Archive for the ‘Digital Pianos’ Category

Yamaha Arius YDP181 Digital Piano

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010
Yamaha Arius YDP181

Yamaha YDP181

As the replacement for the Yamaha YDP223, the YDP181 has some big shoes to fill. But, based on its specifications, it should do an admiral job. Updated features include: dynamic stereo sampling, 128 note polyphony, 2-track, 3 song sequencer, damper resonance for richer sustained tones, and USB TO DEVICE port.

The Yamaha Arius YDP181 uses the USB device port for storing songs recorded on the instrument. The damper pedal includes a half-damper effect, giving you nuanced expressive control over the sustained sound, and Dual Voice capability lets you play two different instrument sounds at the same time. An on-board 2-track song recorder allows you to capture your original musical ideas and performances while practicing or performing.

The YDP181 is suited to students and experienced players alike, and provides true piano sound and feel. The Graded Hammer keyboard of the YDP-181 makes it a true joy to play, both in practice and performance, and the 3-level AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling Voices deliver remarkably authentic sound.

Yamaha CP1 – Best Stage Piano of 2010

Monday, June 21st, 2010

The new Yamaha CP1 digital piano claimed top prize as Best Stage Piano 2010 at the recent Musikmesse International Press Award (MIPA) ceremony on March 26, 2010. Musikmesse is an international musical instrument trade show held annually in Germany. The MIPA Musikmesse Internationl Press Award is considered the “Grammy” of the musical instrument and pro audio industry.

For the 11th time, more than 100 magazines from all over the world voted for the best products of 2009/2010 in the more than 40 categories of the MIPA Musikmesse International Press Award. More than 300 international representatives of manufacturers and distributors of musical instruments and audio equipment gathered for the 11th mipa Awards Show with guest from around the world.

The Yamaha CP1 is the flagship of a completely redesigned lineup of CP Series Stage Pianos, which also includes the CP5 and CP50 digital pianos.

New Yamaha NP-V60 And NP-V80 Ultra-Portable Digital Pianos

Saturday, May 22nd, 2010

Yamaha NP-V60

Yamaha NPV60 Portable Digital Piano

Yamaha has recently announced two new portable digital pianos, the NP-V60 and NP-V80. Building on the success of the popular Yamaha NP30, the Piaggero NP-V60 and NP-V80 weigh less than 16 pounds each, operate on 6 AA batteries and are packed with piano focused features.

These new Yamaha digital pianos feature a graded soft-touch keyboard, auto-accompaniment styles, 30 internal songs and Yamaha’s legendary sound and quality.

For additional information on the new NPV60 and NPV80 digital pianos, visit www.AndysMusicOnline.com, or call Andy’s Music at 251-633-8944.

Casio PX-3 Privia Digital Piano

Monday, May 17th, 2010
Casio PX3 Digital Piano

Casio PX3 Digital Piano

The new Casio PX-3 digital piano is a professional stage piano with all the sounds and functions for playing live in a band. The PX3 piano is packed with functions that set it apart from standard models. With a slim body like every Casio Privia piano, the newly developed PX3 has powerful master control functions that enable control over four zones, each of which can simultaneously control internal tones and external MIDI instruments.

The internal tone banks offer a wealth of various instrument sounds, including highly realistic pianos and electric pianos that are often used in live performances.

  • Compact and lightweight (only 24 lbs) for conveniently carrying to the stage or studio.
  • Features a complete range of instrument sounds required from a stage piano, including 16 piano sounds, 20 electric piano sounds, 18 organ sounds, 8 clavinet and vibraphone sounds, and 20 string and ensemble pads.
  • Internal tones can be edited using the synthesizer function, which includes attack and release time, filtering, and vibrato.
  • Applying the keyboard split and layer functions allows control of four zones of sounds simultaneously, assignable to four different internal tones as well as external MIDI instruments via four designated MIDI channels.
  • 64 types of DSP effects, including phaser, flanger, wah, tremolo, rotary simulation, and distortion, can be applied to two tones simultaneously.
  • Four-band equalizer allows sound to be freely adjusted according to one’s taste across four frequency ranges.
  • Registration function enables user to save settings for tones, MIDI, DSP, etc., for immediate call up when performing.
  • In Card Player mode, MIDI files (in SMF type 0 or 1 and other formats) can be played back during a performance.
  • The pitch bend wheel smoothly changes note pitch to reproduce note-bending on guitar and other performance techniques.
  • Two assignable buttons can be set to select modulation, and the speed of the rotary effect, change the portamento, etc.
  • Convenient SD memory card slot allows registration and playback of MIDI files.
  • Fitted with various connection ports including line-in and line-out, MIDI in and out, and a USB terminal.
  • The Casio PX-3 digital piano offers great value at an affordable price and will be available this summer.

    Yamaha DGX640 Portable Digital Grand Piano

    Thursday, May 6th, 2010
    Yamaha DGX640W

    Yamaha DGX-640 Portable Grand Digital Piano

    Earlier this winter, the new Yamaha DGX640 contemporary digital piano was introduced at Winter NAMM 2010.  Replacing the best-selling YPG635, the DGX640 is ideal for musical home entertainment,  piano students and keyboard hobbyists of all ages. The DGX640W has a walnut finish, and the DGX640C has a cherry finish.

    The Yamaha DGX640 offers excellent value for a digital piano in this price range. Beyond Yamaha’s unsurpassed acoustic piano heritage and brand, this musical keyboard offers remarkable touch and tone, quality of styles and an industry-leading three-year warranty. Included are such features as an 88-key Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard,  auto-accompaniment, Style content and a front panel USB device port for storing user songs or importing song files from external sources, to make creating and saving music quicker and easier than ever. A high-quality speaker system is also placed on the front panel, providing optimum tonal positioning for the user.

    The DGX-640 additionally offers interactive features for multi-student music education labs. It can also be used in conjunction with the LP7A 3-pedal unit (for more piano-like performance) and the WB2 bench.

    The DGX640 is expected to ship in July 2010 and comes in two finishes: Walnut and Cherry. For more information, visit www.AndysMusicOnline.com, or call Andy’s Music at 251-633-8944.

    New Yamaha CP Series Digital Pianos

    Friday, December 18th, 2009

    Yamaha has recently announced three new CP series digital pianos: The CP1, CP5, and CP50. The CP1 will be available December 2009, while the CP5 and CP50 will arrive in March 2010.

    The no-compromise CP1 is a premium instrument with a commitment to both tradition and innovation. A unique new Spectral Component Modeling (SCM) tone generation system accurately recreates the sound of acoustic and vintage electronic pianos. In addition, Yamaha developed a new NW-STAGE wooden key action to meet the demands of top professionals. This combination of touch and tone make the CP1 the most expressive stage piano that has ever been created.

    The CP5 takes the core sounds and technologies of the CP1 and offers them in an instrument that is both flexible and affordable. In fact, the CP5 adds a wide range of AWM sounds to the CP1. Clavs, organs, strings and more make the CP5 perfect for church and live situations where everything needs to be performed on one keyboard. The mic input lets you easily add vocals to your performance. Moreover, the CP5 features not only Virtual Circuit Modeling effects, but also many more effects taken from the Motif XS line of synthesizers. The CP5 has the same NW-STAGE wooden action keyboard as the CP1.

    The CP50 utilizes core sounds and technology of the CP1, but its flexibility and portability make it perfect for the working pro on the go. The CP50 adds a wide range of additional AWM sounds to the CP1. The CP50 features not only Virtual Circuit Modeling effects but also many effects taken from the Motif XS line of synthesizers. The CP50 has a graded hammer action and a lightweight, portable design.

    For more information on these new Yamaha CP digital pianos, visit www.AndysMusicOnline.com, or call Andy’s Music at 251-633-8944.

    Yamaha YDP140 and YDP160 Digital Pianos

    Saturday, March 28th, 2009

    Almost everyone is on a budget during these tough economic times, whether it’s groceries, entertainment, or eating out. But when it comes to a major purchase like a piano, the budget gets really tight! That’s were the very popular and well made Yamaha digital pianos come in; you can have your cake and eat it too. Yamaha electronic keyboards are well made, sound very good, and are affordable. Let’s take a look at a two of our best sellers.

    In addition to the 88-key weighted keyboard action, the Yamaha YDP140 digital piano features duet-friendly twin headphone jacks, a choice of six voices, and a high-efficiency 6W x 2 stereo amplifier for the two internal speakers, and four types of reverb capable of making a small room sound as big as a concert hall.

    The Yamaha Arius YDP140 digital piano features Yamaha’s sophisticated AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) with Dynamic Stereo Sampling for the ultimate in instrument realism. Taken at different 3 levels of soft, medium and loud each key is comprised of multiple stereo recordings of an actual grand piano. This provides subtle differences in volume and timbre depending on how you play the keys, and gives you full expressive control over the sound. In other words, you get a great piano sound! The next step up from the YDP 140, is the Yamaha YDP160. Let’s take a look.

    The Yamaha YDP160 digital piano is perfect for students and experienced players alike, and provides true piano sound and feel. The GH keyboard and 3-level AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling voices deliver remarkably authentic sound and natural expressiveness, making it a true joy to play, both in practice and in performance. The damper pedal includes a half-damper effect, giving you nuanced expressive control over the sustained sound. Dual voice capability lets you play two different instrument sounds at the same time, while a 1-track song recorder allows you to capture your original musical ideas and performances.

    Both the YDP160 and YDP140 digital pianos are part of the new Yamaha Arius Digital Piano series. These digital pianos provide exceptionally natural, grand piano-like touch, with realistic weight gradations – heavy in the lower end, and light in the upper. The premium Graded Hammer Effect (GHE) action of the YDP160 provides even greater expressive control than GHS. In addition to its quieter mechanism, GHE features an extra key sensor capable of reproducing fast repetitive playing of a single note with perfect articulation. So Graded Hammer Effect keyboards suit skill levels from Chopsticks to Chopin Etudes and everything in between.

    Yamaha P155 Digital Piano

    Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

    The new Yamaha P155 digital piano is geared toward the gigging musician who requires quality piano touch and tone, but is also deal for home use as a practice piano. Features include quality sound and a Graded Hammer Effect key action capable of building proper finger technique.

    The keys are weighted—heavier in the lower registers and lighter in the upper notes—just like an acoustic piano. And, the P155 sounds like a real piano. The natural-sounding four-layer piano sample is a breakthrough at this price range. Depending on how hard a note is struck, one of four recordings will play, offering an unprecedented level of dynamic range and tonal expression for a digital piano. A new Damper Resonance effect emulates the real harmonic overtones of each individual note, taking acoustic realism to the next level.

    “The P Series has established itself as the best-selling line of slab pianos,” says Dane Madsen, Digital Piano marketing manager, Yamaha Keyboard Division. “The P155 raises the bar for the entire category with more amplification, more sample layers on the piano voice and more polyphony. And the USB song storage means that you can easily record and share more of your music than ever before.” 

    Computer-compatible features include a songwriting tool for jotting down quick piano recordings and quickly importing them into a computer via USB input, which makes it a snap to transfer song files to a PC or Mac. It also works in the reverse: play any Standard MIDI file using the P155′s incredible piano voices. 

    Because it takes up so little space, the P155 is ideal for customers who live in apartments. When it’s time to turn up the volume, the P155 relies on built-in speakers powered by a high-efficiency stereo amplifier, but it can also be connected to an external amplifier through 1/4-in. line-level outputs with variable volume control. If volume is an issue, just plug in headphones.

    The P155 features easy-to-set split and layer modes, 128-note polyphony, along with 50 built-in songs of standard piano repertoire, recorded with the right and left hands on separate tracks. The two-track song recorder is ideal for capturing ideas or reviewing performances.

    The P155, which replaces the P140, will be available in three colors—Black with Mahogany trim, Silver with Cherry trim, and Black with Ebony trim—and is expected to ship in April 2009.

    For more information on the P155, visit www.AndysMusicOnline.com, or phone Andy’s Music at 251-633-8944.

    New Yamaha YDP-S31 Digital Piano

    Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

    Yamaha has introduced a new model in the Arius line of digital pianos, the sleek and slim YDP-S31, at Winter NAMM 2009. Perfect for all skill levels, the YDP-S31 excels as a practice piano. The high-quality sound simulates an acoustic piano, while Graded Hammer Standard keys help build proper finger technique.

    When closed, the YDP-S31 takes up a small footprint and the soft-shut key cover creates a flat surface that resembles a desk, making it ideal for school piano labs. Don’t be fooled by the compact design, because there’s plenty of power under the hood. The model comes with three piano-style pedals, a 6W x 2 stereo sound system and Yamaha’s legendary AWM piano samples. 

    “The Arius YDP-S31 improves on an already unique product,” says Dane Madsen, Digital Piano marketing manager, Yamaha Keyboard Division. “Aside form the Yamaha piano touch and tone, most people are quick to point out the slim profile and desk-like surface area.”

    Yamaha is the only company that manufactures both digital and acoustic pianos. The benefits of digital pianos include permanent tuning stability and the ability to practice privately by plugging in headphones. The unit’s pedals feature the Half Damper Effect, which fluidly captures foot motion while pedaling. The YDP-S31 also includes a built-in metronome, a song recorder and 50 recordings of standard piano repertoire that can be used as a practice tool or played for simple listening enjoyment. 

    The Yamaha YDP-S31 digital piano will be available from www.AndysMusicOnline in April 2009.

    Casio Privia PX320 Awarded A Consumers Digest Best Buy

    Thursday, October 30th, 2008

    The Casio PX320 was Consumer Digests top choice for Premium Digital Pianos in their December 2008 issue. All digital pianos were judged on their versatility, playability and portability. Consumer Digest recognized Casio’s Privia PX-320 as the top performer. 

    The magazine said, “The Casio PX-320 can produce 128 simultaneous notes (128-note polyphony) and features 70 built-in rhythm patterns and more than 200 voices. An internal recorder allows layers of up to 10,000 notes per song. No others offer this same combination for a similar price.” 

    For additional information on Casio Keyboards, visit the musical instrument music store at www.AndysMusicOnline.com.