Yamaha CLP-955, CLP-955E User Manual

IMPORTANT

Check your power supply

Make sure that your local AC mains voltage matches the voltage specified
on the name plate on the bottom panel. In some areas a voltage selector
may be provided on the bottom panel of the main keyboard unit near the
power cord. Make sure that the voltage selector is set for the voltage in your
area. The voltage selector is set at 240V when the unit is initially shipped.
To change the setting use a “minus” screwdriver to rotate the selector dial
so that the correct voltage appears next to the pointer on the panel.

SPECIAL MESSAGE SECTION

PRODUCT SAFETY MARKINGS: Yamaha electronic
products may have either labels similar to the graphics
shown below or molded/stamped facsimiles of these
graphics on the enclosure. The explanation of these
graphics appears on this page. Please observe all
cautions indicated on this page and those indicated in
the safety instruction section.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.

DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.

See bottom of Keyboard enclosure for graphic symbol markings

The exclamation point within the
equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of im­portant operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the product.

The lightning flash with arrowhead
symbol, within the equilateral trian­gle, is intended to alert the user to
the presence of uninsulated “danger­ous voltage” within the product’s
enclosure that may be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of
electrical shock.

and the spirit of the law, we want you to be aware of
the following:

Battery Notice: This product MAY contain a small
non-rechargable battery which (if applicable) is
soldered in place. The average life span of this type of
battery is approximately five years. When replacement
becomes necessary, contact a qualified service
representative to perform the replacement.

Warning: Do not attempt to recharge, disassemble, or
incinerate this type of battery. Keep all batteries away
from children. Dispose of used batteries promptly and
as regulated by applicable laws. Note: In some areas,
the servicer is required by law to return the defective
parts. However, you do have the option of having the
servicer dispose of these parts for you.

Disposal Notice: Should this product become damaged
beyond repair, or for some reason its useful life is con­sidered to be at an end, please observe all local, state,
and federal regulations that relate to the disposal of
products that contain lead, batteries, plastics, etc.

NOTICE: Service charges incurred due to lack of
knowledge relating to how a function or effect works
(when the unit is operating as designed) are not
covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, and are
therefore the owners responsibility. Please study this
manual carefully and consult your dealer before
requesting service.

NAME PLATE LOCATION: The graphic below indi­cates the location of the name plate. The model
number, serial number, power requirements, etc., are
located on this plate. You should record the model

IMPORTANT NOTICE: All Yamaha electronic prod­ucts are tested and approved by an independent safety
testing laboratory in order that you may be sure that
when it is properly installed and used in its normal and
customary manner, all foreseeable risks have been
eliminated. DO NOT modify this unit or commission
others to do so unless specifically authorized by
Yamaha. Product performance and/or safety standards
may be diminished. Claims filed under the expressed
warranty may be denied if the unit is/has been
modified. Implied warranties may also be affected.

SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE: The
information contained in this manual is believed to be
correct at the time of printing. However, Yamaha
reserves the right to change or modify any of the
specifications without notice or obligation to update
existing units.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: Yamaha strives to pro­duce products that are both user safe and
environmentally friendly. We sincerely believe that our
products and the production methods used to produce
them, meet these goals. In keeping with both the letter

92-469 1

number, serial number, and the date of purchase in the
spaces provided below and retain this manual as a
permanent record of your purchase.

Model _____________________________________
Serial No. __________________________________
Purchase Date ______________________________

PRECAUTIONS

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE PROCEEDING

* Please keep these precautions in a safe place for future reference.

WARNING

Always follow the basic precautions listed below to avoid the possibility of serious injury or even death from electrical shock,
short-circuiting, damages, fire or other hazards. These precautions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Do not open the instrument or attempt to disassemble the internal parts or
modify them in any way. The instrument contains no user-serviceable parts.
If it should appear to be malfunctioning, discontinue use immediately and
have it inspected by qualified Yamaha service personnel.

• Do not expose the instrument to rain, use it near water or in damp or wet
conditions, or place containers on it containing liquids which might spill
into any openings.

• If the power cord or plug becomes frayed or damaged, or if there is a sudden
loss of sound during use of the instrument, or if any unusual smells or

CAUTION

Always follow the basic precautions listed below to avoid the possibility of physical injury to you or others, or damage to the
instrument or other property. These precautions include, but are not limited to, the following:

smoke should appear to be caused by it, immediately turn off the power
switch, disconnect the electric plug from the outlet, and have the instrument
inspected by qualified Yamaha service personnel.

• Only use the voltage specified as correct for the instrument. The required
voltage is printed on the name plate of the instrument.

• Before cleaning the instrument, always remove the electric plug from the
outlet. Never insert or remove an electric plug with wet hands.

• Check the electric plug periodically and remove any dirt or dust which may
have accumulated on it.

• Do not place the power cord near heat sources such as heaters or radiators,
and do not excessively bend or otherwise damage the cord, place heavy
objects on it, or place it in a position where anyone could walk on, trip over,
or roll anything over it.

• When removing the electric plug from the instrument or an outlet, always
hold the plug itself and not the cord. Pulling by the cord can damage it.

• Do not connect the instrument to an electrical outlet using a multiple-con­nector. Doing so can result in lower sound quality, or possibly cause over­heating in the outlet.

• Remove the electric plug from the outlet when the instrument is not to be
used for extended periods of time, or during electrical storms.

• Before connecting the instrument to other electronic components, turn off
the power for all components. Before turning the power on or off for all
components, set all volume levels to minimum. Also, be sure to set the
volumes of all components at their minimum levels and gradually raise the
volume controls while playing the instrument to set the desired listening
level.

• Do not expose the instrument to excessive dust or vibrations, or extreme
cold or heat (such as in direct sunlight, near a heater, or in a car during the
day) to prevent the possibility of panel disfiguration or damage to the inter­nal components.

• Do not use the instrument near other electrical products such as televisions,
radios, or speakers, since this might cause interference which can affect
proper operation of the other products.

• Do not place the instrument in an unstable position where it might acciden­tally fall over.

• Before moving the instrument, remove all connected cables.

• When cleaning the instrument, use a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth. Do not
use paint thinners, solvents, cleaning fluids, or chemical-impregnated wip­ing cloths. Also, do not place vinyl, plastic or rubber objects on the instru­ment, since this might discolor the panel or keyboard.

• Gently remove dust and dirt with a soft cloth. Do not wipe too hard since
small particles of dirt can scratch the instrument’s finish.

• Bumping the surface of the instrument with metal, porcelain, or other hard
objects can cause the finish to crack or peel. Use caution.

• Do not rest your weight on, or place heavy objects on the instrument, and do
not use excessive force on the buttons, switches or connectors.

• Take care that the key cover does not pinch your fingers, and do not insert a
finger or hand in the key cover gap.

• Never insert or drop paper or metallic or other objects between the slits of
the key cover and the keyboard. If this happens, immediately turn off the
power and remove the electric plug from the outlet and have the instrument
inspected by qualified Yamaha service personnel.

• Do not place the instrument against a wall (allow at least 3 cm/one-inch
from the wall), since this can cause inadequate air circulation, and possibly
result in the instrument overheating.

• Read carefully the attached documentation explaining the assembly pro­cess. Failure to assemble the instrument in the proper sequence might re­sult in damage to the instrument or even injury.

• Do not operate the instrument for a long period of time at a high or uncom­fortable volume level, since this can cause permanent hearing loss. If you
experience any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, consult a physician.

■USING THE BENCH (if included)

• Do not play carelessly with or stand on the bench. Using it as a tool or step­ladder or for any other purpose might result in accident or injury.

• Only one person should sit on the bench at a time, in order to prevent the
possibility of accident or injury.

• Do not attempt to adjust the bench height while sitting on the bench, since
this can cause excessive force to be imposed on the adjustment mecha­nism, possibly resulting in damage to the mechanism or even injury.

• If the bench screws become loose due to extensive long-term use, tighten
them periodically using the included tool.

■SAVING USER DATA

• Save all data to an external device such as the Yamaha MIDI Data Filer MDF3,
in order to help prevent the loss of important data due to a malfunction or
user operating error.

Yamaha cannot be held responsible for damage caused by improper use or modi­fications to the instrument, or data that is lost or destroyed.

(1)B-6

Always turn the power off when the instrument is not in use.

CLP-955

3

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a Yamaha Clavinova. Your Clavinova is a fine musical instrument that employs
advanced Yamaha music technology. With the proper care, your Clavinova will give you many years of
musical pleasure.

● The Clavinova CLP-955 digital piano offers unmatched sonic realism and natural grand­piano type playability with Yamaha’s original “AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling” tone genera­tion technology for rich, musical voices, and a special “Graded Hammer” keyboard which
provides graded key weight and response throughout the keyboard range. The grand piano
voices feature totally new samples painstakingly recorded from a full concert grand piano.
The GRAND PIANO 1 voice features multiple velocity-switched samples (Dynamic Sam­pling), a “Soundboard Reverb” effect which accurately simulates the resonance of a piano
soundboard, special “Sustain Samples” which recreate the unique resonance of an acoustic
grand piano’s soundboard and strings when the damper pedal is pressed, and “Key-off
Samples” that add the subtle sound produced when the keys are released.

● Dual mode allows 2 voices to be played simultaneously .

● Split mode allows different voices to be played by the left and right hands.

● Metronome feature with variable tempo facilitates practice.

● 2-track digital recorder lets you record and play back anything you play on the keyboard.

● MIDI compatibility and a range of MIDI functions make the Clavinova useful in a range of

advanced MIDI music systems.

● Built-in computer interface for direct connection to personal computers running advanced
music software.

In order to make the most of your Clavinova’s performance potential and features, we urge you to read

this Owner’s Manual thoroughly, and keep it in a safe place for later reference.

■ Trademarks

• Apple and Macintosh are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other
countries.

• IBM-PC/AT is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

• Windows is the registered trademark of Microsoft® Corporation.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Included Accessories

● Owner’s Manual

● Bench (included or optional depending on locale)

● “50 greats for the Clavinova” Score Collection

“The Clavinova-Computer Connection,” a document describing what you
can do with your Clavinova and a personal computer and how to set up a
Clavinova-Computer system is available online as a pdf document (in
English) at the following internet address:

Clavinova Home Page:

http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/cl/

Manual Library (Electronic Musical Instruments and XG Related Products)

http://www2.yamaha.co.jp/manual/emi/index_e.html
(To use the Manual Library, you will need to register first. Then select

the Clavinovas [Digital Piano] category .)

CLP-955

4

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Contents

The Control Panel ..........................................................6

Connections ................................................................... 8

Preparation ................................................................. 10

Selecting & Playing Voices .......................................... 11

Playing the Demonstration Tunes ................................ 12

■

Voice Demo..............................................................12

■

Preset Song .............................................................13

■

Preset Song A-B Repeat......................................... 14

■

Preset Song Part Cancel ........................................15

●

Synchro Start..................................................... 15

●

Left Pedal Start/Stop .........................................15

The Dual Mode ............................................................ 16

●

Other Dual Mode Functions............................... 16

The Split Mode ............................................................ 17

●

Selecting the Right and Left Voices...................17

●

Setting the Split Point ........................................17

●

Other Split Mode Functions ...............................17

Reverb ........................................................................ 18

●

Adjusting Reverb Depth.....................................18

The Effect .................................................................... 19

●

Adjusting Effect Depth.......................................19

Brilliance ..................................................................... 19

The Pedals................................................................... 20

●

Damper (Right) Pedal ........................................20

●

Sostenuto (Center) Pedal ..................................20

●

Soft (Left) Pedal.................................................20

Touch Sensitivity ......................................................... 21

Transposition ............................................................... 21

Tuning ......................................................................... 22

●

Tuning Up...........................................................22

●

Tuning Down ......................................................22

●

To Restore Standard Pitch.................................22

The Metronome & Tempo Control ................................ 23

■

The Metronome........................................................ 23

●

Metronome Time Signature ...............................23

●

Metronome Volume Function............................. 23

■

T empo Control .........................................................23

Using the User Song Recorder ..................................... 24

■

Recording ................................................................24

●

Changing the Initial Settings..............................25

●

Erasing a Single Track .......................................25

■

Playback...................................................................26

●

Synchro Start..................................................... 26

●

Left Pedal Start/Stop .........................................26

The Function Mode ...................................................... 27

●

To Select a Function …...................................... 27

■

F1: Tuning ................................................................28

■

F2: Scale ..................................................................28

F2.1: Scale ...........................................................28

F2.2: Base Note ...................................................28

■

F3: Dual Mode Functions .......................................29

F3.1: Dual Balance...............................................29

F3.2: Dual Detune ................................................29

F3.3: 1st Voice Octave Shift .................................29

F3.4: 2nd Voice Octave Shift ................................ 29

F3.5: 1st Voice Effect Depth .................................30

F3.6: 2nd Voice Effect Depth................................30

F3.7: Reset...........................................................30

■

F4: Split Mode Functions .......................................30

F4.1: Split Point ....................................................30

F4.2: Split Balance ...............................................30

F4.3: Right Voice Octave Shift.............................. 31

F4.4: Left Voice Octave Shift ................................ 31

F4.5: Right Voice Effect Depth.............................. 31

F4.6: Left Voice Effect Depth................................31

F4.7: Damper Range............................................31

F4.8: Reset...........................................................31

■

F5: Pedal Functions ................................................32

F5.1: Left Pedal Mode ..........................................32

F5.2: Sustain Sample Depth ................................32

■

F6: Metronome V olume ...........................................32

■

F7: Preset Song Part Cancel V olume..................... 32

■

F8: MIDI Functions ..................................................33

●

A Brief Introduction to MIDI ...............................33

F8.1: MIDI Transmit Channel Selection ................33

F8.2: MIDI Receive Channel Selection ................ 33

F8.3: Local Control ON/OFF ................................34

F8.4: Program Change ON/OFF ..........................34

F8.5: Control Change ON/OFF ............................35

F8.6: MIDI Transmit Transpose .............................35

F8.7: Panel/Status Transmit..................................35

F8.8: Bulk Data Dump ..........................................35

■

F9: Backup Functions.............................................36

F9.1: Voice............................................................36

F9.2: MIDI............................................................. 36

F9.3: Tuning.......................................................... 36

F9.4: Pedal ...........................................................36

Connecting to a Personal Computer ............................. 37

●

Connecting to an Apple Macintosh Series Computer

●

Connecting to an IBM-PC/AT Series Computer

●

Using a USB Interface (such as the Y amaha UX256)

....37

........38

....39

Factory Preset Recall .................................................. 40

Troubleshooting ........................................................... 40

Options & Expander Modules ...................................... 40

Voice Descriptions.............................................................41

Demo Song List..................................................................42

Factory Setting List............................................................42

MIDI Data Format................................................................43

MIDI Implementation Chart ...............................................47

Keyboard Stand Assembly................................................ 48

Specifications.....................................................................56

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CLP-955

5

The Control Panel

MAX

MIN

BRILLIANCE

BRIGHT

MELLOW

4

5

DEMO

TRANS­ POSE

MASTER VOLUME

23

BRILLIANCE

MASTER VOLUME

C1 D1 E1 F1 G1 A1 B1 C2 D2 E2 F2 G2 A2 B2 C3 D3 E3 F3 G3 A3 B3 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 A4 B4 C5 D5 E5 F5 G5 A5 B5 C6

B0A0G0F0E0D0C0B-1A-1

Tuning keys (See page 17)

PHONES Jacks (Bottom Panel)

1 [POWER] Switch

Press the [POWER] switch once to turn the

power ON, a second time to turn the power OFF.
When the power is initially turned ON, a voice
selector LED will light, and the power indicator
located below the left end of the keyboard will light.

2 [MASTER VOLUME] Control

The [MASTER VOLUME] control adjusts the

volume (level) of sound produced by the Clavinova’s
internal stereo sound system. The [MASTER
VOLUME] control also adjusts headphone volume
when a pair of headphones is plugged into the
PHONES jack (page 10).

3 [BRILLIANCE] Control

The [BRILLIANCE] Control adjusts the tonality

or “timbre” of the output sound from a mellow tone
to a bright tone.

4 [DEMO] Button

Activates the demo playback mode in which you

can select playback of different demonstration

DEMO

TOUCH

REVERB

MAX

BRIGHT

MIN

MELLOW

EFFECT

ROOM

CHORUS

HALL 1

HARD

SYMPHONIC

HALL 2

MEDIUM

TREMOLO

STAGE

SOFT

DELAY
TRANS­ POSE

REVERB

ROOM
HALL 1
HALL 2
STAGE

EFFECT

CHORUS
PHASER
TREMOLO
DELAY

TOUCH

HARD
MEDIUM
SOFT

GRAND

PIANO 1

CHURCH

ORGAN

GRAND
PIANO 2

JAZZ

ORGAN

E. PIANO

1

STRINGS

E. PIANO2HARPSI-

CHOIR WOOD

CHORD

BASS

VIBRA-

PHONE

E. BASS

VOICE

678 9 0

VOICE

E. PIANO1GRAND

E. PIANO2HARPSI-

GRAND
PIANO 1

CHURCH
ORGAN

VIBRA-

PIANO 2

CHORD

PHONE

CHOIR WOOD

STRINGS

JAZZ
ORGAN

SPLIT

E. BASS

BASS

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

METRO­NOME

FUNCTION

sequences for each of the Clavinova’s voices. See
page 12 for details.

5 [TRANSPOSE] Button

The [TRANSPOSE] button allows access to the

Clavinova’s TRANSPOSE function (to shift the
pitch of the entire keyboard up or down in semitone
intervals).

6 [REVERB] Button

The [REVERB] button selects a number of

digital reverb effects that you can use for extra depth
and expressive power. See page 18 for details.

7 [EFFECT] Button

This button selects a number of effects which can

give your sound greater depth and animation.

8 [TOUCH] Button

The [TOUCH] button makes it easy to adjust the

touch response of the Clavinova to match your
playing style. See page 21 for details.

SONG

FUNC-

TRACK1TRACK

PRESET

TION

TEMPO

2

SONG

START

/

SONG

REC

STOP

SELECT

–

/ NO+ / YES

CLP-

955

D6 E6 F6 G6 A6 B6 C7

SPLIT

1

POWER

CLP-955

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The Control Panel

&

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

START

/

REC

STOP

^

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

!# $

METRO-

NOME

FUNC-

TEMPO

FUNCTION

@

TION

PRESET
SONG

SELECT

–

/ NO+ / YES

%

SONG

9 V oice Selectors

Simply press any of the voice selectors to select
the corresponding voice. The voice selector LED
will light to indicate which voice is currently se­lected.

There is also a dual mode in which two voices
can be played simultaneously across the full range of
the keyboard (see page 16 for details), and a split
mode which allows different voices to be played by
the left and right hands (see page 17 for details).

2

Soft pedal

Sostenuto pedal

*

Damper pedal

# [FUNCTION] Button

This button accesses a range of utility functions
— including the MIDI functions — that significantly
enhance versatility and playability. See page 27 for
details.

$ [PRESET SONG] Button

This button enters the preset song mode. While in
this mode you can use the [–/NO] and [+/YES]
buttons to select from 50 songs.

0 [SPLIT] Button

Engages the split mode, in which different voices
can be played on the left- and right-hand sections of
the keyboard. See page 17 for details.

! [METRONOME] Button

Turns the metronome sound on and off. The
[TEMPO ▼, ▲] buttons are used to set the tempo
of the metronome sound. The [–/NO] and [+/YES]
buttons are used to change the time signature (beat)
of the metronome if used while the [METRO-
NOME] button is held — page 23.

<<

@ [TEMPO ▼, ▲ (FUNCTION

>>

<,

>) Buttons

<<

>>

These buttons adjust the tempo of the metronome
function as well as the playback tempo of the re­corder function. The tempo range is from 32 to 280
beats per minute — page 23. These same buttons are
also used to select functions — page 27.

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% [SONG SELECT ▼, ▲] (–/NO, +/YES) Buttons

These buttons select a preset song number for
playback, and are also used to adjust a range of other
parameters.

^ SONG [START/STOP] and [REC] Buttons

These buttons control the Clavinova’s user song
recorder, letting you record and play back just about
anything you play on the keyboard.

& TRACK [1] and [2] Buttons

The Clavinova has a 2-track recorder, and these
buttons are used to select the track(s) to be recorded
or played back. See page 24 for details.

* Pedals

The soft (left), sostenuto (center) and damper
(right) pedals provide a range of expressive control
capabilities similar to the pedal functions on an
acoustic piano. See page 20 for details.

CLP-955

7

Connections

CAUTION

Bottom Panel

RL

AUX OUT

12 3 4

Stereo System

• Before connecting the Clavinova to other electronic components, turn off the power for all compo­nents. Before turning the power on or off for all components, set all-volume levels to minimum.

MIDI

MIDI

Mac

RL

/

/

L+R

AUX IN

L+R

TO HOST HOST SELECT

PC-1 PC-2

INOUTTHRU

1 AUX OUT L/L+R and R Jacks

The AUX OUT L/L+R and R jacks deliver the output of the Clavinova
for connection to an instrument amplifier, mixing console, PA system, or
recording equipment. If you will be connecting the Clavinova to a monaural
sound system, use only the L/L+R jack. When a plug is inserted into the L/
L+R jack only, the left- and right-channel signals are combined and deliv­ered via the L/L+R jack so you don’t lose any of the Clavinova’s sound.

DOU-10

RL/L+R

AUX OUT

RL/L+R

AUX IN

CAUTION

• When the Clavinova’s AUX OUT jacks are connected to an external sound system,

first turn the Clavinova power on, and then the power to the external amplifier/
speaker system. Reverse this order when turning the power off.

• The AUX OUT jack signal must never be returned to the AUX IN jacks, either directly

or through external equipment.

• The AUX OUT jack signal is not controlled by the Clavinova’s volume or
brilliance control. Use the volume control on the external audio equipment to
adjust the level.

2 AUX IN L/L+R and R Jacks

These jacks are intended for use with an external tone generator module
such as the Yamaha DOU-10 Disk Orchestra Unit. The stereo outputs from
the external tone generator module are connected to the AUX IN L/L+R
and R jacks, allowing the sound of the tone generator to be reproduced via
the Clavinova’s internal sound system and speakers. A line-level mono
source can be connected to the L/L+R jack.

CAUTION

• When the Clavinova’s AUX IN jacks are connected to an external source, first turn the

power to the external device on, and then the power to the Clavinova. Reverse this
order when turning the power off.

• The input signal from the AUX IN jacks is controlled by the Clavinova’s volume
and brilliance controls. Reverb and effect functions will have no affect.

• The input signal from the AUX IN jacks is delivered to the AUX OUT jacks.

CLP-955

8

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Personal Computer

MIDIMac

PC-2PC-1

HOST SELECTTO HOST

Connections

3 TO HOST Connector & HOST SELECT Switch

This jack and selector switch allow direct connection to a per­sonal computer for sequencing and other music applications —
without the need for a separate MIDI interface. See page 37 for
details.

T one Generator

MIDI

DOU-10

INOUTTHRU

The MIDI IN connector receives MIDI data from an external
MIDI device (such as the DOU-10 Disk Orchestra Unit) which can
be used to control the Clavinova. The MIDI THRU connector re­transmits any data received at the MIDI IN connector, allowing
“chaining” of several MIDI instruments or other devices. The MIDI
OUT connector transmits MIDI data generated by the Clavinova
(e.g. note and velocity data produced by playing the Clavinova
keyboard).

More details on MIDI are given in “MIDI Functions” on page 33.

4 MIDI IN, THRU and OUT Connectors

● PHONES Jacks

(Bottom Panel)

Two sets of standard stereo headphones can be plugged in here
for private practice or late-night playing. The internal speaker
system is automatically shut off when a pair of headphones is
plugged into either of the PHONES jacks.

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CLP-955

9

Preparation

Key Cover............................................................................................................................................................................................

To open the key cover:

Z Lift the cover slightly.
X Slide the cover open.

To close the key cover:

Z Slide the cover toward you.

Be careful to avoid catching your fingers
when opening or closing the cover.

X Gently lower the cover over the keys.

CAUTION

• Hold the cover with both hands when moving it, and do not release it until it is

fully opened or closed. Be careful to avoid catching fingers (yours or others)
between the cover and main unit.

• Do not place objects on top of the key cover. Small objects placed on the key

cover may fall inside the main unit when the cover is opened and may not be
able to be removed. This could cause electric shock, short circuit, fire or other
serious damage to the instrument.

Music Stand......................................................................................................................................................................................

To raise the music stand:

Z Pull the stand up and toward yourself as far as it will go.
X Flip down the two metal supports at the left and the right on the rear of

the music stand.

C Lower the music stand so that it rests on the metal supports.

To lower the music stand:

Z Pull the music stand toward yourself as far as it will go.
X Raise the two metal supports (at the rear of the stand).
C Gently lower the music stand backward until it is all the way down.

CAUTION

• Do not try to use the music stand in a half-raised position.

When lowering the stand, do not release your hands from the music stand until it
is all the way down.

Opening and Closing the Lid.........................................................................................................................................

When Opening:

Z

X

C

Z

Raise the music stand as described in “The Music Stand”, above.

X Raise and hold the right side of the lid (viewed from the keyboard end

of the instrument).

C Raise the lid stay and carefully lower the lid so that the end of the stay

fits into the recess in the lid.
The lid can be opened to two positions. To open to the high position, use
the inner recess, to open to the low position, use the outer recess.

10

High Position

CLP-955

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Low Position

When Closing:

Z Holding the lid stay, lift the lid so that the lid stay clears the recess,

then carefully fold the lid stay and close the lid.

X Refer to the instructions on “The Music Stand” and lower the music

stand.

CAUTION

• Make sure that the end of the stay fits securely in the lid recess and make sure
the correct recess is used when opening to the high or low positions. If the stay
is not properly seated in the recess, the lid may fall resulting in damage or injury.

• Be careful that you or others do not bump the stay while the lid is raised. The stay
may be bumped out of the lid recess causing the lid to fall.

• Be careful not to catch your fingers when raising or lowering the lid.

Selecting & Playing Voices

T urn Power On...................................................................................................

POWER

MASTER VOLUME

MAX

MIN

After making sure that the Clavinova’s AC cord is properly plugged

into the Clavinova itself and plugged into a convenient AC wall outlet,
press the [POWER] switch located to the right of the keyboard to turn
the power ON. In some areas a plug adaptor may be provided to match
the pin configuration of the AC wall outlets in your area.

When the power is turned ON, one of the voice selector LEDs will
light, and the power indicator located below the left end of the keyboard
will light.

Set the V olume..................................................................................................

Initially set the [MASTER VOLUME] control about half way
between the “MIN” and “MAX” settings. Then, when you start playing,
re-adjust the [MASTER VOLUME] control for the most comfortable
listening level.

Select a V oice.....................................................................................................

Select the desired voice by pressing one of the voice selectors.

• See “Voice Descriptions” on page 41.

BRILLIANCE

GRAND

PIANO 1

CHURCH

ORGAN

BRIGHT

GRAND
PIANO 2

JAZZ

ORGAN

E. PIANO

1

STRINGS

REVERB

ROOM
HALL 1
HALL 2
STAGE

VOICE

E. PIANO2HARPSI-

CHOIR WOOD

EFFECT

CHORUS
PHASER
TREMOLO
DELAY

CHORD

BASS

VIBRA-

PHONE

E. BASS

Play................................................................................................................................

The Clavinova also offers keyboard touch response, so the volume
and timbre of notes played can be controlled according to how “hard”
you play the keys. The amount of variation available depends on the
selected voice.

• Some voices do not have keyboard touch response. See “Voice Descrip­tions” on page 41 for details.

Add Effects As Required.......................................................................

You can add or change reverb, effects and brilliance as desired by

using the [REVERB] button (page 18), [EFFECT] button (page 19)
and the [BRILLIANCE] control (page 19).

MELLOW

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CLP-955

11

Playing the Demonstration Tunes

Demonstration tunes are provided that effectively demonstrate each of the
Clavinova’s voices. There are also 50 preset songs that you can play individually,
all in sequence, or in random order. The “50 greats for the Clavinova” score
collection provided with the Clavinova includes the written scores for all 50
preset songs. Here’s how you can select and play the demo tunes.

• The demo or preset song mode cannot be engaged while a user song recorder (page 24) is in

use.

• No MIDI reception occurs in the demo/preset song mode.

• The demo/preset song data is not transmitted via the MIDI connectors.

* See page 42 for a complete listing of the demo tunes.

Voice Demo

GRAND

PIANO 1

CHURCH

ORGAN

GRAND

PIANO 2

JAZZ

ORGAN

E. PIANO

1

STRINGS

DEMO

VOICE

E. PIANO2HARPSI-

CHOIR WOOD

CHORD

BASS

VIBRA-

PHONE

E. BASS

Engage the Demo Mode .........................................................................

Press the [DEMO] button to engage the demo mode — the voice

selector indicators will flash in sequence.

Play a V oice Demo.........................................................................................

Press one of the voice selectors to start playback of all songs starting

from the corresponding voice demo tune — featuring the voice nor­mally selected by that voice selector button. (If you press the SONG
[START/STOP] button instead of a voice selector button, the GRAND
PIANO 1 demo tune will begin playback.) The indicator of the selected
voice selector button will flash during playback, and “- - -” will appear
on the LED display. You can start playback of any other voice demo
tune during playback by simply pressing the corresponding voice
selector. You can stop playback at any time by pressing the SONG
[START/STOP] button or the voice selector of the currently playing
demo.

• Use the [MASTER VOLUME] control to adjust the volume and the
[BRILLIANCE] control to adjust the brilliance (page 19).

12

CLP-955

DEMO

Exit From the Demo Mode....................................................................

Press the [DEMO] button to exit from the demo mode and return to

the normal play mode.

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Playing the Demonstration Tunes

Preset Song

PRESET
SONG

PRESET
SONG

SONG

SELECT

–

/ NO+ / YES

TRACK1TRACK

TRACK1TRACK

START

STOP

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

SONG

SONG

/

REC

2

Press the [PRESET SONG] button to engage the preset song mode

— the [PRESET SONG], TRACK [1] and [2] indicators will light.

Play a Preset Song.......................................................................................

Engage the Preset Song Mode .......................................................

2

To play any of the 50 preset songs provided, use the [SONG SELECT

▼, ▲] buttons to select the number of the tune y ou want to play (the number
will appear on the LED display), then press the SONG [START/STOP]
button. Playback will stop automatically when playback of the selected preset
song has finished.

Select “ALL” instead of a number to play all preset songs in sequence, or

select “rnd” to continuously play all preset songs in random order. Press
the SONG [START/STOP] button to stop playback.

• Use the [MASTER VOLUME] control to adjust the volume.

• You can set the metronome to sound during playback (see page 23).

• You can use the [TEMPO ▼,▲] buttons to adjust the playback tempo as

required. This produces a relative tempo variation, with a range from “-50”
through “- - -” to “50” at maximum; the range will differ depending on the
selected song.

• The default tempo “- - -” is automatically selected whenever a new preset
song is selected, or playback of a new preset song begins during “

“

rnd

” playback.

• You can play the keyboard along with the preset song playback. The voice

playing on the keyboard can be changed.

• You can change the Brilliance control and Reverb type that is applied to
the voice you play on the keyboard and for the preset song playback. Y ou
can change the Effect type and Touch sensitivity that is applied to the
voice you play on the keyboard. When a new preset song is selected or a
new preset song is automatically started in continuous play , the HALL 1
reverb type will automatically be selected.

ALL

” or

Exit From the Preset Song Mode..................................................

Press the [PRESET SONG] button to exit from the preset song mode,

PRESET
SONG

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

2

the indicator will go off, and return to the normal play mode.

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CLP-955

13

Playing the Demonstration Tunes

Preset Song A-B Repeat

specified phrase within a preset song. Combined with the Part Cancel
function described below, this provides an excellent way to practice
difficult phrases.

The A-B Repeat function can be used to continuously repeat a

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

PRESET
SONG

SONG

SELECT

FUNC-

TION

FUNC-

TION

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

START

/

REC

STOP

Specify the Beginning (A) of the Phrase..............................

Select and play a preset song, then press the [FUNCTION] button

at the beginning of the phrase you want to repeat. This sets the “A”
point (“A-” will appear on the display).

To set the “A” point at the very beginning of the song, press the

[FUNCTION] button before starting playback.

Specify the End (B) of the Phrase ...............................................

Press the [FUNCTION] button a second time at the end of the

phrase. This sets the “B” point (“A-b” will appear on the display). At
this point repeat playback will begin between the specified A and B
points. The metronome will sound when playback begins to give you a
tempo reference.

Stop Playback....................................................................................................

2

Press the SONG [START/STOP] button to stop playback while

retaining the specified A and B points. A-B repeat playback will resume
if the SONG [START/STOP] button is then pressed again.

To cancel the A and B points press the [FUNCTION] button once.

14

–

/ NO+ / YES

CLP-955

• The A and B points are automatically canceled when a new song is

selected.

• The A-B Repeat function cannot be used during “

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ALL

” or “

rnd

” playback.

Playing the Demonstration Tunes

Preset Song Part Cancel

The 50 preset songs have separate left- and right-hand parts that can

be turned on and off as required so you can practice the corresponding
part on the keyboard. The right-hand part is played by TRACK [1]
track, and the left-hand part is played by TRACK [2] tr ack.

PRESET
SONG

SONG

SELECT

–

/ NO+ / YES

PRESET
SONG

SONG

SELECT

–

/ NO+ / YES

PRESET
SONG

SONG

SELECT

–

/ NO+ / YES

TRACK1TRACK

START

STOP

TRACK1TRACK

START

STOP

TRACK1TRACK

START

STOP

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

SONG

/

SONG

/

/

SONG

REC

2

REC

REC

Turn the Desired Part Off.......................................................................

Press the TRACK [1] or [2] button to turn the corresponding part off

— the corresponding indicator will go out (these buttons alternately
toggle the corresponding part on and off).

• The parts can be turned on or off even during playback.

• The Preset Song Part Cancel function cannot be used during “
“

rnd

” playback.

• The “Preset Song Part Cancel Volume” function described on page 32

can be used to set the canceled part so that it plays at a volume from “0”
(no sound) to “20”. The default setting is “5”.

• Both parts are automatically turned ON whenever a new song is selected.

2

ALL

” or

Start/Stop Playback.....................................................................................

Press the SONG [START/STOP] button to start and stop playback

as required.

Synchro Start .....................................................................................................

When the Synchro Start function is engaged, playback of the se-

2

lected preset song will begin automatically as soon as you start playing
on the keyboard.

To engage the Synchro Start function press the SONG [START/

STOP] button while holding the part button corresponding to the part
which is ON. A dot will appear in the lower right corner of the display.
(Repeat the previous operation to disengage the Syncro Start function.)

Playback will then start as soon as you begin playing on the key-

board.

• If you hold a track button which is OFF while pressing the SONG [START/
STOP] button, that track will be turned ON and the Synchro Start mode
will be engaged.

Left Pedal Start/Stop..................................................................................

The left pedal can be assigned to start and stop preset song playback

via the “Left Pedal Mode” function described on page 32.

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CLP-955

15

The Dual Mode

N
O

R

O

The dual mode makes it possible to play two voices simultaneously across

the entire range of the keyboard.

D
2

1

E. PIANO2HARPSI-

CHORD

VOICE

E. PIANO

Voice numbering priority

1 2 3 4 5 6

GRAND
PIANO 1

CHURCH

ORGAN

PIANO 2

ORGAN

JAZZ

1

STRINGS

CHOIR WOOD

VOICE

E. PIANO2HARPSI-

E. PIANO

GRAND

7 8 9 10 11 12

CHORD

BASS

To activate the dual mode simply press two voice selectors at the

VIB
PH

same time (or press one voice selector while holding another). The
voice indicators of both selected voices will light when the dual mode is
active. To return to the normal single-voice play mode, press any single
voice selector.

According to the voice numbering priority as shown in the diagram
on the left, lower valued voice numbers will be designated as the 1st
Voice (the other voice will be designated as the 2nd Voice).

• The dual and split modes cannot be engaged at the same time.

• [EFFECT] in the Dual Mode

VIBRA-

PHONE

E. BASS

Depending upon the conditions one effect type will take priority over the
other. Depth will be decided according to the depth default value of the
voice combination. However, using function F3 (see page 30) you can
change the depth value for each voice as you like.

Effect depth setting via the panel controls (i.e. pressing the [-/NO] or [+/
YES] buttons while holding the [EFFECT] button — see page 19) will be
applied to the 1st Voice only.

• [REVERB] in the Dual Mode

The reverb type assigned to the 1st Voice will take priority over the other .
(If the reverb is set to OFF, the 2nd Voice’s reverb type will be in affect.)

Reverb depth setting via the panel controls (i.e. pressing the [-/NO] or [+/
YES] buttons while holding the [REVERB] button — see page 18) will be
applied to the 1st Voice only.

Other Dual Mode Functions...............................................................

The Clavinova Function mode provides access to a number of other
dual-mode functions, listed below. See the corresponding pages for
details.

• Dual Balance ................................................. 29

• Dual Detune .................................................. 29

• 1st Voice Octave Shift ................................... 29

• 2nd Voice Octave Shift .................................. 29

• 1st Voice Effect Depth ................................... 30

• 2nd Voice Effect Depth.................................. 30

• Reset ............................................................. 30

16

CLP-955

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The Split Mode

The split mode makes it possible to play two different voices on the keyboard
— one with the left hand and another with the right hand. The Left Voice is
played on all keys to the left of (and including) a specified “split point” key, while
the Right Voice is played on all keys to the right of the split point key.

O HARPSI-

CHORD

VIBRA-

PHONE

SPLIT

SPLIT

To activate the split mode simply press the [SPLIT] button so that its

indicator lights. The split mode can be turned off at any time by pressing the
[SPLIT] button again so that its indicator goes out.

• The dual and split modes cannot be engaged at the same time.

Selecting the Right and Left Voices.....................................................

The voice that was selected before the split mode was engaged becomes
the Right Voice in the split mode. (The Right Voice can also be changed while
in the split mode, by simply pressing the corresponding voice selector.)

To select a Left Voice press the corresponding voice selector while
holding the [SPLIT] button (default: [WOOD BASS]). The indicator of the
Left Voice selector will light while the [SPLIT] button is pressed, then only
the Right Voice selector and [SPLIT] button indicators will remain lit.

• [EFFECT] in the Split Mode

Depending upon the conditions, one effect type will take priority over the other.
Depth will be decided according to the depth default value of the voice
combination. However, using function F4 (see page 31) you can change the
depth value for each voice as you like.

Effect depth setting via the panel controls (i.e. pressing the [-/NO] or [+/YES]
buttons while holding the [EFFECT] button — see page 19) will be applied to
the Right Voice only .

• [REVERB] in the Split Mode

The reverb type assigned to the Right Voice will take priority over the other. (If
the reverb is set to OFF, the Left Voice’s reverb type will be in affect.)

Reverb depth setting via the panel controls (i.e. pressing the [-/NO] or [+/YES]
buttons while holding the [REVERB] button — see page 18) will be applied to
the Right Voice only .

SPLIT

Setting the Split Point.........................................................................................

The split point is initially set at the F#2 key by default. You can change
the split point to any other key by pressing the key while holding the
[SPLIT] button (the name of the current split-point key appears on the LED
display while the [SPLIT] button is held). The split point can also be set via

Example:

A-1 b=1 C 2 F~2

A-1 Bb-1 C2 F#2

•“b” is indicated with a lower “_”.

•“#” is indicated with an upper “~”.

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the Function mode (see below).

Other Split Mode Functions.........................................................................

The Clavinova Function mode provides access to a number of other
split-mode functions, listed below. See the corresponding pages for details.

• Split Point ...................................................... 30

• Split Balance ................................................. 30

• Right Voice Octave Shift................................ 31

• Left Voice Octave Shift .................................. 31

• Right Voice Effect Depth................................ 31

• Left Voice Effect Depth.................................. 31

• Damper Range .............................................. 31

• Reset ............................................................. 31

CLP-955

17

Reverb

use for extra depth and expressive power.

The [REVERB] button selects a number of digital reverb effects that you can

REVERB

ROOM
HALL 1
HALL 2
STAGE

To select a reverb type press the [REVERB] button a few times until

the indicator corresponding to the desired type lights (the indicators
light in sequence each time the [REVERB] button is pressed). No
reverb is produced when all indicators are off.

OFF

No reverb effect is selected when no REVERB indicator is lit.

ROOM

This setting add a continuous reverb effect to the sound that is similar
to the type of acoustic reverberation you would hear in a room.

HALL 1

For a “bigger” reverb sound, use the HALL 1 setting. This effect
simulates the natural reverberation of a small-size concert hall.

HALL 2

For a really spacious reverb sound, use the HALL 2 setting. This effect
simulates the natural reverberation of a large concert hall.

ST AGE

A simulation of the type of reverb produced in a stage environment.

• The default reverb type (including OFF) and depth settings are different

for each voice.

• Even if the REVERB effect is OFF, a “soundboard reverb” effect will be
applied when the GRAND PIANO 1 voice is selected.

REVERB

ROOM
HALL 1
HALL 2
STAGE

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

SONG

SELECT

–

/ NO+ / YES

Adjusting Reverb Depth.........................................................................

Adjust the reverb depth for the selected voice by using the [–/NO]

and [+/YES] buttons while holding the [REVERB] button. The depth
range is from 0 through 20 (the current depth setting appears on the
LED display while the [REVERB] button is held). A setting of “0”
produces no effect, while a setting of “20” produces maximum reverb
depth. Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simultaneously while
holding the [REVERB] button to recall the default setting for the
current voice (default depth settings are different for each voice).

18

CLP-955

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The Effect

The [EFFECT] button allows you to select one of the effects that can give

your sound greater depth and animation.

EFFECT

EFFECT

CHORUS
PHASER
TREMOLO
DELAY

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

CHORUS
PHASER
TREMOLO
DELAY

–

/ NO+ / YES

SONG

SELECT

To select an effect type press the [EFFECT] button a few times until

the indicator corresponding to the desired type lights (the indicators
light in sequence each time the [EFFECT] button is pressed). No effect
is produced when all indicators are off.

OFF

No effect is selected when no EFFECT indicator is lit.

CHORUS

Shimmering, broadening effect

PHASER

Adds depth to the sound.

TREMOLO

Tremolo effect

DELAY

Echo effect

• The default effect type (including OFF) and depth settings are different for

each voice.

Adjusting Effect Depth.............................................................................

Effect depth can be individually adjusted for the selected voice by

using the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons while holding the [EFFECT]
button. The depth range is from 0 through 20 (the current depth setting
appears on the LED display while the [EFFECT] button is held). A
setting of “0” produces no effect, while a setting of “20” produces
maximum effect depth. Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simulta­neously while holding the [EFFECT] button to recall the default
setting for the current voice (the default depth settings are different for
each voice).

Brilliance

This control can be used to change the tonality or “timbre” of the sound

output. The control range is from MELLOW to BRIGHT.

BRILLIANCE

BRIGHT

MELLOW

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For a brighter or “sharper” tone, slide the control towards the
BRIGHT position. For a “rounder” more mellow tone, slide the control
towards the MELLOW position.

• When the BRILLIANCE is set to BRIGHT, the overall sound will be slightly
louder. If the MASTER VOLUME is set at a high level the sound may
become distorted. If so, lower the MASTER VOLUME level.

CLP-955

19

The Pedals

The Clavinova has three foot pedals that produce a range of expressive

effects similar to those produced by the pedals on an acoustic piano.

Soft pedal

Damper pedal

Sostenuto pedal

Damper (Right) Pedal ................................................................................

The damper pedal functions in the same way as a damper pedal on
an acoustic piano. When the damper pedal is pressed notes played have
a long sustain. Releasing the pedal immediately stops (damps) any
sustained notes.

When the GRAND PIANO 1 voice is selected, pressing the damper
pedal activates the instrument’s special “Sustain Samples” to accurately
recreate the unique resonance of an acoustic grand piano’s soundboard
and strings.

• The depth of the effect produced by the “Sustain Samples” can be
adjusted via the “Pedal Functions” (page 32) in the function mode.

• If the damper pedal doesn’t work, or notes are sustained even when the
pedal is not pressed, make sure that the pedal cord is properly plugged
into the main unit (page 50).

Sostenuto (Center) Pedal......................................................................

If you play a note or chord on the keyboard and press the sostenuto
pedal while the note(s) are held, those notes will be sustained as long as
the pedal is held (as if the damper pedal had been pressed) but all
subsequently played notes will not be sustained. This makes it possible
to sustain a chord, for example, while other notes are played “staccato.”

• Organ, string and choir voices will continue to sound for as long as the
sostenuto pedal is depressed.

Soft (Left) Pedal...............................................................................................

The soft pedal reduces the volume and slightly changes the timbre of
notes played while the pedal is pressed. The soft pedal will not affect
notes which are already playing when it is pressed.

The left pedal can also be assigned to song start/stop operation via
the “Left Pedal Mode” described on page 32.

20

CLP-955

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Touch Sensitivity

Four different types of keyboard touch sensitivity — HARD, MEDIUM, SOFT

or FIXED — can be selected to match different playing styles and preferences.

TOUCH

HARD
MEDIUM
SOFT

To select a touch sensitivity type press the [TOUCH] button a few

times until the indicator corresponding to the desired type lights (the
indicators light in sequence each time the [TOUCH] button is pressed).

HARD

The HARD setting requires the keys to be played quite hard to
produce maximum loudness.

MEDIUM

The MEDIUM setting produces a fairly “standard” keyboard response.
This is the initial factory default setting.

SOFT

The SOFT setting allows maximum loudness to be produced with
relatively light key pressure.

FIXED (no indicator lit)

All notes are produced at the same volume no matter how hard the
keyboard is played.
When the FIXED type is selected, the volume of notes played in the
FIXED mode can be set by using the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons while
the [TOUCH] button is held (the current volume level appears on the
display). The volume range is from 1 through 127. The default setting
is 64.

Transposition

The Clavinova’s TRANSPOSE function makes it possible to shift the pitch of the
entire keyboard up or down in semitone intervals up to a maximum of 12 semitones
(i.e. a maximum of one octave up or down). “Transposing” the pitch of the Clavinova
keyboard facilitates playing in difficult key signatures, and you can easily match the
pitch of the keyboard to the range of a singer or other instrumentalist.

–

/

NO +

SONG

SELECT

/

YES

TRANS­ POSE

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

• This setting does not change the weight of the keyboard.

• The touch sensitivity type and volume set in the FIXED mode will become

the common setting for all voices. However, the touch sensitivity settings
may have little or no effect with certain voices which are not normally
responsive to keyboard dynamics (Refer to the “Voice Descriptions” on
page 41).

Use the [–/NO] or [+/YES] button while holding the [TRANS-

POSE] button to transpose down or up as required. The transposition

range is from “–12” (down one octave) through “0” (normal pitch) to
“12” (up one octave). The amount of transposition appears on the LED
display while the [TRANSPOSE] button is held. The default transpose
setting is “0”.

• The [TRANSPOSE] button indicator remains lit when a transpose setting
other than “0” is selected.

• Notes below and above the A-1 … C7 range of the Clavinova sound one
octave higher and lower, respectively.

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CLP-955

21

Tuning

Tuning makes it possible to adjust the pitch of the Clavinova over a 427.0 Hz
… 453.0 Hz (corresponding to the A3 note’s Hz) range in approximately 0.2
Hertz intervals. Pitch control is useful for tuning the Clavinova to match other
instruments or recorded music.

A-1B

A#

-1

A

-1

3

C

3

B

Tuning Up ...............................................................................................................

ZTo tune up (raise pitch), hold the A-1 and B-1 keys simultaneously.
XPress any key between C3 and B3. Each time a key in this range is

pressed the pitch is increased by approximately 0.2 Hz.
The [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons can also be used to tune down or up,

SONG

SELECT

–

/ NO+ / YES

respectively, in
[+/YES] buttons simultaneously to recall standard tuning (A3 = 440
Hz).

approximately

1 Hz increments. Press the [–/NO] and

CRelease the A-1 and B-1 keys.

-1
3

C

3

B

T uning Down.......................................................................................................

ZTo tune down (lower pitch), hold the A-1 and A#-1 keys simulta-

neously.

XPress any key between C3 and B3. Each time a key in this range is

pressed the pitch is decreased by approximately 0.2 Hz.
The [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons can also be used to tune down or up,
respectively, in

approximately

1 Hz increments. Press the [–/NO] and

[+/YES] buttons simultaneously to recall standard tuning (A3 = 440
Hz).

–

/

NO +

SONG

SELECT

/

YES

A#

A-1B

CRelease the A-1 and A#-1 keys.

-1

-1

3

C

3

B

To Restore Standard Pitch...................................................................

ZTo restore the default pitch (A3 = 440 Hz), hold the A-1, A#-1 and

B-1 keys simultaneously.

XPress any key between C3 and B3.

(Pressing once will restore the keyboard to standard pitch, regard­less of the amount of pitch adjustment.)

CRelease the A-1, A#-1 and B-1 keys.

In terms of “Hertz”, the overall tuning range is from 427.0 Hz to 453.0
Hz. The current tuning setting is shown on the LED display while the tuning
is being adjusted. Tenths of a Hertz are indicated on the LED display by the
appearance and position of one or two dots, as in the following example:

Display Value

440 440.0

4.40 440.2

44.0 440.4

440. 440.6

4.40. 440.8

22

CLP-955

• An alternative tuning method is available in the Function mode — page 28.

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The Metronome & Tempo Control

The Clavinova built-in metronome is a convenient feature for practice, and it
can also provide a solid rhythmic guide when recording using the User Song
Recorder feature, described in the next section.

The Metronome

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

Beat indicator

METRO-

NOME

–

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

SONG

SELECT

/ NO+ / YES

METRO-

NOME

The metronome sound is alternately turned on and off by pressing

the [METRONOME] button. When on, the beat indicator flashes at the
current tempo.

Metronome Time Signature.................................................................

The time signature (beat) of the metronome can be set by using the

[–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons while holding the [METRONOME]
button. You can set the beat to 0, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 (the current setting
appears on the LED display while the [METRONOME] button is
held). Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simultaneously while
holding the [METRONOME] button to recall the default setting “0”
(no accent).

Metronome V olume Function............................................................

The volume of the metronome sound can be adjusted via the Metro-

nome Volume function in the Function mode—page 32.

Tempo Control

The tempo of the metronome and user song recorder playback (the

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

TEMPO

FUNCTION

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recorder is described in the next section) can be set from 32 to 280
beats per minute by using the [TEMPO t, s] buttons. The selected
tempo will appear on the LED display while in the normal play mode
and while the [TEMPO t, s] buttons are being used to adjust the
tempo in the recording/playback mode. The default tempo (120 or the
recorded song tempo when the recorder contains data and the playback
track indicator is lit) can be recalled by simultaneously pressing the [t]
and [s] buttons.

CLP-955

23

Using the User Song Recorder

O
A

R

H

The ability to record and play back what you’ve played on the Clavinova
keyboard can be an effective practice aid. You can, for example, record just the
left-hand part, and then practice the right-hand part while playing back the re­corded left-hand part. Or, since you can record up to two tracks separately, you
could record the left- and right-hand parts separately, or record both parts of a
duet and hear how they sound when played back.

The user song recorder actually records the following data:

■ Entire Song

● Tempo ● Time signature (beat) ● Reverb type (including OFF) ● Effect type

■ Individual Tracks

● Notes played ● Voice selection

● Dual mode voices ● Split mode voices

● Damper pedal ● Soft pedal

● Sostenuto pedal (not recorded as an initial setting)

● Effect depth ● Reverb depth

● Dual balance (F3) ● Dual detune (F3) ● Dual octave shift (F3)

● Split balance (F4) ● Split octave shift (F4)

GRAND
PIANO 1

CHURCH

ORGAN

GRAND

PIANO 2

JAZZ

ORGAN

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

START

/

STOP

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

START

/

STOP

E. PIANO

1

STRINGS

2

REC

2

REC

VOICE

E. PIANO2HA

CHOIR W

Recording

C

B

Make All Necessary Initial Settings...........................................

Before actually beginning to record, select the voice you want to
record with (or voices if you will be using the dual or split mode). You
might also want to set the volume and tempo controls.

Engage the Record Ready Mode ..................................................

Press the [REC] button to engage the record ready mode (recording
does not actually start yet). The record ready mode can be disengaged
before recording by pressing the [REC] button a second time.

• The record ready mode cannot be engaged while the demo/preset song
mode is engaged.

Select the Record Track..........................................................................

When the record mode is engaged in the previous step, the last-

recorded track will automatically be selected for recording and its indica­tor — i.e. the TRACK [1] or [2] button indicator — will glow red. If you
want to record on a different track, press the appropriate track button so
that its indicator glows red.

24

CLP-955

• The track button indicators of tracks which contain previously recorded data

will glow green (unless the track is turned off as described below). The
previously-recorded data on the non-record track will normally be played
back as you record, so you can play along with a previously-recorded track.
If you don’t want to hear the previously recorded track as you record (when
you want to record a song different from what you recorded on the previous
track etc.,), press the playback track button before pressing the [REC]
button (step 1, above) so that its indicator goes out.

• Recording on a track which already contains data will erase all previous

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

data on that track.

• When the record mode is engaged the amount of memory available for
recording will be shown on the LED display in approximate kilobytes

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(starting at “50”), and the rightmost dot on the LED display will flash at the
current METRONOME tempo setting.

Using the User Song Recorder

START

/

STOP

REC

TRACK1TRACK

2

SONG

Start Recording................................................................................................

Recording will begin automatically as soon as you play a note on the

keyboard or press the SONG [START/STOP] button. The current
measure number will appear on the display while recording.

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

START

/

REC

STOP

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

START

/

STOP

2

REC

• The left pedal can be assigned to start and stop recording via the “Left
Pedal Mode” function described on page 32.

• If the metronome was on when you started recording, you’ll be able to
keep time with the metronome while recording, but the metronome sound
will not be recorded.

• You can record up to a maximum of about 10,000 notes on the Clavinova,
depending on pedal usage and other factors. The record track indicator
will begin to flash when recorder memory is almost full. If the memory
becomes full during recording, “
recording will stop automatically . (All recorded data up to that point will be
retained.)

FUL

” will appear on the display and

Stop Recording................................................................................................

Press either the [REC] or SONG [START/STOP] button to stop

recording.

The indicator of the recorded track will glow green to indicate that it

now contains data.

Changing the Initial Settings.............................................................

2

The initial voice, tempo, reverb type, reverb depth, and effect settings
made in step 1 of the recording procedure are actually recorded by the
Clavinova.

These initial settings can be changed after the recording is finished by
pressing the [REC] button to engage the record ready mode, pressing the
appropriate track button, making the required changes, and then pressing
the [REC] button again to exit from the record ready mode and register
the changes.

If you do this, be careful not to press the SONG [START/STOP]
button or a key on the keyboard, either of which will start recording and
erase all previous recorded data on the selected track.

It is possible to cancel the operation even after changes have been
made: change tracks and then press the [REC] button to exit from the
record mode (this also cancels data for the entire song).

• The following data for initial settings cannot be changed: “Dual balance
(F3)”, “Dual detune (F3)”, “Dual octave shift (F3)”, “Split balance (F4)” or
“Split octave shift (F4)”.

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

2

Erasing a Single T rack..............................................................................

All data can be erased from either of the recorder’s tracks by engag-

START

/

REC

STOP

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Press twice.

ing the record mode, selecting the track you want to erase, and then
pressing the SONG [START/STOP] button twice without recording
any data.

CLP-955

25

Using the User Song Recorder

To play back what you’ve recorded, first make sure that the green track indica-

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

START

/

REC

STOP

2

tors of the tracks you want to play are lit. If not, press the corresponding track
button(s) so that they are lit. Then press the SONG [START/STOP] button.
Playback starts from the beginning of the recorded data, and will stop automati­cally at the end of the recorded data. You can also stop playback at any time by
pressing the SONG [START/STOP] button.

To mute a track so that it doesn’t play back, press the corresponding track

button so that its indicator goes out (press again to turn the track back on).

The current measure number appears on the display during playback.

Playback

• It is possible to play along on the keyboard during playback. In this case, the playback
voice and the voice you play on the keyboard are not the same. The playback voice is
the voice that was set when the data was recorded. The voice you play on the keyboard
is the voice that is selected on the panel.

• The playback volume and tempo can be adjusted by using the [MASTER VOLUME]
control and [TEMPO ▼, ▲] buttons (press both [TEMPO ▼, ▲] buttons simultaneously
to recall the default tempo).

• All user song recorder data will be retained in memory for about one week after the
power is turned off. If you want to keep your recorded data for longer periods, turn the
power on for a few minutes at least once a week. It is also possible to store it to an
external MIDI storage device such as the Y amaha MIDI Data Filer MDF3 by using the
Bulk Data Dump function described on page 35.

• The track indicators will not light automatically when the power is turned on even if the
user song recorder contains data. It is therefore necessary to press the track buttons so
that the corresponding green indicators light before starting recorder playback. It is also
a good idea to press the track buttons to check if the tracks contain data before
recording. If the green indicator lights when the corresponding track button is pressed,
that track contains data which will be erased and replaced by the newly-recorded data.

• If the metronome is being used during playback, the metronome will automatically stop
when playback is stopped.

• During recorder playback, the volume of a track which is turned off will always be “0”
(i.e. the “Preset Song Part Cancel Volume” function — page 32 — only affects preset
song playback.

• The playback data is not transmitted via the MIDI OUT connector.

• Playback cannot be started when the demo/preset song mode is engaged.

• Playback cannot be started when the recorder contains no data, or when both track

buttons are off.

• If the REVERB type is changed via the panel controls during playback, both the
playback and keyboard reverb effects will be changed.

• If the EFFECT type is changed via the panel controls during playback, the playback
effect may be switched off in some cases.

26

SONG

TRACK1TRACK

START

/

STOP

TEMPO/FUNCTION/SONG

CLP-955

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REC

Synchro Start ............................................................................................................................

2

When the Synchro Start function is engaged, recorder playback will begin

automatically as soon as you start playing on the keyboard.

To engage the Synchro Start function press the SONG [START/STOP] button

while holding a track button which is ON. The rightmost dot on the display will
flash at the current tempo. (Repeat the previous operation to disengage the Syncro
Start function.) Playback will then start as soon as you begin playing on the key­board.

If you hold a track button which is OFF while pressing the SONG [START/STOP]

button, that track will be turned ON and the Synchro Start mode will be engaged.

Left Pedal Start/Stop.........................................................................................................

The left pedal can be assigned to start and stop recorder playback via the “Left Pedal
Mode” function described on page 32. This is convenient for starting playback of the
recorded part anytime after you have started playing.

The Function Mode

The [FUNCTION] button provides access to a range of functions that give the
Clavinova extraordinary versatility . The functions are categorized in groups as
follows:

F1 Tuning ...................................................................... 28

F2 Scale......................................................................... 28

F3 Dual Mode Functions.............................................. 29

F4 Split Mode Functions.............................................. 30

F5 Pedal Functions ...................................................... 32

F6 Metronome Volume ................................................. 32

F7 Preset Song Part Cancel Volume........................... 32

F8 MIDI Functions ........................................................ 33

F9 Backup Functions ................................................... 36

FUNC-

TION

TEMPO

FUNCTION

● Operation Example

Press [+/YES]

Use FUNCTION
[<], [>]

(sub-mode)

To Select a Function … ...........................................................................

ZPress the [FUNCTION] button so that its indicator lights.

• Functions cannot be selected during demo/preset song playback or when
the user song recorder is in operation.

XUse the FUNCTION [<] and [>] buttons to select the desired

function: F1 through F9.

CIn the case of the Scale (F2), Dual Mode (F3), Split Mode (F4),

Pedal Functions (F5), MIDI (F8), and Backup (F9) functions, you
will have to press the [+/YES] button once to enter the respective
sub-mode after the function has been selected, and then use the
FUNCTION [<] and [>] buttons again to select the desired sub­function.

• The Dual or Split mode must be engaged before the F3 and F4 functions
can be selected, respectively . If the corresponding mode is not engaged,

“

F3.-

” or “

F4.-

” will appear on the display and the corresponding sub-

mode will not be available.

• The Dual mode can be engaged while in the Function mode, but the
Function mode must be exited before the Split mode can be engaged.

Press [–/NO] or [+/YES]
once

Use [–/NO], [+/YES]

buttons (see the individual function descriptions, below).

• After selecting the function, the current setting will be displayed when the
[–/NO] or [+/YES] button is pressed for the first time.

BPress the [FUNCTION] button so that its indicator goes out to exit

from the function mode.

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VSet the function as required by using the [–/NO] and [+/YES]

CLP-955

27

The Function Mode

F1

F2

Tuning

In addition to the tuning method described on page 22, overall tuning can also be accom-

plished via the F1 function.

After selecting “F1”, use the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons to lower or raise the pitch in

approximately 0.2 Hz increments (the first time the [–/NO] or [+/YES] button is pressed
simply switches to the tuning value display without actually changing the tuning). The overall
tuning range is from 427.0 Hz to 453.0 Hz (corresponding to the A3 note’s Hz). Press the
[–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simultaneously to recall the default value “440 Hz”.

Tenths of a Hertz are indicated on the LED display by the appearance and position of one

or two dots, as in the following example:

Display Value

440 440.0

4.40 440.2

44.0 440.4

440. 440.6

4.40. 440.8

Scale

After selecting “F2.Y”, press the [+/YES] button to engage the scale function sub-mode,

then use the FUNCTION [<] and [>] buttons to select the desired scale function, as listed
below.

F2.1: Scale ..........................................................................................................................................................

In addition to the standard Equal Temperament tuning, the Clavinova includes 6 classic
tunings that you can select and use to play music of the corresponding period, or experiment
with in a more modern context. The tunings are:

1: Equal Temperament 5: Mean Tone
2: Pure Major 6: Werckmeister
3: Pure Minor 7: Kirnberger
4: Pythagorean

Use the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons to select the number of the desired tuning.
Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simultaneously to recall the default settings (Equal
Temperament tuning).

F2.2: Base Note.............................................................................................................................................

Unlike Equal Temperament tuning, these classic tunings must be tuned to a specific key.
Use the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons to select the key you want the previously selected tuning
to be based. The selected key will appear on the display, followed by a low bar if flat (e.g.
“A_”) or a high bar if sharp (e.g. “F~”).

Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simultaneously to recall the default settings “C”.

28

CLP-955

• The base note setting is effective for tunings other than the Equal Temperament tuning.

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The Function Mode

F3

Dual Mode Functions

After selecting “F3.Y”, press the [+/YES] button to engage the dual-mode function sub-

mode, then use the FUNCTION [<] and [>] buttons to select the desired dual mode func­tion, as listed below.

If the Dual mode is not engaged “F3.-” will appear instead of “F3.Y” and the Dual mode

functions cannot be selected. If this happens engage the Dual mode and proceed.

■ SHORTCUT: You can jump directly to the dual-mode functions (F3) by pressing the
[FUNCTION] button while holding the two dual-mode voice selectors.

• Dual mode function settings are set individually for each voice combination.

F3.1: Dual Balance.....................................................................................................................................

The volume levels of the two voices combined in the dual mode can be adjusted as re-

quired by using this function. Use the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons to adjust the balance as
required. The balance range is from 0 through 20. A setting of “10” produces equal balance
between the two dual-mode voices. Settings below “10” increase the volume of the 2nd Voice
in relation to the 1st Voice, and settings above “10” increase the volume of the 1st Voice in
relation to the 2nd Voice (“1st” and “2nd” is explained on page 16). Press the [–/NO] and [+/
YES] buttons simultaneously to recall the default setting (different for each voice combina­tion).

You can set one voice as the main voice, and another voice as a softer, mixed voice.

F3.2: Dual Detune .......................................................................................................................................

This function makes it possible to detune the 1st and 2nd dual-mode Voices to create a

thicker sound. Use the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons to set the amount of detuning as required.
The detune range is from –10 through 10. A setting of “0” sets both voices to the same pitch.
“+” values raise the pitch of the 1st voice while lowering the pitch of the 2nd voice, and “-”
values raise the pitch of the 2nd voice while lowering the pitch of the 1st voice. (“1st” and
“2nd” is explained on page 16). Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simultaneously to
recall the default setting (different for each voice combination).

• The maximum amount of pitch variation increases toward the lower key range (±60 cents at the A-1
key), and decreases toward the higher key range (±5 cents at the C7 key). 100 cents = 1 semitone.

F3.3: 1st V oice Octave Shift.............................................................................................................

F3.4: 2nd V oice Octave Shift...........................................................................................................

Depending on which voices you combine using the dual mode, the combination may sound

better if one of the voices is shifted up or down an octave. Use the [–/NO] and [+/YES]
buttons to set the octave of the 1st or 2nd Voice as required (“1st” and “2nd” is explained on
page 16). The available settings are “0” for normal pitch, “–1” to shift the pitch down one
octave, and “1” to shift the pitch up one octave. Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simul-
taneously to recall the default setting (different for each voice combination).

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CLP-955

29

The Function Mode

F3.5: 1st V oice Effect Depth.............................................................................................................

F3.6: 2nd V oice Effect Depth...........................................................................................................

These functions make it possible to individually set the depth of the effect for the 1st and

2nd dual-mode Voices (“1st” and “2nd” is explained on page 16). Use the [–/NO] and [+/
YES] buttons to set the effect depth for the corresponding voice as required. The depth range
is from 0 through 20. A setting of “0” produces no effect, while a setting of “20” produces
maximum effect depth. Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simultaneously to recall the
default setting (different for each voice combination).

F3.7: Reset..........................................................................................................................................................

This function resets all dual-mode functions to their default values. Press the [+/YES]

button to reset the values. “End” will appear on the display when all functions have been
reset.

• The effect depth settings cannot be changed unless the EFFECT is ON. The Function mode must be
exited before EFFECT can be turned ON.

F4

Split Mode Functions

After selecting “F4.Y”, press the [+/YES] button to engage the split-mode function sub-

mode, then use the FUNCTION [<] and [>] buttons to select the desired split mode func-
tion, as listed below.

If the Split mode is not engaged “F4.-” will appear instead of “F4.Y” and the Split mode
functions cannot be selected. Also note that you must exit from the Function mode before the
Split mode can be engaged.

■ SHORTCUT: You can jump directly to the split-mode functions (F4) by pressing the
[FUNCTION] button while holding the [SPLIT] button.

• Split mode function settings are set individually for each voice combination.

F4.1: Split Point.............................................................................................................................................

In addition to the split point setting method described on page 17, the split point can be set

via this function. Use the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons to set the split point as required, or
simply press the appropriate key on the keyboard: from “A-1” to “C7”. Press the [–/NO] and
[+/YES] buttons simultaneously to recall the default setting “F#2”.

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F4.2: Split Balance.....................................................................................................................................

The volume levels of the two voices combined in the split mode can be adjusted as re-

quired by using this function. Use the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons to adjust the balance as
required. The balance range is from 0 through 20. A setting of “10” produces equal balance
between the two split-mode voices. Settings below “10” increase the volume of the Left Voice
in relation to the Right Voice, and settings above “10” increase the volume of the Right Voice
in relation to the Left Voice. Press the [–/NO] and [+/YES] buttons simultaneously to recall
the default setting (different for each voice combination).

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