New Yamaha piano digital Arius YDP-C71PE

BUENA PARK, Calif.—Yamaha launches the Arius YDP-C71PE Console Digital Piano at Winter NAMM 2012. Ideal for home use as a practice piano, it offers stunning looks, high-quality sound and a key action capable of building proper finger technique for playing on an acoustic grand piano.

Geared toward adult intermediate players to advanced hobbyists, the YDP-C71PE's high-quality sound and Graded Hammer (GH) action makes it ideal as a practice piano while also built to handle even heavier use at institutions. Plus, the elegant new Polished Ebony finish makes it attractive for houses of worship.

"Take one look at any acoustic piano store and it's clear that the traditional color for pianos – black – continues to be the most popular," says Yamaha Digital Piano Marketing Manager Dane Madsen. "With its Polished Ebony finish, the C71PE delivers that classic look that so many piano buyers seek."

The Yamaha Arius YDP-C71PE provides true piano touch and tone in a luxurious, Polished Ebony cabinet. Whether you're practicing or performing, the Graded Hammer (GH) keyboard provides realistic piano touch. Using Yamaha's AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling, the YDP-C71PE delivers authentic and expressive piano tone. The damper pedal features a half-damper effect, which provides different levels of sustain for acoustic piano realism found only in a Yamaha. A two-track song recorder captures musical ideas and is also ideal for practicing -- using one hand at a time or both -- with the built-in recordings of selections from the standard piano repertoire. Dual headphone jacks allow two people to sit at the instrument and play, practice or teach in privacy.

"A great feature of the YDP-C71PE is the ability to mute either hand of the 50 preset piano songs," adds Digital Piano Product Manager Nate Tschetter. "This lets you practice each hand independently at your own tempo until you're ready to put them both together - a practice technique taught by many piano teachers. The included book, 50 Greats for the Piano, features the piano music for each of these internal recordings."

The Arius YDP-C71PE is slated for shipping in February 2012.