Yamaha YDP-121 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.

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

Battery Notice: This product MAY contain a small non­rechargable 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.

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.

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.

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

92-469- ➀ (bottom)

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
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.

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:

• 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 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.

• 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.

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

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

* The illustrations and displays as shown in this owner’s manual are for instruc-

tional purposes only, and may be different from the ones on your instrument.

(1)B-6

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1

YDP-121

3

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a Yamaha YDP-121 Digital Piano. Your YDP-121 is a fine musical instrument
that employs advanced Yamaha music technology. With the proper care, your YDP-121 will give you many
years of musical pleasure.

● Stereo sampling of the acoustic piano voices offers unmatched realism and expressive
power, while the AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) tone generator system offers rich,
realistic reproductions of all other voices.

● Piano-like touch response — adjustable in 4 stages — provides extensive expressive
control and outstanding playability.

● Dual mode allows 2 voices to be played simultaneously.

● Metronome feature with variable tempo facilitates practice.

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

board.

In order to make the most of your YDP-121’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.

Included Accessories

● Owner’s Manual

● 50 greats for the Piano

YDP-121

4

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2

Contents

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

Key Cover & Music Stand .............................................. 8

Selecting & Playing Voices ............................................ 9

Playing the Demonstration Tunes ................................ 10

■

Voice Demo ..............................................................10

■

Piano Song .............................................................. 11

■

Piano Song A-B Repeat..........................................12

■

Piano Song Part Cancel .........................................13

●

Synchro Start.....................................................13

●

Left Pedal Start/Stop .........................................13

The Dual Mode ............................................................ 14

●

Other Dual Mode Functions...............................14

Reverb ........................................................................ 15

●

Adjusting Reverb Depth.....................................15

The Pedals................................................................... 16

●

Damper (Right) Pedal........................................16

●

Sostenuto (Center) Pedal ..................................16

●

Soft (Left) Pedal.................................................16

Touch Sensitivity ......................................................... 17

Transposition ............................................................... 17

Tuning ......................................................................... 18

●

T uning Up...........................................................18

●

T uning Down ......................................................18

●

To Restore Standard Pitch.................................18

The Function Mode ...................................................... 23

●

To Select a Function …......................................23

■

F1: Tuning ................................................................24

■

F2: Scale ..................................................................24

F2.1: Scale ...........................................................24

F2.2: Base Note ...................................................24

■

F3: Dual Mode Functions .......................................25

F3.1: Dual Balance...............................................25

F3.2: Dual Detune ................................................25

F3.3: 1st Voice Octave Shift .................................25

F3.4: 2nd Voice Octave Shift ................................25

F3.5: Reset ...........................................................25

■

F4: Left Pedal Mode ................................................ 26

■

F5: Metronome Volume ...........................................26

■

F6: Piano Song Part Cancel Volume ...................... 26

■

F7: Backup Functions.............................................27

F7.1: V oice............................................................27

F7.2: Tuning..........................................................27

F7.3: Pedal ...........................................................27

Factory Preset Recall .................................................. 28

Troubleshooting ........................................................... 28

Options ....................................................................... 28

The Metronome & Tempo Control ................................ 19

■

The Metronome........................................................19

●

Metronome Time Signature ...............................19

●

Metronome Volume Function............................. 19

■

T empo Control.........................................................19

Using the Recorder ...................................................... 20

■

Recording ................................................................ 20

●

Changing the Initial Settings..............................21

●

Erasing a Single Track .......................................21

■

Playback...................................................................22

●

Synchro Start.....................................................22

●

Left Pedal Start/Stop .........................................22

Demo Song List..................................................................29

Factory Setting List............................................................29

Keyboard Stand Assembly ................................................30

Specifications.....................................................................36

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3

YDP-121

5

%

The Control Panel

MASTER VOLUME

MIN

234 56 7

PHONES Jacks (Bottom panel)

MAX

ROOM

DEMO

TRANSPOSE

MASTER VOLUME

MAXMIN

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

B0A0G0F0E0D0C0B-1A-1

REVERB

HALL1
HALL2
STAGE

TOUCH

ROOM
HALL 1

TOUCHREVERBTRANSPOSEDEMO

HALL 2
STAGE

HARD
MEDIUM
SOFT

GRAND

PIANO

HARPSI-

GRAND

HARD

E. PIANO

CHORD

PIANO

MEDIUM
SOFT

E.PIANO

STRINGS

HARPSI-

CHORD

PIPE

VARIATION

ORGAN

STRINGS

PIPE

ORGAN

VARIATION

METRO-

NOME

FUNCTION

SONG

SONGFUNCTIONTEMPO

SELECT

/

NO+/

YES

–

Tuning keys (See page 18)

STOP REC

TRACKSTART/

2

1

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 YDP-121’s
internal stereo sound system. The [MASTER
VOLUME] control also adjusts headphone volume
when a pair of headphones is plugged into the
PHONES jack.

3 [DEMO] Button

Activates the demo playback mode in which you
can select playback of different demonstration
sequences for each of the YDP-121’s voices. See
page 10 for details.

4 [TRANSPOSE] Button

The [TRANSPOSE] button allows access to the

YDP-121’s TRANSPOSE function (to shift the pitch
of the entire keyboard up or down in semitone
intervals).

5 [REVERB] Button

The [REVERB] button selects a number of

digital reverb effects that you can use for extra depth
and expressive power. See page 15 for details.

6 [TOUCH] Button

The [TOUCH] button makes it easy to adjust the

touch response of the YDP-121 to match your
playing style. See page 17 for details.

7 Voice Selectors & [VARIATION] Button

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. Press the [VARIATION] button so that its
indicator lights to select a variation of the currently
selected voice.

YDP-121

6

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4

The Control Panel

! [SONG] Button

This button enters the Piano Song Mode. While

in this mode you can use the [SONG SELECT ▼/
▲] buttons to select from 50 songs.

START

METRO-

NOME

TEMPO

FUNCTION

FUNCTION

SONG

SONG

SELECT

–

+

/

NO

/

YES

STOP

/

REC

12

890 !@ # $

1

YDP-121

POWER

F5 G5 A5 B5 C6

D6 E6 F6 G6 A6 B6 C7

TRACK

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

These buttons select a piano song number for
playback, and are also used to adjust a range of other
parameters (i.e. their “–/NO” and “+/YES” func­tions).

# [START/STOP] and [REC] Buttons

These buttons control the YDP-121’s recorder,
letting you record and play back just about anything
you play on the keyboard.

$ TRACK [1] and [2] Buttons

The YDP-121 has a 2-track recorder, and these
buttons are used to select the track(s) to be recorded
or played back. See page 20 for details.

% 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.

There is also a dual mode in which two voices
can be played simultaneously across the full range of
the keyboard (see page 14 for details).

8 [METRONOME] Button

Turns the metronome sound on and off. The
[TEMPO ▼/▲] buttons, below, 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 [MET-
RONOME] button is held — page 19.

9 [TEMPO ▼/▲] (FUNCTION </>) Buttons

^ 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. The left pedal can also be assigned to
the song start/stop operation. See page 16 for de­tails.

These buttons adjust the tempo of the metronome

function as well as the playback tempo of the re-

^

corder function. The tempo range is from 32 to 280
beats per minute — page 19. These same buttons are
also used to select functions — page 23.

0 [FUNCTION] Button

This button accesses a range of utility functions
that significantly enhance versatility and playability.
See page 23 for details.

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Soft pedal

Damper pedal

Sostenuto pedal

YDP-121

7

5

Key Cover & Music Stand

Key Cover

To open the key cover:

ZLift the cover slightly (not too much).
XSlide the cover open.

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

To close the key co ver:

ZSlide the cover toward you.
XGently 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:

ZPull the stand up and toward yourself as far as it will go.
XFlip down the two metal supports at the left and the right on the rear

of the music stand.

CLower the music stand so that it rests on the metal supports.

To lower the music stand:

ZPull the music stand toward yourself as far as it will go.
XRaise the two metal supports (at the rear of the stand).
CGently 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.

YDP-121

8

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6

Selecting & Playing Voices

Turn Power On...................................................................................................

After making sure that the YDP-121’s AC cord is properly plugged

into the YDP-121 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 Volume ..................................................................................................

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.

MASTER VOLUME

MIN

POWER

MAX

GRAND

PIANO

E.PIANO

REVERB

HARPSI-

CHORD

STRINGS

ROOM
HALL1
HALL2
STA GE

PIPE

ORGAN

Select a Voice.....................................................................................................

Select the desired voice by pressing one of the voice selectors. Use
the [VARIATION] button to select a variation of the current voice, as
required.

VARIATION

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

The YDP-121 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.

Add Reverb As Required.......................................................................

You can add or change reverb as desired by using the [REVERB]
button (page 15).

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7

YDP-121

9

Playing the Demonstration Tunes

Demonstration tunes are provided that effectively demonstrate each of the
YDP-121’s voices. There are also 50 piano songs that you can play individually,
all in sequence, or in random order. Here’s how you can select and play the
demo tunes.

NOTE

• The demo or piano song mode cannot be engaged while the recorder (page 20) is in use.

* See page 29 for a complete listing of the demo tunes.

Voice Demo

GRAND

PIANO

E.PIANO

DEMO

HARPSI-

CHORD

DEMO

STRINGS

PIPE

ORGAN

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

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

selector indicators will flash in sequence.

Play a Voice 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 [START/
STOP] button instead of a voice selector button, the GRAND PIANO
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 [START/STOP]
button or the voice selector of the currently playing demo.

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

NOTE

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

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

the normal play mode.

10

YDP-121

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8

Playing the Demonstration Tunes

Piano Song

START

STOP

SONG

/

–

/

NO

SONG

SELECT

Engage the Piano Song Mode .........................................................

Press the [SONG] button to engage the piano song mode — the

[SONG], [1] and [2] indicators will light.

Play a Piano Song.........................................................................................

To play any of the 50 piano songs provided, use the [SONG SE-

+

/

YES

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

Select “ALL” instead of a number to play all piano songs in se-

quence, or select “rnd” to continuously play all piano songs in ran­dom order. Press the [START/STOP] button to stop playback.

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

• 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 piano
song is selected, or playback of a new piano song begins during “

“

rnd

” playback.

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

playing on the keyboard can be changed.

• You can change the Reverb type that is applied to the voice you play on
the keyboard and for the piano song playback. You can change the Touch
sensitivity that is applied to the voice you play on the k eyboard.

ALL

” or

Exit From the Piano Song Mode....................................................

SONG

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9

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

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

YDP-121

11

Playing the Demonstration Tunes

Piano Song A-B Repeat

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

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

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

START

STOP

FUNCTION

Select and play a piano 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 ...............................................

FUNCTION

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.

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

/

REC

TRACK

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

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

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

NOTE

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

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

ALL

” or “

rnd

” playback.

12

YDP-121

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