Yamaha is a name that's synonymous with quality musical instruments, and they offer many keyboard models that aren’t going to break the bank.
After spending dozens of hours conducting Yamaha keyboard reviews, we recommend the Yamaha P45, thanks to its natural, in-stereo sound and weighted action keys.
In the guide below we also recommend five additional Yamaha keyboards that satisfy a range of needs. We're confident you'll find a model that suits YOU!
Our Picks:
Best Overall
When it comes to overall quality and value, we choose the P45 as our top pick. This keyboard has GHS-weighted action that is heavier in the low end and lighter in the high end, much like a traditional acoustic piano. This is great for beginners, because it allows them to learn how to play on something that feels like a real piano.
The 64-note polyphony keyboard lets you perform dense passages with a lot of sustain, without dropping any notes. It even has a duo mode, so you can combine two voices, such as strings and piano, to give your songs a richer, fuller sound.
We love the single button operation that makes it easy to change the various settings on the P45.
Best Bundle Package
If you are trying to get a beginner set up with everything that they need to learn how to play the piano, you need to get a good bundle package.
The YPG-235 comes with a variety of accessories so any student will be ready to start learning and playing right away. This keyboard has 76 piano-style keys that have Graded Soft Touch, and it is good and loud, with over double the speaker output of other comparable models.
The full keyboard fingering mode allows for playing a variety of musical styles, and there are chord and chord/free modes.
The bundle kit comes with the digital piano, a music rest, a Knox double X keyboard stand, and the Yamaha survival kit, with headphones, instructional aids, and more.
Best Authentic Piano Touch
If you are looking for a digital keyboard piano that has the same sound quality as a concert grand piano, look no further than the DGX-660.
While no digital keyboard is going to give you an authentic grand sound, this is probably as close as you are going to get to the real thing. This keyboard is ideal for beginners and professionals, with an authentic piano touch and 88 weighted keys. It also offers some pretty terrific functions, including audio recording and playback. The
Damper Resonance gives this keyboard a truer sound than others, and you can even connect it to your computer through USB. When you want a keyboard that is going to last for several years, and grow with the user, this is definitely an option you will want to consider.
Best Onboard Lessons
If you want to learn how to play the piano, or one of your kids has expressed an interest in learning, you should check out the onboard lessons offered by the PRSEW300.
This keyboard has loads of features that make learning fun and easy, including 574 voices, 165 styles, and 154 pre-set songs. This is not a full keyboard, but it has plenty for most piano players, and it is a good model to start out with.
Thanks to the USB to HOST audio and the MIDI connectivity, you can enjoy interfacing with a variety of learning and creative apps.
The new Touch Tutor function can go along with regular piano lessons and be a great practice and learning tool. You can also plug in a microphone and sing along while you are playing.
Best Deal
Are you looking for a good quality keyboard bundle package that isn’t going to cost a bundle? At less than $250, we are naming this our top pick for a great deal.
The PSRE263 is the perfect first keyboard for beginners. It is not a full keyboard, only having 61 keys, but it is great for learning and practicing, and it is loaded with features that are fun to use, including more than 400 different instrument voices and 130 accompaniment styles.
It is compact and light weight, and can be used with batteries, so you can take it pretty much anywhere, even if you don’t have an electrical connection.
This bundle package comes complete with a keyboard stand, a bench, headphones, and several learning tools, including an instructional book and an instructional CD.
Best for Beginners
When you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a keyboard for a beginner, but you want something that is going to play and sound great, so it is easier to learn, the P71 is a great option.
This has a full 88 keys, which are weighted so they have the feel of a traditional acoustic piano. This is the ideal digital piano for beginners, and it is also popular with professionals who are looking for something that has great sound quality and that is portable.
We consider this one of the best Yamaha keyboards for beginners, because it has loads of features that make it fun and easy for anyone to learn how to play the piano. It even has a dual mode, so you can combine two voices and really experiment with fun sounds.
History of Yamaha
For more than 125 years, Yamaha has been a producer of quality musical instruments, beginning with reed organs in 1887. In fact, the Yamaha Corporation, with its headquarters located in Japan, is probably the largest manufacturer of a full line of instruments in the world, and it is also a leader in the production of audio/visual products, semiconductors, and a variety of other computer-related items.
They have even branched out into other items, including sporting goods, home appliances, furniture, machine tools, specialty metals, and even industrial robots.
In 1966, the Yamaha Music Foundation was established, offering a huge range of musical activities and studies, including Yamaha music schools. There is also the Junior Original Concert for young people.
Yamaha has a strong commitment to music, and anyone who loves music, and does its part to support music education all over the world. This is not something you are going to find with many of Yamaha’s competitors.
Best Yamaha Keyboards (Summary Table)
What is Special about Yamaha Keyboards?
There are many manufacturers of quality keyboards, but few names are as well-known as Yamaha, and for good reason. Yamaha has been consistent with the quality of its instruments for several decades, and produce instruments ranging from student to professional quality.
One of the great things about Yamaha musical instruments, including their keyboards, is that they are extremely durable. They will last for several years, and even an entry-level keyboard is going to be with you for a long time to come.
The purpose of this article is to give you as much information as possible about some of the most popular digital keyboard pianos from Yamaha. We will give you the details about the various features on each of these keyboards, as well as full reviews, including the pros and cons.
We don’t want you to think that we are just hyping the Yamaha brand, and you need to be aware of any little issues before you go out and spend a lot of money.
Best Yamaha Keyboard Reviews
The purpose of this article is to give you as much information as possible about some of the most popular digital keyboard pianos from Yamaha. We will give you the details about the various features on each of these keyboards, as well as full reviews, including the pros and cons.
We don’t want you to think that we are just hyping the Yamaha brand, and you need to be aware of any little issues before you go out and spend a lot of money.
Yamaha P45: Best Overall
If you are looking for a keyboard that will give you that authentic piano touch, the P45 may be just what you need. It has the Yamaha GHA (Graded Hammer Action) weighted action, so it plays very much like a real acoustic piano. The black keys have a matte finish, making them less slippery than those found on other keyboards, which is good if you will be playing for extended periods of time.
This keyboard has the classic Yamaha sound engine with Advanced Wave Memory sampling, so it sounds as much like an acoustic piano as possible. It has a single button operation that is super-easy to use.
All you have to do is hold down the Grand Piano/function button, and press the keyboard to change the voices, play demos, use the metronome, and much more.
Summary
We consider this to be a really great buy. Not only is it going to cost you less than $500, it is loaded with features that let you create all kinds of wonderful sounds and effects for your music. We love that it has the feel and sound of an acoustic piano, and that it is so easy to use.
Yamaha P71: Best for Beginners
When you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a keyboard for a beginner, but you want something that is going to play and sound great, so it is easier to learn, the P71 is a great option.
This has a full 88 keys, which are weighted so they have the feel of a traditional acoustic piano. This is the ideal digital piano for beginners, and it is also popular with professionals who are looking for something that has great sound quality and that is portable.
We consider this one of the best Yamaha keyboards for beginners, because it has loads of features that make it fun and easy for anyone to learn how to play the piano. It even has a dual mode, so you can combine two voices and really experiment with fun sounds.
Summary
If you are looking for a keyboard that is going to grow with you, from the beginning/learning stages to actual performances, the P71 is a good one to consider. It has weighted action, is easy to use, and is built with Yamaha’s classic sound engine, AWM Stereo Sampling (Advanced Wave Memory).
Yamaha YPG-235: Best Bundle Package
The YPG-235 has 76 piano-style keys that have Graded Soft Touch. The full keyboard fingering mode follows a variety of piano playing styles, and this keyboard also has Performance Assistant Technology features, including Chord/Free Mode and Chord Mode.
It features USB MIDI computer connectivity, so you can easily and quickly transfer songs, and you can record your songs with the six-track recorder. This Yamaha Portable Grand has 30 songs already built into it, as well as an additional 70 songs on the included CD-ROM. There is also an interactive learning system that is broken up into the right and left-hand parts, making this the ideal keyboard for beginners to learn and grow with.
This is a bundled package that comes with everything you need to start learning and playing right away. It includes the YPG-235 76-key, portable grand piano keyboard, a Knox adjustable, double X keyboard stand, and the famous Yamaha Electronic Keyboard Survival Kit.
Summary
If you are looking for a learning keyboard that is going to grow with the learner, the YPG-235 is a great choice.
It may only have 76 keys, but this is usually enough for most piano players, even professionals. It is easy to use, and it is lightweight and portable, so you can play it just about anywhere.
Yamaha DGX-660: Best Authentic Piano Touch
The DGX-660 offers the sound quality of a world-class concert grand piano, and it has Pure CF Sampling. One of the reasons why the sound is so close to the real thing is because it has damper resonance. This keyboard gives you everything you need, with 88 weighted keys. Not only is this a great digital piano for professionals, it is also perfect for beginners, with score and lyric displays that are easy to read.
Learners can record what they are doing and then listen to it to see where they need work, and professionals can use the record/playback feature to record their creations. There are many great learning features that make it easy for just about anyone to learn how to play the piano easily.
You will also find load of other interactive features that allow you to play and share your music with others.
Summary
All in all, if you are looking for a quality digital keyboard from Yamaha that isn’t overly expensive, this is a great choice. It is perfect for beginners, thanks to the interactive features, and it also has features that many professionals enjoy using.
Yamaha PSREW300: Best Onboard Lessons
The PSREW300 is a 76-key, portable keyboard that has 574 voices, 165 styles, and 154 pre-set songs that you can play along with. If you are still in the learning stages, you will enjoy using Y.E.S. (Yamaha Education Suite) that lets you practice with the pre-set songs. One of the really neat tools offered is the Touch Tutor lesson mode. Other keyboards offer learning features, but this one actually tracks the strength at which the keys are played, so you can learn about dynamics.
If you are going to be using the keyboard to create your own music, you will love the USB to HOST connectivity with MIDI and audio transfer. You only need to use one cable to connect the keyboard to your software, and you can start creating.
Plug any portable music player into the Aux input, and you can use the melody suppressor to lower the lead vocals, so you can sing along, almost like karaoke.
We really can’t find anything to complain about with this keyboard!
Summary
Whether you are just learning how to play the piano, or you are a professional playing gigs, you are going to love the many features of the PSREW300. It has some really cool learning tools that will help to supplement piano lessons, and loads of great effects for professionals, including slide effects, harmonics, and more.
Yamaha PSRE263: Best Deal
If you are looking for a portable keyboard that you can take anywhere, the PSRE263 is an excellent option to consider. This is ideal if you are getting a first keyboard for a beginner who is just learning how to play. It offers plenty of features to keep beginners interested, and even professionals will enjoy playing around on it. There are 130 auto accompaniment styles that give you real time, band-backing tracks to play along with.
One of the things we really like about this keyboard is that even though it is on the low end when it comes to price, the features are as good as anything you would expect from a Yamaha keyboard.
The sound reproduction for the various instruments is high quality and detailed, so this isn’t going to sound like some cheap keyboard you would pick up at a department store.
We have no complaints as it is an ideal keyboard for beginners
Summary
This may not be the choice of most professionals, but if you are getting this for a beginner, you would be making an excellent choice. It has plenty of features that will help beginners to learn faster and easier, and there are loads of fun effects to play around with for different sounds.
Alternative Product
While on the subject of Yamaha keyboards, we really should also tell you about the Yamaha P115. This is an 88-key keyboard with weighted keys that has an amazing 192-note polyphony keyboard, so you aren’t going to be dropping any notes.
It offers Intelligent Acoustic Control for a balanced sound that will adapt to your preferred volume setting. It even has a duo mode for side-by-side practice, which is great for students and teachers.
Yamaha Music Friends Course ~Piano/Keyboard Course~
Conclusion
Whether you are just starting out as a beginner taking lessons, or you are a professional piano player who wants a good quality keyboard for practice, writing and recording, and performing, you will find just what you need from one of the most popular names in musical instruments: Yamaha.
All of the above-mentioned keyboards are perfect for students, and over half of these keyboards are even used by professionals!
