Only you, Keen, would call that 20-minute, full-fledged A50 review - quote-unquote - “a bit too short” and append it with a step-by-step, free, extensive guide on making it work with a DAW. Wow. Thank you so much for the New Year gift.
Hello i like very much your videos. Now i have a problem and I need your help : no connection with Cakewalk midi although digital keyboard in and out checked with my PSS A50. I'm surprised because midi works well with Ableton lite. Thanks a lot for your help.
I recently purchased a PSS-A50 as my first keyboard to learn on, and was surprised by how easy it was to connect it to my iPad Pro and begin using it as a controller for GarageBand. Literally just plug and play.
So glad I found your channel. I like the way you make things seem very easy. Your video and audio quality is also exceptional. Thanks! I just ordered a Yamaha PSS-A50 based on your videos about it. Even though I have a ton of other MIDI controllers both large and small and a few Synths already. I think this will work well for when I'm traveling and want to work on some ideas and to practice.
After viewing both of your Yamaha PSS-A50 videos the 4th time - today I have ordered one. Even knowing all the complaints you have made, i think it's a good value for the money to buy such a entry level machine with midi. If it's not my thing, no huge lost of money is the result. Thank you 1000 times for that detailed and edutaining video!
Hello Keen on Keys. I really like your videos. Currently I have a problem : my PSS A50 is recognized by Cakewalk as a digital keyboard in and out that I checked and confirmed in response Cakewalk answers me with the absence of a midi device. Yet my PSS A50 is recognized by Ableton lite with the same connection cable. Thank you for your providential help.😎
so many years using synths just either as standalone instruments, or as controllers to send input to vstis, but never thought about sending midi info back to the device for it to play. And I found this video researching about the pssa50 to get it for my 7yo daughter ! thanks a lot for such a complete information !
As an owner of this small bright machine, I'm glad to see this depth on the review, not just a basic features overview. Of course, there's a bit more deep features by using sysex/NRPN's with an XG editor, but that's diggin too much under the hood, and not really useful as voices can't be saved & recalled easily that way.
Wow, thank you... this was a surprise! This was very informative and will be useful, as I hope to be able to produce some pleasant music. The PSS a50 is definitely one of my favourites and especially so, as I fixed a broken one I got for cheap. The only thing it could do with more of is synth sounds, so I am happy I can use other software instruments and of course the vintage instruments too.
Great explanations! I had tu subscribe! 😁 This little keyboard is just amazing, i bought one! Even pro ones are not multitimbral or just two voices, but 16 sounds is just crazy!!! I bought one to playback one or two midi chords lines on live sessions with other synths, mostly mono 👌
A good explanation and demo of how MIDI works. Most of the other videos are talking about computers, gadgets, boxes, cables, protocols etc. without even a simple demo - thank you!
Excellent tutorial! I now am motivated to buy a Yamaha PSS-A50 and apply your instructions in a DAW (Logic). Thank you very much! Your images and audio recordings are good, your editing is concise and to the point and your voice is nice to listen to. Subscribed :)
Awesome Video. Got the A50 for the nieces and nephew as a present from my cousin. Glad i picked such a cool keyboard. Messed with it to show them how cool it is and was impressed especially since it only cost $108.
It's one of the most interesting and important video about music i have seen. I think this lesson should be learn at school. And your channel should be traducted in all langages. It's really helpful, full of simplicity, humility, it show how far we are gone with our world of consumisme. Yes arpegiators were invented since a long time, and yes it makes a long time they are many voices in digital piano who this days cost nothing. But now they sell you this little thing and many other as an option and at very expensive price when they only add them as new invention in just a master keyboard and making by that climbing upper the prices. But in that video we learn that we can use an old casio better than the new keyboards they try to sell us. I have share this video to all my musicians friends and my family. Wonderfull video i keep it to my list👍👏😉
Dude, most clear explanation of midi on youtube. This little keyboard can Def be a master keyboard to your daw, thts crazy...just picked one up for $80 on Reverb. Pairing it with my new sp404mkll! People are sleep to the fact tht this is basically a cheaper yamaha reface!
debated for 2 months almost, and finally got an A-50. Excited for it. Thank you Keen for the excellent videos! I am ready to dig into MIDI like never before! very inspiring video!!
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I found the solution for the Yamaha keyboard MIDI problem that I've been trying to solve for years here. This is also an incredibly good MIDI and DAW usage tutorial, even audio effects... Excellent explanation. Thank you very much.
Iam buying it after watching this video, all though the keys are small for my hands but I just want a midi controller which also is a stand alone and this one seems perfect to me ( (in this budget) after watching the 2 videos of your on it. I must say you are really precise, great command over everything, I'm inspired, sir. Thank you
Oh wow, thank you so much for this, this seems to have some great pointers how to start. I bought a PSS-A50 a few months ago (partially because of you review and it having a MIDI interface), but I hadn't really had the time to do much with it. And I haven't played any instrument since 1992 and never played any piano/keyboard, so I should get around learning much of this stuff first. Oh and the later parts of the video make my head spin, but well, many of the stuff (mostly IT), I can do now in my sleep, did also do that in the beginning.
Sweet. I got this over summer. It's a great way to introduce kids to music and at the same time get a controller adults can use, too, at a reasonable price.
I have used midi since 1988.. 100% old school! It was how I made music for recording. Loved it! PS - New subscriber! You explain everything very well! My first Midi instruments were. Yamaha PSS-480, Yamaha QX-21 two track sequencer, and Casio MT-240. I got a Casio VZ-1 in 1990! Still use it in 2021. Have you ever heard of the Brother PDC-100 Disk Composer? 32 tracks + 64 macro Sequencer? It was a fabulous piece of Midi equipment.
Where should I start... I've briefly used Cakewalk Demo in the 90s before buying Cubase, and stuck with that. But I couldn't stop watching all your explanations, even though they were not new for me. Just so well done, maybe a little fast paced for a beginner at some points. And thanks for the info that Cakewalk is free now, I may try that again then.
Some awesome work and content on all videos in this channel! Thank you. Looking at subs, totally underrated there... wishing you it will take off soon! Happy 2021!
Thank you for the information on the Surrealistic MG-1 Plus! You just saved my bank account! I will eventually have to find a real instrument but for now I have this and will be using it.
Thank you for the video! I tested connecting the PSS A50 to an iPhone 11 using the camera connection adapter and it works as a midi controller for Garageband. :) I do wish the audio could pass through as well and I haven't tested sending the arpeggios yet, but it may work.
I've watched several videos on your channel, all very hi quality videos; but with this one sir, you earned my lifetime subscription. I mean, this one goes way beyond "hi quality", it left me speechless!
Hi, thanks for a great video. Do you know if this keyboard is suited to be used as a controller (not sure if it's the right term) for a keyless synth like the Roland JU-0A? This video made me buy my first keyboard and got me into producing songs, which seemed pretty daunting before.
mate your a legend, music production stuff was super confusing using ableton and now this video has made it easier for me to have fun with my keyboard!
Great video! I'd like to play my PSS A50 or any midi synthesizer keyboard in midi mode real time and hear the music playing back multi-timbral as I play because many keyboards have this capability but the local keyboard controls aren't there to do it. I haven't found any video which shows how to do this, I'm trying to get the most out of my portable keyboard when I'm traveling with a small laptop with a DAW like Cakewalk. I'm looking to do this realtime, not use the DAW to record or create separate tracks that can play back a multi-track polyphonic multi-timbral composition. If you know of a way to play my PSS A50 or other keyboard and have it echo back to different midi channels simultaneously different instruments and effects I select from my DAW please provide a link or explain how to do it or a how to video would be great. I setup a Cakewalk project based on this Keen on Keys video to select instruments and effects on the PSS A50. I'm trying to setup the PSS A50 or any midi synthesizer and have echo back to multiple tracks so I could for example play something and have it play back multi-timbral like strings, piano, flute, and french horn real time, and have independent control of effects on each instrument. I started with this Keen on Keys video and was able to get the PSS A50 to playback multi-timbral piano and strings as I played the keys and can control reverb, sustain amount, portamento speed, etc on one of these only using local on for the piano sound probably on midi channel 1, and midi mode for the 2nd string sound I set for midi channel 2 in Cakewalk, but if I add more tracks with different instruments it doesn't add them multi-timbrally when I play the keyboard even if I assign to different midi channels.
@@elierosenberg9852 That really is the best option that I was able to find when I was shopping, but it’s also much more expensive. Also, keep checking for the PSS-A50. I don’t know what country you’re in, but they are available in the US, just backordered on some websites right now because of the holidays.
I love this thing, and I love this video (and the other one, too). These videos, and this keyboard, have ruined our lives. Really, this was the first keyboard that entered this once beautiful home. We now have Too Many Synths. Way Too Many Synths. But this video came up on my RU-vid recommendations, I watched it again, got out the A50 - I still love it and it's still one of my favourites. Yes you heard that right, Microfreak. That new Ronald Compact Aira synth is a bit similar in some ways, by the way. And it's really small … Ruined, this house is. Can somebody please comfort me by revealing the secret to syncing this to an external drumcomputer with 5-pin MIDI? Is there a box? Do I need a computer? Life would still be ruined, but syncing this would make it all worthwhile. Well, that and an affordable JVC KB-800. Thanks.
Really nice video! Does anyone know what would be the cheapest keyboard controler with standard Midi jacks? I don't care about the pads, the knobs or built in sounds. All I need are mini keys,. It also needs to be accessible since I'm blind.
Is it possible to trigger the ARP on this keyboard using external MIDI? I'm sending MIDI to the device and it is playing the onboard sounds but when I turn the arp on it doesnt change anything, just continues to play the MIDI chords sent to it. I'd like to send External MIDI Chords to the keyboard, trigger the ARP with it and then recapture the ARP MIDI.
Hi there l have a yamaha e463 but it bad at recording, if you set the repeat feather it mess up the recording, so you have to be a good keyboard player to hold it down for 3 minutes... I tried a DAW Ableton lite 11. but this keyboard is not feathered in there list. IN the manuel it says use A-b repeart after the recording but this not work that well.
Everyone i show your videos to really likes them. The chord progression at 29:20 is from a movie i used to like but don't seem to be able to recall atm- maybe you know?
Hi. Based on my conditions at the moment, will need to practice with headphones on almost constantly. Could you tell me please, based on that, which keyboard will be better for me - PSS A50 or PSS F30 ? Thank you.
Awesome content, thank you! Is this a good keyboard to learn how to play and then use as a midi? My goal is to ultimately produce music, but would like to polish my playing skills now. Thank you in advance!
Well, I have now watched ALL of your videos (within a couple days).. I am so looking forward to some review of one of the analogue sounding Bontempis amd many more videos.. Retro/kid/home keyboard lover from greece. Do you intend to do anything in regards with circuit bending?
@@KeenOnKeys Love those bontempis, I think they are some of the best sounding keys from the era and that sound. I have circuit bent two of my Casios (MT-52, MT-45) only to imporove of their sound/features, thus not adding stuff that makes them go noisy, like many circuit benders. Especially MT-52 was problematic as chord section was too quiet, the whole thing was too muffled by the filters. Essentially you can use potentiometers to unmuffle the filter sounds of chord/bass/appregiator section separately, making the sound cheesier and adjustable, sort of pseudo-filter effect. Another typical bent possible in all MTs is the mute on/off of the cymbals, which is pretty useful.
Amazingly good video but I would have to wach it at least a dozen times to grasp everything! Midi is just so complex, to me at least! Getting a PSS A50 fro Christmas on the back of your review, seems the perfect choice for noodling anywhere and getting ideas down - Great video as is your full review of this keyboard Mr Keys! Will we see videos for the Yamaha Reface series any time soon? They have been around since 2015 but I cannot seem to find any reviews on your channel... Thanks for all your hard work in producing these amazingly useful videos!
@@KeenOnKeys The Refaces are so expensive but they do seem to get a lot of praise too! As I said, I am getting a PSS A50 as a portable keyboard that I can use anywhere but having just watched your excellent demo of the Casiotone SA-50 I am now wondering if that might be a better option for my needs... as well as being significantly cheaper! Too many choices! What would you recommend for a very small portable keyboard just for working on ideas on the move? I'd really appreciate your advice! Many thanks again for all your hard work, we all appreciate it! You are also a total master of the keys too! Wonderfully creative playing! Cheers.
Thanks for the Surrealistic MG-1 recommendation. Cherry Audio is a fine source for synth instruments! I have it working in Cakewalk and now Ableton LL using a bona fide MIDI control surface (M-Audi Oxygen Pro MINI). Just keys working at the moment - no maps.
Cakewalk has a great drum kit. But there is no Cowbell, Tambourine and so on. So my accompanients are missing of that percussion. I was searching for free possibilities but couldn't find any cowbells or full drum kit. I actually like that on the PSS-A50. And it is complete with anything a rythm section needs. How can I use the samples of the PSS-A50 Drumkit for existing Midi Tracks? PS: I was hoping to find some website to learn more about your person and background infos. I like your style a lot.
Hi keen, I have watched almost every video you have released. I love them and find them very helpful. I am a beginner getting into the synth world and want to play dawless. Is there a way to use this keyboard as a master keyboard in a dawless setup? Cheers from Sweden ❤
You need a USB Midi Host (not a USB midi interface!) to convert the USB in and out to standard DIN Midi in and out. I've seen some from Kenton or Miditech, but they aren't cheap.
Only now on my front page! I'd like another video like the Behringer cat. Not with new gear like most youtubers, just newish synths that are unpopular. Perhaps the wasp? Your cat video was insane and made me buy one.
Hello, wonderful and informative video. Regarding the MIDI, would it be possible to utilize a USB MIDI Host to connect to equipment other than a computer such as the kenton or midiplus host?
Hello, I have a question about the buttons on the keyboard while using Logic Pro X. If I add a software instrument track instead of an external MIDI track, how do I enable the sustain and motion effect buttons?
great videos man! i am planing to buy one for my son (maybe a little for me too :)) so i am interested, what is the adapter you use for the phone connection? and does it take phantom power from your phone battery? (lets say if the AA batteries are inserted)
sweet video! my PSS-a50 headphone jack is really noisy. there's some hiss when notes are triggered. Did you eq it out somehow? I assume if one records 5-6 stems, all hissy - thats gonna be lotta hiss, right? How did you get away with it?
on my model as well, from the aux, it's like some ground noise, even without playing. Actually I can hear the hiss noise also just from the embedded speaker, when my ear is close enough...
@@vechirni_anbernic Okay, thanks a lot! You mean, still using 3,5 mm jack, but with short cable with thicker neck? Btw. do you use headphone when you are for example outside? I can not change the cable of my headphone so easily..
@@zwang2778 I record though a short 10cm guitar patch cable, into a focusrite solo interface - with sane gain levels there's no audible hiss. For headphones and stuff - no idea if there's a way to fix it, my friend
Thanks for these helpful videos. I really want to learn piano, I am 38 years old though ;-) Is this keyboard ok for this? I like the small size and the usb power input. Bit how about the small size keys? Is it ok for learning basic stuff?
Surely you can learn the basics on this keyboard. The keys aren't bad and they have touch response. But if you really want to learn how to play the piano I would recommend a digital piano or at least a keyboard with large and weighted keys and a minimum of 5 octaves.
@@KeenOnKeys thanks for the answer. The problem is also that i do not have enough space to put a normal size keyboard anywhere. What about these foldable keyboards with 61 regular keys ? Are they better for beginners in general…?
