eric Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I know that Yamaha CP-70/80 electric grand as a sound is polarizing and there have been some forum members like Kanker that would use all the CPs in the world as firewood if he could (LOL). I happen to be one that absolutely loves the sound of a Yamaha CP and I own a nice CP-80 in my home music room. I'd love to hear from people that like the sound and what your favorite emulations are? I have a pretty good sound dialed in on my Nord Stage 2/3 instruments and also the Yamaha S-90 has a respectable CP sound. I believe there are some software emulations as well, though I've never used those. For those of you that use them, what is your favorite emulation of this iconic sound? Thanks, Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABECK Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Following! I've yet to own anything that sounded right to me (Roland, Nord, GSI, Mainstage library) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I know that now and then I've played a board where I think, "wow, they really nailed that sound," but off the top of my head, I can't remember which! It's not a sound I use often. I do like it, though. Quote Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 The UVI offering is the only one I have. I used to own a CP 70B. I have not fired it up lately, but you have reminded me I have it! https://www.uvi.net/en/pianos-keyboards/egp.html Quote . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Following! I've yet to own anything that sounded right to me (Roland, Nord, GSI, Mainstage library) Yeah me too. As a fellow CP80 owner they all seem to emphasize it's weaknesses (thunky bass register and overall thinness) without picking up what I like (singing quality, even tone). I'm also interested in suggestions - if anyone has them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Worth a look, Waves, 8Dio, and Gospel Musicians [video:youtube] [video:youtube] There's also a CP-70 in Gospel Musician's Neo Soul Keys 2 "D'Ang CP70 - There would be no soul, without the sound of recording artist D'Angelo, who often performs live on a Yamaha CP70 Electric Grand. A CP70 sample library is a rare find and could easily cost half the price of this library alone, so we sampled a well manicured and serviced version, which sounds very authentic. The sources sampled were the DI, AMP, and an XY Mic for the ambient tone. The result is a beautifully sampled version that will give you that classic D'Angelo live sound." https://gospelmusicians.com/neo-soul-keys-studio-2.html?category_id=86 Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgoo Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 The one in Keyscape is very good, but it's a bit too compressed for me (as are most emulsions I've heard). I gigged with a CP-70B 6 nights a week in the early 80' s and mine never sounded like that. Quote Custom Music, Audio Post Production, Location Audio www.gmma.biz https://www.facebook.com/gmmamusic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 My favorite is the Piano 3 from the venerable Roland SA pianos. Not strictly a CP clone, but it cuts the mix the same and is oh so dynamic and responsive to play. Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jverghese Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Among hardware instruments, the Waldorf Zarenbourg has a very nice CP70 emulation. Not just the sound, but the playing response is good too. I know availability of this instrument isn't great, and the price is high. The Viscount Legend '70s seems to have a good emulation too, although I haven't played it. Looking forward to trying it out at some point. Didn't like the CP80 emulation in the Korg SV-1 I used to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaware Dave Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 The Gemini module has a CP70 emulation but I find it is a little watery, i.e. too chorusy for my taste. I always meant to go into the editor and tweak it but so far have not gotten around to it. It might be great when tweaked but the delivered CP70 I'm not happy with. Quote 57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn Delaware Dave Exit93band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Yamaha CP4 is as close as I have found, and I still own a CP 70, although not set up at the moment. David Evans "The Edge" toured with a Yamaha CP4 in a custom cabinet built by Vintage Vibe in lieu of touring with a CP 80. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Motif Max Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I like the one in the Motif XF/XS personally. Kurzweil PC3/Classic Keys ROM comes in second. Quote Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000 Kurzweil: PC3-76| Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT, Kurzweil PC4 (88) Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Motif Max Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I should add - a user on the Motifator forum called CESAR_SOUND sampled his own CP80 about ten years ago and made a soundset for the Motif XF. That was actually the best. Second is the stock Motif CP70, third the PC3 Classic Keys-based CP70/80. Quote Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000 Kurzweil: PC3-76| Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT, Kurzweil PC4 (88) Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzy1 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 There's a whole bunch of CP70/80 's on my PC4 . I use to have one that I sold years back . I love them all from my PC4 now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Mike Metlay Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I know that Yamaha CP-70/80 electric grand as a sound is polarizing and there have been some forum members like Kanker that would use all the CPs in the world as firewood if he could (LOL). I happen to be one that absolutely loves the sound of a Yamaha CP and I own a nice CP-80 in my home music room. I'd love to hear from people that like the sound and what your favorite emulations are? I have a pretty good sound dialed in on my Nord Stage 2/3 instruments and also the Yamaha S-90 has a respectable CP sound. I believe there are some software emulations as well, though I've never used those. For those of you that use them, what is your favorite emulation of this iconic sound? Thanks, Eric Pianoteq. A Yamaha CP80 model is one of many really cool models available free to users from Modartt, and while I'm not an expert, it's near as golden for me. Quote Dr. Mike Metlay (PhD in nuclear physics, golly gosh) Musician, Author, Editor, Educator, Impresario, Online Radio Guy, Cut-Rate Polymath, and Kindly Pedant Editor-in-Chief, Bjooks ~ Author of SYNTH GEMS 1 clicky!: more about me ~ my radio station (and my fam) ~ my local tribe ~ my day job ~ my book ~ my music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Why in the hell do you want to emulate that? ððð Quote "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnchop Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Why in the hell do you want to emulate that? ððð Peter Gabriel tribute band? Quote I make software noises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dje31 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I'd take a CP sound--even a sketchy one--over that damnable DX7 bell-EP. STILL sick of it, four decades later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoken6 Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I'd take a CP sound--even a sketchy one--over that damnable DX7 bell-EP. STILL sick of it, four decades later. Yeah, there's something about real vibrating strings. We touched on this in the Valente thread. Cheers, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Pianoteq. A Yamaha CP80 model is one of many really cool models available free to users from Modartt, and while I'm not an expert, it's near as golden for me. I'll try to get around to A/B'ing my CP4 and Pianoteq this evening. Would like to know this myself, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted January 19, 2021 Author Share Posted January 19, 2021 Thanks for all the helpful responses! A lot of considerations here. It's not urgent for me to find "my next CP70 emulator," though it is fun to consider. I've never played the CP4 very much, other than at NAMM one time when it was new (I think 5+ years ago, at least). I was searching and found this cool page showing how the CP4 inherited some of its design from the CP70. https://www.yamaha.com/en/about/design/synapses/id_059/ I also had the Kurz PC3 for a hot minute and do remember those CP70 sounds. I have not heard the CESAR_SOUND Motif XF samples and have not tried out Pianoteq, though it seems like a pretty easy entry point if it's free. Why do I care? I love the CP70 sound on '80s music like Peter Gabriel, Simple Minds, U2, Sting, etc. and I've used it prominently as one of my "voices" even in songs that didn't have it originally. There's just something very beautiful and haunting about the sound and it cuts through a wall of guitars pretty well. Cheers, Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midinut Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Just curious, didn't Busch do a Vintage Keyboard Collection for the Yamahas (over at Purgatory Creek?) that included a CP-70/80? I seem to remember, but not sure if I have enough brain cells left to be sure. lol Quote Hardware: Yamaha: MODX7 | Korg: Kronos 88, Wavestate | ASM: Hydrasynth Deluxe | Roland: Jupiter-Xm, Cloud Pro, TD-9K V-Drums | Alesis: StrikePad Pro| Behringer: Crave, Poly D, XR-18, RX1602 | CPS: SpaceStation SSv2 | Controllers: ROLI RISE 49 | Arturia KeyLab Essentials 88, KeyLab 61, MiniLab | M-Audio KeyStation 88 & 49 | Akai EWI USB | Novation LaunchPad Mini, | Guitars & Such: Line 6 Variax, Helix LT, POD X3 Live, Martin Acoustic, DG Strat Copy, LP Sunburst Copy, Natural Tele Copy| Squier Precision 5-String Bass | Mandolin | Banjo | Ukulele Software: Recording: MacBook Pro | Mac Mini | Logic Pro X | Mainstage | Cubase Pro 12 | Ableton Live 11 | Monitors: M-Audio BX8 | Presonus Eris 3.5BT Monitors | Slate Digital VSX Headphones & ML-1 Mic | Behringer XR-18 & RX1602 Mixers | Beyerdynamics DT-770 & DT-240 Arturia: V-Collection 9 | Native Instruments: Komplete 1 Standard | Spectrasonics: Omnisphere 2, Keyscape, Trilian | Korg: Legacy Collection 4 | Roland: Cloud Pro | GForce: Most all of their plugins | u-he: Diva, Hive 2, Repro, Zebra Legacy | AAS: Most of their VSTs | IK Multimedia: SampleTank 4 Max, Sonik Synth, MODO Drums & Bass | Cherry Audio: Most of their VSTs | Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 I've always found the sound to be boxy-yet-intimate in a positive fashion. Its somewhat like a specifically EQ'd tack piano. I have a couple of intermediate samples of it that are serviceable, but I've got Pianoteq in my near future. I'll zero in on their version and see how wooly/accurate it is. It really is an 80s hallmark because Gabriel and others were the most prominent players to first use it, but funny thing... I find places where its an ideal layering or bridging tool. You can easily put it up front like Supertramp's Wurly, but its also like the French horn, capable of acting as excellent glue between other instruments or phrases in a song. It also needs only a small tweak to pull off "Benny the Bouncer." By comparison, my wretched CP 20 deserved to be hurled somewhere suitable with a trebuchet. Imagine hearing a strange CRASH, looking out the window and seeing that buried in your car hood. Quote "Well, the 60s were fun, but now I'm payin' for it." ~ Stan Lee, "Ant-Man and the Wasp" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Motif Max Posted January 19, 2021 Share Posted January 19, 2021 Do you have a Motif XF/MOXF by chance? Or a Montage/MODX? Quote Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000 Kurzweil: PC3-76| Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT, Kurzweil PC4 (88) Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Pianoteq. A Yamaha CP80 model is one of many really cool models available free to users from Modartt, and while I'm not an expert, it's near as golden for me. I'll try to get around to A/B'ing my CP4 and Pianoteq this evening. Would like to know this myself, anyway. So I've been away from Pianoteq for quite a while even though I have owned it for 9 years now. I upgraded to Version 7.1 to do this comparision. I also calibrated my controller (Yamaha CP4) before starting. Observations after about 30 minutes : Certainly the CP80 in Pianoteq sounds like a CP80, not going to mistake it for something else. I found the CP80 in my Yamaha CP4 to be much more playable across the keyboard. Pianoteq goes into the chorusness (is that a word?) that characterizes the CP80 way early in the touch of the controller, where as inside the CP4 one has to play the keys much more (and I mean much more) firmly to get the same effect. I would bet that with more tweaking I could get Pianoteq closer to the CP4, but straight out of the box, the Yamaha wins for me. As it should, really. Anyone who is this far into this thread should click on the link Eric provided 4 posts above this one. Quick quote : "The CP4 STAGE and CP40 STAGE carry forward the essence of the original CP-70, in a form suited to today"s music scene." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Martin Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I recall the one in Steinberg's The Grand 3 was pretty good. It has been a while since I've played though. Quote -Mike Martin Casio Mike Martin Photography Instagram Facebook The Big Picture Photography Forum on Music Player Network The opinions I post here are my own and do not represent the company I work for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I really like that 8Dio video... does a good job of capturing the singing, floating, ethereal quality of a CP70/80 at it's best. I have a CP80 so I'm not sure I need it, but I'm glad I'm now aware of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 I really like that 8Dio video... If I wanted a CP80 emulation to play inside of Kontakt, that's the one I would get Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagetunes Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 My favorite is the Piano 3 from the venerable Roland SA pianos. Not strictly a CP clone, but it cuts the mix the same and is oh so dynamic and responsive to play. I concur. Piano 3 on the original RD300 is sweet, expressive, cuts thru nicely live. It may not be totally faithful, but it's really nice. Quote Hammond B-2, Leslie 122, Hammond Sk1 73, Korg BX3 2001, Leslie 900, Motion Sound Pro 3, Polytone Taurus Elite, Roland RD300 old one, Roland VK7, Fender Rhodes Mark V with Roland JC90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b3keys Posted January 20, 2021 Share Posted January 20, 2021 E-mu Vintage Keys Pro has great CP pianos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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