Here’s a complete review of the Yamaha MX61 61-Key Keyboard Production Station, a lightweight keyboard packed with amazing power. An attractive, entry level synth that beginners & intermediate players will appreciate.
Overview
If you have always wanted a live performance workhorse at a reasonable price, this is the one. It comes with over 1000 voices from the Motif sound-set (best part), vintage effects emulations, and easy on-the-fly splits and layers making it a performers delight.
The bet part is that Yamaha has managed to keep the price of this synth so low.
This Yamaha synthesizer offers a variety of sounds and voices, all at your fingertips. Doesn’t matter if you’re a professional or a serious beginner/intermediate level keyboard player, this is one synth you will love to have as a musician or a music lover.
Yamaha MX-61 Keyboard: Pros & Cons
Yamaha has not really reinvented the wheel here, but offers you an all-rounder keyboard that and gives you lots of features for a decent price. There is not much to criticize about this keyboard.
- Pros: Easy to use, Responsive action, Good audio, Accompaniments, DAW integration features
- Cons: No speakers. basic Sound editing. Plastic body.
- Best Uses: Accompaniment, Electronic music, Performing
The MX61 v2 from Yamaha replaces the MX61. MX61 v2 is a sixty-one key music synthesizer with over 1,000 MOTIF XS sounds, class-compliant USB Audio/MIDI connectivity, along with DAW control features and iOS integration.
Yamaha MX-61 Keyboard: Review
If you have been carrying around heavy 88-keys hammer-action synth/controller around to gigs, you will surely love this board. The pianos, organs, basses, all sound good. Very lightweight (but the action is still good), and very easy to use.
It looks like a budget MOX (plastic body), with similar voices, sound engine and specs, its a great performance keyboard. Would have preferred a slightly bigger screen to scroll through the various features (but for the price it’s decent enough).
The iPod aux in port makes rehearsing on headphones a breeze!
You can use the Yamaha MX keyboards as a basic stereo USB audio interface, it has respectable control surface functionality for most popular DAW software. It doesn’t have multitrack sequencing (for the price, it will not bother many), but there’s an app for that. Just add the Mobile Music Sequencer to your iPad, and it becomes quite a useful one.
The voices are great, especially the piano sounds (there is a very small handful of voices that seemed a bit lacking). You get full control over the performances and other settings and save them for fast recall.
Yamaha MX-61 Keyboard: Demo / Video Review
Watch: Video review of Yamaha MX61 & MX49 Synths.
Yamaha MX-61 Keyboard: Specs
Here are the main features of Yamaha MX61 61-Key Keyboard Production Station
- Its heavy on sounds but weighs under 11 Pounds (which is lightweight)
- Has VCM effects for vintage tones
- Over 1000 sounds at your finger tips, many from MOTIF series
- Easy split/layer performance mode
- 16-part multi timbral
- 128-note polyphony
- Has 128-notes
- Hands-on control for VSTs and DAWs
- Light in weight
- Software for music production included
Connectivity
- Features Bi-directional USB Audio/MID interfacing
- Functions as a 2-Channel Audio/1×1 MIDI Interface
- Offers analog and digital connectivity
- Unbalanced stereo output
- AUX In for external audio sources
- USB to Device Port and 1/8″ Stereo In
- 2 USB connections
- Connections for sustain and controller pedal
USB port can be used for memory stick from which audio and SMF files can be played back. The second port allows the Yamaha MX61 to be connected to either a DAW or the iPhone.
Yamaha MX-61 Keyboard: Buying Links & Prices
The Yamaha MX61 is a do-it-all synthesizer keyboard, its affordable and has great features. Top quality and wide variety of sounds, you can split, layer, and order them right at the gig. It offers a great selection of Motif sounds, is packed with features yet is lightweight and offers connectivity options through USB.
Buying Links
- [easyazon_link identifier=”B009US27CW” locale=”US” tag=”keytarhq04-20″ cart=”n”]Buy Yamaha MX61 61-Key Keyboard Production Station on Amazon[/easyazon_link]
- Buy Yamaha MX61 on zZounds
- Buy Yamaha MX61 Synthesizer on Musiciansfriend
Yamaha MX61 comes with professional sounds, effects, and performance features in a super-lightweight keyboard.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
Jessy says
What I like the most on the MX is the quality of the pianos, EP’s and Organs. This is a great second keyboard (can be even your main keyboard) for gigging. If you want an entry-level or second keyboard with highly-programmable synths and everyday sounds, DAW control capability, arpeggiator, the MX-61 is a good contender. Its light and portable.
Tan says
The MX is a nice keyboard but not great on build quality. The sounds are good, but not all of them. Documentation includes a 74 page Synthesizer Parameter Manual and 71 page Reference Manual.