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Yamaha QY100 Palmtop Music Sequencer
64-note polyphony. 20 songs + 3 demo songs.
"Excellent tool for people who write lyrics and melodies and don't play well. Takes effort to understand, but really pays off!"
Feature:
Product came with a stereo output cable (RCA) and foam circle "feet". 3 very helpful books were included, and are also available from yamaha site in pdf format (must have Adobe Acrobat to download them). It did NOT come with an adaptor - and you HAVE to have one. My new batteries (6AA) lasted about 2.5 hours, then I received a "Low Batt" message. Grrrr.. It did NOT include midi cables either, so be prepared to buy them if you want to hook up a midi keyboard, or to transfer files to your computer.
Quality:
So far, I'm gonna give this a 10. It's comfortable in my hand, nice looking, and appears to be built sturdy. As for "on the road", I'd be a little leary as the battery situation really bites.
Value:
So far.. for me - a 10. I've already created 2 full demos for songs I've written. That's after owning this thing for about 2 weeks, and playing with it intensely, while reading the owner's manual. To be able to express yourself... I can't put it into words. VERY high on my list as far as the value. If I lost it, I'd get it again.
Desirability:
Extremely sexy. Not only does it look nice, but once you figure out what buttons to push, you can get this sucker to "put out" without too much difficulty. To me, it's a technical marvel. I was only able to semi-play the keyboard. Now, by programming the chords, or playing them on my midi-keyboard, I get a full sound. It's amazing! So far.. the only thing it won't do, is dishes.
Sound:
For a small box, this sucker has a lot of sounds. The styles are awesome - you can pick a style, then change the pitch and tempo and end up with a large variety from a single style. It's the coolest musical device I've EVER owned :)
Support:
I don't know how the service is. I haven't dealt with them. I'm rating it an 8 only because I was able to find a lot of information on the yamaha/synth website. Manuals for download were cool (but you must have Adobe Acrobat), and there appeared to be a lot of information.
Overall:
I expect I'll be happy with this for a long time. I've come up with melodies/lyrics for a long time, and not been able to do anything with it. This tool.. is awesome. I've been able to complete some pretty good sounding demos in a short time. I imagine once I understand more of the features, I'll really be creating great music. It's a wonderful tool.
Product came with a stereo output cable (RCA) and foam circle "feet". 3 very helpful books were included, and are also available from yamaha site in pdf format (must have Adobe Acrobat to download them). It did NOT come with an adaptor - and you HAVE to have one. My new batteries (6AA) lasted about 2.5 hours, then I received a "Low Batt" message. Grrrr.. It did NOT include midi cables either, so be prepared to buy them if you want to hook up a midi keyboard, or to transfer files to your computer.
Quality:
So far, I'm gonna give this a 10. It's comfortable in my hand, nice looking, and appears to be built sturdy. As for "on the road", I'd be a little leary as the battery situation really bites.
Value:
So far.. for me - a 10. I've already created 2 full demos for songs I've written. That's after owning this thing for about 2 weeks, and playing with it intensely, while reading the owner's manual. To be able to express yourself... I can't put it into words. VERY high on my list as far as the value. If I lost it, I'd get it again.
Desirability:
Extremely sexy. Not only does it look nice, but once you figure out what buttons to push, you can get this sucker to "put out" without too much difficulty. To me, it's a technical marvel. I was only able to semi-play the keyboard. Now, by programming the chords, or playing them on my midi-keyboard, I get a full sound. It's amazing! So far.. the only thing it won't do, is dishes.
Sound:
For a small box, this sucker has a lot of sounds. The styles are awesome - you can pick a style, then change the pitch and tempo and end up with a large variety from a single style. It's the coolest musical device I've EVER owned :)
Support:
I don't know how the service is. I haven't dealt with them. I'm rating it an 8 only because I was able to find a lot of information on the yamaha/synth website. Manuals for download were cool (but you must have Adobe Acrobat), and there appeared to be a lot of information.
Overall:
I expect I'll be happy with this for a long time. I've come up with melodies/lyrics for a long time, and not been able to do anything with it. This tool.. is awesome. I've been able to complete some pretty good sounding demos in a short time. I imagine once I understand more of the features, I'll really be creating great music. It's a wonderful tool.
"Instant One-Man Band."
Feature:
Market this product WITH a AC power supply. In spite of some reviews, this is Not a Toy!! A working musician with an ounce of creativity can kick Butt with it. Undo/Redo, Copy Event, Quantize, Transpose and Track Edit. I wish UNDO/Redo had a History of maybe 3/4 events back to be able to recover.
Quality:
Product is fairly durable if you dont remove the plastic film over the display, and that can be replaced. I use it on the road a Lot! Just be sensible and don't throw it around. Ive had mine for over two years, I'm pretty sure I can get five more.
Sound:
The sound quality is excellent.Most of the instrument patches are usable, altho the Reeds are a bit weak. I would say tthat the sounds are CD quality. I just run it thru a regular PA system and I'm always getting very favorable comments. Re-do the Reeds.
Overall:
Right now, I'm totally satisfied. If something happened to it, I would buy another one. I used a BOSS DR5, which was no good for me, then moved to the QY70 and finally to the QY100. I like the portability, ease of programming and the sounds. I do not like the fact that the Memory can only hold about6/8 songs when the User Styles contain about 20 Patterns before running out of Memory, and also the fact that using Batteries are, really, someone's idea of a Joke!
Market this product WITH a AC power supply. In spite of some reviews, this is Not a Toy!! A working musician with an ounce of creativity can kick Butt with it. Undo/Redo, Copy Event, Quantize, Transpose and Track Edit. I wish UNDO/Redo had a History of maybe 3/4 events back to be able to recover.
Quality:
Product is fairly durable if you dont remove the plastic film over the display, and that can be replaced. I use it on the road a Lot! Just be sensible and don't throw it around. Ive had mine for over two years, I'm pretty sure I can get five more.
Sound:
The sound quality is excellent.Most of the instrument patches are usable, altho the Reeds are a bit weak. I would say tthat the sounds are CD quality. I just run it thru a regular PA system and I'm always getting very favorable comments. Re-do the Reeds.
Overall:
Right now, I'm totally satisfied. If something happened to it, I would buy another one. I used a BOSS DR5, which was no good for me, then moved to the QY70 and finally to the QY100. I like the portability, ease of programming and the sounds. I do not like the fact that the Memory can only hold about6/8 songs when the User Styles contain about 20 Patterns before running out of Memory, and also the fact that using Batteries are, really, someone's idea of a Joke!
"the Pros and Cons of owning a QY100"
Feature:
The tone generator is awesome! It's the best part! It could use a few more distinct drum sounds. I've found most of the drum sounds are very similar. I wish the sequencer wouldn't crash so much!
Quality:
For the money, it rocks! Great for starters!
Value:
Probably the greatest starter sequencer money can buy!
Desirability:
Nice look. I prefer silver over any other color. Everything is conveniently located. In fact, it kind of looks like a giant gameboy when I'm programming with it!
Sound:
This machine is about nine tenths sound and about one tenth sequencer. Don't get me wrong, I love this machine, and for the price you can't get anything that will "sound" better. I've had a few technical difficulties with the sequencer though. Mine is currenty not working due to a glitch in the programming! I've had wierd files just appear on my internal memory, I've had those files cause the machine to freeze, and now not even work at all! Aside from the troubles I've had, it is a great machine. In fact, after all the trouble I've had, I'm still going to get it fixed! I can't go for very long without it without totally freaking out! There is a learning curve to it which is moderate. Once past the first curve it's smooth sailing. Give it a shot! You can't beat the price for the tone generator you're getting!
Support:
I didn't register mine, so now I have to do all of that just to get Yamaha to deal with it. My fault, but it still takes a while to get anything done with it which sucks if you've got shows coming up or you've got ideas that are fading in your memory!
Overall:
I'm currently looking to upgrade to another great yamaha product: the RS7000. A lot more pricey, but I'm sold on Yamaha's sequencing tone generators!
The tone generator is awesome! It's the best part! It could use a few more distinct drum sounds. I've found most of the drum sounds are very similar. I wish the sequencer wouldn't crash so much!
Quality:
For the money, it rocks! Great for starters!
Value:
Probably the greatest starter sequencer money can buy!
Desirability:
Nice look. I prefer silver over any other color. Everything is conveniently located. In fact, it kind of looks like a giant gameboy when I'm programming with it!
Sound:
This machine is about nine tenths sound and about one tenth sequencer. Don't get me wrong, I love this machine, and for the price you can't get anything that will "sound" better. I've had a few technical difficulties with the sequencer though. Mine is currenty not working due to a glitch in the programming! I've had wierd files just appear on my internal memory, I've had those files cause the machine to freeze, and now not even work at all! Aside from the troubles I've had, it is a great machine. In fact, after all the trouble I've had, I'm still going to get it fixed! I can't go for very long without it without totally freaking out! There is a learning curve to it which is moderate. Once past the first curve it's smooth sailing. Give it a shot! You can't beat the price for the tone generator you're getting!
Support:
I didn't register mine, so now I have to do all of that just to get Yamaha to deal with it. My fault, but it still takes a while to get anything done with it which sucks if you've got shows coming up or you've got ideas that are fading in your memory!
Overall:
I'm currently looking to upgrade to another great yamaha product: the RS7000. A lot more pricey, but I'm sold on Yamaha's sequencing tone generators!
"You will not be disappointed !"
Feature:
It could do with more Chinese instruments. A Northumberland bagpipe and some more orchestral stuff such as legato orchestra, better flute and better nylon string guitar, woodwind section and a bit of an improvement on the brass instruments would be welcome. It is not possible to record from the microphone into it...but otherwise this is a quite incredible machine !
Quality:
It is fine - I often drop it - it keeps playing !
Value:
Worth every farthing.
Desirability:
It is what it can do in such a small box - incredible !
Sound:
Believe it or not I use this to compose classical-ish music. I am disabled and find computers a pain. This is so handy and easy to use. Sounds can be altered via "voice effect". With that and a lot of DSP you can get a very reasonable piano sound. The "warm strings" are quite beautiful. Oboe is a problem...but it always is.French Horn 2 is really good and Slow Violin is..almost there ! Like most of these gizmos it is a question of finding the voices you most like and using them only. Mellow Choir is amazingly good and Orchestra 2 in short bursts is very convincing !
Ease of Use:
I found it a lot easier to use than a computer. If you switch it off you don't have to save anything - you can get immediately back to where you were when you switch on again. No waiting for Windows to groan into action !
Support:
Support is ok in the UK by phone.
Overall:
I need to team it up with some sort of recording device but I hope to have this areound for a long time.
It could do with more Chinese instruments. A Northumberland bagpipe and some more orchestral stuff such as legato orchestra, better flute and better nylon string guitar, woodwind section and a bit of an improvement on the brass instruments would be welcome. It is not possible to record from the microphone into it...but otherwise this is a quite incredible machine !
Quality:
It is fine - I often drop it - it keeps playing !
Value:
Worth every farthing.
Desirability:
It is what it can do in such a small box - incredible !
Sound:
Believe it or not I use this to compose classical-ish music. I am disabled and find computers a pain. This is so handy and easy to use. Sounds can be altered via "voice effect". With that and a lot of DSP you can get a very reasonable piano sound. The "warm strings" are quite beautiful. Oboe is a problem...but it always is.French Horn 2 is really good and Slow Violin is..almost there ! Like most of these gizmos it is a question of finding the voices you most like and using them only. Mellow Choir is amazingly good and Orchestra 2 in short bursts is very convincing !
Ease of Use:
I found it a lot easier to use than a computer. If you switch it off you don't have to save anything - you can get immediately back to where you were when you switch on again. No waiting for Windows to groan into action !
Support:
Support is ok in the UK by phone.
Overall:
I need to team it up with some sort of recording device but I hope to have this areound for a long time.
"Ultimate Inspiration Tool!"
I sold my JV1080 and bought this. I wanted to have a portable music toy to be able to compose anywhere, as I started to find it boring to work with the studio mess every time.
The sounds are much better then I expected. They have a very musical quality, if not top-notch sound quality. Many sounds are even better than the JV. The only drawback is the acoustic piano sounds. The strings are quite passable. Instruments like organ, bass, chromatic percussion, synthbells and pads are really very good. Very usable in a serios production.
The sequencer part is much functional than my sold Tritons'. Very good!
And the last surprising thing about it is that the onboard two octave keyboard is very usable too! They are not velo-sensitive but they response flawlessly. No timing problems at all. You can even perform some chords and lines that are hardly possible with a standart keyboard.
Hope it had one realtime controller, though...
Anyway, it is much better than I expected.
The sounds are much better then I expected. They have a very musical quality, if not top-notch sound quality. Many sounds are even better than the JV. The only drawback is the acoustic piano sounds. The strings are quite passable. Instruments like organ, bass, chromatic percussion, synthbells and pads are really very good. Very usable in a serios production.
The sequencer part is much functional than my sold Tritons'. Very good!
And the last surprising thing about it is that the onboard two octave keyboard is very usable too! They are not velo-sensitive but they response flawlessly. No timing problems at all. You can even perform some chords and lines that are hardly possible with a standart keyboard.
Hope it had one realtime controller, though...
Anyway, it is much better than I expected.
"easy traveling midi calculator with cool sounds."
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Feature:needs to have quarter outs at least. the mini jack sold for use as a 'main out'is a huge error. this needs a really big lithium rechargeable battery to be really effective when just kicking around town or watching tv with the subtitles at your friends house.. probably could use more fx. needs a backlit screen.
Quality:
it's built like a first generation kaos pad, hollow and light but that's good for gigs.. it does get you wondering how such awesome sounds can come out of sucha tiny little box though. i imagine this product will stand up to much thrown at it. aside from the LCD screen on it possibly breaking from abuse, there's not much to break off or worry about. it's essentially built to be like a midi calculator.
Value:
i would compare this with the akai 500 in price but with out the ability to crunch samples. but the qy-100 has an advantage in that it is more portable and is a faster to use sequencer than the akai 500. also the keyboard interface and full on set of yamaha synths in the machine make up for the lack of sampling capability.
Desirability:
well designed for lots of kicking around and messing with stuff or random ideas in your head. it's desirable in that it's so compact and delivers more than what is expected.
Sound:
sounds are pretty quality considering the mini output jack alone. similar quality to the RS7000 which i noticed initially as i turned the unit on. people complain about the crap digital guitars in the box, but i find them very appealing. mostly cause they sound so fake... `;) the presence of all the instruments in the kit is very strong.
Ease of Use:
if you've used any type of sequencer before you will instantly grasp all there is to know. the interface is really intuitive. lots of time will not be wasted trying to figure out what does what. even without the manual.
Support:
never needed it.
Overall:
if i had a more stable rock solid sequencer that was designed to be a stand alone unit in a studio with the same ease of use i would buy it. but i'm not going to rush out for one since this one works just fine.
"A SEQUENCER, SOUND MODULE, DRUM MACHINE AND MORE!"
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
THIS LITTLE BOX TAKES UP WHERE YAMAHA'S PSR SERIES KEYBOARDS FALL SHORT. THAT IS, A REAL EASY WAY OF ALIGNING CHORD PATTERNS AND NOTE DATA IN ONE EASY INTERFACE. A TRULLY FUN BOX TO PROGRAM AND VERY FAST PATH TO PUTTING A SONG/STYLE TOGETHER. I WISH MY PSR 540 HAD THIS BUILT IN!
"a great, great, piece of gear"
i couldn't believe the versatility of this little sequencer/tone gemerator as i read through the manual and tried things out. the sequencer is as good as any computer sequencer, the pattern sequencer is very very cool. 500+ sounds and 20+ drum kits that are basically editable to beyond recognition (you can play around with cut, resonance, decay, attack, release), virtual mixer, great sounds. i've been using cakewalk pro audio for a long time and i'm really won over by this. for it's compact size it is so self-sufficient i might even give up playing real instruments. just kidding. but it's an awesome song-writing tool if you're not good at dealing with human band members. it might take a little time investment in reading the manual. because of its small screen different functions are on different screens. so it's not the best scratchpad to record ideas quickly. i haven't tried hooking it up to computer or other MIDI gear yet so i don't know how well it works with other instruments.
"Bad?-no Good?-ok Glitchy-yes!"
Feature:
DOESN'T come with the AC adapter which you absolutly need! A touch-sensitive keypad would've been nice too.
Quality:
Good solid construction. Holds up well to mobile usage.
Value:
Honestly, I still can't believe that it's only $400! For the quality of sound it's a steal!
Desirability:
I really wasn't sure what to expect. I picked it up on an impulse buy and turned out very pleased.
Sound:
This machine sounds great! In fact, that is the reason to own this. I wish there were a few more snare sounds...
Support:
Easy to get a hold of help, difficult to get it. Takes too long to ship to yamaha to have fixed if you've got ideas burning holes in your head!
Overall:
Great product. It is a little glitchy. Sometimes mysterious unknown patterns just appear and cause the machine to freeze. Usually, they can be deleted and no more problems come of it. However, after the last time it did this it won't even start up! Now I've got a $400 paper weight! I love the sound quality of it when it does work...
DOESN'T come with the AC adapter which you absolutly need! A touch-sensitive keypad would've been nice too.
Quality:
Good solid construction. Holds up well to mobile usage.
Value:
Honestly, I still can't believe that it's only $400! For the quality of sound it's a steal!
Desirability:
I really wasn't sure what to expect. I picked it up on an impulse buy and turned out very pleased.
Sound:
This machine sounds great! In fact, that is the reason to own this. I wish there were a few more snare sounds...
Support:
Easy to get a hold of help, difficult to get it. Takes too long to ship to yamaha to have fixed if you've got ideas burning holes in your head!
Overall:
Great product. It is a little glitchy. Sometimes mysterious unknown patterns just appear and cause the machine to freeze. Usually, they can be deleted and no more problems come of it. However, after the last time it did this it won't even start up! Now I've got a $400 paper weight! I love the sound quality of it when it does work...
Yamaha QY100 Sequencer Customer Review
Feature:
No accessories not even a power adapter.I went through hell trying to find the right cable to hook up to my computer.[went to 5 stores]I had to call yamaha to find out that you could not buy the host cable anymore.I had to go on line and look around for a UX 16 midi cable cause thats the only way you can hook up to your computer beside the head phone out.
Quality:
made well.
Value:
Maybe if power adapter and UX 16 was part of the package.
Desirability:
This has nothing to do with item.Why do you people have bring sex into everything?
Sound:
For the most this is a great machine,but on some of the samples you can hear some kind of over if you use a pair of very good ear phones.
Support:
hard to get the right support.thay will call you after a few days.Thay did solve the problem but Ialways felt rushed.
Overall:
For life.No.yes.
No accessories not even a power adapter.I went through hell trying to find the right cable to hook up to my computer.[went to 5 stores]I had to call yamaha to find out that you could not buy the host cable anymore.I had to go on line and look around for a UX 16 midi cable cause thats the only way you can hook up to your computer beside the head phone out.
Quality:
made well.
Value:
Maybe if power adapter and UX 16 was part of the package.
Desirability:
This has nothing to do with item.Why do you people have bring sex into everything?
Sound:
For the most this is a great machine,but on some of the samples you can hear some kind of over if you use a pair of very good ear phones.
Support:
hard to get the right support.thay will call you after a few days.Thay did solve the problem but Ialways felt rushed.
Overall:
For life.No.yes.
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