Clavinova

Clavinova CVP-303 Player Piano

The Clavinova is a long-running line of digital pianos created by the Yamaha Corporation. They are similar in styling to an acoustic piano, but with many features common to other digital pianos such as the ability to save and load songs, the availability of different voices, and, in more recent models, the ability to be connected to a computer via USB or wireless network.

Technical information

Some Clavinovas (CLP and CVP-Series) feature "graded hammer" technology, a mechanical system of small metal hammers, weighted to be similar to those of a real pianoforte, which hit a digital pressure sensor that then translates into sound. This technology has contributed to the success of the Clavinova as a more affordable substitute for an acoustic piano. The 'Graded' action is intended to reproduce more accurately the varying weights of the hammers of an acoustic piano where the hammers vary in weight from the bass section to the treble. Newer Clavinovas, such as the CVP-407, incorporate real wood keys for added realism.

The built-in synthesizer produces the sound. Early Clavinova models used FM Synthesis. Later models use samples of real instruments which are then selected and modified by the electronics to produce the desired sound. Information comes in a MIDI or similar format either directly from the piano keyboard or from a stored source (from within the piano or via a computer or external sequencer). The synthesizer can imitate a large array of acoustic instruments, electronic instruments and other sound effects. Recent models of CVP Clavinova have hundreds of such voices. These usually include many types of pianos and organs, string, percussion, brass and woodwind instruments, as well as modern and vintage synthesizer sounds, sampled effects etc. The more recent CVP models also feature many accompaniment styles, ranging from traditional dance and classical orchestration, through to more modern club, pop, rock, big band and jazz styles.

The latest currently available models of the Clavinova CLP series are the CLP-4XX range while the latest Clavinova CVP series models are the CVP-50X, which came out in Fall of 2009.

Graded Hammer

The various graded or progressively weight keys are

• Graded Hammer Standard (GHS)
• Graded Hammer (GH or sometimes GHE), somewhat heavier than GHS. GH is also more close to real piano keys weight
• Graded Hammer Three (GH3), like GH, but GH3 also swings back faster, like high quality piano keys. GH3 allows the player to feel the weight of the key when depressed a second time, even when the player has not completely released the key after the first push of the key.

Keyboard "feel" feature matrix for current models

From Yamaha Clavinova microsite.^[1]

Model	Graded Hammer (Non GH3)	Graded Hammer Three (GH3)	Natural Wood Keyboard	Synthetic Ivory Keytops
CLP265GP	no	yes	no	no
CLP295GP	no	yes	yes	no
CLPS306	no	yes	no	yes
CLPS308	no	yes	yes	yes
CLP320	yes	no	no	no
CLP330	no	yes	no	no
CLP340	no	yes	no	yes
CLP370	no	yes	yes	yes
CLP380	no	yes	yes	yes
CVP409GP	no	yes	yes	yes
CVP501	yes	no	no	no
CVP503	no	yes	no	yes
CVP505	no	yes	no	yes
CVP509	no	yes	yes	yes
CGP1000	no	yes	yes	yes

Sound quality and effects feature matrix for current models

From Yamaha Clavinova microsite.^[2]

Model	CF Sampling	AWM Sampling	Half-damper effect	Key-Off Samples	Stereo Sustain Samples	String Resonance	iAFC Effects	Tri-Amped
CLP265GP	no	yes	yes	no	no	no	no	no
CLP295GP	no	4 level	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no
CLPS306	yes	3 level	yes	no	no	no	no	no
CLPS308	yes	3 level	yes	no	no	no	no	no
CLP320	yes	3 level	yes	no	no	no	no	no
CLP330	yes	3 level	yes	no	no	no	no	no
CLP340	yes	4 level	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no
CLP370	yes	4 level	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no
CLP380	yes	5 level	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
CVP409GP	no	4 level	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no
CVP501	yes	3 level	yes	no	no	no	no	no
CVP503	yes	4 level	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no
CVP505	yes	4 level	yes	yes	yes	no	no	no
CVP509	yes	5 level	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
CGP1000	no	4 level	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no

History

From yamahapkowner.com^[3] and Clavinova microsite^[4]

CVP and CGP models

Year Model

• 1985 CVP-3, CVP-5, CVP-7
• 1987 CVP-10, CVP-6, CVP-8, CVP-10, CVP-100MA, CVP-100PE
• 1989 CVP-30, CVP-50, CVP-70
• 1991 CVP-55, CVP-65, CVP-35, CVP-45, CVP-75
• 1993 CVP-83, CVP-85, CVP-87
• 1995 CVP-59, CVP-69, CVP-79
• 1997 CVP-92, CVP-94, CVP-96, CVP-98, CVP-555
• 1998 CVP-600
• 1999 CVP-103, CVP-105, CVP-107, CVP-109
• 2000 CVP-700
• 2001 CVP-201, CVP-203, CVP-205, CVP-207, CVP-209
• 2002 CVP-900
• 2003 CVP-202, CVP-204, CVP-206, CVP-208, CVP-210
• 2004 CVP-309
• 2006 CGP-1000
• 2008 CVP-400 Series
• 2009 CVP-501, CVP-503, CVP-505, CVP-509

CLP models

Year Model

• 1983 YP-40 first Clavinova
• 1985 CLP-20, CLP-30
• 1986 CLP-40, CLP-45, CLP-50, CLP-55, CLP-200, CLP-300
• 1987 CLP-100, CLP-100MA, CLP-100PE, CLP-500
• 1988 CLP-250, CLP-350, CLP-550, CLP-650
• 1989 CLP-570, CLP-650W, CLP-670
• 1990 CLP-260, CLP-360, CLP-560, CLP-760
• 1992 CLP-121, CLP-122, CLP-123, CLP-124
• 1994 CLP-152S, CLP-153S, CLP-153SG, CLP-154S, CLP-155, CLP-157
• 1996 CLP-311, CLP-411, CLP-511, CLP-611, CLP-811, CLP-911
• 1997 CLP-555
• 1998 CLP-810, CLP-820, CLP-840, CLP-860, CLP-880
• 2000 CLP-920, CLP-930, CLP-950, CLP-955, CLP-970, CLP-970A
• 2001 CLP-910, CLP-990
• 2002 CLP-110, CLP-120, CLP-130, CLP-150, CLP-170
• 2005 CLP-F01
• 2006 CLP-230, CLP-240, CLP-265GP
• 2008 CLP-380, CLP 3xx Series (320, 330, 340, 370, 380, S-306, S-308)
• 2011 CLP 4xx Series (430, 440, 465GP, 470, 480, S-406, S-408)

See also

• Piano acoustics

References

1. ^ http://yamahaclavinova.com/about/touch.html
2. ^ http://yamahaclavinova.com/about/sound.html
3. ^ http://www.yamahapkowner.com/forum/index.php?action=printpage;topic=1280.0
4. ^ http://yamahaclavinova.com/concept/history.html

External links

• Clavinova Digital Pianos (official Yamaha website)