A good choice for anyone who wants to learn how to play keyboard, the Yamaha PSR-295MS features a beefed-up version of the Yamaha Education Suite (Y.E.S.) found on previous models. In addition to the standard left- and right-hand lessons, Y.E.S. Version IV includes Your Tempo and Repeat and Learn modes. The keyboard also comes with 30 preloaded songs, flash ROM internal storage for adding more tunes, and 70 additional selections on an included CD-ROM. Simply connect the keyboard to your computer via the convenient USB port and transfer songs to the keyboard for learning or listening. The PSR-295MS is also the first keyboard in the line with a recording function. And thanks to the performance assistant technology, you can play along with songs without making a mistake--even if you're a complete beginner.
Learning Functions
Learning to play songs moves to a new level of simplicity with the Your Tempo learning mode. Call up a song, choose the left hand option, right hand option, or both at once for two-handed learning, and the keyboard will speed up and slow down as you do, literally following you through the song. Once you get accustomed to where the notes are, you can keep the keyboard at a single fixed tempo to learn correct timing. If you find one section of the song a little difficult, simply engage the Repeat and Learn button and the PSR-295MS will stay on that section, repeating it until you feel comfortable. Once you've mastered one section, move on to the next section. And to top it all off, the Yamaha Education Suite works with Standard MIDI Files (SMF), allowing you to learn the songs you want to learn. To add songs to the keyboard, simply connect it to your PC via the convenient USB jack on the back, and head out on the Internet in search of your favorite songs.
Additional educational functions include a lesson grading feature, which monitors your progress as you practice each lesson, and a chord dictionary that not only shows you how to play chords, but also tells you which chords you're playing by displaying the notes and chord name on the LCD screen.
PC Button and USB Port
The PSR-295MS offers a host of state-of-the-art features that make connecting to your PC as quick and easy as possible. These features include the PC button, which takes a snapshot of your MIDI settings so that you can instantly return to the settings with just the press of a single button, and a USB port for transferring song data from your computer. The USB port also acts as a MIDI interface, freeing you from having to purchase other MIDI peripherals like cables and adapters to play music. Simply connect to your computer, open your favorite music software program, and hit Play. That's it.
Portable Grand
Playing piano is fast and easy thanks to Yamaha's Portable Grand function. One dedicated button brings up a great-sounding piano, stunningly rich and authentic in its sound and exceptionally responsive to your playing touch. On top of all this, a wealth of special piano-only "pianist" styles, such as Slow Rock and Stride, provide professional-sounding piano accompaniment that change chords automatically as you do--all while you play a piano melody over the top.
General MIDI and Yamaha XGlite
The PSR-295MS comes equipped with 487 voices that include stereo-sampled piano; a selection of "Sweet!" voices such as trumpet, flute, pan flute, soprano, and tenor saxes; "Cool!" organ and electric piano; 10 drum kits, and two sound effects kits. "Sweet!" voices are special voices from Yamaha that reproduce all the natural expression and vibrato of their respective acoustic instruments. "Cool!" voices, on the other hand, feature long samples of electronically amplified instruments.
And for the utmost in compatibility, the PSR-295MS is both General MIDI (GM) and XGlite capable. The Internet has thousands of MIDI song files available, and you can rest assured that your keyboard will be able to competently reproduce these files.
Mix and Match
You can also create sound mixes of your own using Layer and Split modes. Split mode allows you to play two different sounds on the keyboard at the same time, like piano on the right and bass on the left. Layer mode lets you combine two sounds across the keyboard range. For example, you could play piano and strings at the same time. You're only limited by your imagination.
Performance Assistant Technology
Performance assistant technology guarantees that you won't play a wrong note or chord. Here's how it works. Select a song and press the Performance Assistant button. 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. How about stride piano? No matter what you play, as long as the Performance Assistant button is on, you're on. Imagine being able to give a concert to your friends or relatives the very first day that you bring the keyboard home. Well, with the PSR-295MS and performance assistant technology, you can. This feature also works with any XF MIDI files you download into the keyboard.
Sound Quality
The PSR-295MS boasts a two-way speaker system with separate woofers and tweeters. The system ensures a clear, precise audio performance with lifelike instrument voices. Adding to the fun is the bass boost system, with a special port on each speaker that adds a powerful impact to low-frequency reproduction. Additional audio functions include digital signal processing (DSP), which enhances sound quality with such sophisticated digital effects as harmony, reverb, and chorus, and advanced wave memory (AWM), which delivers amazingly realistic sound.
32-Note Polyphony
What's polyphony, you ask? Simply put, polyphony is how many notes a keyboard can reproduce simultaneously. The PSR-295MS features 32-note polyphony allowing you to play intricate arrangements and dense musical passages.
Keyboard Styles and One-Touch Setting
The PSR-295MS comes with 135 built-in styles. It's just like having a built-in band. Call up your favorite style of music, such as rock, big band, or country, press a chord or play Single Finger mode, and the PSR-295MS will follow you through a piece of music, providing all of the drums, bass, piano, guitar, horn, and string parts for you. And to make it easy and fun, when you select one of the styles, the One-Touch Setting function will automatically configure keyboard parameters--such as voice selection and digital effects--to match the selected music style.
What's in the Box
PSR-295MS keyboard, AC adapter, stand, CD-ROM, music rest, songbook, user's manual.
