Yamaha MX61 - Andrew Colyer Review, Part 1 

Thanks Andrew, I have seen this video several times (and i've subscribed your channel). Your performance and inspirational pieces, put together a variety of styles and harmonies that fit each sound. Elimaika, my beautiful japanese wife, loves your critical vision and the variety of styles that you play along. We don't live on your continent, but we love your videos. Thanks for the high level effort showing the main features that matters to serious musicians!

He’s our son, always loved his piano. When he was a young boy, he wanted to play every piano in passing. On a visit to Scotland, homeland of my mothers family on her fathers side, in Glasgow, Scotland we passed several painted pianos with signs: “Please Enjoy Playing Me”. These pianos varied from uprights to grands in the open air, outside of museums, restaurants, and shops. Sorry Andrew wasn’t with us to enjoy these pianos! M & P

For the price you can not be wrong. The sounds are great and if you know how to work the software is even greater. I use my M61 Yamaha for recording but I play some jazz also. The grand piano is great, the electric piano is outstanding.

Great demo Andrew. As a prog rock fan, this is just nirvana listening to you play classic soundbytes from Wakeman, Emerson, Fripp, Rush, etc.... great! I purchased the mx61 today- a good value indeed.

Awesome Andrew ! Thanks for the great demo and sharing of your talent.

Probably the best review of the Yamaha 😆

Hello , I just got my MX61 Yamaha keyboard and is great. There is software included. I like the video very good information

Thanks Andrew, I have added this video to the Facebook page: YamahaMx49Mx61

Andrew is just a musical genius. It was awesome to have met you at Progstock

Hi EJ, thanks for commenting. Yes, the MX49 has the same internal sounds and features as the MX61. The only difference is the number of keys.

A fine synth with an odd limitation: mono lead & bass patches can't be set to retrigger the envelope when playing legato. That means you have to keep taking your fingers off and on the keys if you don't want the envelope to run on to what is usually the filter's lowest point.

AWAKEN!!!!!!!

This is a response to JohnnyPro's Question/Comment - "My proposed rig would be my MOX8 midi-ed to the MX49. So I would save my gig "sounds" to a performance and then be able to access them easily?? Would I have to save them all with the same midi channel?? The manual is sooooo vague on all of this, or else I am missing something. :-) jp" Yes, the manual is kind of vague. First of all, the MX series, as far as I can tell, only TRANSMITS on MIDI Channel 1. When you change the MIDI channel, it only seems to change the RECEIVE channel. My suggestion is to use the VycroMX software editor which is FREE - it is AWESOME - and save your "sounds/patches" that way. That's what I do. Then live, in performance, you just call up your "preset" in the VycroMX software (much like opening a Word or PDF document) and everything is right there ready to go. The load time is very short and fast. With the software you appear to be able to have 16 channels of sounds playing at one time. I have not done that yet. I'm using my MX61 as a live performance instrument. I am in communication with the owner/developer of the VycroMX software, and even though it currently only works as a standalone product, we are all waiting for the VST version to come out - hopefully and supposedly by this year's Winter NAMM show in January 2014. I hope this was helpful.

Great stuff, Andrew!

Hey, Michael, thank you so much!

Great performance ! Awaken😁 UK😊!

Andrew, great video and nice playing! I have the MOXF6 and it does NOT sustain using a sustain switch while switching voices, can't believe Yamaha made this available in a cheaper model but not the MOXF6!

I can't make my MX-49 do that. Is there a trick? Are there two MX's? Is it a MIDI thing? Special pedal/footcontroller? Settings? Sustain or sostenuto? I've asked Yamaha and, at their request, send them access to your You Tube video; they haven't been able to help. Is it a spoof? You got us!!

It's great when a tester introduces the new keyboard that you just bought and will get in two days with their favorite songs!❤️ Unfortunately, the sound of the video is not as good as the musician's skills! Nevertheless, thank you for this very entertaining video! It could be longer, maybe 90 minutes, there are still lots of great songs! 😁

I saw Boston do that live in 1987

Hi Johnnypro, to setup patches for gigs, or to edit the currently existing patches, there is a great free software program called VycroMx. (Google VycroMX for the link.) VycroMX works for the MX49 or the MX61, and available for Windows and Mac. Right now it is a standalone program, but they are working to have a VST version out by the January 2014 NAMM show. Another cool feature with this software is that your keyboard now becomes an audio output interface with your computer/laptop.

Go line in next time to a console. The audio doesn't do the keyboard any favors and I can hear the clicking of the keys.

Fanstic Solo, Note by Note! Congratulations! I also had an MX61 too, but I sell it to another Musican. The reason: you have to pimp up every sound, to get a powerful Instruement. But in the end the stereo-panning never sounds so wide and big as the Korg Krome or the Motif XF. Great sounds, but they never come out of the (little) Box...

Question, you had mentioned a part 2 to this Yamaha 61 review but I was never able to find it ? Was there one or are you still planning to do one in the future ?

I´ve ordered a Yamaha MX88 this week, and I was looking for some information about one of the first things you said in this video. I was wondering if with a sustain pedal I could mix the sounds if I changed the voice. I guess, if this is working in the MX61, the MX88 will do the same right? Thank you so much for the video, it´s so clear and useful.

Great chops my man!

Thanks, Philip!

5:18 - Foreplay, from Boston... Execellent :D

Could you offer any explanation of why my MX49 doesn't work as in your demo? Is it set to sustain or sostenuto? Is the layer button on or off? Sustain or Foot controller socket? Or wot? Cheers!

cool demo... yeah I agree with some of the others, would have been cool to have the audio direct instead of cam mic. Nonetheless, still a great demo - thank you for posting!! What are the organ patches you were using for the Boston "Foreplay" ??

I really want to see you make the Part 2 you're referring to. This was a great 'application' video sampling some of the sounds. Great job, and great playing. But like many others, I'm more intrigued by the software and saving performances. I have a s90xs and play about 2 shows/month, 3-4 practices.. getting tired of lugging the thing around. Strongly considering buying the MX61, to add to.. or even replace the S90xs.. sell the S90, and get maybe a Nord Piano 2. .. as Nord's pianos, rhodes, wurlis, organs.. are second to none, in my opinion, and maybe always will be. Brilliant sounds from Nord. But I want my yamaha sounds as well, as i've been using performance mode for shows. I played with the MX61 at guitar center for about 2 hours and was able to save some performances, but only be replacing current ones on the keyboard. I couldn't find any user spots.. which I really couldn't believe. Why no blank user spots to save performances??? But that's one way to do it if you can't bring a laptop. In comparison to the S90xs, it really does have a lot of the features.. but performing isn't quite as easy- no volume sliders, no simple buttons to turn 4 parts on and off, etc. I miss those 2 assignable on/off buttons! I'd use those often to turn on inserted effects such as some overdrive on an organ, or turn on a handful of added perimeters at the touch of a button for a synth sound- increased attack, release, reverb.. all with 1 button. Wish the MX had that feature, as it's a useful and simple one to integrate into the board. A 73 key would be nice for $750, but we can't have everything. This is really a great keyboard tho.. getting those motif xs series sounds in a $700 unit! It has a lot of effects too, and I found myself creating patches and having some fun with it at the store! Only 1 insert efx slot, but oh well. It's a tremendous value for top tier sounds at a moderate price! In conclusion to my essay- make part 2! Good luck with your future musical endeavors. Always remember to have fun with music!

Great Keyboard Yahama mx61 Synthesizer.But i have a question sir andrew, How can i save my favorite sound, voice or tone..?? i wonder if you can show me some videos and tutorial for banking or save your favorite tone..

Is it possible to remove the key velocity? I hate playing leads with the velocity, I want that when I play fast solos each note has the same intensity

Sorry I forgot the MX before the 61 question about the second review ?

Rendezvous 6:02 - Nice!!!

Excellent demo. That key noise would be even louder with better audio.. It's not his fault.. That IS some loud clacking, though!

Andrew I dont know what Im doing wrong but I bought this keyboard for the fact I can change sounds and hold the old sounds with my sustain peddle while I change to the new. I cant seem to make it work. Can you tell me how you did this?

hello nicd review...how many splits and layer can you do? thanks

Thanx for your reply!!!! My proposed rig would be my MOX8 midi-ed to the MX49. So I would save my gig "sounds" to a performance and then be able to access them easily?? Would I have to save them all with the same midi channel?? The manual is sooooo vague on all of this, or else I am missing something. :-) jp

So can i use it to trigger sounds in Native Instruments as a midi?

Please, does it have an equalizer, without computer connection? How do I access the eq ?

Is the model in the demo a Mk 1 or Mk 2?

It's clean as hell. What are you talking about?

Hey Andrew, what's your opinion on the MX61 keybed? I'm looking for a mid-cheap 61 keys keyboard to play (I already have an 88 weighted). Cheers!

Hey! Wonderful. What do you think about Roland XPS10? Is MX61 better?

I wonder why Yamaha don't tell us about this feature?

Hi, Andrew! What is the name of the music played with rock piano at 3:40 minutes? Thanks!

why if i change the patches into other..the previous sound cut??

Is it pleasant that so hard key noise when he plays?

Whats the best option to buy out of Motif ES 6 and Then MX61 Thanks

Is it possible to record in audio on the Cubase Al ? And can you use another synth on recording into the cubase without using Yamaha MX ?

Where is Part II ???

You started with Awaken :-)

Hiee Sir, thanx for such a nyc review .. i just wanted to ask you that where can i get midi files to the christmas carols that can b played on mx 61,, becoz i tried many websites with midi files but they are not working on my synthesizer MX61, plzzz help and also plz tell me how to connect it with my computer becoz the software cd of cubase is not working for mx 61 as it is not showing the mx61 in the list of synthesizer .. kindly help :)

Is the keybed really that noisy or are you just an incredibly hard hitter? The keys are louder than the audio and this is a loud video!

Does the 61 have a recording sequencer? I know the 49 doesn't

Nice Video of a great keyboard. I have an MOX8 and there is a favorites list which is how I set up the patches I use for gigs. How do I do this on my new MX49?? I've checked the manual and a few forums and I can't figure it out. thanx!!!

Part 2?

Love the demo ....but why bang on the keys?.... Will buy the board...

I'm looking at this or the MOX6. Does the MX49 have the same sounds in the 61? Thanks.

when youre in the layer or split mode, is there a volume for upper and lower keyboard?

is it possible to learn how to play piano on one of these?

L77kim77I must mean the recording quality - does not do it justice. Get to demo in a shop you'll be staggered by it's clarity.

How is the mx61 for wedding gigs as opposed to the mx88?

Thank you, I would prefer heaven

Has a full amazing studio - uses a camera microphone o.o

It's a pity it doesn't have a better audio quality

This recordig does not do justice to the real sound of the MX series :(

Great info but audio is awfull :(

you're kidding right? This is a joke video...eh? Why didn't you record this keyboard through the stereo outputs?

Is a shame that the audio is so bad. Good job with the keyword though.

Good bass & leads sounds but not that good as a legendary MOOG and the huge 24 dB/Oct Moog Filter !

Hey, Hows this for irony: I'm 61 years old and the keyboard is the MX61! LOL

OMG get a mike or record direct. Otherwise you're cool...

Simply Awful Sound "Quality"

Does the 61 have a recording sequencer? I know the 49 doesn't