Monday, February 25, 2008
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.
Saturday, February 23, 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.
Product page
Friday, February 22, 2008
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
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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.
Product page
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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.
Product page
Saturday, February 9, 2008
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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Saturday, February 9, 2008
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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Saturday, February 9, 2008
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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Thursday, February 7, 2008
Roland has introduced three new keyboards in the Fantom-G range. The Fantom-G8 is a fully weighted 88 key instrument, while the Fantom-G6 features 61 synth keys and the Fantom-G7 features 76 synth keys, both with touch response and channel aftertouch.
All three models boast Roland’s ARX SuperNATURAL expansion bay, colour LCD, 24 track audio/128 track MIDI recorder, twice the ROM capacity of their predecessors, and a new effects engine with mastering effects.
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Thursday, February 7, 2008
Roland has introduced three new organs in its Atelier series. The AT-800, AT-900, and AT-900C feature a new “Articulation Voice” sound set and proprietary SuperNATURAL technology, improving various sounds such as the Violin, Trombone, Cello, and Tenor Sax voices.
It also offers new physical Harmonic Bars provide authentic, hands-on control of expressive organ playing with new organ tone sets, plus there’s a built-in D BEAM infrared controller which allows extra expressive control by passing your hand over it.
The flagship AT-900 offers the stately beauty of an impeccably crafted organ console. Crafted in America from seasonal natural wood, this organ is the genuine article.
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