Anybody there?

In honesty, it’s not like I’ve been that occupied with studies that I couldn’t post the odd YouTube, but when I had some time off I didn’t really feel like posting. Anyway with all university obligations behind me, I can now entertain you guys with some more useless information about keyboards that probably only I wouldn’t mind allowing into my house.

During the past months I’ve done some purchases which as always had to be bargains and here’s a little rundown-

1. Well back in October I felt like I really needed a proper workstation and I decided to go for a new end-of-line Yamaha Motif ES 6. What I liked about it was the PLG board expandability and the famous Yamaha build quality. 7 months later I can report that the synth is still working…[although the keys do develop annoying clicks (a known issue with this line of products)] and that the sounds are a bit disappointing (especially pianos) with some obvious loop points (especially pianos again…).

2. Studiologic SL990XP. This is something I didn’t really want to buy, but my piano teacher showed some concerns about my technique. After dismissing the idea of getting an acoustic piano into our small flat and not willing to waste money on a digital one, I found this 88 key master keyboard in almost mint condition for £130. It does the job although I find it difficult to adjust the velocity to somehow respond sensibly to my playing. Overall seem like a good purchase.

3. Now for some toys. I bought a circuit-bent Yamaha PSS170 which is basically identical to my precious (yet dead) PSS270, minus one speaker, a few keys and the redundant Stereo Symphonic effect. The FM based PSS keyboards have usually got one useful set which I think really turns it into a new (if somewhat unpredictable) synth. More details of this bending with sound samples here.


4. I also got the most advanced PSS of them all- the 51. it would take less time to write what it hasn’t got but here I go anyway-
• AWM sampled sounds
• Vector synth
• Drum pads
• 8 track sequencer
• Midi
• 61 midsize keys
• Dog breath (only checking if you’re awake…)
Overall it’s a positive keyboard (and cost me a ridiculous £17) but the keyboard action (yeah, yeah I know. WTF?) is WAAAAAAAAY to light which means you mustn’t breathe next to it if you don’t want it to trigger extra notes. Also another annoying problem is that Yamaha were trying so hard to make it M1-like, that the processor just can’t handle the burden. This means that when you play a whole backing arrangement you really get sloppy timing...
(ugly carpet not ours).


5. A new stylophone. Don’t really like it but maybe I should give it some time and effects…

I’m very happy with my purchases and now that I got some time to fiddle with them, expect (though not with baited breath) some videos.
Next week- the items I didn’t keep…