Silent Piano

Silent Pianos are developed by Yamaha technology to supplement an otherwise conventional piano on a so-called silent features a digital music output. Thus, it is possible to output the piano instead of the normal strings through headphones or a stereo. In addition, by the middle pedal the piano be muted so that the sound is output only digital - hence the name (german silent: silent or quiet or silent).

In addition to Yamaha pianos and grand pianos following brands are available as " Silent Piano ":

• Bechstein ( "Vario System", developed in-house ) This system is also incorporated in the subsidiary brands Euterpe, Hoffmann und Zimmermann. Instruments of these brands from around Year 2004 can be retrofitted.
• Kawai
• Mold
• Ropemaker

Operation

In contrast to digital pianos, electric pianos and parts of the retrofitted Silent facilities Yamaha working solution is not mechanical but a purely visual. This makes the piano playing is not compromised, and the mechanism will not wear off.

If the muting function has been activated - either on the middle pedal or the silent lever - is struck and a key, the hammer head is stopped before it strikes the string. Optical sensors capture every nuance of your playing and directing them to the sound generator, which digitally generates the acoustic piano sound and sends it to the headphone output

Marked in red here " tab " is a provided with horizontal and vertical lines plastic plate that comes when you strike a key in a laser that determined by the lines the velocity and speed and to the "silent computer" ( small box under the keyboard ) forwards. This calculates the matching tone and outputs it.

History

Yamaha introduced the first pianos with the Silent facility around 1992 on the market. Since then, nothing has changed on the basic principle, the technique was with the years of development, however, in more detail.

Similar systems

The company Kawai offers a similar system under the name " AnyTime " (in the product names abbreviated AT).

You can also retrofit such a system. Appropriate hardware is or was used by the company

• Korg
• Moog,
• PianoDisc (Quiet Time) and
• Solton ( Genio ) offered.

The Yamaha system does not exist for retrofitting, but Yamaha supplies the above mentioned companies Schimmel and Seiler, which integrate the system during construction.