Suite, or Y.E.S., presents an easy-to-understand and effective learning system. Choose one of the YPG-535's 30 internal songs (another 70 are included on CD-ROM) and the notes are presented on a keyboard and music staff right in front of you. Next, choose one of the lesson modes: "Wait Mode" stops song playback until you play the correct note; "Your Tempo Mode" slows playback down when you play incorrect notes, so you can learn at your own pace, but start to get a feel for rhythm; "Minus One Mode" plays a song with one part removed, so that you can play along with the other elements of the music -- think of it like piano karaoke, except you choose what part to play. These three modes follow a natural progression, each building on an ability mastered in the previous mode, and each lesson has seven levels of increasing difficulty to push those abilities even further. An automatic grading function provides you with honest feedback on your playing; no apples for the teacher here, just the hard, satisfying truth! There's even a chord dictionary for familiarizing yourself with common chordal voicings and intervals, with each chord being displayed in name and as notes on the LCD musical staff. Even if you're planning on eventually studying with a teacher, the Y.E.S. will give you a huge head-start and distinct learning advantage, making your private lessons that much more rewarding.

An Infinite Library Of Music

As you become comfortable with sight-reading, you'll want to start playing along with your favorite music. Any song saved in the popular MIDI format can be downloaded to the YPG-535, displayed on the LCD screen as a notated score, and played back. Just connect the keyboard to your computer with a standard USB cable. Having trouble finding a particular song? Load up Yamaha's Digital Music Notebook, an online service that lets you download transcriptions of the most popular music of today, as well as additional lesson books. Load the songs directly onto your YPG535, or use your computer to print them out as sheet music. The Yamaha YPG-535 is your portal to a whole world of interactive, musical entertainment!

Six-Track Recorder: Compose Your Own Music

The ability to sight-read notation will have you understanding music in a whole new way, so it'll only be a matter of time before you'll want to start writing your own. For the budding Bachs, Beethovens, or Sufjans out there, the YPG-535 has a six-track sequencer built right in. Record a chord progression, than layer melody, counter melody, harmony, or whatever you like on top. Experiment with combining different instruments in one song -- the YPG-535 has over 361 beautiful sounds to select from, including organs, woodwinds, strings and even drums and guitars. Save your favorite work by uploading to your computer, or use the YPG-535's USB storage device port to connect an external hard disk or thumb drive.

Like Learning To Play On a Grand Piano

While the YPG-535 has a ton of fantastic instrument sounds, the centerpiece of this, and all Yamaha keyboards, is the lush grand piano. As the maker of some of the world's finest acoustic grand and baby grand pianos, it stands to reason that Yamaha's digital instruments also stand above the competition. The stereo-sampled grand piano is lifelike and rich, and it's reproduced beautifully on the YPG-535's built-in, stereo, two-way speaker system. To add to the authentic piano experience, the YPG's 88-key Graded Soft Touch keyboard recreates the action of real piano keys in a lightweight, portable package. Plug a Yamaha FC4 sustain pedal in for dynamic damper effects and you've got complete and authentic control over your music. In addition to teaching you how to read music, the YPG-535 will teach you what it sounds and feels like to play a top-of-the-line, finely crafted grand piano.

With on-screen notation display, interactive lessons, and the feel of a real, acoustic piano, the Yamaha YPG-535 is the quickest and most effective way to start learning to read music. The inviting feel, the ease of use, and the beautiful grand piano sounds will make learning a joy, while the integrated recorder will have you well on your way to becoming the next world-famous composer. Music lessons and a fine instrument are two of the best investments you'll ever make, and both can be found in one keyboard: the Yamaha YPG-535.

Manufacturer's Description for Yamaha YPG-535 88-Key Portable Grand Keyboard

The Yamaha YPG-535 88 Key Portable Keyboard gives to the sound and feel of a grand piano in a portable package at an affordable price. The YPG-535 offers a graded soft touch action that everyone from the beginner to the professional will love. The YPG-535 also includes a stand along with a sustain pedal and power adapter. For the beginner, the built-in interactive lessons provide a user definable tempo that allow for learning at your pace.

Features

- 88 piano-style keys with Graded Soft Touch
- 6-track sequencer allows you to record your own music
- USB & Flash ROM to download new Songs and Styles for playing - 5 types preset Master EQ
- Interactive Lessons: Your Tempo mode helps you learn to play
- Backlit LCD, panel lights, pitch bend wheel - Portable Grand Button: industry's best piano
- Yamaha XGlite/GM voices plus Sweet!, Cool!, Split & Dual voice
- Performance Assistant guarantees a rewarding music experience
- Music Database 267 keyboard setups by song title

Optional Survival Kit Contents

Includes a Yamaha Watch & Learn DVD, 3-Year Extended Warranty, stereo headphones, Grand Piano felt key cover, and Hundreds of dollars of Rebate Coupons. zZounds is an authorized dealer of Yamaha products.

- Keyboard: 88 Keys with Graded Soft Touch
- Display: Large 320 x 240 B/W LCD
- Lyric / Score: Yes / Yes
- Voices: 500 GM and XGlite Compatible
- Dual/Split: Yes/Yes
- Polyphony: 32 Notes
- Featured Voices: 8 Sweet, 3 Live, 5 Cool
- Music Database: 300 Song titles
- Songs: 30 Internal/70 CD-ROM + 5 User
- Y.E.S. / Lessons: Interactive Lessons
- Styles: 160 + User (SFF)
- Style Sections: Intro/Ending + A/B + Fill x 2
- Sequencer: 6 Track / 5 Songs / 10,000 Notes
- PC Button: Yes
- MIDI: USB Slave
- Storage Device: 1.5MB Flash + USB to Device
- Effects: 9 Reverb / 4 Chorus / 5 EQ
- Harmony: 26 Types
- In/Out Jacks: Headphone / Sustain
- Speakers: 12cm x 2 / 3cm x 2
- Amplifier: 6W + 6W
- Power Supply: PA-150
- Included Accessories: PA-150, CD, Music Rest, Pedal
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 53.6 x 16.8 x 5.8 in.

Power Supply: Yamaha PA-150 (Included)

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging

Base Item

Shipping Weight: 62 lbs

Shipping Dimensions: 59 x 22 x 13 in

with Survival Kit

Shipping Weight: 63 lbs

with Yamaha BB1 Bench and Nady HP03 Headphones

Shipping Weight: 45 lbs