CP-80 Electric Grand Piano – Acoustic. Electric. Inspired

With three distinct sonic characteristics captured in seven different ways, you’ll have no shortage of great sounds at your fingertips.

About Electric Grand

This unique instrument combines three distinct characters (acoustic hammers, direct line output, and amplified output) captured in seven different ways. When combined with the powerful Addictive Keys engine, Electric Grand becomes an extraordinarily inspiring instrument that is suitable for anything from indie rock and pop to house to R’n’B ballads.

Its unmistakable sound can be heard on classic albums from U2, Peter Gabriel and Abba, as well as contemporary artists like keane and Mike Snow.”

The Instrument and its Presets

Yamaha CP-80 Electric Grand Piano:

Our Electric Grand instrument features a meticulously sampled Yamaha CP-80, an electro-acoustic instrument that was produced from the late 1970s through the mid 1980s. 

Electric grand pianos have hammers and strings just like acoustic pianos. However, unlike acoustic pianos, these pianos have pickups under the strings that feed the sound to an amplifier—just like an electric guitar or bass. The combination of acoustic, electric, and amplified sources let you craft unique piano-like textures that that are more harmonically complex and interesting than a typical acoustic piano. 

The Addictive Keys engine plays back the instrument with incredible detail and the advanced studio effects accurately model the tremolo and tone controls of the original instrument. In addition, it lets you push the sonic boundaries beyond what the original instrument could accomplish.

We recorded the CP-80 in several ways to maximize options for our outstanding team of sound designers.

Direct (Line Out):

• We recorded the direct output cleanly as well as through a well-maintained vintage Roland Dimension-D hardware chorus. 

Amplified Output:

• We played the CP-80 through a Music Man 112 RD tube combo amp with three close microphones and one stereo ambience microphone set further back to capture the room’s sound. 

Acoustic Strings:

• Although rarely heard on albums, we loved the acoustic sound of the CP-80’s strings and recorded it in stereo. 

These seven different recording setups gave our sound designers the ability to craft all kinds of amazing presets. You too can easily create inspiring presets that are uniquely yours.

We Recorded Using the Following:

Music Man 112 RD combo amp (Close Mic): 

• Telefunken U47 Tube Condenser 
• Coles 4038 Ribbon 
• Shure SM57 Dynamic 

Ambient (Room) Recording: 

• Neumann SM69 Stereo Microphone 

Direct Output: 

• Clean Line Output 
• Line Output through Roland Dimension D 

Acoustic Strings: 

• Sela T25 Stereo Microphone

Features

• Vintage CP-80 Electric Grand Piano
• 3 Distinct, blendable characteristics
• 7 Different recording perspectives