Yamaha | CP-70 & MONTAGE M8x | Matt Johnson & Dom Sigalas | #SYNTHS1974

Join @MattJohnsonJamiroquai and @DomSigalas at the Yamaha Synth Space in Berlin for a dive into the classic CP-70 electric grand piano and how our flagship MONTAGE M Synthesizer contains premium samples from our electric grand piano range and can enhance the sound through onboard effects and features. Enjoy the video!

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[MFitz]

From 1977 to about 1990 the CP70/80 was everywhere. Go back and watch footage of Live Aid from about 1985 - almost every band that had some keyboards had a CP. Designed as a "portable" piano (NOT by today's standards of course) for live use in the pre-digital age, it became _the_ piano sound even in studio for a lot of artists like Peter Gabriel, Genesis, Roxy Music, Simple Minds, Toto, Journey and a few thousand others.

[jarnleikr]

Sold my CP-70 10 years ago - still stings my heart when I see one...

[synthlab]

There are two instruments that i wish Yamaha will make again, the CS80 and the CP70. No matter how much i love the CP70 sounds in my Montage and EX5, the overall experience of playing a real CP70 takes it one step beyond what a purely electronic instrument will ever give you ... key feel, real hammers, body resonance, etc.

[Eric-Levinson]

There’s nothing like the new Montage m ! Love it, in love with it ❤❤❤

[tedfangc]

Yamaha should just make the CP70 again. Nothing out there sounds better. And lots of demand for it

[tonycarpenter-Makzimia]

I toured in 1985 with a CP-80 :). Fun to move, especially in road cases upstairs..

[WoodyPianoShack]

fun video from two great players on some great instruments!

[Moessieurs]

Amazing sounds from the old CP70 and the Montage M 👍🎶🎹

[KeybardExplorer]

The CP in the Montage sounds great, but next to the real deal you can hear that it's an emulation. You should never compare!

[DavidLee]

Lovely to hear both in action. The Montage sample is too bright out of the box there, though. I have a CP-80 and a Montage and love them both - I'll have to see if I can make a better CP-80 patch, which shouldn't be hard with some filtering. The Montage certainly takes up less space in a room than a CP-80, and that's a distinct advantage, lol.

[josesvintagekeys]

Yamaha invented this beautiful instrument – it’s a work of art and world-class engineering. Just like the CS-80… And what do they do? They sort of dismiss their heritage by saying, “Just get a Montage or a Reface… it’s the same.” They are not… not at all. Sure, you wouldn’t hear the difference in a recording or live setting, and no one wants the hassle of taking these old instruments on the road. BUT: Yamaha, please just say, “We tried to get really, really close… and we did! These are all an homage to the classic instruments.” But please stop saying, “You can’t hear the difference – they are the same – forget about these old beasts.” Like Porsche, Rolex, and Rolls-Royce, these instruments/brands are in a world of their own. I own the CP and the CS, and nothing comes close to the musical sensation of playing the real thing. Long story short: Yamaha, be proud of the role you played in the development of modern keyboards and just admit these are copies of the real deal. In their own right… but nothing like the real thing. 😊

[stefanogreco]

Amazing !
Thank you Matt, always a pleasure to see you

[TheSunlight]

Also I think Keane used a little sequenced Juno synth line underneath the song 'Everybody's Changing', rather than any big FX as such. It gives the song a bit more momentum.

[SRDhain]

That was beautifully done. Thanks guys👍

I've not seen a CP in ages, but the montage m's is pretty close. Better still, it's also on the ESP, so you don’t have to lug your M7 or M8x around, which aren't lightweights themselves (all puns intended).

[ayosh]

I love playing my CP 70b, the feel of a "real" piano can't be beat, however I use my Montage 7 with the CP 80 patch when recording. I just love the sound of the CP, so much character!

[mondrian_]

The Montage sounds OK. But please.... don't say it's close!! 😂

[TheSunlight]

Really nice sounds guys! Although it's D MINOR that Nigel proclaims as the "saddest of all keys" 🙂

[Robert]

That's a CP-70M… Matt… MUCH more rare than a CP-70b these days. There are a number of differences, having factory MIDI OUT is the most significant. I have one of these and the ability to layer the CP's iconic sound with any number of other hardware or software instruments via MIDI greatly expands the usefulness of the piano. There are MANY emulations of the CP sound, and Yamaha's are among the better ones, but a playing of the 'real thing' exposes how the emulation is still an approximation that will satisfy most people in most situations.

[horacioduek]

Great video! Does anybody know if the CP80 sound in the Montage is the same as in the CP88?

[ikkejick]

I have a montage M8x. Now I want a CP-70..