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If you’re artistically inclined, you’ll find that the CK88’s offerings encourage a fuller exploration of your musicality.
The Yamaha CK88 sparks creativity from within you by placing at your fingertips a rich palette of voices and then inviting you to craft your own signature sounds using its intuitive controls and deep selection of effects.
Yamaha CK88: A Canvas For Your Art
Once you realise the breadth and depth of what the Yamaha CK88 offers, you’ll feel like an artist standing before a blank canvas with an invitation to start noodling away.
And from those noodles will come sketches, and from those sketches, you’ll add colour. Before you know it, you’ll feel like you’re creating your own masterpiece.
Every time you power up, you’ll be compelled to do this again, and again, and again.
It’s a veritable playground for the creative keyboardist, and it’s absolutely wonderful.
Chris reflects on the Yamaha CK88's ability to awaken your creativity and bring your piano playing to life.
Initially, the Yamaha CK88 presents you with a fine selection of pianos, and whatever your playing style, you’ll undoubtedly find a piano voice to suit you.
However, my fellow pianists, it won’t take you long to realise how dynamic even the most simple piano playing can become when you begin to explore the effects channels, or, as you might more meaningfully call them; the mood controls.
Let’s Paint A Picture
I like to load up the S700 (a bright-sounding, hand-crafted grand piano by Yamaha).
Then, with a few twists of the notched, hexagonal knobs controlling the reverbs, delays & filters, I’m already diverted down a creative rabbit hole, changing the way I attack the notes, responding to the new sounds being produced with imagination, and taking great pleasure in the process!
These relatively basic steps are barely scratching the surface of what’s possible, but are representative of how the CK88 engages your creativity.
When building your own personal piano sound, very usefully, there are independent controls for reverb and delay, so, if you’re like me and love that classic 70s analogue delay – à la John Lennon, then it’s pretty easy to recreate faithfully and, in this case, use as a building block toward my own, signature piano voice.
So far, I’m only using a single voice of the three that are available to run simultaneously. All channels can run their own effects independently too, which opens up further creative possibilities.
A classic combination of voices is a piano & synth pad, so that was my next move.
On channel 1, I retained my Lennon-esq piano, and, on channel 2, I explore the pads in search of the perfect companion and settle for the Sine Pad. A simplistic, monotone synth sound that will compliment my piano well.
Activating and controlling the channels themselves is mercifully simple thanks to the colour-coded array of buttons on the front panel.
Channel A is yellow, channel B is blue, and channel C is green. Directly above them, for ease of use, are the channel volume mixers.
Which Path Will You Choose?
There’s always a new direction to take your sound on the Yamaha CK88. Even when you think you’ve settled on something, you’ll find a new effect or voice combination that once again engages your creativity.
If you’re an artist, you’ll understand that the creative process, by definition, is never static, and, unlike keyboards with more basic soundscapes sometimes can, the CK88 doesn’t let the creative journey go stale and always offers you a new path to take.
During my playing session, I felt like the Yamaha CK88 was continuously presenting me with a fork in the road and saying ‘You decide where we go next’.
I absolutely love how this keyboard inspires me to keep exploring, keep playing, and keep creating.
Yamaha CK88: Gives You Happy Accidents
I gotta tell you, that during the prep for this blog, there were times when I could barely tear myself away from the keyboard to write anything down.
I just couldn’t help going down those creative rabbit holes!
A prime example of this is what happened to me when I added a 3rd voice layer.
Sometimes, you ‘luck out’ by finding the default 3rd voice will enhance your overall sound quite nicely. But, with such a deep selection of voices at your disposal, you’ll quickly be spinning that mood control dial and getting inspired further.
On occasion, however, happy accidents happen (just ask my parents!), and that’s all part of the fun on a keyboard like this.
And, that’s exactly what happened to me, as I explain below.
Now We’re Cooking…
To my Lennon-esque piano & Cine Pad creation, I decided to add some orchestral strings. Simple enough, right?
But then, while playing the channel effects, sorry, ‘mood controls’, I ventured into the section called ‘Others’ and stumbled upon the ‘Slicer’ effect.
This immediately lit something inside me again by transforming the character of what I was playing and by taking it somewhere completely unanticipated.
I was instantly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!
The Slicer effect does what the name implies, it takes your selected voice and slices it up as it’s being played, giving it a sort of staggered, punchy, delay.
It was working brilliantly in my lineup of voices so I quickly saved it into the keyboard’s memory bank (of which there is ample room for many such things).
Onwards, and onwards, I went, tweaking tones and experimenting with layers of voices as if they were flavours being mixed to create some sumptuous new recipe.
Yamaha CK88: Encouraging Your Creative Impulses
As you’ve read, and as you may have seen in my previous videos and blogs, I often compare music to painting and cooking because they share something important; they’re all highly creative disciplines.
And we musicians, much like Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Keith Floyd, Claude Monet, John Constable, or David Hockney in their fields of expertise, are at our very best when a creative fire has been lit inside us.
This is by no means a complete review of the CK88. In a single blog, it would be impossible to cover everything that the Yamaha CK88 is capable of and recite all the stats & specifications – you’ll find plenty of information online about that.
But, the thing I wanted to impress upon you most keenly is that, unlike Yamaha’s more basic keyboards, e.g. the Yamaha P-125 or P-515, the CK88 feels very aligned with my creative impulses.
So, perhaps it will suit you better too.
Yamaha CK88: Empowering Your Individuality
Metaphorically speaking, when I closed my eyes and let my mind drift, I feel the experience of playing the Yamaha CK88 is rather like pulling on bright, multi-coloured gloves over my grey hands as I play my usual, somewhat tired piano routines.
The CK88 takes the well-grooved action of my fingers on the piano keys, which I often grow bored of, and injects life into them by letting me escape my regular, and sometimes frustratingly stagnant, piano-playing repertoire, and lighting up my creativity.
For me, this might be the most profound achievement of the Yamaha CK88.
Your own, unique Yamaha CK88
I have a naturally introverted nature. My enjoyment of music is a highly personal thing, and playing the piano, despite my job, is something I mostly prefer doing in private without anyone else listening to me.
I know there are many others out there like me. We create music for ourselves and don’t always like performing for others.
And, of course, some people are the opposite (you should meet my sister!), and some are a blend of both.
We are all individuals.
I mention this because it speaks to an important point about the Yamaha CK88:
Your CK88 will be as unique as you are.
With its rich palette of voices and effects, and the tools it gives you to craft with them, once you’ve started along the type of creative processes that I’ve described above, the sound from your CK88, and whatever musical project you’ve deployed it into, will develop, just like you, its own personality, and, if I dare to be so profound, will become a reflection of your soul.
Yamaha CK88: In summary
When we step back to contemplate what it is to be an artist and how Yamaha’s CK88 facilitates it, while it may not be the highest-spec synthesizer or stage keyboard out there, what it does offer – and at the price it offers it for! – is both quite an achievement by Yamaha and superb value for money.
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Chris Hammond
Manager at ePianos
Chris handles all of our ePianos marketing, and is responsible for the creation and production of the majority of our product videos.
Chris is also one of our top blog writers, having extensive knowledge of keyboard instruments, years of experience in musical instrument retail, and a background in live performance and composition.
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Special Order items
These items are sold on behalf of Yamaha, and are sent to us on a per-order basis, typically within 5-7 working days, unless an ETA is otherwise stated.
We'll contact you the moment your purchase arrives with us to organise delivery, based on your selected option.
Brand new products over 30kg
Example products: Yamaha DGX670, Yamaha P-525, Yamaha YDP-S55, Yamaha Clavinova.
These items must be sent with a heavy-goods courier (typically APC or FedEx). On occasion, depending on which is fastest, we will drop-ship directly from Yamaha to your address via Dachser.
Tracking will be provided by the haulier, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
*If you have included the optional £180 "Yamaha Premium Service" home delivery & setup option offered on selected products, we will contact you regarding arrangements after purchase.
**The Yamaha CSP Series, Yamaha CVP905 & CVP909, Yamaha CLP875, 885 & 895GP, and Yamaha NU1Xa are all sold on behalf of Yamaha and arrive with us on a per-order basis. As soon as your piano has arrived, we will contact you to organise the appropriate dispatch method. ETA for stock is shown on the product page for those items.
***If you have included the optional £99 home delivery & setup option offered on selected products, we will send your details direct to the installation team, who will contact you within 48 hours to make arrangements.
Used or display products over 30kg
Depending on which option is most appropriate, we will either contact you to discuss a bespoke ePianos delivery surcharge for goods we can’t package for a 3rd party courier, or otherwise dispatch goods via FedEx or APC.
If a courier is used, tracking will be provided by them directly, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
All products under 30kg
Example products: Yamaha PSR-SX920, Yamaha P-225, Yamaha NP-15.
These items will be sent via courier (typically APC or FedEx). On occasion, depending on which is fastest, we will drop-ship directly from Yamaha to your address via UPS or Parcelforce.
Tracking will be provided by the courier, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
Smaller items, such as books, discs, etc, will be dispatched via Royal Mail second class.
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We will contact you regarding any pre-ordered items, and let you know when they arrive so as to arrange delivery with you at a convenient time.
We offer interest-free and interest-bearing finance options on selected products.
Finance options for new products
2–5 years interest-bearing finance at 19.9% APR (minimum 10% deposit).
A minimum loan amount of £500 after deposit is required.
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Used items can also be purchased using either of the following options
(minimum loan amount of £250 after deposit):
10 months at 0% APR (minimum 50% deposit)
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Representative Example
Cash price: £700
Deposit: £70
Loan amount: £630
APR representative: 19.9%
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36 monthly repayments of: £22.87
Total loan term: 36 months
Total amount payable: £893.32
Available finance options are displayed at checkout. Alternatively,
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Tyros Tipsters Bonus Content for Tyros 5
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content...
We update the firmware so that your Yamaha Tyros 5 is running on the latest version
We load in 600 registrations into the Tyros 5 which give you sound set-ups in your
registration bank buttons for different genres of music
We add 1825 songs into the Tyros 5 Music Finder
Contact Us
We are pleased to be able to offer interest-free finance on selected products through Novuna Personal Finance, for a limited period only.
This offer is available on purchases of:
Brand New Yamaha Genos 2
Brand New & Used Yamaha SX920 (if purchased with bonus content & guide)
Used Yamaha SX900 (if purchased with bonus content & guide)
Used Yamaha Genos 1 (if purchased with bonus content & guide)
Get in touch to request a remote 0% finance application with or without a part-exchange using the form below:
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content...
Latest Firmware
27 Expansion packs which include 557 voices and 381 backing styles
234 extra styles from Tyros 5
600 registrations
2673 song setups
Video showing where all the key features are
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Information about this item
For orders of any stock displaying a 7-10 day lead time, we will contact you as soon as the item arrives with us to schedule a delivery with you.
Occasionally, there may be availability issues with our suppliers, in which case we'll get in touch with you to see if you're happy to wait, or if you'd like to cancel the order and receive a full refund.
Information about this item
This is a special order "agency" item, and comes to us directly from Yamaha on a per-order basis.
It typically takes 7-10 days for this item to arrive with us, whereupon we'll contact you to discuss the arrangement of delivery.
Information about this item
For any pre-orders, we will contact you as soon as the item arrives with us to schedule a delivery with you, and update you with an ETA.
Occasionally, there may be availability issues with our suppliers, in which case we'll get in touch with you to see if you're happy to wait, or if you'd like to cancel the order and receive a full refund.
Get up to £250 cashback from Yamaha*
Yamaha is offering customers cashback on selected purchases until January 15th 2026 - here's how it works:
Purchase a qualifying Yamaha instrument before 15.01.26.
Complete the claim form
following this link
and have your proof of purchase and serial number ready.
Once your claim has been validated, you will be sent within 35 working days your cashback reward via bank transfer.
*Cashback amount varies product to product, as indicated.
Available Content for Genos 1
Here's what we include when you select the option to add our Bonus Content...
Latest Firmware
23 extra expansion packs which include 877 voices and 577 backing styles
234 extra styles from Tyros 5
600 registrations
4096 song setups
Video showing where all the key features are
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Part Exchange
Genos Tipsters Bonus Content for SX900
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content...
Latest Firmware
14 Expansion Packs inc many extra voices and styles
234 T5 styles
600 registrations
T5 Music Finder
15 Playlists with 2287 song set-ups
Video showing where all the key features are
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Available Bonus Content for SX920
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content...
Latest Firmware
25 Expansion packs which include 780 voices and 540 backing styles
234 extra styles from Tyros 5
600 registrations
4256 song setups including 136 ‘Decades’ registrations
Video showing where all the key features are
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Bonus Content for Korg Pa5X
Here's what we include when you select the option to add our Bonus Content...
Korg Bonus Styles (Taken from the Bonusware downloads on Korg UK website) – 450 styles
Korg Pa2x Internal Styles converted to 5x – 419 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
Korg Pa3x Internal Styles converted to 5x – 486 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
Korg Pa4x Internal Styles converted to 5x – 584 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
Korg Pa800 Internal Styles converted to 5x – 409 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
Korg Musikant 4x Internal Styles converted to 5x – 577 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
ePianos Songbook for Pa5x – A collection of over 200 well-known songs with 4 Keyboard Sets per song, giving in
excess of 800 registrations
Latest Osimo Songbook from Korg
3 x User Sound Packs from Korg
6 x Korg Pa5x User Know How videos covering: "Power Up & Panel", "Selecting Styles", "Selecting Sounds", "My
Setting & Favourites", "Mixer Basics", "Songbook", and "Recording"
How to Locate and Load the Various Software Bundle Components (Video)
Available Bonus Content for Genos 2
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content:
Latest Firmware
52 expansion packs which include 1,721 voices and 1,148 backing styles
234 extra styles from Tyros 5
816 registrations
4256 song setups including 160 ‘Decades’ registrations
Video showing where all the key features are
Some of the best parts of our Bonus Content option are the 1,721 new extra voices and 1,148 new extra styles
included
across 52 expansion packs. These packs are quite complex to upload and, whilst free to obtain, we pride ourselves on
getting them into your keyboard for you — something many dealers shy away from purely because of the time it takes
to get them uploaded.
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide:
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
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