Piano and Synth Blog

Yamaha’s YPG (Yamaha Portable Grand) digital pianos have been upgraded, to now include the YPG-635, YPG-535 and YPG-235.

The YPG-635 includes weighted Graded Hammer action; the YPG-535 and YPG-235 feature a new Graded Soft Touch action and piano-style keys, providing top-quality playing experiences.

The 88-key YPG-635 is a weighted graded hammer action portable keyboard. Upgrades from the previous model include 64-note polyphony, a beautiful matching bench and an optional three-pedal unit, along with additional DSP (Digital Signal Processing) effects that enable realistic sounding Distortion Guitar and Rotary Organ. It also includes USB MIDI and USB to Device for removable storage, along with a high resolution Live! Grand stereo sample, song recorder, score and lyric display.

The 88-key YPG-535 offers Graded Soft Touch action, USB connectivity and a stand, adapter and sustain pedal. Performance Assistance Technology ensures error-free performances and a Music Database provides complete keyboard setups by song title. The song recorder is easy to use, and five types of Master EQ allow players to adjust the sound. The model’s design accents also add an attractive touch.

The 76-key YPG-235 features USB MIDI computer connectivity for quick and easy transfer of songs, Graded Soft Touch action, piano-style keys and a six-track song recorder.

The YPG-625 will ship in June 2008. Models YPG-525 and YPG-235 are scheduled to ship in April 2008.

Part of Yamaha’s P Series of digital pianos, the new P85 and P85S (differentiated by their body colour: black or silver) are slim digital pianos featuring high-quality piano sound and feel.

With 88 Graded Hammer Standard keys, the digital pianos feature 64 notes of polyphony, with AWM Stereo Sampling taken from a full concert grand, and emulation of half-pedalling.

The keyboards also comes with a variety of other sounds including electric pianos, organs, strings and harpsichord, and dual voice for playing two sounds at once.

Though it’s not said, the model numbering suggests that this piano sits somewhere between the P70 and P140 digital pianos.

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Yamaha has introduced its KX Series of USB MIDI Studio keyboards, not only featuring a high-quality keyboard but also designed to integrate with Steinberg DAW products.

Available in four flavours: the KX8 with eight octaves, the KX25 with two, the KX49 with four, and the KX61 with five.

They all feature high-quality Yamaha keyboard action, and come with a whole range of functions for both performance and controlling soft synths and sequencers, including:

• Four assignable control knobs
• dedicated performance controls
• built-in arpeggio function which can be played back by the included HALion One softsynth
• Includes Cubase AI music production software

Yamaha

Introduction

Here’s the first piece of synth-based music I’ve recorded in a long time. It’s just over ten minutes long. Audio begins at around 6 seconds in. Hope you enjoy.

Choose a version that works best with your system:

Highest quality with smallest file size (around 5MB), encoded in M4A format:

Africa

Slightly lower quality with larger file size (around 12MB), encoded in MP3 format:

Notes

I used my Novation KS4 synth to live record two tracks into Garageband. No further editing was performed except minor volume adjustments.

Initial sounds used were the “Africa” performance and the Sync Leader program.

The “blip” at 3:20 was from some interesting over-effects I put on at that moment. I thought about editing it out, but it was (a) too complicated to find a decent filter, (b) I wanted to keep things as they were played, and (c) it’s actually growing on me in some strange way.

There’s a slight crackle at around 6:50, possibly from a patch glitch, or just noise on the cables.

The track is definitely raw, and as it was recorded in audio “as is” the scope for editing was limited. However, that’s how I wanted it.

So, don’t look for a polished performance. This is me reattaching myself to using the Novation KS4 as a proper synth for the first time in quite a while. These compositions are mainly about experimenting with sound and capabilities (both mine and the synth’s).

Any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.

Music furniture isn’t the most exciting product around, but it’s certainly vital. Roland’s new KS-G8, and accompanying KS-STG8 accessory, provides solid support for the Fantom-G8 and RD-700GX, among other 88-note keyboards.

The KS-G8 is height adjustable in three steps for sitting or standing positions, and is available in an attractive two-tone silver and black finish. It boasts a solid construction yet is easy to set-up and can be folded for transportation — making it the best companion for traveling stage musicians.

For adding a second keyboard to the KS-G8 keyboard stand, the Secondary Tier for KS-G8, the KS-STG8, is a perfect solution. It’s designed to solidly support 76-note keyboards such as Roland’s Fantom-G7, as well as smaller synthesisers.

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Roland has announced its new SA-1000 stage amplifier, a super-lightweight and portable stage amp customised for use with organs such as new ATELIER series and digital pianos.

Features include an Organ Enhance button which adds bass nuances to a sound, onboard Anti-feedback function to automatically cancels unpleasant howling from being placed too close to other sound sources, and Stereo Link which allows two SA-1000s to be cascaded into a PA system for small-scale performances and concerts.

The amp boasts 350W of output (75W x 2 plus a 200W subwoofer), and weighs 11.5kgs.

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I love grand pianos but I’m also very fond of upright pianos, having started playing one from the age of 4.

Yamaha continues to introduce quality upright pianos with the introduction of three new models: the M460, M560, and P660.

The new Upright Line includes changes to the Company’s Gallery Collection, Professional Gallery Collection and Professional Collection.

These models are produced in Yamaha’s Taiwan factory, which has a significant history in the company’s expansion in the piano industry. Taiwan Yamaha was the first Yamaha piano factory outside of Japan and has been producing upright pianos since 1969. Its highly skilled and experienced labor force uses advanced Yamaha-designed machinery and adheres to the Company’s superior quality control standards. It boasts extensive experience in building wood grain, designer cabinets for markets around the globe.

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Yamaha has reintroduced its high-end Clavinova CGP1000 digital piano featuring the technologically advanced function of the Clavinova CVP400 Series housed within an elegantly crafted 4ft 11in grand piano cabinet. This hybrid piano combines the accurate reproduction of sampling technology with the richly textured harmonic nuances of a real grand piano.

Designed to address the continued strong demand for a high-end CVP-type digital piano in a grand-style cabinet, the CGP1000 was originally inspired by the Clavinova CVP309GP. It features the dynamic, one-of-a-kind upgrades of the CVP400 Series that add the capability to record and share fully orchestrated performances with vocals. The CGP1000 offers such features as Internet Direct Connection (IDC), enhanced song and lyric LCD displays and a Natural Wood Keyboard with Synthetic Ivory Keytops.

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Roland has introduced two new digital pianos in the RD-GX range. Both feature 88-note fully weighted keyboards. The RD-700GX features Roland’s fully weighted PHA II Ivory Feel keyboard with Escapement, while the RD-300GX offers PHA alpha II.

The RD-GX Piano Designer feature allows the editing of piano sound parameters such as Hammer Noise, Damper Resonance, Duplex Scale, and more.

The RD-300GX features 110 normal tones, while the RD-700GX has 242, including a range of other keyboard instruments. They both have 128 notes polyphony, multi-effects, as well as a number of assignable controls which means the keyboards could also be used as controllers or for basic synth work. The RD-700GX also features three MIDI out ports, and multi-zone keyboard set-up.

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Have you ever been stuck in a situation where the piano, keyboard, or synth you’ve been playing either has no sustain pedal, or the one that is attached works intermittently, or not at all?

I have, a number of times, and let me tell you it’s not much fun at the time.

Without wanting to sound condescending (apologies if I do), if you’re just starting out on the piano or keyboard, or you’re primarily involved with sequencing or computer-based composition, then you may not realise just how vital the sustain pedal is to many pianists and keyboard players.

When it’s missing, it’s very obvious — at least, to you, if not to your audience.

Here are some ideas for how to get around the problem of a missing or malfunctioning sustain pedal. Feel free to add your own hints and tips in the comments section below.

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