Back to the Classroom

Ready to go back to school? Here are some great Yamaha products to check out. Whether it’s for a youngster joining their school band for the first time, a teenage drummer, keyboard or guitar player looking to improve their skills, or any stressed-out student (or their parents) who want to enjoy relaxing music at home or in their dorm room, there’s something here for everyone.

Keyboards

The Yamaha P-125 provides the play and feel of an acoustic piano in a portable package, with a minimalistic design that will fit in with every décor, from living room to dorm room. It includes a powerful built-in stereo speaker system as well as two headphone jacks for silent practice or lessons, along with a broad array of important features such as the ability to layer voices and split the keyboard to play one sound in the left hand and a different sound in the right hand. It offers a full 88-note weighted keyboard and dozens of high-quality onboard sounds, as well as bass and drum accompaniments that make practice fun and can also be used as a virtual backing band for live performances.

The PSR-EW310 is the perfect starter keyboard for the serious beginner. With its wide, 76-note, touch-sensitive keyboard at your fingertips, you’ll be able to more easily master complex piano pieces, and its extensive built-in lesson functions will rapidly take you to the next step in your musical evolution, regardless of the genre you choose. You’ll find inspiration in the PSR-EW310’s comprehensive library of 622 instrument Voices, as well as its built-in effects and auto accompaniment Styles that let you create and control a virtual backing band. What’s more, USB connectivity lets you connect a smart device to the instrument so you can use the free Yamaha Rec’n’Share app to record audio and video and then share your performances with the world.

Guitars

Every guitarist — whether they play an electric or acoustic model — can benefit from an amplifier. The option that takes up the least space and offers the most portability and versatility is the desktop amp — a concept originated by Yamaha and exemplified in our THR-II Series. These powerful amps include built-in speakers but are small enough to fit on an actual desktop. There are four models to choose from: the 20-watt THR10II; its wireless cousin, the THR10II Wireless; the 30-watt THR30II Wireless; and the THR30IIA, which is designed specifically for use with acoustic guitars. All provide tone-shaping controls and a variety of popular guitar effects such as reverb and chorus, as well as USB connectivity and Bluetooth compatibility; there’s even an optional carry bag that makes it easy to get your THR-II to rehearsals and gigs.

Yamaha SILENT Guitars™ allow guitarists at all levels of proficiency to play whenever and wherever inspiration strikes, making them ideal for practice at home or anywhere. Although the instruments themselves are ultra-quiet acoustically, their Studio Response Technology (SRT) powered preamp system delivers natural-sounding acoustic tone through headphones or a line output. Onboard studio-quality effects further enhance the playing experience, plus there’s a line input that allows jamming along to backing tracks, as well as a detachable wooden frame that facilitates easy transport. There’s also a built-in tuner, and a durable gig bag is included.

Wind Instruments

Many parents choose to rent wind instruments initially instead of purchasing them, giving them time to gauge their child’s interest before stepping up to ownership. The Yamaha Welcome to Band website provides parents who are ready to start thinking about renting a wind instrument with answers to the most commonly asked questions, like “Why rent? Where should I go? Can I purchase online? What are the names of the beginning instrument models?” Because Yamaha has been involved with schools for many decades, partnering with local experts and educators, we can help parents walk more confidently into a new musical journey for their child — a journey that hopefully spans many years.

As every parent of a budding trumpeter, trombonist, or tuba player knows, brass instruments can be very loud. The Yamaha SILENT Brass™ system, with versions for all three instruments (plus French horn, flugelhorn and euphonium), provides the perfect solution. It consists of a mute fitted with a pickup microphone that connects to a small electronic “Personal Studio™” unit that clips onto the player’s belt — just plug in the included headphones and they can practice to their heart’s content … without interrupting the peace and quiet of everyone else. That little box also contains circuitry that simulates a standard acoustic tone, making the instrument sound as though there’s no mute being used, as well as an external input for enjoyable, effective practice — simply connect a smartphone or portable music player and budding brass stars can play along with their favorite tunes or backing tracks.

String Instruments

Yamaha YVN Model 3 student violins are the perfect choice for beginners. They deliver the accuracy associated with much more expensive hand-built models … and, as a bonus, they are more environmentally friendly. Their proprietary graduated “press-formed” spruce top offers exceptional resonance, and the three-layer construction of the tops and backs uses just one-third of the amount of wood consumed by traditional violins. These techniques give the instrument more consistency as it ages and when experiencing environmental changes such as variations in temperature and humidity. And because every part is constructed with a high degree of precision, repair and replacement are simple tasks, making it both faster and more cost-effective to keep a Model 3 in playing condition.

For nearly 25 years, Yamaha SILENT™ and electric violins have become a staple of orchestra classrooms, rehearsal rooms, performance venues and everything in-between. Little wonder, in that they allow students and performers alike to rehearse and play anywhere … and to be heard above even loud accompanying instruments. They have a number of similarities, differing primarily in terms of functionality: SILENT Violins allow completely silent practice with headphones, or they can be plugged into an amplifier, whereas electric violins are specifically designed to be played amplified. Electric violins have more of a traditional sound, thanks to their all-wooden construction and passive in-bridge pickup, while SILENT Violins offer greater sonic variety, thanks to their advanced electronics that even includes a built-in reverb effect.

Audio

The entire Yamaha lineup of wireless headphones, earbuds and earphones offers extraordinary sound and a wide range of cutting-edge technologies that enable them to adapt to you and your environment. The YH-E700A over-ear model provides maximum isolation, along with extra-long battery life and features such as Advanced ANC to block out distractions; Ambient Sound to let in the surrounding environment when necessary; Listening Care for full-range audio at lower listening levels; and Listening Optimizer, which provides a truly personalized listening experience that ensures optimal sound at all times.

At just 23″ in length, the SR-C20A compact sound bar can fit anywhere, from bedroom dressers to gaming stations to dorm room desks, or it can be wall-mounted. Yet it makes no compromises when it comes to audio fidelity, and is packed with features such as virtual surround sound and a built-in dialog enhancer — it even has a built-in subwoofer for those all-important rumbles that make movies and games come to life. The SR-C20A has built-in Bluetooth^® too, so in addition to adding great sound to any TV, it can also be used for streaming music and podcasts.

Drums

DTX6 Series electronic drum kits are perfect for at-home practice as well as jamming with others … and without the loud volume levels that come from playing an acoustic drum set. There are three models to choose from, with a compact design that allows them to be set up almost anywhere. All come with a DTX-PRO module loaded with hundreds of professionally sampled sounds and effects recorded in renowned studios around the world. A series of built-in training tools enable drummers of every level to develop their skills, and players can even take videos of their performances and share them with friends and family.

The EAD10 instantly transforms any acoustic drum set into a hybrid acoustic-electronic drum kit. It consists of a sensor with built-in stereo microphone that’s mounted on the bass drum hoop, plus a main module loaded with hundreds of high-quality drum/percussion samples and effects that can be used to augment the sound of your acoustic drums, along with a high-performance headphone amplifier. The EAD10 allows you to quickly and easily record your drums and/or send their sound to a P.A. system during live performance, with monitoring via connected headphones. It also has settings for mesh heads and low volume cymbals, allowing drum students to transform their acoustic drum sets into kits that can be played at a much lower volume without disturbing family or neighbors.

For more information about these and other great Yamaha music products, click here.