Best Yamaha Stage Piano for the gigging musician. Here we take a look primarily at the CP series, although a few pianos from the P series can also be used as a stage piano. Yamaha stage pianos are a nice blend of rich, expressive sounds and portability!
Introduction
Looking for a compact digital piano for home use, something that is easily portable but great for practicing? You can take a look at the Yamaha P and NP series.
But if you want a professional digital piano for stage or studio use, something that packs power (and is reasonably lightweight), then you should consider the Yamaha CP stage piano series.
Here we will not talk about the arranger type 88 or 76 key keyboards; in case you’re looking for such keyboards, you should check out the Yamaha 88-key keyboards.
Yamaha stage pianos are for the more accomplished players whoa are looking for performance keyboards with 88 keys (preferably fully weighted keys).
Yamaha CP series
The CP series rose to fame in the 1970s and 80s when the CP70 and CP80 stage pianos were all the rage among professional keyboardists. The CP1 brought back the series back to life in 2010. However, this time Yamaha incorporated many of its innovations in a more budget-friendly package making the new CPs more accessible to semi-professional musicians and budget buyers.
Yamaha CP pianos reproduce the sounds and dynamics of acoustic and vintage instruments with exceptional accuracy and detail. The sound set includes Yamaha’s flagship concert grand piano sound, and popular vintage electric piano sounds.
Read: Yamaha CP series
Comparison Chart
- Yamaha CP4: Top model in the CP series of stage pianos, 88 authentic wooden keys, great selection of grand piano sounds, vintage EPs and many more Motif-derived sounds.
- Yamaha CP40: 88-note Graded Hammer action piano, slightly fewer sounds compared to the CP4, VCM effects
- Yamaha P255: Top model in the P-series, excellent 88-key portable piano with graded hammer-action keyboard, concert grand piano sounds and more.
- Yamaha Genos: 76-key arranger workstation keyboard, color touchscreen, realistci sounds and modern state-of-the-art styles, Yamaha’s top arranger synth.
Best Yamaha stage Pianos
Yamaha CP4 Stage Digital Piano
Yamaha CP4 is the flagship model in the Yamaha CP4 series and among the best stage pianos that Yamaha has ever made.
45 grand piano sounds, 47 vintage EPs and several Motif-derived voices, several effects — all gig ready.
Featuring 88 note Graded Hammer Wooden Key action with Synthetic Ivory tops. The easy to use interface, large lighted buttons for important functions. At 38.5 lbs, its lighter than most of its competitors.
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Yamaha CP40 STAGE Digital Piano
Next best option after the CP4, the Yamaha CP40 also a includes good collection of vintage electric pianos, and more Motif-derived sounds — suitable for gig use.
Easy-to-use interface with large lighted buttons for splits and layers gives — all the controls right at your fingertips.
Features premium sounds, including grand piano sounds, the Yamaha CP40 can be used for any musical situation.
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Yamaha P255 Digital Piano
Yamaha P255 i the top model in the popular P series, which includes portable pianos for home use – learning & practice. However, the Yamaha P255 can be used as a stage piano as well.
88 graded hammer-action keys with Synthetic Ivory Keytops, concert grand piano sounds, premium Yamaha digital piano technologies, live performance features like Live Mode, P-255 Controller app for iOS.
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Yamaha Genos Arranger Workstation Keyboard, 76-Key
Yamaha Genos is more of an arranger workstation and the top model in that category.
It comes with 76-keys and features a 9″ color touchscreen and a collection of rich sounds and styles, assignable sliders, knobs and buttons.
The keyboard offers professional level connectivity and is an excellent songwriting and performance tool.
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More Portable Pianos
For those of you looking for a practice piano, preferably as your secondary piano, then this 76 key piano is a perfect solution as its an entry-level piano. There are not many sounds but the ones that are provided sound very well. The keys are not exactly weighted but considering the price you may want to check out the yamaha np32.
A far better option in terms of the keyboard touch is the yamaha p-115.
But the best one in this series of pianos, considering the keyboard action and the sound, is the yamaha p155. Slightly on the higher side, but then the keys are properly weighted and the sound is based on their CF concert grand piano. So have a look at the yamaha p155.
For those of you who are looking for a performance piano for stage use, there are some good options as well. The yamaha np-V80 piaggero is a 76 key lightweight keyboard for those on budget and looking for a second keyboard primarily for smaller venues.
But if you are looking for a power packed stage piano, then there is nothing to beat the CP series. The yamaha cp33 stage piano is an entry level stage piano. It doesn’t come with built-in speakers but it’s a good option for this price. A much better but expensive option if you are looking for stunning piano sounds is the yamaha cp1 stage piano.
Yamaha Digital Stage Piano: Buying Guide
Why a Yamaha Digital Stage Piano?
Yamaha pianos give you a wide range of options to choose from. A Yamaha digital stage piano is usually popular for the following reasons.
If you are looking for the best possible combination of features, authentic piano sounds, portability and affordability, then you should consider a Yamaha stage piano.
The Yamaha stage pianos differ from the Yamaha 88-key arranger keyboards (YPG/DGX series) in the sense that these stage pianos are more performance focused, so besides accompaniment styles you will find many more things. The YPG/DGX series is basically for keyboardists looking for more than 61 keys whereas the Yamaha stage piano is for performer.
Unlike other stage pianos, Yamaha stage pianos usually come with built-in speakers, but you will definitely need external amplification. v
Yamaha Stage Pianos – for Professional Use!
The Yamaha CP models have professional features for musicians who demand acoustic piano performance when on stage or in the studio.
These stage pianos pack enough punch in their sound to be used onstage in front of a huge crowd, and at the same time it is expressive enough to mesmerize the crowd inside a smaller club.
Some important features of the Yamaha CP series include:
Summary – Yamaha Stage Pianos!
Yamaha stage pianos includes a range of modern stage piano models that that carefully balances quality with size, and provides lot of features and sonic capabilities to allow a gigging artist to wow the audience. For stage and studio use, Yamaha’s professional stage pianos (aka Yamaha electric piano) has great features for musicians who demand acoustic piano performance when on stage or in the studio. A Yamaha stage piano comes with a contemporary design, and is designed to maximize your enjoyment of genuine piano playing, and performance.
Various Models – The bulk of the Yamaha stage pianos fall in the Yamaha CP series and the Yamaha P series. Choose whatever suits your requirements and budget!
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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