Yamaha EZ-220 Review (2021): Lighted Keys Make Learning Easy…and Fun!


The Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package is Yamaha’s easiest learn-to-play instrument ever, with lighted keys and a fingering guide so that even absolute beginners can quickly get up to speed practicing their favorite songs. It uses the latest technologies to make learning the piano fun and engaging, and this Amazon bundle includes everything you need right out of the box.

Overview of the Yamaha EZ-220

Yamaha has specifically designed the EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package to make piano instruction fun, simple, and fast.

The Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package has great Yamaha sound and features, along with a touch-sensitive, lighted keyboard and next-generation app integrations that make it fast and easy to learn to play the piano. The lighted keys, simple step-by-step instruction modules, and iPad app will particularly appeal to young learners, but it has robust features to appeal to intermediate players as well.

Video Overview of Yamaha EZ-220

Yamaha EZ-220 FAQs

When did the Yamaha EZ-220 come out?

The Yamaha EZ-220 came out in 2012

What are the dimensions of the Yamaha EZ-220?

The Yamaha EZ-220 is 94.5 cm long, 11.1 cm high and 34.8 cm wide. 

What is the weight of the Yamaha EZ-220?

The Yamaha EZ-220 is 4.4 kg, excluding batteries. 

How much does the Yamaha EZ-220 cost?

– A brand-new Yamaha EZ-220 keyboard costs approximately $200 USD on Amazon at the time of writing
– A Yamaha EZ-220 premium bundle costs approximately $250 USD on Amazon at the time of writing. The bundle includes a brand-new keyboard, stereo headphones, power supply and keyboard stand.

How many keys does the Yamaha EZ-220 have?

The Yamaha EZ-220 has 61 keys. 

How many sounds does the Yamaha EZ-220 have?

The Yamaha EZ-220 has 392 instrument sounds.

Where can I see a demo/test of the Yamaha EZ-220?

To see a demo of the Yamaha EZ-220, please refer to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvziETIN980

Where can I see an unboxing of the Yamaha EZ-220? 

To see the unboxing of EZ-220, you may refer to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0Zz1x8D8LI

Where to buy the Yamaha EZ-220?

– You can purchase the Yamaha EZ-220 keyboard from Amazon
– You can purchase the Yamaha EZ-220 premium bundle here.

What demo songs does the Yamaha EZ-220 keyboard include?

The Yamaha EZ-220 keyboard includes 100 demo songs, which comprise but not limited to the following. (For the full list, please refer to the contents page of the Yamaha EZ-220 song book).
Standard:
– Scarborough Fair
– Ave Maria
– Greensleeves
– Londonderry Air
– Silent Night

Piano Ensemble:
– Piano Concerto No.21 2nd mov. (W. A. Mozart)
– Ode to Joy (L.v. Beethoven)
– Canon (J. Pachelbel)

Duet:
– We Wish You a Merry Christmas
– Battle Hymn of the Republic

Classical:
– Air (Orchestral Suite) (J. S. Bach)
– Frühlingslied (F. Mendelssohn)
– Valse Des Fleurs (From “The Nutcracker”) (P. I. Tchaikovsky)

Pianist:
– Für Elise (L.v. Beethoven)
– Turkish March (W.A. Mozart)
– 24 Preludes op.28-7 (F. Chopin)

Yamaha EZ-220 iPad app – what apps are available?

For the Yamaha EZ-220, the available iPad apps include EZ-220 Page Turner, Piano Diary and Visual Performer. To download the apps or find out more information, you may refer to the Yamaha EZ-220 page.

Specs of the Yamaha EZ-220

SpecificationDescription
Keys61-key lighted-key keyboard
WeightWeighs less than 10 pounds
DisplayLCD screen
Present songs100 in total
Touch-sensitive keysYes
Demo songsOne
Polyphony32 levels max
Voices392 voices with 12 drums and 1 sound effect kit
Accompaniment Styles100 preset accompaniment styles
Record playbackYes, record and playback functions through the app
Accessories Included– Comes with headphones
– Comes with AC adapter
– Comes with a keyboard stand
– Comes with music rest
– Comes with digital song book
Reverb9 types of reverb
Transpose FunctionYes
GM compatibleYes
Headphone JackYes
Fingering guideYes
iPad AppComes with iPad Page Turner app

Who the Yamaha EZ-220 Most Suitable For?

The Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package is ideal for young children and complete novices to learn to play the piano. The lighted keys not only show you which key to play, but the fingering guide shows which finger to use, and the accompanying iPad app makes piano lessons simple and engaging. The included accompanying song styles make it easy to play complete songs in no time.

Beginners will also enjoy experimenting with the wide range of included piano voices and instrument sounds, exploring the full range of capabilities of a digital piano. Transpose and polyphony capabilities give greater range to the customization and expressions possible in this entry-level keyboard.

What’s Included With the Yamaha EZ-220 Keyboard Package?

The Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package comes with the EZ-220 keyboard itself, along with:

Samson HP30 Closed-cup Headphones with a comfortable, padded headband. These headphones have good sound quality at a high range of frequencies, and a 9 ft. cord

World Tour SXKS Standard Keyboard Stand, which is a single-braced, steel keyboard stand. It is heavy-duty, and strong enough to hold keyboards up to 130 pounds, with a height adjustment from 25.25-38.75”

World Tour PA130 Power Supply for AC power in a compact size

EZ-220 Page Turner iPad app is a digital songbook for the 100 songs built into the keyboard. It connects wirelessly to the keyboard, and automatically advances the music pages as you play along

Yamaha Visual Performer app will create animations and cool visualizations based on the music you play on any MIDI device, to add custom imagery along with the sound

Yamaha Piano Diary app allows you to record, store, play, and share your EZ-220 music no matter where you are. The Piano Diary lets you track your progress and makes your piano playing sharable with anyone, at any time.

Yamaha EZ-220 Features

The Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package has a lot of features in a compact package.

FEATUREDESCRIPTION
DesignThe Yamaha EZ-220 keyboard is compact and portable, weighing less than 10 pounds
SoundThe EZ-220 keyboard uses high-quality Yamaha Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) stereo sampling. AWM sampling uses high-quality recording and filtering technology to make tones that are expressive, nuanced, and authentic to the source instrument sound.
Touch sensitivityThe lighted keyboard is touch-sensitive, which is an excellent feature. And the lights can also be turned off when you don’t need them anymore.
Battery PowerThe ability to use battery power makes it even more convenient for travel or playing outdoors
Music restIt comes with a music rest that can hold sheet music or an iPad, and has a special mount to hold an iPad securely in place, so that you can use the touchscreen features without risking moving or dropping the tablet.
Instrument voicesIt has 392 instrument voices and 13 drum and SFX sounds. It also has 9 types of reverb, and 100 preset accompaniment styles.
Adjustable style syncYou can adjust accompaniment style sync, intro, ending, auto-fill, etc. One Touch Setting lets you use Yamaha preset settings, or store your own preferences and retrieve them with the press of a button.
Tuning functionsTranspose and tuning functions let you customize the tone of your instrument as needed.
Grand piano soundThere is also a dedicated Grand Piano button, that adjusts all settings to reproduce the sound of a grand piano from the EZ-220.
ConnectivityThe Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard has ports for a sustain pedal, headphones, and a USB port for connecting directly to digital devices. It also connects wirelessly to an iPad running the dedicated Yamaha EZ-220 apps, but uses a dedicated private connection between the iPad and the keyboard, rather than using standard Bluetooth or WIFI connectivity.
Learning functionsIt comes with 100 preset songs and 1 demo song to help speed learning, and has a built-in customizable metronome. The Yamaha Education Suite is built in to the keyboard, and uses the LCD screen to help you practice with either hand, or both hands, giving simple, effective lessons without requiring an app or internet connection.
BundleThis bundle includes a keyboard stand, AC adapter, and a pair of headphones. The stand and headphones aren’t the highest quality, but are certainly functional enough for a beginner, and it’s nice to get the entire set in a single package.
Features32 max polyphony isn’t a very high number, and more advanced players will want a greater capacity, but many entry-level digital keyboards don’t have polyphony capabilities at all.

There are several iPad apps that are bundled with the Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package.
AppsPage Turner

This is a digital songbook for the preset songs included with the keyboard. It helps you learn to read music, and advances the pages automatically as you play along.

Visual Performer

This app creates custom visualizations based on the pitch and velocity of your piano playing, creating visual effects and imagery to go along with your music.

Note Star

Note Star adds touchscreen and interactive capabilities to traditional sheet music, taking advantage of new technologies to enhance the experience.

Piano Diary

This app allows you to track and record your piano performances. Recordings are stored in the cloud, where they can be replayed anytime, anywhere, and easily shared with others. It’s a great way to track your progress as a player.

Pros & Cons of the Yamaha EZ-220

PROS CONS
61-key lighted-key keyboard has touch sensitive keys that respond to the speed and pressure of your fingers by increasing in volume. The lighting can be turned off when you wantApps are available for iOS only
Comes with a music rest, AC adapter, headphones, and a keyboard stand so it can be set up right away, and playing music with the included songbookExpensive
Weighs less than 10 pounds and can be battery powered for extra portability and playing outdoorsNon-weighted keys
392 voices with 12 drums and 1 sound effect kit for a wide range of instrument soundsNot MIDI compatible
100 preset customizable accompaniment styles and 32 levels of polyphony for overlapping musical arrangementsCan’t independently adjust volume of accompanying tracks
9 levels of reverb, transpose and tuning functions, and other settings to customize your preferred sound, or use One Touch or Portable Grand buttons for preset acoustic environmentsDoesn’t have standard WIFI or Bluetooth for wireless connections
Metronome and fingering guide to make learning easy
Comes with all necessary ports, including headphone, phone out, pedals, and USB ports
Includes Yamaha Education Suite for piano lessons directly from the LCD screen
Compatible with piano education apps through iOS mobile devices add a range of capabilities, learning options, and musical enhancements to promote fun, learning, and exploration

Yamaha EZ-220 Manual

If you’d like to check out the nitty-gritty of the Yamaha EZ-220, here’s a link to the model’s manual:

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD YAMAHA EZ 220 MANUAL

Two Alternative (Cheaper) Keyboards

The oddest aspect of the Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package is the price point. It seems like the lighted keys and app integration are intended to appeal to younger beginners, making it a good educational keyboard for children, and yet it’s an expensive keyboard for children who may lose interest or get distracted.

Yamaha has many entry-level keyboards with better musical capabilities at a lower price, making it seem as though the cost-driving feature of the EZ-220 is bundled the iPad apps. Some may feel that those apps aren’t worth the cost difference when compared to competitive keyboards, even from the same brand.

Casio LK-190 61-key Premium Lighted Headboard Pack

Alternative product for a young piano student

Like the Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package, the Casio LK-190 package has a lighted, touch-sensitive, 61-key keyboard. The package also comes with a stand, headphones, and power supply. It has onboard lessons and learning modules, a variety of voices and rhythms, and connects to an iPad. But it’s much less expensive than the EZ-220, and might be a better way to foster a child’s musical interest and education without investing too much money.

Casio LK-190 61-key Premium Lighted Headboard Pack

Alternative product for an older piano student

Like the EZ-220, the Yamaha YPT260 has the Yamaha Education Suite with onboard learning tools. This bundle also comes with a stand, bench, and power supply.

It doesn’t have lighted keys or app integration, but aux input allows you to play along with your existing music library. It has a wider range of voices, songs, and accompaniment styles, along with a greater range of sound customization options.

Importantly, it allows you to independently adjust the volume of your accompanying tracks, and has onboard recording and playback features. It’s a more sophisticated instrument, with greater opportunities to grow as a musician, and still costs significantly less than the EZ-220.

Hyson Music Presents the Yamaha EZ-220 EZ220 Piano Keyboard w/ iPad Integration

Conclusion

The Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package has everything a person needs to be set up and playing the piano in minutes, with a package that includes headphones and a keyboard stand, and lighted keys that guide you through playing the built-in song library.

It’s an incredibly fast, simple, fun way to start playing your favorite songs on the piano right away.

The large number of settings, instrument voices, and app compatibility also support your growth as a musician, so you can go on to more complex songs and even your own compositions.

With one touch, you can even simulate the sound of playing a grand piano in your own concert hall. It’s a great way to foster a love of learning and a love of music, making learning to play the piano simple, fun, and engaging.

Maurice M.

I am intrigued by how music affects the brain. I created this site to share my fascination with music in general and piano keyboards in particular.

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