Yamaha Introduces Singing Piano

Nov. 30 -- To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the piano, as well as its own 100-year milestone of piano manufacturing this year, Yamaha is introducing its first CD player-equipped, high-tech player piano capable of actually 'singing' along with its own piano performance.
At the touch of a button on a remote control, top artists such as Frank Sinatra and Christopher Cross begin to sing their hit songs while the instrument, the Disklavier Mark III, automatically provides piano and orchestral accompaniment.

"The effect of combining vocals with live piano performance is so realistic, that it gives the impression that the artist is sitting at the bench," notes Paul Calvin, marketing manager, Yamaha. "The introduction of the Disklavier Mark III is a defining moment in piano history. For the first time, the piano is an all-in-one home entertainment system."

Calvin notes that the company is aggressively building a vast library of PianoSoft PlusAudio albums to take advantage of the instrument's new technology. Albums are available at Yamaha piano dealerships nationwide, or at yamahamusicsoft.com.

Reinventing Home Entertainment
The Disklavier, first introduced in 1988, is a high-tech update of the player piano, which enjoyed immense popularity in the early 1900s. However, decades of technological advances today give the Disklavier digital/acoustic piano the ability to store a live performance on a floppy disk and, at the touch of a button, play it back note-for-note-the instrument's keys and pedals moving up and down causing the hammers to hit the strings.

Today, the Disklavier has come to represent a $100 million retail business, capturing approximately 12 percent of the total dollars spent on pianos in the U.S.

Yamaha expects this number to rise significantly with the introduction of the Mark III, particularly since the new series can play back performances stored on specially-encoded CDs-called PianoSoft PlusAudio-through built-in speakers mounted underneath the instrument.

When activated, the instrument brings to life a wide variety of performances-from noted jazz artists such as Dave Koz and Bob James, to renditions of Christmas favorites, Broadway hits, Latin rhythms, Opera arias and classical standards.

When the user desires to play music at soft volumes, they can switch the instrument to Quiet Mode, engaging a built-in tone generator capable of recreating a rich, lifelike digitally sampled piano sound.

Two features from previous Disklavier models are now available for the first time on full-sized Disklavier models. Silent Mode allows for optimal enjoyment day or night, making it possible to play or listen to the piano through the privacy of headphones.

The Mark III Series also features SmartKey, which shows beginners how to play simple melodies while the Disklavier backs them up with professional- sounding accompaniment. The correct key will actually move slightly, cueing the user to strike it before playing an incredible harmony or a lush arpeggio. Then, the next key will begin moving.

For more information on the Disklavier Mark III series grand pianos, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622-6600; call 714-522-9011; or visit the web site wwww.yamaha.com.

Source: Yamaha Corporation of America