Disklavier

The first posts of this message must of gone into oblivion, so my appologies if they show up later!  I have been trying for 2 days to get this message out.  I think maybe I checked too many boxes when I redid my settings, so this is a try from a different server.

 

The PianoSmart upgrade kit is now available from your local Yamaha piano dealer or Customer Service at 1-800-854-1569.   The software and the manual part number is #DCD1PS and the MIDI cable is #TXMIDI.  There is also a PianoSmart Operations Manual for MarkIII owners part number PSMARTMAN.  PianoSmart is the ability to have your piano play along with an audio CD.

 

For MarkIII owners with built-in CD players, only a simple software update is needed to version 4.45.  Any Disklavier not already equipped with the Yamaha CD Player will need the DCD1+PS CD player to use PianoSmart.  If you already have a DCD1, then you need the upgrade kit with the software to update both your Disklavier Control Unit and the DCD1 CD player, and the extra MIDI cable.  You must have the ability to play standard MIDI files from 1.44 MB floppy disks, so Disklaviers older than the MarkIIXG systems will also need the DSR1 Control Unit.  MarkIIXG systems that have not already been upgraded to EMK1 kits or SmartKey will also need a new control board.

 

This PianoSmart upgrade is a fine piece of work and shows Yamaha\ufffds commitment to supporting the Disklavier with updates and upgrades so that most features are available without replacing the entire unit.  There are some limitations that the PianoSmart DCD1 upgrade has that runnning PianoSmart on a MarkIII does not.  The most obvious is the choice of titles from the Smart PianoSoft floppy catalog.  Many audio CDs were not recorded at A440, so even though their companion Smart PianoSoft floppies will work, the audio coming through the CDs will not match the pitch of the piano if it is in tune.  The MarkIII can adjust the pitch of an audio CD to A440, but the DCD1 cannot.  Therefore, Yamaha has published a list of CDs with companion Smart PianoSoft floppies that were recorded close to A440 and they are constantly adding titles.  However, ALL of the PianoSoft Plus Audio CDs that Yamaha produces are recorded at A440 and that entire library is playable with the DCD1.

 

For those of you who cannot wait until your kits arrive, and can scrounge an extra MIDI cable, I have posted the instructions and the PianoSmart software on my website at www.carolrpt.com/pianosmart.htm .  These instructions are how I explained the system to myself.  I have also included excerpts from the Yamaha documentation as well as the list of DCD1+PS Compatible PianoSmart titles.

 

Many thanks to the Yamaha technical support team for providing this update, and helping me learn about it!

 

Carol Beigel

carol@...