New Yamaha Reface teaser video released

Yamaha kicked off a social media buzz earlier this week with its first teaser video for a new product, known only as Reface. With mention of the immortal CS series, interest was certainly piqued. So does the second video tell us anything new?

With the opening quote: "The sound is huge and it's coming out of this very small amazing little thing", we think it's fair to say we are dealing with something small and that usually means mini keys.

Many may baulk at the idea of playing mini keys, which are frequently maligned, but if Yamaha's first video is to be believed - with one commentator noting that "it seems like a piano player actually made the keys" - then they could be surprisingly good.

Alongside much talk of the unit's size, we are also treated to flashes of a product that is red in colour and possibly decked out with CS-style switches. This adds weight to the suggestion that this could be a 'revival' product similar to those released recently by those other Japanese music tech giants, Korg and Roland.

The hints don't stop there. At the end of the video, the Reface logo located in the bottom right of the screen is replaced with the letters DX, so it's safe to assume there's more than one iconic synth getting the Reface treatment.

Two more teaser videos are scheduled to appear between now and the 3 July - keep track of them (and any other developments) here at MusicRadar.com or on the Yamaha Synth website.

Simon Arblaster
Video Producer & Reviews Editor

I take care of the reviews on MusicRadar and Future Music magazine, though can sometimes be spotted in front of a camera talking little sense in the presence of real musicians. For the past 30 years, I have been unable to decide on which instrument to master, so haven't bothered. Currently, a lover of all things high-gain in the guitar stakes and never one to resist churning out sub-standard funky breaks, the likes of which you'll never hear.