I found this on the Yamaha web site:
The Yamaha Grand Silent System provides additional versatility. With the touch of a button, you can prevent the hammers from striking the strings, while generating superb real-time digital piano tones so true to life that they even recreate the harmonic resonance resulting from incremental use of the sustain pedal. The Silent System is also ideal for multi-track recording, allowing you to record orchestral tracks from the piano keyboard without sounding the piano. An exclusive Quick Escape action mechanism and dual-mode sensors automatically compensate for hammer stroke variations, maintaining natural touch and response in both Silent and conventional modes.
So, it appears from this that digital is indeed making the sound in real time based on the key press (pressure, duration, speed). That makes sense when someone is actually playing the piano. Using the pedals and keys translates into digital reproduction of an acoustic piano's sound.
Playback of a recording is a different story. During playback in acoustic mode, the piano sound is definitely dependent on the hammers hitting the strings (also note that the pedals may be used). But during playback in silent (digital) mode, the sound is generated completely from the midi information. The keys can optionally move but that is only for show. The pedals are not used, not even for show.
Seems kinda odd for someone to want to use their piano to play a midi file. You may as well just play it on your computer.
I hope I paraphased and expanded on your reply accurately.
--Ron
--- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "Alex Mattus" wrote:
>
> The sound is digital, the hammer moves but is block by the bar so it doesnt
> hit the string. It's arm is stopped by the bar so the hammer cant reach the
> string. You can actually turn off the key to hammer action and you wont see
> the keys moving but still get the digital sound.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: disklavier@yahoogroups.com [mailto:disklavier@yahoogroups.com]On
> Behalf Of uhhmmmmmmmmmm
> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 2:30 AM
> To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [disklavier] Re: Does digital playing of disklavier actually rely
> on the key presses for sound?
>
>
> Hi Carol.
>
> I believe I know when it is playing in acoustic mode and when it is
> playing in digital mode (there is only one button that switches
> between the two modes on the left side of the keyboard). The
> question I have is when in digital mode with key=ON, is the sound
> generated by the hammers hitting the deadened strings or is the key
> movement all for show and doesn't do anything for the sound? When I
> turn the keys off in digital mode, it sounds the same as when the
> keys are moving which leads me to believe the sound is not generated
> by the hammers like it is when someone (that is, a person, and not
> the midi player) is playing the piano in digital mode. I do notice
> that the pedals don't move in digital mode when they do in acoustic
> mode so perhaps in playback mode the key movement really is all for
> show.
>
> Any thoughts on this?
>
> --Ron
>
> --- In disklavier@yahoogroups.com, "Carol Beigel" thecarolb@
> wrote:
> >
> > Put your hand on the strings while the piano is playing. Do your
> feel the
> > vibrations? Do you hear a "thunk" where your hand is? If so, the
> hammers
> > are hitting the strings.
> >
> > Or put your foot on the far right pedal and hold it down while the
> the piano
> > is playing. If all the notes run together, then you are in
> acoustic mode.
> >
> > On the other hand, if you can take your fingernails and rake them
> over the
> > strings while a disk is playing, and this different sound does not
> interfere
> > with the song, then you are probably in digital mode.
> >
> > Carol Beigel
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "uhhmmmmmmmmmm" zackcat@
> > To: disklavier@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 1:11 PM
> > Subject: [disklavier] Does digital playing of disklavier actually
> rely on
> > the key presses for sound?
> >
> >
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I am playing a Pianosoft title and when using the digital
> reproduction
> > > of sound, the keys on the piano will move and digital piano
> sounds are
> > >; heard. Is the sound actually generated by the keys hitting the
> > > dampened strings, or is it totally relying on the MIDI
> information to
> > > generate the tone? If I play the same song in digital and turn
> off the
> > > keys so they don't move, it sounds exactly the same. I would
> assume if
> > > the piano is really playing (that is, not just reading the midi
> and
> > > creating the sound in the hardware) it would sound at least a
> little
> > > bit different, wouldn't it?
> > >
> > > When playing as a digital piano, is the key movement just for
> show?
> > >
> > >
> > >
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