Potential Yamaha P-525 gotcha! - Sand, software and sound

A few recent posts on the Piano World Forum brought a potential Yamaha P-525 issue to my attention. I like the upper-end P-series models, notably the now discontinued P-515 and the P-525. Both models embody good value and sound.

The P-525 improves on the P-515 by adding Grand Expression Modeling (GME). The GME piano engine responds to nuanced playing gestures. That’s a win, in my opinion.

Folks using the P-525 as a piano-action controller have noted two new MIDI continuous controller messages:

    CC#19  Key Acceleration
    CC#88  Expand Velocity

These messages are produced by the Grand Expression Modeling engine. Poly Aftertouch, key acceleration and expand velocity — whatever that is — are sent with every note ON.

That behavior may seems like a desirable feature until you try to drive a piano software instrument like Arturia Piano V (as cited in a Piano World Forum post). These continuous controller messages would also get in the way when using the P-525 as a “bottom” keyboard driving a synth as one might do in a pop/rock gig situation. The latter use-case is what the P-series is for, after all.

Harrumph! As far as I know, there isn’t a way to turn off these messages, sending only MIDI Note ON and Note OFF. Yamaha need to fix this. Until they do, I must issue a strong caution about using the Yamaha P-525 as a piano-action controller.

The P-525 Piano Room implements a Grand Expression parameter. In addition to the Dynamic and Static settings, maybe implement OFF?

Buyer beware! I dare say, this may be an issue for anyone purchasing a Grand Expression model with the intention of driving a piano software instrument (VST). Look before you leap — you may need to filter or remap these extra messages yourself!