Yamaha CS-80

The Yamaha CS-80 is an analog synthesizer introduced by Yamaha Corporation in 1977.^[2] It supports true 8-voice polyphony, with two independent synthesizer layers per voice each with its own set of front panel controls, in addition to a number of hardwired preset voice settings and four parameter settings stores based on banks of subminiature potentiometers (rather than the digital programmable presets featured on the Prophet-5 introduced soon after).

Yamaha CS-80
Manufacturer	Yamaha
Dates	1977 - 1980
Price	US$6900 GB£4950 JP¥1,280,000 [1]
Technical specifications
Polyphony	8 voices, dual layers
Timbrality	Multitimbral
Oscillator	2 per voice
LFO	1 multi-waveform
Synthesis type	Analog subtractive
Filter	2 High-pass 2 Low-pass
Attenuator	ADSR
Aftertouch expression	Yes, polyphonic
Velocity expression	Yes
Storage memory	22 preset 4 user
Effects	chorus, tremolo
Input/output
Keyboard	61-note with velocity and polyphonic aftertouch (on a per note rather than per patch basis)
Left-hand control	Ribbon Controller

It has exceptionally complete performer expression features, such as a layered keyboard that was both velocity-sensitive (like a piano's) and pressure-sensitive ("after-touch") but unlike most modern keyboards the aftertouch could be applied to individual voices rather than in common, and a ribbon controller allowing for polyphonic pitch-bends and glissandos.

Production of the instrument ceased in 1980. Vying with the Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 and Oberheim OB-X polysynths for the title, the CS-80 is often described as the pre-eminent polyphonic analog synthesizer,^[3][4] and, together with the monophonic Moog modular synthesizer, commands amongst the highest resale price of any synthesizer.^[3]

Software and hardware emulations

There are plug-in instrument software emulations of the CS-80 for usage in digital audio workstation, music sequencer and other software which supports the plug-in formats. This includes the following plugins with the year they were first released:

• Arturia CS-80 V (2003)^[5]
• Cherry Audio GX-80 (2022)^[6]
  • CS-80 emulation combined with its predecessor the GX-1.
• memorymoon ME80 (2009)
• Softube Model 77 (2024)
• Xils-Lab The Eighty (2025)

There are no known hardware clones of the entire CS-80. At the 2014 NAMM Show, Studio Electronics premiered the Boomstar SE80 synthesizer which includes a cloned filter section of the CS-80. Black Corporation's Deckard's Dream (2017) and upcoming Deckard's Dream MK2 (autumn 2024) are rackmount synthesizer with CS-80 inspired architectures and features which support polyphonic aftertouch using compatible third party external keyboards.

In 2015, Yamaha introduced the Reface CS, a 37 key mini synth, based on the CS-80.

Vangelis

Main article: Vangelis

The Greek composer Vangelis used the Yamaha CS-80 extensively. He described it as "the most important synthesizer in my career — and for me the best analogue synthesizer design there has ever been ... It needs a lot of practice if you want to be able to play it properly, but that's because it's the only synthesizer I could describe as being a real instrument, mainly because of the keyboard — the way it's built and what you can do with it."^[7]

Vangelis first used the CS-80 on his 1977 album Spiral and would continue to use it for the rest of his life. It was his main synthesizer during the late 1970s and much of the 1980s, featuring prominently on China, Opera Sauvage, the soundtracks for Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner and the first three Jon & Vangelis albums.

Other users and appearances

Other users and prominent appearances of the Yamaha CS-80 include:

• Don Airey (used CS-80 in his work with Rainbow and with Ozzy Osbourne, including the Blizzard of Ozz tracks "Mr Crowley" and "Revelation (Mother Earth)")^[8]
• Tony Banks (used CS-80 extensively on the Genesis album Duke)
• Roy Bittan (used CS-80 on various Bruce Springsteen tracks, including "Dancing in the Dark", "I'm on Fire" and the main synth horn sound on "Born in the U.S.A.")^[8]
• Kate Bush (used CS-80 on songs including "Babooshka" and "Hounds of Love")^[9][10]
• Billy Currie (used CS-80 with Ultravox on the Vienna album, most notably on "Mr. X" and "Western Promise")
• Electric Light Orchestra (used CS-80 on "Here Is the News")^[9]
• Empire of the Sun (used CS-80 on "Walking on a Dream")^[9]
• Brian Eno (used CS-80 on Before and After Science for "Here He Comes", "Julie With" and "By This River")^[11]
• Peter Howell (used CS-80 for the bassline and "sting" sound of his 1980 interpretation of the theme tune to the BBC science fiction show Doctor Who)^[9]
• Bill Wolfer (Bill Wolfer played the CS-80 as part of the four-chord vamp ensemble introducing "Billie Jean")^[11]
• Jean-Michel Jarre (used CS-80 on Oxygene 7-13)^[9]
• Eddie Jobson^[12] (used CS-80 extensively with UK and on The Green Album)
• Paul McCartney (used CS-80 for chord stabs on "Wonderful Christmastime")^[8]
• Metric (used CS-80 on Pagans in Vegas)^[9]
• Steve Porcaro (used CS-80 with Toto, notably on "Africa"^[13][9][8] and "Rosanna", and on the introduction passage to Michael Jackson's "Human Nature"^[8])
• Klaus Schulze^[12]
• Squarepusher (used CS-80 for "4001" on Ufabulum)^[9]
• Mike Thorne (used CS-80 extensively on Wire's 154)^[11]
• Steve Winwood (used CS-80 on Arc of a Diver, mostly for "orchestral violin" sounds;^[9] also an extensive user of the CS-80's "flute" patch)^[12]

See also

• Yamaha GX-1, a polyphonic synthesizer released in 1973
• CS-15
• CS-60