I can not thank you enough for your review! It's so hard to find non-promo videos for keyboards. As you say, most "reviews" are by retailers or manufacturers, so they only focus on the positives.

@WoodyPianoShack

5 ай бұрын

maybe now after some months there are a few more independent reviews. thanks for the comment.

I bought a CK61 and it is much better than I thought it would be. Delighted.

I’ve got the ck61. My main draw to the keyboard was its portability. Battery powered, light weight, packed with great pianos and e pianos and a decent organ… It has great strings, pads, and useable synth sounds. I’ve already got flagships of other manufacturers so I’m not looking for “the best”. I pretty much have those already. This, again appealed to me for its portability where I can just grab it, turn it on, and use it to quickly figure out a song etc. The built in audio/midi interface is also a big draw for me as I can hook up an iPad with my instrument apps and hear them directly through the Ck. Finally having the ability to stream backing tracks via blue tooth or usb dongle is a great practice tool and can be used for solo gigs etc. For $999 usd I find it to be a great value.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

nice summary from an actual owner, thanks!

@kai2250

Жыл бұрын

How's the keybed on the CK61?

@danielcolfer4671

Жыл бұрын

@@kai2250 Prettt good. Im able to play the piano sounds with control over the expression. Action is so subjective though.

@germanshepherdlover2613

Жыл бұрын

What's the key action like on the CK61?

The video I have waited for :) Thank you as always for your great reviews Woody 👍🏾

@14:50 The 2 second or so boot time is very good - and important for a stage / performance keyboard if you need to quickly reset the keyboard or someone tripped over the power cord, etc.

@poldidak

Жыл бұрын

Isn't that the truth! I have a 15-year-old Motif ES into which I load 108GB of piano samples to volatile RAM when I boot up. It takes about 5 minutes to load from a 256GB SmartMedia (!) card. One time, our sax player kicked the power cord of the ES out of a floor box in the middle of a song, which even though I got it plugged back in quickly left me without my piano sounds. Then I had to ask the audience to wait 5 minutes while it rebooted. I have since moved to using newer keyboards with flash RAM. Much better!

Love the introduction. Thank you for your effort in producing this video👍👍🎹🎹🎶

Thank you for sharing the more intimate details!

Awesome presentation Woody :)

Great video! The keyboard does remind me a bit of those black monoliths from _2001_ . Can't wait to hear the sound demo!

Excited for this review over the shop presenter led reviews.

Thank you, Woody, for a great intro to the Yamaha CK keyboard. Ir swems like a Clavia people can actually afford! Cheers!

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

thats exactly it!

I'm enjoying the raw quality of your reviews. I think I've found your channel a couple of years ago while I was researching if I would be happy getting MODX7. Nowadays my collection includes also PSS-A50 for my potability and MIDI controller needs, Casio CT-S500 for a quick setup playing and recently got Kurzweil SP6 when I became more serious about learning how to play piano. At this moment I don't have a space anymore to get Yamaha CK88. It definitely sits in the middle of my needs, but there would be a huge overlap with the existing boards. Still I see this unit as a total treat for the mid range, nice sounding gear enthusiasts, who are occasionally playing gigs along with the band. Looking forward followup reviews of this model form you! 👍

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

totally agree with your points. you got some nice boards there too! yeah, raw is my style, rough and ready on the production and sometimes the playing too ;)

Looks like another quality instrument on a lower price, which I think Yamaha are pros at! Can't wait to see Part 2. But I already like it.

Great review Woody 😉 I am hoping that the Leslie sim major update that transformed the YC will become available in the CK. I prefer the lighter GHS piano action than the heavier PHA-4 in my Roland RD-88. I will more than likely be getting rid of the RD-88 to get the CK-88. Thanks for your informative critique, much appreciated and keep up the good work. Cheers from Australia 😊

Great keyboard and incredible value. As of recently I was also very impressed by the Roland Fantom 06 and Yamaha PSR E473. The latter on line outs sounds better than many synthesizers from the 80's and even 90's at €379 (with mike and aux input as a sampling option).

Very interesting. I was tempted with this but MODX+ will keep me busy much longer even with the sacrifice of the not so great keybed. Great review.

I knew you would review this lol!

"I am loving the retro feel of these knobs" 🤣

@Auldhelm

Жыл бұрын

Cheeky!

What a beautiful keyboard

Interested to know wether if those drawbars and knobs can sends midi CC or not.

Great stuff Woody! 😊Shame they didn’t send you the 61 version as I would’ve like to hear your view on the FSB keybed action

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

people telling me it's the same as the PSR SX900, that was quite nice, although my example got a bit clicky and clacky. what other synths is FSB used on?

A separate video dedicated to the synth section would be great.

I just bought Rolands best stage piano, the RD2000. I have been wanting to sound design on the Roland V-Piano, which is the first modeled piano. Lots of control over the piano for the first time and only on the V-Piano, no other manufacturer has the control of the V-Piano. Still working with it looking for the perfect (close at least) simulation of a classically tuned and voiced Steinway Concert D.

MOAR GEAR!!!!!!❤

Good content as always Woody! I like the lighted buttons under the display, but they look like rubber buttons. I don't think you said if they were. Maybe I missed it if you did? I hope they are not rubber. I can see the numbers and text wearing off over time and the can be easy to chip off a chunk. I do like that all the text and lines and markings are white. Makes things easy to see under color changing stage lighting. Also, the I/O on the back is labeled in white also, AND labeled on the top as well as the back. That's something I like on my Roland VR-730. I like how Yamaha has set up the effects section. It looks easier to change the settings than the VR which are menu based. I don't care for where the Mod and bend wheels are. Too far out of the way for me. Roland's bender is my favorite of all vs wheels and joysticks. As for the comments about it being plastic, my MR-730 is all plastic. Except for a L shaped aluminum piece running across the top of the keybed. The bottom is a lattice work of reinforcement. That keyboard feels very solid and it's light and that was their goal. I'm sure Yamaha's gear in that price range should be just as good. Looking forward to part two!! 🙂

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

thanks patrick, to answer your specific question, the buttons are rubber, but not squishy rubber, they are very hard, almost like plastic. they feel good. i don't foresee issues with labels rubbing off, even if they did, by then you'd have developed muscle memory!

I get a woody when I'm alone in my shack too!

Thank you for an intro to this stage piano. I do appreciate your videos.

It's a nice keyboard. Masataka Kono had one and has been making a lot of videos playing it. But I am looking at the Roland FP-E50

Hi Woody. Nice to see you cover the CK88. Just a note about playing the organ with weighted keys, apparently the CK61 uses the same FSB keybed as the PSR SX900.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

ok! that keybed should be fine for organ, it's quite decent, well after all they put it on a $2000 PSR keyboard.

@timpullen4941

Жыл бұрын

I have a CK61 and the keyboard retriggers on staccato notes.

Looking forward to hearing it properly now we've been properly introduced. It does look the canine's danglers- plastic or not!

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

haha, not heard that turn of phrase before!

Hi Woody! I heard it is possible to route external sound sources through the effects section of the CK. Not sure if this goes for the rotary effect as well. It would be interesting to compare the rotary emulation of the YC with the rotary effect of the CK by routing the YC’s organ sound through the CK. I hope I explain this correctly. ;-)

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

that was very clear, and thanks for the idea. i don't have the YC any more. even more interesting perhaps would be to route the CK through the YC rotary...? but maybe they are the same...?

@luucdentoom6955

Жыл бұрын

@@WoodyPianoShack oh, I thought you still had the YC. ;-) Actually, I’m not sure if it’s possible to route external sound sources through the YC’s effects. I have the CP88 and I know for sure it’s not possible with the CP. Another thing I’m interested in is the quality of the samples. The CK has a lot more voices than both the YC and the CP. The CP for instance, is still lacking choirs and orchestral instrument voices. It would be awesome if you can spend some time on that part of the instrument, since a lot of the videos just show the CFX, Rhodes and some Clavi sounds.

@thesoundsmith

Жыл бұрын

@@luucdentoom6955 You can route the external sounds though most of the FX including Rotary.

Could you see whether the music stand from the P-121 fits, for the next video? I was thinking about swapping my P-115 with one of these. I'd keep the music stand if it fits. Are you sure there wasn't one hidden in the bottom of the box? I didn't find the P-115 one when I first unboxed it, because it was in a cardboard sleeve that looked like it was a structural part of the larger box!

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

no the 121 stand is a completely different attachment. i checked the website, it's optional accessory.

Nice video. Does it have a music rest please?

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

only as optional accessory

How's this as a midi controller?

Woody, I love your vids, but PLEASE GET A CHAIR! lol Was driving me nuts.

In one or two of the other vids I have watched, I think there is a setting for the speakers for when you have it placed on a flat table rather than a stand.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

there is, I mentioned that too. they actually sound decent on a proper keyboard stand, not hi-fi studio monitor of course, but perfectly fine for jamming on the piano and rhodes etc.

@lukeyd7776

Жыл бұрын

@@WoodyPianoShack oh right sorry I missed that, was outdoors when I watched the vid. I will rewatch now I’m indoors 😄

As far as the printed manual... that's actually still typical of Yamaha to include that size manual, with that same plastic bag... even the Refaces include them!

may I ask if there are internal drum track-accompaniment?

@JGlassy

10 ай бұрын

There is no drum accompaniment section (AFAIK this is typically an “arranger” or entertainment keyboard feature) . I have a CK-88, same engine as CK-61.

Awesome Video! I had a question for you - If I make changes in any sound, for e.g. - More reverb on the piano by using the physical knob on the keyboard, It would be there when I recall it next time even though the reverb amount on the physical knob is different. Probably a dumb question but I wanted the clarity, Thanks!

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

no, a perfectly reasonable question. what you have to do is save your changes, overwrite the existing preset or save a new one (yamaha call it a live set). then all your settings will be recalled when you select your preset!

@anujmuzik

Жыл бұрын

@@WoodyPianoShack Great! Thank you, I am going to buy it!

Wish Yamaha would improve the GHS action. I've played the piano since I was 9 but couldn't learn to love the GHS on my P125. Even the Casio CDP 110 feels less odd under the fingers.

@poldidak

Жыл бұрын

If that's the same 88-key action as on the MOXF and MODX keyboards I agree. I really wanted to love the MODX8+, but the feel of the keys made me leery of taking the leap. I hear that the GHS action wears out and gets sluggish fairly quickly, too. On the other hand, the action on an older Yamaha P-255 still feels as snappy as the day I bought it.

Yamaha releases alot of products with same presets but the actual point is what abour D/A conversion? is it a kinda MM8 product? thank u

I wish they would have kept the stereo input Gain knob on the front panel for ease of adjustment. I enjoy that convenience on my Montage and even my MOXF.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

might look a bit ugly... doesn't bother me, I hardly ever plug anything in anyway.

@poldidak

Жыл бұрын

Maybe they polled people and found that most of them use the audio-over-USB feature rather than analog inputs nowadays. I'm kind of old-school, so I always have at least one MIDI sound module I like plug in without having to bring a mixer. Plus the keyboards I use (Montage/MOFX) have the vocoder function so they have to have analog inputs. Cheers, Woody!

If I get the ck61 i assume I could midi-in my existing weighted 88 controller for when I want the full key range. Anything to bear in mind with doing that - or will that give me the best of both ck61/88 experience?

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

that would work great!

I think in college I recall playing some Billy Joel at a party with an actual lampshade on my head, sop don't feel to bad Woody. Joe

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

haha, i should try that in my next video!

The faders look like the same ones from the octave slider on the Reface.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

yeah, they look like the ones on the reface YC too.

If we're doing grown up reface keyboards, I want a updated FM synth centric board from yamaha. Something like the board Korg did a few years ago, but preferably with 61 keys.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

would be nice, worth noting that the CK lacks the FM engine of the YC.

That organ sounds a bit better than the one on my reface YC. Seems like it isn't a direct cut and last from the reface YC. The vibrato/chorus and Leslie on the reface yc are a bit naff. I look forward to your next video going into a bit more depth on the organ section.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

let's get this connected to my PC so you can hear and judge for yourselves. perhaps even a comparison with the electro.

A grown up DX 7 would be nice

I wish they were coming out with a 73-key unweighted version. 61 is OK but a bit too limiting for me. However I am seriously considering it. The bang-for-buck ratio is very high.

@PatrickRosenbalm

Жыл бұрын

I have a Roland VR-730 with the Fatar 73 waterfall keybed I gig with and I've been pretty please with it the 2 years I've had it. However, they have raised the price twice since I got it. It's $1900 USD now. If Yamaha put out a 73 key version with a semiweighted feel for, say $1200 or so, I think they would sell very well. Can't go wrong with either brand. ;-)

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

high bang-for-buck indeed, good summary. yeah, always good to have more options (73) but I guess it adds a lot to costs to make and distribute all those variations. makes more sense on the flagship models I guess.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

yeah, i had in the back of my mind that the VR might be cheaper, so thanks for sharing the updated pricing. also korg/vox is another affordable option.

Nice review. I bought one. Sweetwater is great. What’s not great is someone didn’t check if it was a working unit. Show up to a gig to use it and it didn’t work. Of course they will Send a replacement but it was an embarrassing situation. I was too busy to open the box before this gig. Never thought a Yamaha product would come from factory not working. 💁 C’eat la vie.

@WoodyPianoShack

6 ай бұрын

ouch that sucks! but turning up at a gig with untested keyboard is asking for trouble... ;)

@onethousandtwonortheast8848

6 ай бұрын

@@WoodyPianoShack True but then again, it’s 2023. Who doesn’t test their equipment before it leaves the factory? Anyways, you’re right. On a different note, I’ve been reading a lot of the comments here about your video and I’m telling you a lot of the people here are not professionals. The worst part about 99% of the keyboards out there, you have to push 5000 buttons or the same button multiple times to scroll through menus to get to what you really want. The great thing about this CK88, there is one dedicated, potentiometer, button, whatever you wanna call it that is dedicated to what it is doing. This is the best set up. When you’re on stage, under pressure, and you know what you want, you need to be able to get to it immediately. Also, if you’re setting this piano inside a real, Piano shell, you need to have speakers built into the keyboard so it resonates within the cavity of the Piano shell. This will increase the sound of the speakers anyway. This is a brilliant move on Yamaha part. And lastly, the fact that it’s got battery capability is amazing! How many times have I been on location playing at some billionaires house and there’s not a goddamn electrical outlet within 100 feet of the green grassy area right by the ocean? This keyboard, with battery powered speakerslike Bose or EV speakers, is a very nice set up. Again, not a lot of professionals on your comments section. The action of this keyboard is just fine. I like the Roland RD 88 action, a little better, but if you know how to play, you know how to play.

The Roland VR09B is a cheaper stage keyboard than the CK series but it only comes in a 61 synth action or 76 key waterfall keyboard.

@GizzyDillespee

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, this isn't the cheapest ever... Casio PX5S etc... it depends on where you draw the line (Kross, i3?) I get what he means, though.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

yeah, i'll probably do a video describing the competition and feature comparison, the "best value" is more interesting than "the cheapest" :)

@Denvermorgan2000

Жыл бұрын

That sounds like a great idea.

@PatrickRosenbalm

Жыл бұрын

I've got a VR-730 and the keybed is kick ass for sure when it comes to Hammond chops. Not so much so for piano feel. I have an FA-08 for that. Two sensor (VR) vs 3 sensor (FA) is also why. Not just the PHA keybed of the FA. (Not PHA 4) A quick restating from my post from above, "However, they have raised the price twice since I got it. It's $1900 USD now." I paid $1650 USD 2 years ago. Chip shortage I guess.

I have a yamaha tyros 3 and am interested to here how much better it is than T3 etc ?

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

how can you compare apples to oranges?

The price of YAMAHA CK88 in Japan is ¥154,000 ≒ $1,151 ≒ £926 ≒ €1,036 (including 10% Japanese consumption tax).

Woody, i need help. I’ve just unboxed the CK 61. I’ve gone through the manual. Looked things up online but I just don’t know how to scroll through category sounds. Everything is stuck on live sets. If I press the piano or organ category button and do the up or down value, I will be playing an organ sound, but seeing on the display a piano name. I would like to go through the presets by instrument type.

@WoodyPianoShack

Ай бұрын

I have a tutorial video check it out

@robbierobinson6839

Ай бұрын

@@WoodyPianoShack Thanks

Very surprised that the speakers are underneath the keyboard

@theaudioeng

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, sure some design packaging reason, but as a fitness for purpose decision that's pretty bizarre if the intent is for using in live situation ... assume practice only (?)

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

true, it would have been better on top, but probably because no space on the ck61 on the top panel.

@martinbarrett6249

Жыл бұрын

A baffling choice by Yamaha,style over common sense.

@dwsel

Жыл бұрын

There are a couple of units in the recent years that have the speakers pointing down. I might be wrong, but I think it's not only a stylistic choice, but it has to do something with manufacturers trying to use natural resonance of the table, surroundings to their advantage, bringing more ambience of the room, more grounding, sounding more like a real instrument. At the same time processing power became cheap and it's easy to create custom eq to counter for the frequencies lost due to the speakers pointing downwards. Just my train of thoughts 🚂

@theaudioeng

Жыл бұрын

@WoodyPianoShack Yeah, appears that way Woody....

Thinking of selling my MODX for this. I’m not sure

I like The lay-out, design, how it’s build… but! The Sound … i don’t know. I didn’t try this yet

It looks like that some design aspects where inspired by the Reface series. The layout of the I/O section on the back with annotations on the top are just like the Reface DX. Some of the sliders and the display are the same too. Speaking of the DX, Yamaha could make a bigger version with this formfactor.

Hi all. I was told recently that the ck Hammond organ sounds r crap especially compared to the yc organ sounds. May I verify if it's really true??

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

i've been playing them today in preparation for a demo, whilst not quite yc standard, it's pretty decent. more than adequate for typical gigging with a band.

Someone needs to send you a new knife -- LOL mate!

6:17

If that was on a proper keyboard stand and not a table, I bet those speakers wouldn't sound at all shabby. Be interesting to listen through a decent set of cans. Would probably make a good master/studio keyboard controller assuming the pitch/mod wheels feel sturdy enough.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

they sound good on my keyboard stand, not exactly hifi, but the rhodes and hammond aren't exactly hifi instruments either!

@RobinPalmerTV

Жыл бұрын

@@WoodyPianoShack I’ve got a mk1 Rhodes 73 and I completely agree.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

lucky old you!

Maybe I am saying something really stupiud... But that keybed looks PRETTY similar to the Fatar tp/100lr that comes with the Studiologic

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

well all 88s kinda look the same on video, gotta play them, very different feels.

I don't know what to find of the CK-series. The sounds are good, but for me having only 3 keyboard zones is way too little. I need at least 8, or better 16. And the fact that it uses a wallwart makes me suspicious that Yamaha hasn't used the best hardware in terms of sound dynamics. On KZread it isn't well audible, but from what I hear, the sound quality reminds me of my old Yamaha S30. That doesn't mean the samples and the engines aren't better, but I'm talking about the dynamic audio range.

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

wait, what? 8 zones, or 16 on a budget stage keyboard? that requirement makes no sense to me. 3 is plenty, although 4 would have been even better! wallwart has no impact on sound dynamics. are you pulling my leg here..? :D

It would be nice if Yamaha actually gave you that CK88 as a token of gratitude for doing this video. Come on, Yamaha, you can do it!

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

hey, hang on I appreciate the thought, but maybe I actually don't need any more keyboards at the moment! :D seriously, that's why I like the loan arrangement, send it back to make space for the next incoming :)

Some complain about the action....

@WoodyPianoShack

Жыл бұрын

on the 61 or 88? got no issues with the tried and tested GHS, it's solid.

@angusbabb4913

Жыл бұрын

They complain cos it’s not the NW-GH action of the CP/YC 88..I’m not sure what they were expecting in this cheaper model ,the GHS is fine

You can Eithor go for crap action and great sound, or crap sound and great action, or spend 5000 to get both lol

Great but how whooly bully watch it now

Light weight to keyboard is disturbing- it means it’s made out of plastic 😮 cheap build 😞

Looks like plastic fantastic with pcm/sample based sounds… I’ll pass

To me it looks like Yamaha is copying a bit too much from Nord Electro and Stage. Maybe clever, but I remember back in the days when Yamaha was stil innovating. Not seeing much of that lately.

@Clodhopping

Жыл бұрын

Not sure that Yamaha cares much for the semi-pro or intermediate market anymore. No innovation from them at all.

You talked too much. Just play

@WoodyPianoShack

9 ай бұрын

i always strive to make balance of both playing and talking vids, but thx for the feedback

Wasted 7 minutes getting it out of the box.