What is "avantgrand"

AvantGrand is a brand of digital piano introduced by Yamaha in 2009. The product line consists of a baby grand piano (the N3), a "vertical" grand piano (the N2) and a cabinet piano (the N1).

The AvantGrand pianos use samples taken from four locations in a Yamaha CFIIIS Concert Grand piano and attempt to emulate all aspects of conventional piano sound and play, down to the tactile response of keys and pedals. In covering the piano's release, Slate editor Chris Wilson wrote that the AvantGrand piano represents a substantial functional improvement over the conventional piano, while sounding practically indistinguishable from one for 95% of the world's pianists.