MI Pro

2008 is the 25th anniversary since the Clavinova made its first appearance at the 1983 North American Music Merchants show, (that’s NAMM to you and me) with the introduction of the first model – the YP40.

It was an instant success. After many years of home organ manufacturers claiming to have captured the sound of an acoustic piano, here finally was an instrument producing a credible imitation of a piano sound (although it has to be said, things have moved on since those early days), and it offered a weighted, touch-sensitive keyboard at a similar price to an entry level upright piano. This was nothing short of a revolution at the time.

Of course the Clavinova was not the first electronic piano, that honour goes to the likes of Rhodes and Wurlitzer, but while these instruments carved a unique place in the performance market and created a very popular, distinctive sound, it would be difficult to consider these instruments as credible acoustic piano alternatives. Another major development was the technology change between FM synthesis and the introduction of sampling (AWM) technology, which resulted in an instant and dramatic improvement of the piano sound. This was the dawn of the digital piano as opposed to electric piano.

In the subsequent years, the Yamaha Clavinova has become one of the most popular keyboard instruments of all time, with global sales exceeding 2.6 million units. Simply put, the quality of the piano sound and keyboard action is, of course, one of the key reasons for this, but the strength of the Yamaha brand is also an important ingredient.

The initial success meant the range of instruments expanded with a range of new price points and a new type of instrument. The CVP Clavinova was introduced in 1985 a more versatile instrument (that’s what the ‘V’ stands for) that was not only a high quality digital piano, but also offered a range of additional performance features, including accompaniment styles, recording functions and so on. This combination of features created another ‘new piano’ (which is what Clavinova means), more like an easy to use piano-based workstation for the more adventurous purchaser, be they beginners or more experienced players.

Musical heritage

One unique aspect of Yamaha as a manufacturer, of course, is the sheer range of products produced by the company. MI manufacturers tend to specilise in a particular field: Fender and Steinway being two typical examples, but Yamaha is different. It makes just about every type of musical instrument and music technology equipment – and it does it pretty well, it has to be said.

The company has the expertise and resources in many areas, combining both cutting edge technology in the digital world and traditional craftsmanship in more acoustic based areas such as acoustic guitars, brass and woodwind and, of course, acoustic pianos. Yamaha is arguably the world’s largest manufacturer of acoustic pianos with over 100 years of experience and know-how in piano production. This means the company is perfectly placed to produce digital pianos, drawing on both digital expertise and traditional know how.

This range of activity also reaches into the world of Education. Since the mid ‘50s Yamaha has been teaching people to play music through the Yamaha Music School system, which is now one of the leading music education systems across the world. The company understands at a fundamental level the need to get people playing. A musical instrument is not like most other products. If you sell televisions, the end user simply turns it on and watches. With musical instruments the customer has to physically learn to play it.

This education-led thinking has made its way into the Clavinova range, particularly the CVP series. One of the milestones of the product development cycle has been the inclusion of large, colour LCD screens, which allow the inclusion of education driven features. These features, such as ‘follow the lights’ and ‘Cue-Time’ have a double--edged effect. First they help current owners enjoy the instrument quickly and, maybe more importantly, encourage a wider audience of potential customers to consider playing the piano.

In addition to the more ‘serious’ education features, the CVP range also offers a number of ‘fun’ options. An example being the Vocal Harmony function, where a microphone can be plugged into the instrument and effects added to the singer’s voice. This includes pitch correction, which helps even the most tone deaf sound reasonable. Lyrics for songs can be displayed on the LCD screen and these days the further songs can be downloaded from the internet.

Yamaha views Clavinova as primarily a piano substitute, but with the range of features now available on the CVP range these instruments are becoming more like family entertainment units where even non-players can become involved and enjoy making music.

The market place

Whatever the reasons, Clavinova managed to break into a key market where no other electronic piano had ever managed to succeed – the home market. While other markets, such as the education market, are vitally important, the potential of the home market is vast and Clavinova’s acceptance as an acoustic piano alternative within the average home has been pivotal to its huge success.

Clavinova is seen on stage and in many places of education, but the home player is the typical and a vitally important Clavinova customer. An interesting spin-off is that this type of instrument has contributed to the revitalization of popular piano playing. There are many people who, for any number of reasons – space being a prime one – could not have a piano. These people have been able to enjoy having a piano-based instrument at home. This in turn has generated a whole new area of business for our dealer network, which has been able to embrace what Yamaha calls ‘the three cornerstones of digital piano ownership’: no need for tuning, acceptance of headphones and a comparatively small size, have proved very popular with the average consumer.

The digital piano market has expanded massively since 1983 and Yamaha holds a dominant share of the UK market and it seems across the globe. Along the way the Clavinova brand has created additional sub-brands within the digital piano category. For the style conscious there is the exclusive Modus range. These instruments offer a design twist to the very traditional piano market, while at the lower end of the market the recently introduced Arius models are designed for the budget conscious customer.

These new sub-brands expand the Yamaha digital piano range even further, cementing Yamaha’s position as the number one brand within this market place. The Arius has the potential to make the piano a true mass market instrument, while at the other end of the market the Modus offers something fresh and very stylish. Digital pianos are a very important part of the corporation’s strategy for the future, and represent a major part of business for the company.

Celebrate good times

A quarter of a century of Clavinovas is an important milestone for Yamaha and it has put in place an impressive selection of marketing activities to celebrate – although it is true to say these activities are also designed to enhance the brand and support the dealer network.

The celebration is in conjunction with Classic FM, Europe’s largest commercial radio station, with whose help Yamaha is giving away no fewer than 25 Clavinovas across two months.

Every day through October, Jamie Crick, who hosts Classic FM’s popular lunchtime show, will ask for applicants to apply for a free Clavinova. Unlike similar promotions, for this scheme the applicants must be seen as worthy causes, such as art centres, theatres, special needs schools and so on. They will be asked to apply via the Classic FM website, which will feature a link to the new Clavinova microsite (yamahaclavinova.com) where customers can discover their nearest dealer. Then, through November, the applicants will be reviewed and the ‘winners’ will be selected.

Alongside this, there will be a huge advertising campaign throughout November, with hundreds of 30-second slots on Classic FM, supported by many online activities, including competitions. This is a major investment for EKB, one of its biggest campaigns ever.

December will then see a Clavinova being given away every day up until Christmas. This campaign will give three months of constant and interest-inspiring exposure for the Clavinova brand, designed to stimulate new customers and drive them into dealers’ stores. Classic FM is an ideal partner for this as the profile of the listeners perfectly fits the Clavinova brand.

The 25th anniversary campaign is being supported by three high profile celebrities – Jools Holland, Jamie Cullum and Bruce Forsyth – who have been chosen for the vast combined breadth of market appeal they command.

Another aspect of the celebration is the addition of some new models to the already comprehensive range. This month will see the introduction of two new SlimLine models, the CLP-S306 and CLP-S308. These new S series models are exciting additions to the line up. They feature a slim profile that takes up less space than even the ‘traditional’ Clavinova design. They not only look elegant, but also feature the very latest ‘Pure CF’ sampling technique used in the new CLP300 series. The idea is to have an instrument and a piece of furniture that looks as well as sounds beautiful.

In addition to the S series there are new polished ebony versions of the smaller CLP instruments, which again will be available from October and a new CVP409GP, contained in a grand piano cabinet, which will be launched in November. The
Yamaha digital piano range will then consist of nearly 30 models (excluding the colour variations).

Is this too many? Not at all. Interest in the piano is so high at the moment, with customers interested in every price point, Yamaha needs a comprehensive range. At the moment the consumer can assess which Clavinova model is right for him or her rather than have the need to look outside the brand.

A final word goes to Robert Webster, EKB’s sales and marketing director. “It’s not only 25 years since the first Clavinova, but 25 years since I joined Yamaha. We have seen Clavinova expand into a major global force, one of the most popular keyboard instruments of all time. We see this continuing into the future. Here’s to the next 25 years.”

So, happy birthday Clavinova. The last 25 years have seen it grow into one of the fundamental instruments within the Yamaha range, and become the bread and butter of the home keyboard market. It has brought, and continues to bring, new generations to piano playing.
yamahaclavinova.co.uk