Yamaha Introduces Mark IV Disklavier

BUENA PARK, Calif. In 1986, Yamaha changed the way people owned and enjoyed pianos when it introduced the Disklavier a real, concert-quality piano that could also play itself. Now, after almost two decades of unprecedented popularity, the Disklavier is poised to redefine the market once again with the latest step in piano evolution, the Mark IV.

The Mark IV Series Disklaviers offer everything that has made their predecessors so highly prized, plus a raft of new features such as an improved, graphical user interface and vastly larger internal music storage, as well as new entertainment functions and touch-screen ease of use.

The seven models in the Mark IV line replace current Disklavier models DGC1A and above. All of them feature new, open-ended software-based architecture that will facilitate future upgrades and expansions, enhancing the versatility of Mark IVs for years to come. For the first time on any Disklavier, they also include built-in, high-capacity hard drives for easy, high-volume storage of MIDI song files, CD-audio and personal digital images. In comparison, while a Mark III Disklavier's system of flash memory drives hold the equivalent of 16 floppy disks, the Mark IV's hard drive holds roughly the equivalent of 80,000 floppy disks! This figure illustrates the quantum leap in step-up features found on the Mark IV. Extra memory will come in handy to store hundreds of audio CDs internally.

"The Disklavier line has always been about innovation and improvement, and the Mark IV Series is the next logical step in that heritage," says Dane Madsen, Disklavier marketing manager of Yamaha Piano Division. "More than ever, it is a complete system for home entertainment and enjoyment, while it remains a top-notch musical instrument for the most demanding connoisseur."

"With Mark IV's many new features and hardware improvements, Yamaha did not need to re-invent the wheel, but rather, build the musical equivalent of jet engines!" product manager Cameron Shearer says when comparing the specs of the new Mark IV to those of the previous Mark III models.

While previous Disklavier models have included a remote control, the Mark IV series takes that feature well beyond the next level: all Mark IV models include the Pocket Remote Controller (PRC-100), a wireless remote with dedicated buttons and a full-color LCD touch screen. In addition to the PRC, several models also feature the Tablet Remote Controller (TRC-100), a 10.4-inch, portable, color, touch-screen control panel.

As the ultimate luxury item, the TRC provides songs control features, play list management, and portable viewing of Karaoke song file lyrics, all with customizable visual environments and graphics. Both remote controllers use the 802.11b wireless specification to communicate with the piano from anywhere in the home, whether or not there is any line of sight.

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, store-bought audio CD for a fully orchestrated performance. On the Mark IV, that capability is extended to video: by connecting the audio jacks of a standard camcorder to the OMNI jacks on the piano's I/O Center, users can videotape their own performances and enjoy them later while the Disklavier's playback and the television's image are in perfect step with each other. This is the same technology that has been used to such dramatic effect in the International Piano-e-Competition in Minneapolis.

New touches abound in the Mark IV. The onboard speakers can be angled away from the piano body, for a richer projection of sound. Yamaha's exclusive new grayscale sensors continuously record every motion of the key and hammer, for even greater nuance in recording and playback. The Disklavier's Media Center, where basic playback controls, floppy disk drive, and motorized CD tray are located, has a new low-profile configuration with a retractable glossy cover. And the piano's outputs can easily be configured for whole-house sound systems so that speakers near the acoustic piano produce only the backup orchestrations, while speakers in another part of the house have a digital piano sound inserted directly into the audio stream.

In addition to its many new features, the Mark IV Series also includes the capabilities that have made its predecessors so popular-including PianoSmart technology, SmartKey software, and compatibility with all previous PianoSoft releases.

The Mark IV Series also incorporates several of the most popular family entertainment features from Yamaha's award-winning line of Clavinova digital pianos: karaoke display and microphone input with Vocal Effects like reverb, echo, and chorus. Every Mark IV's video output allows users to view the lyrics to various software titles over a regular television set. And, by singing into a microphone connected to the standard input jack, users can hear their voices, complete with effects, via the built-in speakers or through external speakers such as a home theater system.

"Yamaha and our customers have a tradition of loyalty to each other," says Paul Calvin, general manager, Yamaha Piano Division. "They expect us to be there time and again with the best instruments for their homes, schools and studios, and the introduction of the new Mark IV Disklavier represents our commitment to deliver."

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