NAMM 2019 Yamaha PSR-E360 The Perfect Beginner’s Portable Keyboard

Yamaha PSR-E360

Yamaha today debuted the PSR-E360 portable personal keyboard. Featuring top-quality Yamaha Voices of all types, interactive accompaniment Styles that let the player be a one-person band, and educational features to keep new players interested, the PSR-E360 comes in two attractive woodgrain finishes that can be proudly displayed alongside any home décor.

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The PSR-E360 is ideal for the younger learner whose parents understand that a touch-sensitive keyboard — which responds to harder and softer playing with louder and softer notes — is necessary for properly engaging with music. The dynamic response of the keys of the PSR-E360 is head and shoulders above other portable keyboards in this price range, allowing for very expressive playing.

Over 400 Voices offer stunning realism in all sound categories from pianos to synthesizers to orchestral brass and strings to guitars to drums and beyond. Accompaniment styles provide not only rhythms and drumbeats, but a fully-voiced backing band that follows the players left-hand chord changes. Complete chords can be formed with just one or two fingers, letting the beginning player focus on the right-hand melody. Reverb, chorus, EQ, and harmony effects put the performance in a lush and three-dimensional soundscape.

Two available finishes set the PSR-E360 apart from every other portable keyboard in its class. A darker wood-like veneer is reminiscent of a piano; a lighter one evokes the body of an acoustic guitar. Families who may not be ready to commit to the size, weight, and cost of a full digital piano can thus rest assured that the household musical hearth and education station will not have an overtly technological or cheap appearance.

Further features of the PSR-E360 include:

  • USB-to-host connectivity allows MIDI and audio communication with a computer using only one cable.
  • Backlit LCD can be read under any lighting conditions.
  • Yamaha Education Suite allows practice with preset or downloaded songs.
  • Melody Suppressor isolates the melody of a connected audio source and lowers it for practice.
  • Arpeggio function intelligently creates melodic and rhythmic patterns based on the notes played.
  • Duo mode splits the keyboard into two halves, each with an equal note range for side-by-side practice or instruction.
  • Touch Tutor lesson mode analyzes key strike velocity in order to teach dynamics.

 

“The PSR-E360 is a ‘breath of fresh air’ addition to our portable keyboard lineup,” says Ben Harrison, product marketing manager, digital pianos and portable keyboards, Yamaha Corporation of America. “It features everything you expect from a portable keyboard, like hundreds of Voices and accompaniment Styles, but it stands out from the crowd because of the two attractive wood-like finishes. When a child just begins piano lessons, parents need to purchase a touch-sensitive practice keyboard and until now, the only options in this price range have had that typical portable keyboard look. Not only will their child be engaged by the fun content found on the PSR-E360, but parents won’t feel the need to hide the keyboard under a bed when not in use.”

Pricing and Availability

The Yamaha PSR-E360 (MSRP $329) is expected to ship in March 2019.

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