Yamaha Expands Groundbreaking Line of TransAcoustic Pianos with New Grand and Upright Models at the 2016 NAMM Show

TransAcoustic Grand

Anaheim (January 21, 2016) – Yamaha expands its groundbreaking line of TransAcoustic pianos with two new grand models — the C1XTA and C3XTA— and three uprights — the YUS1TA, YUS3TA and YUS5TA — at the 2016 NAMM Show. These new instruments bring the number of TransAcoustic models to seven, offering more piano size options to choose from.

The new C1XTA and C3XTA grands and YUS1TA, YUS3TA and YUS5TA upright models are first and foremost fine acoustic pianos, with real strings and a superb action. However, they also open a new world of possibilities to performers. These include the ability to switch to the tone and physical presence of the world-renowned Yamaha CFX concert grand piano, or a wide variety of instruments — from electric pianos to a marimba and harpsichord. Perhaps the most scintillating sounds are generated when the player combines the acoustic and digital properties of the instrument — gentle orchestral strings under a natural piano, for example. This all comes with the benefits of Yamaha’s popular SILENT Piano™, which keeps the hammers from hitting the strings, and instead sends an immersive, binaurally-sampled sound of the CFX concert grand directly to headphones for practicing or performing in total privacy.

"Yamaha TransAcoustic pianos appeal to advanced piano players who are seeking to do more with their instrument, who want more out of their investment,” said Jim Levesque, marketing manager, hybrid pianos, Yamaha Corporation of America. “Unlike other digital instruments, where sound emanates from fixed directional speakers, these pianos reproduce sound in a way that envelops the user as never before. You can perform with a digital sound generated through the piano's soundboard with full volume control, or even combine the acoustic piano sound with the selectable digital sounds to create a lush multi-sound layer. There are simply no other pianos like these on the market from any other manufacturer."

TransAcoustic Upright

TransAcoustic technology combines a number of technological elements such as transducers, optical sensors and a digital tone generator with the acoustic elements of the piano, such as the soundboard, the strings and the cabinet. Each of these new instruments offer a mix of capabilities aimed to meet the demands of today’s lifestyle for rehearsing and performing.

TransAcoustic technology provides a whole new world of possibilities for piano performance, including:

• Digital sounds with real acoustic string resonance and harmonics
• Variable sound volume control to play digital sounds at low or high volumes without having to wear headphones
• Ability to layer digital sounds with acoustic piano sound