Piano and Synth Blog

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

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

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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Roland has announced the launch of its latest digital pianos, the HPi-7S and HPi-6S. Both feature Roland’s DigiScore system featuring interactive, visual lessons aimed at making learning to play the piano more fun and rewarding.

The 7S features Roland’s most authentic grand piano sound and feel, thanks to the PHA II “ivory feel” keyboard with Escapement. The cabinet is fitted with an immersive four-speaker system. It has 100 levels of touch sensitivity, 128 notes of polyphony, 612 tones, 8 types of tuning temperament, and a built-in composer.

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Roland has announced the new DP-990 digital piano, a sophisticated addition to their product line-up offering “amazing sounds and touch”.

It features Roland’s PHA II weighted keyboard with Escapement, which yields a heavier touch in the low range and lighter touch in the upper. It also provides lighter resistance for pianissimo passages and stronger resistance for fortissimo.

Each of the 88 keys features individual multi-samples, and a number of options are available which let the player design their perfect piano sound, by adjusting Damper, Strings and Key-off resonance.

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The Daily American reports that researchers at the Windber Research Institute are calling for volunteers to take part in a study to test the effects of music participation on stress reduction.

Prerequisites for taking part in the trial are:

1. Must have a history of ischemic heart disease
2. Must have had no musical training at any point in the past, even if years ago
3. Must not be a keen puzzle solver

Darrell Ellsworth, PhD, senior director of the integrative cardiac and metabolic health program at WRI, is studying heart disease and breast cancer at the molecular level to improve patient treatment and care.

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Casio has today announced the arrival of two new “world class” digital pianos in its Privia range.

The PX-720 and PX-120 both feature 88 scaled hammer-action keys, and boast a slim design. In fact, the PX-120, which comes in a choice of silver and dark grey or silver and light brown colouring, is supposed to be the world’s smallest digital piano, measuring just 298mm (about 11.7 inches) slim.

The PX-720 comes in subtle ash-walnut, cherry, or maple shades.

Both digital pianos feature Casio’s Acoustic and Intelligent Filtering (AIF) technology, which produces sounds that resonate smoothly when played. The new Privas also come with tri-element sampling, which uses three real piano samples for each note, making it possible to reproduce real sounds in response to different key pressures, delivering the sound and expression of an actual acoustic piano.

It’s hard to tell immediately from the technical specifications posted on Casio’s site what other differences there are between the two models, other than the finish and a slight size difference. However, the specs don’t look quite complete. Though it’s possible to see that both come with a generous 128 notes of polyphony, plus layer/split, auto-accompaniment, 2-track recorder, transposition, tuning, and such like, there’s no mention of pedal options, for example.

The PX-120 has a retail price of £549.99, with the PX-720 coming in at £649.99 (UK prices).

Casio seems to load its digital pianos with more features than many of Yamaha’s Clavinova and P-series digital pianos (though some of Yamaha’s contemporary stage pianos have features such as accompaniment).

Whether you actually want these features if you’re shopping for a dedicated digital piano is another matter. You could argue that you might as well have the extra features, but I’m always concerned that additional features either push the price up, or detract from the “core value” of a digital piano — how it feels and looks.

Though, between the two manufacturers, Yamaha often has the name and the edge over Casio, these look like smart, decent instruments at a reasonable price. The truth will out in the playing, though.

Casio PX-720 product page
Casio PX-120 product page

We’ve looked at Yamaha’s Disklavier in the past, and now they’ve upgraded the beast with the introduction of their Disklavier 2.0 service, available to Disklavier Mark IV owners who install a software update.

Yamaha has introduced the DisklavierRadio and the DisklavierMusicStore services, combining the best aspects of live performance with next-generation Internet streaming technology to offer an in-home entertainment experience that no radio can touch - apparently.

“For 20 years, the Yamaha Disklavier line of performance reproducing pianos has defined the leading-edge of music technology,” noted Bill Brandom, Disklavier marketing manager. “With the introduction of DisklavierRadio and the DisklavierMusic Store, we’re once again making history. Now, Yamaha Disklavier owners can take advantage of Internet streams and downloads to instantly access a vast selection of Disklavier music incorporating MIDI for the ultimate in realism. The radio may have surpassed the player piano in the early 20th century, but with these advancements, the piano is reclaiming the spotlight.”

DisklavierRadio is a groundbreaking service that elevates streaming radio to the level of a live performance. Each station includes a MIDI feed, enabling the Yamaha acoustic piano to play live, accompanied by specially recorded ensemble parts, for remarkable realism and accuracy. Yamaha Disklavier owners who subscribe to Disklavier Radio can choose from a range of music stations including Broadway, Classical and Semi-Classical, Country, Great Piano Solos, Jazz, Pop, Rock and Classic Rock, Soundtracks and Standards. Non-subscribers can access 30-second clips of channels, and can stream a complimentary channel featuring full-length, public domain songs. DisklavierRadio streams selections to Internet-connected Disklavier Mark IVs, offering nonstop entertainment, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The subscriptions cost $19.95 per month or $199.50 per year. The service features the music of such renowned artists as David Benoit, Jim Brickman, Chick Corea, Elton John and The Beatles, to name a few.

For those who wish to download their favorite tracks, the DisklavierMusicStore can be accessed directly from the Disklavier Mark IV’s Pocket Remote Controller. After establishing an account, Disklavier owners can immediately preview, purchase and download songs directly to the instrument.

Current Disklavier Mark IV owners can access DisklavierRadio and DisklavierMusicStore functionality by installing the Disklavier 2.0 software upgrade, which is available free of charge, from Yamaha. Both services require a high-speed Internet connection.