Yamaha Disklavier Mark IV player piano downloads songs over Wi-Fi
Yamaha's latest Disklavier player piano, the Mark IV, can download music from the internet via Wi-Fi and play along, pedals and keys clacking in time. For now it only supports music in the "Tune-1000" format from Yamaha's website, but "other formats will be supported."The Mark IV series takes the Disklavier’s remote control functions to the next level: all Mark IV models include the PDA-type Pocket Remote Controller, a wireless remote with dedicated buttons and a full-color LCD touch screen. In addition to the Pocket Remote, select models also feature the tablet-PC type Tablet Remote Controller, a portable 10.4” touch-screen LCD color control panel that offers different animated, customizable visual environments to operate from. Both remote controllers use the 802.11b wireless specification to communicate with the piano over long distances, enabling full-function control of the Disklavier through walls and with a flexibility never before possible. The Yamaha Mark IV line features new, open-ended software-based architecture built on a rock-solid Linux Operating System that will facilitate future upgrades and expansions, thus offering outstanding investment protection. Another first for the Mark IV series is the inclusion of a built-in, high-capacity hard drive for easy, high-volume storage of MIDI, CD-audio and graphic data. The Mark IV’s 80-gigabyte hard drive replaces the 16-megabyte flash memory found in previous models.You can also record videos of your performance and have the Mark IV play them back, displaying your video on a screen while playing your songs on the piano itself.
The line starts at $11k, but if you get all the fixin's I'm sure you'll be shelling out a lot more than that.
Press release after the jump.
YAMAHA LAUNCHES THE WORLD’S FIRST WI-FI PIANO:
THE DISKLAVIER MARK IV
BUENA PARK, CA—The world’s most advanced player piano just took an evolutionary leap forward. The Yamaha Disklavier, the piano that can play itself, teach you to play melodies and perform in sync with many of your favorite CDs, is now available in the all-new Mark IV series, which continues Yamaha’s 20-year tradition of performance reproducing player piano innovation with a range of 21st-century twists.
The Mark IV series takes the Disklavier’s remote control functions to the next level: all Mark IV models include the PDA-type Pocket Remote Controller, a wireless remote with dedicated buttons and a full-color LCD touch screen. In addition to the Pocket Remote, select models also feature the tablet-PC type Tablet Remote Controller, a portable 10.4” touch-screen LCD color control panel that offers different animated, customizable visual environments to operate from. Both remote controllers use the 802.11b wireless specification to communicate with the piano over long distances, enabling full-function control of the Disklavier through walls and with a flexibility never before possible.
The Yamaha Mark IV line features new, open-ended software-based architecture built on a rock-solid Linux Operating System that will facilitate future upgrades and expansions, thus offering outstanding investment protection. Another first for the Mark IV series is the inclusion of a built-in, high-capacity hard drive for easy, high-volume storage of MIDI, CD-audio and graphic data. The Mark IV’s 80-gigabyte hard drive replaces the 16-megabyte flash memory found in previous models, which were only capable of storing MIDI files.
The new Disklavier also incorporates several new family entertainment features, including karaoke-file compatibility, microphone input and vocal harmony heard via either the piano’s built-in speakers or an external sound system. Lyric data is displayed either via the composite video output found on all Mark IV models, or on the higher-end Tablet Remote Control. The current OS is compatible with Tune-1000 karaoke files available at www.yamahamusicsoft.com, but other formats will be supported.
Beyond its many new features, the Mark IV series also includes capabilities that have made its predecessors so popular. Users of Yamaha’s PianoSmart® technology already know how current Disklavier models can synchronize the piano’s playback with other instrument and vocal tracks from a standard audio CD for a fully orchestrated performance. They simply buy the piano MIDI files that correspond to CDs they probably already own. Once the data is loaded onto the internal hard drive, users simply select song names and the piano plays the appropriate MIDI and Audio files together.
New touches abound in the Mark IV. The Disklavier’s Media Center, where basic playback controls and the motorized CD tray are located, has a new low-profile configuration with a retractable glossy cover. The piano integrates seamlessly with standard or whole-house sound systems, enabling the piano’s outputs to be configured so that home speakers near the piano produce only the backup orchestration, while speakers in another part of the house add a digital piano sound. This lets users hear the piano’s performance in any room in the house with speakers. An SP/DIF digital audio output is also featured.
The Mark IV adds a unique video synchronization capability that lets users videotape their own performances and play them back later with the Disklavier in perfect step with the image. The only extra hardware required is a video capture device with audio inputs, and a playback device with audio outputs, such as a typical camcorder.
“The Disklavier Mark IV represents the most advanced player piano technology available to the consumer today,” says Paul Calvin, general manager, Yamaha Piano Division. “Its wide range of technological enhancements reinforces Yamaha’s leadership position in the player piano market and underscores our commitment to deliver the very best instruments to our customers.”
The Disklavier also includes the revolutionary SmartKey software, which guides beginners through simple melodies while the instrument provides professional-sounding
accompaniment. It does this by moving the correct keys slightly, cueing the user to strike them, and waiting until they do. The experience of playing the piano for pleasure takes on a new
dimension with Yamaha CueTIME™ software, which offers orchestrated arrangements that automatically follow the user’s pace. For privacy, courtesy or stress-free practice, the Disklavier includes a Quiet Mode that replaces the acoustic piano action with a digital piano users can hear through headphones.
Disklavier pianos are available in a variety of models and configurations starting at about $11,000. For more information on Yamaha Disklavier pianos, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622; telephone (714) 522-9011; e-mail infostation@yamaha.com; or visit www.yamaha.com/disklavier.
-END-
About Yamaha
Yamaha Corporation of America manufactures a complete line of musical instruments, professional audio products and customer-driven support products, targeted to both the amateur and professional markets.
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While not a huge fan of his blog, one of Pogue's readers thought this could be a way to have virtual piano concerts.
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/internet-enabled-piano-could-transform-concerts/
Glad to see that they went with WiFi, as Ethernet would have greatly limited portability.
Just wanted to point out that the support of "Tune-1000 karaoke files [...] other formats will be supported" is referring to karaoke support. The rest of the release suggests the piano supports MIDI files.
In fact, Tune 1000 (www.tune1000.com) is just a provider of "high-quality Standard MIDI files with Lyrics", so the Tune-1000 files are likely already MIDI files.
"Glad to see that they went with WiFi, as Ethernet would have greatly limited portability."
Comment of the day!
It's hard to tell what the difference is between the "instrument" promoted here and the one in the press release on Yamaha's website dated 9th of November 2005.
Regardless, the very concept is over the top. It's the ultimate evolution of the movement that started with the player piano.
In the 1960s and 70s it was living-room electronic organs, sold in department stores, complete with built-in accompaniments so all you had to do was plink out a simple tune.
Now with this gadget you don't even need that much. No need to read music or learn any pesky technique. Impress your friends by simply *appearing* to play the piano. No effort or talent required, just a fat wallet.
If I wanted a piano that plays by itself, I'd stick with a Clavinova. Unless I happened to have a lot of cash that really I don't know what to do with.
I dunno, having a Yamaha baby grand that plays by itself is sorta like watching your SO masturbate him/herself instead of having sex...
“If I wanted a piano that plays by itself, I'd stick with a Clavinova. Unless I happened to have a lot of cash that really I don't know what to do with."
The Clavinova is certainly pretty cool!
However there is a reason for the Mark IV:
The sound!
There is so far no way to replace the sound of a real acoustic grand piano with a digital keyboard such as the Clavinova.
With the Mark IV you have a Clavinova plus an acoustic grand.
Although the Clavinova sounds great this is not like the Yamaha acoustic grand C4 I have.
Another problem is the key actions are very different although I believe that with time one could get use to it.
Finally the C4 is such a nice piece of furniture and it look so cool in the living room!
This is why acoustic grand Pianos have not been replaced by digital keyboards yet.
#6:
Heh. Tell me. I don't own a baby grand myself, or even a clavinova for that matter (I don't play piano) but I've been around enough of them to know how they sound. One of the musicians that I tech for - a jazz polystrumentalist - has a Yamaha baby grand in her living room. Without the "play by itself" bits, which she simply doesn't need ;-). That's what she uses her other keyboards for.
The point is, it doesn't only sound great. It feels great too. Even to a non-player. You just want to *touch* those keys and feel the action.
I love to watch my friend's hands on the keys of the Yamaha as she plays. It could almost be called voyeurism. I do not get quite the same sensation watching her play any other keyboard.