Yamaha Piano Terms Explained
Yamaha uses its own names for its pianos and their features. This page puts each Yamaha term next to what it means and the everyday name you may know it by. Questions? Call us or stop by the showroom: we are happy to demonstrate any of them.
Piano technologies
The same Yamaha piano often comes in several versions. Here is what each name means.
| Yamaha term | What it means | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic piano | A traditional piano: hammers, strings and a soundboard, with no electronics. | Acoustic piano |
| SILENT Piano™ (SH3, SC3) | An acoustic piano with a built-in digital system. Play it as a normal piano, or switch on silent mode: the hammers stop just short of the strings and you hear a sampled Yamaha concert grand in headphones. SH3 and SC3 are the current versions (SC3 on the more affordable models); SH2 and SC2 were the versions before. | Silent piano |
| TransAcoustic™ (TA3, TC3) | An acoustic piano whose soundboard can also play digital sounds through the piano itself. Turn the volume down, play other instrument voices, or use headphones. TA3 and TC3 are the current versions. It is not a player piano: it does not play by itself. | Silent piano (with sound through the soundboard) |
| Disklavier™ ENSPIRE | A real acoustic piano that plays itself: thousands of songs, internet radio, and recordings of your own playing. It works from a phone or tablet app. | Player piano, self-playing piano |
| ENSPIRE PRO | The top Disklavier system, with the most detailed recording and playback. | Player piano (professional) |
| ENSPIRE ST | The standard Disklavier system: plays back and records, and includes Yamaha's SILENT feature for headphones. | Player piano |
| ENSPIRE CL | The playback Disklavier system: it plays songs, without the recording or SILENT features. | Player piano (playback only) |
Digital and hybrid pianos
No strings, never need tuning, and every one has headphone outputs.
| Yamaha term | What it means | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Clavinova™ CLP | Yamaha's home digital pianos, built around piano sound and touch. | Digital piano |
| Clavinova™ CVP | Digital pianos with hundreds of instrument voices and accompaniment styles, for playing along with a band. | Arranger / ensemble digital piano |
| Clavinova™ CSP | Digital pianos with Stream Lights above the keys that show you what to play, with the Smart Pianist app. | Learning digital piano |
| "GP" models (e.g. CLP-895GP, CVP-909GP) | A digital piano in a baby grand cabinet. | Digital baby grand |
| AvantGrand™ and Hybrid pianos (N1X, N3X, NU1X) | Digital pianos built around a real acoustic piano key action: a grand action in the AvantGrand, an upright action in the NU1X. | Hybrid piano |
Yamaha model lines
From Yamaha's most affordable pianos to its concert grands.
| Yamaha term | What it means | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| b series (b1, b2, b3) | Yamaha's most affordable acoustic uprights. | Entry-level upright |
| P22 | A sturdy studio upright made for schools, churches and teaching studios. | Studio / school upright |
| U1, U3 | Yamaha's professional uprights, made in Japan: the U1 is 48 inches tall, the U3 52. | Professional upright |
| YUS1, YUS3, YUS5 | Premium versions of Yamaha's professional uprights, with extra refinements in tone and touch. | Premium upright |
| GB1K | Yamaha's most affordable baby grand, 5 feet deep. | Baby grand |
| GC1, GC2 | Yamaha baby grands: the GC1 is 5'3" deep, the GC2 5'8". | Baby grand |
| CX series (C1X to C7X) | Yamaha's professional grand pianos, made in Japan, from 5'3" to 7'6". | Grand piano |
| SX series (S3X to S7X) | Handcrafted premium grands, with more hand work and select materials. | Premium grand |
| CF series (CF4, CF6, CFX) | Yamaha's handcrafted concert grands: the CF4 is 6'3", the CF6 7 feet and the flagship CFX 9 feet. | Concert grand |
Finish codes
The letters after a model name are its finish.
| Yamaha term | What it means | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| PE | Polished Ebony: glossy black. | Black (gloss) |
| SE | Satin Ebony: black with a soft, low-sheen finish. | Black (satin) |
| PM | Polished Mahogany. | Mahogany |
| PWH | Polished White. | White |
| SAW | Satin American Walnut. | Walnut (satin) |
| PAW | Polished American Walnut. | Walnut (gloss) |