Small, feature-rich, versatile – portable and arranger keyboards provide serious “bang for the buck” and are a vital component in many performing and composing musicians’ arsenals.
MMR spoke with reps from four of the major purveyors of these types of consoles to learn what trends and challenges are shaping this market segment, what specific models are being embraced by players, and what techniques are employed by shrewd MI retailers to effectively market and display these instruments.
For your brand what model(s) of Portable/Arranger keyboards are currently the hottest sellers?
Luciano Minetti: At KORG we organize our Arrangers into two main categories: Entertainer Keyboards and Professional Arrangers, also known as the Pa Series. Within the Entertainer Keyboard range, the EK-50 is a consistent top performer thanks to its easy-to-use control surface, built-in speakers, and affordable price point. Within the Pa Series, the all-new flagship, Pa5X, has generated big demand. A follow-up and big leap from the Pa4X, it’s been redesigned with an all-new operating system, huge processing power, a fully backlit new control surface, and a collection of new Sounds and Styles to explore along with a bevy of new creative and performance features.
Corey Fournier: The new Roland E-X50 Arranger Keyboard, introduced in June, has quickly become one of our most popular models. It combines Roland’s sound technology with a new arranger engine that creates lifelike, interactive accompaniment. The Roland GO:KEYS is also a favorite with its stylish red color, Bluetooth capability, and “Loop Mix” function that makes it easy for anyone to start making music – no experience necessary.
Ben Harrison: The portable keyboard category and arranger keyboard category, while on the surface may seem quite similar, are pretty different in many respects. Yamaha has been the industry leader in the “portable keyboards” category for decades. The Yamaha PSR-EW310 is our hottest seller in this category. It features 76 keys, which makes it stand out in the crowded portable keyboard market. The additional key range makes it attractive to not only beginners but also more advanced players who tackle repertoire that demands more than the standard 61-key configuration of these types of keyboards. Yamaha has been crafting acoustic pianos for over a century, where our expertise “trickles down,” making even our most affordable entry-level products stand out as the clear choice in playability and sound quality.
The Arranger keyboard category is a very different environment. While many of the attributes may appear similar to portable keyboards, the reality is that arrangers are much more advanced and designed for another player; they are intended for solo entertainers and professional songwriters. The Yamaha Genos flagship arranger has set the bar very high and remains the most coveted instrument in the arranger keyboard category since its release in 2017. Arrangers focus on accompaniment Styles. The Styles allow players to control a virtual backing band that can play almost any musical genre with great authenticity and realism. These instruments are more expensive than “portable keyboards” because they incorporate higher technology, more instrument Voices and Style content, real-time control, professional connectivity options, high-definition speaker systems, and much more.
Stephen Schmidt: Our new Casiotone keyboards, specifically the CT-S400, CT-S500 and CT-S1000V, are the hottest sellers in this category.
These types of consoles are driven by technological advances and features. What are some of the capabilities of portable keyboards most sought-after by consumers these days?
CF: Portable keyboards often include a microphone input, onboard speakers, and a large library of music styles to appeal to hobbyists and professional players alike. The E-X50 features a mic input with effects to enhance vocals, powerful speakers that are also Bluetooth enabled for streaming audio from a mobile device, plus, the ability to edit the onboard styles with custom software and download new styles via the Roland Cloud, so it will always be up to date with current music trends.
SS: Our new Casiotone portable keyboards represent a big step forward in design, technology and features. From a design aspect, these instruments have a modern and minimalistic look, with an intuitive and sleek interface centered around a bright graphic LCD. In addition to the high-quality built-in Tones, Bluetooth audio and MIDI is available, providing easy connectivity to music apps on any platform.
BH: Portable keyboards are sought after for their versatility while remaining affordable. Since portable keyboard customers/players are typically in the early learning stages of their musical journeys, the most critical feature is touch Sensitivity (keys respond to playing strength/velocity). It’s so important that players understand and learn to control their dynamics, and teachers everywhere suggest touch sensitivity as a minimum requirement. Additionally, it’s essential to experiment and remain engaged when exploring music. Portable keyboards offer so many instrument Voices (sounds) and fun features like accompaniment and recording that it’s easy for players to stay interested even after the more technical and sometimes grueling side of learning the basics has been completed for the day. Other technology, such as connectivity (USB to HOST, meaning to smart devices and computers), self-teaching (onboard lessons), and simple, battery-powered portability, are all attractive offerings from portable keyboards.
LM: With Pa5X, we designed the most powerful and technologically advanced sound engine ever put into a KORG arranger. As an example, KORG users had been accustomed to using our dual-player setup on previous models, in which they could cross-fade during a live performance between two MP3 files. We wanted to give customers even more flexibility and now Pa5X can play two Styles, MIDI files, or MP3 files simultaneously and in any combination. That includes all effects, and polyphonic for each Style. These two Players can then be mixed with the crossfade knob and can serve as a valuable tool when performing live and transitioning between songs. This is made possible by the technological advances of the Pa5X sound engine which has ample effects processing and polyphony to make these transitions happen seamlessly.
Have you observed any specific marketing and promotion techniques being embraced by MI retailers who are particularly successful when it comes to selling these types of keyboards?
BH: Portable keyboard retailers often find success in price and package-driven promotions. Pairing a keyboard purchase with an add-on accessory like a stand or pair of headphones offers a complete solution to their customers. Since portable keyboards are often purchased as gifts for aspiring musicians in the family, purchasing tends to be seasonal, peaking in the holiday timeframe. With this being the case, we often see success with holiday-themed promotions that often involve price incentives.
LM: Acknowledging the use of these models for live performance is a powerful tactic. To that end, bundles that complete a live setup are ideal for the customer base. Also, here at KORG, we put a lot of heart and soul into introductory and feature-focused videos to best answer questions from existing and potential users before they are asked, and it’s great when MI retailers embed those or share them for their customers as well.
SS: Dealers that proactively create their own social media content tend to see the largest success in the category. A lot can be said for in-store displays, as well. Having a pile of colorful boxes is attractive, but it’s more effective if clean, well-merchandised demo models are on the floor inviting customers to play.
CF: Roland is partnering with participating dealers to create digital marketing and social media campaigns to draw attention and interest to these keyboards. By leveraging our unique content, our dealers are able to drive awareness with proven messaging and expand their audience of potential customers.
What trends are impacting and defining this market segment in 2022? Are supply chain challenges coming into play?
SS: Like all other technology markets, the chip shortage has affected electronic musical instruments, forcing some manufacturers to modify their product lineups. Shipping has also become more unpredictable, which can lead to delays. Fortunately, Casio has been quick to adapt, introducing new products and delivering the high-value instruments for which we’re known in a timely manner.
CF: This is a growth category for Roland and customers are expecting ever more technology and features at lower price points. With the success of the GO-Series keyboards over the last number of years, and now the new E-X50, we are confident that dealers have a quality assortment of portable Roland keyboards to offer their customers in an affordable price range.
LM: Arrangers have consistently been a growth area for KORG in the U.S., and we expect this category to grow again in the coming year. The only barrier has been the impact we’ve experienced to the supply chain. For our models, this has ebbed and flowed over the last two years, but regardless, demand stays strong, and we thank our retailers for staying the course while KORG works to deliver products with the quality and reliable componentry customers expect and deserve.
BH: The supply chain has been a significant issue for everyone for almost two years, but has been improving as of late. Return to work in person, raising interest rates, cost of living increases, gas prices and other economic factors contribute to a decline in demand from the abnormally high level we experienced during the pandemic. However, demand remains strong, and it’s inspiring and encouraging to see steady sales of portable keyboards year after year, indicating a constant flow of new musicians discovering and exploring the incredible path that music can take us down.
Do you have any upcoming or recent portable & arranger keyboard introductions you’d like to draw MMR readers’ attention to?
LM: As a matter of fact, we will soon be expanding the successful EK line. It’s a new direction that combines a straightforward workflow with more focus on various types of performances by genre, and new sets of accompaniments to support them. I’d also be remiss to mention that we are already working on our next Pa5X OS; free to users, and packed with new features – many user-requested.
BH: While they are not newly released, our Genos and PSR-SX series of arranger keyboards continue to lead the way in their category. Arranger players are attracted to these instruments because of the ability to customize them with expandible content. Yamaha recently opened all of our Voice & Style Expansion packs for free download. Previously, this vast library of content was mostly paid downloads. This change is breathing new life into existing instruments and giving owners even more value and flexibility than they ever thought possible.
CF: The E-X50 is the latest addition to our family of arranger instruments, and it’s the first one that takes advantage of our Roland Cloud technology. With music styles changing over time, we’ve given the E-X50 the ability to adapt in two ways. First, customers are able to download a free app that allows them to edit any of the onboard styles to suit their taste. Second, they can access an ever-growing library of new music styles from the Roland Cloud. So, the E-X50 is an “evergreen” arranger keyboard that will stay on-trend with new content.
SS: The big highlight for Casio this year has been the Casiotone CT-S1000V. This model is the first of its kind and features polyphonic vocal synthesis with a wide range of vocal sounds. This unique approach has been an incredible outlet for musicians, providing them with a new voice for their music.
Expectations for this segment of the MI marketplace in the coming months?
BH: With the holiday season quickly approaching, we expect to see the typical increase in consumer curiosity and the next generation of beginner piano players owning a brand new instrument to inspire their musical journey.
SS: We’re expecting a strong holiday season. As gas prices have been falling and school has started again, we’re seeing more consumer confidence at retail. The Casiotone line has everything for beginners to more advanced players this holiday season.
CF: With live music returning to many venues, musicians have been eager to “get back out there” and play. Portable keyboards like the GO-Series and E-X50 offer an affordable platform for a wide variety of music makers. So, we have seen positive growth in this segment this year and are looking forward to a strong Q4!
