Yamaha CP-40 Review

We rated the Yamaha CP-40 concert piano a 9.5/10. This full-sized, touch-sensitive digital stage piano has a high polyphony and beautiful, intuitive interface. Because this keyboard has a professional-grade set-up, and you can tweak the preset sounds to your own liking, the CP-40 exceeds our expectations. While we wish it was easier to find (and a little less pricey) this is a gorgeous instrument through and through.

Are you in the market for a concert piano? Then consider yourself lucky. Here at BestPianoKeyboards, we take the time to review keyboards of all kinds- from cheap to professional. If you have the means, the Yamaha CP-40 is a great choice. So come on over and join us in this Yamaha CP-40 Review. 

Yamaha is a really great brand. Ever since the 1900s, they have dedicated themselves to creating high-quality electronic keyboards. Given all their options and electronic piano lines, it’s clear to see that they have left few features untouched. So, if you’re looking for a professional-grade piano, Yamaha is a great place to start. Read on to learn more about the CP-40 in this Yamaha CP40-Stage review. 

Overview

Have you seen a Yamaha CP-40 for sale, but you don’t quite know what the piano is all about? Here’s an overview for you;

The Yamaha CP-40 Stage is a full-sized, 88-key electronic keyboard. It has graded and touch-sensitive keys, which makes it really great for more advanced players. It has a great and easy-to-use interface and was made with the newest technology that Yamaha had when it first came out. While it is no longer available new from Yamaha, it’s still a wonderful keyboard. Let’s look at some of the features more in-depth. 

Features

Yamaha started their CP series way back in 1976. Ever since then, they’ve really been delivering when it comes to piano voices. Every piano in the CP line is quite impressive, and this one is no exception. This Stage Piano isn’t just an average digital piano. It’s way more than what you’d expect for the price point. So, here are a few more reasons to like the CP-40 even more:  

Design 

Here we go with me bragging about Yamaha again. We don’t really need to say much here. It’s light, sophisticated, and classy. The design of the Yamaha CP-40 is beautiful. 

Console 

We will explain this in more detail in a minute here. This device has a wide sound set on board. There are front-board classification catches, and very broad impacts. It also features sound layering. 

Keep in mind that this isn’t an all-preset instrument. You can tweak the sounds by using the controls on the menu on the LCD display screen.

In addition to all this, the instrument includes USB MIDI, and has real-time controls. The MIDI feature highlights where the CP40 Stage fits in the electronic piano-keyboard world. This instrument is much more adaptable than models with a similar price range. In a sense, it has the features and intricacies of a synthesizer. While you will have to put your programming skills to the test here, it is worth it. These piano features lend well for people who gig, are keyboardists, or those who are going to music school.

Professional-Grade Setup

The interface is highly intuitive and is really easy to use. The keyboard is full-sized and has something called graded hammer keys. This feature makes playing the electronic piano feel more natural. This means that the lower the keys go, the heavier the weight of them feels to the player. It imitates the heavy feel of the pull of what would be a real string on an acoustic piano. Graded hammer action is so important, especially if you’re used to an acoustic instrument. The Yamaha CP-40 weight is excellent. In addition to all of this, it has a polyphony of 128 notes. That is way more polyphony than you’ll need! (Unless you’re playing Rachmaninoff, then maybe…)

Let’s take a moment to talk about the pedal. The CP-40 comes with the FC3 pedal. half-accelerating, fractional damping, and fast pedal strokes are all actions that are possible with the FC3 pedal. Many pedals are more like an on-off switch than an actual gradient. I am really confident in Yamaha’s choice to use the FC3 here. 

A Classic Sound, Many Voices

Yamaha’s sound is the reason why people put so much stock into this brand. Playability and build are ‘noteworthy’ components. However, the classic sound takes the cake.

The Yamaha CP-40 has a warm closeness and satiny sustain. The upper range is responsive and clear. While this particular model does tend to have too fast of a note decay for pianists’ taste, luckily, there’s a simple fix. This keyboard has adjustable reverb! There are 11 different reverbs that can be added manually.

This piano has a whopping 297 voices. It includes the following: Basses, organs, strings, pads, and much more. Let’s delve in a little deeper:

The Yamaha CP-40 has six basic harpsichords, and about 50 organ presets. The second line of presets includes tuned percussion, ringers, and marimbas. These all make up about another 29 sounds. There are also a lot of nice choir sounds and vocal tones, as well as synth basses. The generation sound set has both quality and quantity. 

Split Function 

It’s essential to have a split function on your keyboard if you’re planning to play solo around the town or compose. This is because the split function allows you to assign one sound to one part of the keyboard, and another sound to the other part. On this model, you can see that this is activated by looking at the LCD screen.

Within this, you can switch patches, set relative volumes, and turn parts on and off. Everything as far as split function accessibility goes is really instinctive on this instrument. 

Storage 

Like many digital pianos, the CP-40 has a USB port. You can use this to plug in a USB with a large memory. From there, you can record and store your music. The Yamaha CP-40 has both the ability to record and save, as well as playback from the USB port. No rocket science involved here, just simple, easy music-making. I really love the USB save option on my own Yamaha piano.

Other Notes 

Yamaha really has hit the mark when it comes to fine adjustments on the CP-40 Stage. The amount of options in the console is great, and overall, the piano is surprisingly light. 

This piano is high-caliber and has a natural feel. The countless sounds allow for countless creations. In addition, you can spruce up those sounds by adjusting the reverb, as well as other elements. You have a lot of adaptability at your fingertips here. 

Specifications

• Weight: 36 pounds
• Dimensions: 52.4’ x 6.5’ x 13.8’
• Performances: 128
• Voices: 297 (14 drums, CF: 15, Rd: 3, Wr: 3, CP80: 8, DX: 18, Clav/Organs: 18, Strings/Choir/Pad: 67, Others: 117)
• Split: Yes
• Reverb: 11 kinds
• Compressor: 1 kind, adjustable preset
• Other Effects: 67

Who Is It Suitable For?

This electric piano is suitable for gigging musicians who love to dabble in multiple genres. This is because of how light it is for a full-sized piano, as well as how many sounds it has to offer. The CP-40 is also really great for serious piano students, or for music education students who are looking for a piano to keep in their apartment in order to practice for classical piano classes. 

As long as you can afford the over $1k price tag, this piano is great for anyone, with its user-friendliness, portability, and high-quality, touch-sensitive keys. 

Yamaha CP-40 In Action

We’ll keep the unboxing of the Yamaha CP-40 brief. But it’s still important to check out. Come on over to Youtube, and join us. Erksine Hawkins kicks off the video by performing a piece.

The Yamaha CP-40 sounds crystal clear with the tone he’s chosen. Let me sum up what he had to say about the instrument: 

It’s similar to the CP-4, but it’s a little less pricey. I learned from his review that this piano actually features flangers as well as reverb options! He said he likes how the piano feels. With the graded-hammer action, I can’t say I disagree! Erksine also goes on to discuss the many voices on this instrument. Everyone seems to be impressed with Yamaha’s quality and consistency in that department. If you want to learn more, check out the video. Now, on to pros and cons!

Pros and Cons

Pros

• The keys are hammer-graded
• The voice sounds are high-quality and unique
• The CP-40 is an elegant, aesthetically pleasing piano. It truly is a vintage beauty
• It comes with a foot pedal! While this sounds really basic, a lot of electronic pianos don’t
•  Simply stated, it is very easy to navigate. User-friendliness is essential to me in a piano
• It is a highly portable electronic piano
• The buttons light up, making it easier to navigate the interface in the dark such as during night performances
• You get 297 presets with this piano
• It is equipped with a ‘main solo function’, which means you can play across the entire keyboard at the touch of a button
• Yamaha has a 3-year warranty on labor and parts for their pianos, so even if you get something used, it might be still covered, as long as you have the right paperwork!

Cons

• The studio bundle is not currently available
• There are no external speakers
• It’s a high-dollar item, even in music resale shops
• The sound groups can sometimes prove difficult to get to 

Quick View 

How To Care for the Yamaha CP 40: Piano Basics

Some of you might be new to our blog here. Let’s keep it simple, and talk about piano care basics. Overall, keep the piano free from any moisture or condensation. It’s a piece of electronic equipment, just like a television. Without further ado, here are the steps that you can follow  to ensure that your digital piano stays well maintained:

• Do not keep it exposed to moisture or direct sunlight
• Avoid placing it in a high (foot) traffic area, as that will make it dusty much faster than normal
• Never keep it beside heat-emanating appliances like oven, heater or stove
• Always clean your piano with a dry cloth to avoid that will soak in moisture (if any). This will also help remove dust
• Also, keep in mind that it is important to use cotton cloth. This is because cotton is soft and will not scratch the device
• Do not keep it plugged in all the time, just plug it in when you are getting to use it. I
• Turn it off properly after every use
• Make sure to keep the wires in your music studio organized with color-coded tape and cord savers
• Do not eat around your piano
• Always wash your hands after eating, before you touch the piano
• Never lean on your piano
• Use and wipe down the instrument on a regular basis

Conclusion

The final verdict is that Yamaha CP40 Stage Piano is more or less like a portable CFIIIS. When it comes to Yamaha, it’s all about sound and resonance. The audio quality speaks for itself, but we will tell you our opinion too- Yamaha nailed it.  

Don’t mistake the CP-40 for a luxury instrument like the Nord 3 that we recently reviewed. That being said, we can’t deny its quality and practicality. This piano has graded keys and a very realistic feel, and it’s portable to boot. It’s great for traveling and performances. And while its interface might look intimidating at first, it’s actually a really easy to use, classic setup. This instrument makes a great house piano or gigging instrument. 

Overall, the Yamaha CP-40 is an excellent piano. It is unfortunately discontinued, as we mentioned before. So if you can’t find the CP-40, try the CP300. It’s a fair bit more expensive, but this is another Yamaha product that I really have confidence in. The CP4 is also a good choice that is similar to the CP-40. This one is discontinued as well, though, so you’ll be looking for it used. The last instrument I would recommend that is similar to the Yamaha CP-40 is the Yamaha CP88. 

If you can get your hands on this piano used, I’d say, go for it. There are a lot of pros and not very many cons to be had with this particular product. Yamaha instruments are built to last, so you can rest assured that what you’re getting will hold up to wear and tear and time. 

Thanks for stopping by our blog! Come back for more reviews on piano keyboards, from economical to professional. 

Don’t forget to check out our other reviews!

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9.5Expert Score

We rated the Yamaha CP-40 concert piano a 9.5/10. This full-sized, touch-sensitive digital stage piano has a high polyphony and beautiful, intuitive interface. Because this keyboard has a professional-grade set-up, and you can tweak the preset sounds to your own liking, the CP-40 exceeds our expectations. While we wish it was easier to find (and a little less pricey) this is a gorgeous instrument through and through.

PROS

• The keys are hammer-graded
• The voice sounds are high-quality and unique
• The CP-40 is an elegant, aesthetically pleasing piano. It truly is a vintage beauty
• It comes with a foot pedal! While this sounds really basic, a lot of electronic pianos don’t
• Simply stated, it is very easy to navigate. User-friendliness is essential to me in a piano
• It is a highly portable electronic piano
• The buttons light up, making it easier to navigate the interface in the dark such as during night performances
• You get 297 presets with this piano
• It is equipped with a ‘main solo function’, which means you can play across the entire keyboard at the touch of a button
• Yamaha has a 3-year warranty on labor and parts for their pianos, so even if you get something used, it might be still covered, as long as you have the right paperwork!

CONS

• The studio bundle is not currently available
• There are no external speakers
• It’s a high-dollar item, even in music resale shops
• The sound groups can sometimes prove difficult to get to