Hello I just joined this forum as I would like to get your opinions on which keyboard I should purchase. I used to play piano when I was a kid and I actually recently had an acoustic piano but had to let it go for personal reasons. Anyway, even though I've had experience playing piano but I would still classify myself as a beginner. Now I've been thinking of buying a keyboard as a hobby and after a few days of research, I narrowed my choices down to two: Yamaha YPG-625 or Yamaha PSR-S500.

They are both in the same price range so money is not an issue. Can someone recommend either one of them to me? Ultimately I'd like to do something like this guy in the YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFeI7Vo3c4s

Which one of the keyboards is the best for me in that regard? I also think I want the best possible sounds as well.

They are so many choices across brands and I simply settled with Yamaha just to limit my choices. So if you guys think there are better choices from other brands, please let me know, too.

Thank you!

Hi Quakey

Interesting dilemma. As with most other answers around here, this one starts with "it depends..."
Based on the video, you could do that with either one, the higher notes could be covered by using the octave shift on the S500--obviously easier on the 625. So, skipping the 61-note vs 88-note-weighted issue since it sounds like you'd be fine with either one, here are the differences:
- 625 is a complete package with stand and bench
- S500 has 144 more voices
- S500 has 3 more drum and effects kits
- S500 has 9 recording tracks vs 6 for the 625
- S500 has twice the audio power of the 625, this makes a huge difference in sound.

As for limiting your choices to Yamaha, hard to go wrong with the dominant player...

Cheers
Alden

i would get 625 if i were you. in case you would have an acoustic piano later, you'd want to play on something with weighted keys.

Thanks for all the replies.

I've been reading the forum and I found a lot of similar questions regarding buying a DP for beginners. And it seems the mentality of the majority here leans towards buying a DP that has the closest "feel" to a real piano. Correct me if I am wrong, I've always felt that a DP's features such as voices, drum kits and accompaniments are very important and ultimately make DP different, and more FUN from traditional acoustic pianos.

Am I looking at DP from a wrong angle? Am I missing something here?

Thanks.

quakey, I don't think you're missing anything but I think the audience in PW is biased in favor of acoustic pianos and anything that imitates them. So those who want to talk about digitals and their unique characteristics are in the minority. I wonder if there are other websites for gigging dp players where the discussions are about these digital functions and voices.

quakey,

This is why I presented the differences as I did. Features and sounds vs. keyboard type. I routinely go back-and-forth between 61 note unweighted and 88 note weighted. Many of us play both. Once you get use to it, its no different than driving two different cars.

The piano hasn't always had 88 keys, and hasn't always felt or sounded the way it does now. I enjoy performances of "period" instruments, but I also enjoy the diversity and evolution unique to keyboard instruments.

If told I had to choose between my C3 or my TYROS2, I'd be torn...

There's no universal right answer.