# Yamaha Reface

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Yamaha_Reface
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Yamaha_Reface.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Reface
> Source revision: 1323322545
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Series of four synthesisers

The Reface series at the 2016 [NAMM Show](/source/NAMM_Show)

**Yamaha Reface** is a series of four [synthesisers](/source/Synthesizer) manufactured by the [Yamaha Corporation](/source/Yamaha_Corporation). Released in the summer of 2015, the series is inspired by the company’s previously released synthesisers.

## Release

The Reface series was announced on 7 July 2015 through an online event.[1][2] The day before, the announcement was mistakenly leaked by Yamaha through a Korean website.[3] The Refaces were later showcased at Studio 2 of London's [Abbey Road Studios](/source/Abbey_Road_Studios) for a press release.[4]

## Design

Each keyboard measures 530 millimetres (21 in) x 175 millimetres (6.9 in) x 60 millimetres (2.4 in) and weighs 1.9 kilograms (4.2 lb).[5][6] The Reface series uses Yamaha's velocity sensitive "High Quality Mini Keys", the same keys as those of Yamaha's [Motif](/source/Yamaha_Motif) XF.[7][8][9] Each keyboard has three octaves (37 keys)[10][5] and can interface with [MIDI](/source/MIDI).[11] The Refaces have two watt speakers (in stereo), audio inputs and audio outputs.[12] After their announcement, the Refaces drew comparisons to both the Roland Aira series and Korg's [Volcas](/source/Korg_Volca) due to their affordability and inspiration taken from their respective companies' previously released synthesisers.[13] In 2016 Yamaha released both a web app (Soundmodo) and a mobile app to facilitate sharing and saving of preset sounds on the Refaces.[14][15]

## Models

- Reface CP - an emulation of vintage [electric pianos](/source/Electric_piano). The CP has six sound models taken from Yamaha's CP4 stage piano: a [Rhodes](/source/Rhodes_piano) Mk.1, a Rhodes Mk.2, a [Wurlitzer](/source/Wurlitzer_electronic_piano), a [Clavinet](/source/Clavinet), a Yamaha CP80 and a [toy piano](/source/Toy_piano). A bonus feature is a Piano setting accessible by putting selector between Wurl and Clav, then power on.[9] The keyboard has a maximum [polyphony](/source/Polyphony) of 128 notes. The Reface CP also has an effects engine that includes drive, [phaser](/source/Phaser_(effect)), [tremolo](/source/Tremolo), [delay](/source/Delay_(audio_effect)), [reverb](/source/Reverb_effect) and [chorus](/source/Chorus_(audio_effect)) effects.[12]

The CS-80: an inspiration to the Reface CS

- [Reface CS](/source/Yamaha_Reface_CS) - a virtual analogue synthesiser inspired by Yamaha's [CS-80](/source/Yamaha_CS-80) synthesiser.[9] It is capable of standard [subtractive synthesis](/source/Subtractive_synthesis) as well as [frequency modulation](/source/Frequency_modulation_synthesis) (FM), [ring modulation](/source/Ring_modulation) and [oscillator sync](/source/Oscillator_sync). The CS has a maximum polyphony of eight notes and also includes an effects section consisting of delay, phaser, chorus and [distortion](/source/Distortion_(music)).[12]

- Reface DX - a four operator FM synthesiser with 12 FM algorithms.[16] The synthesiser takes inspiration from Yamaha's DX series of synthesisers, which included the [DX7](/source/Yamaha_DX7) and [DX100](/source/Yamaha_DX100_(synthesizer)), among others.[13] It uses a maximum polyphony of eight notes. The DX has a looper section (running at 120 beats per minute with a maximum length of 10 minutes)[5][16] and contains two effects blocks. Each can contain a selection of effects including [wah-wah](/source/Wah-wah_pedal), [flanger](/source/Flanging), phaser, chorus, delay, reverb, and distortion.[12] The DX has 32 slots of patch memory.[9]

- Reface YC - a [combo organ](/source/Combo_organ). The YC has five organ models: a [Hammond B-3](/source/Hammond_B-3), a Yamaha YC-45D, an [Ace Tone](/source/Ace_Tone) organ, a [Vox](/source/Vox_(company)) organ and a [Farfisa](/source/Farfisa) organ.[9] The YC has nine drawbars to control the organs sound and has a maximum polyphony of 128. An effects block is also present on the YC; it includes a distortion, reverb and a [Leslie rotary speaker](/source/Leslie_speaker) emulation.[9][12]

## Reface robot

At the 2017 Superbooth music technology show, Yamaha showcased a robotic controller for the Reface CS called the Reface Robot. The robot was built in collaboration with the Fukuoka-based design company Anno Labs.[17][18] The Reface Robot is made up of two aluminium sections, with robotic arms controlling the individual sliders and pots of the CS. The odd appearance of the Reface Robot was highlighted by *[Mixmag](/source/Mixmag)*, who stated that "it looks like an army of robot toothbrushes cleaning a synth".[19]

## Awards

- 2015 *[Wired](/source/Wired_(magazine))* Gear of the Year award.[6]

- 2015 *[MusicTech](/source/MusicTech)* Gear of the Year award.[20]

## See also

- [Yamaha Reface CS](/source/Yamaha_Reface_CS)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Yamaha launches Reface synth line"](https://www.factmag.com/2015/07/07/yamaha-reface-synth-line-launched/). *Fact Magazine*. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Yamaha's Reface mini keyboards put classic sounds in compact instruments"](https://www.engadget.com/2015-07-08-yamaha-reface-mini-keyboards-synths.html). *Engadget*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Yamaha Leak Entire Line of Reface Synths; Here They Are"](https://cdm.link/2015/07/yamaha-leak-entire-line-reface-synths/). *CDM Create Digital Music*. 6 July 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Yamaha Reface – Hands On"](https://musictech.com/reviews/yamaha-reface/). *MusicTech*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:4_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:4_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:4_5-2) ["Yamaha Reface Series"](https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/yamaha-reface-series). *www.soundonsound.com*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_6-1) ["Gear of the Year"](https://archive.org/details/WIRED_December_2015_UK/mode/2up). *Wired*. December 2015. p. 78.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Jenkins, Mark (2019-06-18). [*Analog Synthesizers: Understanding, Performing, Buying: From the Legacy of Moog to Software Synthesis*](https://books.google.com/books?id=OCKeDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Yamaha+Reface%22+-wikipedia&pg=PT486). Routledge. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-429-84437-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-429-84437-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Yamaha announce new Reface synths"](https://www.soundonsound.com/news/yamaha-announce-new-reface-synths). *www.soundonsound.com*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_9-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_9-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_9-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:0_9-5) ["Yamaha Reface synths reviewed!"](https://www.musicradar.com/news/yamaha-reface-synths-reviewed). *MusicRadar*. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Rogerson, Ben (7 July 2015). ["Yamaha Reface: CS, DX, CP and YC mini keyboards revealed"](https://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/yamaha-reface-cs-dx-cp-and-yc-mini-keyboards-revealed-624497). *MusicRadar*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** John, Preshan (1 November 2015). ["Review: Yamaha Reface Mini-Keyboards"](https://www.audiotechnology.com/reviews/yamaha-reface-mini-keyboards). *audiotechnology.com*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_12-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_12-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:1_12-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:1_12-4) ["Products of Interest"](https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/6/article/620165). *Computer Music Journal*. **40** (2): 89–100. 10 June 2016. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1162/COMJ_r_00378](https://doi.org/10.1162%2FCOMJ_r_00378). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1531-5169](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1531-5169). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [49745620](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:49745620).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_13-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_13-1) Wilson, Scott (8 July 2015). ["Yamaha Reface: Everything you need to know"](https://www.factmag.com/2015/07/08/yamaha-reface-everything-you-need-to-know/). *Fact Magazine*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Vincent, Robin (11 January 2016). ["Yamaha Soundmondo Gets Reface Synths Sharing Sounds"](https://www.gearnews.com/yamaha-soundmondo-gets-reface-synths-sharing-sounds/). *gearnews.com*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Sharing sounds with Soundmondo makes the Yamaha Reface range all the more enjoyable and couldn't be easier"](https://www.musicradar.com/news/sharing-sounds-with-soundmondo-makes-the-yamaha-reface-range-all-the-more-enjoyable-and-couldnt-be-easier). *MusicRadar*. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 26 February 2016.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:5_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:5_16-1) ["Yamaha Reface"](http://archive.org/details/MusicTech_October_2015_UK). *MusicTech*. October 2015. pp. 62–72.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["MIDI and Robots Part 2- Super Booth 2017"](https://www.midi.org/midi-articles/midi-and-robots-part-2). *The MIDI Association*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Vincent, Robin (20 April 2017). ["Superbooth 2017: What's Yamaha inventing with the Reface Robot?"](https://www.gearnews.com/superbooth-2017-whats-yamaha-inventing-reface-robot/). *gearnews.com*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Five of the best music tech oddities"](https://mixmag.net/feature/five-of-the-best-music-tech-oddities). *Mixmag*. Retrieved 26 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["MusicTech Gear of the Year"](http://archive.org/details/MusicTech_December_2015). *MusicTech*. December 2015. p. 9.

v t e Yamaha musical instruments Synthesizers AN1x CS-15 CS-80 CS1x CS2x CS30/CS30L Reface (CS) DX7 DX1 DX9 DX11 DX21 DX27 DX100 GX-1 MO6/MO8 SHS-10 SY22 Tenori-on Modules FS1R MU Series TG77 TX81Z Samplers TX16W VSS-30 A3000 Workstations EX5 Motif S80 S90 SY77 SY85 SY99 V50 YS200 Tyros Montage Genos Drum machines DTX RX-5 RX-11 TMX PTX8 Grooveboxes RM1x MIDI controllers KX-5 WX5 WX7 WX11 Music computers CX5M Sequencers QY10 Organs GX-1 Pianos AvantGrand Clavinova CP-70 CP300 DGX-620 P-85 P-115 P-120 P-125 P-250 PC-50 Consumer keyboards PSR-550 PSR-E323 VSS-30 VSS-200 List of products

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Yamaha Reface](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Reface) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Reface?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.