Yamaha doesn't make any mention of how the tone is generated in the CP35/CP25 owners manual. The CP35 is 16-note polyphonic as is the GS. The earlier CP30/20 can sound all notes simultaneously so that would indicate that the CP35/25 tone is FM generated because of the limited polyphony. It does have analog filtering.Micke wrote:Are you really sure about that? I actually think they're analog. The CP-35 is very similar to the contemporary GS-2 in appearance.V301H wrote:The CP35 and CP25 use FM for tone generation. Similar in style to the earlier CP's and have a great Rhodes-like sound.
The GS-2 (as well as the GS-1) did use FM tone generation so maybe that's where the confusion comes from.
favorite vintage electric piano/organ?
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- V301H
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Re: favorite vintage electric piano/organ?
Prophet 5 rev.2, Pro-One, Juno 60, Jupiter 6, Matrix 12, OB8, MS20, Poly 800, CS70M, DX-7, CP35, Casio PX-5S, Hammond C3/M102, Vox Continental/Super Continental, Gibson G101, Farfisa Compact, RMI 300A, Pianet N, Combo Pianet, S770, S760, S50, NS3C
- Sexor
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Re: favorite vintage electric piano/organ?
Yes, it's definitely the same one as in your link, but with a Gracia logo instead of the EKO logo.Micke wrote:EKO had a keyboard that went under the name "Ponysynt" in the late '7s/early '80s, does it look anything like that one?Sexor wrote:I love my cheap old Italian transistor organ. It's called "Gracia Ponysynth" and is remarkably useful despite being rather sonically limited compared to a traditional synthesizer. Very little info on google. Through a spring reverb, it sounds like it came from the 60s in a time machine.
There was also a number of portable organs/keyboards branded "Gracia" and I'm pretty sure most of those were
made by the Italian company ARMON.
Do you have a picture?
Calling this thing a synth would undoubtedly be giving it way too much credit. There's no filter. No envelope. Very crude waveform variations. It's basically just an electronic organ with a couple of (weird) features bolted on, such as a mono "synth-voice" (again, no filter or envelope) and a basic analog preset drum machine wich sounds like the punk version of a CR-78.
I'm away from my studio for a few weeks, but I can post a picture when I'm back

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- Sexor
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Re: favorite vintage electric piano/organ?
One notorious confusion of these two terms is found on the front decal of all Wurlitzer A200 electric pianos, where it clearly says "electronic piano", which is a misnomer.Z wrote:Electric or electronic pianos?
Monkey business since 2007!
Re: favorite vintage electric piano/organ?
Okay, so what you have there is a rebadged EKO pony synth. It does look like a simple home keyboard rather than a synth.Sexor wrote:Micke wrote:Sexor wrote:
Yes, it's definitely the same one as in your link, but with a Gracia logo instead of the EKO logo.
Calling this thing a synth would undoubtedly be giving it way too much credit. There's no filter. No envelope. Very crude waveform variations. It's basically just an electronic organ with a couple of (weird) features bolted on, such as a mono "synth-voice" (again, no filter or envelope) and a basic analog preset drum machine wich sounds like the punk version of a CR-78.
I'm away from my studio for a few weeks, but I can post a picture when I'm back
Peter Forrest's A-Z dates it to ca. 1982 though I have the feeling it came out a year or two later.
"The (Yamaha) CS-80 is a step ahead in keyboard control, and a generation behind in digital control" -- Dan Wyman, Jan 1979
Re: favorite vintage electric piano/organ?
FWIW, the 1982 Yamaha product catalog does mention that the CP-35 "features a harmonic-rich pulse-wave sound source system".V301H wrote:Yamaha doesn't make any mention of how the tone is generated in the CP35/CP25 owners manual. The CP35 is 16-note polyphonic as is the GS. The earlier CP30/20 can sound all notes simultaneously so that would indicate that the CP35/25 tone is FM generated because of the limited polyphony. It does have analog filtering.Micke wrote:Are you really sure about that? I actually think they're analog. The CP-35 is very similar to the contemporary GS-2 in appearance.V301H wrote:The CP35 and CP25 use FM for tone generation. Similar in style to the earlier CP's and have a great Rhodes-like sound.
The GS-2 (as well as the GS-1) did use FM tone generation so maybe that's where the confusion comes from.
"The (Yamaha) CS-80 is a step ahead in keyboard control, and a generation behind in digital control" -- Dan Wyman, Jan 1979