Gear Review: Yamaha PSS-F30 Keyboard

By Magesh MageshContributing Author
Article photo - Gear Review: Yamaha PSS-F30 Keyboard
Photo Source: Yamaha


General Overview

I was so impressed with this keyboard that I bought one for myself and my 9-year-old son! I feel Yamaha has outdone themselves with this machine. Even though this keyboard was designed for beginners, the sounds are professional.

With over 100 sounds, including piano, percussion, and funky synths, this machine creates an amazing amount of fun. Having play-along tracks and a metronome are perfect tools for any beginner regardless of your age.


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The Keys

I believe the decision to have 37 keys was to make this keyboard small enough to play on your lap. Although the keys are small, they still feel close to semi-weighted.

At first, I thought the keys would be too small for an adult's hands. My perspective changed once I spent a few minutes playing the PSS-F30. The keys are the perfect size for a child to navigate between the white and black notes.


Article photo - Gear Review: Yamaha PSS-F30 Keyboard


Portability

The PSS-F30 is only slightly heavier than an IPAD. This makes it perfect to take with you in the car or on the bus. Being powered by 4 double A batteries gives you the freedom to play it anywhere, from around the campfire to the couch. (The couch is my favorite!)

I should also mention that I haven’t changed the batteries in my keyboard for over a year with no change to the sound. This is a testament to the amazing battery life of this machine.


The sounds

I was happily surprised by the piano sounds on the PSS-F30. A lot of the time, entry-level keyboards have cheesy piano sounds. This definitely isn’t the case with this keyboard.

I instantly fell in love with the synth sounds! They reminded me of early 90’s G-Funk hip hop created by Dr Dre. The acoustic bass sound was also super realistic. While the drum sounds had an amazing amount of low end.


Extra features

The ‘Sustain’ feature is very clever. It lets you sustain the chord when in sustain mode without the use of an external pedal.

Having the ability to transpose octaves is very important because this keyboard only has 37 keys. This means with the press of a button you can choose to play really high notes or really low notes.

The tap tempo button is also a bonus. This lets you work out the right bpm for a song you want to practice.


Article photo - Gear Review: Yamaha PSS-F30 Keyboard


The Menu

This menu was designed with children in mind. It is super easy to navigate. It is divided into 3 sections: Song, Voice, and Style. L.E.D. numbers are on the keyboard to let you know what sound you are currently using.


Notable features

Having headphones means you can literally practice anywhere! It also means if your child is playing Mary Had a Little Lamb over and over and it really annoys you, you can ask them to use headphones to preserve your sanity.

I also wanted to mention that the PSS-F30 can be split in two. This means you can play the bass guitar parts with your left hand and the piano parts in your right hand.


 

PROSCONS
The price! (just over £50)The speaker could be a tiny bit louder.
Headphone jack 
Batteries 


Rating


Build quality: 9/10
Price: 10/10
Functionality: 9/10
User experience: 10/10


Note: I made a quick video to show you the size of an adult's hands compared to a child’s hands playing the Yamaha PSS-F30.

About Magesh Magesh

Magesh is a musician and producer who has worked with Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Ricky Martin, Chris Brown, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Nelly Furtado, and Vernon Reid of Living Colour. He released an instructional drumming DVD called "Unique Beats" where he mixed the drum kit with electronics and Indian hand percussion. He recently moved from Australia to the UK to explore new musical opportunities.
Website: mageshdrumteacher.co.uk

Contact Magesh Magesh at magesh.magesh7@gmail.com

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