The modern sort of musical instrument

[Мастер]

Here are two questions for the music- and technology-minded folks on the board. (Enzo and BM65, I'm looking at you!)

A long time ago, through a somewhat odd chain of events, I inherited a Yamaha electric (or electronic?) piano. I believe it is vintage 1980s, and I know that at the time it came into my possession, it worked.

It has been boxed up, unused, for many years, in its self-containing case. Inside the case is the piano itself, screw-on legs, a pedal, and a cable with a nice big thick round jack at each end. I have no amplifier into which I can plug it.

So the questions are:

a) What is the easiest way for me to tell if it still works?

and

b) Even if it does work, is a vintage 1980s Yamaha electric/electronic piano worth hanging onto, given the progress in technology over the last few decades?

Many thanks for any info.

[Enzo]

Model number would be useful. And does it have a headphones jack? I have in my head an image of a CP30 maybe. Or one of the PF series?

There were professional instruments and then home models.

In any event, you need a way to hear it. Headphones, and if you lack an amplifier, you could plug a cord from its "line out" to an unused input on your home stereo. ANy input except "phono." And if the unit has speakers right in itself, then we are covered.

Once you have one of those ways secured, plug it into the wall and flip it on. Works or it doesn't.


Electric/electronic pianos of that era tried hard to sound good, but mostly to my ear came up with a vaguely piano-like "bonk" sound. On the other hand the pre-emminent electronic piano - The venerable "Fender Rhodes" sounds like that to me, but plenty guys still tour with those damned things. And you have heard them on many recordings.

It all depends upon what one wants from his keyboard. I am sure you have heard the term "good enough for rock and roll." Modern pianos are either sampled - meaning they actually recorded a real piano and digitized the sound for each key. or synthesized - a catch all term for any sound made from scratch.

Early samplers from the 1980s could be crude. YOu recorded a sample of one note, then electronically shift the pitch up and down to make all the notes of an octave. It is not hard to hear on one of those the shift point from the top end of a stretched up note group to the bottom end of the next stretched note group. The average soul might not hear it, but it is there, a certain change in timbre. So six or eight sampled notes could fill the entire keyboard.

These days memory is dirt cheap, and a sampled piano will generally have a sample for each note. Much better. Modern pianos sound darn good and darn convincing.


A synthesized piano probably won't have samples - although there are any number of keyboards that have both within. But the algorithms for piano sounds are now very sophisticated too, and they sound very good.


AN older synth piano may not sound all that piano-like when played next to a modern day instrument, but in the context of a rock band, it can be a desirable retro sound.

There is a certain market for "vintage" stage gear.

If we are planning to leave the country, there will be the matter of power line voltage, and that would entail either trying to find 25-30 year old power transformer for it or if it is switchable, having it reconfigured.

And if you want to play it as a piano, go listen to what is on the market at your local music store.

[Мастер]

The model is a CP25. I will have a look later to see if I can plug it into any headphones or stereo system I have on hand . . .

[Enzo]

I downloaded the owner manual from retrevo

Ther is a headphones jack on the end panel. Plug some phones into that for a listen.

There are also "line out" jacks there. A cord with 1/4" male on one end for those and a RCA male on the other end for your stereo amp, and you're rocking. The line jacks have an on/off switch nearby.

[Мастер]

Awesome. I'll give it a try. Maybe tomorrow :)

[Blue Monster 65]

The CP-25 isn't really worth a whole lot, but it does carry a certain sort of vintage cool. It's also kind of limited in its sound, but again, if you're looking for a retro vibe, it can do it. I haven't seen one in years, but knew at least one guy who used one of those as his main keyboard back in the early '80's, as it was more versatile than a Rhodes or the like.

I hope you enjoy it!