Walkstation
Portable audio workstation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A walkstation is an electronic music device which provides musicians with the facilities of a music workstation in a portable package. The term was introduced as part of the marketing for the Yamaha QY10,[1] presumably as a portmanteau of Walkman and workstation.[2] Its usage is typically limited to the portable members of Yamaha's QY sequencer family.[3]
The features of a walkstation are:
- sound module
- music sequencer
- (usually) a small musical keyboard.
- small size
- battery power
The heyday of the walkstation lay between the time when creating such devices was viable and the time when general-purpose portable devices, such as laptops and mobile phones, were capable of offering comparable functionality.
Devices
| Manufacturer | Device | Year | MIDI | Keyboard | Sequencer tracks | Accompaniment tracks | User accompaniment | Digital effects | Storage media |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha | QY10 | 1990 | Yes | 1 octave | 4 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
| Yamaha | QY20[4] | 1992 | Yes | 2 octaves | 4 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
| Yamaha | QY8 | 1994 | Yes | None | 4 | 4 | No | No | No |
| Yamaha | QY22 | 1995 | GM | 2 octaves | 4 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
| Yamaha | QY70 | 1997 | GM/XG | 2 octaves | 16 | 8 | Yes | Yes | No |
| Yamaha | QY100 | 2000 | GM/XG | 2 octaves | 16 | 8 | Yes | Yes | SmartMedia |
Other comparable devices:
More recent portable music workstations include:
- Teenage Engineering OP-1
- Cyberstep KDJ-ONE