I frequently recommend PianoStream for older Disklaviers and other player pianos. This page answers the most common “PianoStream isn’t working” questions, especially for Yamaha Disklaviers (Mark I, Mark II, MX‑series, Wagon Grand) and systems that use Nalbantov USB floppy emulators. We’ll cover floppy/USB requirements, Analog and Digital mode, MIDI‑Bluetooth issues, and how to use PianoStream’s … Read more
I’d like to post some work notes every week, discussing interesting jobs I’ve worked on in the local area. This week I had some gems, including a magnetic pedal sensor in a Kurzweil Mark 150, blown speakers in a Baldwin MCX-88, and a key contact repair in a CLP-175. Adding PianoStream to Mark II Disklaviers … Read more
Yamaha Disklavier floppy disk drives are a notorious point of failure. Yamaha Disklaviers used floppy disk drives that were quite excellent for their time: They had all-metal frames, precision stepper mechanisms, and reasonably tolerant analog read electronics. Thirty-odd years later, however, these mechanical drives are far past their life expectancies. If you have an older … Read more
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 … Read more
I’ve made a brief list here of websites where you can find free or public domain MIDI files for your Yamaha Disklavier (or other digital player piano). These are high-quality, legal sources of music. I always recommend registering or donating if you find the services valuable. If you’re downloading numerous songs at once, I highly … Read more