Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards A plea to Yamaha CP5 owners

To Wes.

I'm getting back to you rather late but I want to thank you for that fantastic overview. My CP5 will arrive next week and here I've been trying to understand it by the literature alone before it arrives. Your explanation has certainly helped my understanding so far. I would like to ask you one question:

I like layering strings with piano. From your explanation, It sounds like I would use the "Parts" block section to make that piano/strings layer. Is that correct? What's confusing is the setting of the primary voice (piano). Strings would just be the layered addition. Of course, I guess strings could be the primary voice where you layer piano instead but I thought I read that layering was only possible with the piano voices unless I've confused with something else. To layer piano with strings do I use two parts or just one (adding the strings)? And does it matter if you use Left1 Left2 vs Left1 with Right1. That labeling in the Parts Block, I don't understand. What's with the left left right right? Why LL and RR? Why not just 4 parts like: 1p 2p 3p 4p?

Anyway, I guess it will all fall into place when I finally get my CP5.

By the way: My fist DP and the only one I play now is a Casio PX130. Low end I know but not bad for the money. I've had it for a year, but now I want a professional grade DP for saving up all my pennies and I think the CP5 fills that bill. Though sort of loose and gappy, I do like the weight of the keys on the PX130. If you know, will the CP5 be similar in weight on its keys?

You guessed it: I bought the CP5 based on much review and I have never tried it out. Regardless, I'm going to love it and learn how to use it no matter what. I have an expensive pair of AKG headphones and will soon be looking for speakers. I don't play in a band these days but I use to be in a band. For now, my CP5 is strictly for home fun use. I wanted a stage piano rather than a console. I have an old Yamaha upright AP but it's always out of tune. For staying in tune, nothing beats a good DP!!!!!

Russ

Godspeed Russ!

And please let us know what you think about the CP5 after you've spent some time quality with it.

I sure will. Can't wait. I've never been this excited before but then again, I've never purchase a high-end instrument such as this before. I should see it by Wed next week. I may not be getting much sleep for a while but I'll keep ya posted.

Russ

Russ,

Your question "why not just 4 parts like 1p 2p 3p 4p" is a good one. I think maybe Yamaha was trying to make it seem simpler by calling the left 1, left 2, right 1, and right 2.

Don't worry, you can layer any sound you want, not just pianos. You will need to use one part per voice, so if for instance you wanted to layer Rhodes with Moog, you could use L1 and L2 to do that. Meanwhile, you could layer piano and organ with R1 and R2, or any 2 voices that you want to layer. Then you could split the keyboard so that, let's say, the Rhodes/Moog layered sound is on the left and the piano/organ sound is on the right. You can set the split point, of course, to any key you want, and they can overlap.

I don't know anything about the key weight of the Casio PX130 - sorry.

I hope you enjoy your CP5 - good luck.

-Wes

Hi Russ,

first af all, congrats, you'll love the CP5.

As for the layering thing: No, it doesn't matter if you use R1, R2, L1 or L2, you can layer all sorts of sounds without limitation to piano and strings or piano being the only voice that can be layered with strings. There really are no limitations here, you can organize yourself a "layer orgy".

I think the labeling thing for the L1L1 and R1R1 is purely for organizational issues, for getting oriented faster ( live situations), when you want or have to switch/mute/alter volume for the different zones and sounds.

Best,
Manolios

Thanks Manolios and Wess and everyone else. I'm going to keep all this info available and guess what?

I just got called by the shipping company. IT'S ARRIVING MONDAY! This is truly exciting and I have all your given info to refer to, so grateful and more than I could ask for. I'll probably have questions later after I've played around a while to see what I can do on my own but you guys have got me way ahead of the learning curve. Most appreciated. I'll get back soon.

BTW: Thanks for clarifying the R1 through L2. I'm also thinking that R and the L settings is where you chose the split, sound wise, not keyboard. I know I can choose the split location by what key I press. Anyway, if what I suspect is true, them it would make some sense as to why you have L1 L2 with R1 and R2. BTW Wess, you pointed out the other two (Part) knobs for the Mike input and the other. They do make sense to me.

Russ

Almost bought a CP1 myself (not a CP5) at one point, although that quickly changed into getting the V, since it has the easiest control panel to use.

Sometimes keeping it simple says it all.

Yes, the V-Piano is beautifully simple and very intuitive to use. Given the vast number of tweakable parameters it is amazing that it is not a more intimidating thing to use.