We have done much research on Yamaha ypg-235 and present this review.
Touch Action 9.5/10 Sound 10/10 Design 9.0/10
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The Yamaha YPG 235 is a digital piano with 76-key semi-weighted keys. This is very affordable if you don't buy all of the accessories. If you're new to playing the digital piano or perhaps a parent that's unsure about making a large investment, this may be the ideal instrument for you home. All of the useful features that you need are there. This instrument is also portable enough to move around your home easily. The YPG 235 has plenty of extra sounds to choose from, sound effects, rhythm styles, and recording and playing. If you're happy with your investment, you can add the optional extras in later and enhance your playing experience further.
Besides, feel free to check our previous reivew of Best Yamaha 88 Key Digital Piano and Best Digital Piano With Weighted Keys.
The Yamaha YPG-235 has the GST action found on many other Yamaha digital pianos. This system makes the player use more force from their fingers on the lower notes and a lighter touch on the higher notes. This does a fairly good job at simulating the kind of key action that you would experience on a real acoustic piano. On a real piano, the lower bass notes are thicker and heavier strings. The hammer also requires more force to make them vibrate.
On real acoustic piano or a more premium digital piano, you would find a full 88-key keyboard. A 76-key keyboard can be a limitation for a few reasons, but it's a compromise that has to be weighed against the affordability of this instrument. Sadly, you don't get the very lowest and highest notes. The keys are also slightly narrower on the YPG-235. However, these "problems" must be put into perspective. A new player simply will not notice, and the transition to a more premium instrument later is not as problematic as you might imagine. Thanks to the aforementioned GST action a player moving to an acoustic or digital piano with a full sized 88-keys will be better prepared for the upgrade.
The dimensions of the instrument are 46" wide, 16.2" deep and 5.3" high, and it weighs 18.3 lbs. This keyboard can be battery powered with 6D batteries, and it's surprisingly portable. Adding the stand raises the height, and the instrument is finished in champagne gold. The LCD display shows information, such as the: selected sound, song, mode, tempo, and a hand "Song Lesson" function. This is a great feature; you can see the note on a graphic keyboard and the piano staff at the same time to making learning songs easier.
The Yamaha YPG 235 has the "AWM Stereo Sampling System" found on other Yamaha keyboards. The signature sound on any digital piano has to been a good recreation of an authentic sounding grand piano. Other sounds are simply icing on the cake. But, an instrument of this type needs to have piano sound that makes the most of the touch sensitive keybed. In this respect, the YPG delivers. The "Portable Grand" sound has its own dedicated button for easier navigation, and it sounds fantastic for an instrument at this price.
The TPG-235 has a total of 489 different instrument sounds to choose from, and this includes six piano sounds. Some notable examples include Trumpet, Soprano and Tenor Saxes, Organ, Honky Tonk, Pan Flute, and the Galaxy Electric Piano. These sounds can be further enhanced with 5 equalizer (EQ) settings, 4 chorus settings, and 9 different types of reverbs. Experimenting with these effects can really alter the sounds in pleasing ways. Finding the right sound for a project is also a lot of fun.
The Yamaha YPG 235 has a polyphony of 32-notes, which means that only 32 notes can by playing at any one time. Most users will find that this is more than sufficient to meet their needs. Even if a player was to layer a pair of sounds together and play with all 8 fingers and both thumbs at the same time, they could only play 20 notes at the same time. Of course, if you're an aspiring composer that wants to create complex arrangements, you should look for an arranger keyboard with at least 64-note polyphony.
The YPG-235 has a pair of built-in speakers. This is a 2-way speaker system consisting of a 6W + 6W amplifier. This is more than enough to play at home, but if you want to play live to an audience, you can use the stereo outputs to connect to a keyboard amplifier or even an external PA system.
The YPG 235 has the Performance Assistant and Yamaha Education Suite (Y.E.S.) to help players learn individual parts of songs, including pitch and rhythm settings. The player can play along with the keyboard using one hand and listen to the instrument play the other parts. If the player is reading music, there are three helpful aids. They are Waiting mode, Tempo mode, and Minus One mode.
Waiting mode will wait for the player to hit the correct note before continuing. Tempo mode adjusts the tempo of the piece to match the speed of the player. Minus One mode waits until the player has completed the entire piece and delivers a grading at the end.
Of course, these teaching aids are not a substitute for a real piano or keyboard tutor, but they can help a great deal.
There are two different playing modes to explore; they are: split and dual mode.
When you use split mode, you can divide the keyboard into two separate parts allowing you to play one instrument at the top and the other at the bottom. The split point is set at middle F, but you can alter the split point to a different note as needed.
Dual mode is the aforementioned sound layering feature to mix together two different sounds. This is a great way to play two instruments at the same time across the entire 72-key keyboard.
8.3 kg
Weight
76
Number of Keys
489
Number of Voices
32
Number of Polyphony
Conclusion
"The Yamaha YPG-235 is a very affordable way to get into playing a digital piano at home!"
This instrument is part of the Yamaha Portable Grand series, and it's the cheapest in that range. The keys offer touch sensitivity on most of the included voices with louder sounds if you press the key harder. The keys have a nice semi-weighted feel but they are slightly slimmer than those found on other instruments. The 489 included sounds are enhanced with the effects and layering to create interesting tones. The educational features are helpful and the 6 track recorder allows the user to create more complex pieces. This is a great beginner's instrument without spending too much, and it's capable of far more than many other keyboards at this price.