Yamaha Silent Pianos

The Yamaha Silent Piano lets you connect traditional tone, touch and elegance to the world of digital electronics. The quality and craftsmanship inherent in every Yamaha piano are combined with state-of-the-art fiber optic technology. Multi-point optical sensors at each key and pedal register every facet of the player's performance with unparalleled precision, instantly transforming keystrokes into digital data. This opens the doorway to a new world of creative educational opportunities.

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) connects the Silent Piano to other keyboards, external modules (like the Yamaha DSR1 Digital Sequencer Recorder) and computers. With the simple connection to a computer you can record and print your own music, learn to play the piano and even download music from the internet.

The sensor system consists of optical sensors located at each key and hammer. This industry unique feature provides the highest degree of precision and sensitivity. Because these sensors are optical, they have no effect on the feel of the keys as they accurately transmit every nuance of your playing to the digital electronics.

When you engage the Piano Mute Rail, the hammers will not strike the strings, allowing you to play MIDI sounds or the onboard digital piano sound without hearing the acoustic piano. The exclusive QuickEscape action mechanism provides a consistent touch in either the piano mute mode or acoustic mode. These two features instantly convert the Silent Piano into the perfect MIDI controller or multi-track recording instrument.

The on-board digital piano expands your playing potential. The sound of a Yamaha concert grand is digitally recorded and captured on a powerful 30 megabyte computer chip and available at your fingertips.

The key-release velocity feature can detect and respond to expressive fingering, capturing the speed each key is released. Key-release velocity results in the capturing the characteristic sound and feel of an acoustic piano while playing the digital piano.

Plug in the headphones and enter your own concert hall environment with the tone and ambiance of a concert grand on stage. Add the piano mute rail and you can play in complete privacy.

Project the sampled sound of a concert grand through speakers or direct to a tape deck.

This grand piano is designed for high sound quality with reliability and attention to detail built in at every stage. Yamaha has the rare combination of advanced optical fiber sensor technology, extensive experience with digital pianos and keyboard, and a long tradition of acoustic excellence in piano design.

Yamaha specifically seasons this piano for the U.S. market. The tuning stability, finish and overall musical integrity are enhanced over the long life expected of a fine piano.

Yamaha utilizes a process that creates a permanent crown in the soundboard and at the same time minimizes soundboard cracking. The customer can feel confident that not only will the piano last for years, but the beautiful sound of a Yamaha piano will last a lifetime.

At the Yamaha lumber mill and wood processing facility, the finest spruce is quarter sawn; and less than 10% of the total is selected and reserved for Yamaha piano soundboards. Solid spruce, rather than laminated spruce or poplar, is the choice in all fine pianos for the best amplification of sound, best tone and sustain.

Yamaha reinforces the crown in its soundboards by using ribs that continue to the edge of the soundboard and are glued into the notched liner (or inner rim on the grand piano). Reinforcing the crown ensures that the tone quality will remain for years and years and improves tuning stability.

Yamaha uses V-PRo (Vacuum Shield Mold Process) in casting the iron frame (plate). V-Pro plates are stronger and visually more appealing. Critical dimensions are accurately produced.

Yamaha engineering developed a unique Extruded Aluminum Alloy Action Rail (bearing a Yamaha patent) that is one of the best innovations for improving a piano action in the last 100 years. The usual fluctuations in wood rails that effect touch, caused by periodic weather changes, are eliminated allowing stable, long-lasting action regulation.

Each key of a Yamaha piano is individually tested and measured for the corrections needed to obtain uniform "down weight" pressure. Yamaha actions play correctly and uniformly. This balancing helps ensure a lifetime of superior touch and control across the keyboard.

Yamaha designs all grand and vertical pianos to have the same key travel. Regardless of size, type or model of Yamaha piano, the keyboards will always feel the same.

Yamaha uses Spruce for the keys on all models of pianos. Spruce is very light and possesses a very high ratio of strength to weight. It is ideal for key construction, even though its cost is greater than either sugar pine or bass wood. Yamaha keyboards respond quickly providing fast repetition for the most intricate piece of music. Yamaha keyboards withstand heavy use over years of fortissimo passages.