Yamaha Reface CP

The only small thing about this keybord is it's size. Tone and playability is huge here!

Let's start from the key size as it's the very first thing i got my hands on. Being small doesn't necessarily mean that you are limited. In fact i found out that it can become a benefit because you can reach keys that you normally can't in a normal size keyboard. The trick here is to adapt your musical style to the specific instrument and that's where the magic starts. I found out that it can be a bit painful for your pinky if you play a lot with it but it can also be the case that i am not a keyboard player and my hands are not used to this fingering positions.

The tone of the instrument is great especially if you decide to hook it on a pair of nearfield monitors for practice, like i did. All the voices are great and usable except the Toy-Piano which i didn't find appealing at all. I can't imagine how this sound can fit in any mix, but that's just me. The built-in speakers are also very impressive in terms of sound quality. The stereo tremolo when combined with the Rhodes sounds is enjoyable and eargasmic. All effects are very responsive and most important easy to tweak while playing. The interface is super simple and a no-brainer, just the way it should be.

The portability is there (6xAA batteries) but i found out that if you play in full volume the batteries will get drained after 6-7 hours or maybe less. So i think that it's not safe to jam more than one time with the same batteries.

Overall the CP is a great instrument for the studio and for your couch or bed. Being so lightweight and so rich in sounds makes it a perfect tool for practice during a lazy afternoon ar even your work-break time. No joke, you can easily fit this thing under your screen/behind your keyboard. :D

If the Reface CP becomes a classic, I would not be surprised. It's simple, a little weird, takes a bit of getting used to, and sounds absolutely gorgeous!

I use it as my throw-around, take-it-anywhere keys, and will also put it on top of my MAG organ for extra options on small gigs. I love the classic EPs, and they are there. There's even a decent acoustic piano hidden in there (why it is hidden is beyond me).

At home, the CP is permanently set up with a Yamaha CP-300, which has some fine EPs itself, but... the CP gives you direct control! Just turn a knob for any classic EFX you want, set it, change it, anytime, no menues. And these are all high quality effects. Not unlimited, but very well thought out. Authentic.

Tastes differ, but to my mind the CP has some of the best EP emulations around. Add the control, the overdrive, it's very involving. The attack is wonderfully detailed, also when playing softly, the sustain natural, and with the right pedal, it allows you to half-pedal. Very intuitive, very musical.

The keybed is too light for my taste, but I'm getting used to it, and contrary to other carry-on keyboards I've had, you play yourself closer to it over time, not away from it. In short, it's playable.

Speakers are surprisingly good for the size, but don't expect too much.

Drawbacks?
- No memory (we're not all on Apple).
- Full size MIDI connectors would have been nice.
- Indents on the octave slider a little weak.
- Output through the jacks is quite low.
But it's so simple and intuitive, focused in its scope, and sounds so amazing that I don't really care.

This little thing might well sneak into the pro world. One review suggested that if you are a traveling player, you should carry the CP and get some 88-keys at your destination to play it from (proper 1/4" jacks for output). Makes good sense.

Yamaha rarely disappoints and this is no exception.

I got this for home recording. I've got Rhodes, clavinet, etc in my studio but I obviously can't bring them home every day.

The sound quality and "feel" of the instruments is impressive. For most purposes this little Yamaha can replace the real stuff and nobody would notice. Certainly not in the context of a mix.

The effects are surprisingly good too and seem to be fine tuned for electric pianos. Very nice touch!

The form factor is GREAT! No annoying menus. No computer screens. Everything is very "hands on". I love it! Very convenient size too.

The keyboard is small and may not be to everyone's liking but it's got midi in/out so I don't see a problem with that. The keyboard isn't poor quality though, it's actually quite good, just a bit small and limited in range.

The build quality is ok. It's obviously not built like a tank but it's better than most in this price range. I'm sure it will last many, many years if taken good care of.

I highly recommend this product! The sounds are amazing for the price. 10-15 years ago this quality of modelling wouldn't be found even in the most expensive hi-end keyboards.

The organ oriented Reface YC is equally great by the way (I haven't tried the remaining two Reface-models as their sounds do not appeal to me).

I used this keyboard for home practice / studio recording / live sets.
It handled well in all these circumstances and it delivered great sounds and easily customizable parameters.

Pros: Lightweight, easy to understand and to use (very user friendly), delivers excellent sounds in such a small format. The rhodes sound sweet and warm, the wurlitzer is authentic, as well as the signature CP.

On board effects are great. The reverb is deep, you have two types of delay (analog / digital), the chorus and phasers are deep immersive, and the tremolo and wah are very responsive.

This is an instrument that truly inspires you to create and explore new sounds. With the integrated effects, you can get to a whole other dimension outside of the classis piano sounds. Also, the easy to carry around format allows you to create on the go.
Also, you can easily hook it up to a laptop and use it as a midi instrument

Cons: Probably the only one would be the three octaves, but this can be solve with an external midi keyboard.

Overall, very pleased with this instrument and its features from a home practice, live and studio perspective.
I reccomend it to anyone who wants a good sounding classic piano/keyboard at 10th of the price.

Exactly the sounds and effects you need if you're learning how to replicate the sound of your favorite records from that era, or artists with that sound today. If you have some keyboard skills and can improvise some chord progressions, simply dialing in the sounds and starting to play will be eye-opening and inspiring.

The toy piano might be the only sound on here that's not perfectly versatile. I adore its eerie honky-tonk quality though and enjoy playing it.

Also just a really well built machine and a joy to use. I see the reviews are divided on the mini keyboard - I find it comfortable to play, easy to control (not too flimsy nor too stiff) and good size for my hands. Good finish to the body and the keys, really enjoyable to handle.

In my setup, I've been using it to jam on the couch, as a midi-controlled synth, and as a midi controller for my other gear.

The only reason I give 4 instead of 5 is that I had hoped to use it for microtonal music by reprogramming it with midi messages. It does accept pitchbend messages (despite not having a controller for that) so it is possible to use monophonically for microtonal music. It does listen to all midi channels (omni), so I thought it would be possible to reprogram it for 16 notes microtonal polyphony, but no. The channels are merged and then separated into different voices. As far as I can tell, not merging the channels would be a trivial feature to implement in the firmware, that's why only 4 for features. With that out of the way, it's a device that feels great, looks great and sounds gorgeous! My hands are not particularly big and I actually like these mini keys better than normal-sized synth action keys. The knobs are a bit more plasticky than they look in pictures, but it still looks great and plastic makes it lighter and more portable which is arguably the deal with this instrument. The instrument sounds are amazing and the effects are really well tuned to each instrument. The only exception might be the toy piano which is a sound I don't really love (even though I do like the Amélie soundtrack). With sustain, tremolo and reverb, it can be made to sound more like a vibraphone though. Some have commented on the hidden piano sound, but I personally find nothing wrong with it and consider it very useable. The speakers sound good for their size but of course they are very small so don't expect to get a lot of bass out of them. Also you need to hit the keys with a bit of velocity as they are a bit quiet for the lower velocities. Loud enough for playning in the garden :)