Completely different.

Keyboard action and how it feels to the individual, is subjective. If you’re moving up from a PSR-E353 you will likely see it as an improvement. If you can, please visit your local music store and play one — it is the best way to know.

Thanks, I was actually just wanting to clarifying something I was told in a shop about it being an entry level keyboard from the PSR range.. And also I got the model wrong! I should have written 363 which is the new version I believe. Not having used synth action really I cant tell if the modx6 is good or bad in its class. The keys seem a little closer together and obviously are plastic and unweighted. But they seem to play fair enough for what I'm after.:D

Neither the PSR-E353 or PSR-E363 have a fancy marketing name for the keyboard action like the professional keyboards do. This lends me to think that the keybeds found in the E353/E363 are borrowed from the consumer line. Cost effective non-pro keybeds.

I have to say that the synth action in the DGX series Yamaha I have is really nice for what it is. It "kills" most "pro" MIDI controllers (keyboards that make no sounds without connecting a computer or another fancier keyboard) out there. I generally find most MIDI controllers have really horrible action. The Yamaha products I have played - at least for "full-ish" sized keys - have fantastic action even for the very low end and inexpensive products.

So even "low end" tends to be a cut above.

Yes the 363 keyboard is a consumer unit. The first in the range to be velocity sensitive I believe That's why I was surprised to be told it was the same as MODX6. The MODX6 I tried play well enough for me though.:) You mention brand names but I have not seen MODX6 or7 described with any so far. Just....."semi weighted keys".

Thanks Jason

Calling a keyboard “consumer” (understood) should not be seen as some kind of put down. There is more to keyboard actions than most musicians can imagine... (the E363 probably outsells all synthesizers on the market combined), The facts are, the actions are radically different — as different as the target customer for these two types of products.

Without getting too deeply into the minute details about keyboard actions... let’s start with “piano-like” action versus so-called ”synth” action.
Weighted is a word that gets cloudy and subjective - and is subject to marketing spin. Even synth actions have weight (require a certain amount of pressure to engage). “Piano weighted” is less cloudy and gives the discussion a clearer definition of a keyboard — the MODX8 is the piano weighted action in the series.

The MODX6 and MODX7 use an action that Yamaha specifically developed for these mid-line synthesizer products. Please, next time in the store, if you see that same sales person — let them know. Often what they try to impress upon a customer is that (broadly), the MONTAGE and the MODX are in the same family. The synth weight action found in the MONTAGE 6 and 7s is a superior ”synth” action to the one used in the MODX 6 and 7s, that is for sure.

But to pick the lowest priced velocity sensitive product and say that it the same as in the MODX is just (grossly) wrong. You played it, you only need to touch it to know better, no? Yamaha makes more different actions than that person is aware off probably.

In general though, you have “water fall” keys (as found on electronic organs), you have “synth action” keys, and you have various “piano weighted” actions. Yamaha, (no brag) is the world’s largest manufacturer of musical instruments... the company will design an action for a category of products based on research they do in the market. No one action works for everyone, it will always be subjective. PSR-E series have different actions from PSR-S series...

Even saying it is the same action as in another product does not (nearly) tell you the whole story. And can be totally misleading. And since each individual musician comes from a different place, what they think they want in a synthesizer varies greatly.

Playing a Hammond B3 organ sound from a piano weighted action does not bother those who have never played an actual B3 organ. But if you’ve played a B3 as a regular thing, nothing could be more absurd then playing an organ sound on a (piano) weighted action. Mileage varies with music background and the musician’s experience. Naturally.

If you never played a B3, you think it must be just like playing a piano. (I mean you know where Bb is, right?) lol
Does playing a piano weighted action help or hurt doing guitar emulation?
Does playing a piano weighted action help or hurt when emulating a flute?
How about playing a Clavinet sound? If you played the original, the experience is totally different on piano keys!

These are all questions only the individual can answer. It’s subjective. Not just that it maybe weird, but does it prevent you from executing... it varies.
Is the action of the MODX6 better than the action of the entry velocity sensitive product? Well yes, it is - or maybe all we can say is, it should be: it costs a lot more
Does that mean EVERYONE will think so and like it better? No one can say that.

Folks who read my site know that I love studying keyboard design, but I usually stay far away from keybed discussions. Phil said it best right off the top: "Keyboard action and how it feels to the individual, is subjective."

Manufacturers have to hit a cost/price point when they design a product. The keybed is an important factor in hitting the target. That much is factual. There are discernible differences in grading between various "piano action" keybeds, FSX, FSB, etc. and Yamaha are up-front about this in product specs. After that, it's really up to the musician to decide through "try before buy." I wouldn't think about buying a sax, guitar, whatever just on specs alone.

When comparing models across product lines, even the service manual and part numbers are really not much help. One can go crazy trying to rationalize all of this. Witness the never-ending threads on certain forums about keybeds!

In the end -- playing the instrument itself -- we ultimately circle back to Bad Mister's comment.

The only good thing I will say about never-ending threads -- the hoopla raises manufacturer awareness about the importance of the keybed in the player's experience (lest the bean counters win over the musicians/engineers). Yamaha listened to arranger people and brought out the FSB in the SX series, for example. All good.

All the best -- pj

Said differently, my comment was as follows:

The PSR-E353 is a consumer-grade keybed.

Consumer-grade with Yamaha doesn't mean bad. To the contrary, Yamaha's consumer grade full-size keybeds (synth action) that I have experience with are better than what other companies release as "pro" MIDI controllers. The DGX is one example (digital grand piano that Sams Club sells in the winter holiday season). I also have experience with a PSR-510 keyboard sold also by Sams Club decade(s) ago. I used the PSR-510 as a MIDI controller for an EX5R.

I don't have experience with weighted keyboards from the consumer line. But based off of Yamaha's what I would consider "exceptional" handling of the consumer line for synth action - I would expect that their design of "weighted" keybeds in the consumer line to be similarly better than the consumer offerings (and even pro) from other companies.

"A cut above" was my attempt to make "consumer grade" not equate to "bad".

That said - it's different than the pro stuff. So testdrive both. Look at the numbers and features. Decide what you want to do leveraging personal experience.