[ Jody commented in Digest 981103:
 [
 [> A Yamaha Disklavier with velocity feedback was demonstrated
 [> at the NAMM show a little over a year ago.  I don't know if
 [> these are being sold yet. ... )

Yes, the Pro version of the Yamaha Disklavier is being sold.  I had
a Yamaha Disklavier C-7 custom-made with walnut veneer.  It is very
impressive.

I believe that Wayne Stahnke worked with Yamaha on the current
Disklavier models.  They have the ability to monitor the velocity of
the piano hammers during playback to adjust the playing to reflect what
is actually recorded on the disk.

In other words, if the disc tells the computer that the hammer is
supposed to travel on a certain note at xx speed, then the computer in
the piano makes sure that note plays at xx speed.  As the solenoids
heat up there is a sensor to compensate for the changes  in the
solenoid performance so they will perform as the computer tells them.

There is a lot of sophistication in the Yamaha electronics that people
just don't realize is there.  The newest Yamaha is able to play each
key very accurately.  If a pianist plays a key to the point that it
just goes halfway down then the Yamaha plays that key the same way.

These pianos are sold by just a handful of Yamaha Disklavier dealers.
The Disklavier that is sold by most Yamaha dealers has many of the
refinements of the new Disklavier Pro.

Yamaha has just released a new accessory for the Disklavier that plays
discs by other manufacturers.   The current Disklavier also plays
General Midi files as well as several of the Yamaha formats.  Many
owners and dealers don't realize that the older Yamaha Disklavier can
play many of these other Yamaha formats also but the command is in a
hidden menu.

Don Teach, Shreveport Music Co
1610 E. Bert Kouns, Shreveport,  LA  71105
dat-smc@juno.com