Walkstation


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, presumably as a portmanteau of Walkman and workstation.
Its usage is typically limited to the portable members of Yamaha's QY sequencer family.
The features of a walkstation are:
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

ManufacturerDeviceYearMIDIKeyboardSequencer tracksAccompanyment tracksUser accompanymentDigital EffectsStorage media
YamahaQY101990Yes1 octave44YesNoNo
YamahaQY201992Yes2 octaves44YesNoNo
YamahaQY81994Yes-44NoNoNo
YamahaQY221995GM2 octaves44YesNoNo
YamahaQY701997GM/XG2 octaves168YesYesNo
YamahaQY1002000GM/XG2 octaves168YesYesSmartMedia

Other comparable devices:
ManufacturerDeviceYearMIDIKeyboardSequencer tracksAccompanyment tracksUser accompanymentDigital EffectsStorage media
PhilipsPMC-1001986No2 octaves15NoNoCassette tape
RolandPMA-51996GM/GS2 octaves44YesYesNo

More recent portable music workstations: