Three years on from the launch of its CK Series of stage keyboards, Yamaha has unveiled a 76-key CK76, positioned between the 61-key CK61 and and the 88-key CK88, and shared a 2.0 OS update for all CK owners.
A compact, lightweight and battery-powered keyboard with built-in stereo speakers and Bluetooth connectivity, the CK76 is geared towards players looking for a balance between the portability of the CK61 and the full-size piano-style experience of the CK88.
The CK76 is stocked with over 360 sounds, including acoustic pianos, electric pianos, organs, strings, brass, guitar and more. Its “one-to-one” interface design limits menu-diving by providing hands-on controls for the most commonly used features: 9 physical drawbars for its vintage organ emulations, filter and envelope controls for the synth, and dedicated controls for drive, delay, reverb and EQ, alongside two additional effects slots.
The keyboard features the same semi-weighted Future System Basic (FSB) action that you’ll find on the CK61, but Yamaha says the CK76 offers heavier initial key resistance and increased key travel for more expression and stability. In contrast with the CK88’s Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action, which mimics the feel of a Yamaha grand piano, the CK76’s FSB action is more suited to synth and organ players.
Yamaha has squeezed in plenty of connectivity to the CK76, its audio outputs joined by 5-pin MIDI In and Out, dual foot pedal inputs, Bluetooth audio and a built-in stereo USB audio interface for hooking up to microphones or external instruments or recording to your computer.
Alongside the CK76, Yamaha has also shared CK OS V2.0, a firmware update for owners of any keyboard in the CK Series. This adds three new electronic piano sounds, 16 new Live Sets and extra configurations for splitting and layering multiple sounds across the keyboard.
"Designed for musicians on the go, the portable 76-key CK76 stage keyboard brings together realistic acoustic pianos, vintage organs and modern synths from our CP and YC lines into a streamlined, highly intuitive interface," Yamaha’s Nate Tschetter said in a press release.
"From the rehearsal room to the stage, the CK76 delivers the sounds, control and portability musicians need to create, perform and play anywhere."
Yamaha’s CK76 is priced at $1,249.99. Find out more on Yamaha’s website.
