All user reviews for the Yamaha PSR-S950

I have just tried S950 at one of my friend's house, he just bought it new. It sounds way worst than s750, let alone any korg arranger. Even korg's pa500 will blow it out of water.
I dont understand, after psr 3000, yamaha kept on declining-stage in quality. I bought a psr s710, and it developed a fault and then i had to sale it. I remember i never played it more than one hour continuously because after that its sounds starts to give headache. I bought pa500, and i never want to take my fingers off it.
Strangely, the new s950 my friend bought has developed a habit of automatically shifting pitch low to high, resetting to factory didnt help.

61 Key Arranger Workstation
High end synth sounds, internal speakers,
AC Power in,
1/4" MIC input jack, AUX IN
L, R Audio OUT, MIDI, 2 Foot Pedals IN
USB to device, USB to host
pitch bend and modulation wheels,
solid, hefty 25lb 6oz


UTILIZATION

This workstation/arranger has many features which makes for a lot of capabilities like pre-loaded drum loops in many styles, 2 layers upper keyboard, play-in record your own songs, much more. So that makes it more time consuming to learn if you are a arranger/workstation novice. It's supplied with a clear manual at a elementary user level, and more depth findable at Yamaha web site.

I've used it only a couple of days, so many bells and whistles I've not learned, but it seems to have about everything, including high quality sounds* for all the instruments you could think of.

*But pay attention to my problem with high C and C# Grand Piano, and various other instruments.


OVERALL OPINION

But on my first S950 (before I returned it) middle Ab was dead. I returned it for a new one (no hassle at the dealer) but on my second S950, when playing it as a grand piano voice, I noticed that high C and C# did not resonate like its neighbor keys. The two tones sound like a dull plink (a choked off sound), that quits early, a bit damped. I believe each tone in the scale has 2 or more tone generators for this Yamaha product. For high C and C#, they must have a defective or poorly adjusted tone generator. It's a tone generator (or sampling) quality problem because if I transpose a few half steps, the key (white or black keys) will change according to the half steps transposed. Since the problem moves up or down the physical keyboard, the problem is not with the white and black keys or their contacts. I tried to return it, but dealer didn't hear the choked damping as I did. It's a bit subtle and not measurable, but it's extremely bothersome on such a highly-used melody keys as the C tone above middle C and its C# neighbor. We tried another keyboard in the store which had the same disease to a lesser extent (my opinion). The quibble is easily missed by many customers since they typically use it with a million things going on loudly at once, and this plink sound would not be noticed.

I hesitated vraimment between S950 and PA 600 or PA 900, but hey I'll stay on Korg I think. I had a PA 50 was hallucinating sounds for the price and it was a desire editable.
Those who put me chip has the ear is the pitch wheel on the S950 bin in like a wheel toy, plastic bad.
Well I must admit the only thing I like about Yamaha certain style funk genre, the rhythm guitar is really top. otherwise the dynamic sound and very bland. the breaks, the drum roll is better than Korg.
all the rest in the trash !!
the only thing I understand it, when it will offer you a touch screen instead of the 1000 buttons around the screen !!

UTILIZATION

5

OVERALL OPINION

2

Arranger keyboard ...

UTILIZATION

Simple setup for someone who comes from the world Yamaha ...

OVERALL OPINION

I do not understand some reviews posted on this unit. I had the chance to test this model and a Korg PA900 store for over an hour (in Lyon, something that is difficult in small towns due to lack of stock). I am a musician for 30 years, and "Yamahiste" for over 10 years. Despite this orientation, and torn between the Yamaha PSR S950 and the famous Korg PA900, with a preference for the Korg "a priori" (like changing + to see more positive reviews on the net) ...
It's very simple: the PSR S950 was a "slap in the face!" I, who came out of the PSR 3000, bought 10 years ago, I wanted to know what kind of progress could have been made in a decade ... I have not been disappointed! The sounds are really much more realistic (piano, drums ...), we have here the true sound of the beast and not sampled MIDI sound arranged, nothing more to see. The elements of battery are very realistic, either toms, bass drum, hi-hat, etc ...
I then tried the Korg .... I probably would not start with the Yam 'because what blandness next !! Absolutely nothing to do. The styles are certainly not bad, but frankly a bit below, the piano sound really reminds me of the metallic sound a bit tinny my PSR-3000 (though good for the time ...), and in such product, we fall back into the MIDI electro, while the S950 is clearly much focused on the "acoustics" and realistic sound. It is far from the famous "Bontempi 1800 €" read somewhere above !!! Or people who decried this unit does not know what it is that arranger keyboard and discover! Although the keys are not heavy or even semi-serious, but things have always been like that on this kind of keyboard of the brand ... My PSR 3000 is no exception to the rule!
So, yes, there will always be disgruntled people who said peremptorily "blah, this sucks" or "this is crap" ... everything is relative. I think this keyboard is excellent KEYBOARD FOR LESS THAN € 2,000. Obviously there was a class apart with a real piano (sound + touch) .... but we are not exactly on a real piano, why wait for a product like features? I can only advise those who regret the heavy feel and true piano sound .... to buy a quarter of a tail or a baby grand, then they have the qualities of a real piano !! Compare what is comparable. Obviously, again, as keyboards like the Tyros 5 (or equivalent Korg 4500 €) are "stratospherically" above ... But we are not all in the same price range ... You just count more than double. But personally, I find that for less than € 1,800, talk about Bontempi is a great lack of vision, realism, especially objectivity.
And yet, as I said, I went to a primarily negative priori saw what I had read, and I preferred rather "on paper" the PA900 ....
Reality has quickly caught up with me ...
If you like electro, of course, the choice of Korg instead can understand ... But if you rather like the realism of the instruments, then, no doubt about it ...
Its purchase is also expected to soon ... time to sell my old PSR ...

When purchasing this keyboard I was looking for an instrument that could run a live show I was putting together without any other equipment. I wanted to perform from the keyboard as well as be supported with a realistic, or at least sympathetic accompaniment. What I was not expecting was to be pleasantly surprised at how this instrument not only ticked all the boxes I wanted but also provided inspiration for taking the show further.

The S950 is a 61-key keyboard workstation with features and options too numerous for a single review. The connections are basic: output L & R, foot pedal input, MIDI, USB B and USB A as well as a mic input (more on this later). In addition there is a video output, primarily designed for showing the lyrics when running karaoke tracks - something this reviewer has yet to enjoy…

The main panel is a sea of buttons and a few knobs, the colour display being the centre of the keyboard’s universe. All functions are designed to be accessible with as few presses as possible and, for the most part, the screen is clear about where you should go next.

There are getting on for 1000 voices built in to the unit, several of them the same as those on the Tyros 4. Four of these voices can be played at the same time, two each side of the split point. In addition there are over 400 accompaniment styles, each with four variations, a set of fills and three intros and three endings. On top of all that there are a raft of multi pad sets, some of which are one-shot, others of which are MIDI based - they play along to your chord selection - and you can also play your own .wav files directly from a USB stick.

With the addition of a sequencer, many many effects, a vocal harmoniser, USB audio playback and full one-touch registration memory this keyboard provides infinite flexibility only really limited by your imagination and your understanding of how the keyboard works.

UTILIZATION

Within moments of turning the S950 on you realise it is quite a significant instrument. The styling is perhaps a little dated, a little too much like the much cheaper members of the PSR family. However, the sound and the functionality defy the initial impression. Even just working through the accompaniment styles it is clear that a lot of thought and time has been put into the creation of each style. When using the linked one touch setting, each change of accompaniment variation changes the matching sounds. Mostly these are sympathetic and useful, occasionally they are surprising but rarely awful. This option can be disabled and you can select your own sounds as you play.

The registration memories are very useful for storing the entire keyboard exactly as it is and seamlessly working from one setting to the next. When changing registration during a performance the S950 waits for the next bar to complete before changing style, ensuring that the transition is seamless. It should be noted that sometimes it would be nice to select between the change lead voice now or at the bar end during performance rather than having to set it from inside the settings menus.

All the important sounds are excellent. Yamaha have done a great job with many of their Super Articulation sounds and Mega Voices. I have found the creation of my own variants of the stock sounds easy to do and it takes very little time to build up sound combinations which can then be recalled with a single registration button.

The USB stick functionality I would regard as essential. My S950 has a stick plugged in the entire time and I play .wav files and .mp3 files directly from it during performance, as well as select the registrations from the same source. In addition, there are many kind people who have uploaded style files and registrations to the internet and after a weekend of collecting I have several thousand named styles and sounds available to me simply by browsing the clear, colour screen.

The Yamaha Music Finder I have found slightly less useful due to the nature of the songs contained within it. When playing some of the styles it is sometimes disappointing to hear a particular song into immediately come to mind. Should I wish to play that song then the style would be perfect. However, if I want to play a similar song I find I cannot use that style because it sounds too much like the song it was based on. These styles have therefore remained ‘on the shelf’ as they are too recognisable.

The real power of the instrument comes with practicing swift navigation. Once you have configured your registrations and multi pads as you desire it is then a matter of pressing the right button at the right time (something the Yamaha demonstrators have nailed). Sometimes this can mean that you have to tweak your settings somewhat in order to allow things to happen without delay. One obvious example of this is when using multi pads that play .wav files. Then changing to one of these sets the S950 needs about half a second to check that all the files are where it expects them to be. This does not stop the playing of a style or inhibit any function but it does mean that if this takes longer than the remainder of the bar you are currently playing it will be another bar before the change actually takes place. Again, practice makes perfect in this.

Another minor issue is that I would like the multi pads to be a mixture of .wav files, one-shots and MIDI-based. Sadly you can only have one type of multi pad on the go at once. I find this a little restricting since I might like, for example, to play a .wav and have a nice trance arpeggio playing at the same time.

Generally editing of anything is simply a matter of pressing the function you are interested in and following the prompts on screen. The deeper you get I will admit the more lost you can become. I suspect this is the nature of all complex instruments like this. I believe Yamaha have pitched it about right in regards to having the most-used functions on the ‘outside’ and the details on the ‘inside’. I have downloaded the reference manual for the S950 and it contains every possible piece of information about the keyboard. This, with a little help from the online community, has meant that I have not found anything it can’t do yet.

The sequencer works acceptably, although I find it a little clumsy to edit - being used to a DAW environment. I have therefore used this rarely, preferring to run backing tracks off the USB stick instead. Connection to my DAW is easy via the USB B socket. My MacBook Pro found the keyboard immediately and it works faultlessly. The only negative I have found is that the octave up and octave down buttons do not transpose the keyboard over MIDI. This is a small irritation but does mean that if I want to play off the end of the 61 keys I have to transpose the keyboard up or down 12 semitones with 12 presses of the transpose button instead.

The mic input is a nice feature although I would have preferred an XLR socket. I appreciate that this doubles as an instrument socket but still… Having purchased a 1/4” to XLR mic lead I have experimented with the various vocal effects. All do exactly what they say on the tin and the harmony-based patches are very effective and match the chords being performed.

OVERALL OPINION

Before I purchased the S950 I had considered the Tyros 4. However, I suspected that everything I was going to need was contained in this instrument and I was not disappointed. I primarily use my S950 for live work and do all my sequencing within a Mac-based DAW. Although there is clearly a limit to the number of sounds and styles in this keyboard I have yet to be restricted by this. I find there is always something near to what I am looking for and it is just a matter of tweaking an existing sound or mixing two sounds together. Styles can be created from scratch or based on an existing style and it is made as easy as possible given the controls and the screen built in to the keyboard. I would love Yamaha to release a style editor app and I am not the first to wish for this.

Overall it is an excellent keyboard, I use it daily for all sorts of things I never would have considered. For the price I might have liked more metal than plastic, especially on the body itself. I purchased a Swan Flight case immediately and know that the keyboard would never have survived gigging without it. Likewise, I have to convince myself that the buttons will all last, none have shown wear and tear yet but they feel a little Spectrum 48 to my fingers. In addition, the LEDs showing which functions are lit are virtually invisible in direct sunlight. I know I should expect this but I had a scary moment on stage when the sun came out and I had no idea what settings were set. Just worth mentioning to help anyone else prepare for this eventuality.

These minor faults aside I can see me using this instrument for years to come. I love sitting down at it last thing at night and noodling away for no reason and then discovering a new tune appearing from under my fingers without any apparent effort on my part. Worth the purchase for that alone.

All is not editable, but we are in the presence of a very malleable platform. Many people have criticized the lack of changes from the previous model, but I do not think so. The sounds were rerecorded here and feels! And it is very easy to create your own musical styles to create without limits of space thanks to the USB port.

UTILIZATION

Very easy to handle. Especially if you used another Yamaha arranger keyboard before.
The change of place buttons to quickly transpose an octave was difficult for me. And I will not find very convenient.
Against by any other changes from the PSR-3000 are well thought out.

OVERALL OPINION

The ability to create an MP3 file from the USB port of the device is really a convenient option for people who love composing and / or make Youtube video. This feature has changed my life and allows me to make very good quality file.
It would of course want to have more characteristic of the Tyros 4 and 5, but what is available is very good.

Arranger Keyboard, 61 Keys, Vocalizer.
Pads
Predefined styles with automatic voice changes triggered by variations.
Midi in/out
USB control
Playback Wav & Mp3 from USB
Midi Files Record/Playback
Display notation and lyrics
Not sure yet about sequencer but believe to be 16 channels


UTILIZATION

Operating system and configuration is intuitive
Sound editing is reasonably easy. Not explored in full detail but adjustable parameters seem limited.


OVERALL OPINION

Only had the keyboard a few days so these are my first impressions.

The GOOD:
Good amplification with deep bass in some styles without distortion.
I like the ability to play back and adjust time stretch and pitch of Wave/MP3 files and display score and lyrics of Midi files.

The BAD:
There is no after touch on this expensive keyboard and this is serious omission considering that this is 2nd top Yamaha model.

The "super articulation" is not good in all situations and play style. The right hand volume and timbre gets uneven and I wish that it could be user controlled easily, as on/off.

The UGLY:
Some sounds are ok but the entire trumpet/brass section is a pathetic joke. I think Buontempi may have been better. Of course I compare with my Ketron X1, an old keyboard but, oh boy, the sounds on that are amazing and far superior in my opinion to the Yamaha, even on the Tyros.

Practically all brass and sometimes organ sounds on the Yamaha PSR S950 are shrill to the point of going into ultrasound when you go up the scale and they lack the depth and timbre and harmonics and fantastic realism that Ketron X1 delivers. Absolutely no comparison.
I wish I could edit the sounds, equalizing the shrill down and save back, not as a user voice, but overriding the ridiculous original default brass voices.

Models Tried before:
I tried a Tyros 4 and a Ketron SD5

Would I buy it again? Not sure. I should probably try an Audya 5 but they are so expensive, and it's very difficult in the US to find a dealer that carries them and lets you try.
So unfortunately buying a keyboard is a very expensive trial and error!

Sometimes one is lucky (Ketron X1) and sometimes one is just so so (Yamaha PSR-S950).

RAS

UTILIZATION

RAS

OVERALL OPINION

Arranger keyboard for what?
-If it is to play the piano, go your way. No arranger keyboard offers both a true piano touch and sound realistic. So master keyboard + plugins is for the best time of
solutions, knowing that technology is changing every day, but a real piano is also very well ...
-If it is to play in a band, no interest, knowing that the drummer, guitar, trumpet, harp, violin ... play better than you (at least I hope)!
-If it is to play alone or accompany a singer, then it's interesting.
The sounds are digital but nice. The styles are well made and can quickly create a project that can itself be informative.
At the time when the computer is ubiquitous in all areas, it is best not to over invest in equipment that will quickly become obsolete and will sell five times below the purchase price. For psr s950, its price seems high. We are in the mid-mid-generation computer instrument also be patient to turn, like with windows. However, in its original configuration, it is much higher for example Korg PA600, which is closer to the toy, which was temporarily stopped production due to many bugs.
In conclusion, good camera, as interesting as the Tyros, but a bit pricey

The technical features are described in the previous review.

I only want to emphasize something:

EVOLUTION /

The DSP effects that allow you to get a very flattering sound, the piano sound has gained depth and realism, although it still can't compete with the big names, the distorted guitars gained some grit, the brasses are finally credible (the smooth brass sound is awesome)

The synth and electric piano sounds have improved since the psr s910

The new audio tracks in the styles are stunning, but too rare (you can expect optional paid packs coming soon...)

The vocal harmonizer is very nice (it's a pity that it doesn't have a dedicated effects processor, because when the other parts use effects, you can only adjust the reverb and chorus)

The amplification is better than that of the previous generation and the fact that the line outputs don't mute the internal amp is very good news, because you still have the built-in speakers.

Thank you yamaha for allowing styles of previous generations to still work on the new models.

The audio editor is very powerful, but I still haven't found a use for it, though.


CRITICISMS /

The keyboard is still too soft and not very pleasant for a pianist. When will there be a weighted-key version?

The black finish is nicer than the gray of the s710/910, but less practical because it's harder to read the functions.

The design is flattering, but it's made of a plastic that isn't as nice as that of its eldest (and economic decision, surely...)

UTILIZATION

People who are familiar with the brand will feel at home. Everything evolved, but nothing change it terms of control, which is very nice, it's similar but better.

This keyboard is fine for all sorts of music, the samples aren't as good as on the yamaha motif pro series, but objectively speaking, it does the job.

The S950 is great for a small combo and it's spectacular amplified, with an irreproachable stereo width.

Lightweight, easy to use and to make it sound.

Overall opinion 9/10
I bought my 950 last December.

I'm an experienced musician and I also play with an 88-note MOTIF (very good, but very heavy). I previously had a PSR S710, which I liked for its lightness and programming ease.

I'm thrilled with the 950 whenever I go out and can actually play a keyboard that is just as light but more powerful.

The first review, which is very critical, seems unfair to me. The 950 is a very good arranger but it will never replace a pro piano, it's aimed at the general public and can be used by pros who want to use good-sounding accompaniments for a fair price.

The number of functions can be disconcerting for beginners, even if the internal styles allow you to indulge yourself very quickly.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought my 950 in December.

I am a musician experienced, also playing on a MOTIF 88 notes (very good but very heavy to carry), I had one previously PSR S710 that I appreciated for its lightness and ease of programming.

With the 950 I'm thrilled to go play with a keyboard still lighter and more efficient.

The first opinion seems to me very unfair criticism, the 950 is a great arranger but it will not replace a keyboard pro is the public that can be used by professionals who want a base and accompanying sounds fair price.

For beginners the number of functions can be confusing, even if the internal styles can have fun very quickly.

• 61 dynamic-note piano
• 5.7" TFT color screen
• 1564 sounds and 408 styles
• 25 audio styles
• Super articulation
• Extension packs
• Audio recording via USB & mp3 playback
• Advanced audio functions
• Mic input & vocal harmonizer
• 2 x 15 W

UTILIZATION

I am here to "speak up for" the PSR S950, which comes out pretty bad in the previous review.

I bought it new for approximately $2200 in December 2012. I used to have a PSR 3000 and I can certify that Yamaha has introduced real improvements, both in terms of sounds and functions, on this instrument, including many of the Tyros 3, especially when it comes to sounds.
I am musically inclined towards commercial music (rock, folk and a bit of jazz-blues). I have no interest in electronic music so, consequently, Yamaha's more traditional styles and sounds suit me perfectly. One of the rare defects that can I point out is that it lacks "factory" accompaniment styles in 3/4, but it's not really a deal-breaker, because I can always create my own with the Style Creator. (In this regard, I think Roland is the one that sounds more European, but the pianos of the brand currently lag slightly behind the competition). Sigh! There's also Ketron, which is excellent…end very European, but it costs more or less the same as a Tyros 4!!
Let's focus now! I really like the sounds with super articulation: Their realism comes through very well, depending on the touch. By the way, I'd say the keyboard is all right, but nothing more.
The organs are also pretty good. I used to hate that my PSR 3000 didn't have any settings to resemble as closely as possible a Leslie speaker. Yamaha has solved that issue with the PSR.S950 which provides several parameters to emulate quite successfully the magical sound of a Hammond with Leslie.
I also like the Audio USB function, which allows you to listen to MP3 files, to play along and also to record a song (performance) in Wav format. This allows you to listen to it immediately on an MP3 player, for instance.
Learning to use it was pretty straightforward for me, because it is very similar to my PSR 3000. Besides, I had already tried a friend's Tyros 3 and, as I mentioned before, the PSR S950 has almost the same accompaniment styles. What's more, I "borrowed" from it the ones that the PSR S950 lacks, because it can read them perfectly.

OVERALL OPINION

I'm happy with the PSR S950, given its sounds and quality, especially considering the price. I nevertheless find regrettable Yamaha's unfortunate commercial approach, not being very generous with additional styles nor sounds, which you can nevertheless buy online from the manufacturer.
And one last remark: During the test, ask the shop assistant to connect it to a small PA system or two active speakers. The stereo image is superbly accomplished and the sonic performance is amazing. What I did is try it out with a set of 2x75 W speakers. It's a real delight to have at home a good, round low end, enveloping synth pads, etc.
However, the keyboard has two "bass reflex" built-in speakers that deliver 2x 15 watts, which is all right to cover a medium-sized room, office or similar.
I'll finish now with the vocal harmonizer, which allows you to sing with a choir, made up of...your own voice. My old PSR 3000 already had this feature. It's simply stunning!

I would buy it again without hesitation and I hope I could reassure those hesitating before buying the arranger. It's a good instrument aimed at amateur (but demanding) musicians.

Soundkid

Images linked to this review

Low-end arranger keyboard? But sold as a high-end product by the manufacturer.

Forget the super articulation, it's just a marketing gimmick. On this model!
The samples are not the same as on the tyros and other motifs.

61 dynamic-note piano
• 5.7" TFT color screen
• 1564 sounds and 408 styles
• 25 audio styles
• Super articulation
• Extension packs
• Audio recording via USB & mp3 playback
• Advanced audio functions
• Mic input & vocal harmonizer
• 2 x 15 W

Composite video output

61 toy-like keys. they are not micro-keys, but they aren't like those of a roland or other synths, they are smaller, without spring, not as wide nor long, without aftertouch. Hardly one velocity

It has an effects section, a sequencer to record audio (MP3 or Wav)
usb A B
midi in midi out
External power supply... That says it all
Headphone output on the front, instrument/mic input on the rear
R/L line output that doesn't mute the internal speakers

400+ styles and 1000+ sounds, according to the manufacturer.

Don't be fooled by the audio styles. It's just smoke and mirrors, marketing. You can find better ones among the normal styles. Certain styles. Dance has drums and sound effects, but they are sampled analog drum machines!
It's nice to have an audio style with drums, but why resample the drums of an analog drum machine?
To add a used-vinyl effect?

If this is your first arranger, take a look at the Korg PA600, which is less expensive and all right. Its value for money is way better. Think secondhand. If the price is an important factor,
look somewhere else, the psr s 950 isn't for you.

Guitars are unplayable once you try to play some arpeggios.
The pianos are very poor, the clavinets acceptable, the organs decent
The access to the drawbars is exasperating

5 or 6 usable styles. Out of 400.
It has more than 1000 sounds. Right... Even with 2500 sounds, it wouldn't change anything.

UTILIZATION

It is crammed with buttons, like all their pianos. Black on black.

You need some light to be able to operate it.

The psr8000 is easier to use. The buttons are less tactile

Yes, you can modify sounds, but they are very poor from the start. You can't do much about it.
The screen is not touchscreen, but it has a good enough resolution for what it's needed for

It's far behind the tyros, even from tyros 3.

All in all, it's user-friendly, it's still a yamaha

The manual is superficial, which fits the product! Superficial.

OVERALL OPINION

I just received it. I was really excited about playing a yamaha arranger

I used to have a psr8000 (I sold it 2 years ago). I bought it back in '96 or '97, and it never disappointed me. I always had a blast with it until the day I sold it. The sounds remained always relevant (in terms of realism and playability), nothing to envy the newest products for.

I then switched to an akai MPK88 master keyboard and a Motif XS rack, a must-have
Both together are really pro. It's playing with the big boys. 88-weighted keys and the sounds of the motifs XS, it's a real delight whenever you press the keys.

And then I got the PSR S 950, it's a toy! It isn't even worth $800.
The sounds are very average.
It's still on the trial period, so I will obviously return it (I'll send it back to the store).

Regardless of whether I use headphones, my tascam monitors or the built-in speakers,
the sounds are shitty. They have no power, nor dynamics. It's a Bontempi.

But the worst is the keyboard itself, the size of the keys and their exasperating width!

I played in vain all evening long. Tomorrow it will be packed in its box and on its way back. Gone.

Korg and other brands offer better keyboards on their arrangers, plus they don't take their users as fools and offer plenty of free styles.

The s750 is much more worth it and it has the same sounds and keyboard as the s950. For a lower price. A rational buy.

The marketing gimmicks around the s950 do not justify its purchase.