Unboxing and Review of Yamaha PSR SX600 Music Keyboard
The Yamaha psr Sx600 music keyboard delivers pro-level musical experiences with an incredible range of voices and styles. Industry leading accompaniment Styles allow you to play with a band in a wide variety of music genres and Smart Chord functionality allows you to easily achieve complex chord harmony intuitively.
Beginners can use Chord Tutor to learn the shapes of chord voicings that the arranger supports, and more experienced musicians will appreciate a range of powerful real time variation functions.
Voices and Styles of the PSR SX600 Series
With a sleek stage-ready design and incredible new Voices and Styles, the PSR-SX600 sets a new standard for performance keyboards that you can own for under a thousand dollars. The 61-key keyboard features an Accent function to add rhythmic flair to any part of the music you play, and Unison and Accent Styles bring a whole new dimension to automatic accompaniment with powerfully convincing vocal and instrument sounds. Plus, expansion ROM and compatibility with free Yamaha sound & style packs allow you to customize the instrument to your specific musical needs.
In addition to 850 preset styles out of the box, many of the arranger keyboard’s voices are enhanced by Yamaha Super Articulation technology for richer tone and a more natural response to dynamic touch. The SX600 music keyboard also offers a variety of onboard effects including reverb, distortion and cutoff. An auxiliary line input jack allows you to connect an external audio player or mobile device, while the stereo line output makes it easy to use with a PA system.
For beginners, the SX600 music keyboard includes Chord Tutor which helps you learn different chord shapes. The software recognizes a wide range of chord types – including the “g13al” and “g13Alt” chords commonly played in popular music – and shows you what they look like on the keyboard. It also teaches you which chord shapes can be used in auto-accompaniment.
Realistic, diverse, and engaging accompaniment Styles have always formed the core of Yamaha arranger instruments, and the Yamaha psr SX600 keyboard takes this functionality to the next level. The Smart Chord feature makes it possible to sketch out fully orchestrated arrangement ideas, even for songwriters without piano proficiency, and the Unison & Accent styles give you the sense of playing with a virtual backup band of expert musicians.
Styles
An arranger keyboard is a combination of the functions found in powerful music workstations and performance synthesizers. The 61-key Yamaha PSR S600 is no exception, delivering advanced voices, songwriting features and a plethora of effects. In addition to a huge library of onboard sounds, the S600 also includes voice and style expansion packs.
The S600 comes with a total of 415 styles, compared to 230 on previous models. There are many different genres to choose from, including popular, folk and classical styles. The styles also come with accompaniment parts and chord sequences. The S600 also has Smart Chord functionality that recognizes chord types and shows you what they look like as shapes on the keyboard.
To help you get started, the S600 includes a variety of demo songs to familiarize yourself with its features. In addition, you can use the auxiliary line input to play music from your mobile device or audio player. You can even plug in a microphone (sold separately) to record and sing over your playing and apply compression and EQ to the vocals.
In order to make it easier to find the perfect style for your music, the S600 has a split point that lets you separate the styles and melody section of the keyboard. This allows you to manage the style with your left hand and play melodies with your right.
If a style has the same name in two or more keyboards, it is stored in a subfolder that indicates which keyboards it came from. For example, the “LatinPop 91” folder contains styles from the Genos and CVP-809. In some cases, the same style may have a different default tempo in each keyboard. In these cases, the styles are grouped in a folder with the style name and tempo.
DSP Effects of Yamaha PSR-SX600 Music Keyboard
The PSR-SX600 music keyboard has powerful DSP effects like Real Distortion on a guitar and Real Reverb on a piano that add just the right amount of color to your sound. The DSP also lets you adjust the amount of effect for the keyboard Voices, Style parts and the Accent Function to let you create a truly custom performance.
In addition, the PSR-SX600 music keyboard has many advanced functions that make it a true performance workstation. For example, Multi-Pads add loops and phrases that can match your music exactly, while the accent Function lets you add rhythmic emphasis with the touch of a button. The keyboard even has a microphone input port and an onboard vocal cancel function for karaoke sing-alongs with pre-existing tracks.
The keyboard has a comprehensive set of authentic instrument Voices, with Super Articulation voices that enable you to reproduce the subtle nuances of non-keyboard instruments such as body taps on a guitar or breath sounds on wind instruments, simply by playing naturally or using an assignable pedal. And the onboard accompaniment styles cover a wide range of musical genres and let you single-handedly recreate the sound of a full band or orchestra.
In addition, the PSR-SX600 music keyboard also has an impressive palette of music production tools for creating your own songs. With onboard sequencing, time-stretching and pitch-shifting for WAV files, plus separate part EQ for the keyboard Voices, song parts and the accompaniment Styles, the Yamaha PSR SX600 music keyboard gives you complete production flexibility. Likewise, the 1/8″ AUX In stereo mini jack allows you to connect external audio devices for added recording and playback functionality. This includes a microphone for singing along with the accompaniment, a line out for connecting a mixer, and a USB to Host port that sends MIDI and Audio data to supported computers or smartphones.
USB Audio Interface
The Yamaha PSR SX600 music keyboard is the first arranger keyboard in the series to feature a USB audio interface for high quality recordings direct to your computer. This allows you to share your performances directly on social media apps like Tik Tok & Instagram as well as instant messaging app such as WhatsApp & Messenger.
The 61 key arranger keyboard comes with a full range of voices, styles and songwriting tools to help you get creative. It also features a large 4.3 inch color display for enhanced operation and access to all of the functions.
With the addition of a USB audio interface, the psr SX 600 offers a host of new features not available on previous models including Smart Chord and voice recording with effects. It also boasts a premium set of world sounds that are sure to take your music to new heights.
New sound design features give you 30% more power to shape your voices the way you want. You can now use a wide selection of digital signal processing (DSP) to alter the timbre and character of each individual voice layer. Additionally, you can adjust the EQ on each of the 8 instrument parts that make up a style. This gives you more control than ever before on a PSR keyboard – and it’s something that even the flagship PSR-S900, which costs twice as much, doesn’t include!
Over 400 onboard accompaniment styles provide an instant backing band for your songs. And if you need more, you can add your own custom created accompaniments in the onboard memory. Beginners will appreciate the Chord Tutor function which helps you learn more chord shapes and more experienced musicians will enjoy using the Smart Chord feature to quickly create harmonically-correct harmonies for their arrangements.
Bluetooth Audio of Yamaha PSR-SX600 Music Keyboard
The PSR-SX600 music keyboard is an arranger keyboard with a huge pallet of sounds, styles and features in a compact and lightweight unit. It includes many new Smart Chord features and offers a range of advanced realtime performance functions to give you total freedom of expression. Its a great choice for those looking to take the first step into the world of arranger workstations.
It comes with a wide variety of styles covering most musical genres and features Super Articulation voices that reproduce the subtle nuances of non-keyboard instruments, such as body taps on a guitar or breath sounds on wind instruments. The Yamaha PSR SX600 music keyboard also has an auto-accompaniment function called AI Full Keyboard and a chord sequencer called AI Fingered. Both allow you to specify which chord voicings you want to play, and the keyboard will automatically play back harmony notes that match your specifications.
The acoustic grand piano sounds on this model are superb, with excellent dynamics and expressive control. A new high-quality digital-to-analog converter ensures exceptional audio quality, while assignable Live Control knobs allow for real-time tweaking of important aspects of the sound – just like a pro synth. The PSR-SX600 is also able to record your voice and instrument, including any applied effects, directly to USB in a high-quality stereo format. It supports aptX Low Latency (aptX-LL) Bluetooth audio, which offers better sound quality than standard SBC and uses less power, so it will last longer on a battery charge.
How to Play Notes on the Yamaha PSR SX600 Music Keyboard
Yamaha’s PSR SX600 music keyboard is packed with a huge palette of sounds, styles and realtime performance functions. It also features a microphone input which allows you to apply effects to your vocals for greater expressiveness.
Smart Chord recognizes chord voicings like G13Alt and teaches you what they look like on the keyboard, giving you a variety of auto-accompaniment styles. Moreover, new sound design tools give you 30% more power to shape the voices on a granular level.
As a Learner
The PSR SX600 is an arranger keyboard that combines the functions of music workstations and performance synthesizers. It delivers pro-level musical experiences with a huge palette of sounds, styles and Smart Chord functionality. Smart Chord recognizes chord types and shows them as shapes on the keyboard, making it easy for beginners to achieve complex harmony intuitively. It also has a premium set of world sounds with Super Articulation voices that reproduce the subtle nuances of non-keyboard instruments, such as body taps on a guitar or breath sounds on wind instruments.
The SX600 has a wide variety of styles, including industry leading accompaniment styles, as well as popular melodies and traditional pieces. It also features a number of advanced functions that are not typically found on arranger keyboards. For example, it includes a Unison function that allows you to play backing parts in unison with your playing strength, and an Accent feature that lets you add rhythmic emphasis by pressing on certain keys.
Another unique feature of this model is the Chord Tutor, which can help beginners understand the chord structure of songs by showing them what each individual note in the chord looks like as a shape on the keyboard. For example, it will display the chord voicing for G13Alt, which is often used in piano music, and then show what the actual chord looks like in standard notation and how it would be played on the keyboard.
Repair
The PSR SX600 provides professional sound and content, easy-to-use controls, and advanced realtime performance functions for a powerful arranger workstation that fits your budget. A high-quality digital-to-analog converter delivers clear and defined sound with a wide dynamic range. And assignable control knobs make it easy to shape sounds and performances on-the-fly — just like a pro synth.
The PSR-SX600 is Yamaha’s lowest-priced keyboard to offer a Style Creator function that lets you create and edit your own styles. Plus, the keyboard comes with many new and improved styles that take advantage of the Accent and Unison function. In addition to more Free Play styles, you’ll also find more rhythm intros and endings, and a lot of different variations for each style.
New sound design features give you 30% more power to shape the sounds the way you want. For example, you can now adjust the EQ on each of the voice layers and instrument parts that make up a style — a feature even the flagship PSR-S900, which costs twice as much, doesn’t include.
New Smart Chord functionality makes it easier than ever to play complex chord harmony with just a few keys. Plus, you can use the new Rhythm Edit feature to change tempo and rhythm patterns instantly. You can even connect a microphone (sold separately) to record yourself along with the keyboard, and apply effects to your vocals using the onboard Vocal Supressor.
Service Output
The arranger keyboard has grown up and become a full-fledged music workstation with performance synths and songwriting tools. The PSR SX600 is a powerful 61-key professional arranger workstation that makes it easier than ever to get started with your own compositions.
With 850 onboard sounds, including 27 MegaVoice voices and 73 Super Articulation voice types, the PSR SX600 provides an amazing array of sound possibilities. A total of 415 styles, including 3 rhythm intros and 4 variations per style, make it easy to create a complete arrangement.
In addition to a standard collection of assignable real-time control knobs, the SX600 includes a microphone input for vocal accompaniment and studio quality digital effects. The microphone input features a sophisticated set of assignable effects, including an EQ with both high and low pass filter and a noise gate. Easily record your voice and accompaniment into a USB stick using the free Rec’n’Share app.
The SX600 also adds a playlist function, making it easy to select songs you’ve created with the Multi Pads for playback during performances. And if you need more performance variety, the Multi Pads can also play a variety of pre-recorded short rhythmic sequences and loops. This is an unprecedented level of feature content, functionality and high-end sound quality on a piano under $1,000. And with the new Smart Chord feature, playing complex chord harmony is intuitive and simple to achieve, even for beginners.
Troubleshooting
The Yamaha PSR SX600 is the 61-key arranger workstation that’s easy to use, loaded with voices and styles, has advanced functions like multi-pads and accent function. It’s a great choice for playing along with songs and has a variety of inputs that allow you to connect external devices. It also has a USB audio output port so you can record your performances and send MIDI to a computer or smartphone.
This arranger keyboard is loaded with 850 sounds out of the box and has the ability to take in additional sound and style expansion ROMs. It also features Super Articulation voices that offer a higher quality of tone and a more natural response to dynamic touch. The SX600 also comes with an impressive collection of accompaniment styles that have superb drums and backing instruments to give you the feeling of playing with a live band.
One of the biggest improvements over the previous model is the new fully color screen. This makes operation and access to all the new features much easier. The keyboard also has a microphone input with effects and a USB audio recording port.
The SX600 is designed to recognize the chord voicings you play, and then it can automatically add harmony notes in various intervals. It doesn’t do every possible chord voicing, but it will recognize the most common ones such as G13Alt. It also has a Chord Tutor feature that teaches you the names of all of the chords in your favorite music.
The Yamaha psr SX 600 keyboard has many of the same audio output ports as other models in the range, including an aux input for connecting external combo amplifiers or PA setups. It also has a Bluetooth audio receiver, so you can wirelessly stream music from your smartphone or connected device through the speakers. This is particularly useful for those who want to use apps that teach music or simply enjoy playing along with their favourite songs.
