The Yamaha CP-70 is an electric piano used by Prince in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It features a full piano frame with strings and hammers but uses a pickup to amplify the sound. This version has 73 keys, slightly smaller than the typical 88 key piano.
Prince first played on on the Prince album. It appears on the songs “Sexy Dancer”, “When We’re Dancing Close And Slow”, “With You”, “Still Waiting”, “It’s Gonna Be Lonely”, “Do It All Night”, “Gotta Broken Heart Again”, “Party Up” and “Do Me Baby”. It was also the piano used on the Piano & A Microphone album.
Prince also played a CP-70B (with balanced XLR outputs) on the 1999 and Purple Rain tours. It had several modifications including a purple finish, customized legs, a mic stand holder and the removal of the sustain pedal. This CP-70 is currently on display at Paisley Park.
Dr Fink played one live on the Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999 and Purple Rain tours and it can be heard on the song “Purple Rain”. Dr Fink has mentioned Prince playing a CP-80, the larger 88 key version of the piano, however it seems like Prince played a CP-70.
