🎹 Silent Pianos Explained! How They Work, Best Brands & Are They Worth It? | Seminar 1 of 4

Good evening, everyone. Sorry for the little lengthy delay, or short delay of 15 minutes while we're trying to get everything technically correct, because this is our first Facebook Live ever. So I'd like to welcome you to Hollywood Piano tonight. I'm Glenn Tribbets, and this is the first of four Keys to the Future seminars during our Piano Technology Month. Tonight, we're going to talk about something that has quietly, no pun intended, become one of the most useful developments in the piano business, the silent piano. Many people believe they have to choose between a traditional acoustic piano and a digital piano with headphones. That's no longer true. A silent piano gives you a genuine acoustic piano with real strings, real hammers, a real soundboard, and traditional piano action, but it also gives you the ability to put on headphones and practice without disturbing the rest of that household. This is a great move forward in piano technology. Now, this can be valuable if you're living in an apartment, if you're a student, particularly early in the morning needs to practice, a professional working late at night, or a family that has one person that needs to practice while another person is watching television. Tonight, I'll explain how silent systems work and compare the major choices. You have Yamaha, Kawai, QRS, Piano Disc, Kyoshi, and the newer QU2 system that we offer on selected Heisenberg and Hardman pianos. We don't sell new Yamaha or Kawai pianos, but we have used silent pianos from both companies, and we don't represent ourselves as a new dealer for these companies. That actually allows us to look at them as comparison products and discuss what they do well, why they're expensive, and what alternatives are available. Our goal tonight is not to tell you that every piano should sound the same or every system is the same. It's to try to help you understand what you're paying for and which systems make sense for your needs. Now, what exactly is a silent piano? First, let's clear up one common misunderstanding. Some people think a silent piano is the same thing as a player piano. With a silent piano, you play the piano, but the acoustic piano is stopped and you hear a digital piano through headphones. With a player piano, the piano plays itself and the keys move automatically. Now, some QRS and Piano Disc packages can combine silent, recording, player piano, and other functions, but they're still separate functions. Here is how the silent portion works. In the piano's normal position, the hammers strike the strings just as they would in any acoustic piano. When the silent mode is engaged, a stopping rail moves into position, the hammers travel through almost their complete motion, but stop immediately before they hit the string. Sensors underneath the keys, or in some systems, sensors associated with the action measure how quickly and how deeply each key is played. That information is sent to a digital sound generator and you hear the piano through headphones. Yamaha describes its current system as using non-contact sensors that continuously measure the movement, time and depth, and force of the keys. Kawai, QRS, Piano Disc, and Kyoshi, and also the QU2, use variations of the same basic idea. Stop the acoustic sound from happening, stop the action, sense the performance, and produce a digital sound. One thing I want to make clear is that silent doesn't mean absolutely no physical noise. You're still going to hear a small amount of mechanical key and action noise in the room. The strings are silent, but a person standing next to the piano may hear the keys and action moving, though through the headphones the player hears only the digital piano. What you should evaluate. When comparing silent pianos, there are seven things I recommend considering. First, and most importantly, how good is the acoustic piano? A silent piano should be an additional benefit. It's like the cherry on top. It should not be used to convince you to buy an acoustic piano whose tone or touch you don't enjoy. Second, does the piano's touch remain comfortable when silent mode is engaged? Now it does change things a little bit. Third, how accurately do the sensors respond? Play very softly, repeat notes, play quick trills, make sure every key responds evenly. Fourth, how natural is the headphone sound? Fifth, how easy is the system to operate? Does it have physical controls, an app or a touch screen? Sixth, who will service it? The acoustic piano could last for generations while the electronics may eventually require service or updating. We see some older systems, particularly from Yamaha, where you just can't get the parts any longer. Seventh, what is the total value? Are you paying primarily for the piano, primarily for a famous name, or for technology you will actually use? Keep those questions in mind as we go through different systems. First, let's talk about the Yamaha silent piano. Let's begin with Yamaha because it's probably the name most people recognize in this category. Yamaha has been making silent and hybrid pianos for many years. Their current inventory entry-level silent piano system is called SC3, while the higher level Yamaha system used on Yamaha's U-series and larger pianos is called the SH3. The Yamaha B2 SC3 is officially just under 45 inches tall at 44 and a half inches. Its silent system includes non-contact key sensing. Yamaha's CFX and Busendorfer Imperial Concert Ground sounds, binaural headphone sampling, 250 six-note polyphony recording, Bluetooth connectivity, Yamaha Smart Piano Staff, and rhythm patterns. That's a lot of features. That's, you know, one of the things that Yamaha does well. Yamaha's biggest advantage probably is integration. The piano and the silent system are designed together at the factory. The controls are relatively unobtrusive, the sensors are non-contact, and the headphone sound is polished. The binaural sampling is particularly effective with good headphones. It attempts to reproduce the experience of sitting in front of a concert ground rather than having the sound appear to be coming from the center of your head. Yamaha also has strong naming recognition. For some who strategically want the Yamaha name and enjoy the bright, clean Yamaha tonal character, that can be important. Yamaha's Smart Pianist app gives you additional control, recording, and music-related functions from a phone or tablet. Now here are the disadvantages. The first disadvantage is cost. As of this seminar, a new Yamaha V2 with the factory-installed silent system is approximately $15,000 and street price of $11,500 in our market comparison. The V2 is not necessarily Yamaha's highest level upright. It's a smaller entry to intermediate Yamaha acoustic piano with the silent system added at the factory. That doesn't make it a bad piano. It means that a substantial portion of the price is associated with the Yamaha name and the integrated technology. The second disadvantage is that there are no large built-in touchscreen. For more detailed control, this is very helpful. You generally use buttons on Yamaha and, of course, the Yamaha app. Some customers prefer the clean appearance. Other customers would rather see their choices directly on a large screen. The third consideration involves used Yamaha silent pianos. We sell them and a good used Yamaha silent piano can be an excellent purchase. However, you're buying both an acoustic instrument and an electronic product. On a used one, we test all 88 notes at soft, medium, and loud levels. We test both headphone outputs, pedal sensing, recording, and connectivity, the stopping mechanism, whether the older system remains compatible with current devices, the condition of the acoustic piano itself. Now, a 20 or 25 year old acoustic Yamaha may still have some years of useful life. The electronic system on the same age requires a more careful evaluation and oftentimes we try to swap out those systems with more modern systems or better parts. Now, when we compare Yamaha versus our hardware, here's the value comparison that becomes very interesting. Our 45 inch R44 hardware equipped with the QUT silent system with the extra large touch screen is $79.95. The Yamaha B2 silent is approximately $11.05 price. This is a difference of about $3,505. The hardware uses premium hammer felt, hardwood action components, and a European influence scale and tonal design. Many of our customers prefer its warmer, more rounded acoustic tone. Yamaha tends to have the cleaner, somewhat brighter tonal character for which Yamaha is known. Now, tone is personal, so I would never tell you which one you must prefer. The important point is that the customer should play both acoustically before looking at the logo or the electronic features. Now, at one point, we'll get up from the desk here and we'll go over to a Yamaha, we'll go over to a Hardman, we'll go over to a Kaiserberg that has the QUT, and we'll describe how the hammers are stopped and how they essentially don't make any sound and you hear what you're going to hear through the headphones. When you do that, we'll listen to the dynamic, how it responds, and I'll play softly, I'll play loud. Yamaha does this well the question is whether the complete piano technology package justifies the price for any particular customer. Now, Kauai has what they call the Anytime Piano. The primary Kauai silent system is called Anytime, and the current version is the ATX4. Kauai also makes Eros, an instrument which adds the ability to reproduce digital sound through the piano soundboard, but tonight we're concentrating primarily on the private headphone practice capability. A comparable Kauai model is the K200 ATX4, which is based on Kauai's 45-inch K200 upright. It uses Kauai's Millennium 3 Action with ABS carbon components. The ATX4 provides 90 digital sounds, recording, metronome, layer, and split functions, Bluetooth MIDI, and audio, and additional control through Kauai's piano remote app. Kauai currently lists the K200 ATX4 with an MSRP starting at $14,195, although actual dealer pricing can vary and will usually come in close to that $11,500 price, or $11,000 that you heard on the Yamaha. Now, what Kauai does well, Kauai makes a very respectable product. Many pianists like the Kauai Action and the carbon composite Action components are designed for stability and consistency, and Kauai's digital sound technology is well developed. The Anytime system has more sounds than many people will ever use, and the Bluetooth audio feature allows music from a phone or tablet to be incorporated into the piano experience. It is factory integrated, so the piano and sound system are delivered as one complete instrument. The disadvantage? Again, price is a major consideration. The Kauai K200 ATX4 is positioned well above other 45-inch acoustic pianos with silent capability. Like Yamaha, many of the deeper functions are controlled through an app rather than through a large built-in touchscreen. The other issue is simply preference. A customer should not buy it based only on the name Kauai, which is a respected name. They should compare the acoustic tone, the action, and value against other pianos. Kauai is a respected name. Now, if someone tells us that the Kauai is a respected name, they should respect that opinion. Acoustic tone, action, and value, now that's very subjective, and you're going to have to compare that against other pianos. We don't sell new Kauai pianos, but we do get new silent pianos used every now and then, and I would never tell you that Kauai is anything, and I'd never tell you it's a poor choice. It's a good system attached to a well-regarded piano. You simply need to decide whether it's a particular touch, sound, and price are right for you. QRS silent options. We moved from systems designed around a particular manufacturer, like the Yamaha Kauai, and now we move from systems designed around a player system. So, independent systems that can be installed in many different acoustic pianos are interesting, and QRS has one and is one of the oldest names in player piano technology. Its piano scan system uses a low-profile optical scanner system strip underneath the keys. Now, QRS emphasizes continual optical sensing, meaning that the system follows the key through its upward and downward travel rather than simply detecting on or off events. Piano scan can record performances as MIDI information and can be installed in any existing piano. There's an important distinction here. Piano scan by itself is primarily the sensing and recording system. For silent practice, the piano also needs a key or hammer stopping rail, and this controller that produces the headphone sound. Now, QRS sells an upright stop rail specifically for use with its silent practice equipment. The advantages of QRS. The biggest advantage is flexibility. A customer may already own a piano they love. Instead of replacing it with a factory silent piano, a qualified installer may be able to add QRS technology. It's especially interesting for composers, teachers, and professional musicians who want accurate MIDI recording. It also becomes part of a larger QRS piano nation player piano system. This allows the same piano to be played acoustically, played silently, and used as a MIDI controller used for recording and with the player components played automatically. Now, you can add these at any time. So, you can add the piano scan initially, and then if you want to add the rest of the ecosystem, you can. The first disadvantage is that it's not necessarily a simple one-box purchase. You need to understand exactly which components are included, the sensor system, stopping rail, sound generator, controls, and possibly the player piano components. The second issue is installation. With any retrofit system, the quality of installation and regulation is extremely important. The stopping distance must be adjusted correctly, the sensors must be calibrated, the piano action must still function properly in normal acoustic mode. The third issue is complexity. QRS can do a great deal, but the interface and package may be more elaborate than a person needs if their only goal is to practice through headphones for 30 minutes each evening. Who should consider QRS? QRS makes sense for someone who already owns a piano they love, wants serious MIDI recording, or may eventually want to combine silent practice with a complete player piano system. Now, we'll move on to the piano disc, quiet time, and pro record. Piano disc is another major name in player piano retrofit technology. Pro record is piano disc's major name in player piano and retrofit technology. So, for silent practice, piano disc offers quiet time, which stops the hammers before they reach the strings, much like the others. And much like on the QRS system, the quiet time, the piano disc system, pro record, can be part of a larger system. It's got less parts to worry about than necessarily the other systems, but less of the QRS. For silent practice, piano disc offers the best option with their record X1 optical for someone who's a serious composer. Now, I'd like to talk a little bit now about the disadvantage of the piano disc system. The piano disc system, like the QRS, needs a lot of installation and there are a lot of parts and stuff that go along with it. So, it makes it a little bit more difficult. Who it's for? Well, like the QRS system, the piano disc system is a great choice for a composer. It's a great choice for someone who's going to be using it in a more professional setting, but not necessarily for someone who is using it for practice. Now, the pro record 11, that includes metronome, effects, etc, recording features, is a great feature for the professional player who's looking for something very, very special to record with. Next, we'll move on to a great retrofit system that we've been installing successfully in a lot of pianos and that's called the Kyoshi system. And the Kyoshi system is great because it's a very simple install. It can be done between two and five hours in our facility here by a great piano technician and the whole thing is very simple. The QRS and the piano disc are a longer process. The Kyoshi, boom, two to five hours and it's all set. And the result is very good. The sound, the quality of the samples are very high quality. I would say the disadvantage of the Kyoshi system is everything is controlled from the box. There's no large touch screen that you can go to to access the important features, but it's a very nice system. It's cost effective and it's simple to install. Now, last but not least, I want to talk about the QEU2 system, which is a system devised by the Pearl River Company and this is a system that has an extra large touch screen. Now, for those of you who don't know, the Pearl River Company is the largest piano company in the world. They build pianos currently under the name of Essex for Steinway. They also build pianos for other companies like they build pianos for North American music and those are sold in the name of Hardman. They're different than the other Pearl River pianos with different specifications and they also have a more premium piano called the Kaiser Bird and we currently have Hardman with the QEU2 system and Kaiser Bird with the QEU2 system. So, what's great about the QEU2 system? First and foremost, you have the big touch screen, which allows you to do most functions right on the screen. It allows you to hear the sound that you like in addition to many, many other sounds. There's about 100 sounds and in addition to rhythms, now Yamaha has rhythms, but this has rhythms and auto accompaniment. So, you can, like a digital piano with audio accompaniment, you can have the auto accompaniment on the left hand and the melody on the right hand. So, the QEU2 system is exclusive to any product sold by the Pearl River Company and is probably one of the best choices today in a great silent system, great price. As I said earlier, we have a comparable system to the Yamaha B2 and the Kawai XT-4. $79.95 is our special sale price on the silent system with the big touch screen compared to about $11.50 for the other two guys. Now, we're going to walk into the showroom a little bit and we're going to show you a little bit of our showroom and walk over to a few of our silent systems. So, this is our main showroom. As some of you may know, we have five showrooms here in 25,000 square feet of space. So, we have this main showroom, we have the outlet and clearance center, we have the artist pianos of Los Angeles, we have the cellar, and we have the annex. In addition to that, we also have the Roland Foresta. Now, this is the Kaiserberg with the QEU2 silent system. And first, I want to show you the system here. The big touch screen that I was talking about. So, for those of you who want to test that capability, now look inside the piano. And I'm going to engage the silent system. So, here's the piano. Now, the silent system engaged. Now, I'm going to engage the silent system. I just flipped a switch and now, so the sound is only coming out of the headphone here. So, you get the idea on the silent system. So, right next to it is the piano that we have at $79.95 with the silent system. And it's got the same pull-out touch screen. So, this is $79.95. The similar Yamaha is about $11.50 street price, so is the similar pull-out. Now, we're going to go into our outlet and clearance center. Now, in the outlet and clearance center, we have a silent piano from Yamaha. So, this is a used Yamaha silent piano. It works basically the same way. There's a lever underneath. You turn it and the piano plays. Now, this is a better quality piano than the one we were talking about, which is the B2. This is your silent system Yamaha. But just to give you an idea, this piano used, when we talk about the Yamaha 45-inch new at about $11.50, this piano used in perfect, excellent condition is $59.95. So, it's half the price, basically, of the comparable Yamaha silent piano. So, we'll go back through the showroom over here, back to the podcast area for us to wrap it up and see how vast this place is. I don't know, should we take a peek into the artist pianos area as long as we're walking around here? So, this is our artist pianos of Los Angeles area, where we keep all our premium pianos, European pianos, Steinway, Mason, and Hamlin. We have European pianos from Steinwaver, Groschen, Petrov, Zeiler, Schemel. Great, great selection. So, there are silent pianos and silent piano features can be added to any existing piano. So, I'm going to go back to the podcast desk for us to wrap up this seminar. So, I hope you enjoyed this seminar. If you have any questions about silent pianos, please post them below and we'll answer them all. Please come and visit us here at Hollywood Piano. As you can see, this is an enormous place, 25,000 square feet, 600 plus pianos, our largest competitor in the market. If you add up their four stores, their square footage and the amount of pianos they have, they all come near what we have in this one location. This is a one-stop shop and you can see everything, including the silent pianos we talked about today in our seminar. If you think a silent piano may be something that's interesting for you, please come visit us and let us show them to you. We have, as you see, many of them in stock. We have many more I didn't show you. So, we can pretty much satisfy any need that you have as far as a silent piano goes. We'll be happy to show you how it interfaces with headphones, how it can interface with your phone. You can play Bluetooth MIDI through the speak, the headphones, and add that to part of your playing experience. So, this is Len Chivitz for Hollywood Piano. I hope you found this seminar interesting and helpful. And before I go, one final thing, my catchphrase, there's no life without music and there's no music without life. Bye for now.