30+ YEARS OF PERFECTION

In 1987 Yamaha installed their proprietary digital player piano system into the world renowned U1 Upright piano, and introduced the MX100A to the world. This system not only played prerecorded music, but recorded your playing as well. While there was no audio component, it had a leg up on the cassette tape driven PianoCorder:  hammer sensors. Tracking not only the key movement but also the hammer movement allowed the Yamaha to play and record more accurately that its competition. 

Two years later Yamaha introduced the Disklavier Wagon Grand, so named because of the R2D2-sized power supply which accompanied the grand piano. Both instruments used a proprietary MIDI file format called E-SEQ, which is backwards-compatible with modern Yamaha Disklaviers. If you have one of these, you need to know that the Wagon or R2D2 unit must stay attached in order for the Disklavier to play, but we can try to hide it. 

These older systems are "not upgradable," but that's not entirely true. I've upgraded these older systems with the DKC-850 to add CD functionality, and powered speakers to add accompaniment (the CD will need to have encoded audio). The included remote control is a nice touch, but I can take  it a step further by connecting it to your home network or a stand alone router, allowing you to use your Smart Phone or Tablet to control the DKC-850.

Unfortunately, the DKC850 was discontinued in the 4th quarter of 2020. We're awaiting new upgrade options. 

However, if you just want the player piano without the audio accompaniment, and you're a little tech-savvy, you can do that with a $55 bluetooth MIDI device from Yamaha. Yes, you can control it with your SmartPhone!

Whether your in  San Francisco, Oakland, Walnut Creek, or Napa, I can offer you several upgrade options to please your fans, guests, and family. 

Would you like to discuss an upgrade? Do you have questions about your piano? Call, text, or book a consultation.