Yamaha QY100

A superb, handheld writing tool, the QY70 is an extraordinary little device featuring hundreds of quality sounds and accompaniment styles, which is programmable using the LCD and interface, or your existing MIDI compatible keyboard/digital piano.

With a range of onboard accompaniment styles (128 to be exact) and over 500 built-in voices (including a GM/XG soundset), the QY100 is really a workstation without keys.

So, programmable using your existing MIDI keyboard, but for those who don't own a keyboard or digital piano? A two octave (shiftable) button system is on the front panel for convenient (if a little tricky) programming of notes and chord progressions. 

With a full 16-track sequencer onboard, writing a song is possible (if a little tricky without a proper keyboard).  Whatever the results though, your songs can be saved to SD-card.

However, the QY100 is perhaps a little more biased towards the guitarist/song writer as an audio input is provided for guitarists to plug in and use the onboard Amp Simulator and digital effects (ranging from delays/reverbs, through to modulation and distortion).

Having said this, it is one of a dying breed of hardware sequencers, where connecting a MIDI keyboard or synth can be recorded into this little beauty!