Binding: Electronics Brand: Yamaha EAN: 0086792821870 Feature: 76-key portable keyboard with preloaded Yamaha Education Suite IV software Label: Yamaha Manufacturer: Yamaha Model: DGX-205 Publisher: Yamaha Studio: Yamaha
Features
76-key portable keyboard with preloaded Yamaha Education Suite IV software General MIDI (GM) and XGlite capable for downloading MINI songs and styles 487 built-in voices, 10 drum kits, and 2 sound effect kits Built-in Flash ROM memory stores up to 99 songs 2-way stereo speaker system with digital signal processing
It features 76 keys, double the power of the next model down and a professional pitch bend wheel for more expressive playing of brass and string instruments. The larger keyboard, important for professionals, is also valuable for aspiring musicians. The keyboard comes with 30 pre-loaded songs, Flash ROM internal storage for adding more, and 70 additional selections on an included CD-ROM. Simply connect the keyboard to your computer via the convenient USB connector and transfer songs to the keyboard for learning or listening. And for recording your own songs, the DGX205 has a built-in multi track sequencer and can store up to five performances at a time. Finally, performance assistant technology allows you to play along with songs and not make a mistake - even if you're a complete beginner! Flash ROM to download songs from the Internet Portable Grand for the realism of a stereo grand piano On-board sequencer records up to 5 sings in 6 tracks Yamaha Education Suite 4 (Y.E.S4) features lessons, grading, and 100 songs to learn 76 piano-sized touch sensitive keys Large back-lit LCD shows musical staff and chords Headphone and sustain pedal jacks Digital music notebook software included Silver
Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating: Summary: Very nice Keyboard Comment: This was my first keyboard. I have since moved on to the PSR1500 Workstation and the Hammond. This is a great keyboard for beginners with a bit extra more money. The piano is superb. Pump it through a tube amp and it sounds even better. The theater organ patch is quite powerful, I use it for old style playing when there isn't a Hammond to be found. I have three minor issues with this keyboard:
1. The keys are a little stiff for my taste. They aren't springy enough.
2. The DSP effects are limited, to say the least. It has the usual chorus, reverb, flanger and phaser. But it could benefit from a few extra effects (like tremolo/rotary speaker, distortion, etc).
3. No modulation wheel. No way to control vibrato, if any at all.
Despite these limitations the keyboard is great for beginners who just want a lot of sounds and no fancy, confusing menus. Customer Rating: Summary: Absolutely Amazing Quality and Sound Comment: I bought this keyboard during the winter of 2006. I had compared literally 50+ different keyboards but ultimately decided on this one. The price was great and the features were very good. My keyboard arrived a few days later and I was astonished when I hooked it up at how good the sound quality was.
I have owned a Casio keyboard for some time, and after playing this I can definitely hear a MASSIVE difference in sound quality. The Casio keyboard (and most Casios I've used) sound too digital-like and not realistic. If you don't think so, play this keyboard aside your Casio and you'll be surprised. I instantly got hooked on this thing from the minute I used it.
The keys can be put in touch-sensitive mode OR turned to normal mode, where they are not touch-sensitive and are all one volume. This is done simply by pressing the 'Touch' button on the keyboard. The keyboard also has over 400 different sounds, many of which sound absolutely incredible when mixed together. About that-- this keyboard can be put in dual mode where you can play two different notes at once. For example, you can be playing a Grand Piano voice along with a strings voice at the same time. Alternatively, you can play either a single voice at a time or do a split keyboard, where the left half of the keys are one voice and the right are another.
If you buy this keyboard I *HIGHLY* recommend getting a sustain pedal. Sustain pedals are what carry sounds out so all you have to do is press a key once and the sound will last much longer. Also, if you don't have commercial-style headphones (with the thick jack plug thing) then buy an adapter. If you use normal earbud headphones you won't be able to plug them into this keyboard, as the jack will be too big. You'll need to look up "small to big headphone adapter" on Amazon/Google and find one you like.
Buy this keyboard.. You won't regret it. I've had people who own Rolands tell me this sounds better than their $1,200 machines. Score! Customer Rating: Summary: Great keyboard - one sticky key Comment: Love this item. Got it for my daughter who is just beginning piano lessons. B key next to middle C is sticky, which causes a bit of consternation when playing. Otherwise, more than we needed and we're very happy with it. Customer Rating: Summary: Yamaha makes great keyboards. Comment: This is a replacement for a 61-key Yamaha keyboard. The other keyboard was such a great starter that I practiced constantly, improving my skills to the point of needing an upgrade.
I bought this model because it is touch-sensitive and has more keys. These features make it possible to play more complex pieces with greater expression. (If you haven't played a touch sensitive keyboard or acoustic piano before, this takes some getting used to, but it's worth it.)
Here are some of the things I love about it;
1) Stereo speakers with separate woofers and tweeters give a rich, realistic sound.
2) Backlit LCD screen is easier to see. Also, since it is quite bright, it reminds me to turn off the keyboard when I am done.
3) There are over 400 musical voices. While I will never use all of them, I have many choices that enable me to find the voice that best suits the mood of the music. (For instance, some of the string voices sound more orchestral and others more like country fiddles.)
4) The voices are remarkably realistic. The wind and brass instruments really sound like air is going through them.
5) The middle-C is marked and the silver body makes it easy to see.
6)You can record a few of your own pieces. This can be very useful if you need to learn to sing a new melody. (As a pianist of modest skill, I can not play and sing along yet.)
It's fun to play and motivates me to spend as much time as posible practicing. I'd much rather spend an afternoon at the piano than in front of the TV.
Customer Rating: Summary: Good Keyboard for beginner and intermediate player Comment: I bought this keyboard a month ago for the sole purpose learning piano. I was not aware, at that time, tons of other features that pleasantly surprised me.
This is a "Portable Grand" keybooard, and as the name implies, the piano sound is excellence! It is so realistic my jaw dropped. Even my friends who have played piano before admits the sound is extraordinary (key is touch sensitive for expressive playing too). I plugged (you have to buy the cable yourself tho) it in to my home theatre system (good power 6.1 system). Lo and behold, the low sound like it is coming from the real thing and the high is crystal clear. I can almost hear the sound of the wood hammer on the steel string.
One of the special voices features in the voice database is called "sweet" voices. There are only a few choices available, namely, flute, tenor and soprano sax. These are the ultra realistic, blow your socks off kinda sound. For example, in the sweet soprano sax, if you hold the key down, the sound will become louder as if the sax player is blowing more air into it. You can actually hear the sound of the air rushing through the tube too. The sweet soprano sax actually sound like Kenny G's playing. Yamaha might model the sound after Kenny's. It never fail to amaze me. For the sweet flute sound, the way you play it fast, hard, or light on the keyboard actually give you a different sound and feel.
The cons are the the keyboard does not come with anything. Not even the dang battery charger or USB cable. It does come with a very helpful DVD that features a real Yamaha instructor doing some amazing demonstration on the keyboard. The DVD will cover most of the important features like, voice, style, song and metronome of the keyboard. You will learn and be amazed at the same time. It also come with a CD with driver and sample midi for you to connect the keyboard to the PC.
For less than $300, this is a really good deal for the quality and money. I highly recommended it to anybody who is picking up the hobby.
