Teacher's Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CVP Clavinova?
The Yamaha CVP Clavinova is a state-of-the-art digital piano with many exciting features. With a true grand piano touch and tone, the CVP Clavinova reproduces the experience of playing an actual grand piano. Authentic Voices and dynamic Styles produce a truly professional quality of sound. The sophisticated but easy-to-use features make the instrument an endless source of musical enjoyment and creativity. Whatever type of music you have ever dreamed of playing, the Clavinova can make it possible. Detailed information about the Yamaha CVP Series Clavinova can be found on www.clavinova.com (Just select CVP Series, and choose a model to explore).

The Clavinova has many features to aid instruction in your studio. For more information, check out Teaching with Technology.

What is a Clavinova Festival?
The Clavinova Festival is a fun, relaxed performance opportunity in which all students can participate. Students look forward to it every year and can perform any type of music they choose to play on the most current Yamaha CVP Clavinova. With the wide variety of features the CVP has to offer the Clavinova Festival is a very thrilling event. Our youngest performer to date was 3 years old and our eldest was 94. Any age and any level is welcome - they just need a desire to have fun with music! This is a great way to keep students motivated, and add variety to your studio. It's also a great way to get your studio recognition in the community.

Do I need to own a Clavinova to participate?
No - owning a Clavinova is not a requirement for this event. Sponsoring Yamaha Clavinova dealers will have instruments available in their store to assist your students with preparation for this exciting event. In addition, some dealers will be offering a loan program and may place a Clavinova in your studio for you and your students to experience and use prior to the event. Ask your sponsoring dealer if they will be offering a teacher loaner program.

What if I am unfamiliar with technology?
Now is the perfect time to get acquainted with using technology. Just try it! Students today are very familiar with technology; many of them will be able to assist you in learning to operate the Clavinova. In addition to the manual, there are several wonderful, easy to understand DVD's and videos available on the Clavinova operation.

Ogilvy Music has also produced a wonderful User Friendly Manual with teachers in mind. For further information, contact Susan Ogilvy at musicsospace@earthlink.net, or visit her website at ogilvymusic.com

Almost every music publisher has wonderful MIDI files that accompany most student methods. To find out availability, check with your local music store where methods are sold, and ask them to look up MIDI file accompaniments in their catalog. You can also find this information on Yamaha Musicsoft. This is also a great way to motivate your students with exciting backgrounds for playing their regular lesson pieces.

Where can I go to get technical questions about the Clavinova answered?
The first place is to check with your local dealer. Many people in the Yamaha dealer network are very savvy on the use of CVP Clavinovas. If they are unable to answer your question, Yamaha has a help desk available at 1-800-854-1569, select Option #3. If they are unavailable at the time of your call, please leave a message, and they will return your call promptly.

What type of music should my student perform?
Having a student play in their comfort level is very important. Select a song the student enjoys playing, and spice it up a bit by either adding a MIDI accompaniment or have the student experiment with different sounds. Anything is an acceptable piece of music, whether it's a published piece, or a piece the student has composed. As students become more comfortable with the Clavinova's operation, they may wish to create their own background. Please see Recording Chord Sequences for the CVP700 Series for easy-to-follow instructions to create simple performance backgrounds.

All levels are welcome. The emphasis is to have fun, encourage students to be creative, and foster a desire to continue with their music studies. Please see Arrangement Ideas for Yamaha Clavinova Festival Participants.

Do you have a specific question not addressed here? Contact us.