BUENA PARK, Calif. — Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, recently announced the introduction of the version 3.0 upgrade for the Disklavier Mark IV series of pianos, further establishing the instrument as the world's most advanced piano. Capable of recording audio, Disklavier 3.0 offers the excitement of home recording with all the refinements and capabilities of a world-class grand piano that can play itself. In addition to providing captivatingly rich acoustic sound, Disklavier 3.0 incorporates an improved grand piano sound to provide versatile performance, practice and recording capabilities.

The Yamaha Disklavier Mark IV

"With the introduction of Disklavier Mark IV v3.0, we've made Yamaha's legendary performance reproducing pianos even better by incorporating new, cutting-edge features," noted Bill Brandom, Disklavier marketing manager. "For the first time, the Disklavier can record audio, and not just MIDI. Now, owners can use the instrument as a recording studio to capture their Disklavier 3.0 piano performances along with external sounds such as vocals and music instruments."

The groundbreaking audio recording capabilities offer exciting possibilities for sharing music with friends and family across town or around the world. Audio files created by Disklavier 3.0 can be easily transferred from the piano's hard drive to a PC via USB. And because Disklavier 3.0 creates WAV audio files, recordings can be readily burned to CDs or converted into Mp3 format.

In another notable advancement, Disklavier v3.0 can be controlled not only by the Pocket Remote Controller, but also by PCs and Macintosh computers. As a result, users can effortlessly integrate the instrument into their daily lives.

The new Disklavier 3.0 offers five additional Piano Soft Plus Graphics files, expanding on a signature Disklavier 2.0 feature. Piano Soft Plus Graphic files combine MIDI, audio, text and graphics to offer true multimedia experiences. Children will delight at hearing Disklavier 3.0 perform "Old MacDonald," complete with sound effects, while the lyrics and accompanying graphics are displayed on a connected TV monitor.

Disklavier 3.0 offers several other new and compelling features including a search function that makes it easier than ever before to quickly find songs. The device is further highlighted by improved timer play control functions including a feature that enables switching between the pianos' playlist and DisklavierRadio. A new a random repeat mode is also onboard.

Like Disklavier 2.0, the new Disklavier supports Yamaha's groundbreaking DisklavierRadio and DisklavierMusicStore, giving users diverse entertainment options. DisklavierRadio is an innovative subscription service that elevates streaming radio to the level of a live performance. Each channel includes a MIDI feed, enabling the Yamaha acoustic piano to play live, accompanied by specially recorded ensemble parts, for remarkable realism and accuracy. DisklavierMusicStore also offers songs with both piano and MIDI accompaniment tracks, which users may purchase and download music on demand.

The Disklavier Mark IV features open-ended software-based architecture built on a rock-solid Linux operating system to facilitate future upgrades and expansions, thus offering outstanding investment protection. For exceptional simplicity, updates are downloaded directly to the Disklavier over the Internet. A built-in, 80-gigabyte hard drive enables easy, high-volume storage of MIDI, audio and graphic data.

"For more than two decades, the Yamaha Disklavier line of performance reproducing pianos has defined the leading-edge of music technology, and with these upgrades, Disklavier 3.0 is poised to make history once again. Never before has it been possible to enjoy real, live music with so little effort," adds Brandom.

For more information on the new Disklavier Mark IV version 3.0, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.