Image: I99pema, CC BY-SA 3.0 — via Wikimedia Commons
Clavinova
| Category | Keyboard (digital piano) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Classification | electronic keyboard |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
| Wikidata | Q2004636 |
Overview
Clavinova is the long-running family of digital pianos built by Yamaha since 1983. Each instrument combines a weighted, piano-style keyboard with sampled or modelled acoustic-piano sounds, additional keyboard and ensemble voices, and built-in speakers and recording features. Clavinovas are designed primarily for home practice, music education, and small-venue performance, in styles ranging from classical to popular music.
Origin & History
Yamaha launched the first Clavinova in 1983, at a time when digital sampling was making it possible to capture the sound of an acoustic piano with reasonable fidelity in a much smaller cabinet. Over the following decades the Clavinova has been continuously refined, with the CLP series focused on traditional digital pianos and the CVP series adding ensemble and accompaniment features. Modern Clavinovas use both sampled recordings of grand pianos and physical-modelling techniques to recreate string resonance, damper effects, and key release noise.
How It’s Played
The Clavinova is played from a graded-hammer weighted keyboard that aims to approximate the touch of an acoustic grand piano, with progressively heavier keys in the bass than the treble. Player-facing controls offer voice selection, layering, transposition, and recording. Built-in speakers radiate sound from inside a cabinet shaped like a small upright piano; players can also connect headphones for silent practice and external systems for performance.
Cultural Significance
Among home pianos, the Clavinova has become one of the standard reference points for “good digital piano.” Its long product life and consistent improvement have helped normalise the digital piano as a serious instrument for students, teachers, and performers who want piano feel without the maintenance, weight, and acoustic footprint of a traditional acoustic instrument.
Related Instruments
- Fortepiano – the early acoustic piano relative
- Hammond organ – a different electric keyboard family
- Synthesizer – the broader electronic keyboard category
- Pedal keyboard – the foot-played organ keyboard
- Mellotron – an earlier sample-based keyboard
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Clavinova a real piano?
A Clavinova is a digital piano, not an acoustic one. It produces sound electronically rather than through hammers striking strings, but its key feel and tone are designed to closely resemble an acoustic grand.
What is the difference between Clavinova CLP and CVP?
CLP models focus on a traditional digital-piano experience. CVP models add a wide range of accompaniment styles, ensemble voices, and home-music-making features.
Image: photograph by I99pema, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).