title: Walkstation
text: # 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:
  
  * 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 | Accompanyment tracks | User accompanyment | Digital Effects | Storage media |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Yamaha | QY10 | 1990 | Yes | 1 octave | 4 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
  | Yamaha | QY20 | 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:
  
  | Manufacturer | Device | Year | MIDI | Keyboard | Sequencer tracks | Accompanyment tracks | User accompanyment | Digital Effects | Storage media |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Philips | PMC-100 | 1986 | No | 2 octaves | 1 | 5 | No | No | Cassette tape |
  | Boss | Dr 5 | 1993 | Yes | Fretboard Style | 0 | 4 | Yes | No | No |
  | Roland | PMA-5 | 1996 | GM/GS | 2 octaves | 4 | 4 | Yes | Yes | No |
  
  More recent portable music workstations:
  
  * Teenage Engineering OP-1
  * Cyberstep KDJ-ONE
  