In the early days, portable keyboards were often viewed as being for beginners, children, and young people—being portable and requiring no special knowledge or advanced playing techniques, they were not seen as serious instruments. The release of the PS-6100 in 1984 took the image of portable keyboards in a new direction.

First and foremost was a major change in the number of keys. Up to that point, portable keyboard models had a maximum of 49 keys, as more would have compromised their portability and simplicity. The PS-6100 was the first model to have 61 standard-sized keys, the same number as the DX7 synthesizer, which had become a worldwide hit since its release in the previous year. Having 61 keys meant the PS-6100 was up to the task of serving as a professional keyboard. And with a case designed by Italian architect and designer Mario Bellini, the PS-6100 fashioned a completely new image of portable keyboards. As the pinnacle of keyboards, it took on the name “Keyboardissimo” and represented the culmination of Yamaha’s electronics technology at the time.

The PS-6100 had the same FM tone generator as the DX7 and a PCM rhythm generator, and also supported MIDI—then on a meteoric rise to becoming the technical standard for exchanging performance data between electronic musical instruments regardless of manufacturer—and even came with a MIDI Handbook in addition to the instruction manual. In fact, at that time, none of the company’s synthesizers even had a multi-timbral tone generator capable of receiving multiple MIDI channels (such a thing could only be done on the TX816 with its multiple tone generator modules). Like other keyboards, the PS-6100 could only receive and transmit one type of data: whether keys were on (pressed) or off (released). However, it could receive multiple channels for volume control, allowing individual MIDI control of Orchestra Upper, Orchestra Lower, Solo, Bass, Chords, and Rhythm, and could also switch between rhythm patterns.

At 220,000 yen, the PS-6100 was more than 50,000 yen pricier than the PC-1000, the most expensive model to that point. However, it could play six different Voices (including rhythm) simultaneously and had an Auto Bass Chord function, a Music Programmer function for recording, and other functions that would normally require a separate piece of hardware called a MIDI sequencer. Given that a single instrument offered all of this, the cost was quite reasonable compared to the 248,000-yen price tag for the DX7. However, the guaranteed memory storage period for the Music Programmer function at the time was only five days; storing data any longer required a tape recorder with a cassette interface (i.e., the data needed to be recorded as audio). Although unthinkable today, this specification speaks to the fact that the product was created using the most advanced technology available at the time.

The following year, 1986, saw the introduction of the PSR-6300, which retained the folding control panel of the PS-6100. Although priced at 218,000 yen—similar to the PS-6100—the PSR-6300 was where Yamaha’s more music production-oriented approach began to emerge. One revealing feature was the Rhythm Step Light function. Until that point, to create and record original accompaniment, music programmers needed to select a basic rhythm pattern and play the accompaniment on the keys in real time while the rhythm pattern was playing. The resolution at the time was 32nd notes, so if the timing was off during the recording or if programming started before phrases were finalized, programmers could become flustered by their own rhythms and find themselves at a dead end. Rhythm Step Light made it possible for people to input rhythms even if they could not perform them in real time.

In fact, the Rhythm Light function was revolutionary in that it leveraged the distinguishing concept of portable keyboards—using the keys to input data. Printed above the keys of the PSR-6300 were icons of the drum Voices used to play percussion. Numbers 1 through 32 were printed over the keys on the left half; each key represented a step in two measures of 16th notes (16 x 2 = 32) and could be used to input the number assigned to it. For example, to input a bass drum sound on every quarter note, the user would hold the bass drum key on the right and then press the 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, and 29 keys on the left. The numbered keys of the PSR-6300 functioned in precisely the same way as the matrix input screens on drum machines. LCD screens were not widely used at the time, so providing this kind of user interface required a control panel to have dedicated buttons and switches. In that context, using the keys instead of buttons and switches was a stroke of brilliance.

Behind the adoption of this “non-real-time” input method of pressing keys to make music was Yamaha’s intent to make it easier for more people to enjoy music, and also the impact of DTM, or “desktop music,” which would later become popular in Japan. Indeed, from this moment on, portable keyboards would be more than musical instruments to be played in the traditional sense—they would also incorporate elements of music production.

The PSR-6300 was also compatible with data storage on RAM cartridges, a significant improvement over the previous tape recorder interface (which it was also equipped with).

Remarkable technological advances enhanced the sequencer, synthesizer, and MIDI functions of portable keyboards. Now loaded with so many advanced features, portable keyboards became more complicated, presenting a steep hurdle to beginners and children in particular. Yamaha would enhance the PSR series to move away from these problems and return the focus to portable keyboards as instruments to be played. One major change in tone generator specifications was the introduction of the Dual Architecture Synthesis System (DASS) tone generator. Although high-end portable keyboards at the time had FM tone generators, they also had PCM rhythm generators for sampling (the technique of digitally recording the sounds of actual instruments) to capitalize on the popularity of the technique and the ease of obtaining realistic sounds (sounds similar to those of live instruments). Sampling percussion instruments is relatively easy; bass drums, snare drums, tambourines, and other percussion instruments only require one recording because the sounds do not last very long and each instrument emits one or only a few pitches. In contrast, sampling a piano requires a huge amount of data given the longer profile of each note and the fact that samples need to be taken for each of the 88 keys and how intensely they are played. At the time, memory was too expensive to build sampled piano Voices for portable keyboards and sell them at prices consumers could afford, let alone mass-produce them. The DASS tone generator was designed to address this problem and produce realistic sounds with minimal memory consumption. This was achieved by taking short samples of only the attack (the initial sound), which determines the listener’s impression of the Voice, and using an FM tone generator to fill in the reverberation. DASS tone generators appeared in the EOS series and other instruments in the synthesizer category and were the predecessors of the AWM systems used to create most portable keyboard Voices today from samples of entire sounds.

Although it is no exaggeration to say that nearly all existing rhythm generators were PCM-based, simulating a pitched instrument like a piano required combining multiple samples for each Voice. Of course, the technological limitations of the time meant that there was not enough memory to sample all 88 keys. As a workaround, a few to several dozen pitches were sampled, and the output frequency was changed for pitches near those sampled. This method of combining several samples into a single Voice is called multisampling, a technique Yamaha adopted in earnest to perform the sampling for the DASS tone generator. The introduction of DASS made the sounds of portable keyboards more realistic, making the instruments more enticing to a broader range of users. This upgrade to the specifications of the tone generator—a fundamental part of any electronic musical instrument—would increase the exhilaration of playing music. Yamaha would also introduce ideas for playing-related features. Take the roll bar and pitch bend roller on the PSR-2500, PSR-3500, and PSR-4500 as examples. Locating these rotary controllers under the user’s palm allowed them to control the volume (roll bar) and bend the pitch (pitch bend roller) while playing the keys. Other features included Sustain and Dual Voice. Sustain was an effect similar to the damper pedal on a piano. The user would press a button to extend the release—the length of time between the release of a key and the dissipation of the sound. The Sustain feature was distinct to portable keyboards, which had no foot controls and were played using only the hands. Dual Voice was akin to what we call “layering” today; it allowed the user to select two different Voices to play simultaneously. Despite the difference in terminology, the notable fact here is that the standard features of synthesizers and other modern electronic instruments were available by this point in time.

As Yamaha mastered MIDI sequencing, synthesizer-like sound creation functions, and other cutting-edge technology, they advanced the portable keyboard to the point where it became an all-in-one music production tool. Sequencing functions were improving rapidly at the time, and while Yamaha certainly wanted to promote the advanced functions of the keyboards, they also valued the keyboards’ role as instruments to be played. Looking at the instruction manuals for portable keyboards released in the 1990s, the manual for the PSR-6700 (1991) led off with an explanation of the sequencer and promoted the recording functions, while the manual for the PSR-5700 (1992) started off with Voice selection and playing instructions in Japan, but sequencer functions for the overseas model. All manuals for the PSR-SQ16 (1992) began with Voice selection and playing instructions. This shift in the ordering of information in the manuals illustrates the conundrum Yamaha faced in choosing what to emphasize.

The PSR-SQ16 was equipped with a 16-channel tone generator capable of playing 11 more parts than the conventional five (Rhythm, Bass, Orchestra Upper, Orchestra Lower, and Solo), making it a one-stop instrument for producing music. Although the tone generator specifications were obviously far beyond requirements for playing in real time, the PSR-SQ16 aptly represented the heights of semiconductor integration and software technology for the day. That said, the evolution of the sequencing functions gave way to the enhanced Style functions that are indispensable on modern portable keyboards.

The quality of Style functions improved dramatically with the enhanced Style system Yamaha developed for the PSR-1700/2700 released in 1993. The Style system was the culmination of the company’s expertise in automatic accompaniment, and paired well with the standard format based on Standard MIDI File (SMF) and Style File Format (SFF) developed at the same time, which facilitated Style production and supply. The ability to produce and supply Styles in SMF, which was gaining popularity at the time, helped Yamaha in that they could ask players outside the company to create Styles to add to those produced by their own developers. This drove improvements in both the quality and quantity of Styles.

The PSR-6000 released in 1994 featured a large LCD panel, a feat made possible by innovations with electronic components. Before then, most keyboards had either seven-segment LED displays or two-line monochrome LCD, but the PSR-6000 had a large display (116.2 mm x 90 mm) with a graphical UI as well as text. This allowed users to visually check split points, octave displays, and more in addition to the sequence editing screen. The display was not a touch panel as it would be today, but the buttons on its left and right sides and dial (wheel) below likely made operations smoother than before. With a 3.5-inch floppy disk drive for data storage, the PSR-6000 provided a glimpse of what we would come to know as musical workstations. The following year (1995), the PSR-7000 was released as a high-end model for household use. With a display and dial (wheel) for drawbar control for the organ Voices, a musical staff showing chord notes, a feature facilitating the creation of authentic accompaniment patterns, and many other professional functions, the PSR-7000 would be a hit with nightclub musicians and other performers.

Its successor, the PSR-8000, had the same case and UI, but sold more than twice as well thanks to improvements in sound creation and functionality sought by the market. The new Groove & Dynamics function allowed users to temporarily change the pronunciation timing, velocity (dynamics), and gate time (note length) of preset Styles during playback to augment the groove, dramatically increasing the variety of Styles to great acclaim. In 1999, Yamaha released the PSR-9000, which had a substantially revamped design and UI, more refined sound, and better speakers. Users loved the new Cool! and Live! Voices, but the keyboard weighed in at 22.5 kg (6.5 kg heavier than the previous model), prompting the decision not to install speakers in subsequent models.

The following year (2000), Yamaha unveiled the 9000Pro, a professional model with 76 keys and no speakers. It was an ambitious product—in addition to an unusual model name that began with a number instead of PSR, it could connect to a computer keyboard and had ports for monitor output, computer hosting, and SCSI-2 devices as well as PLG-150VL and PLG-150AN tone generator expansion plug-in modules marketed for synthesizers.

The model cycle during this time was extraordinary, with the PSR-2100/1100 released in 2003 followed quickly by the PSR-3000/1500 in 2004. Then, in 2007, the PSR-S900/S700 was released, the first of the S series that laid the foundation for the current lineup.

Starting with the PSR-S950/750 released in 2012, the keyboards could be used to expand waveforms with built-in flash memory, dramatically improving the fidelity of local content. Yamaha released a number of expansion packs called Voice & Style Expansions that allowed users to create innumerable Voices and also stimulated sales of proprietary Voice data. In 2015, the company released the PSR-S970 with eight times the waveform memory. Three years later, they unveiled the PSR-S975, the last of the S series. Keyboards from the PSR-2000 to the PSR-S975 were a hit in Southeast Asia—especially Indonesia—helping Yamaha successfully regain market share from Technics, the dominant player into the 1990s.

At the same time, there was growing demand in the Middle East for Arranger Workstations designed for Middle Eastern music. To satisfy it, Yamaha released many models for the Middle Eastern market: the PSR-A1000 based on the PSR-2000 in 2002, the PSR-OR700 based on the PSR-3000 in 2007, the PSR-A2000 based on the PSR-S910 in 2011, and the PSR-A3000 based on the PSR-S950 in 2015. The front panels of these models were designed to facilitate scale tuning, which is very important for playing in ensembles with acoustic instruments from that region.

The PSR-A3000 also supported waveform expansion, which was a hit because it dramatically improved the fidelity of Middle Eastern instrument Voices.

The evolution continued with the PSR-SX900 in 2019. PSR-SX series keyboards featured a touch screen display, obviating the large button arrays on the sides and below the display for a cleaner panel layout. They also had the same high-grade FSB keys used on the ELB-02 Electone and the CK61 stage keyboard, substantially improving their quality as keyboards. The keyboards were also equipped with the Time Stretch function for changing the tempo without changing the pitch when playing back audio files, the Pitch Shift function for converting the pitch without changing the timbre, and other audio playback functions, making them versatile instruments for everything from Style-based performances to ensembles with karaoke files.

One solution was to capture all sounds generated when instruments were played, including noises. Yamaha also focused on the fact that the same note on the same instrument sounds different depending on how it is played, and recorded notes being played in many different ways. With a massive number of newly recorded sample files (Mega Voice), the new keyboard had completely new sounds that surpassed those of existing portable keyboards. The product of this unprecedented concept in terms of both design and sound was the Tyros digital arranger workstation.

Tyros workstations were designed for professional musicians performing on stage, and had a sleeker design because they did not have built-in speakers like previous PSR series keyboards. (Although speakers could be installed on top of the main unit as an option, most musicians use the sound system at the venue, so they were not necessary.) To improve visibility on dark stages, the main switches were illuminated with LED lamps, and some other switches had LED lamps in the upper left corner. These and other steps were taken to meet performers’ needs.

The concept evolved further, and Yamaha introduced the Tyros2 in 2005. The vast amount of sampled Mega Voice material in Tyros presented a problem: it was too difficult to fully explore and deploy with existing keyboard techniques. Take the guitar for example. Strumming and other techniques unique to the guitar are what give it its unique sound, but it is virtually impossible to strum keys on a keyboard. To solve this problem, Yamaha created the Super Articulation function, which allows players to articulate the sounds of other instruments without having to learn any new techniques. For example, players can play legato or staccato on the keyboard to access different samples, or use the pitch bend wheel and footswitches to switch between techniques, expanding the range of expressiveness beyond what would be expected of a keyboard. This allowed for expressive performances that included things like string noise on acoustic guitars or saxophone growl, well beyond simply emitting samples of legato notes.

Musicians around the world love Super Articulation, and YouTube is full of examples of the function in action.

The Tyros3 released in 2008 featured an FSX keyboard that dramatically improved playability, additional MOTIF synthesizer waveforms, the ability to import external waveforms, and more. In addition to improved functionality as a professional keyboard, it also included a two-track hard disk recorder, adding a necessary piece for producing music from start to finish on a single device. The Tyros3 also featured Super Articulation 2 (S.Art2), a technology that divides sounds into three parts—head, body, and tail—instantly selects the proper sampling data for the occasion from a huge database and smoothly connects them together. S.Art2 is useful for simulating wind instruments and other instruments with sound that depends heavily on playing technique, and utilizes articulation element model (AEM) technology.

Two years later (2010), Yamaha introduced Tyros4, with enhanced Style data and the Vocal Harmony function. The company retooled the functionality to keep pace with the times, including the ability to download content with a network connection and play mp3 files. Around that time, the Tyros went a series of updates bringing it closer to the MOTIF series of synthesizers, and in 2012, the Tyros4B—a black version with a similar design to the MOTIF XF—was released. The following year saw the release of Tyros5, which included the addition of audio-based real drum groove files and VCM effects. Tyros5 added more than 300 new Voices (including S.Art2 Voices) and an expanded tone generator pack. Other features include the Ensemble Voice function, which translates chords into brass quartet sounds, and Organ World, which makes vintage organ sounds available for playing along with the UI. The Tyros5 has all the enhanced specifications needed for advanced performance. Notably, Yamaha also released a 76-key Tyros5 model.

The Tyros series underwent four updates through the release of the Tyros5 and sold well over a 15-year period, but like all long-selling products, its user base aged as well. Tyros was originally targeted at middle-aged people to seniors (40s to 70s), and with each model update, replacement demand from existing users became the main focus, making it difficult to attract a new generation of customers.

To address this concern and build a new customer base while continuing to please Tyros users, Yamaha decided to develop Genos, a model built around a new concept, rather than continuing the Tyros line to Tyros6. While Tyros was targeted at people who enjoy playing at home, Genos was developed with a spotlight on stage musicians. In Europe, the main market for arranger workstations, many musicians were playing in venues like lounges and bars—these people belonged to a younger generation than the main target of Tyros. Yamaha continued development efforts with the idea of helping the next generation of musicians perform their best, and released the new Genos digital workstation in 2017. The company crafted the name “Genos” from the English word “generate” and the Greek word “genos” meaning “people” or “group.” They changed the name with the intent of renewing the product image.