Yamaha New CP88 and CP73 Stage Pianos – Who Needs A Synth When A Piano Is This Good?

It is certainly a great time to be a keyboard player. Back in Sept last year we had the surprise release of the Yamaha MODX6, 7 and 8 which gave us the best of Montage in a more affordable and lightweight package and now Yamaha have turned their attention to the Stage Piano and given us the CP73 and CP88. A superb stage piano in two keyboard variations combining world class sounds with leading edge technology and making it portable enough that you don’t need to spend a week in the gym before every gig!

I have not yet had a chance to get “hands-on” with these new keyboards but hope to do so sometime over the next couple of weeks so if any of you manage to get your hands on one in the meantime please do let us know what you think over in the forum.

Stage pianos for every gig: Yamaha CP88 and CP73 combine a great range of sounds, intuitive controls and smart features in a stage-ready aluminium housing.

Rellingen, 15th January 2019 – Yamaha presents CP88 and CP73, two new stage pianos for live musicians. Both instruments are particularly lightweight but boast a robust build and a comprehensive set of sounds from traditional grand pianos to electric piano classics to synthesizer sounds. CP88 features Natural Wood Graded Hammer (NW-GH) and hence an authentic grand piano feel, making it the ideal choice for piano purists. CP73 offers 73 equally weighted keys for keyboarders playing with a larger number of different sounds on stage. The outstandingly direct control concept, smart connection options and Seamless Sound Switching makes the CP88 and CP73 perfect stage instruments that can be sonically enhanced with content updates.

Stage pianos for modern musicians

With CP88 and CP73 Yamaha offers two new stage pianos tailored to the specific needs of live musicians. Discerning pianists find their perfect match with CP88, while gigging keyboardists fare best with compact CP73. Both instruments boast a road-ready compact aluminium housing for easy and worry-free transport.

The perfect touch

When playing music, the feel of an instrument has a strong bearing on the musician’s performance. Yamaha CP series stage pianos feature finely tuned keys for every use. CP88 articulates the authenticity of a grand piano’s touch, treating pianist fingers to Natural Wood as well as synthetic ivory and ebony – piano keys can hardly feel more luxurious. CP73 employs balanced hammer action with an equal key feel across the spectrum, granting keyboardists perfect control over their tone regardless of sound choice.

Acoustic, electric, synthetic: always the perfect sound

Yamaha stage pianos CP88 and CP73 stand out for their comprehensive selection of flexible, high-quality sounds. Classical pianists rejoice in the sampled reproductions of two outstanding, world-renowned grand pianos, among others: Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial. A Yamaha U1 upright piano is part of the library, too. Keyboardists find legendary electric piano sounds, ready to enhance every performance. Digital effects like wah-wah or phaser allow for further customisation the sounds. This extensive library is augmented by synthesizer sounds to achieve even more flexibility for live gigs.

A piano that grows

In their factory setting, Yamaha stage pianos CP88 and CP73 already offer a large variety of sounds for gigging keyboardists and discerning pianists. CP88 and CP73 are also the first models of the CP series to be enhanced with additional high-quality piano and keyboard sounds through content updates. The first update will feature a 1967 tine piano, an exciting reed piano and a classic Yamaha C7 grand piano – one of the most recorded pianos in the world. With subsequent updates, the sound library will be expanded even further.

Made for musicians …

When developing stage pianos CP88 and CP73, Yamaha focussed on perfect stage compatibility. This focus is evident in the control pattern, linking every element on the instrument’s surface to exactly one function under the hood. There is no navigating of menus and submenus, every function can be controlled directly – a great advantage when adjustments need to be made quickly, reliably and intuitively in hectic live situations. Seamless Sound Switching allows for changing to a different sound while played notes still fade out. A song’s final chord can still slowly ebb away while the sound required for the next song is already loaded up.

… optimised for the stage

CP88 and CP73 offer a perfect set of connectors for stage applications, underlining the focus of their development. Apart from the standard 6.3 mm (1/4 inch) jack outputs, the new Yamaha stage pianos also feature balanced XLR outputs for directly connecting the instruments to mixing desks or stage boxes. A stereo input via two 6.3 mm jacks enables the connection to additional sound sources like smartphones or another keyboard.