Clavinova

Clavinova CVP-303 Player Piano

The Clavinova is a long-running line of digital pianos created by the Yamaha Corporation. They are similar in styling to an acoustic piano, but with many features common to other digital pianos such as the ability to save and load songs, the availability of different voices, and, in more recent models, the ability to be connected to a computer via USB or wireless network for music production or interactive piano lesson programs.

Technical information

All current (and many past) Clavinovas (CLP and CVP-Series) feature "graded hammer" technology, a mechanical system of small metal hammers, weighted to be similar to those of a real pianoforte, which hit a digital pressure sensor that then translates into sound. This technology has contributed to the success of the Clavinova as a more affordable substitute for an acoustic piano. The 'Graded' action is intended to reproduce more accurately the varying weights of the hammers of an acoustic piano where the hammers vary in weight from the bass section to the treble. Higher-end models, such as the CVP-609, incorporate real wood keys and linear grading for added realism.

The built-in synthesizer produces the sound. Early Clavinova models used FM Synthesis. Later models use samples of real instruments which are then selected and modified by the electronics to produce the desired sound. Information comes in a MIDI or similar format either directly from the piano keyboard or from a stored source (from within the piano or via a computer or external sequencer). The synthesizer can imitate a large array of acoustic instruments, electronic instruments and other sound effects. Recent models of CVP Clavinova have hundreds of such voices. These usually include many types of pianos and organs, string, percussion, brass and woodwind instruments, as well as modern and vintage synthesizer sounds, sampled effects etc. The more recent CVP models also feature many accompaniment styles, ranging from traditional dance and classical orchestration, through to more modern club, pop, rock, big band and jazz styles.

As of November 2014, the current line of Clavinova CLP models are the CLP-500 series, and the current Clavinova CVP models are the CVP-600 series.

Graded Hammer

The various graded or progressively weighted keys are[1]

Keyboard "feel" feature matrix for current models

From Yamaha Clavinova microsite.[3] From Yamaha Product Spec page.[4]

Model Graded Hammer (Non GH3) Graded Hammer Three (GH3) Natural Wood Keyboard (NW) Synthetic Ivory Keytops Linear Natural Wood (LNW)
CLP-230 [5] no yes no no no
CLP-265GP no yes no no no
CLP-295GP no yes yes no no
CLP-S306 no yes no yes no
CLP-S308 no yes yes yes no
CLP-320 yes no no no no
CLP-330 no yes no no no
CLP-340 no yes no yes no
CLP-370 no yes yes yes no
CLP-380 no yes yes yes no
CLP-430 no yes no no no
CLP-440 no yes no yes no
CLP-S406 no yes no yes no
CLP-465GP no yes no no no
CLP-S408 no yes yes yes no
CLP-470 no yes yes yes yes
CLP-480 no yes yes yes yes
CVP-409GP no yes yes yes no
CVP-501 yes no no no no
CVP-503 no yes no yes no
CVP-505 no yes no yes no
CVP-509 no yes yes yes no
CVP-601 no yes no yes no
CVP-605 no yes yes no no
CVP-609 no no yes yes yes
CVP-609GP no no yes yes yes
CGP-1000 no yes yes yes no

Tone feature matrix for current models

From Yamaha Clavinova microsite.[6] From Clavinova Spec page [7]

Model CF Sampling AWM Sampling RGE Sampling Half-damper effect Key-Off Samples Stereo Sustain Samples String Resonance iAFC Effects IAC Tri-Amped
CLP-265GP no 2 level no yes no no no no no no
CLP-295GP no 4 level no yes yes yes yes yes no no
CLP-S306 yes 3 level no yes no no no no no no
CLP-S308 yes 3 level no yes no no no no no no
CLP-320 yes 3 level no yes no no no no no no
CLP-330 yes 3 level no yes no no no no no no
CLP-340 yes 4 level no yes yes yes no no no no
CLP-370 yes 4 level no yes yes yes no no no no
CLP-380 yes 5 level no yes yes yes yes yes no yes
CLP-430 yes no yes yes yes yes no no yes no
CLP-440 yes no yes yes yes yes yes no yes no
CLP-S406 yes no yes yes yes yes yes no yes no
CLP-465GP yes no yes yes yes yes no no yes no
CLP-470 yes no yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no
CLP-S408 yes no yes yes yes yes yes no yes no
CLP-480 yes no yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
CVP-409GP no 4 level no yes yes yes yes yes no no
CVP-501 yes 3 level no yes no no no no no no
CVP-503 yes 4 level no yes yes yes no no no no
CVP-505 yes 4 level no yes yes yes no no no no
CVP-509 yes 5 level no yes yes yes yes yes no yes
CVP-601 yes no yes yes yes yes yes no yes no
CVP-605 yes no yes yes yes yes yes no yes no
CVP-609 yes no yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes
CVP-609GP yes no yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes
CGP-1000 no 4 level no yes yes yes yes yes no no

History

From yamahapkowner.com[8] and Clavinova microsite[9]

CVP and CGP models

CLP models

History reference.[10]

The CLP-100 was built in 1987 by Yamaha's premier engineer Yoshi Pi, two months before his death. It was later made famous by Stevie Wonder, who bought the remaining 12 pianos before they were discontinued.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Yamaha FAQ". Retrieved 14 July 2012.
  2. ↑ http://europe.yamaha.com/en/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/clp_series/clp-535/
  3. ↑ http://yamahaclavinova.com/about/touch.html
  4. ↑ http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/clp_series/clp480/?mode=model#tab=product_lineup
  5. ↑ http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/clp_series/clp_230/?mode=model
  6. ↑ http://yamahaclavinova.com/about/sound.html
  7. ↑ http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/cvp_series/cvp-609/?mode=model
  8. ↑ http://www.yamahapkowner.com/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=1280.0
  9. ↑ http://yamahaclavinova.com/concept/history.html
  10. ↑ http://www.jameswoodcock.co.uk/2013/10/01/yamaha-clavinova-celebrates-30th-birthday-digital-piano-range-history-revealed/
  11. ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=OFvYzQahgWsC&pg=PA305&lpg=PA305&dq=Digital+Piano+History+1983&source=bl&ots=QFATU7WAFw&sig=KXf4M5lJX5tKurMXWZD2ReIcUNg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=wCMeU_PhIsuMyAGx5oGIBw&ved=0CGQQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Digital%20Piano%20History%201983&f=false

External links