Yamaha packs more features into its lightweight PSR-340 Portatone keyboard than anyone is likely to use during the life of the product. But the diversity and flexibility inherent in this surplus should invite the novice and tease the seasoned. The keyboard's battery power offers portability and is a welcome feature. And you don't even need an amplifier--the keyboard's onboard powered speakers play loudly and cleanly. Setup of the PSR-340 is a cinch using Yamaha's handy quick guide (which precedes the in-depth portion of the keyboard's 123-page manual). Though not always as clear as it could be, the manual does have helpful graphics, special hints, and discussions of piano basics and the whys and wherefores of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). In a matter of minutes we were up and playing along with one of the PSR-340's three demos, "My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from Titanic)."
The keyboard's four main buttons guide you to the sounds, or voices, of hundreds of instruments, including myriad drums and sound effects. You have the option of using these voices with over a hundred styles of backing music, available at the press of the Auto Accompaniment button.
Among the numerous features to choose from while playing and recording are: metronome assistance, dual-voice performance, variable split point (the place where the keys switch from one voice to another), and MIDI inputs and outputs. Using MIDI and the PSR-340's sequencer, you can "record" up to six tracks for repeat performances of, say, a jazz piece with piano, organ, bass, and drums. You can adjust the volume for the musical accompaniment and sound effects such as reverb (echo), chorus (a layering of the sound with slightly different timings), DSP (digital signal processing), and others.
Three special chord functions make Auto Accompaniment especially easy. The onboard digital dictionary can teach you the notes for the chords you request (an F# minor M7 flat 5, perhaps?), or you can select Smart Chord to inform the keyboard what key you'll be playing in. If you're new at this, EZ Chord lets you line up a series of chords in advance; all you'll have to do is press the same note whenever you're ready for the next chord in the sequence.
One aspect of sequencer operations that puzzled us was the fact that, upon editing a note, subsequent notes are deleted from your recorded track. Say, for instance, that you recorded 10 notes on Track One and 10 notes on Track Two. If you want to edit the sixth note on the second track, you'll have to redo notes six through 10 rather than simply note six.
As long as you leave the PSR-340 plugged in, it's never truly off. (When you power down, it goes into standby.) So, if you change any of the settings--tempo, volume, split, metronome, etc.--the keyboard will retain those settings for next time.
If you want to reset the settings to Yamaha's factory presets, the PSR-340 offers global as well as individual defaults. Under global default, holding down a designated key when you're turning the keyboard on or off will return everything you've changed during your last session--tempo, volume, split, metronome, etc.--to the factory preset. Individual default lets you return any one setting (just the tempo, just the volume, etc.) to the factory preset.
Given its price, the PSR-340 is clearly aimed at a family audience and keyboard neophytes, though it's sophisticated enough that professionals can just as easily appreciate its innovative features.
--Michael Anderson
Pros:
- Lightweight, portable
- Display remains clear and bright in direct sunlight
- Easy returns to global- and individual-setting defaults
- Multiple ways to select same feature
- Standby mode allows low-power usage while retaining user selections
Cons:
- Accessories sold separately
- In sequence editing, the keyboard deletes subsequent notes from the edit point in your recorded track
- Panel display gradually dims over long periods of use
