Yamaha CLP-835, CLP-845, CLP-865GP digital piano comparison Review & Guide | September 2026 | In this special comparison review of these 3 popular Yamaha digital pianos, we have along form detailed review below discussing the major features of these 3 models and comparing them to each other. We are well-known for having the most detailed reviews out there and we thoroughly test out and examine all the digital pianos we talk about. We enjoy doing that and feel it is important for you to know exactly what you would be getting should you decide to purchase any of these Yamaha models or any other digital pianos brands and models.
However, we are now including something new beyond our well-known long-form reviews, and that is this new “easy to use” detailed 3-model comparison chart below. We have designed this unique comparison chart to make it as easy as possible for you to see the important specification differences and similarities among these 3 models whether any of those specs may be important to you. Our comparison chart is like no other, and even though one or more of the digital piano manufacturers out there may provide their own spec chart, those charts can be confusing and/or lacking detail that we think is important.
Below the chart is our detailed longer-form review of these models so for more info, please take a look because it will help you decide on which brand and model is best for you.
There is a lot of good information on this comparison chart, and if you have questions after you look at it, you can always contact us and ask, and we will help you. Below the chart is our traditional detailed long-form review of these three models so that you can get our direct “hands-on” impressions of the popular Yamaha Clavinova CLP-835, CLP-945, and CLP-865GP digital pianos.
One more thing about this special comparison chart that is important to know. If you are viewing it on desktop or laptop computer, tablet, or mobile horizontal view, the chart is viewable with all product columns showing all at one time. But if you are viewing this comparison chart on mobile vertical view as many people will do, then the chart is a responsive swipeable chart where you can slide the product columns with your finger to see the other product columns, so they will correctly fit in the smaller mobile vertical view screen. So just keep that in mind.
Specifications & Features Comparison Chart
CLP-835
CLP-845
CLP-865GP
Keyboard
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Action | GrandTouch-S | GrandTouch-S | GrandTouch-S |
| White Key Material | Plastic | Wood | Plastic |
| Black Key Material | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic |
| Synthetic Ivory/Ebony Key-Tops | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 88-Key Linear Graded Hammers | No | No | No |
| Escapement | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Counterweights | No | No | No |
| Down-Weight/Up-Weight (Middle C in grams) | 67g/36g | 68g/36g | 67g/36g |
| Down-Weight/Up-Weight (Middle C# in grams) | 54g/33g | 58g/36g | 54g/33g |
| Touch Sensitivity Levels | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Piano Sound Features
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Engine | Yamaha CFX / Bösendorfer Imperial | Yamaha CFX / Bösendorfer Imperial | Yamaha CFX / Bösendorfer Imperial |
| Acoustic Piano Sounds | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Maximum Polyphony | 256 notes | 256 notes | 256 notes |
| VRM Virtual Resonance Modeling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Grand Expression Modeling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Binaural Headphone Sampling | Yes — CFX Grand & Bösendorfer | Yes — CFX Grand & Bösendorfer | Yes — CFX Grand & Bösendorfer |
| Stereo Headphone Optimizer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sound Boost | No | No | No |
| Intelligent EQ Volume Control (IAC) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Piano Sound User Editing | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Instrument Sound Library
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Instrument Sounds | 38 | 38 | 38 |
| Acoustic Pianos | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Instrument Sounds (non-piano) | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Instrument Sound Groups | acoustic pianos, vintage electric pianos, harpsichord, organs, strings, choir, pad, keyboard, mallet, guitar, bass | acoustic pianos, vintage electric pianos, harpsichord, organs, strings, choir, pad, keyboard, mallet, guitar, bass | acoustic pianos, vintage electric pianos, harpsichord, organs, strings, choir, pad, keyboard, mallet, guitar, bass |
Pedals
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| GrandTouch Resistance Pedals | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Number of Pedals | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Damper-Sustain Pedal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Half Pedal-Variable Sustain | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sostenuto Pedal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Soft Pedal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
★Performance Features
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layer (Dual) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Split | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 4-Hand Mode (aka: Duo/Twin Piano) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Transpose | −12 – 0 – +12 | −12 – 0 – +12 | −12 – 0 – +12 |
| Registration Memory | Smart Pianist App only | Smart Pianist App only | Smart Pianist App only |
| Drum Rhythm Patterns | 20 rhythms | 20 rhythms | 20 rhythms |
| Auto Chord Accompaniment | Bass & Drums Only | Bass & Drums Only | Bass & Drums Only |
●Recording & Playback
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIDI Recording & Playback | 16 tracks | 16 tracks | 16 tracks |
| WAV/MP3 Audio Recorder | WAV: Yes / MP3: No | WAV: Yes / MP3: No | WAV: Yes / MP3: No |
| WAV/MP3 Audio Playback | WAV: Yes / MP3: No | WAV: Yes / MP3: No | WAV: Yes / MP3: No |
| Audio Overdubbing | No | No | No |
| Recorded Song Storage | Internal: 250 songs / USB Thumb-Drive: Yes | Internal: 250 songs / USB Thumb-Drive: Yes | Internal: 250 songs / USB Thumb-Drive: Yes |
| GM Song Playback | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Educational Features
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in Lesson Songs | Yes — 303 | Yes — 303 | Yes — 303 |
| Metronome | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Guide Lamps | No | No | No |
| Music Notation Display | In Smart Pianist App | In Smart Pianist App | In Smart Pianist App |
✦Effects
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piano Room | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ↳ Lid Position | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| ↳ Environment / Reverb | 7 types | 7 types | 7 types |
| ↳ Chorus | 3 types | 3 types | 3 types |
| ↳ Brightness / Brilliance | 7 types + User | 7 types + User | 7 types + User |
| ↳ Touch Curve / Responsiveness | 5 levels | 5 levels | 5 levels |
▭User Interface
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCD Display | Full Dots LCD | Full Dots LCD | Full Dots LCD |
| Physical Buttons | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | No | No | No |
| External Controller App | Smart Pianist | Smart Pianist | Smart Pianist |
🔗Connectivity
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| USB-MIDI Port | Yes — Type B | Yes — Type B | Yes — Type B |
| Bluetooth MIDI Receive | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Audio Receive | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB Thumb-Drive Port | Yes — Type A | Yes — Type A | Yes — Type A |
| USB Audio Interface | 44.1 kHz / 24-bit / stereo | 44.1 kHz / 24-bit / stereo | 44.1 kHz / 24-bit / stereo |
| Aux In | Stereo mini jack | Stereo mini jack | Stereo mini jack |
| Aux Out (L/L+R, R) | Standard phone jacks | Standard phone jacks | Standard phone jacks |
| Headphones | 2 standard stereo phone jacks | 2 standard stereo phone jacks | 2 standard stereo phone jacks |
Speaker System
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 30 W × 2 | (45 W + 45 W) × 2 | (45 W + 35 W) × 2 |
| Number of Speakers | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Speaker Size | 6.30" with diffuser × 2 | (6.30" with diffuser + 3.15" with diffuser) × 2 | (6.30" with diffuser + 1.97") × 2 |
| Speaker Diffusers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
▣Cabinet & Design
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet Style | Console | Console | Grand |
| Finish/Color Options | Matte Black / Matte White / White Birch / Rosewood / Polished Ebony (additional cost) | Matte Black / Matte White / White Birch / Rosewood / Polished Ebony (additional cost) | Polished Ebony / Polished White (additional cost) |
| Dimensions (W × D × H) (sizes rounded up to the next nearest number) | 58" × 19" × 37" Polished: 58" × 19" × 37" | 58" × 19" × 37" Polished: 58" × 19" × 37" | 57" × 46" × 37" |
| Weight (weights rounded up to the next nearest number) | 126 lb Polished: 133 lb | 133 lb Polished: 139 lb | 234 lb |
Included Accessories
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music Rest | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bench | Yes* | Yes* | Yes* |
| Power Adapter | PA-300C | PA-500 | PA-500 |
Factory Warranty
| Model Number | CLP-835 | CLP-845 | CLP-865GP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Factory Warranty | 5 Years Parts & Labor | 5 Years Parts & Labor | 5 Years Parts & Labor |
The Key Action movement in any piano is the #1 most important aspect of piano playing. Without a good responsive and properly weighted keyboard in a digital piano, the other things don’t matter very much. There certainly are other important fundamental parts of any piano, whether it be digital or acoustic. But if you don’t get a good key action movement that allows you to play with proper dynamic response when the keys go up and down, along with the keys being weighted in the right way and comfortable to play, then you should really think twice about buying that piano because you may be sorry, no matter what the price of that piano may be. For these 3 specific Yamaha Clavinova digital piano models, the key actions are good, enjoyable to play, and will satisfy most people, especially if you play music “recreationally” and are not looking for a more advanced level top-of-the-line key action movement. Overall, Yamaha Piano Company has put out impressive digital pianos over the years although they have had some key actions in the past that really were not that good in various ways. But I am happy to say that this newer “GrandTouch-S key action is their latest iteration of key actions in this price range.
The letter “S” stands for “Short/Small” with regard to the key pivot length. However, this “S” key action does not feel or move like a real grand piano key action. In our opinion using the word “Grand” in naming this key action is somewhat misleading because a baby grand or full grand piano key action has much different keys, key lengths, and movement than this “S” key action.
In the CLP-835 and CLP-865GP, the key actions are all plastic and they are identical, which is fine. In the CLP-845, the white keys are made of wood and the black keys are made of plastic. The wood material gives the keys a bit more authenticity in touch, feel, and movement, so that is good and is an upgrade in key action movement over the other two models.
So even though the CLP-865GP comes in a mini grand piano shape cabinet and is quite a bit more money, the key action in that model is identical to the much lower priced CLP-835, and the CLP-845 has an upgraded key action in it (wood white keys) as compared to both the CLP-835 and CLP-865GP. Also, for all 3 piano models the black & white key-tops have a synthetic ebony and ivory material on them to “simulate” the feel of real ivory & ebony that older acoustic pianos used to have, which is nice.
The “escapement” specification means that each key has a slight subtle notch or hesitation when the key is pressed about half-way down, but it does not interfere with the key movement. This feature is found on real acoustic grand pianos and although it’s nice to have, for me it is not a “deal-breaker” one way of the other in a digital piano. If you are an advanced pianist who is used to playing on acoustic grand pianos, then having this “escapement” key movement feature is a good thing.
Based on our piano playing experience, the gram measurement in static down-weight and up-weight of the keys when they move, is reasonably comfortable and responsive. Real acoustic pianos, especially grand pianos, have an average down-weight (aka: touch-weight) of about 55 grams or so. It can be a bit less or more. Although the CLP-835, 845, and 865GP has noticeably higher (heavier) down-weight measurements based on our findings, we found the “comfort level” and response of playing the keys up and down the keyboard was good.
Overall we like the key action in the CLP-835/865GP and also in the CLP-845. For most people who play piano recreationally at home, we believe you’ll like them as well.
The ability for the digital piano to have a good realistic piano sound is the 2nd most important thing in any digital piano. The Yamaha Clavinova models are no exception. The nice thing about these 3 Yamaha models is the piano “sound engine” and piano sounds are identical. The actual piano sample recordings that Yamaha has are specifically from 2 grand pianos which are the Yamaha CFX concert grand and the Bosendorfer European Concert Grand, both brands being Yamaha owned brands.
The Yamaha acoustic grand pianos are well known for having a brighter and more “punchy metallic” sound to them and are popular in pop music, rock music, country, and various other forms of music. Yamaha grands can be used for any type of music including classical, but are generally better suited towards other musical genres. European Bosendorfer grand pianos are individually hand-made in Vienna, Austria and are well known by advanced level pianists for having a loud, but noticeably more mellow “warmer” piano sound. So the availability of two distinctly different grand piano sampled sounds in these 3 Yamaha models is a good thing and offers more of a variety in acoustic piano sound “personalities.”
There are 11 total acoustic piano sounds which are the same in each of these 3 models. Those additional acoustic piano sounds are variations of the original Yamaha CFX & Bosendorfer piano samples. Generally speaking 11 acoustic piano sound selections is enough for most people. But for those people who want more than 2 individual piano sound samples from various sizes of grand and upright acoustic pianos, A few other brands have more selection in that way, but these Yamaha models should be enough to satisfy many people.
Also, when it comes to the piano sound in these 3 models. Yamaha uses sampling technology, resonance & expression modeling technology, EQ frequency technology, and other things to get these acoustic pianos to be as “organic” as possible. With that in mind, if you were to plug in the same stereo headphones in each of these 3 models, the 11 pianos would sound the same for the CLP-835, CLP-845, or CLP-865GP.
But what really defines them and makes them sound different in each of these cabinet models is the internal speaker system and cabinet structure of these 3 Yamaha Clavinova’s. I will talk about the cabinets and internal speaker systems later on, but just keep that in mind. The piano sound that you hear coming out of each piano model is directly tied to the internal speaker systems and cabinet structure.
Finally, with regard to these acoustic piano sounds, you can adjust or alter those sounds in various ways including adding or subtracting various piano sound effects, adjusting piano sound touch sensitivity levels, and using some other editing features that can help certain people “dial in” the piano sound a bit more to their liking if they want to do that. The piano effects section of these pianos can help with that and I’ll talk about that section a bit later.
Nearly all full cabinet style digital and acoustic pianos have 3 pedals attached to the bottom center front of the piano. Those pedals are called (from right to left) damper-sustain pedal, sostenuto pedal, and soft pedal. For recreational piano playing, most people will only use the right damper-sustain pedal for sustaining the piano sound when necessary. It takes a while to learn how to use that pedal correctly but it is not difficult and it is definitely important for just about all piano playing for every type of music.
The other two pedals are generally not used for recreational piano playing unless you are a more advanced piano player and would be needing to regulate or trigger occasional volume changes to your music by momentarily reducing overall volume by using the far right soft pedal. The center pedal is seldom used and it will trigger and control continuous piano sustain for certain notes rather than using the right damper-sustain pedal which sustains all the notes all at one time when that pedal is pressed down.
If you are a more advanced player then you might use the left soft pedal from time to time and maybe the center sostenuto pedal, but using that sostenuto pedal is fairly rare for most people. As long as the right damper-sustain pedal works well then that is the primary pedal you will be using. Also, the amount of piano sustain (aka: decay) time and sustained volume out of the digital pianos is very important.
The piano sound needs a smooth and full sustained sound, and all 3 of these Clavinova models seem to do a good job with that aspect of piano playing using the damper-sustain pedal. This means the piano sound is sustained when holding down the right sustain pedal and then it slowly fades out like a real acoustic piano. The sustained piano tone is not just “on or off” like many portable keyboards are, but these Clavinova models have a variable sustain time which is commonly called “half-damper” pedaling. This feature allows for the sustain time to be more or less depending on how far down to press that damper-sustain pedal.
The only down-side to the way Yamaha has designed their damper-sustain technology is when you are using non-piano instrument sounds such as strings, organs, choir, or similar sounds, those non-piano instrument sounds usually have “continuous sustain” and the those instruments such as strings and organs don’t just fade out like piano sustain does. Instrument sounds like that have continuing sustain as long as you want it or need it to be that way.
In other words, the sustaining capability for the non-piano instrument sounds behave no differently than the percussive piano sounds when it comes to how they are sustained and held. Personally I don’t like it that way, and that aspect of the pedal sustain is not realistic or practical, particularly when you layer/mix 2 sounds together such as piano & strings. The strings fade out just like the piano sounds but in reality the strings should keep going while the piano sounds fade out when holding down the damper-sustain pedal.
It just depends what is most important to you and if you’ll also be using or combining sounds together, etc. It’s definitely not a “deal-breaker” as I call it, but Kawai & Roland brands, as an example, do offer continuous sustain for their non-piano instrument sounds. Nevertheless, the piano sustain capability and realism is very good in these piano models and enjoyable to play.
Another thing that can be usefull and is interesting about the pedals is that they are also “programmable pedals” which allow you to control and trigger other features of each of these 3 models. Those programmable pedal functions are called, Pitch Bend Up, Pitch Bend Down, Rotary Speed, Vibe Rotor, and Song Play/Pause. You can press down a specific pedal and be able “slightly bend an instrument sound up or down like a guitar string sound, organ sound, or other sounds.
You can also press down a specific pedal and control the speed of a rotary speaker effect or start or pause playback of a song. In other words, a way to more easily and quickly control certain functions of the piano by using your foot isead of using your fingers to access those functions in real time from the control panel. Generally speaking, I find that most people won’t use these extra pedal features, but some people may find them to be useful depending if they’ll be using those features & effects.
Overall the pedals work well, do what they are intended to do, and are built well, The pedals also look good too and are aesthetically pleasing.
Having a good amount of quality instrument sounds in a digital piano can not only be very satisfying, but also quite helpful. Some digital pianos have 100’s of various instrument sounds and some digital pianos have less than 50 instrument sounds or even 10 or less. But, I prefer to have a good variety of piano sound options as well as some good non-piano sound options such as strings, organs, choir, synth, harpsichord, and other popular instrument sounds.
All 3 of these Yamaha models have the identical number of and type of instrument sounds, which is good for most people. As per our comparison chart above, you can see the instrument sound library specs for this category. There are 38 total instrument sounds with 11 of them being different acoustic piano sounds and 27 of them non-piano instrument sounds, including some very nice vintage electric pianos. So there is a reasonably good variety and number of sounds you can use.
I personally enjoy adding and mixing string/violin symphony sounds along with my piano sound or maybe a harpsichord sound with a choir sound for some Baroque or Renaissance music. But most of the time I that people will primarily want to use the piano sounds and Yamaha does offer some very nice stereo piano sounds as I have already mentioned earlier. But just be aware that all 3 of these models have the identical instrument sound library.
When it comes to Performance Features in the CLP-835, CLP-845, and CLP-865GP, those things can definitely make the digital piano more enjoyable to play. Not everyone will use those various features described on our comparison chart above, but we like them, they are good to have, and are the same for all 3 Yamaha models. We refer to the Performance Features as being additional things you can do with these digital pianos playing them in “real time.”
The Performance Features in these 3 models can also be found in some other name brand digital pianos, but it’s good that Yamaha has them in these Clavinova models. These features including layering-mixing 2 instrument sound together, splitting 2 instrument sounds on the keyboard such as organ for the left hand and piano for the right hand or whatever 2 sounds you choose. This can also be a useful function and create more musical enjoyment.
You can use the 4-hand mode so that 2 people can practice the same song at the same time on the piano keyboard with the 88 keys being digitally split into two 44-key sections and those 2 sections sounding exactly the same. I also personally enjoy using the “auto-chord accompaniment” feature which simulates a one-man-band experience which include a drummer and a bass player playing up to 20 different popular arrangement styles of music that you can choose from including jazz, rock, Latin, country, and so on.
You choose the style, you play the chords with your left hand that you like, and then you hear the one man band and it follows the chords that you play and the tempo you choose. Then you select a right hand instrument sound and play the melody with your accompaniment…and it makes you sound like a “one-man-band” and much better than you really are! This is assuming you enjoy rhythmic music and want to play those types of songs.
The accompaniment does not have the typical band instrument sounds in them like guitars, pianos, organs, synths, etc. But what it does have for its accompaniment styles are enjoyable to use and they are built in to all 3 of these Yamaha models. Kawai, Roland, Casio, and Korg do not have built-in auto accompaniment arrangements built into their furniture cabinet models. I enjoy using these performance features and you can also just play the various drum rhythm patterns separately at any tempo you like which is like a glorified metronome, and not use the auto bass player. But some people may not care about or use these accompaniment performance features, and that’s OK.
Finally, a good transpose key-change feature is very handy and practical to have. This means you can “hear” your song in any key because you can digital set the key in the piano but play the song in the key you are more comfortable playing in. You can also more easily modulate keys and do it quickly even you if don’t normally play in that key. A transpose performance feature is a very good thing to have in a digital piano. There are a few other performance features in these Yamaha models but these are the more popular ones.
It is helpful for a digital piano to have good, useful recording and playback features. Being able to record a song you are playing and then play it back and listen to it helps piano students be able to practice and learn their practice songs more easily and efficiently. It’s really helpful to be able to hear what you have just played and then be able to listen to that song being digitally played back and analyze your mistakes that way and also hear how well you are doing. It’s a really great way to improve in your piano playing skills & abilities.
Yamaha has a variety of ways to digital record your music and then store it and play it back to hear it. You can also play along “live” in real time with your recorded music which is a lot of fun and allows you to also record one part & play it back, and then play the other part live (left-hand or right-hand) with the recorded part. This ability can be very useful.
Yamaha has MIDI recording & playback as well as audio recording and playback. MIDI recording is being able to record your parts on the piano and then play them back on the piano and the sounds you are hearing are from the live sounds of the instrument sound library. The Yamaha MIDI recording & playback feature is unusual as compared to the other name brand digital pianos because you can record up to 16 different instrument parts from the internal “sound library”, one at a time, and then play them all back simultaneously.
What this allows you to do and why it can be useful and fun, is that this 16-track MIDI recorder allows you to write and arrange full sound-tracks like an orchestra or band. In other words, you can play and record all the instrumental parts of a song “live,” up to 16 parts, and arrange those individual parts the way you want to, and then play them back simultaneously and the result is that it sounds like an entire multi-instrument sound…but you played all the parts live one at a time. This 16-track MIDI recording is a very cool feature to have, especially if you will take advantage of it.
The 16-track MIDI recording & playback feature is on all 3 models. Some people will likely enjoy it. But others may never use the 16-track recording feature. It just depends what you musically want to do. You can save your multi-track recordings within the piano itself or on a USB thumb-drive (1 to 16 tracks) inserted on the Yamaha piano.
Another good and useful recording feature is the wav file audio recording & playback which is typically 1-track and records everything you are playing all at one time. Audio also allows you to save the recording into a USB thumb-drive and then take that thumb-drive out of the piano and put it into a computer and play it back, and it will sound exactly like you were playing it on the CLP-835, CLP-845, or CLP-865GP digital piano. You can also get sheet music notation software for your computer and have the notation printed out for you.
Each of these 3 Yamaha digital pianos do MIDI & wav file audio (CD quality) recording & playback, but the pianos don’t record or playback in the MP3 format, which some people may prefer for external audio devices. It just depends what is important to you. The Yamaha MIDI playback feature can also play General MIDI multi-track song files that you can get on the internet and put in the Clavinova pianos, which not all digital piano brands can do.
When it comes to educations or piano lesson features in these 3 models, Yamaha does have a variety of song practice features with a built-in song library. These features are not actual teaching-educational “lessons,” but they give you a good interactive way of practicing some popular lesson “songs.” These songs can help with learning to play by giving you songs to listen to and play along with which can help with ear-training, along with rhythm & timing training.
In each of these 3 models there are 303 lesson songs (which is a lot!), 50 classical songs, and 27 “voice demo” songs. You can practice your left and right hand parts separately and also loop-repeat specific sections that you choose so those song parts will continue playing from point A to point B, over & over so you can concentrate on just those areas of the song you are playing.
You can record your parts for playback, use a digital metronome for timing practice, you can slow down the song that is playing without changing “pitch,” and if you happen to be taking lessons from an actual teacher in your home, then you can use the “Duo” mode which allows 2 people (student-teacher) to play on the keyboard at the same time with one person playing the same parts on the lower octaves of the keyboard, and the other person playing the same notes-keys, but on the higher part of the keyboard.
Yamaha’s external device app called “Smart Pianist” for iPad/iPhone, etc, will display actual sheet music notation so you can literally see the notes of songs and learn to play in that way. The Yamaha “Smart Pianist” app is very impressive and I recommend it for more intuitive control of the educational features with the addition of visual notation. These various educational features work good, are practical, for various ages and piano playing skill levels, and we believe many people will find them quite useful.
The “Effects” category in digital pianos is not something that most people will care about or use. When a person purchases a digital piano like one of these Yamaha CLP Clavinova models, they primarily want to “play piano” and use the piano features and functions and also use some of the non-piano instrument sounds. But as far as “effects” go, people generally don’t think about using or needing them.
But the question really is: what are these “Effects” and why would I want to have them and use them? Some times “Effects” are called “Special Effects.” They are used to enhance the instrument sounds and make them sound more “alive,” more full or rich, and add more “color” to the instrument sounds. When it comes to these effects that are in many digital pianos, most people would use them for the acoustic or electric piano sounds.
For the acoustic piano sounds, the main piano effects are located in the Yamaha “PIANO ROOM” feature where Yamaha has their primary piano sound effects grouped together there for easy access. Some examples of these types of effects for “piano playing” is what we have listed in our comparison spec chart above.
There are also many other types of effects for piano sounds & non-piano sounds which include reverb, brightness or brilliance, EQ, echo, chorus, rotary speaker, touch sensitivity, phaser, tremolo, and so on. There are also specific “micro effects” for acoustic piano sounds such as “damper resonance, string resonance, body resonance,” and other micro piano effects which can make a difference.
Then there is the amount and quantity of each effect that you can get which means you can increase or decrease the amount of that particular effect. The “reverb effect” for example is very popular in most digital pianos because without some reverb being use to enhance the piano & instrument sounds, it would be like playing a grand piano in a very small room with no natural room ambience like you might hear in a larger room.
Grand piano sounds need some “echo” or natural reverb, as an example, to sound more alive with some resonation. Digital pianos are obviously not acoustic pianos and do not naturally resonate through a wooden cabinet with metal strings and a wooden soundboard like an acoustic piano. Digital pianos can make it so you can add these effects to simulate the natural ambience of any size room or acoustic piano cabinet structure.
Various effects can be very useful for enhancing any instrument sound in these digital piano models, and I use them all the time, not only for the piano sounds but also for other instrument sounds such as strings, organs, vintage electric pianos, guitar, harpsichord, etc.
The variety and quantity of effects in the CLP-835, CLP-845, and CLP-865GP are the same in each of these 3 models and are way more than enough for anyone wanting to enhance the realism of these internal instrument sounds of these models. Yamaha is known for their studio quality instrument effects and these 3 Clavinova model “Effects” are very impressive.
They are not difficult to use or apply to the instrument sounds and should satisfy just about anyone wanting to increase the realism of their piano playing and instrument playing experience. It is somewhat like in the movies where they use visual & sound “effects” to make the movies even more dramatic or realistic.
Once you experience many or all of these different special sound enhancement effects in these Yamaha digital pianos, and you learn how to use and operate them through the user interface of the piano, you’ll be glad you did.
