Yamaha PSR-400

I continued my piano studies with Jackie into my first year of high school. And well before that she recommended that I upgrade my instrument to one that allowed me to practice pieces that required the use of both hands. 

The Yamaha PSR-400 was my first instrument, excluding the flutophone in elementary school. I remember taking a trip with my father to look for a suitable match. We decided that the PSR-400 was more than sufficient for my needs, though I had really wanted the PSR-500. The PSR-400 is a portable 61 key synthesizer. Though the primary reason for the upgrade from the Casio SK-1 was so that I would have an instrument to practice on, I soon got lost in all the digital features the synthesizer had to offer. My piano practice discipline began to slip, however, my musical composition was flourishing. I would spend hours each day creating and scoring small scale pieces. At one point several keys broke, the piece of tape that holds the synthesizer keys in place gave in. When we took it in for repair the serviceman was shocked. He said he had never run into such a repair. He asked how often I played, and when I informed him that I would play as much as eight hours a day, he then exclaimed that it is a surprise that the keyboard is still functioning.