Yamaha has two of the most versatile most "affordable" live keyboard instruments, this CK88 or the MODX8+ - take your pick. I'll need to spend some time auditioning both of these best professional entry level stage keyboard and synth. Have to audition both to decide. The CK is the Nord you have always wanted to have, but could not afford. I think finally Yamaha is back on top, when it comes to stage pianos, and I can imagine a CK super on steroids, sometime in the future, that just blows the NORD instruments completely out of reckoning. I feel that Yamaha has been experimenting starting with the CP, then the YC, and with the CK, they got it just about right, best combination of sounds, action, and menu less control, that will meet 90% of any gigging keyboard players needs...., at a price that is hard to ignore.... and weight that is also an important factor.... portable, with speakers, what's not to like.. If ever there was a perfect instrument, this is the one.... the CK., for one who prefers a fully weighted piano keybed. Can imagine expanding this to add second keyboard - semi weighted, from either Roland or Yamaha......, for an advanced keyboard player whose level of gigging warrants such. But I can imagine most people especially semi professionals will not need anything more. I own a Yamaha CP33, and the CK/CP/YC are simply well done reincarnations of a concept that Yamaha has dominated for a long while, and thankfully have recovered from the lacklustre period of the CP1, CP5, CP4/CP40
Excellent video for the superb instrument. I appreciated the comments on the apps (which I ve never heard of) And the fact fact that you had put the words at the bottom of the vid. Good enjoyable video. Thankyou
hello, incredible piece of gear. could be my favorite. The specs saying that 2 stereo 6Watts built in speakers. I got the CK61 played next to a P45 which has the same 6Watts speakers and they definitely don’t sound nearly as good as the Yamaha P45.
The Nord Stage 4 will be the keyboard to buy if you can afford it, the new features and interface will make that keyboard more than adequate for the next 5-6 years and maybe even more. This is a good response from Yamaha for the lower price tier that gives great live playing and modding flexibility of course sacrificing the engines and other flagship bells and whistles you get from the YC/CP keyboards. The sounds are still decent and the interface makes this a great portable gigging machine for most any keyboard player. I intend to have this and the NS4 this year and should be set for a long long time after this.
@@thesoundsmith What weight? My Nord Electro 6 61 key weighs 8 kg. For a keyboard with individual keys as opposed to the Ck61 where the keys are pressed out in octave sets, they Nord is not at all heavy.
Thanks Luke for explaining and great sound effects, it helped getting to watch and listen to the sounds I’m wanting,, seriously thinking about the 61 for studio work plus not a good keyboard player but wanting to learn and help with songwrighting,, Greatly appreciated!!!😎
For that Price range I'm digging it. I dont expect all the Flagship bells and whistles Just make playing main keys easier at gigs.. I do expect a Flagship Level response from Yamaha by Namm of Next year..But mostly because they are clearly in competition with Nord and they need a knock out Punch. This isn't that but this is Nice!! 💪🏾🫶🏾💪🏾..
Great video. Just bought a CK61, and love it. A about a minute in this video, you use endless delay on one part, and play along with it on the other parts. I have been unsuccessfully trying to duplicate that on my Ck61. I store each part according to the manual, but the delay in part 1 picks up the sounds of the other channels, and records them. I'm using the effects 1 Delay, and not the global one. Any tips?
Hey Dennis. I don't have one with me, otherwise I'd have made one for you and Soundmondoed it. If that's a verb. I used a trick for this, if I remember correctly. I set up a split-point of one note only, to bottom A say. Or even change the octave down. Make your sound, let's say sound A left split but only that sound on. Add tons of delay. Play away and then turn on B (right split). Before two sounds are on sound A will be across the whole keyboard. When B turns on it then kicks the split into play. So the A continues and you're not turning it off, but you're also not playing it. Hope that made sense??
The backing tracks are whatever you have, they are wavs loaded in from a usb drive. So if you can get Indian music then you can load it and play it in the ck.
IMO they should do what they did with the YC/CP series and give us a BHS action 73 key. I would have bought it already but as is im probably going studio logic numa xpiano 73. Yc/cp/nord way expensive and I really need something weighted and 7x keys that can act as an audio interface.
Is there a chance that Yamaha will release the CK because it scores so well that two models will be released? I mean I like playing on a bigger keyboard than the 61 keys. The big brother is much better in terms of comfort but does not have a light touch, which I think is a shame. Apply a light touch and you have two types of synth, 1 with a light touch and 1 with a heavy touch. I hope that the CK will also be released with more than 61 keys, but with a light touch. Is that too much to ask?
When you switch live sets the sound will not cut off but the effect will immediately switch to the new one, which on some sounds can be quite noticeable.
The very first combo preset you favorited at the end- around 16:12 - I played on one today and could not find the patch or ensemble that gives the particular backing choir that I’m hearing. Also could not find any percussion or beats behind any of these patches you demo’d. Please tell me how to find these sounds bc I bought one!!
Hello, thank you for this great video, does this keyboard have seamless transition? When I switch from 1 sound to another does the sound cut off or does weird sound before you start hearing the new live set ?
I really love Yamaha sound and UI, for my workflow, in this keyboard there's a lot of interesting stuff BUT, i'd like to know: Is possible to change patch with footswitch? There's some kind of setlist? how many of them? and how many slot on each? In the past I've used performances on MX49 as setlist and use parts as "slots" ... not so bad at all, but it was impossible to change selected channel with footswitch.
Hey Marco - the answer is yes. Live Set Inc/Dec Sets the type of operation for using the pedals connected to the FOOT PEDAL [1] jack or the FOOT PEDAL [2] jack. • Off: Operates the control change assigned to the Live Set Sound. • Live Set Inc: Selects the next Live Set Sound when operating the pedal. • Live Set Dec: Select the previous Live Set Sound when operating the pedal. Default: Off As for setlist sounds the answer is "enough". And you can easily save to USB or Soundmondo to ensure you have a limitless amount of possible sets. Hope this helps? Best wishes.
I am having a hard time finding any MIDI keyboard with even velocity response. I have tried many options and they all are built badly. At least 2 keys per octave with at least a 20% difference in velocity response. I literally can’t find a decent keyboard these days. Thinking of getting an old synth just for the keyboard. Any new options?
Yes, according to the manual (downloadit your self, it's quite comprehensive - again another plus for this unit.) They will NOT move to the new position, they're not motorized, thank goodness/
No drum kits. Although you can add a DAW via usb or any drum rhythms on a USB stick or Bluetooth. But if you want kits, MODX+, Montage or laptop and DAW.
No Piano Engine . Shame on Yamaha. Just like the modx8 the montage. And cp88 and yc88 series on all of them. No Piano Engine (String resonance, lid position, hammer noises. Pedal noises. And so.. )Non of this pro keyboards without the Piano Engine Yamaha got piano engine on the clp series and the p515 and now also on the p125a. And ofcource on the high level home digital pianos Shame on you Yamaha. All other companies give piano engine on the pro keyboards exept Yamaha.
FWIW, this is $1500, the others with this capability start at $2200 and up. I don't have mine yet, but on every demo channel, what I've heard for the paino is as good as any in the range and weight. It'll be up to keyboard feel. NOBODY makes what I want - modeled organ a la VB3 + modeled piano a la Pianoteq + modeled EP a la Lounge Lizard. This cmoes closest in sound at this price point, IMHO. But everyone's needs are different.
