Yamaha introduces P85 and P85S digital pianos
February 23, 2008
The Yamaha P85 has been superseded by the Yamaha P95. Buy the Yamaha P95 digital piano at zZounds
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 (Advanced Wave Memory) 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.
The Yamaha P85 has been superseded by the Yamaha P95. Buy the Yamaha P95 digital piano at zZounds.
Yamaha introduces KX USB Keyboard Studios
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 introduces new acoustic upright piano line: M460, M560, P660
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.
Yamaha’s highly-popular Professional Collection of institutional pianos features components that are virtually identical to the previous P22 model produced at Yamaha Music Manufacturing. All new Uprights feature actions, plates, hammers and tuning pins identical to previous models. All other materials (strings, soundboard, back frame, case parts and veneers) are of equal or better quality than the previous line. Additionally, all new Upright lines feature attractive, hand-rubbed polyurethane finishes that wear better than traditional lacquer finishes. These pianos are produced at Hangzhou Yamaha, near Shanghai, in northern China.
Yamaha reintroduces Clavinova CGP1000 digital piano
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.
The CGP1000 features Yamaha’s groundbreaking Instrumental Active Field Control (iAFC) technology, which makes acoustic adjustments to the sound so it appears to the listener that the instrument contains a “real” soundboard and resonant cabinet, and creates a richer, more spacious sonic environment. Using built-in microphones, iAFC picks up sound and combines it with the Clavinova’s internal sound system, making automatic adjustments in real time to enhance performances and the acoustic characteristics of the room. The Natural Wood keyboard accurately reproduces the experience of playing an actual grand piano, including the authentic touch (especially with the Synthetic Ivory Keytops), feel and weight of the keys.
With the USB Audio Recorder feature, users can record their own performances, including vocals or anything else that comes through their Clavinova’s sound system. For example, an instrumentalist playing an electric guitar when plugged into the mic input jack can be recorded along with the CGP1000. The Super Articulation Voices and Mega Voices make a wide range of acoustic and electric instruments playable directly from the keyboard with expressive realism and performance characteristics never before heard in a Clavinova Digital Piano.
Enhancements to the Music Finder and Internet Direct Connection (IDC) feature allow CGP1000 digital piano users to discover a new world of online music on Yamaha’s IDC website. From the LCD display and the built-in LAN port, players with a high speed Internet connection can add styles to their Clavinova’s library, download song files to play immediately, or take piano lessons from the privacy of their piano bench.
Auto Accompaniment, Style playback and Voices automatically produce full backing parts, just like an expert band would play, in a full range of genres. Musical arrangements are authentic, full and rich, so players of all levels will sound professional while performing and improvising. The CGP1000 also features a microphone input jack for players who want to sing along with keyboard performance. The Vocal Harmony effect (with 60 presets) creates automatic vocal harmony backing parts that are perfectly pitched and matched to the musical style and chords being played.
Available now with a RRP of $15,000.
OpenLabs announces Timbaland Special Edition NeKo production station
February 1, 2008
Open Labs has introduced a companion to the popular Timbaland Special Edition MiKo, namely the new Timbaland Special Edition NeKo, an all-in-one production studio powered by Windows XP, and capable of running virtually any Windows XP compatible software including a variety of DAW software, virtual instruments (VSTi), virtual effects (VST) and other music applications.
Dressed in the same Arctic White Chassis color scheme, the Timbaland Special Edition NeKo is the perfect solution for the studio to road experience.
Equipped with Intel Core 2 Quad processors, and featuring a pre-installed copy of Reaper from Cockos, a DAW with unlimited tracks, which records audio and MIDI and integrates all of the user’s Karsyn presets in an easy to use drag and drop format.
Yamaha Clavinova used for research into use of music for stress relief
January 31, 2008
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:
- Must have a history of ischemic heart disease
- Must have had no musical training at any point in the past, even if years ago
- 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.
iVideosongs launches high-def video site for teaching aspiring musicians
January 30, 2008
iVideosongs is an on-demand, high-definition video service designed to teach aspiring musicians of all skill levels how to play their favourite songs on an instrument.
iVideosongs instruction is provided by the original artists who wrote and performed the songs and also by expert instructors.
“Aspiring musicians want to play complete songs accurately, and that’s exactly what we give them,” said Tim Huffman, CEO of iVideosongs. “We’ve recruited established artists, legendary sidemen and some of the best instructors on the planet to teach rock, pop, blues and country songs. With iVideosongs, aspiring musicians learn the songs at their pace, when and where they want.”
Casio intros two new Privia digital pianos: PX-720, PX-120
December 11, 2007
Casio has today announced the arrival of two new “world class” digital pianos in its Privia range.
View Casio PX-720
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 Privias 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.
View Casio PX-720
Casio PX-720 product page
Casio PX-120 product page
Yamaha intros Clavinova CLP-265GP and CLP-295GP
September 20, 2007
Yamaha has introduced two new models in its CLP-200 range of Clavinova digital pianos.
Clavinova CLP-265GP
The CLP-265GP (click image for large view) offers a luxurious polished ebony mini-grand case cabinet, along with a range of the key CLP-200 Series technologies, including a Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) keyboard for true grand piano feel, Stereo Sampling AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) tone generation, 40Wx2 amplification and 6 3/8″x2 / 1 1/8″x2 speakers, four effects, song memory, three pedal inputs with half-pedalling support, 14 voices, 64 note polyphony, MIDI and PC interfaces.
Clavinova CLP-295GP
Replacing the CLP-175, the CLP-295GP (click image for large view) offers the same stunning polished ebony grand cabinet, 4-level dynamic stereo AWM tone generation and PC interface. This top-of-the-line model additionally features Yamaha’s iAFC (Instrumental Active Field Control) System, which enhances and enriches the piano sound to match the acoustics of the room in which it’s played. The CLP-295GP also offers a natural wood keyboard with real-wood white keys. Extra features include six effects, song memory, 60W x 2 + 20W x 2 amplification and speakers, and three pedal inputs with half-pedalling support.
Yamaha intros NP-30 portable digital grand piano
September 20, 2007
Yamaha has unveiled its NP-30 Portable Digital Grand Piano, featuring 76 Graded Soft Touch piano-style keys and AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) stereo-sampled piano voices, weighing just 12 pounds, and able to operate on six AA batteries or a power adaptor.
With an emphasis on portability, the Graded Soft Touch keys are lighter than the GHS (Graded Hammer Standard) and GHE (Graded Hammer Effect) actions found on Yamaha’s heavier, larger digital pianos. They’re still graded in weight, though, with the heavier keys in the bass.
Yamaha NP-30 Portable Digital Grand Piano Specifications
- Number of keys: 76, Graded Soft Touch mechanism
- Touch Response: Hard, Medium, Soft, Fixed
- Number of Voices: 10
- Polyphony: 32
- Reverb: 4 types
- Layer: 2 voices
- Preset Songs: 10 voice demos, 10 piano repertoire
- Metronome: 32-280bpm
- Transpose: +/- 6 semitones
- Tuning: A 427-453Hz
- MIDI: Multi-timbre 16 parts
- Jacks: Headphone, MIDI In/Out, Half-damper compatible sustain pedal
- Amplifier: 6W x 2 (stereo)
- Speakers: 4.7″ x 2.3″
- Body Colour: Black
- Weight: 12lbs
- Dimensions: 49″ x 10.2″ x 4″
- RRP: Around US$300
Get more information on our Yamaha NP-30 portable digital grand piano information page.
