Yamaha CP-70

The **Yamaha CP-70** was a hybrid acoustic/electric grand piano released by Yamaha in the mid-1970s.

Although often referred to as an electric grand piano, it has hammer and strings and works like a normal grand piano, but also has a pickup which translates the analog string vibrations into a digital audio signal. The Yamaha CP-80 is the bigger version of the CP-70, but with an extra octave of keys (altogether having 88 keys - CP-70 only has 73 keys). The Yamaha CP-70B is the same as the normal CP-70 but with an improved pickup and a balanced output (hence the 'B' suffix).

The piano was used by Tony Banks, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins.

## Tony Banks' Yamaha CP-70B

The Yamaha CP-70B was one of Tony Banks' main instruments. He first used it on the *...And Then There Were Three* album, and continued to use the CP-70 rather extensively for subsequent albums & tours (both Genesis and solo work) up until *We Can't Dance*.

Banks even ended up preferring the Yamaha CP-70 to using an acoustic piano, as he was quite used to the chorused sound he'd produce on the Yamaha CP-70. He did that by using (initially) a Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble pedal

Tony Banks began using the CP-70B on the **...And Then There Were Three** album; from then on, the CP-70 became an integral part of Genesis' music, featuring a lot of their 80s work. Banks himself said he preferred the chorused sound of the CP-70 (achieved with the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble) to an acoustic grand piano.

In early 1986, Tony Banks had his Yamaha CP-70 retrofitted with MIDI so he could trigger sounds from other instruments using the CP-70. This was towards the end of the making of ***Invisible Touch***.

## Peter Gabriel's Yamaha CP-70

The Yamaha CP-70 was one Peter Gabriel's main keyboards from 1978 to 1986. His first use of the CP-70 was on the *Peter Gabriel 2* (a.k.a. *Scratch*) tour in 1978. It appears on *Peter Gabriel 3* (a.k.a. *Melt*), *Peter Gabriel 4* (a.k.a. *Security*) and *So* albums, and Peter had toured with the CP-70 for *Melt* and *Security*.

On *Peter Gabriel 3*, the CP-70 was fed through a Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus amplifier and close-miked according to Hugh Padgham.

By the time of the *So* album, he appears to have been transitioning from the CP-70 to the CP-80 - both pianos are mentioned in a report published in the July 1986 issue of *Musician* magazine. On the *So* tour he had switched over completely to using the CP-80, and continued to use it for subsequent works.

### References

* *Musician*, July 1986
* Photo from the (early) *So* sessions in 1985 - number of keys appears to be identical to the Fairlight CMI keyboard (which has 73 keys), therefore shows CP-70. Later photos show CP-80
* Hugh Padgham Produce Like A Pro interview

## Phil Collins' Yamaha CP-70

Like Tony Banks, Collins himself had a Yamaha CP-70, which he used from the early 80s 1980s. The distinctive CP-70 sound can be heard in places on the *No Jacket Required* and *But Seriously* albums, plus on "A Groove Kind Of Love" and *Two Hearts*. His first known use of the CP-70 was on the *Hello, I Must Be Going* tour.

In terms of effects, Phil Collins probably used a T.C. Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger and a T.C. Electronic Booster+ Line Driver & Distortion on the CP-70 on the *No Jacket Required* tour.

It's seen in the video for "One More Night".

### References

* *Keyboard*, February 1992
* Various