If you want something easy to use and affordable, you definitely need to hear about the Yamaha EZ-220.
But is it the right keyboard for you? Before you buy, read our honest Yamaha EZ-220 review.
Here is everything that you need to know about the Yamaha EZ-220.
Yamaha EZ-220 Overview
We Like
- 61 Touch-Sensitive Keys (Lighted)
- Over 390 HQ Instrument Voices
- 100 Built-in Songs
We Don’t Like
- Has less features than discontinued models
Why It It So Good?
The biggest selling points of this popular keyboard are its 61 lit keys that help you learn, touch sensitivity, 100 free songs, and a wireless connection to the Page Turner app.
You can buy a standalone alone keyboard or a kit. If you are a newbie, a kit is a great idea. Some online shops sell a package kit with the keyboard, headphones, a keyboard stand, and power supply. It makes getting started easy and straightforward.
Who Is the Keyboard For?
You’re probably excited to read our review, but before you do, let’s discuss who the EZ-220 is best suited for. As mentioned earlier, it’s a digital keyboard that is great for a beginner.
In terms of how much of a beginner you’ll have to be, the keyboard is great for someone who’s never played a piano before. As you’ll see later on, it has comprehensive guides that a beginner would find very useful. This will help them improve their skills in no time, even without the guidance of a music teacher.
Yamaha EZ-220 Unboxing
The setup of the keyboard is easy and quick. This 61-key touch-sensitive keyboard lights up to guide your fingers along.
This is a very cool feature because you can instantly see where to put your fingers. Of course, since the goal is to move your finger across the keyboard easily and quickly, this is a very good thing. It is confidence inspiring to be able to move across the keyboard with such agility. As a bonus, the lights have a better look than the normal beginner’s stickers.
As you start experimenting, you will find nearly 400 different sounds. You can incorporate guitar, other pianos, brass, drums, and string instruments into your sound.
It Offers Different Modes
For learners, there are three different modes. This creates a very comprehensive learning option. You can experiment with different ways of learning as you go.
The Yamaha EZ-220 is perfect for learners at every level and stage:
- Listen and learn option: as you play a song, you can watch the keys light up and follow the song in the book.
- Timing mode: you can watch as the keys light up for each hand. This is good for learning one hand at a time. You can see the lights for one hand, while the notes from the other hand are played with sound.
- Waiting mode: When you use this, the keyboard lights up the key that you need to play. The keyboard waits for you to play the note then it lights up the next key.
As far as the basics, there are a few handy features. You have got a USB port so you can connect the Yamaha EZ-220 to your computer or tablet.
If you get the kit, there’s a plug-in. When you are ready to take your show on the road, you just need six AA to keep your keyboard powered up.
The Yamaha EZ-220 Review
With that done with, let’s run through everything in-depth.
1. Price
The EZ-220 is a budget-friendly device. In our “At A Glance” section, you may have noticed that the product comes with a range of features. It’s quite impressive, which is why we believe it’s such a steal. When compared to other keyboards in the same price range, you’ll realize that it produces better quality music, which is what anyone would want.
Although it’s affordable, you will find similar keyboards that are a bit cheaper. Don’t forget that Yamaha is a major name in the music industry. They’re at the forefront and produce some of the highest quality products in the game. Because of this, their brand name should be considered when a product’s final price is decided.
Yamaha is known to manufacture high-quality products, including budget keyboards. The EZ-220 is no exception, so we believe it will last a while. So, if you want to get your hands on this keyboard, we say go for it.
2. Sound Quality
The overall sound quality is good, especially for an affordable beginner’s option.
Of course, like every keyboard, some of the instrumental sound effects are less than believable; but ultimately, you’re buying this to sound like a piano, not a horn or drum!
The headphones are so-so but about what you would expect for ones included in a kit.
It’s definitely sufficient for learners but audiophiles might want to stick with their own headphones. Compare Yamaha to Casio here.
As mentioned, it has 61 keys. This means that it plays a range of sounds that cheaper keyboards don’t offer. However, it’s not as diverse as an 88-key device.
3. Connectivity
When purchasing a keyboard, you have to make sure its connectivity is good. The Yamaha keyboard comes with USB MIDI that lets you connect to music editing programs. You can also record and export your tracks on it. This is great if you’re planning on using the EZ-220 to jam out with your friends.
It also comes with a port for you to attach a sustain pedal. If you don’t know what a sustain pedal is, it’s a device that you need to step on, helping you maintain notes. Before you get too excited, know that the EZ-220 doesn’t come with it in the box.
As mentioned, you can use headphones with the device. If you’re worried about disturbing your loved ones, plugging them into its 3.5 mm jack would let you jam in peace.
You can use its headphone output to connect an amplifier as well. You’re probably wondering what kind of amplifiers you can use. Although keyboard amps are recommended, you can use guitar ones as well.
4. Portability
One of the great things about the EZ-220 is how light it is. As it’s fit for beginners, this is appreciated as you can carry it around to practice with your friends.
The device is 4.4 kg if you’re wondering. It can be battery-powered too, making it extra portable.
If you’re taking the device around with you, and you forget to charge it, don’t worry. It comes with a battery-saver mode. The mode is handy as it extends its battery by several hours.
The fact that you can save battery-life is great when performing outdoors. You won’t have to worry about it draining it while you get everything set up.
5. Ease-Of-Use
As mentioned, the EZ-220 has the Yamaha Education Suite. The Education Suite is like having a tutor always by your side.
It comes with various lessons, teaching you about things like chord and note recognitions. Over the years, the Education Suite has updated to give users excellent learning experience. There’s a Y.E.S:
Like a teacher, the Yamaha Education Suite, grades your performance. This helps you become a better player as you can actively compare how well you’re doing.
Remember how we mentioned connectivity earlier? You can connect the keyboard to piano learning apps directly through its LCD screen. However, there is a limitation to this. The keyboard only connects to IOS apps.
Like any good keyboard, it comes with a mount. This allows you to place sheet music and play your favourite tunes. Some users prefer placing their iPads or phones in front of them while playing. This can easily be done as the mount is secure.
In terms of how easy it is to use, we’ve established that it’s decent. However, there is a problem. The EZ-220’s keys are not weighted. This means it won’t feel like you’re playing an acoustic keyboard. The fact that it doesn’t have weighted keys is disappointing. However, the keys on the Yamaha device are known to be pretty sensitive.
6. Aesthetics
Always go for a keyboard that looks good. This is especially true for one that’s portable as you’ll be taking it around with you.
In terms of the EZ-220, it doesn’t look too bad. It’s very standard in appearance, but we think it’s chunkier than more expensive Yamaha keyboards on the market. To a lot of users, this is something you probably don’t want to hear.
As you’re wondering what its dimensions are, the device is 945 x 111 x 348 mm across.
When talking about aesthetics, we just have to touch on its keys that light up. They’re mesmerizing, especially when you play the EZ-220 is a dimly lit room.
You can classify digital pianos into two fit for the:
- Home
- Studio
Although the EZ-220 looks good, it’s not fit for the home. You’ll need something furniture-like, which it doesn’t provide.
7. Build Quality
When compared to other keyboards of this price, you’ll notice that Yamaha did a good job building it.
We believe its keys feel great on your fingers. Although they’re not weighted, they’re made from quality plastic.
Yamaha EZ-220 PROS
Whether you’re new to keyboards or not, purchasing one from a recognized brand is a good move. Luckily, Yamaha is the best name to purchase any musical instrument from.
Learning how to play the piano feels easy and intuitive with the Yamaha EZ-220. The keyboard features touch sensitivity, which is a major asset and something that you won’t see in very many beginner’s keyboards. This is great because it makes it easier to transition to an advanced level acoustic piano.
Likewise, the light up keys are a major asset in learning piano. There are also things that you won’t find on many keyboards. With 100 built-in songs, it is easy to learn at your own pace as you work through the range of teachable modes.
Having nearly 400 different brass, drum, string, and guitar sounds that will make the learning process much easier.
Having a melodic and consistent sounds playing while you are working through songs is extremely helpful. It can be frustrating as you learn, but having your music sounds nearly “there” can make you feel more confident so that you learn faster. Plus all of the add-on learning aids, the Yamaha EZ-220 is the full package.
The keyboard is extremely portable, which is a major plus. You can take it anywhere and everywhere with you. This is something that not a lot of keyboards offer.
The device is quite connectable. From its USB MIDI port to its headphone jack, you can plug all kinds of devices to it. The fact that you can attach a guitar amplifier through its headphone output is appreciated.
Last but not least, the EZ-220 is built well. We’re surprised that its keys don’t feel cheap.
Yamaha EZ-220 CONS
While this is definitely a top pick for those who are serious about learning, it is far from the cheapest kit on the market. If you are looking for kids or just aren’t sure if you are really going to stick with it, you can get a decent kit for half the price.
Although sensitive, it’s unfortunate that the EZ-220’s keys aren’t weighted. Considering that it’s not the cheapest, this would have made sense. As its price tag is more than other affordable keyboards, you’d expect the EZ-220 to look more premium. However, it’s very standard in its appearance.
Being able to connect to apps is great. Sadly, you can only connect to IOS apps through the device.
Conclusion
When you look at the Yamaha keyboard, several things influence how great of a product it is. As there are so many things to consider, the EZ-220 excels at some of them, while it doesn’t perform that well in others.
When it comes to portability, it’s clear that the 220 is a great device. It weighs very little, making it a breeze to carry around. As the keyboard is fit for beginners, taking it around to jam with your friends has never been easier. However, it’s so light and doesn’t have weighted keys. This makes it more difficult to learn to play on.
That being said, it is a Yamaha device. This is why it comes with the Yamaha Education Suite. The program is one of the best educational resources you’ll ever use. The best thing about it is that it’s completely free.
As you’ll be taking it with you every day, appearance matters. The device doesn’t look bad. It’s pretty standard in appearance, which is something you might appreciate.
The most important thing to consider if you want to buy the EZ-220 is what a great keyboard it is. The device is suitable for most beginners. So, you’d expect its sound quality to not be that good. Yamaha surprised us as the EZ-220 was more than decent. It’s not amazing, but its music quality outdoes its competitors.
Whether you should buy the keyboard or not depends on your preferences. Overall, we believe the product performs adequately.
The EZ220 is amazing. I bought it for my son and he plays it almost daily. You get so much value for so little money.
I bought it. Awesome deal.