Yamaha Keyboard - Which One?

[m00rfarm]

OK - I went to grade 7 on the piano but can NOT read music (well, I can but I am totally useless). I have a very nice Yamaha keyboard which plays like a piano. What I actually WANT is the keyboard I had years ago where I can press one button, get some chords going with just pressing one key, get some background rhythm stuff, and then play the tune with my right hand, with my left hand just pressing single keys to get a nice sound.

Do you know what I mean?

Today I went to see some keyboards and they were all about sampling, and creating stuff. I don't want to create anything. I just want to make the minimum effort by using the keyboard song books and make nice music.

Is there any keyboard that can do that? I cannot remember the name of the Yamaha one I had years ago, but it was great. I could play it as a piano, or I could turn on all the fancy stuff and within seconds I had a full orchestra (well, nearly) and sounding like a pro ...

Please help me!

Yamaha Clavinova range.

But, HOW do you get to grade 7 ( or 2 or 3 ) struggling to read music?

Trust me - I used to memorise all bloody 10 or more pages of each exam piece. If I was stopped half way through, I had to start again. And I failed grade 7 three times before I gave up - I just could not read music at sufficient speed. However, 45 years later, my muscle memory (If I try not to think) I can STILL play the first two pages of my exam pieces. I am also useless at theory, and failed that twice before I passed so I could move onto Grade 5. I hated the piano - I just wanted to ride ponies

Anyway - moving on - I thinkt he Clavinova is too good for what I need. I just want one to play (as in have fun) not play (as in seriously). I remember my old keyboard being brilliant fun with minimum effort. I have a nice Yamaha digital piano which I can sort of play, and kind of read music slowly, but I want the other type. Maybe it is for kids? I just don't know!

I am a grade pianist and have the Yamaha p125. I absolutely love it. The main grand piano sound is brilliant and the keys are well weighted. It sounds brilliant on ear phones too.

Grade 6 that should say!

I already have a lovely Yamaha piano - I want the cheating version where I just set up the background beat, only have to press one key on the left hand to set up an impressive range of chords, and then play the tune with my right hand. It is really hard to explain. I just want to play with one hand properly and the other hand to do the minimum work for maximum effect!

I have a Yamaha E343, quite old now but does the job and has touch sensitive keys. I generally just play it as is or download a midi file to it, useless at creating backing but it’s probably possible. I’d imagine the newer E3 types will suit you

The clavinova we have allows you to record , then play it back while accompanying it.
Our model is 10 years old so lord knows what they’re capable of now.

Have a look at the range at GAK

www.gak.co.uk/Search/#&auto=true&min=44&max=11995&cat=53&pt=137

Why don’t you look on marketplace for secondhand ones so you can try them and sell on if not what you want, without spending a fortune?

Oh - I think the E373 may be the one! Watching a tutorial and it is fab!

I live in the Algarve so there is not much choice here - definitely no second hand ones :(

Thank you everyone - I have purchased the Yamaha PSR E373 which looks amazing - fingers crossed!