Parents will no longer have to watch over their child’s shoulder while they practice their piano playing now that Yamaha has connected its Disklavier Enspire piano into its MusicCast wireless multiroom audio system. Yamaha is calling it “the world’s first multiroom musical instrument.”

For the first time in its 316-year history, the venerable acoustic piano can now play beyond the four walls of a single room to any room in the home – even outside.

Introduced in August 2015, the Yamaha MusicCast wireless system connects more than 30 MusicCast-enabled products – A/V receivers, wireless speakers, sound bars and other audio components – to an iOS or Android app.

Now, piano aficionados can link the Disklavier ENSPIRE to stream the piano listening experience, including full orchestrations, throughout the entire home, transforming any room into a concert hall. That is in addition to being able to use the wireless platform to stream Pandora, Spotify, Rhpasody and SiriusXM Internet radio.

“With the significant rise in popularity of whole home audio, it was only a matter of time that the piano would join the complement of entertainment services available to homeowners,” says Roger Eaton, chief marketing director, Yamaha Corporation of America. “Yamaha MusicCast significantly enhances the value proposition for the Disklavier ENSPIRE, enabling our customers to experience great piano performances anywhere in their homes, and control them right from their mobile device.”

Unlike other reproducing pianos, the Disklavier features DisklavierTV, a subscription service capable of streaming live and on-demand, note-for-note piano performances from the stages of prestigious music events such as the Monterey Jazz Festival, Newport Music Festival, as well as by top artists including Sarah McLachlan and Elton John, directly to a Disklavier in the living room. As top artists and their ensembles perform in one location, their entire performance is streamed to Disklavier pianos throughout the United States – the remote instruments’ keys and pedals moving up and down to faithfully recreate the original artists’ performance, while a live video of the artists can be enjoyed simultaneously on a big screen television.

The Disklavier can also be enjoyed or practiced upon in silence with headphones.

Disklavier Enspire boasts a software library from the finest piano solo performances, to thousands of pop, jazz and Broadway favorites available through the Yamaha MusicSoft online store. In addition, users can access their content through the MusicCast app, as well as stream music from the company’s Pandora-style Disklavier Radio service directly to the instrument.

“The integration of MusicCast wireless multiroom audio capability in the Disklavier ENSPIRE marks yet another exciting example of Yamaha leveraging the power of its Keyboard and AV divisions to create a dynamic new concept in home entertainment,” adds Eaton. “These instruments were already loaded with the most advanced features, functions and high quality sound in the world. Now, the listener can leave the room and not have to miss a note of a brilliant piano performance, thanks to outstanding Yamaha multiroom audio technology.”

With three system variations (CL, ST and PRO), Disklavier Enspire is available in 14 models, 48-inch uprights and grand pianos ranging from 5 feet (DGB1K) to the flagship 9-foot concert grand (DCFX). These instruments have recently begun shipping.

This MusicCast/Disklavier integration will require an app and firmware update, which will be available late 2016.

From Electronic House by Jason Knott