If you own a Yamaha Disklavier Mark I, II, II XG, or Mark III, you’ve probably noticed that official upgrade paths are limited. The DKC-900 upgrade doesn’t support these models, and the DKC-850—once a lifeline—has now been discontinued for years.
But now, PianoStream can offer your older Disklavier renewed life! PianoStream is an easy, affordable way to add lots of new features to your older Disklavier. It opens access to a huge library of high-quality piano performances—including piano-only and piano-with-vocals tracks—streamed directly to your instrument.
PianoStream was developed by Richie Hayes, a polymath piano technician from Utah. It allows you to stream a huge library of solo piano music and piano-with-vocals performances directly to your piano without relying on outdated CDs or floppy disks.
An additional feature which is, in my opinion, under-advertised, is that it allows you to play arbitrary MIDI files to your piano from your phone. Yes, this means you could even back up your Yamaha Disklavier floppy disks, and then play the files through PianoStream!
If you have a busted floppy disk drive, the PianoStream will return all playback functionality. However, if you’re looking to record, you’ll still need the Nalbantov or another replacement drive.
Because these operate through the MIDI ports, early Disklavier owners do not have to worry at all about ESEQ or file format compatibility. This is a huge relief to folks that have been worrying about ESEQ files, PIANODIR.FIL, and so forth. Also see my page on Disklavier, MIDI, ESEQ & Floppy Tools.
Can I use PianoStream with my Disklavier?
Yes! All Disklaviers that I’m aware of can use PianoStream. Here’s a list of models, between their website and my personal experience, that are compatible with PianoStream:
For those keeping track, that means PianoStream is compatible with pretty much all of them! The analog offering is only available on later offerings that include speakers.
What do I need to connect PianoStream?
The PianoStream app connects to your Disklavier using a wireless Bluetooth MIDI receiver such as the Yamaha MD-BT01 or the WIDI Master, which simply plugs into the piano’s MIDI IN port. The developer of the PianoStream prefers the WIDI Master for easy connectivity.
Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting independent piano tech content!
You need to use an Apple product, such as an iPhone or iPad, to run the app.
To connect PianoStream Analog, you’ll need to add a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi audio receiver.
Choose the KAIY Bluetooth receiver if you want a low-cost, easy-to-use option that connects automatically and works well for most home users. It’s perfect for quick setup but may play phone notifications through your piano speakers.
You can also use the WiiM Wi-Fi receiver instead of the KAIY Bluetooth receiver. Because it connects over Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth, it is ideal for larger spaces or serious playback. However, the setup is more complicated.
PianoStream App and Subscription
The PianoStream App is readily available through the Apple App Store. Download this app and purchase the items below, and you’ll have everything you need to bring your Disklavier into the modern era!
The PianoStream App does have a subscription cost, and I’ve listed those below, as quoted from the Apple App Store:
Prices are subject to change. I’m not affiliated with PianoStream, so this is my latest scrape of prices as of 8/25/25.
Disklaviers Compatible with PianoStream Analog (Vocals & Audio)
For models that support it, you can also add a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi audio receiver like the KAIY C36 or WiiM to enable full playback of both piano and vocal tracks. See the table above to find out if yours is compatible!
Learn More
To learn more about PianoStream, visit their website. Also, Join the community and ask questions in the PianoStream Facebook group. Richie has also created a video demonstrating the setup process.
Conclusions
For owners of older Disklaviers who don’t want to replace or abandon their beloved piano, PianoStream is the solution you’ve been waiting for. It’s the simplest way to modernize your system without relying on discontinued Yamaha hardware.
Hello
I have a DKW 10 is this compatible with wifi and piano stream services ? I also have attained th Nalbantov extreme flash drive which is working. But I have a very limited access to music.
Hello Payman! The DKW-10 no longer has any official upgrades available from Yamaha. However, it will work with PianoStream! Using the PianoStream app installed on a compatible Apple device, you can stream music directly to your DKW-10. You’ll just need a Bluetooth MIDI adapter such as the WIDI Master pictured above. I see I also have an email from you, and I’ll respond to that presently. Thank you!
So in the case of an old DKW 10, we would install the WIDI Master to the midi in/out on the back of the DKW 10, which is nearly the size of a dorm fridge? LOL And if we preferred not to keep the big DKW 10 box is there an upgrade path for that?
Hello Mark! Yes, you’re correct: You would connect the WIDI Master to the MIDI IN and OUT ports on the back of the DKW-10. That opens up both PianoStream’s piano radio service, and the ability to send MIDI files to the piano from your PianoStream app.
Now, regarding that cabinet. The DKW-10 is a bit of an oddity in the Disklavier lineup. Yamaha never had an official upgrade for it, and the cable between the cabinet and the piano is both unique and discontinued. So unfortunately, you’re stuck with the cabinet, short of actually replacing the entire player system with a third-party retrofit.
Thank you, sir!
Hi, I have an old Yamaha disklavier DGP1XG it originally came with floppy disc and upgraded to the cd player which adds musical instruments and singing. Will pianostream work with my piano? I would love the capability to have a great selection of music. Thanks for your help!
Hello Terriann,
Thanks for reaching out! A quick photo of your piano’s control unit and the CD player would help—please email it to [email protected].
If the CD unit is Yamaha’s DCD1, PianoStream will still work. In that case, the simplest approach is to use PianoStream in analog mode alongside the DCD1—no rewiring, and you’ll be able to use PianoStream’s full musical accompaniment you already enjoy with your CDs.
Hallo, ich bin neu hier und habe seit einer Woche ein MX100A. Ich bin Anfänger und habe viel Freude damit. Ich bin gerade dabei, mir Wissen über die MIDI-Möglichkeiten anzueignen. Ich habe schon verschiedene MIDIs heruntergeladen und stelle fest, dass es bei einigen auf verschiedenen Kanälen läuft. Gibt es einen Player für Windows oder/und Android, mit dem ich die Kanäle zusammenfassen kann? Bei der Suche im Internet stosse ich auf viel Schrott, aber diese Seite hat mich bis jetzt am meisten fasziniert. Ich habe einen Windows PC, ein Midimate Kabel, bald noch ein CME WIDI Master für eventuell mit Android. Ich hoffe, dass ihr mir hier weiterhelfen könnt. 🙂 Liebe Grüsse aus der Schweiz
Hallo Kimmi! Vielen Dank für deine Nachricht und herzlichen Glückwunsch zu deinem neuen MX100A! Es ist ein wunderbares Instrument, und wenn man lernt, wie man MIDI-Dateien damit verwendet, eröffnen sich viele neue Möglichkeiten.
Wenn du feststellst, dass einige deiner MIDI-Dateien auf mehrere Kanäle verteilt sind und du sie so zusammenführen möchtest, dass das Klavier alles korrekt abspielt, empfehle ich dir GNMIDI Professional. Es ist eines der einfachsten Programme für Einsteiger, da es sehr übersichtliche Werkzeuge bietet, um Spuren zusammenzuführen, Kanäle neu zuzuweisen und sogar MIDI-Dateien vom Typ 1 in Typ 0 zu konvertieren (was für den MX100A wichtig ist). Du kannst schnell alle Klavierstimmen auf denselben Kanal (normalerweise Kanal 1) setzen und dabei die Percussion auf Kanal 10 belassen.
Das Programm kostet 49 Euro, bietet aber eine 14-tägige kostenlose Testversion, mit der du alle Funktionen ausprobieren kannst, bevor du dich entscheidest. Eine andere Möglichkeit ist Sekaiju, das kostenlos ist, aber deutlich schwieriger zu bedienen.
The original English version I wrote is below:
Hello Kimmi! Thanks so much for your message, and congratulations on your new MX100A! It’s a wonderful instrument, and learning how to use MIDI files with it opens up a lot of possibilities.
If you’re finding that some of your MIDI files are spread across multiple channels and you’d like to merge them so the piano plays everything correctly, I recommend GNMIDI Professional. It’s one of the easiest programs for beginners because it has very straightforward tools to combine tracks, reassign channels, and even convert Type 1 MIDI files to Type 0 (which is important for the MX100A). You can quickly set all the piano parts to the same channel (usually channel 1) while leaving percussion on channel 10.
The program costs 49 Euro, but it comes with a 14-day free trial that lets you test all of the features before deciding. Another option is Sekaiju, which is free but quite a bit harder to use.