Yamaha CSP-150 Review

The CSP-150 is an expressive digital instrument with many features for the price, which is why we ended up rating it a 9/10. It serves its target audience of beginners to upper intermediates very well. The interface is loaded with interesting features like styles and streetlights, and it pairs with smart devices easily. Yamaha designed this line of instruments to make learning the piano fun and simple- and they did an excellent job meeting that goal. 

This model was the first of its kind, which makes the CSP line staple digital pianos to know about. My favorite aspects of the instrument are the internal recorder paired with the microphone input. Other big selling points worth starring are the audio-to-score features, which transform tracks into sheet music, and the huge sound bank.

 We ended up taking a full point off, because this model is slightly older, and doesn’t have as many features as the CSP-170.

Overview

The CSP-150 is a Clavinova piano that was first released in 2017.  Yamaha released this model as the first digital piano of this kind.

 Clavinova Smart Pianos, or CSPs were a new sub-type of Clavinova that was designed to be used with a tablet. That is why the CSP-150 is often referred to as a ‘world first’ because it was the first digital piano that could be totally controlled by a smart device like a phone or tablet. 

According to Amazon and the maker, the CSP-150:

“The CSP-150 will teach those who have always wanted to play piano how to play their favorite songs, right out of their own music library. The Smart Pianist app analyzes any song within seconds, and produces a piano score that they can read, all while Stream Lights above each key show them which notes to play and when!

The CSP will dispel any preconceptions you might have about playing the piano is a difficult and frustrating experience. The dedicated CSP app analyzes the music you want to play and then creates a piano accompaniment score for you. All you have to do is follow the Stream Lights!” (Amazon.com/ Yamaha)

So, what makes the CSP-150 such an ideal beginner piano? Let’s get into the details but looking at some key features. 

Features 

Graded Hammer 3 Keyboard 

The graded hammer 3 keyboard has keys with synthetic ebony and ivory tops and escapement. GH3, or graded hammer 3X, is better than the entry-level GH action. I find that the GH action is a bit too light for someone with my level of experience. The GH3 action makes this model ideal for beginners to intermediates- Especially if those beginners are playing on an acoustic piano at school or in the lesson studio. 

GH3 feels close to an acoustics touch but is also comparable to this manufacturer’s GHE. Yamaha’s Graded Hammer 3 action has a faster ‘bounce back’ than the plain GH. This means that you can repeat notes more quickly, and can play the same key without having to lift your finger all the way it. The low register is nice and heavy, and the upper range is light. 

Huge Sound Bank

This superpower of a sound bank includes a total of 692 Voices + 29 Drum/SFX Kits. 

This includes Sweet! Natural! Live! And Flutes! voices….Wow was that a lot of exclamation marks- but I had to stay true to the brand’s choice of name. 

There are also more coiffed sound samples, including the CFX (with binaural sampling), as well as the Imperial Bosendorfer. 

VRM  

The sound bank is bolstered by VRM as well. The virtual resonance modeling (VRM) inside this instrument includes features like damper resonance and string resonance. This technology helps to recreate the sounds and vibrations of an acoustic piano. 

In addition to the above aspects, there are also 14 VRM voices onboard. 

Smart Pianist App

According to the maker, the Smart Pianist App gives pianists access to 470 more accompaniment styles, 400+ songs, and 692 voices. Once you combine the app with the instrument, you have access to over 1000 unique sounds and tons of styles. 

Side note: A lot of folks have technical issues with the app. It’s also (unfortunately) not the most easy-to-use piece of technology. 

Two Onboard Buttons to Make it Easy

The CSP-150 only has two buttons that control everything- So move over, maximalist keyboards!

Assignable Styles

This smart piano has a wide variety of assignable styles. There are 4 main types of styles onboard: Pro, Free Play, Pianist, and Session. Some styles even emulate bands.  According to Yamaha “total harmonic control” over the said digital band. 

Onboard Multi-tracking Recorder

The CSP-150 has a 16-track recorder that records your music in SMF format. I love that the instrument offers so many tracks for this price! 

A Bevy of Other Interactive Features 

The combination of the mic input, audio to score, stream lights, vocal harmony 2, and melody suppressor opens up a big music world for new creatives. 

The ¼ inch mic line input allows you to sing along to whatever you’re playing. In fact, if you’re feeling more like singing than playing, you can use the melody suppressor to cancel out the vox and sing (or, of course, play!) the lead part instead. Speaking of singing, the Yamaha CSP-150 is equipped with Vocal Harmony 2, a smart technology that allows you to choose 3 backup singers. Even cooler yet, you can choose the harmonies yourself. 

The Audio to Score feature can turn any sound in your sound bank into a score, making it easier than ever to play what you’re passionate about playing. 

And, as for the young learners, the built-in stream lights can indicate rhythm, and where to play. This makes the piano feel much more accessible than ever and can help you get to know the keyboard without feeling so lost. One super convenient feature inside the stream lights is that you can edit the tempo of the songs on your smart device, and slow down the stream lights as well. Learners can start slower, and work their way up as they go!

Other Features: 

Other convenient and notable features inside this digital piano include: 

• Sliding key cover
• Yamaha CFX sound with binaural sampling
• Master EQ
• Dual, split, layer
• Key stabilizers 
• Wireless connection
• Fine-tuning

Specifications

Sourced from Usa.Yamaha.com/products 

• Weight: 
• Width: 55 inches and ⅝
• Height: 40 inches and 5/16ths 
• Depth: 8 inches and 5/16ths
• Dimensions:
• Colors: white, black, ebony
• Reverb: 58 Presets 

Who is it suitable for?

The CSP-150 is best suited for beginners to upper intermediates. That being said, I think more advanced hobbyists, and even some professionals, may enjoy this instrument. The Yamaha CSP-150 is especially geared for the techie piano player– If you’re not a person who likes to noodle with settings and record things, you probably can go with something more basic than this smart piano. 

Side note: Younger beginners will likely not be able to appreciate the full breadth of options the CSP-150 has. 

CSP-150 in Action

To get a better feel for the CSP-150, check out this all-playing, no-talking video by the composer Phantawalker.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• It is compatible with apps, and smart devices, and has a wireless connection
• It is relatively beginner friendly
• The CSP-150 has tons of sounds, styles, voices, and effects
• Some of the styles, such as the jazz styles are quite pleasant

The connectivity, large sound bank, and internal recorder make the CSP-150 a real crowd-pleaser. There are a lot of decent sounds and styles, and you get a good bang for your buck, too. 

Cons

• It does not have wooden keys
• I suspect this model will be replaced with another CSP soon
• Some styles are better than others
• The speaker system isn’t nearly as powerful as the current flagship
• A lot of options to get lost in for the young beginner

The plastic key action isn’t quite as good as the wooden key action of the CSP-170; When I was playing this model, I (admittedly) missed out on the heft and evenness of some of Yamaha’s real wood models.

Another pretty big con for me is that this CSP doesn’t have nearly as much umph as the CSP flagship (CSP-170). Overall, it has much better speakers and amplifiers than this model…

And as far as the release goes, the CSP-150 is holding up still well…for now. That being said, it’s been over 6 years since its initial release, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was discontinued or replaced. 

Lastly, here’s one more small con. There are a lot of options to get lost in for the young beginner- While it serves new players well, children will likely need some help with the settings. 

Customer Reviews

The CSP-150 received a 5/5 rating on Amazon.com, and 4.5/5 stars on Google. As far as I can see, it was extremely well received. The only complaint I really saw from other musicians was the (aforementioned) plastic key action. 

Comparable Instruments

• Yamaha CSP-170
• Yamaha CVP’s

The Yamaha CSP-170 is a slightly newer CSP model which has all wood keys. The CSP-170 costs around $5,000 and up. The extra $1,000 gets you better speakers, bigger amplifiers, and more authentic action. While the model we reviewed today has GH3X plastic action, the CSP-170 has the superior Natural Wood X action. 

Alternatively, the Yamaha CVP line offer a few comparable models. The CVPs are Clavinova’s as well, and have a huge range of features. 

CLPs are another option to consider, but note that they are not as full-featured as the aforementioned CSP and CVP lines. The CLP 635 or CLP 645 are the closest models (both in price and features) from the CLP line to the one we reviewed today. The main difference is that the CVP line has more sounds than the CLPs have. 

It’s hard to beat a Clavinova, but if you want to check out models from another maker, consider testing out the following: 

• Nord Stage 3 
• Nord Stage 4

Both the Nord Stage 3 and Nord Stage 4 are within a similar price range to the CSP-150 (4-5k). These models are MIDI compatible, have excellent connectivity, and have lovely tones. This is a very different keyboard than the CSP, but as far as quality goes, it matches. 

For a more economical model with full features, the Casio PX-S31000 (approx $1,000) is worth taking a gander at. 

Quick View 

Specs sourced from Yamaha.com. 

CSP-150: Conclusion

In conclusion, the Yamaha Clavinova CSP 150 is a great instrument to have at your fingertips. The CSP has any features that make it ideal for beginners, and live performers. While it might not be the newest Yamaha on the market, we believe this is a model that will still serve you well. 

Music quote of the week: 

“The bigger the crowd, the better, really! The noise calms your nerves.” — Niall Horan

9Expert Score

The CSP-150 is an expressive digital instrument with many features for the price, which is why we ended up rating it a 9/10. It serves its target audience of beginners to upper intermediates very well. The interface is loaded with interesting features like styles and streetlights, and it pairs with smart devices easily. Yamaha designed this line of instruments to make learning the piano fun and simple- and they did an excellent job meeting that goal. This model was the first of its kind, which makes the CSP line staple digital pianos to know about. My favorite aspects of the instrument are the internal recorder paired with the microphone input. Other big selling points worth starring are the audio-to-score features, which transform tracks into sheet music, and the huge sound bank. We ended up taking a full point off, because this model is slightly older, and doesn’t have as many features as the CSP-170.

PROS

• It is compatible with apps, and smart devices, and has a wireless connection
• It is relatively beginner friendly
• The CSP-150 has tons of sounds, styles, voices, and effects
• Some of the styles, such as the jazz styles are quite pleasant

CONS

• It does not have wooden keys
• I suspect this model will be replaced with another CSP soon
• Some styles are better than others
• The speaker system isn’t nearly as powerful as the current flagship
• A lot of options to get lost in for the young beginner