Thoroughly CLAVINOVA

Thirty-five years since the first Clavinova digital piano was launched in 1985, Yamaha has raised the lid on the latest generation, called the CLP-700. Being an owner of both a Yamaha P-515 digital piano that has some features similar to the new range, and a Yamaha YUS5 acoustic upright, I was keen to try the new instruments, which I did at the manufacturer’s HQ in Milton Keynes.

The new series replaces the Clavinova CLP-600 range, launched in 2017. This had Yamaha’s GrandTouch system promising a more responsive playing experience and, on more expensive models, virtual resonance modelling (VRM) for a more life-like sound, backed up by more powerful amplifiers and speakers. When I played them back then, I was particularly impressed with