SILENT PIANOS

WHAT ARE 'SILENT PIANOS' ?


Silent pianos are acoustic pianos which have the ability for the hammer to be prevented from striking the strings and thereby making no 'acoustic' sound. Sensors fitted to the piano enable the key movement to be converted to a digital signal (MIDI) and this is then utilised by a sound generator. This means that the pianist can practice with headphones while the piano is silent. There are effectively two types of system available ; mechanical or optical, with the latter being a more efficient system as it better gauges the key movement therreby reflecting the more intricate control the pianist may have.
There are many other advantages of generating a MIDI signal such as utlising the piano as a master keyboard, together with using the multitude of MIDI samples that are readily available.
Retrofit systems are also available that can be fitted to many pianos......see the section entitled PianoDisc.

Image Model Information
B1 Silent

The Yamaha B1 Silent upright piano brings together the quality of the Yamaha acoustic piano with an optical digital interface.

When the Silencing function has been activated through the center pedal and a key is struck, the hammer is stopped from striking the string. Optical sensors capture every nuance of play and relay them to a tone generator, which digitally samples the acoustic piano sound and send it to the headphones.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Width 148cm
  • Height 109cm
  • Depth 54cm
  • Weight 174kg
Yamaha B2 Silent piano

The Yamaha b2Silent upright piano brings together the quality of the Yamaha acoustic piano with an optical digital interface.

When the Silencing function has been activated through the center pedal and a key is struck, the hammer is stopped from striking the string. Optical sensors capture every nuance of play and relay them to a tone generator, which digitally samples the acoustic piano sound and send it to the headphones.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Width 149cm
  • Height 113cm
  • Depth 54cm
  • Weight 194kg
Kemble Concerto SG Silent Kemble Concerto SG Silent upright piano
Yamaha U1 Silent

Yamaha U Series upright pianos have long been a leading for educational institutions, professional musicians and home pianists. Now, thanksto a comprehensive redesign, these world standard instruments are better than ever, with numerous advances in materials and contruction
Yamaha's SG Type takes luxury up a notch with stereo sampling from the CFIIIS concert grand, making for rich resonance and subtly accurate reproduction.
10 voices including harpsichord, pipe organ, and strings provide a wide range of musical expression.
Recording and playback functions are conveniently built in
A USB port allows you to import MIDI data on portable USB memory devices.

SPECIFICATIONS

  • Width 153cm
  • Height 121cm
  • Depth 61cm
  • Weight 228kg
Kemble Conservatoire SG S Kemble's Conservatoire Silent SG upright model has a sensational sonority and a wonderful dynamic range with the added benefit of being able to play through headphones.
 
The previous Silent System allowed players to 'switch off' the audible acoustic sound on their pianos; a sample/synthesized sound would then be heard through headphones or connected speakers/PA, making it ideal for late night practice, studio and stage use.
 
The new SG Silent technology takes the Silent system several steps further, vastly improving the piano sound, adding additional instrument sounds (such as harpsichord, organ and strings) and offering an easy to use recording system.
 
Voices can be layered with each other and/or with the acoustic piano's own sound and powerful features such as Dynamic Damper Effect (DDE) and several reverb types add to the realism.
Strung Back