What is SILENT Piano™?
When the SILENT Piano™ function is activated, the hammers will no longer hit the strings and instead, a highly sophisticated sensor-technology captures all movements of the keys and sends them to the digital tone module. Play a real acoustic piano with headphones at any time, day or night without being disturbed or disturbing others. The Yamaha Silencing System is unsurpassed, allowing 24hr practice as well as possessing many other features including a range of pre-installed sounds, being able to record your own performances or connecting mobile devices to use the latest Apps.
Two World-Renowned Piano Sounds
You can play SILENT Piano™ SH3 type with the voices of CFX, Yamaha’s finest concert grand piano, and Bösendorfer’s legendary Imperial. All 88 keys are sampled individually. As Yamaha’s flagship grand piano, the majestic CFX boasts a wide palette of tonal colours, from sparkling high notes to powerful bass tones. The legendary Bösendorfer, meanwhile, is renowned for its sonorous and rich Viennese sound.
A broad sonic palette
SILENT Piano™ SH3 type offers 25 pre-installed sounds such as electric pianos, harpsichord, organs, strings, choir, and synth pad, allowing you to select the ideal voice to match your preferred musical genre.
Rich resonance and subtle accurate reproduction
CFX Binaural Sampling
Yamaha’s advanced binaural sampling technology uses samples from the CFX, Yamaha’s acclaimed concert grand piano, recorded with specialized microphones that capture locational information and other nuances discerned by the human ear. The resulting sound is so natural, so enveloping, that you’ll soon forget you’re even wearing headphones at all.
VRM physical modelling—the distinctive reverberation generated by the entire body of a concert grand piano
In a grand piano, sound resonates throughout the body of the instrument, producing a rich reverberation that envelops the listener in sound. This phenomena is reproduced perfectly through enhanced Virtual Resonance Modelling (VRM). The original VRM calculates the various states of the strings for each of the 88 notes on the keyboard, from one instant to the next, and timing and depth of damper pedals pressed. The enhanced VRM now also calculates aliquot resonance in the upper octaves, and the full resonance of the soundboard, rim, and frame. This technology allows for vivid, bright, richly-varied expression that reflects the limitless number of factors inherent in piano performance.
Stereophonic Optimizer (Piano Voices other than CFX Grand)
Stereophonic Optimizer is an effect which reproduces the natural sound distance, like with the sound of Binaural Sampling, even though you are listening to it on headphones. When one of the Piano Voices other than CFX Grand is selected, the Stereophonic Optimizer is enabled.
Smooth Release-From staccato to legato, superbly expressive sound that responds to the player’s touch
Featuring Yamaha Smooth Release technology, SILENT Piano™ SH3 type offers the crisp tone heard when playing staccato as well as the lingering sound produced by releasing the keys more. This provides finely-nuanced response to the pianist’s playing.
Key-Off samples
The moment a pianist’s fingers are lifted from the keys of a grand piano, subtle changes occur in the instrument’s tone as the damper is lowered onto the strings to mute its sound. Key-Off samples features actual recordings of these changes, offering a faithful reproduction of the most subtle changes in the piano’s sound, allowing for a more realistic performance.
Unique Yamaha technology retains the all-important touch of the piano
Key sensors
Under each of the 88 keys is a Yamaha-unique continuous-detection grey-scale shutter key sensor. These sensors detect the movement of the keys continually, allowing natural musical expression even when the piano is in SILENT Piano™ function. Since they do not come into contact with the keys, these sensors do not affect the feel of the keyboard in any way.
Hammer Sensors
Grand piano with SILENT Piano™ SH3 type are fitted with hammer sensors that allow even slow keystrokes or rapid trills. To ensure that they do not affect the feel of the keyboard in any way, Yamaha uses non-contact sensors.
Quick escape system
Grand piano with SILENT Piano™ SH3 type features a quick escape system that allows the sound muting mechanism to be fitted to a grand piano without sacrificing any of the playability or musical expression demanded of such instruments in an acoustic performance. This system allows optimal separation to be obtained between the hammers and strings by adjusting the distance between the hammers and strings, ensuring that the feel of the keyboard stays in the best possible condition whether playing acoustically or with the sound muted.
General functions
Smart Pianist App
The smart device app “Smart Pianist” (available as a free download) enables you to use the functions such as selecting Voices, controlling the metronome intuitively with the visualized interface, or display the score on your smart device.
The UD-WL01 USB Wireless LAN Adaptor (sold separately) is required to use Smart Pianist over a wireless connection.
Sophisticated & simple design of the control panel
The control unit has been given a sophisticated design that unobtrusively blends with the piano itself. Moreover, the simple controllers allow you to operate the instrument easily.
Connection terminals
The USB TO HOST terminal allows you to connect to a computer or portable device and record high-quality audio without the need for an additional interface. AUX IN allows listening the sound from the external devices (sound source modules and music players).
Built-in recording and play back functions
SILENT Piano™ SH3 type can record one song in the internal memory. Additionally, connecting commercially available USB memory to the unit allows you save recording data, and play back songs.
Headphones
Simple and compact headphones that come with SILENT Piano™ SH3 type let you enjoy professional-grade sound quality.
Metronome
SILENT Piano™ SH3 type has a built-in metronome that can be used in SILENT Piano™ function so that players can listen to precise rhythm while they play.
