Choosing the Best Surge Protector for your Disklavier or Keyboard

Electronic keyboard instruments — especially Yamaha Disklaviers, Clavinovas, stage pianos, and organs — represent significant financial investments. Some of these instruments cost well over $50,000. I’ve had a few customers ask me about the best surge protector for their Disklavier or other instrument. My predecessor in keyboard repair here in Maine, Nick Orso, was so … Read more

How to Connect Your Yamaha Disklavier to Wi-Fi — An Easy Approach

This article is an updated approach to connecting Yamaha Disklaviers to Wi-Fi. Previously, I used Powerline adapters to connect Disklaviers. In those cases, you weren’t technically connecting the Disklavier to Wi-Fi, but were instead bypassing the problem altogether by using the house’s wiring. However, I believe this updated approach is quite simple, somewhat less expensive, … Read more

PianoStream for Disklaviers: Streaming Upgrade for Older and Newer Disklaviers

If you own a Yamaha Disklavier Mark I, II, II XG, or Mark III, you’ve probably noticed that official upgrade paths are limited. The DKC-900 upgrade doesn’t support these models, and the DKC-850 — once a lifeline — has now been discontinued for years. But now, PianoStream can offer your older Disklavier renewed life! PianoStream … Read more

Replacing your Blank LCD Screen in Earlier Disklaviers

A blank LCD screen can render your Yamaha MX100II Disklavier nearly unusable. You can replace these with brand-new LCD screens, which are still available. In the MX100II and DKC5R, this is Yamaha Part #VN635201. The screens are available on Yamaha 24×7, or for a bit cheaper on SynthParts. But the issue is often fixable with … Read more

Recording with the Nalbantov: The Truly Blank Disk!

In short, you probably want to download my blank virtual disk file for the Nalbantov or other emulators. These work on your Disklavier—specifically the Marks I and II—and on your computer. If you have an early Disklavier model like the DKC5R or DKC100R, you might have decided to install a Nalbantov floppy emulator in place … Read more

Upgrades for your Yamaha Disklavier! Where to Start?

This list is designed to help you understand the options for upgrades for your Yamaha Disklavier. It can be confusing, so start here! No matter what model of Disklavier you have, it’s worth looking into some good sources of music! I also have a list of free MIDI sources to recommend. See my Disklavier compatibility … Read more

Premium MIDI Files and Songs for your Disklavier

If you have a suggestion, please send it in to [email protected] or reach out through my contact form. If you’re looking for free music for your Disklavier, please see my list of free sources of songs and MIDI files. These options are all paid. Yamaha MusicSoft for Disklavier Yamaha MusicSoft is the largest and most … Read more

Disklavier Compatibility Table: Which Models Play MIDI or ESEQ?

Customers routinely ask me whether their Disklaviers can play MIDI, or only ESEQ, so I’m sharing this magnificent chart of Disklavier compatibility. This is sourced, originally, from Carol RPT’s Disk File chart, and I recommend visiting that website and seeing what they have to offer. They have a trove of information on older Disklaviers. This … Read more

Can My HQ100 or MX100II Play MIDI Files?

The MX100II (and its Japanese counter-part, the HQ100) is typically not able to play MIDI files off of floppy disks, using instead Yamaha’s proprietary ESEQ format. I have several articles on transferring your Disklavier floppy disks and converting MIDI files to ESEQ. However, when sourcing a compatibility table for Disklaviers, I had multiple indications the … Read more

Yamaha Disklavier, MIDI, ESEQ, and Floppy Disk Tools

I use a wide variety of software tools when reading floppy disks and preparing ESEQ and MIDI for the Yamaha Disklavier. Below is my attempt to compile the most useful tools I use on a daily basis. If you have any input or want any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact me. WinImage A … Read more