As someone who's picked up (but never attained any proficiency at) a variety of different instruments, I'm not entirely sold on those light-up keyboards and guitar frets that promise to simplify the learning process for would-be musicians. Does anyone really learn to play a musical instrument--let alone play it well--using a follow-the-lights method?

Sure, it can help with timing or maybe perfecting a certain song or chord progression; but a replacement for long arduous hours of simple practice...I think not. For what it's worth, Yamaha seems to have come to a different conclusion. The company recently announced two new tech-laden instruments, one of which happens to feature precisely such a light-up-and-learn interface.

To be fair, the company isn't necessarily positioning its EZ-200 keyboard as something to learn on really, but rather as a companion instrument for those who've perhaps strayed from the ivories and want to pick up where they left off--a much more plausible use for this feature in my view.

In addition to the EZ-200, Yamaha also introduced its YDD-60 drum machine. And while it doesn't light up in any way, it will include a MIDI connection, AUX IN, flash memory for storing original songs, 230 voices (which can be assigned select pads), and the ability to play with either drumsticks or, if you're feeling particularly adventurous, your hands.

Whether such technological prove useful to anyone remains to be seen, but with prices starting at $150 for the keyboard and $200 for the drum machine, both will certainly cost you far less than a years' worth of piano or drum lessons.