In MMD 980922, Meta Brown asks "What is a Disklavier Station?"
The proper name for the item in question is a "Klavierstation" and it's
a device from which Yamaha sells music for the Disklavier.
I haven't seen a Klavierstation, but saw a similar device at a Yamaha
dealer in Tokyo. You walk up to a kiosk, select the kind of music you'd
like to purchase, and whether it's for a Clavinova or Disklavier. You
are then presented with a list of titles (collections, not individual
songs). Yamaha apparently attaches a Disklavier to a Klavierstation so
you can listen to your selections prior to purchase. The device I saw in
Japan didn't have a Disklavier attached. Once making your selection, the
device copies the music on to a diskette and you make your purchase.
See the press release at
http://www.giles.com/yamaha1/pressreleases/NAMM/NAMMWinter98/Keyboard/klavsoft.html
It's a way for Yamaha distribute media without keeping any inventory.
Look for this same concept being applied to the distribution of CD
titles in the future: no inventory and titles never go out of print! Too
bad there's not enough demand to do this for music on paper rolls.
Bob Fitterman
bobf@ilx.com
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