Piano and Synth Blog

Part of Yamaha’s P Series of digital pianos, the new P85 and P85S (differentiated by their body colour: black or silver) are slim digital pianos featuring high-quality piano sound and feel.

With 88 Graded Hammer Standard keys, the digital pianos feature 64 notes of polyphony, with AWM Stereo Sampling taken from a full concert grand, and emulation of half-pedalling.

The keyboards also comes with a variety of other sounds including electric pianos, organs, strings and harpsichord, and dual voice for playing two sounds at once.

Though it’s not said, the model numbering suggests that this piano sits somewhere between the P70 and P140 digital pianos.

Product page

Overview

The Yamaha P140 is a stylish, contemporary digital piano available in black or silver with wood finish top panels and subtle orange LED displays.

This 88-note keyboard features Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Effect keyboard for a very realistic emulation of an acoustic piano’s feel.

It comes with a selection of 14 sounds which include three acoustic pianos, three electric pianos, strings, choir, pipe and jazz organs, vibes, and bass. All use Yamaha’s AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) system for added realism.

The acoustic piano sounds are particularly rich, featuring Dynamic Stereo Sampling which features three separate layers of stereo samples, each set at a different velocity, Dynamic Stereo Sampling changes not only the volume, but also the harmonic structure of the notes depending on how hard you play the keyboard. A fourth sample layer recreates a piano’s unique sustain resonance whenever the damper pedal is pressed, while key-off samples add even the subtle sounds of felt dampers coming to rest on piano strings.

There are 50 pieces of piano music already built in ready to play, as well as a memory bank for up to 3 user recordings. Either hand part can be muted for practising.

The P140/P140S feature 64 note polyphony, 14 voices with 3 variations, 5 different reverb effects, Chorus, Phaser, Tremolo, and Rotary Speaker, 2×6W speakers, and comes with Music Rest, FC3 Foot Pedal, and AC Power Adapter. An optional matching slim keyboard stand is available.

Specifications

Keyboard: Graded Hammer Effect Keyboard, 88 keys
Tone Generator: AWM, 3-layer Dynamic Stereo Sampling, Key-Off Samples, Stereo Sustain Samples (open-string effect with sustain pedal)
Polyphony: Max. 64 notes
Voices: 14 distinct voices each with 3 tonal variations
Effects: 5 Different Reverbs, Chorus, Phaser, Tremolo, and Rotary Speaker
Performance Modes: Dual, Split
Pedal: Sustain Pedal (Can be used with half pedal effect),
AUX Pedal (Assignable to various functions)
Display: 7-segment, 3-digit LED
Recorder: 3 songs, 2 tracks, 11,000 notes with Flash ROM Storage
Demo Songs: 14 voice demo songs, 50 preset songs
Metronome: Tempo: 32-280, Beat: 0-15
Connectors: Dual Headphones, MIDI IN/OUT, AUX OUT, AUX Pedal
Amplifiers: 6W x 2
Speakers: 12 x 6 cm x 2
Dimensions: 1,334 x 351 x 140 mm (52-1/2″ x 13-13/16″ x 5-1/2″)
Weight: 17.8 kg (39.2 lbs)
Included Accessories: Music Rest, FC3 Foot Pedal, AC Power Adapter
Optional Accessory: Keyboard Stand (L-140/L-140S)

More Information

• Official Yamaha page
• Yamaha P120 and P140 comparison

Reviews

• Keyboard Magazine (PDF}
• Harmony Central User Reviews

Here are a few photographs of my lovely new Yamaha P140S digital piano. Click any thumbnail for a larger picture.

Angled front view of the digital piano. Note that it currently sits on a single Quicklok stand, which happily handles its distributed weight. I will be getting the accompanying stand, but it wasn’t in stock when I bought the piano. See that it happily takes 3 A4-size sheets of music.

Side view: You can see all 88 glorious keys laid out, complete with red felt backing, the two front speakers, and attractive curving of the corner pieces. You can also see the (including) piano-style damper (sustain) pedal.

Close-up of middle section of keys, control buttons and LED display, and wood effect backing.

Front right speaker close up: Speaker grille, keys, silver, and wood.

Slightly raised close-up view of central LED, buttons, keys, and silver and wood.

Looking closely at the buttons: Right-hand set of buttons controlling effects and selecting sounds.

Shiny, transparent music rest. The Yamaha symbol is translucent in natural light. Plenty of good grip for books and individual sheets of music.

Closer side-view of Yamaha P140S, dwindling daylight reflecting off the realistic keys.

Owners Manual (European edition).

Yes, I was weak…

I looked at a local music dealer’s web site and saw the lowest price yet on a Yamaha P140S digital piano.

I got it for £699 when the RRP is £925.

How could I refuse?

So, now it’s sitting looking all gorgeous.

I will probably show off some pictures soon. Yes, I know you can see pictures at the Yamaha site, but this is my P140S

Now, time to play some more.

The January issue of Keyboard Magazine (links to scanned copy) has a very positive review of one of Yamaha’s latest digital stage pianos, the P140 (P140S).

Which is good, because I’m just about to go and buy one…

The review includes a clear diagram of the instrument, pointing out all the main features.

Let’s cut to the important bits, as Keyboard Magazine sees it:

Pros:

• High-quality piano-like keyboard action
• Rich and variable sounds
• Strong clean sound from built-in speakers
• Lightweight for an 88-key digital piano
• Attractive

Cons:

• No 1/4″ outputs
• RCA output level (volume) not adjustable
• Some buzzing from internal speakers at maximum volume

To be honest, if these are the only problems the reviewer found, this is praise indeed for the Yamaha piano.

The output issue can be resolved with use of converter cables and a good mixing desk/amplifier.

Most keyboards I’ve ever played emit some kind of buzz or vibration when playing at full volume through the internal speakers: solution - don’t play at full volume!

The P140 (black) and P140S (silver) were reviewed by Michael Gallant, a professional musician/pianist, so he should know what he’s talking about.

All in all a very positive review and proof that Yamaha continue to produce high-quality digital instruments.

Links:

• Keyboard Magazine
• Yamaha P140 product page
• Yamaha P120 and P140 comparison
• Yamaha’s range of home, contemporary and stage pianos

Update! See end of post…

I visited a couple of piano showrooms today to try out some digital pianos - I am really missing the piano experience at the moment.

To cut a long story short, one of the dealers was lamenting about the Yamaha P60 being superseded by the P70. He said that the P70 seemed like a bit of an enigma - no-one seemed to know much about it, there was no stock of it, and he had one showroom model of the P60 left to sell.

He offered it to me for a straight £500.

Tempted? Sure I was tempted! It was ticketed at about £660 so he’d knocked over £150 off the asking price to ‘get rid of it’ (his words).

Now, the P60 is a great entry-level digital piano from Yamaha, but here’s the crunch:

It only has 32 notes of polyphony and it’s using an older digital sampling technology.

With the P60 and the P140 sitting side by side, it was fairly obvious to tell the difference. The lowest A note (not that I’d expect to play that often) was noticably better on the P140.

The P60 also doesn’t support half-pedalling, which may not be absolutely essential, but does add to the realism.

The keyboards both have the graded hammer effect, which is noticable, but the P60 doesn’t have different touch settings; again, I could live without it, but it would be nice to have.

So I turned the salesman down.

I’m saving up for (at least) a P140 — its samples sound gorgeous. Of course, there’s always another level up, but that’s seems like a good deal to me.

Moral: You can find great deals on musical equipment, even when you weren’t particularly looking for them, but don’t get something with less features than you really want just because it’s a good financial deal.

Moral 2: If you are happy with the features of an older model, you can get some great deals when a manufacturer brings out a newer model, but don’t leave it too late or all the stock will be gone.

Update! OK, I am pleased that I didn’t do the deal, because the P70 (which has replaced the P60) RRP is £500 - the same price as I was offered on the P60 - and I could buy it online for £450! I still stand by my ‘morals’ above, but be careful.

In this case, the P70 does feature half-pedalling capacity, but still the same digital samples as the P60.

Glad I didn’t go for it now!

As another update, I’m still quite tempted by the M-Audio ProKeys 88, but I can’t get my hands on one to test it out. I’ve read good reviews.

Yamaha P120

Yamaha P120S

Buy Yamaha P140 88-key Digital Stage Piano at Amazon
Buy Yamaha P140S 88-key Digital Stage Piano at Amazon

Be sure to read the comments section at the end of this article for some excellent additional information and opinion.

I’ve noticed a few people searching for more information on the differences between Yamaha’s P120 and P140 contemporary digital pianos.

My comparison chart of the complete range of home, contemporary and stage digital pianos may help a bit, though it’s a little unwieldy. Plus, I wasn’t able to fill in all the information for the P140 at time of writing.

So I’ve done a bit more digging as this seems to be a topic of interest.

What’s New?

The P140 and P140S are Yamaha’s newest digital pianos in what they call the Contemporary range. By this I presume they are referring more to the aesthetics and look of the instruments rather than their features.

Comparison without actually playing the keyboards is difficult because Yamaha’s website offers different information for each model.

Nevertheless, there won’t be major differences in functionality, because the P140/P140S is simply the newest member of the ‘P’ series.

Here’s what’s the same:

• Keyboard: both implement Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Effect mechanism
• Polyphony: both can handle up to 64 notes (a moderate amount for a modern digital piano)
• Sound system / quality: both use AWM Dynamic Sound Sampling, which is Yamaha’s most up-to-date acoustic piano synthesis system to date.
• Voices: Both models have 14 voices, plus some method of variation. Though I couldn’t find a list for the newer P140 model, I doubt the voices are any different.

And here’s what’s different:

• Casing: all four models have different wood effect and metallic casings.
• Effects: there are minor differences in the effect capabilities of the machines.

I’ve discovered that the P140/P140S are upgraded replacements for the P120. In other words, Yamaha will phase out the P120/P120S over the next few months as the newer models are shipped.

That’s probably why I’m seeing similar prices (of around US$1200) for both models, even though the P120s are about to be phased out.

I would suspect that in the next few months, dealers will be selling off P120/P120S at a slightly reduced price. After all, you don’t sell an old and new model at exactly the same price.

So, it seems that there is very little difference. The newer model may have improved internal electronics (the operating system, and so on) but effectively the models are the same.

The best thing to do is to try out both, and see which you like the look, feel and sound of, and go for that. You may also find some good deals on end-of-stock and second-hand P120s.

If you know of any significant differences that I’ve missed, do leave a comment below.

See Yamaha’s range of home, contemporary and stage digital pianos

Buy Yamaha P140 88-key Digital Stage Piano at Amazon
Buy Yamaha P140S 88-key Digital Stage Piano at Amazon

The Clavinova range of Yamaha digital grand pianos is impressive enough, with some 35 models to choose from.

If that weren’t enough, Yamaha have also created a range of digital pianos aimed at both home and professional musicians. Whatever your level of expertise, you are sure to find an instrument to suit you.

As the specifications comparison chart shows, all have 88 notes - like a standard acoustic grand piano - and rely on Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Effect technology:

to provide the expressive feel and response of an acoustic piano. Just as on a real piano, the keys in the lower registers have a heavier touch, which gradually becomes lighter as you play up the keyboard. And unlike on an acoustic piano, the keyboard s sensitivity can be adjusted to match your own playing style.

All feature the superior AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) sound, though the newer and more expensive models contain more advanced technology that simulates even more closely the sounds associated with real acoustic pianos.

To achieve the ultimate in piano realism, many feature Dynamic Stereo Sampling – three layers of precisely recorded digital samples each set at a different velocity point. In other words, when you play the keyboard lightly you hear the true sound of a piano being played pianissimo. And as you player harder, the sound switches to that of a piano being played mezzo forte or forte. But the realism doesn’t stop there. There s also a fourth sample layer that simulates the resonance of the piano strings and soundboard when the damper pedal is held down, and key-off samples to recreate the subtle sound piano keys make when released.

That’s pretty amazing.

This is the advantage of buying a higher-end digital piano from a manufacturer with many years of experience in both the digital and acoustic piano arenas.

Whilst the more expensive instruments in the range also contain other sounds that you’ll find on Yamaha’s other keyboards, you should ask yourself whether you really need them.

This will come down to:

• what you want the digital piano for
• how you want it to look
• how musically proficient you are
• how you might expand your equipment, or how your requirements may change in the future

If you’re simply after the best piano sounds available, it would be better to buy the most expensive instrument you can afford that doesn’t have all the additional voices, controllers, rhythms, etc.

It might be cheaper to buy another keyboard, or even a sound module, if you want additional sounds at a later date. However, if you’re buying the setup as an aesthetically-pleasing piece of furniture as well as a great sounding piano, you may not want the additional equipment and wiring on view.

You’ll also need to decide if you want a complete, free-standing system with full amplification (you might also want to look at the Clavinova’s for this) or whether you want a portable system, with or without speakers.

If you pick a keyboard without speakers, it will be lighter to transport, but will always need separate amplification.

If you want the best of the piano and synth worlds in one keyboard, it would be well worth looking at the Yamaha S90ES.

As usual, there’s a huge choice.

What would I buy? As I already have keyboards and modules that suit my synth/esoteric sound and portability requirements, I’d probably go for one of the systems with a high polyphony (at least 64 notes, probably 96), and the most advanced sampling technology currently available.

I’d have to spend extensive time playing them. What a hardship.

Yamaha’s website claims:

If you play music for a living, you deserve a digital piano that offers the finest selection of acoustic pianos, organs, electric pianos and other essential keyboard sounds. You deserve a hammer-action keyboard that’s so smooth and responsive it feels just like a real piano.

You deserve comprehensive master controller functions and full XG MIDI implementation for connecting to computers, synth modules and other equipment in your musical arsenal. You deserve the P-250.

The P-250 boasts:

• 88-note Graded Hammer-Effect Keyboard (developed with Yamaha’s 100+ years’ experience in acoustic piano design)
• Dynamic Stereo Sampling Layers: Four layers of sampling, 128 note polyphony.
• Four pedalling modes: sostenuto, soft, sustain and expression.
• Ultra Expressive Voices: 48MB wave ROM.
• 5-band equaliser
• Full-function 16-track MIDI sequencer
• USB-to-host-PC system
• Built-in speaker system
• Pitch-bend and modulation wheels

Reviews

The Yamaha Keyboard Guide gives a favourable review of the P250. Notable points are the ’superb’ graded hammer action keys - heavier in the bass and lighter in the treble registers as per an acoustic grand piano - the ‘phenomenal’ sound, through built-in speakers that ‘don’t disappoint’, and the 128-note polyphony that means notes will rarely, if ever, cut out. The only downside is the weight, but this goes with the territory of genuine-action keys.

Harmony Central shares user reviews of the P250. One reader prefers the sounds of the P-60, though the action is better on the P-250.

Do you own the P-250? What do you think? Leave a comment below.