BRING IT: THE YAMAHA PSR-S650 PORTABLE DIGITAL KEYBOARD SAVES AND RECALLS YOUR CREATIVITY ‘IN A FLASH’

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Yamaha Keyboard Division unveils the PSR-S650 arranger keyboard at Summer NAMM 2011. Featuring FlashROM Expansion, the entry-level PSR-S650 now offers MegaVoice enhanced Styles found on higher-end Yamaha arrangers.

A great "first serious keyboard" for adult performers and keyboard enthusiasts alike, the PSR-S650 can load sample data like Voices, drums and percussion and make it instantly available in FlashROM without reloading at each power-up. Styles with MegaVoices make non-keyboard instrument Voices (like guitars and basses) sound authentic using musical articulation previously not playable from black & white keys.

The PSR-S650 internal FlashROM Expansion can store up to 16MB of sample data, which is great for augmenting the existing set of 864 internal sounds with your own. The keyboard also offers 181 built-in Styles ready to perform with players when writing songs or just jamming. You can also play in custom tunings, like Arabic or Pythagorean, using one of the nine preset scales—or create your own.

Users can record songs or their performances during jam sessions to the built-in 16-track sequencer and use the PSR-S650's USB TO DEVICE port to store songs, Styles and custom registrations on a flash drive. Create custom Styles by mixing and matching parts and sections from the internal Styles. The USB TO HOST port connects to your computer and the PSR-S650can be used as a 64-note, multi-timbral tone generator.

“Building on the success of the PSR-S550B, we've packed the new PSR-S650 with great new content for just about any style of musician,” says Dane Madsen, Yamaha Electronic Keyboard Marketing Manager. “With its excellent, built-in ethnic content and the ability to load 3rd party or custom samples, this product is ideally suited to the expanding world music and international markets. Its cutting-edge electronic Style content means that there’s plenty for western musicians to sink their teeth into as well. ”

Electronic Keyboard Product Manager Nate Tschetter added, “The PSR-S650's built-in FlashROM Expansion is an excellent feature at this price. Load your samples into memory once, and they remain there even when you turn the instrument off. This is a great way to build your own "always there" set of sounds and augment the already substantial built-in Voice library.

The PSR-S650 (MSRP: $649) is now shipping.

For more information on the PSR-S650 visit Yamaha Corporation of America at Summer NAMM 2011, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Keyboard Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; visit www.yamaha.com/keyboards.