Yamaha B1 with silent system

Colour: Polished ebony

The Yamaha b1 is the most compact upright in Yamaha's range at 108cm, and this one is fitted with a Silent system. Switch it in and the hammers are stopped just short of the strings while sensors read what you play, so you carry on using the same action and the same pedals but hear a sampled piano through headphones. Switch it out and it is an ordinary acoustic piano again.

For a flat, a terraced house, or a family where practice happens late, that combination solves a problem a digital piano cannot. The touch is a real piano action with real hammers and real pedals rather than a weighted imitation of one. This example is finished in polished ebony, priced at £4,295, and has been assessed and prepared by our team at The Piano Gallery.

Available to purchase online or to try in person at our Oxfordshire showroom. Contact us to arrange a viewing or to discuss delivery and part-exchange options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this Yamaha's own Silent system or an aftermarket one?

Both exist and both work on the same principle of a hammer stop rail and key sensors. Yamaha fit their own system at the factory on designated models, and several good aftermarket systems are installed by technicians afterwards. We will tell you exactly which is fitted to this instrument and demonstrate it before you buy, rather than leave you to work it out from the model name.

How is a Silent piano different from a Clavinova or another digital piano?

A Clavinova is a digital instrument throughout, with a simulated action and no strings. This is an acoustic piano that can be muted. Most of the time you are playing a real piano with real hammers and strings; the digital sound is there for the hours when you cannot make a noise. If you want one instrument that does both jobs properly, this is the arrangement that does it.

Is the b1 too small for a student working towards exams?

It is Yamaha's smallest upright and it does have less bass and less volume than a 121cm instrument, so a player heading for the upper grades will notice the ceiling eventually. Through the early and middle grades it is entirely capable, it has the full 88 notes and a well-made action, and the ability to practise silently at any hour is often worth more to a student's progress than a few extra centimetres of string.

Can two people listen at once during a lesson?

Most silent systems provide two headphone sockets, which is exactly the arrangement a teacher and pupil need. We will confirm the socket configuration on this instrument when you visit, and if only one output is fitted a simple splitter solves it.

Will it still work as a normal acoustic piano if I never use the Silent mode?

Yes, entirely. The silent function is an addition rather than something the piano depends on, so with the system switched off, unplugged or even long out of use, you have a straightforward acoustic b1. That is worth remembering when weighing up the electronics against the lifespan of the instrument itself.