Yamaha PSRE423 Keyboard

This keyboard is the most innovative, feature-packed, impressive and punchy instrument that Yamaha have ever produced at this price. With an astonishing 700 instrument sounds, some taken from keyboards more than four times the price, a comprehensive 174 accompaniment styles, and synthesiser controls for ultimate flexibility over your sounds, the Yamaha PSR-E423 is a real class act.

By far the most impressive features of the PSR-E423 are its amazing amplification system, its synthesiser controls, and its arpeggiator function. Although this keyboard can be used by those wishing to develop or even begin their musical skills, due to its easy-to-read backlit LCD screen with stave indicator, the functions that the PSR-E423 can performance will take any player into the realms of professional-sounding musical expression. The amplification system makes the Yamaha Grand Piano (accessed easily by one button) come to life in a way that belies the price of this keyboard. The synthesiser controls allow you to change the sound of each voice in a number of ways - filtering the sounds in a way that only more expensive synthesisers normally achieve. The arpeggiator has 150 chord-based phrases that change as you play, making the creative process more intuitive and fun. As well as the extended memory capability, the Music Database to enable your choice of song to be easily matched to the style and instruments, the six-track sequencer for recording your own compositions, and the usual dual and split functions enabling you to utilise two different instrument sounds at the same time, the PSR-E423 is by far the most interesting and exciting keyboard Yamaha have ever produced for under £500.

Graeme Lindsay-Foot, Dawsons Music Warrington