Editorial Product Review:

From the Manufacturer:
The YPT-400 combines traditional learning tools with hands-on performance features like Pitch Bend Wheel for authentic playing of guitar and horn sounds, Control Knobs that allow you to have real time control over filters, effects, EQ, tempo and an arpeggio function for techno and synthesizer keyboard playing that can automatically add the playing of notes in rapid succession in ascending and descending fashion. These are easy to use professional features that set this keyboard apart from others in its class.

Full Feature Set:

61 Full-Size Keys 504 Instrument Voices including: 116 Standard, 361 XGlite, 5 'Sweet!',and 3 'Cool!', 12 Drum/SFX, and 15 Arpeggio Voices Pitch Bend and Real Time Control Knobs allow you to modify built-in voices Arpeggiator plays arpeggios when you are playing stic chords Yamaha Education Suite (Y.E.S.™) – Features lessons, grading, and songs to learn Performance Assistant – Allows you to play along with any built-in song regardless of your level of ability

Easy Song Arranger – Allows you to play back songs in 150 unique accompaniment styles Music Database – Sets up over 250 songs On-Board Sequencer – Records 5 Songs / 6 Tracks 2-Way Speaker System with a Bass Boost System Flash ROM – Download songs from the internet PC Connectivity – USB MIDI

There are many tools in the keyboard that make it easy to be a power user from the first day you own the keyboard.

• Music Finder:
  Complete keyboard setups by song title. The keyboard selects an appropriate voice for the right hand melody, the correct musical style and the correct tempo. Simply call up a song title and start playing.
• One Touch Setting (OTS):
  Provides you with a recommended voice with effects for each style. For example, on a jazz style OTS might be piano, for a Latin style it might be acoustic guitar and for a rock style it might be a guitar with overdrive etc.
• Registration Memory:
  Set the keyboard up just the way you like and take a digital snapshot by memorizing it to one of the Registration buttons. Load and save up to 16 Registrations to User memory. The Registration buttons are conveniently located just above the keyboard.
  • Performance Assistant Technology:
    Performance assistant technology is a feature from Yamaha that guarantees that you can't play a wrong melody note or chord. Here's how it works. Select a song, press the Performance Assistant button Chord Mode and play the keyboard – any notes you like. Every note you play will fit the music! If you move up the keyboard, the pitch goes up. If you move down, the pitch goes down. Play a perfect arpeggio, or play chords in time with the music, or really 'go for it' and play a solo. As long as performance assistant is 'on', you're 'on'. Imagine being able to give a concert to your friends or relatives the very first day that you bring this remarkable keyboard home. Well, with the YPT-400 and performance assistant technology, you can! This keyboard is the first in the line to offer Chord/Free Mode in addition to Chord Mode described above. Chord/Free Mode allows those that have learned a melody with their right hand to have the keyboard correct the notes of their left hand. This allows you to concentrate on one hand at a time while learning. Play the correct notes with the right and any notes with the left and you're making beautiful music. In addition to working with any of the internal songs with chords, this feature also works with XF MIDI files.

Yamaha Education Suite: Helps you learn to play
The YPT-400 has 30 built-in songs, plus 70 more on an included CD-ROM, for you to learn to play using the Yamaha Education Suite. The songs are separated into left and right hand parts, providing 7 levels of lessons plus a convenient chord dictionary.

• Three keyboard lessons for each hand
  • Waiting Mode – stops the playback of a song until you find the correct note and then continues.
  • Your Tempo Mode – Learn to play the correct notes with the correct timing. Song playback tempo will vary to match the speed you are playing at. The song will slow down when you play wrong notes, so you can learn at your own pace.
  • Minus One Mode – Here's where you can perfect your technique. The song will play at the normal tempo, minus the part you have chosen to play. Play along while listening to the song.
• Lesson Grading – monitors your progress as you practice each lesson and gives you a grade.
• Repeat and Learn – The song location will move back four measures from the point at which you pressed the button, and playback will begin after a one measure count-in. This section will repeat allowing you to practice until perfect!
• Chord Dictionary – shows you how to play chords and tells you which chords you are playing by displaying the notes and chord names on the LCD screen.

Easy Song Arranger
You can change the 'feel', or arrangement, of songs by simply pressing the Easy Song Arranger button, allowing you to re-mix any MIDI file. For example, you can try your favorite song with a Rock feel, Hip Hop, then Jazz. It's fast, powerful and one-button simple.

Auto Accompaniment Styles
In addition to the 100 songs mentioned above, the YPT-400 also has auto accompaniment styles that 'follow' your playing. Simply select a style of music from the 150 built-in Styles (example Rock), play a chord and the YPT-400 will create a backup band (bass, drums, strings, guitar etc.) and 'follow' you through the song. You can play your songs and try different genres of music.

Digital Effects
Yamaha has long been a world leader in digital signal processing technology. In fact, Yamaha professional audio products are found in most professional recording studios around the world. The YPT-400 takes full advantage of this know-how, giving you an extensive range of nine, top-quality reverb effects that simulate playing in everything from a small room to a large spacious concert hall and four chorus effects that add richness to electric pianos and guitars in particular. You'll also find 26 types of Harmony effects for your melody parts.

2-Way Speaker System with a Bass Boost System
Separate woofers and tweeters deliver sounds with clarity and precision for more lifelike instrument voices. Also, a special port on each speaker adds a powerful impact to bass sound reproduction.

USB Connectivity
The YPT-400 comes with 30 built-in songs plus 70 more on an included CD-ROM and an interactive lesson system, divided into left and right hand parts, for learning them. In addition, you have the ability to connect to a computer via USB, download more songs from the Internet into the internal Flash ROM (PC only), and use all of the Yamaha Education Suite features to help you learn to play them. Yamaha makes it easy to get connected with the new PC button. Now, instead of wading through function menus and fighting through a maze of selections, one button is your expressway to music on the web and your computer. In addition, once connected, you can play your songs into the computer (PC and Mac), edit them if necessary, and e-mail them to your friends and family. And with General MIDI (GM) and XGlite compatibility, song data always plays back with the correct sounds.

Quickstart DVD
All Yamaha portable keyboards and digital pianos feature a Quickstart DVD with introductory lessons to help you start playing real music today!

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Customer Rating: - Best buy in a long time
This unit is all that is advertised and more. The hundreds of voices and available synthos make it a "close to pro" instrument. The onboard speakers are plenty loud for inside and the key touch is awesome. I am going to buy another one for Christmas.

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Customer Rating: - rock on
this is a great keyboard. does the job...period. sounds great and is touch sensitive which is cool. I have an upright piano at my parents house that I couldnt bring to my apartment so this is it's subsitute and i'm not disappointed.

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Customer Rating: - faye
Excellent features - probably too many for me. Still exploring all the possibilities. Nice Sound.

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Customer Rating: - Very Pleased! There was a stand & Adapter!
I was very pleased with my purchase, I did receive a stand and the adapter with my keyboard. I found the instructional CD helpful. I am just a beginner, wanting to learn how to play the piano. I learned how to play two songs my first day. I would highly recomend this product!!