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7 Oct

Reviewed: Yamaha PSR-SX900 Workstation

Yamaha Music Australia | au.yamaha.com | Expect to pay: $2799

Over the years, Yamaha have proven themselves to be one of the most innovative and dependable creators of musical instruments in the world. From grand pianos to trumpets, bass guitars to clarinets, they seldom fail to deliver. The PSR-SX900 Workstation, with its 1393 instrument sounds, 56 drum/SFX kits, as well as many other additional features, is no exception. It offers a completely unprecedented level of sophistication and practicality for songwriters, who can now practise, write, demo and perform using the same piece of equipment.

7 Oct

12 Oct

Reviewed: Hammond SKX Stage Keyboard

Bernies Musicland | musicland.com.au | Expect To Pay: $4995

There are certain names in the keyboard industry that have carved an immortal place in history due to their unique and innovative products. It’s easy to see just how Hammond have achieved such recognition over time with their continually adapting range of organs and keyboards that truly offer a uniqueness in both sound and feel unlike any other. Of course, just about every keyboard and synthesiser manufacturer has tried to copy the Hammond look and sound over the years, but none do it quite like the original. With the release of the SKX Dual Manual Stage Keyboard, portability and functionality are keys to having that true Hammond sound on any stage and in any studio.

12 Oct

5 Oct

Reviewed: Yamaha Genos Digital Workstation

Yamaha Music Australia | au.yamaha.com | Expect To Pay: $6999

Yamaha’s Tyros5 Workstation was designed as the ultimate performance keyboard, but Yamaha keeps redefining what they mean by ultimate. Meet Genos – the next generation in digital workstations. Now, Tyros could be quite an investment, and Genos is very much up there in terms of cost too, but from the second you sit down behind one, you’re going to get the feeling that not a cent of your cash has been wasted. The very first impression you’ll get is that this is a serious, pro-level piece of kit that takes what made Tyros great and redefines it.

5 Oct

4 Sep

Reviewed: Nektar Panorama T4 MIDI Controller Keyboard

Sound & Music | sound-music.com | Expect to Pay: 49-Note - $519, 61-Note - $629

When Nektar first released its Panorama P4 MIDI keyboard a few years ago, I was really impressed with what it offered at the time. For those of you who remember its release, the P4 was solely designed for use with Reason and offered deep integration with the software that other MIDI keyboards didn’t. It was a groundbreaking release, and being a Reason user, amongst other platforms, it certainly ticked all the boxes for me and many others. The product has since grown to add Cubase and other platforms for the P4, and now I’m privy to one of the first units of the newest incarnation of this keyboard in the Panorama T4. Gone is the slick white fascia – the T4 now sports a menacing black casing and a range of new features and integration abilities.

4 Sep

2 May

Reiewed: Yamaha P-125 Keyboard

Yamaha Music | au.yamaha.com | Expect to Pay: $999.99

The Yamaha P-125 - which follows on from the highly popular P-115 - is a compact digital piano that combines realistic piano performance with a user-friendly minimalistic design. It’s designed to be portable and very accessible - in other words, you’re not bogged down in complicated menus just to find a sound, so it’s a great choice not only for those who need a digital piano for themselves, but also for situations where many people might be using the same instrument: piano teachers, schools, bars with open mic nights, that sort of thing.

2 May

27 Apr

Reviewed: Vox Continental

Yamaha Australia | au.yamaha.com | Expect To Pay: 61 Key - $2499, 73 Key - $2699

Unlike so many other keyboards that use the same controls to handle all the functions, the VOX Continental is designed with separate control sections for each of its four modes. As a musician this is something that really helps you get into the right headspace for each musical situation you’ll find yourself in. It’s like having four separate keyboards for four totally different purposes.

27 Apr

27 Feb

Reviewed: IK Multimedia iRig Keys I/O

Sound & Music | sound-music.com | Expect to Pay: 25-Key - $369, 49-Key - $549

The last six or seven years has seen the development of the iRig range grow from a simple compact mobile phone guitar plug to a full selection of interfaces, keyboards, microphones and even monitor speakers. It’s no surprise then that these products began to get morph into one another to create new possibilities and reduce the clutter of unwanted cabling. I think we can go back to the original iRig MIDI device to see the beginnings of the development process that has lead us to this new product. From a humble MIDI interface to a keyboard to a fully integrated recording and production device, we have finally ended up with the iRig Keys I/O. This is one of the coolest products released by IK Multimedia and one that will keep plenty of home and mobile music producers pleased.

27 Feb

23 Nov

Reviewed: Studiologic Numa Compact 2

Innovative Music | innovativemusic.comau | Expect to Pay: $899

It’s been a while since we were first introduced to the Studiologic Numa Compact, the 88 note keyboard that rewrote the rules on size. Now, the team at Studiologic seem to have gone all out and managed to squeeze even more features into a keyboard that by all rights should be a lot larger than it actually is. You could be forgiven for thinking this may be a toy at first glance, but the Numa Compact 2 is a serious instrument and it takes portability to a new level in 88-note keyboards. Big sound and big features don’t necessarily require a big cabinet, as we are about to find out.

23 Nov

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