Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
  • Guitars
  • Amps
  • Pedals
  • Drums
  • Synths
  • Software
  • Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Recording
  • Buyer’s guides
  • Live
  • DJ
  • Advice
  • Acoustic
  • Bass
  • About us
  • More
    • Reviews
Magazines
  • Computer Music
  • Electronic Musician
  • Future Music
  • Keyboard Magazine
  • Guitarist
  • Guitar Techniques
  • Total Guitar
  • Bass Player
More
  • How to make an AI cover song
  • 84000+ free music samples
  • Foo Fighters' new drummer
  • Ken Scott on recording The Beatles
  • First EVH Jump synth recording

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Future Music

Hands-on video: Yamaha Reface DX, CS, YC, CP

By Future Music
published 30 July 2015

Face facts

Reface DX, CS, YC, CP

Reface DX, CS, YC, CP

Since the Yamaha Reface UK launch event we've had a bit more time with the 'go-anywhere' mini keyboards.

We couldn't wait to get them home and have a proper tinkle on the mini keys and get to grips with the reimagined interfaces.

Check out our videos below and click through the gallery as we explore the sounds of each synth.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Reface DX

Reface DX

It seems this latest DX is all about making FM synthesis feel intuitive. Tweaking of the parameters via the four touch-sliders is very easy, making this a more accessible instrument than its predecessors or Native Instruments’ FM8.

There does appear to be a satisfying amount of depth to the DX though. It’s possible to build sounds from the ground up, starting with the built-in Init patch, and the new continuous Feedback parameter is great for adding dirt to sounds.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Gang of four

Gang of four

It is a slight disappointment that the DX has just four operators (as opposed to the DX7’s six), but it’s still capable of producing many classic FM sounds including thunderous ‘dark’ basses, metallic leads and textured pads.

The DX has an onboard memory capable of storing up to 32 patches. Preset sounds include many inspired by classic DX series sounds, along with a host of more modern sounds. New sounds can be added, and user creations shared via USB.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Sound design

Sound design

The DX has two FX ‘blocks’ into which one of seven effect types - VCM Touch Wah, VCM Flanger, VCM Phaser, Chorus, Delay, Reverb and Distortion - can be loaded. Between them, they’re capable of creating some very dense and interesting synth tones.

Being a DX synth, there is, naturally, a little bit of menu diving and shift pressing of the rubber buttons involved in editing and controlling sounds, but on the whole everything on this latest DX is surprisingly accessible for an FM synth.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Reface YC

Reface YC

Although it takes its name and striking red design from Yamaha’s YC range of Combo Organs, the YC actually emulates five different classic organ types.

These are, to give them their trademark side-stepping labels, ‘H - American tonewheel organ’, ‘V - British transistor organ’, ‘F - Italian transistor organ’, ‘A - Japanese transistor organ’ and ‘Y - Yamaha YC- 45D’.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Tone shapers

Tone shapers

There are nine drawbars for shaping sounds, along with a rotary speaker emulation, and distortion and reverb effects, which can add a very pleasing layer of grit to the sound. In all, the YC seems capable of some surprisingly authentic organ tones, given its size.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Reface CS

Reface CS

Unlike the classics it’s named after, the CS’ engine isn’t analogue. But if Roland’s Aira range has taught us anything, it’s that we shouldn’t be too hasty to write off the sound of a vintage recreation just because it’s all-digital under the hood.

As with all of the instruments in the reface range, the CS features a built-in Phrase Looper, which can be used to record and playback short lines of performance and layer multiple synth parts on top of one another.

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Mono/poly

Mono/poly

The CS offers eight-note polyphony, but can be switched between Poly and Mono modes via the Portamento slider (which also controls portamento when in Mono mode), allowing the CS to create both rich chords and funky basslines.

The CS features five oscillator ‘modes’ – Multi- Saw, Pulse, Oscillator Sync, Ring Modulation and FM. Each of these modes can then be shaped and edited via the Texture and Modulation parameters controlled by the neighbouring slider. For example, in Multi-Saw mode, Texture thickens up the sound by fading in a sub-oscillator, while Modulation adds multiple saw waves. While in Pulse mode, Texture detunes the second oscillator and Modulation controls Pulse Width.

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Reface CP

Reface CP

The CP features six piano sounds – three classic ’60s/’70s electric piano emulations, a Clavinet, toy piano and CP80 Electric Grand. Each sound has a matched Drive and Tremolo/Wah that Yamaha claim has been ‘carefully chosen’ to complement the sound, and we’d agree these seem to have been well selected to enhance the tone of each piano type.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Effects

Effects

The CP also features tweakable Chorus, VCM Phaser, Reverb and both analogue- and digital-style delays for further refining the sounds. As with the YC, the CP is 128-note polyphonic.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
Future Music
Future Music
Social Links Navigation

Future Music is the number one magazine for today's producers. Packed with technique and technology we'll help you make great new music. All-access artist interviews, in-depth gear reviews, essential production tutorials and much more. Every marvellous monthly edition features reliable reviews of the latest and greatest hardware and software technology and techniques, unparalleled advice, in-depth interviews, sensational free samples and so much more to improve the experience and outcome of your music-making.

More about tech
Elton John Ben Folds

Ben Folds names the only album on which Elton John is “represented as a piano player”

Toontrack EZKeys Synthwave & EZX Expansion

Toontrack EZKeys Synthwave & EZX Expansion

Latest
Noel Gallagher

Watch Noel Gallagher use a Fender Strat for High Flying Birds’ “blasphemous” cover of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart

See more latest ►
Most Popular
Learn 7 of the greatest blues guitar licks of all time

By Leigh Fuge2 June 2023

Orange Amps enters the Bluetooth speaker market with the Orange Box

By Jonathan Horsley2 June 2023

A Jazzmaster 12-string?! Squier steals the limelight from Fender with its new Paranormal Series guitars

By Rob Laing1 June 2023

Arturia’s FX Collection 4 lands with an all-new Leslie speaker plugin and emulations of Korg and Lexicon classics

By Ben Rogerson1 June 2023

Propellerhead’s ReBirth is reborn as a hands-on hardware synth, and it’s all thanks to Look Mum No Computer

By Ben Rogerson1 June 2023

Attica Blues: "This album opened doors for other people. We played our part so the Little Simz of the world could come through"

By Roy Spencer1 June 2023

Issue 397 of Future Music is out now

By Future Music1 June 2023

Karma Police: the story behind the Radiohead classic that started life as a tour bus catchphrase

By Michael Leonard31 May 2023

SSL’s UF1 promises to “set a new standard for single fader DAW controllers”

By Ben Rogerson31 May 2023

Pedalboard tour: how Petter Carlsen from the Norwegian duo Pil & Bue gets his juggernaut guitar tones

By Rob Laing31 May 2023

Akai issues a red alert as it launches the MPC One+, but it might not have all the upgrades you were hoping for

By Ben Rogerson31 May 2023

  1. Nirvana In Utero cover
    1
    Steve Albini recalls the secrecy around the Nirvana In Utero sessions: "I had to do everything I could to keep it under wraps to make sure that we didn’t get overrun by fans and the added nonsense"
  2. 2
    Joe Bonamassa tries Peter Green's Gretsch White Falcon: "You can play blues on anything"
  3. 3
    The unlikely story of Aphex Twin's weirdest gig, when he DJ'd with sandpaper and stuck a microphone in a blender
  4. 4
    Gryffin: "After I discovered deadmau5, Skrillex and Avicii, I immediately downloaded Ableton Live"
  5. 5
    How to make an AI cover song with any artist's voice
  1. Joe Bonamassa
    1
    Joe Bonamassa tries Peter Green's Gretsch White Falcon: "You can play blues on anything"
  2. 2
    The unlikely story of Aphex Twin's weirdest gig, when he DJ'd with sandpaper and stuck a microphone in a blender
  3. 3
    Pedalboard tour: how Petter Carlsen from the Norwegian duo Pil & Bue gets his juggernaut guitar tones
  4. 4
    Spectrasonics Twisted Trees Sonic Extension review
  5. 5
    New Van Halen documentary takes us back to the early ‘80s to tell the story of how Eddie built 5150 Studios as the band were coming apart

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.