Yamaha PSS 390 - In depth demo and story of my 1st ever synth!

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[@poco_a_poco_music]

Found one in a charity shop yesterday. 12 quid. I love it.

[@whiskyandsynths]

Aw yes that is a total bargain!!!! Sounds amazing on its own but also great the pedals or fx plug ins in your DAW of choice too

[@nrgjayden8887]

hi I have this keyboard at home but what do you put in the hole next to the power plug at the back of The keyboard that says headphone jack do you have to plug a speaker into the headphone jack hole

[@poco_a_poco_music]

@@nrgjayden8887 You could plug headphones into it. Or a speaker

[@ragnorremix8426]

Your little finger​@@nrgjayden8887

[@bestrickie2]

The demo your creating near the end sounds like a distorted electric guitar. Excellent stuff. I’ve had a PSS-680 and others with the stunning digital synth. Excellent via your EFX processor.

[@bestrickie2]

EFX processors TOTALY enhance these vintage keyboards and VASTLY improve the sound.

[@whiskyandsynths]

Yeah, adding fx makes things even more interesting!

[@pyrodblaze5550]

Is there a way to add a piano sample to pss 390... Maybe by using realtime audio to midi plugins or someway... Please help if you know... Great video 👍

[@whiskyandsynths]

Hi! I don't think the pss 390 can have samples loaded into it. There are no inputs on the keyboard - no midi, usb or audio inputs. As far as I am aware all of the sounds are synthesized in it apart from maybe the drums. You might need to look at other options for this!

[@pyrodblaze5550]

@@whiskyandsynths thanks for the reply

[@tomsgig-taxi5577]

Sorry, Dave...due to time issues I can't view this whole video on the PSS-390, but how about it's recording functionality? Some of these small YAMAHAs can 'record' but if I press 'record' on my PSS-290 there always starts a style/rhythm simultaneously when I press any key. I need to have a small (YAMAHA) keyboard with recording and also transpose functionality. I need it to check the intonation while playing trumpet in our bicycle compartment in the cellar :). Also I want to record melodies or harmonies to reproduce them simultaneously, or to improvise over chord sequences. In the BEST CASE, the keyboard does not only have a recording functionality, but also a loop function. Any ideas?! Thanks! Tom

[@whiskyandsynths]

Hey! Good question and it's something I didn't cover. The PSS390 can record in music. But, it is unquantised to a beat - unless you play it in with one of the beat presets playing. And it wont loop, it will only play as long as you play it in for, then stop. But it can have 3 layers of recordings playing which is nice. I used to use it as a compositional tool - EG record in a chord sequence and play it over and over, then play it back and jam melodies over it. Hope this answer helps! PS in regards to having a rhythm start simultaneously , I think this happens on the PSS390 too, but check the mode it is in, and make sure the "intro" button isnt pressed.... I think there is a way to have that not happen, but I actually found it useful!

[@tomsgig-taxi5577]

@@whiskyandsynths Thanks for answering that quickly, Dave!. I long to buy another keyboard except the PSS-290 and return that one to the seller. To me it's enough to have a keyboard without loop function, but with a 'freestyle' recording function. I can always take my laptop and midi keyboard (Ableton Life 9, AKAI LPK25 Midi keyboard) with all it's opportunities, but in the bike compartement, there is no electric power, yet... Would you recommend it for recording of melodies, scales and chords the 'free' way without beeing accompanied by 'rhythm' or 'style' automatically? Three layers of recording ('tracks', if you will...?) are ok, too.

[@whiskyandsynths]

@@tomsgig-taxi5577 yeah im pretty sure it can record it in a free way, not chained to a rythm pattern! Long time since i did that but i remember u can. There are 3 banks to store recordings. But to correct my post i think these are 3 individual banks for Recordings, not 3 layers. Hope that helps

[@tomsgig-taxi5577]

@@whiskyandsynths Well, three banks is ok, too. On ebay, there is one of these PSS-390 in an auction. I long to return my PSS-290 and get a 390, that's why...thx!

[@whiskyandsynths]

@@tomsgig-taxi5577 yeah pss390 sounds the best too, because under the hood its got a 4 operator chip, whereas most have a 2, so it means the sounds are richer :) just try selling on your old one, someone out there will want it!

[@x8slider]

Fun quiz. What does a 1JZ-/2JZ VVTI engine HEAD, an original Mega Drive and this keyboard have in common? . . . . . YAMAHA quality of course 😍 And they all took 40 years to be fully appreciated. I’m new to keyboards but my research suggests that you started on a damn good and underrated keyboard. I can’t afford a Dx7 yet, and these are 1/10 the price. Easy choice! Thanks for laughs and your jacket is sick as well mate 👌 subbed

[@whiskyandsynths]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting Ren! Hope you enjoy whatever keyboard you go for! I am going to do more gear reviews like this in the future and I promise to keep wearing vintage clothes lolll