Yamaha CVP-509 digital piano

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Draft

Introduction

The Yamaha CVP-509 is a high end "arranger" or "ensemble" digital piano. It sounds and feels a bit like a real piano but it also includes hundreds of other instruments, styles (auto-accompaniment and rhythms), a built-in sequencer/recorder, etc.

Just bought one - I will write down a few tricks and tips for absolute amateurs (like I am) and music educators (which I am not) - Daniel K. Schneider 17:41, 9 September 2011 (CEST)

See also:

The Interface

Yamaha CVP-509 PE

The keyboard has a fairly complex Interface. Some functionality can be reached through different paths.

There are various kinds of panel controls, roughly:

  • Some buttons that lead to a tool
  • Style selection, style control, voice selection, sequencer buttons
  • The LCD and related controls (A-J and 1-8 up/down) buttons
  • The data wheel + Enter buttons
  • The direct access button. See page 40 of the Data List manual for details. Most often, various buttons of a control group (e.g. styles or voices) lead to the same tool. E.g.
    • DIRECT ACCESS + A style category => Style settings / Split Point / Chord Fingering
  • The function button

(more to come, need a good picture first that isn't copyrighted ...)

Voices

Voices are the sounds that the keyboard can produce by pressing keys and by playing recorded sounds in various forms, e.g. styles or midi files.

The CVP-507 allows for a huge amount of parametrization. Below, we just mention harmony and echo type.

Kinds of Voices

MegaVoices
are intended for creating sounds with MIDI, e.g. auto-accompaniment
Super Articulation! (SA) and Super Articulation 2 (SA2)
implement realistic transition and continuity between notes. Super Articulation 2 implements Articulation Element Modeling (AEM). This adds vibrato and other effects, mainly to wind instruments. For each SA/SA2 voice, pedals can be used to add extra effect. Press the Info (7) button in the Voice Selection display.
Natural
Mostly keyboard sounds. These are obtained by various sampling technologies (Stereo Sampling, Dynamic Sampling, Sustain Sampling, and Key-off Sampling).
Live!
Quote “acoustic instrument sounds sampled in stereo, to produce a truly authentic, rich sound”
Cool!
implement various electronic elements synthetically
Sweet!
acoustic instruments
Live!Drums
Drum sounds, obtained by dynamic sampling and stereo sampling
Live!SFX
Latin percussion instruments, obtained by dynamic sampling and stereo sampling
Drums
Various drums and other percussion sounds can be played with the keyboard
SFX
Implement some special sounds assigned to individual keys
Organ Flute
Allows to configure vintage organs (e.g. a Hammond) with flute footage levers, organ types, rotary speed, vibrato, etc.

Modifying voices

Harmonies and Echo are used by some built-in styles, e.g. Jazz BigBand styles. It's probably a good idea to select such a style and then inspect the voices used. Try for example "Modern Big Band".

Harmony
You can play a polyphonic instead of a single voice
1) Press the [VOICE EFFECT] button (rectangular button at the extreme right of the keyboard)
2) Press the [I] (HARMONY/ECHO) button
3) Press the [J] (TYPE SELECT) button
You can choose between a variety of chords, e.g. two notes, three notes, various 4/5 note variants.

The effective chord that will be played depends both on the selected harmony and type and the chord that is played. I.e. if auto-accompaniment detects a minor chord then the voice of right or right 2 (or the combined) also will be minor.

Echo type
Start as above, i.e. bring up the TYPE SELECT tool
At the bottom of the same menu (as Harmony) you then can define either an echo, a tremolo of a trill and the parametrize these.
Use the 4-8 buttons to parametrize
Other parameters
1) Select a voice, then Press (6UP / VOICE SET)
2) You now can change many parameters using the various TABS

Styles

Styles in Yamaha technology refer to playing rhythm and accompaniment.

To select a style:

  • Press a category in the Style selection section, e.g. POP & ROCK or Jazz
  • Press one of the A-J buttons in the LCD or use the Datawheel + Enter. Pressing the same style category button will show the next page. Alternatively you could press one of the [1..] buttons at the bottom.

There are two types of accompaniment voices: Rhythm only or full

  • To play Rhythm only: the [ACMP ON/OFF] button must be off. Then, press [START/STOP]
  • For auto-accompaniment, do as above, but then set the [ACMP ON/OFF] button to ON. You then can either press the SYNC start button in order to start as soon as you press a button, or the START/STOP or the Metronome (tap, tap, tap, tap).

Style types

Pro (P)
accompaniment exactly follows the chords of the player.
Session (S)
provide even greater realism and authentic backing by mixing in original chord types and changes
Free Play (F)
Are characterized by rubato performance. You can perform without being constrained by a strict tempo. I.e. adapts to your speed.
Pianist (P)
provide piano-only accompaniment, i.e. arpeggios and bass/chord patterns

Chord fingering types and recognized chords

Accompaniment (styles) can be controlled by the chords played in the chord section of the keyboard. There are seven types of fingering. Switching between chord fingering types is somewhat tedious, but there is a solution using memory registration (see the tip just below).

To call up the chord fingering tool, there are two methods:

  1. Press FUNCTION key → Select [C] STYLE SETTING/SPLIT POINT/CHORD FINGERING → TAB [E][F] CHORD FINGERING (this is the long method)
  2. Press the DIRECT ACCESS button, then press the ACMP ON/OFF button (faster method)

In addition, when "full keyboard" or "AI full keyboard" is selected, pressing the [LEFT] button in the Part On/Off section will revert it to fingered. However when you change the style, you will have to press the LEFT button again.

Important tip: If you prefer switching between styles and want to keep the same speed and the same chord fingering, use memory registration (see also below):

  1. Select any style. The program the chord fingering and the tempo
  2. Press the [MEMORY] button in the REGISTRATION MEMORY section.
  3. Untick everything, except style and speed
  4. Hit one of the memory buttons

Repeat this procedure with another button if you plan to switch from "full keyboard" to "fingered" chord fingering (i.e. be able to switch from piano playing to saxophone)

List of types:

Single Finger
define major, minor and seventh and minor seventh chords (only) with one to three fingers (see the manual, I don't recommend using this unless you are a beginner)
Multi Finger
Does both single finger and fingered (see below). A good alternative for lazy people or advanced beginngers who know some chords but not all
Fingered
“Lets you finger your own chords on the chord section of the keyboard, while the instrument supplies appropriately orchestrated rhythm, bass, and chord accompaniment in the selected Style” (Reference manual, p 17). You need to press at least three keys.
AI Fingered
Almost the same as fingered, except that it tries to guess chords played with less than three fingers based on the previous chords.
Fingered on bass
Same fingerings as Fingered, but the lowest note played in the Chord section of the keyboard is used as the bass note.
Full Keyboard
“Detects chords in the entire key range. Chords are detected in a way similar to Fingered, even if you split the notes between your left and right hands.” (Reference manual, p 17)
AI Full Keyboard
Like full keyboard, but tries to be smarter. I.e. the manual claims that you can just try to play about "anything", e.g. not worry about playing full recognizable chords all the time.

Chord recognition

Fingered chord recognition is quite similar between fingered, AI fingered, full keyboard and AI full keyboard, but there are some differences. Recognized chords are best listed in the data list booklet (printed or online). It includes most of the chords that could be found in Jazz lead sheets. However they can't be played in any way since there are ambiguities. E.g. an inverted minor7 is also a major6 like Cm7 with lowest note Eb is EbM6. I don't know if there is a list of recognized voicings, therefore try ! Anyhow, at my level of playing it doesn't matter. Most often, a "wrong" chord sounds fine too :)

Full list using Yamaha's abbreviations (some popular alternative abbreviations included)

Recognized chord types (Reference manual, p. 41)
Chord Name Abbr. Alt. Abbr Normal (root position) voicing C Example
1+8 1+8 C1+8
1+5 1+5 C1+5
Major M or maj or Δ 1+3+5 C or CM or Cmaj or CΔ
Sixth 6 M6 1+(3)+5+6 C6 or CM6
Major seventh M7 maj 1+3+(5)+7 CM7 or Cmaj7
Major seventh flatted fifth M7b5 1+3+b5+7 CM7(b5)
Major seventh add sharp eleventh M7(#11) 1+(2)+3+#4+5+7 CM7(#11)
Add ninth (9) 1+2+3+5 Cadd9
Major seventh ninth M7(9) M9 or maj9 1+2+3+(5)+7 CM7(9) or CM9 or CΔ9
Sixth ninth 6(9) 1+2+3+(5)+6 C6(9)
Flatted fifth (b5) 1+3+b5 Cb5
Augmented aug + 1+3+#5 Caug or C+
Seventh augmented 7aug +5 1+3+#5+b7 C7aug or CM7+5
Major seventh augmented M7aug +M7 or +Δ 1+(3)+#5+7 CM7aug or C+Δ
Minor m - 1+b3+5 Cm or C-
Minor sixth m6 1+b3+5+6 Cm6
Minor seventh m7 min7 or -7 1+b3+(5)+b7 Cm7 or Cmin7 or C-7
Minor seventh flatted fifth m7b5 Ø or Ø7 1+b3+b5+b7 Cm7(b5) or CØ7
Minor add ninth m(9) 1+2+b3+5 Cm add9
Minor seventh ninth m7(9) 1+2+b3+(5)+b7 Cm7(9)
Minor seventh eleventh m7(11) 1+(2)+b3+4+5+(b7) Cm7(11)
Minor major seventh flatted fifth mM7b5 1+b3+b5+7 CmM7(b5)
Minor major seventh mM7 1+b3+(5)+7 CmM7
Minor major seventh ninth mM7(9) 1+2+b3+(5)+7 CmM7(9)
Diminished dim ° 1+b3+b5 Cdim or C°
Diminished seventh dim7 °7 1+b3+b5+6 Cdim7 or C°7
(Dominant) Seventh 7 1+3+(5)+b7 C7
Seventh suspended fourth 7sus4 1+4+5+b7 C7sus4
Seventh ninth 7(9) 9 1+2+3+(5)+b7 C7(9) or C9
Seventh add sharp eleventh 7(#11) 1+(2)+3+#4+5+b7 C7(#11)
Seventh add thirteenth 7(13) 13 1+3+(5)+6+b7 C7(13) or C13
Seventh flatted fifth 7b5 1+3+b5+b7 C7(b5)
Seventh flatted ninth 7(b9) 1+b2+3+(5)+b7 C7(b9)
Seventh add flatted thirteenth 7(b13) 1+3+5+b6+b7 C7(b13)
Seventh sharp ninth 7(#9) 1+#2+3+(5)+b7 C7(#9)
Suspended fourth sus4 1+4+5 Csus4
One plus two plus five sus2 1+2+5 Csus2
cancel 1+b2+2 Cancel

Wikipedia has a large set of articles about chords, in particular:

Style channels and volume balance

Auto-accompaniment has 8 channels, and you can turn them off/on

  • Press the channel on/off button once or twice (below and left of LCD)
  • Press the 1-9 UP/DOWN buttons to turn on/off a channel

To adjust the volume balance:

  • Call up the main display, either by hitting EXIT (several times maybe) or [DIRECT ACCESS] + EXIT.
  • Turn up/down style volume with the [2] UP/DOWN buttons
  • Same for the three keyboard voices, right right2 and left: use [5-7]

Chord tutor and display of current chord

In the Chord fingering tool (see above), use the [6-8 UP/DOWN] buttons to select the name of a chord. It then will display the notes to play.

The currently played chord is displayed on the LCD default screen, i.e. exit from any tool by pressing the EXIT button.

Karaoke / Sing along

You can plug a microphone into the keyboard for singing along. By plugging it into the (vertical) [MIC./LINE IN] jack (standard 1/4" phone jack), you can enjoy singing along with your own performance or along with Song playback. If you have a microphone with a small jack, make sure to use mono converter (see also: troubleshooting below).

You then can use special effects:

  • Bring up the tool: [FUNCTION] → [G] MIC SETTING/VOCAL HARMONY

You then can (for starters) do two things:

  • Turn on the MIC EFFECT [I] (this is also available from the mixing console)
  • Add vocal harmony (press the 6 or 7 button)
  • You than can choose a type of vocal background with [H]

To use this setting either turn on [ACMP ON/OFF] (for your own playing) or use a playback song that does have chord data, e.g. the ones in the "Sing-along" category found through [Song select]

The reference manual describes a whole lot of settings one could use ...

Registration memory

This important tool allows to remember a series of settings. I.e. you quickly can put the piano in favorite modes using a right style, voice, tempo, etc.

Overall, the procedure is the following:

  1. Set your preferences, e.g. a style, a chord fingering, a voice, etc.
  2. Press the [MEMORY] button in the REGISTRATION MEMORY section.
  3. Tick each kind of parameter you want to remember by using the [2▲▼] – [7▲▼] buttons, then enter or remove the checkmark by using the [8▲] (MARK ON)/ [8▼] (MARK OFF) buttons.
  4. Then press one of the eight registration memory buttons. You also can use several banks if eight registrations are not enough (read the owner's manual, p. 79)
  5. Save the settings as memory bank: Press the REGIST BANK [+] and [-] buttons simultaneously and select SAVE [6 ▼]

It also is possible to inspect a setting (if you forget):

  • Press the REGIST BANK [+] and [-] buttons simultaneously and browse ....

With registration memory, you cannot just recall some very precise setting, but just remember some key parameters like chord fingering and speed. For an example see Chord fingering types and recognized chords above.

Finally, also read the reference manual (p. 64 ff.) for additional functionality, e.g. for using the pedals to switch or how to freeze certain items ...

PC connectivity

In order to connect the keyboard to a PC, you first need to install the appropriate drivers. For Win7, you need to download since they are not included in the CD (not in mine)

“Yamaha hardware from your computer via USB, you’ll need to install the USB-MIDI driver software. The USB-MIDI driver is software that transfers MIDI data back and forth between your music software and the instrument via a USB cable.” (USB Midi installation guide)

Procedure for Win7

  • Buy a USB host cable that has a male Type B (square) end and a standard USB flat end on the other side (or whatever your computer has, e.g. a mini-usb can do too). This is a kind of USB cable you may never have seen before.
  • Unzip the compressed files
  • Disconnect all USB devices from the computer except for the mouse and computer keyboard.
  • Turn off the power of the instrument.
  • Connect the USB connector of the computer to the USB TO HOST connector of the MIDI instrument with a standard USB cable.
  • Turn on the power
  • Windows then will try to install a driver ... (wait)
  • When the message “Device driver software was not successfully installed.” (or equivalent in other languages) appears, continue the installation procedure.
  • Install the driver: Double-click the file “setup.exe”. ... (click a few times)

It now should appear in the control panel as Yamaha USB midi driver and in the list of peripherals as "digital piano" (Control panel, peripherals and printers)

Keyboard to PC software test

Testing with a music notation software:

  • Download and install MuseScore, a a free cross-platform WYSIWYG music notation program that offers a cost-effective alternative to commercial programs such as Sibelius and Finale.
  • Click File->New
  • Menu Notes->Note Input
  • Play a chord on the piano. You should see it.
PC to keyboard test
  • Installed AriaMaestosa, a free editor/tracker
  • Import a (simple) MIDI file, e.g. a two track piano file like Jump Jive an' Wail from MuseScore.com
  • Change the output device: Menu Output-> Digital piano
  • Hit the play button ... you should hear at least some sound

Microphone

The keyboard has a MIC/Line input

When you connect a Mic, you then also can enjoy background voices (lots of different styles)

Decent Microphones
  • NADY SP-4C (cheap)
  • Behringer XM8500 (cheap, probably a good one for starters)
  • Shure SM48-LC (fairly cheap, good reputation)
  • Shure SM-58 (medium priced, probably the most popular workhorse in this category)
  • AKG C 1000 S (more expensive)
  • Sennheiser E935 (more expensive)

Supported file formats

Midi variants

  • General MIDI, GM (Midi level 1) and also MIDI level 0
  • XG is a Yamaha midi extension for providing more voices and variations, effects, etc.
  • GS is a similar extension from Roland
  • XF extends Standard MIDI aka SMF with lyrics
  • KAR (only play the midi part, but cannot display the karaoke text)
  • TUNE 1000 (commercial karaoke format extension)

Note: For the follow the lights feature, one can assign parts. By default it takes the first two tracks (if I understood right).

Music (audio) formats

  • MP3
  • WAV, i.e. the typical file format found on Music CD's

Yamaha proprietary

  • Yamaha style files (SFF) (.sty extension ?): define style files for the CVP, Tyros and PSR series (to be confirmed !!). SFF GE is an enhanced version for guitar tracks
  • Vocal harmony (VH) allows to add vocal harmonies to vocal line sung by the user.
  • AEM is a tone generation technology for super articulation voices (see above)
  • Pianosoft Disklavier uses what ? (also works on CVP line)


Other

  • Roland GS (saved as midi)

Suggestions for improvement

  • Add a few user-programmable buttons that could remember a sequence of user input. I find it tedious to have to press two or four buttons to bring up a tool, e.g. things like chord fingering, or background voices. Most of that functionality can be achieved by registration memory, by carefully (not) selecting certain parameters, but it's not exactly the same thing. An alternative would be letting the user select finer grained parameters in this tool.

Troubleshooting and errors

Before reading on, see FAQs at CVP Users Group Forums !

Internet connection
  • Warning: Only very specific (and I'd say exotic) USB Wireless adapters seem to work. I didn't manage to use a main-stream Zyxel 802.11n 300Mbps. The keyboard wont recognize it.
Styles and voices
  • Sometimes rebooting helps (off switch)
  • Sometimes, perceived errors are not errors, but an effect related to the way styles are programmed (harmony, echo). E.g. some styles implement polyphony voices that will remain even you switch the voice. Changing the voice parameters or changing the style is the solution.
Microphone not working
  • Firstly, make sure to use the right entry (it's a vertical slot behind the headphone's) and then make sure that the switch is left (mic/line in instead of line in)
  • If you own a cheap mike with a small jack (the kind you would use with your computer), make sure to use a mono converter jack. I.e. if you use one that works for your headphones it will not work (that happened to me and I had to think hard in order to find the problem). A mono jack only has a single "ring" as opposed to the two of the stereo jack !
Factory and custom reset

There exist two ways of doing a factory reset, a global reset or resetting only certain parameters. In both cases you will loose data (unless you saved customization on a USB stick)

  • Function button -> Utility -> System reset tab -> Press [7]
  1. Factory reset(s)
  2. Custom reset(s)

Note: You also can do a full factory reset by holding down the C7 key (right-most key on the keyboard) and then switch the power on. You will loose all data.

Firmware and PC Drivers
  • Occasionally Yamaha releases firmware. Before downloading check your version like this:
Function->Utility->Owner tab
  • Midi drivers for Windows may be outdated on the included CD. E.g. there wasn't any Win 7-64 bit driver. It can be downloaded from Yamaha
Humming and loudspeaker hiss
  • CVP-509's are known for a constant small humming (independent of volume setting). You may have to put your head under the keyboard to hear it. According to various forum messages, e.g.in this thread if you complain, Yamaha sends a technician that could cut a trace on the PCB and this will fix the problem.
  • In addition, there is a soft noise/hiss from the small speaker system on top (and that you can't hear in headphones). Nothing can be done about this we believe except turning off other devices nearby. e.g. move away computers and cellphones

Links

Manuals

The included print manual is not enough. Some information is available on the included CD, but may not be up-to-date. All the manuals are available at yamaha, in particular:

  • Internet Connection Guide (For firmware version 1.10, i.e. 2010/2011). Upgrade the firmware if yours is lower. Adds some extra information with respect to the owners manual.
  • Owner's manual this is the same as the CVP-509/5/3/1 included printed owners manual. Useful to download if need to search for something.
  • Reference manual. This is a complement of the printed owner's manual. It has extra information, is more concise and some information is easier to find...

Vendors and cheap alternatives

You can find the CVP-509 both in local stores and in online stores.

In principle, it is better to buy locally, since you support people who let you try out instruments and repairs are much easier.

Lists of local distributors can be found on the official http://yamaha.com website. You will have to enter a country number, a product category and a zip code.

Prices are hugely different both across countries and within countries. According to various Forum messages you may get about 20% the list price and (as it is often the case), you'd pay much less in the U.S.A (this is partly due to the underevaluated dollar).

  • Read my wikilog entry for a recommendation where to buy in Switzerland (20% off list price) !

If you are looking for (comparatively) very cheap alternatives, try:

  • CASIO Celviano AP-620 or the quite similar portable PX330 version. The AP-620 has better amplification. Of course, these Casios far from the CVP-509, but they do have a very good price/quality ratio. I couldn't find a local store, but Amazon sells them for about 800 EUR.
  • A good low-end Yamaha arranger digital piano is the Yamaha "Portable Grand" DGX-640. It doesn't have MIDI connectors but USB to HOST (i.e. a kind of MIDI channel) and USB to Device for USB sticks. Price: CHF 800.- with a good discount plus something for a good stand and three pedals.

I don't know which one is better. Probably both have advantages over each other.

For an overview of digital pianos, read the digital piano article. We made a rough inventory before we decided to acquire the CVP-509. If you don't need an arranger piano or just an arranger keyboard (less and unweigthed keys) your choice is much bigger ....

- Daniel K. Schneider 19:01, 14 September 2011 (CEST).

User forums

Tutorials

Midi files for download

See:

On some sites you can find files that specifically target the Clavinova CVP series, i.e. it uses Yamaha voices, in particular:

Style files

Not tested so far ! Daniel K. Schneider 00:07, 14 September 2011 (CEST)

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