Home Recording Studio: Hybrid Pianos

Continuing with our Home Recording Studio video series, today we explore the world of Hybrid Pianos. And no, that doesn't mean a piano that runs on Gas and Electric power. These pianos have an acoustic action made of wood and traditional materials, just like an acoustic piano. Their actions can weigh as much as your refrigerator! And then instead of striking a string stretched across a half-ton harp, the motion of the hammer is translated to a digital signal, and the sound is produced digitally! Hybrid pianos are a great choice when space and budget preclude you from purchasing a full semi-concert or concert grand piano. And they are much more versatile!

In this video, we also dive deep into the bowels of the piano action, and learn how it works, and how the various mechanisms within the piano action translate into things you feel in your fingers when you are playing, and why they are important, including let-off or escapement, damper levers, etc. We also explore the basic functioning of the key, wippen, jack, repetition bar, hammer knuckle, escapement, let-off button, let-off rail, back check, hammer shank, end felt, damper lever, damper, and damper rail. So follow us down the rabbit hole as we see how pianos work!

Finally, we open up various types of hybrid pianos and look inside, to see how they attempt to approximate a real acoustic action. We will look at the Yamaha AvantGrand series, including the N2 and the N1UX, as well as the Kawai Novus 10, VPC1, and even the Ravenworks.

The piano music in the background is from my performances, which I have recorded and uploaded to SoundCloud. Here are the links:

Rachmaninoff Prelude in D Major, Op. 23, No. 4:
https://soundcloud.com/terrell-hull-310176879/rachmaninoff-prelude-in-d-major-op-23-no-4/s-XRBJ1
Rachmaninoff Prelude in B minor, Op. 32, No. 10:
https://soundcloud.com/terrell-hull-310176879/rachmaninoff-prelude-in-b-minor-op-32-no-10-remaster/s-K5Xgg1QP5f7
Rachmaninoff Etude - Tableau In E - Flat Minor Op. 33 No. 5:
https://soundcloud.com/terrell-hull-310176879/rachmaninoff-etude-tableau-in-e-flat-minor-op-33-no-5/s-NA9hO
Rachmaninoff Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 36:
https://soundcloud.com/terrell-hull-310176879/rachmaninoff-sonata-no-2-in-b-flat-minor-op-36/s-Jez8R
Rachmaninoff Etude - Tableau In A Minor Op. 39 No. 2:
https://soundcloud.com/terrell-hull-310176879/rachmaninoff-etude-tableau-in-a-minor-op-39-no-2/s-v2gLs
Bach Well-tempered Clavier, Book II, Prelude and Fugue No. 22, BWV 891:
https://soundcloud.com/terrell-hull-310176879/bach-well-tempered-clavier-book-ii-prelude-and-fugue-no-22-bwv-891/s-NsIY0

You can learn more about Yamaha’s AvantGrand line of pianos at the following link:
https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/pianos/avantgrand/

You can learn more about the Kawai Novus NV10 at the following link:
https://kawaius.com/product/novus-nv10/
You can learn more about the Kawai VPC1 at the following link:
http://www.kawaivpc.com/en/

You can learn more about the Ravenworks at the following link:
https://ravenworksdigital.com/

Видео Home Recording Studio: Hybrid Pianos канала Mr White Keys