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Please click image for more info The Yamaha YPT 255 has been Yamaha's premiere entry-level portable keyboard for years. People love it for its great sound, ease of use, and how simple and fun it makes learning to play the piano. Yamaha has recently added the YPT260 61-key keyboard to their product line, as an update to the YPT255. But is the upgrade necessary? Let's take a closer look and find out. Overview of the Yamaha YPT 255 The Yamaha YPT255 61-Key Keyboard Pack is designed to be the perfect instrument for beginners to learn on, with the functions and capabilities that will help anyone of any age learn to play the piano. It's been praised by amateurs and experts for years, for its ease of use, high-quality sound, onboard education features, and compact size. The Yamaha YPT255 61-Key Keyboard Pack has the highly praised keyboard, but also comes with an AC adapter, keyboard stand, and headphones, to help you get started enjoying playing the piano right out of the box. It's everything a beginner needs to start a lifelong musical journey. Yamaha YPT 255 Video Overview Explore the features of Yamaha YPT 255 thru this short video introduction. Yamaha YPT 255 Specs Specification Description Keys 61-key keyboard AWM stereo sampling Yes Display Custom LCD display Songs 102 onboard songs Accompaniment 100 styles of auto accompaniment Polyphony 32 max Voice 372 high-quality voices with 13 drums and effects Functions Recording and playback function Master EQ function Transpose function Portable Grand button Settings Reverb setting Chorus setting Ultra-wide stereo settings One-touch setting Jack Headphone jack Sustain pedal jack AUX IN jack to connect external audio source Accessories Included Included music rest Included SXKS Standard keyboard stand Included Samson HP30 Closed-Cup headphones Power Uses AC or battery power Auto power-off function Yes Who the Yamaha YPT 255 Most Suitable For? The Yamaha YPT255 61-Key Keyboard Pack is designed to be an ideal starter keyboard for students and aspiring musicians. It has excellent education and learning capabilities, and a wide range of voices and styles to further your growth. It doesn't have many digital connectivity features, so learners have to rely on their own lessons, or the onboard Yamaha Education Suite, which is better for older students and learners, instead of young children. The lack of digital connection options also mean that it's more difficult to record, store, or share your music. Those features are available in more advanced, expensive Yamaha keyboards that more advanced learners and musicians will need in time. The light weight and portability make it a great keyboard to take with you, for outdoor experiences or practicing on the go. What's Included with the Yamaha YPT 255? The Yamaha YPT255 61-Key Keyboard Pack comes with everything you need to begin playing in minutes, with a power adapter and important accessories, including: Samson HP30 Closed-Cup Headphones These headphones have a comfortable, padded headband and earcups for lasting comfort. These headphones have very good loudness, and a broad frequency range for good fidelity and clarity in a wide range of tones. The 9 foot cord has plenty of room for movement. Note that the YPT255 keyboard does not attach to this stand; it just sits on top of it. It is stable, but some people would prefer to upgrade to a bolt-on stand for more security. SXKS Standard Keyboard Stand This heavy-duty X-style keyboard stand is made of steel and can hold up to 130 pounds. It has five levels of height adjustment from 25.25 inches to 38.75 inches, for the perfect playing height, whether seated or standing. It has rubber end caps that prevent slipping or shifting, but won't mark or scuff your floors. It folds down for transport and weighs just 8 pounds. Yamaha YPT 255’s Features The Yamaha YPT255 61-Key Keyboard Pack has a great range of advanced features in a keyboard of this size. FEATURE DESCRIPTION Design It's compact and lightweight. 61 keys isn't a full standard keyboard, but still more than enough for a wide range of songs and musical expressions, and great for learning. The keys are slightly smaller than standard, but the tradeoff is a lightweight, portable instrument. Battery powered Because it can be battery powered, it's even more portable, and you aren't limited by the length of a cord. AWM stereo sampling AWM stereo sampling is excellent for an entry-level keyboard, and provides a convincing sound when you use the “Portable Grand” feature. It's not the highest quality of Yamaha sampling, but it's very good quality for a keyboard in this price range. LCD display The Yamaha Education Suite uses the instrument and LCD screen to provide easy-to-follow piano lessons and learn at your own pace. Built-in songs It also comes with a library of 102 built in songs, 100 auto accompaniment styles, 372 instrument voices and 13 drums and percussion effects. Auto Power Off Auto Power Off function saves energy if the keyboard is idle. Music rest The included music rest, power adapter, adjustable stand, and headphones make it easy to be set up and playing in minutes. Functions Master EQ function allows you to independently adjust your sound and volume when playing. Ultra-wide stereo settings digitally processes your audio to create a larger sound from the built in speakers. One-touch setting allows you to select from presets or modify settings to adjust multiple sounds and features at once. Polyphony It has 32 levels of polyphony, reverb and chorus settings as well. This wide range of musical songs, effects, styles, voices, and effects helps a learner go far beyond the basics and begin to grow as a musician, exploring their own expressive style. Record and playback songs Recording and playback functions allow you to hear and playback your own performances to monitor your progress. A built-in metronome and duo mode are ideal for beginners to play along with an instructor and learn correct finger technique. Transpose function Transpose function adjusts instrument tone by semitones, to play along with songs, vocalists, or other musicians. Portable Grand button creates the sound of an acoustic grand piano with a single button. Connections AUX IN jack to connect an external audio source and play along with any song in your music library. The headphone jack allows you to play and practice without disturbing anyone else, and the ability to use an optional sustain pedal accessory adds even more options for your musical learning and expression. Learning features The Yamaha Education Suite uses the instrument and LCD screen to provide easy-to-follow piano lessons and learn at your own pace. Pros & Cons of the Yamaha YPT 255 PROS 61-key keyboard has plenty of room to learn and grow Compact and portable to play anywhere, especially with optional batteries Included music rest can hold sheet music or a tablet computer Included SXKS Standard keyboard stand sets up quickly and easily Included Samson HP30 Closed-Cup headphones have good sound and privacy when playing Custom LCD display easily guides players through lessons, settings, and keyboard functions AWM stereo sampling provides high-quality instrument sounds 372 high-quality voices with 13 drums and effects for a wide range of musical possibilities 100 styles of auto accompaniment and 102 onboard songs quickly and easily create rich, full sound even when beginning 32 max polyphony, reverb, and chorus settings allow for complexity and nuanced musical expression Yamaha Education Suite provides simple, effective piano lessons friendly for complete novices Recording and playback functions allow you to hear your music as you grow Master EQ gives control over accompaniment and instrument sounds to customize your sound Ultra-wide stereo gives great, wide sound from the onboard speakers One-touch setting uses single presets to control a variety of settings at once, and Portable Grand is a shortcut to all the settings that make the YPT255 sound like a grand piano. Duo mode splits the keyboard for two players to play at once, each with their own middle C Transpose function is great for playing along with others Auto power off function saves energy or battery power when the instrument is idle for a while cons The keys aren't weighted Limited connectivity to digital devices No MIDI file capability Yamaha YPT 255 Manual If you'd like to check out the nitty-gritty of the Yamaha YPT 255, here's a link to the model's manual: CLICK TO DOWNLOAD YAMAHA YPT 255 MANUAL An Alternative Product to Consider The Yamaha YPT255 61-Key Keyboard Pack is a fantastic instrument, and has been a favorite beginner piano for years, praised by students, teachers, amateurs, and experts. It's a fantastic choice for an entry level keyboard. However, the newer model, the Yamaha YPT260, costs virtually the same amount of money, but has several notable advancements. Advantages of the YPT260 The same size and weight The same number of keys The same AWM Stereo Sampling The same 32 levels of polyphony Panel sustain One-touch setting Style control Multi-fingering capability Built-in metronome The same transpose and tuning functions The Yamaha Education Suite The same Grand Piano button The same duo function Aux in, sustain pedal in, and headphone out jacks But the YPT260 has: More instrument voices More built-in rhythms More reverb options More chorus options More Master EQ settings More ultra-wide stereo settings More accompaniment styles More preset songs, with 12 chord study songs Since the two keyboards are virtually identical, and cost the same amount, but the YPT260 has more sounds, settings, songs, and options, it seems as though it's natural to choose the Yamaha YPT260 over the YPT255. While either keyboard would be a great choice for a beginner, the YPT260 does have more opportunities to grow, advance, and develop your own style, and it seems like a natural progression. Additional Accessories to Consider Buying Sustain pedal While a pedal isn't essential for the earliest lessons in playing the piano, it's an excellent idea to get one early in your music education. Not only does it open up a whole new range of musical expression and abilities, but it also helps learners get accustomed to using their feet with the instrument, and makes a transition to an acoustic piano easier later on The YPT255 has a sustain pedal jack and the ability to use a sustain pedal, but this bundle doesn't come with one. The M-Audio SP-2 Universal Sustain Pedal is a great choice for a beginner. It's an affordable sustain pedal with the look and feel of a traditional pedal, and half-pedal capabilities, so that it feels and works just like an acoustic piano pedal. It has a slip-resistant rubber base for stability in use, and also has a 1-year warranty. Video: Yamaha YPT255 Personal Keyboard https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_V-qt7RwvM Conclusion There is a good reason that the Yamaha YPT 255 61-Key Keyboard Pack has been so highly praised by experts and professionals for years. It's simple, easy to use, easy to learn on, and produces great Yamaha sound at an affordable price. It consistently ranks as a favorite entry-level piano keyboard for beginners. However, the recent addition of the YPT260 to the Yamaha product line is worth considering; it's virtually the same keyboard, but with a few more functions, capabilities, settings, and choices. Yamaha YPT 255 (click image for more info) It's a worthy successor to the YPT255, and will doubtless garner just as much praise as its predecessor.