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The original Yamaha Disklavier, which made its debut back in 1986, introduced the world to the wonder of traditional pianos equipped with integrated digital electronics for recording, auto playback and more. Since that time, these computer-age 'player' pianos have evolved into instruments of truly remarkable capabilities. They can reproduce not only 'live' acoustic piano concerts, but ensemble music with instrumental and vocal tracks as well. They allow you to record and play back your own performance, create complex multi-track arrangements, and connect to the world of musical opportunities offered by MIDI devices, personal computers and the Internet. Their unique combination of acoustic excellence and digital versatility has made them an increasingly popular choice of pianists, educators and music-lovers worldwide.

Today, Yamaha is proud to introduce the latest evolution of the Disklavier line, integrating a host of new acoustic advances and cutting-edge digital developments. Most models now play audio/MIDI CDs as well as floppy disks and feature built in stereo amplifiers and speakers, making them superb, self contained musical entertainment centers. Most also incorporate Yamaha Silent technology, enabling you to instantly switch from acoustic to digital piano mode for low-volume speaker or headphone play. Revolutionary new PianoSmart™ features make possible to synchronize piano playback with standard audio CDs. And for those who've always wanted to play the piano, new SmartKey™ technology makes it easy, guiding you through songs note by note, while adding professional embellishment.

Disklavier pianos can capture anything that's played upon them and recreate this performance with remarkable precision. Special Yamaha developed fiber-optic sensors register the motion of each key and pedal, and record this data to internal flash memory or onto a standard 3.5" floppy disk for unlimited capacity and easy portability. Versatile recording functions allow you to record left-hand and right-hand parts independently, using the full keyboard for each hand or a designated split point – even create your own four-hand duets. And because the sensors use beams of light, rather than the physical contacts common to electronic keyboards, they have no effect on the feel or operation of the keys, capturing the subtlest nuances of expression without sacrificing the traditional touch and responsive control for which Yamaha pianos are renowned.

Thanks to a sophisticated computer-controlled system to drive the hammers and pedals, Disklavier pianos can reproduce a piano performance on their own keys and strings, as if the original pianist were right there at the keyboard. Every nuance of the player's touch, from timing and velocity to duration and release, is accurately reproduced – live – giving you the pure sound of a true acoustic piano playing.

A variety of versatile playback controls provide added flexibility. You can adjust the playback volume to a level that you prefer, change the tempo without altering the pitch, transpose the performance into other keys without affecting the tempo, or repeat any selection – as often as you like. And the wireless remote control unit gives you complete command over Disklavier performance from virtually anywhere in the room.

Yamaha Silent System™ technology lets you instantly cancel the acoustic piano sound and switch to digital piano tone generation. This means that you can play or listen in Quiet Mode through the built-in speakers, or in Silent mode via the privacy of headphones, letting you enjoy the Disklavier at any time by selecting a sound level suitable to the time of day and the activities of those around you.

By eliminating the sound of the acoustic piano, this feature also lets you play internal orchestral voices independently – ideal for multi-track recording or use as a MIDI controller. And in digital mode, you can easily tune the piano to match the pitch of other instruments or recordings.

Stereo sampled from the Yamaha concert grand, the digital piano tones are virtually indistinguishable from the original, while a special dual-mode action mechanism maintains traditional keyboard touch and response. Variable reverb effects can simulate the acoustics of various playing environments, and dual headphone jacks let you share a private performance with another, if you like.

Now anyone can play – right away!

For anyone who's ever dreamed of playing the piano, but thought they didn't have time to learn, the new Disklavier can make your dream come true – without lessons, and even if you've never touched a keyboard or read a note of music in your life!

With the new SmartKey feature, it's easy. Just follow along as SmartKey partially depresses the next note to play. Within minutes, you'll be playing entire songs – complete with virtuoso harmonies and arpeggios, played to your lead by the Disklavier itself.

CueTIME™, another exciting development in music software, offers sophisticated auto-accompaniment. You simply play the printed piano part, and the digital orchestra 'follows your cue', matching your pace and enhancing your melody with professional-sounding instrumentation.

Note: SmartKey software may not be available in some countries.

In addition to offering all the traditional attributes of Yamaha acoustic pianos, Disklavier pianos can also play themselves, providing exciting musical entertainment at any time, with or without a pianist. Equipped with a newly designed control unit featuring a built-in CD player and a Yamaha XG tone generator with nearly 700 instrumental voices, Disklavier Mark III Series grands can reproduce vocal parts and the sound of other instruments in conjunction with the piano. This makes it possible for you to host fully orchestrated Disklavier performances with up to 16 piano and ensemble parts. Simply choose from the wide variety of Disklavier software – now available on CDs as well as floppy disks – to experience 'live' concerts by many of the world's best-known classical, jazz and popular artists, as well as a wide range of titles recorded by top studio musicians.

Combining the tone and touch of a Yamaha piano with an astonishing range of digitally enhanced capabilities, Disklavier pianos provide a truly unparalleled entertainment and creative system for any home, business, or educational organization. Versatile programming options make it easy to customize and automate Disklavier performance, providing an exciting attraction for hotels, restaurants and other establishments. Tempo and transition controls, and the handy remote, make the Disklavier an ideal accompanist for soloists, dancers, and other cultural and recreational activities. And easy follow-along and learn-to-play features open up new ways to teach and learn.

Incorporating their own stereo (60W + 60W) audio system with dual two-way speakers, Mark III Series pianos let you enjoy the sound of ensemble playback along with the acoustic piano itself. There's no complex setup; simply select the music you want to hear, press PLAY and sit back to enjoy the show. In addition to stand-alone ensemble performance, this also allows you to play the digital piano in Quiet mode through the internal speakers, lowering the volume to a level appropriate to the circumstances. You can also use your Disklavier sound system to play your audio CDs. And, with the Disklavier's external connections, you can easily tie it into your home audio system, letting you route the sound through remote speakers to bring the concert to other rooms – even outdoors for parties on the patio.

The original Disklavier music software, Yamaha PianoSoft offers prerecorded piano concerts by many of the greatest pianists of our times, along with many more performances by top studio pianists. The PianoSoft library includes literally hundreds of titles in genres from classical to jazz, pop and country music, along with special seasonal collections, regional anthologies, children's songs, and compilations made especially for instrumental or vocal accompaniment. Whatever your taste in music, PianoSoft can bring it to you at the touch of a button, with 'live' piano music in the comfort of your own home!

The 'Plus' in Yamaha PianoSoft-Plus software is the addition of digital instrumental ensemble tracks, made possible by the Disklavier's internal XG MIDI tone generator. With these disks, you can enjoy Disklavier acoustic piano performance augmented by the sound of strings, brass, woodwind, percussion and more. Sit back to the beautiful sounds of chamber music, the passion and drive of a jazz quartet, the upbeat tempos of a popular group, or a stirring orchestral arrangement. It's all right there, with the ease of a single diskette. Just slip it into your Disklavier, press PLAY and enjoy your command performance.

The Mark III Series' CD-playing capabilities expand your musical entertainment options even further. PianoSoft-PlusAudio and other audio/MIDI CD software complements Disklavier performance with high-fidelity vocal and instrumental audio track. Experience the sound of your favorite groups – complete with vocalists and instrumental soloists – enhanced by the live-concert presence of Disklavier acoustic piano playback. With a variety of titles already available*, and more in development, your Disklavier can entertain you and your guests better than ever – all with the ease and convenience of conventional audio CDs.

A truly revolutionary breakthrough in Disklavier technology, the PianoSmart system opens up a world of additional ways to enjoy your digital/acoustic piano. PianoSmart intelligently synchronizes Disklavier recording and playback with the operation of the built-in CD player. What this means in real terms is that you can now record your own piano or electronic instrumental tracks while listening to your favorite CDs, and play them back in perfect combination with the original recordings. 'Sit in' with the hottest new groups, classic combos or a full symphony orchestra, then sit back, press a couple of buttons, and listen to yourself performing 'live' with the pros!

Through the use of MTC (MIDI Time Code), PianoSmart can also synchronize recording and playback with external devices such as multi-track recording equipment and video cameras*. These features enable pianists, families and educators to create audiovisual records of any performance, complete with 'live' Disklavier acoustic piano playback, stereo audio instrumentals and vocals, and full-motion video – all as one integrated presentation. They also allow creative musicians to collaborate in ways seldom dreamed of before. In combination with the many other Disklavier capabilities, PianoSmart extends digital/acoustic creativity into a whole new universe of options.

* Video synchronization requires an external video MIDI sync interface.

You too, can enjoy the excitement of PianoSmart technology. Ask your Yamaha dealer about a simple software upgrade diskette.

The capability of PianoSmart technology to intelligently match MIDI data playback to audio CDs allows you to effortlessly record yourself playing along with CDs of your favorite artists, bands and symphony orchestras. Simply insert a standard music CD into the control unit, select record mode, and play away as you listen to the CD playback through the Disklavier's built-in stereo speakers. Your entire performance, including all key presses, pedal movements and dynamics, will be recorded as MIDI data into the Disklavier's internal memory or onto a standard floppy disk. Then, with the press of a button, your recorded piano performance will play back in perfect time with the music from the audio CD.

Even if you don't play the piano, you can still experience the special pleasure of listening to a real piano performance in the privacy of your own home, made possible by the vast selection of Disklavier music software from Yamaha. And now, with the integration of PianoSmart technology into Disklavier Mark III Series pianos, virtually any CD, including your own personal collection, can potentially become Disklavier software. Yamaha's new Smart PianoSoft library will offer professionally arranged piano parts for playback on your Disklavier, perfectly matched with major audio CDs in virtually every music genre – beginning with some of the best-selling albums of all time. Now you can enjoy the music you love with the you-are-there excitement of 'live' piano performance!

In addition to MIDI playback with audio CDs, Disklavier Mark III Series pianos can also read MTC (MIDI Time Code), allowing you to connect to video camcorders, through use of a MIDI sync box, and synchronize recorded piano performances to videotape playback. This unprecedented feature opens up whole new possibilities in musical performance. For example, you can videotape a piano recital performed and recorded on a Disklavier Mark III Series piano, and then relive the experience as the Disklavier plays the piano part 'live' to the recorded video! You can even video-sync performances that are played along with audio CDs.

Now with extensive internal memory capacity, the Disklavier Mark III pianos allow you to store a vast library of prerecorded songs for quick and easy access, as well as copy music between different recording media. Sixteen internal 'memory disks' let you group selections for specific moods or occasions, combine these groups in any order for continuous chain-play performance, and store up to nine different multi-disk programs for instant recall. A built-in calendar/clock/timer even makes it possible to program the Disklavier to play certain sets at certain times, for totally automatic, unattended operation, and 'time stamp' new recordings to facilitate future PC editing.

PC, MIDI and AUX connections Along with an unprecedented range of internal capabilities, Disklavier pianos also provide easy plug-and-play access to a world of external equipment. MIDI IN/Out jacks let you control devices like synthesizers and sequencers from the Disklavier piano keyboard, add the capabilities of other MIDI devices to your Disklavier ensemble, or play the Disklavier's piano and instrumental tones from external equipment.

AUX connections let you amplify the Disklavier's sound via external audio equipment, or record your own performances directly to conventional audio media – without the need for microphones or other equipment, not to mention the time-consuming trial-and-error setup of typical acoustic piano recording. The AUX In jack also allows you to listen and play along with audio recordings through the Disklavier's own speakers or headphones – maybe even record yourself 'in concert' with your favorite band!

The built-in PC interface lets you connect the Disklavier directly to your personal computer, for virtually unlimited range of additional possibilities. You can record performances onto your PC or removable computer media. Use computer software to edit or transcribe and print out what you play. Play the Disklavier from your PC keyboard or applications. Download music files for playback on your Disklavier. Or even transmit Disklavier performances across the Internet.

A wide variety of supporting features – including formatting, copying, titling and conversion functions – are built into the Disklavier Mark III series control unit, providing exceptional flexibility, convenience and control. A proprietary Self-Maintenance system provides automatic calibration, keeping your instrument in factory-fresh adjustment for maximum playback sensitivity.

Despite its technological sophistication, Disklavier operation is simple and intuitive. A large, multi-function LCD panel displays settings, menus and operational guidance. And the majority of functions can be accessed both at the control unit and via remote control.