An excellent, thorough, and very comprehensive review. I've viewed many videos of various brands but keep coming back to the SX900. There is a lot to like about this keyboard. From the touch screen to the user friendly layout. The expansive styles and ease of editing is key for me. Not to mention the vast number of very realistic voices. Budget is always a consideration and the more I learn the more I'm convinced the SX900 offers more "bang for buck" than any other comparably priced arranger on the market with similar capabilities. Thanks for digging into this one as thoroughly as you did.

I'm getting one after seeing this , it's just what I need. Thanks mate.

That's a brilliant presentation together with your keyboard performance. Thanks!

i watched this video already 10 times just because of you WONDERFUL playing. youre amazing!!!

Been saving up for this keyboard, been playing since I was 3, and music is basically like my life blood.

Love my SX900....great vid! New subscriber! :D

I stumbled upon your videos twice and subscribed. You do great reviews even though I don't have any of these keyboards.😀

I am very impressed with the PSR SX900 and learned from you about making the bass having to lower it down. 😮. I think I will love it is a great choice.

Nice demonstration. I have the 900 love it like you the strings so harsh would love to have some really warm strings thanks for your unbiased presentation .

Really enjoyed the presentation. I am a complete beginner, but did take piano lessons when I was very young. Unfortunately had my knuckles waked with a rule when I made a mistake. I as you can guess gave it away. I didn't fancy looking at 88 keys and having no inspiration. This tool is both creative, comprehensive and helps motivate you to practice. Your presentation was both honest, realistic and uplifting. I agree with your comments on the strings, they seem a little scratchy. Leigh whether you take this instrument to a professional level or simply use it as a form of relaxation and enjoyment, this instrument will satisfy a novice like me and a seasoned professional like yourself. Looked at the Genos 2 but is less portable and over double the price, a great upgrade if the skill warrant it. Thank you very much for a relaxed humours KZfaq presentation.

I love all these sounds on here, so impressed with PSR SX900, seriously decided on this, either new or second hand.

Really love the way you reviewed.... really really love it

Hi, Leigh, you’ve done a wonderful job with this sx900. Very explanatory. It’s made me want to get mine back out from under it’s cover. ❤

Beautiful Skills ! ! ! Amazing Instrument ! ! !

I loved my 8000 as well, Leigh🎉

Another honest, informative and brilliant review Leigh. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience and knowledge of the SX900. In the World styles I am curious to know if Yamaha has decided to include "Hawaiian" which I have loved in the past on previous PRS models I've owned over the years. I've been thinking about buying a Genos but am impressed by what I see and hear on the SX900.

I was given an SX900 for my 80th birthday, love it of course, but your video has re awakened my need for deeper knowledge, especially intros and Pitch bend on Steel guitar. When do you start reviewing VSTs? There is lots to do . . . .Woody Piano shack cant do them all. ( although he is great too) many thanks.

Hi Leigh, very nice video. Enjoyed to watch. Really comprehensive review of voices and styles for sure :) Also liked your style of playing. Thanks a lot! Having said that, maybe its worth to focus more on functionality and the features of the instrument to talk more about its strong and weak sides from that perspective as well. Just a friendly suggestion, thanks a lot again :)

Thank you for providing excellent informative and educational videos without backing down or pandering. I currently own a Tyros 3, a Yamaha MODX 6, and a Roland FA-07 but for gigs I only use the Roland & MODX. The band is a 5 piece guitar, drums, bass, keyboards, and female lead singer playing originals and covers such as Heart, Fleetwood Mac, & Tina Turner. Based on your videos I have decided to purchase either the SX-900 or Genos 2. I appreciate your recommendation and if you can confirm if the psr sx-900 has new and updated features the new Yamaha genos 2 does not have and would be better for stage and writing. My decision is not restricted to price or additional costs but application. I love the Genos new SA articulation especially the sax growls and soulful articulation and your demo was excellent on both. I need a heavy rock guitar distortion for both soaring leads and realistic heavy rock rhythms. Thank you for your recommendations and keep up your realistic no nonsense videos.

Great video! I ordered an SX700 yesterday and it should arrive Wednesday. I'll be using it mainly for church services, and possibly some restaurant gigs if I decide to persue that type of thing. I've performed for a really long time with my own MIDI backing tracks, and looking back now, my tracks were way over produced and had way too many parts. I kind of feel that way with these arranger styles out of the box, so I plan to mute most everything except the drums, bass, maybe a pad at the most, just enough to compliment live piano and vocals. More like a three piece group instead of an orchestra. I think this is a better match to the presentation of a solo musician.

Many, many thanks for this totally frank video and appraisal of the SX900. Twenty-Five or so years ago, I had a couple of Yamaha keyboards and I am onw looking at buying another, after not doing very much at all during the intervening years, keyboard-wise. The direct result of watching your presentation is some concerted saving! What a product! Thanks again. Nige

Lieber Leigh, dieses Video habe ich einige Male angesehen, angehört. Für mich als Hobby Musiker, der Musik nicht studiert hat, und nach Feierabend ein wenig Ablenkung sucht, ist es sehr hilfreich gewesen. Ich habe mir das keyboard gekauft und bin absolut auf deiner Seite, dieses baby klingt fantastisch, die styles sind super, alles passt sehr gut. Bin sehr zufrieden auch mit der verbesserten Tastatur gegenüber meinem alten Tyros 2, sehr gut. Lieben Dank für dieses ausführliche Video

I have a yamaha psr sx700 and i am delighted with it. 😊

The song at 45 minutes is called "On Broadway" made famous by The Drifters. Dave Clark Five did it too.

The song at 45:38 you did not remember is 'On Broadway' by Georges Benson - btw nice review of SX900,

I’m a proud owner of one of these. In my opinion, it’s excellent all round. I know in someways what you mean in reference to the joystick instead of the wheels though I don’t mind the joystick.

Serious chops !! Hard to imagine how this instrument can be improved.

A 9.8 rating from a Genos owner -- that's a high recommendation for sure. Thanks for the review.

Thank you for that brilliant demonstration. The thing is, I have just bought one. I am getting pretty old & suffer from arthritis, so I can no longer use the fretboard on either my 12 string Honer guitar or my Les Paul style electric. Neither can I use wind instruments as I used to. So I thought that if I bought a synthesiser or a similar keyboard, I could set it up to play most of what I was used to doing using less dexterity. Fortunately I phoned a couple of music stores; but it was Bonners ŵho explained to me that I needed an arranger keyboard, so I asked what he thought would be a versatile and capable machine. He recommended the PSR SX700 or 900. It happened that they had an Sx900 demonstrator, which they were selling as second hand for £1450 - it still had the original packaging & all the accessories, so I decided to go for it. I just can’t believe the capabilities that this keyboard has - hichb is why I enjoy watching your videos, because you demonstrate ideas which I haven’t bought of myself! The problem is that the hours just seem to slip by, when you become absorbed with trying different aspects of playing.

The effect on the guitar in the western style is a single rotor Lelsie speaker. Fender made a single rotor "Leslie." Beatles used this in Lucy in the Sky.

A masterclass in playing none of the written notes, but it sounds like the song. Brilliant!😉

you have such a relaxed style of play which i can only admire and wish i could play.

I have watched countless videos about this arranger to make a decision to replace my PSR S700 (which I still love). I played with it at a local Guitar Center a couple of times and surprisingly I was even able to improvise perhaps about four times or more comparing with when playing with my S700. I suspect the quality of the sounds and the styles made a big difference. They are more realistic. Your presentation is THE best in every aspect including your talent. Truly amazing. Thank you for sharing!

Yamaha really broke a barriere with the Revo drums and "real" sampled instrument frases with the Genos. It totally blows everything away that tried this in the past including BiaB. It simply sounds waay more realistic. I agree that those Bigband Swing/Jazz and Latin styles is a bit "over the top" for a solo Musician, but never the less, its pretty amazing when you think of Arrangers back in the 80's and 90's I've been thru many Yamaha's and Roland E-series boards thru the years. My first arranger that replaced my FS-70 Organ which was 122kg heavy 😵‍💫 was a Yamaha PSR6300. And I remember it was not the sounds or drums that made me switch but purely the weight 😅It's pretty amazing what these smaller models packs of sound today.

You are an expert at your work.

It has a lovely sound the sx900.

Sir Leigh, I have been in the Yamaha scene for ages now (yep, I can say that at 60 :P ). Started with the PSR730 (after 6 years of Roland E70). Then got a Tyros 3 (that full, rich sounds I still miss today). Then I had the opportunity to buy a *new* keyboard (the other Tyros was second hand) which was the Tyros 4. I've had that one for more than 6 years I guess. Lovely, but in some ways a 'thinner' sound than the T3. And then I wanted to upgrade. Had the option to go for a new SX900 or a second had Tyros 5. After listening and watching the reviews I went for the Tyros 5. The keys themselves are marvellous, and I feared going to miss the SA2 on the SX900. I have the Tyros 5 now for 3 years (gosh, all in all when you count that up I *am* old ) and it is only after watching your video here yesterday evening and this afternoon, that I might in hindsight have made the wrong choice. Well, not completely. My wife has had severe brain strokes 20 years ago, and has regained the joy of playing the keyboard on the Tyros 3 and on. She is, even in it's 'lots of buttons' style, very used to the layout on the Tyrosses. I think changing to the touch screen and completely new menu on the SX900 would have been quite an obstacle for her. She is -due to the strokes- not that easy in changing / adapting or coping with it. However, if I had the option to buy an sx900 as *extra* keyboard, after your review I would have done that yesterday :-) I LOVE your honesty. Might not fully agree, but you tell it exactly as it is for you. Thanksa again!

Love it ❤

awesome video!!! i want to ask tho how i can learn the chords you are playing for example at 1:25. it's pretty hard to see on the video and i couldnt find any tutorial on those chords. I would love a name of the usen chords and maybe a tutorial on how to play them. only the fingers

:) Very detailed and enlightening review. How is it to,play 61 keys instead of 73/76 or 88? (Written early in the review). It sounds amazing. Looks like it’s very powerful.

Are all of the fx without the use of a sustain pedal? Great sounds and playing. Love the Ennio Morricone style piece really special that.

Nice sounding instrument. I imagine it would be a nice companion for the MODX+ I tried find more information about the chord looper, that is what interest me the most, the limitations on it, can I pre program a whole song? And how many songs can I have in there in total if there is such limitation? So I dont need be bothered triggering the chords manually but can use both my hands playing on the modx+ and the keyboard. Oh I must add that I am mainly a singer/vocalist and not a keyboard player and what draws me to this keyboard is the possibility to use it as a backing band...for my singing. I dont see myself playing the melody line as that is something I would use my own voice to do.

Yamaha Strings…. I remember Music Fear in Frankfurt at the 80s. George Fleury said „ Sorry for the Bad quality of the Strings, but some of the musicians are ill. The old Electone Organs. (Fleury was One of the best Demonstrator for Yamaha)

Mr. Leigh, your video is so well done. Your playing is great. I have the SX-900 as well and was wondering how you are recording this. The sound quality is outstanding. I totally agree with you about the joy stick!

I'm going to get my X900. Your video is really Interesting. Please, is it possible to change any Style intro chords progression?

Hi Leigh, I have a Yamaha PSR SX900, just wonder if you could point me in the right direction on what &SB 2.0 to HDMI adaptor you use for your monitor, I have tried a couple and they don't seem to work. any advice wil be gratefully accepted. Many thanks in advance , regards Herbie

I actually love the strings.

Don't worry Leigh Genos 2 is on the way. Expect very much to be hearing you demonstrate that one too.

I like the way this review is presented. It is entertaining and interesting for those who might be considering getting a PSR SX900 keyboard. FYI, I think there are 3 buttons for Intro and Ending. The one labelled with 1 will be the shortest intro.

Hi Leigh, I watch your vids with a great deal of interest and really appreciate your efforts in enlightening users on the keyboards. As I recently acquired the SX900 I wondered if you might help me with a problem that I can't seem to fathom. As you rightly say, the process of using the basic stuff is straight forward and relatively easy, but this is the problem I have. When attempting to use Playlist I am unable to add to it. I have followed your examples but have had no success. When in a Style I press the playlist tab and a blank page appears, I open a New playlist which opens with the heading Reg Bank page 1 with just User showing on the left. The top bar shows User but only Cancel is highlighted. If I touch User on the left nothing happens. I had previously after following the reg. process loaded songs into the Style User page which if I'm correct is where the song would be taken from and placed into the Playlist when selected, but nothing happens when highlighting the song to be moved and the page remains blank. All that appears on the right hand side of the New playlist page is Add Record, List, ( that does nothing when pressed )Search and Append. Menu just provides for Register freeze which is off. Totally perplexed...any suggestions please. Many thanks David.

I love what your playing but I alike the piano sounds and organ sounds and harmony sounds

The Roland E-80 has s fantastic and yes I gladly owned a stunning PSR-800 released late 1997. The E-80 Roland if I recall dates back to the early 2000s.

Yes, a good way of stating your review,...its just less than the Genos..not lesser in quality of sounds...

If you think the strings in the Yamaha is overcompressed, you never heard the ones in the Roland E-A7! :D The other thing about the strings: the SX900 is the first instrument that has such solo string patches (violin, cello) that I don't find to be a joke and awful! (The ones that were omitted from the SX700. :) )

Excelent !

Thank you for this most enlightening video! I am looking at the little brother to this machine, the SX 700. I'm wondering if this keyboard can be made to play a style by itself. I was thinking that I might use this keyboard as an accompaniment machine to play background to my guitar. I like to dabble a little with the guitar and I thought some of the styles might be conducive to play along with. Can I loop a style and let it play for as long as I want or at least for some length of time? Thank you again for this great video.

Leigh ... PLEASE help me find a source for learning the chord sequences you effortlessly play in this review. I have the Genos and just bought the SX-900. At 81 years of age still consider myself a music hobbyist and so seek more information to help me grow as I practice, practice, practice. So, chord sequences on the staves? Where can I find some good ones for ballad-type music and latin, please. Also would love to have a source for improving fingerings. Thank you. ... Frederick

This just adds to my previous discussions on FB about the Korg PA1000 - as an ex Yamaha organist I'm still fighting a battle trying to get used to the Korg system. Getting there, but now wishing I had stuck to my guns and got the SX900 in the first place. So much so that I'm looking to take the hit on the PA1000 and sell/trade it in!

Awesome review. Does anyone knows if sx900 contains canun,santoor,oud,oriental strings and other oriental voices and styles? Similar with 1.06 in the video

Do you know of "Lovers Concerto" played on a keyboard demo on KZfaq anywhere?

Just to be curious, how good are the Keybed on this compared to the Genos ? I checked the MoDX out compared to the Montage, and Being used to play on Premium boards mostly this was a game changer for me, both missing aftertouch and the poor quality of the keybed on the MoDX made this an absolutely nogo for me even it basically was a Montage at half the price

Hi Leigh, great playing, had the SX900 since late 2019 and absolutely love it. Only scratched the surface of it's capabilities. Regarding the comment about the style endings being dragged out could you not just hit Ending 1 rather than 3 ?

Super key board..i like...

Do you have to do editing to get decent piano tone or are good when they are stock?

Hi Leigh Enjoy your review about the sx900 (I have both sx900 and genos Totally agree with you the only thing it annoys me is that the style are all scattered around in the sx900 on the genos there are more categories and makes more sense but then again the its half price I also love its powerful speakers and also blueetooth is spot on works everytime Thanks very much God bless !!!!!

Hi, Leigh, are you using the onboard speakers in this video 😁

Just got one, and I'm loving it, even the joy-stick is better for me than the old wheels but that might be because I'm principally a guitarist and the pitch bending and modulation on one thing suits me.

The joystick vs seperate pb and mod wheel will always be like a religious question. Either you like the one or the other. I'd be happy if they just choose between the standard design of those 2 variants and don't go make Nord style wheels or other strange "retro" knobs like Yamaha's own awfull "old radio" style knobs in the YC series. I know its logically to assign the rotor fast/slow to the mod wheel, but I'd rather have a couple of effect buttons placed beside the mod/pb wheel for this. The problem is mostly on budget boards where you don't have a lot of assignable controller jacks on the back where you can just use a standard damper or switch pedal for specific things. In the old PSR models you had a button placed very unlogically right of the display to switch effect settings which was also unpractically placed. As a longtime both Yamaha and Korg Fanboy I can use any of the mod/pb solutions tho I admit if your goimg to use them for eg. orch software libraries the wheels definetly is the best solution, but for eg those leadguitar sounds the joystick solution is great as you habe both bend and mod on the same "stick"

thank you for this vidio but i don't know how can i modifie the voice ...i think there is an effect

Nice reviews as always! Am a user of the psr sx600 and my question is, would i be shocked of my seat in comparison to the psr sx900? (Its big price jump and the psr sx600 is newer but the entry level in the psr sx series)

53:54 Concert Guitar Amazing

I have a SX 900 for a while now and although the speakers are good as they are , i do like to fiddle. I seen somewhere you did recommend Yamaha HS8 speakers for a Genos i believe. Would this beef up my SX using those with a small sub. Thanks

Thanks

Joystick is important in any keyboard. I do not agree to remove it at all. specially for electric expressive guitar player that love to excite the guitar. You should say to add wheels if you prefer but not to eliminate it completely. YAMAHA KEEP THE JOJSTICK ON!!

Hello. My first Yamaha was also a PSR 8000. I still owns it. But very soon I want to replace it with a SX 900. Normally I play my Tyros 5, but for little sessions or to transport it to practise its too big. And the Built in Sprleakers are big enough for little Sessions or if i use it at Church. Its so funny, you play the titles a little bit wrong because of the Gema? Es ist sehr lustig, wenn sie die Originaltitel immer extra etwas verfälschen..🤣😉

I mean Yamaha products are incredible but your playing is awesome too! i know you dont like the word awesome, but your playing is pretty nice -

I have got a psr 700 but can’t find how to record …can you help?

Great performance and review there Leigh! Actually, I am selling mine because I am not comfortable with the key bed. The black notes are producing this click noise as if you're pressing keys on an old computer keyboard. Not to mention it really can't handle those organ slide techniques. When I slide, it become physically very noisy. I have like 4 or 5 white keys started to become a bit loose. Yes, it's half the price but honestly I think it's still expensive for such cheap key bed. And I agree with you about this flipping joystick. Looking forward to get myself a Korg Pa5x but it's still not available in my country, bloody inflation! The import is stopped by an order from the government. I really don't know what other options are available. Even the existing Genos units is out of stock! but I prefer to stay away from Yamaha in general. The Korg build is pretty solid for harsh circumstances! I am just not sure about its key bed yet but I saw lots of positive feedback about it. Thanks for the review ;)

you are an an amazing player I just bought this keyboard few weeks ago bit stuck on how to use it after having the yamaha psr910 what is the name of the song you just played

If the price was lower would the great, of course I Love the Genos 1 and 2 .

Just wondering are these very difficult to use effectively?maybe compared to korg pa5x

Co.pared to old psr 3000 with many karokee accomp and harmony vocals .should i up grade thanks buddy

Can i insert Genos TVBlockBuster style in this keyboard?

Thank you SO VERY MUCH for this unbiased review. Those comparisons you made to the Genos who invaluable. I'm in the Markey for an arranger keyboard, but the Genos is a bit out of my price range. I've been looking at other brands in a $2,500 price range, but I always seem to come back to the SX900. I think this video sealed the deal!! 🙂

I hear if you press the End button twice it will make the ending shorter.

amazing keyboard i can see you like Gary Moore, you are a fabulous Peformer.

Top

I do hope I get a Bargain soon Leigh I’m getting Antsy!! “Maybe there is a song about being Antsy!!! That would be cute!!!

what about Medelli?this comes in 76 keys as well as the Genos?

Well, I've just upgraded from my aging PSR s950 ! First dislike, black registration buttons where it's difficult to see the numbers...the S950 had white buttons easily visible on a dark stage ., black buttons on a dark stage ! Who thought that was a good idea ?

Very Beatifull endeed. 😊❤

Does this model have the same Pipe Organ sounds as the Genos?

Which master eq settings are you using?

Like to see micro tonal scales lol

Thank you for providing what is surely a thorough review! In the interest of those who might not be willing to invest an hour and a quarter, would you please add bookmarks, or at least a brief table showing which facets of the keyboard are covered at different time stamps in the review? The SX900's Chord recognition, in particular, is something that I would like to hear your thoughts about. Thank you!

How compared with psr 5000 asian sounds added

Great playing! Yamaha should hire you as their demo button musician.

Once youve heard Game of Thrones on the GENOS. Its game over for everything else.

Wish i can play like you.

Thanks for your review. I actually like the newer joystick, it just takes a flick, while the old wheel type was way more cumbersome. The on board strings can be layered using all 3 right hand string sounds, add DSP and customize to your liking then saved to a registration. Or choose from literally hundreds of string sounds available for free. Here is my example using Movie and Show Free Play styles: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ptZ3rKV8z9W8m2g.html No it's not a Genos, but close and at half the price.