A wider range of Yamaha digital pianos can now take advantage of touchscreen control and features on iOS devices
Yamaha's free Smart Pianist app was originally released for the Clavinova CSP series of Stream Light-equipped digital "smart pianos." With Smart Pianist version 2.0 for iOS, compatibility has been expanded to include a larger portion of the Yamaha digital piano line Ð from the portable, entry-level P-125 up to the Clavinova CLP-695GP grand.
Smart Pianist allows you to control the functions of your digital piano with your iOS device for intuitive and easy touchscreen operation. Features will vary somewhat depending on the specific model you have, but in most cases you'll be able to select sounds, layer and split voices, adjust transposition and tuning, and configure pedal and acoustic settings. Some of the more in-depth settings Smart Pianist can access Ð again, depending on the model Ð include the size and type of the virtual acoustic environment, grand piano lid height, and adjustments to virtual piano technician settings for hammers, pedals, and resonance. Registration memory lets you save your customized piano settings so you can recall them from the app whenever you'd like.
Smart Pianist can also analyze the songs in your iPad or iPhone music library and display the chord symbols so you can play along with your favorite tunes. Additionally, the app can pull up piano scores for your piano's preset, demo, and lesson songs (if equipped), allowing you to play along with the music in front of you or practice each hand individually.
Note that you'll need an Apple Lightning to USB Camera Adapter and a standard USB cable to connect your piano and device when using Smart Pianist, although some of the models have the option of using the Yamaha UD-WL01 Wi-Fi adapter instead.
The Yamaha Smart Pianist app for iOS is currently available for Clavinova CSP series models CSP-150 and CSP-170; Clavinova CLP series models CLP-635, CLP-645, CLP-665GP, CLP-675, CLP-685, and CLP-695GP; the AvantGrand NU1X; Arius models YDP-184 and YDP-S34; and P series models P-125 and P-121. Some models may require a firmware update before they're able to take advantage of Smart Pianist, including the CLP-635, 645, 665GP, 675, and 685, NU1X, and YDP-184. Please contact a Kraft Music Sales Advisor for assistance if you have any questions on firmware requirements or compatibility. Update: new models P-515, Arius YDP-144, YDP-164, and YDP-S54, and AvantGrand N1X are also compatible with the Smart Pianist app.
Although Smart Pianist is available for Android devices, the Android version is currently compatible with Clavinova CSP series pianos only. At the moment, an Apple device running iOS 10.0 or later is required for all other Smart Pianist-compatible pianos. We're not aware of an official timeline, but it seems likely that Yamaha will expand full compatibility to the Android universe at some point. A complete list of compatible digital piano models and devices is available on Yamaha's Smart Pianist page.
The video below takes a closer look at the Smart Pianist app in action, walking through some of the app's main features and its basic operation. Watch to learn more about the benefits of this helpful and handy app for your piano Ð and your piano-playing experience.
YOUR MUSIC TECHNOLOGY STORE SINCE 1984