Arturia CS-80 V 2.0 Virtual Instrument Software Review

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(More customer reviews)Imagine the Hollywood star that for years has been your vision of a perfect mate. One day, decades later, you wake up, and she (or he if the shoe fits) is in bed right next to you, snoring with morning breath - still cute though. That's my assessment of the CS-80V.

I was a teenager in 1976 when I first heard about the Yamaha CS-80. In 1977, I started hearing it on records and seeing it on stage. I was in instant techno-lust. Unfortunately, the CS-80 cost as much as a Chrysler Cordoba with "rich Corinthian leather." I didn't have the money for a used car, much less a new top-of-the-line synthesizer.

About 25 years later, Arturia came out with their software version, the CS-80V. I don't remember what the initial price was, maybe $299.00 or so. Much more reasonable, but I'm just a noodler, not a musician, so I couldn't justify that. Fall 2009 Arturia started blowing out the last of the 1.x inventory at $99 or so. I pulled the trigger. Now here's my assessment. (Right now, the current version is 2.0. Read further for some discussion on the differences in versions.)

There's no question that the CS-80 was the ultimate synthesizer of its day in 1977. It's not just an 8-voice polyphonic synthesizer, it's set up like two 8-voice synths in parallel. It has a lot of filter and modulation options. It has polyphonic portamento and glissando (a stepped glide). It has sample and hold, and an arpeggiator. The original keyboard had velocity sensitivity (which is standard today) and polyphonic aftertouch (which is rare today). It had a pitch-bend ribbon which is cool but which takes skill to use musically.

Enough history, what does the CS-80V sound like? It sounds good, but then again, in 2011, good-sounding soft-synths are a dime a dozen, or less, since there are actually hundreds of freeware VSTi softsynths. The on-screen sliders of the CS-80V beg you to point your mouse at them, click and drag them to see what they do. One of the great things about CS-80V is that it is cross-platform, Windows and Mac. Most of my time has been spent with CS-80V in stand-alone mode on a G5 iMac running OS-X 10.4. It runs great with no noticeable latency. I've also used it as a AU plug-in running in Apple Logic. It runs fine, but it's a little piggish hen it comes to processor cycles, more of a piglet than an pig. I ran it briefly on an 2.0 Ghz Intel iMac and a 1st generation Intel Macbook. It runs fine on those machines as well. On the Windows side, I installed it in my newish Dell XPS-16 laptop running Windows 7 Home Premium. It runs in Windows XP compatibility mode. It has a little latency using DirectX drivers. Getting it to run with ASIO under ASIO4ALL has been hit or miss. (If you don't understand all this driver gibberish, don't worry.)

While some of the CS-80s features have aged well, and some haven't been duplicated. In some areas the CS-80v is stuck with the baggage of its 1970s-era origin. First, 8 voices is nothing these days and can be somewhat limiting. You can install a 10-voice VST version under windows. Secondly, the CS-80's patch-selection was based upon two rows of buttons, with only one button being user-programmable. The CS-80V keeps this basic structure and supplements it with drag-down menus for patch (program) selection. This can be a hassle. The front panel graphics of CS-80v were good for their day, but they were designed fro a monitor size of WVGA or so. Now that monitors are twice the size as they were 5 years ago, it would be good to have more detailed front panel graphics. The original CS-80 uses nonstandard nomenclature. What we now know as the VCF or filter, the CS-80 calls "brilliance". Some of the controls are the reverse of current convention. Not a big deal, but something that requires adjustment.

Since the CS-80's claim to fame was its polyphonic aftertouch, I couldn't wait to try out this feature. I found a rare midi-controller with polyphonic aftertouch, a General Music S3. Sure enough, the CS-80 played with poly-aftertouch really shows off its unique character. It's too bad that more of the factory patches don't use this feature. ATTENTION MIDI CONTROLLER MANUFACTURERS, BRING BACK POLY-AT!

In CS-80V v 1.6, the version I have, the patches (instrument sounds) that have already been programmed are ok, but they are fewer in number than I expected. They don't cover most of the "famous" CS-80 sounds. The newer version 2.0, supposedly corrects this problem by coming with 400 sounds. I haven't tested version 2.0, though I supposedly get a free upgrade based upon when I bought my synth. Arturia also claims to have improved the basic sound of the instrument. I didn't see anything wrong with the sound of the earlier version. The biggest change with Version 2.0 is the change to Syncrosoft-dongle based copy protection. I can understand Arturia's desire to protect its intellectual property, and I want the freedome to load CS-80 on multiple computers even if I can only use it on one at a time, so I don't have any problem with the disc-based copy protection in verion 1.6 or the Syncrosoft copy protection in verion 2.0.
The CS-80V has a few tricks up its sleeve. The most interesting of which is a random voice assignment mode. In essence, in this mode every note you play can have play a different instrument sound. The randomness that this creates is unusual but musical.
Alternatives: The most direct competitor to the CS-80V is another CS-80 emulator, a shareware softsynth for Windows only called the ME80. The ME80 is by a small European outfit called Memorymoon, and you can only buy it from the Memorymoon site for about $40.00 or bundled with the Mixcraft Pro Studio 5 - a DAW (digital audio studio) application that costs $149-199 and is worth considering if you are looking for an easy-to-use but powerful DAW, especially because this version comes not only with a software version of the Yamaha CS-80 (the ME80) but also the Prophet V (Messiah) and the Moog MemoryMoog (Memorymoon). (Mixcraft Pro Studio 5 is available from several Amazon.com merchants.) I tried the demo of ME80. It's graphics are at least as good as CS80V, and ME80 has a more varied range of aftertouch-enabled sounds. On the other hand, ME80 is NOT cross-platform like CS80V. ME80 uses somewhat greater processor HP, and is embellished in different ways than CS80V. I don't know which CS-80 emulator is more like the real CS-80, but I suspect that individual CS-80s varied enough in sound to make the comparison impossible. Another alternative to CS80V is Arturia's own Analog Factory software which costs the same as CS-80V and is an alternative in "The One" packaging. This software is available in different versions with and without extra hardware, and with different numbers of preprogrammed sounds. All of the versions have several thousand sounds coming from all of Arturia's vintage analog softsynths, including the Minimoog, the modular Moog, the Roland Jupiter-8, the Sequential Circuits Prophet V in addition to the CS-80. Another alternative is Korg's Legacy Collection which is available for $99 as a download if you buy the Korg Nanokey or Microkey. I posted review of the Korg Microkey which I'm planning to update with more info on the Legacy Collection. I'll link it when I get the chance.
In summary, I'm giving the CS-80V five stars even though it's not perfect simply because I'm glad Arturia had the gumption to undertake the task of putting together a virtual CS-80. It's great that you can buy this software for less than it would cost to pay a professional to TUNE a real CS-80. Most of the imperfections actually come from the original 35 year old instrument and not the recreation. If you ever lusted after a CS-80, or if you simply read about the machine and wondered what it was like, check out the CS-80V. If you can't afford the CS-80V, or even if you can but want another perspective on the CS-80 sound, check out Memorymoon's ME-80.

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The Arturia CS-80 V 2.0 virtual synth is the reproduction of the legendary Yamaha CS-80, which was considered by many as the "ultimate polyphonic synthesizer," back in the late 70s. It was made popular by artists and groups like Toto, Jean-Michel Jarre, Keith Emerson, Stevie Wonder, Vangelis, Ultravox, and Peter Gabriel, just to name a few. More than twenty five years after its release, the time has come to rediscover a sound that has extensively contributed to the history of music.Sound MAP:Explore hundreds of sounds in this virtual instrument software using Arturia's revolutionary Sound MAP. Locate areas you like and pick a sound that will stimulate your creativity. Morph sounds on the MAP by clicking anywhere you like. Add filters to make your search easier, or get back to the traditional list of presets, by sound-designer or by type. Be creative, be funky, be a sound-traveler.The Arturia CS-80 V 2.0 virtual instrument offers all the features of the original, plus a new generation of innovative features, taking the original design to a new elevated level:• A modulation matrix to rebuild all circuits gives you a choice of 12 sources and 38 destinations for 10 additional modulations• A Multi Mode allows you to assign a different sound to each polyphonic voice. 4 different keyboard sections for "multitimbrality," with the possibility to direct each voice (4 polyphonic modes, and 3 unison modes from 2 to 8 voices)• An arpeggiator and a stereo delay The Arturia CS-80 V 2.0 virtual instrument comes loaded with more than 400 presets made by a selection of talented sound designers.A little history lessonIn 1976, Yamaha introduced the CS-80, a synthesizer based on the same circuits as the GX1. The price tag ($6900) put it out of the reach of most musicians, and the weight (83kgs with stand) made it sometimes hard to use on stage. But the qualities of this Yamaha synthesizer, considered Japan's first great synth, made it immediately famous in the music indus

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Novation Remote 25 SL 2-Octave Soft Label USB MIDI Keyboard Review

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(More customer reviews)I just purchased the Novation 25 SL used for $130 on Ebay.
I must say it is a great value for the money.
When you use this little keyboard with Novation's Automap software, you can control most DAWs (such as Ableton and even Protools) in a primitive way, not like a full-blown surface controller, but you can use this keyboard to do things such as stopping and starting the transport, etc.
Another great feature is the touchpad, which is great when controlling VST's filter resonances and frequencies at once. You can also control most VSTs synths with Automap, using the various knobs, faders and buttons on the Remote 25 SL.
You can even use this keyboard as a stand-alone MIDI controller, without a computer, and without Automap.
The only drawbacks i can find with this unit are:
1-The LCDs are hard to read when the keyboard is sitting flat. I wish they would have angled the LCDs towards the user.
2-I was laughing when i read about the "Superb 25-key, semi-weighted, high-quality keyboard with velocity- and aftertouch-sensitivity"
I think this has to be some kind of marketing joke, because the keyboard on my Remote 25 SL certainly does NOT feel "superb" "Semi-weighted" or "high quality". It feels light, plasticky and very cheap, like something you can expect to play on a $20 casio synth. As a matter of fact, i opened the unit and the keyboard is not really semi-weighted but uses spring resistance.
But, hey, i didn't expect much for $130.
Anyway, i recommend this nice little keyboard, which is very useful in the studio, but when getting a used one, do not pay more than $150.
btw, this keyboard's successor, the Novation 25 SL mk. II is literally identical: same layout, same plastic shell, same cheap spring loaded keyboard, same buttons, knobs and faders, except the buttons and knobs light up, that is it.
The only difference between both units is are the main cpu board and the board that contains the knobs and buttons. The rest is identical.
The Novation 25 SL mk. II's lit knobs and faders will probably come in handy if you are playing live in a dark club, but i really don't see how this plastic keyboard can stand live playing and touring abuse without getting destroyed.
Not worth $300 in my opinion, specially when you can get a used, real weighted controller for a lot less.

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Finally, producing in the dark is a thing of the past.The SL shines a light on the murky world of MIDI control by providing two huge, brightly lit LCD screens that display up to 16 control names and values simultaneously.Alongside this is the intelligent Automap Universal technology, which detects the sequencer and plug-ins in use and intelligently maps parameters to the SL's pots, switches, and sliders.With these award-winning features and a massive array of assignable controls, the SL takes the headache out of MIDI controlling, making music creation as spontaneous and exciting as it should be.Plug and Play USB connection with no drivers required for Windows XP or Mac OS X.A host of exciting software solutions, including Ableton Live Lite 6 and over 1.5 gigs of loops and samples.

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Béla Bartók - Mikrokosmos Volume 1 (Blue) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have started using these pieces with older beginners with a very good result. Trains reading, hand coordination and ear all at once.

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The definitive edition (1987) of the piano teaching classic. Includes an introduction by the composer's son Peter Bartók. (English/Spanish/Japanese/Portuguese text). In 1945 Bela Bartók described Mikrokosmos as a cycle of 153 pieces for piano written for "didactic" purposes, seeing them as a series of pieces in many different styles, representing a small world, or as the "world of the little ones, the children". Stylistically Mikrokosmos reflects the influence of folk music on Bartok's life and the rhythms and harmonies employed create music that is as modern today as when the cycle was written. The 153 pieces making up Mikrokosmos are divided into six volumes arranged according to technical and musical difficulty.

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Behringer MS16 Powered Studio Desktop Monitors Review

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(More customer reviews)SUBJECTIVE REVIEW: Behringer MS16 2-Way Active Personal Monitor System
Pros:
- Accuracy, soundstage & imaging!!
- Connectivity & Front Panel Controls (Right CH Speaker):
.... INPUT 1 (1/8" TRS) Connector
.... INPUT 2 (RCA Right & Left) Connectors
.... ADJUSTABLE 1/4" TRS Microphone Input - mixable w/stereo inputs for playback and vocal monitoring applications
.... 1/8" TRS HEADPHONE Connector w/auto-mute loudspeaker function.
.... FRONT PANEL Controls (Bass, Treble & Level)
Cons:
None except deep bass - which can be resolved by adding a powered-sub like I did!!! ;-)
NOTE: All subjective comments based on:
1) SPEAKER LOCATIONS:
.... a) Free-standing near-field monitor location, 4' apart, slightly tilted-in (closes walls 10') - Music by my Polaroid 30 GB MP3 player (NO powered-sub )
.... b) Keyboard: L & R location installation, slightly tilted-in (with & without Altec Lansing FX2021 powered-sub**)
**NOTE: Adding a powered-sub relieves the Behringer MS16 4" woofer speakers of reproducing the lower frequencies thus lowering the possibility of distortion or breakup when played louder, - 85 dBc to 90 dBc Fast SPL Peaks!
2) Critical listening SPL = approx. 85 dBc to 90 dBc Fast SPL Peaks measured @ 8' to 10' away from the speakers.
.... a) Radio Shack SPL Analog Meter: Dial = 80 or 90 / Weight = C / Speed = Fast
ACCURACY:
One of the Behringer MS16 hallmarks is the accuracy in reproducing encoded musical sounds from my MP3s, ... like, a violin sounds like a violin, a trumpet sounds like a trumpet, a tenor sax sounds like a tenor sax, a Grand Piano, like the Grand Piano that Diana Krall uses in her "Live in Paris" CD (I use to own a 6' Yamaha Grand in my HT/family room), etc. What is unusual for this price range, is the MS16 ability to reveal subtleties and the resolution of the high frequency characteristics within the encoded music/instruments, . . . they are just more evident with the Behringer MS16 vs. other speakers in this price and some costing more; i.e. with close mike recording of an acoustic guitar, you can hear the artist fingers (George Benson; Earl Klugh; Russ Freeman) sliding up and down the frets; you can tell that that two violins are playing a melodic line, rather than just one violin; the air harmonics off the crash or ride cymbal sounds, just like our Tama Rock Set w/Zildjian cymbals; Diana Krall breathing during some of her songs Intro ("Live in Paris" Music CD). Here - I do chalk up the sound quality to Behringer MS16 1.5" (38mm) Diameter High-Resolution Tweeter., which is a nice size for a small personal Studio near-field Monitors.
SOUNDSTAGE:
The left to right placements of instruments & voices are excellent, providing a precise, very wide, beyond the speakers soundstage. The Behringer MS16 front to back (depth) soundstage is also excellent, as well as the dynamic's resolution (soft vs. loud) in playing back the encoded instrument sounds which helps provide excellent location placement of the instruments. Though the front to back soundstage can be a result of how close the microphones were to the instruments, no doubt, the quality of the best recordings, will be revealed by this speaker and the opposite is also true, poor recordings will be revealed as poor. The Behringer MS16 plays back all my Jazz CD Music with relative smoothness, with no surprising in-between the eyes, unnatural frequency peaks because of it's super flat & wide Pro Monitor like frequency characteristics. I also own the JBL N24 w/4" woofers (JBL NSP1 PKG) which was raved by Brent Butterworth for its super midrange playback (voices) and in direct comparison, the Behringer MS16 is equal to task providing the same balanced, natural, clear unstrained playback! (Samples: "Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim" 1967 Digital remastered DDD Music CD; Diana Krall "Love Scenes" & "The Look of Love" Music CD; Bob James "Fourplay" Music CD; David Benoit "Fuzzy Logic" Music CD [Album Of The Year - 2003 National Smooth Jazz Awards], etc.).
IMAGING:
Another characteristic that the Behringer MS16 displays is its ability to image the specific instruments across the soundstage, with a floating in front, side, quality sound presence comparable to some JBL PRO Studio Monitors, though its point source is more precise due to the smaller cabinet side. The Behringer MS16 low-diffraction front cabinet geometry feature curved cabinet edges to eliminate diffraction, which ensures precise imaging and localization. I love the Behringer MS16 ambience reproduction in my room, because it gave me the feeling that "you are there" and if the recording is from a live concert, the ambience provided the right amount of reflections to make you think your listening to the performance outdoors, or in the symphony hall. ("The Corrs - Live at the Royal Albert Hall" Music CD; Diana Krall "Live in Paris" Music CD).
BASS FREQUECY:
WITHOUT POWERED-SUB: (Bass adjusted slightly less than MAX @ the 5 o'clock position / Treble left flat)
The Behringer MS16 bass is rated down to 80 Hz, and after adjusting the Bass Control to near MAX (5 o'clock position), ... it easily matches my JBL 24s (Benchmarked down to 89 Hz -2.7 dB - Fronts location by Tom Nousaine for Sound & Vision Magazine) lowest rated frequency reproduction in my familiar jazz music (David Benoit, Bob James, Joe Sample, Diana Krall, etc.) MP3 encoded music is not as demanding as a keyboard or CD (pure digital recordings), so what I hear was more than acceptable @ 85 dBc Fast SPL Peaks! (louder than normal listening). The deep bass is lacking of course, which is expected for a 4" DIA woofer, but it wasn't MIA and actually sounded better than most free-standing speakers w/4" or 5" woofers. The upright bass (Diana Krall) and electric bass lines (Bob James "Fourplay" w/Nathan East on bass) reproduction was way above average and overall, ... it nicely filled my 20 x 30' room with well balanced, clean & smooth frequency jazz music.
WITH POWERED-SUB - YAMAHA PORTABLE GRAND KEYBOARD:
Reproducing a digital keyboard is demanding so to get that floor & air feeling bass SPL without distortion or breakup, I coupled the Behringer MS16 Speakers w/the Altec Lansing FX1021 2.1 Speaker System, or more specifically, Altec Lansing FX4021 Powered Subwoofer (w/Two 5.25" long-throw woofers in isobaric configuration). This unit is rated down to 32 Hz and takes care of the lower frequency duties. Matching the Altec Powered-sub to the MS16s took about 20 mins. using the Keyboard built-in MIDI DEMO files and by playing it personally! I'm finally happy with what I hear from my Yamaha DGX-505 88-key Portable Grand.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
If you want "budget" monitors that provides excellent imaging, revealing resolution, super flat & wide Pro Monitor like frequency characteristics, the Behringer MS16 is for you! At no time during my critical listening phase (w/85 dBc - 90 dBc Fast SPL Peaks) did I hear any distortion or breakup (with or without powered-sub) from my Behringer MS16 speakers!!!
- Although the following is an OPTION & NOT REQUIRED to ENJOY these powered speakers, you can add a powered-sub to round out the lower frequency foundation and once you balance the SPL between the powered-sub & MS16s, ... you've got a very nice killer setup for MP3, PC, Laptop, Keyboard & near-field Home Studio application @ a very reasonable price!
In my case, I'm guessing, that the Behringer & Altec powered-sub combination for my Yamaha Portable Grand Keyboard frequency response is approx. 40Hz - 18kHz ±5 dB in my 17' x 13' living room (see my attached Amazon photo's) and for the price, ... it just sounds GLORIOUS @ 85 dBc - 90 dBc Fast SPL Peaks!!!
Highly Recommended!!! (Another way to think about it is, ... you can't build a 16 Watt [2x 8 Watts] self-powered speakers like this for under $60 a pair!!!)
Background: Audiophile since 1980; retired Audio/Video dealer; retired semi-pro musician (piano, keyboard, acoustic / electric guitar, bass guitar & drums).

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The Behringer MS16 Speakers are a compact 2-way stereo speaker setup for home studio or multimedia applications! Two high-power amplifiers drive the 4-inch woofers and the high-resolution tweeters. The front-mounted volume control and individual bass and treble controls make accurate sound adjustments a breeze. Two stereo line inputs (RCA and eighth-inch TRS) allow simultaneous use of two stereo sources, so you can play back CDs, MDs or MP3s and use an electric guitar/keyboard at the same time. In addition, the quarter-inch TRS microphone input lets you mix vocals with a stereo track. Behringer MS16 Features Compact stereo speaker system for home studios or multimedia applications 4 inch woofer and high-resolution tweeter powered by two 8-watt amplifiers Dedicated volume, bass and treble controls for more flexibility Stereo RCA inputs for sound cards, keyboards... etc Connect a CD or MP3 player through 1/8 inch TRS stereo input Separately adjustable 1/4 inch TRS mic input for vocal monitoring 1/8 inch TRS headphone connector with auto-mute loudspeaker function Magnetically shielded for placement near computer monitors Magnetic shielding and compact size make these speakers perfect for placement near video monitors or computer displays. AmericanMusical.com is an authorized dealer of Behringer products.

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Yamaha SB79 Silent Brass System for Trumpet Review

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(More customer reviews)This thing is great if you need to practice without bothering folks in the next room. I used this quite a bit in college. The echo effects are fun to play around with and the pickup doesn't distort tone as much as I had anticipated. This device produces a lot more back pressure than advertised; just a little more free blowing than say a strait mute. The times where silent brass comes in most handy is practicing with a canned track. This is easily one of the most useful tools for the modern trumpet player.

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The complete portable and soundproof system is the most innovative product from brass instruments since the valve. With Silent PracticeTM you'll hear a sound inside the earphones so rich and full you'll think you are standing on a concert hall stage. The Silent Brass system lets you play your horn anywhere you want, anytime you want, and with just the kind of ambiance you feel like. You can mix into the sounds of a CD player, a Silent Piano, an electronic keyboard or other Silent Brass, and output your playing into a tape deck or even an amp with speakers. Never again will you have to search for a practice room, have to 'stop because it's getting late'. The Silent Brass system includes Personal Studio, Pickup mute, and earphones. Separate Pickup Mutes are also available.

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Casio WK200 76 Key Personal Keyboard Package (With Stand, Headphones and Power Supply) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this keyboard, have had it for just over a month and enjoy it a lot. We bought it for home use. It's our first electronic keyboard so I cannot compare it to others.
There are many useful and entertaining features such as the large selection of 570 tones (instruments), many of which sound quite authentic, plus you can use two at a time if you want. The metronome is helpful and has some different settings such as sounding with or without a bell on the first beat of each measure. There are so many other features that I doubt I'll use many of them. One of the main reasons I selected this keyboard is because it has 76 keys, giving it a wider range than most keyboards.
Being able to use headphones with a keyboard gives a family a lot of freedom from noise if you want to play something very loud, avoid waking others, or let a child practice at times where the practicing might disturb others.
On the down side, I wish the keyboard had a USB port. But the real reason for giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I think it may have a defect. On day 31 of owning it, one of the keys started to make a clicking sound that I find disruptive and annoying when trying to concentrate on reading sheet music. Within a few days, two other keys started to behave the same. When very slowly and gently depressing the keys that click, I can feel resistance. I hope the problem doesn't spread to other keys. I called Casio and they said I have to pay shipping to and from their repair shop for them to look at it; as the keyboard is large and heavy, this would cost quite a lot. The place I bought it (Best Buy) said that they only cover the keyboard for 30 days and would not make an exception for 31 days. Fortunately, when using the headphones, the clicking noise is not audible.

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The Casio WK200 Personal Keyboard offers great tones, sampling, and lessons in one great keyboard! This WK200 is amazing! Casio is showing how much they can fit in to this keyboard while offering at a price that makes it impossible to turn down. The New AHL* sound source (*Acoustic & Highly-compressed Large-waveform) All built-in tones, including piano and acoustic instrument tones, now sound better than ever before! 48-tone maximum polyphony provides plenty of margin to minimize the chance of notes being dropped when tones are layered and when playing with Auto Accompaniment. Sampling function Sample a sound and you can play it on the keyboard! You can create sound effects for a party or other events, or use sounds to compose music. Sample sound from an audio device plugged into the Audio In jack or from a microphone plugged into the microphone jack! Touch Response Touch Response let's you add delicate nuances to notes by varying how much pressure you apply to keyboard keys. Music Challenge Test your response with an exercise that is just like playing a game! Music Challenge tests your reaction speed by requiring you to press the keys indicated by the on-screen keyboard guide in time with the Auto Accompaniment tempo using the correct fingers indicated by the on-screen fingering guide. Step Up Lessons Pieces are divided into short, easy-to-master phrases making it easy for just about anyone to learn to play. After you master a phrase you advance to the next one. With this new lesson function, you keep building up your collection of mastered phrases and soon you are able to play the entire song. Scoring system Your lesson score appears on the display screen. Voice Fingering Guide If the keyboard senses you are having problems, it will help you by calling out finger numbers i

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Casio CTK-481 Keyboard with Adapter & Song Books Review

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(More customer reviews)First, I will list the few advantages that this keyboard does have. It has a very large song bank which is a pretty nice feature. It also comes with a song book for these songs in the song bank. This is about the only advantage for this keyboard. The several disadvantages are that it just feels cheaply made. The keys do not resemble that of a real piano's at all. When you are playing a song, you can hear the plastic keys clanging with the base of the piano, which is a poor design by Casio. There is also no touch response, which I find very odd since nearly every keyboard I have seen has this feature. The instuments, even though there is a wide selection, do not resemble the real thing whatsoever. There is also this VERY ANNOYING GLITCH that when you play two keys at the same time below middle C, the rythm function turns on right in the middle of your song. This is possible the most annoying thing about this keyboard. I do not know what Casio was thinking when they put this product in stores with this huge error. The speakers are also not very good, whenever you try to play a song at a moderate volume, you can barely hear it over the speakers crackling. The volume range is also not good. It is either very soft or VERY VERY LOUD. Overall, I would not reccommend this product. Get a Yamaha keyboard instead because this keyboard is missing several features neccessary for a begginner pianist or an advanced one.

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Its a On-screen Keyboard, music staff and finger icons display notes and chords. It has 61 full size keys, 12-Note polyphonic with 2 Built-in speakers.

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Shure KSM 137/SL End-Address Cardioid Condenser Microphone Review

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(More customer reviews)I had been looking around for a good condenser microphone for recording acoustic guitar and a sales representative recommended this one. I absolutely fell in love with this microphone the first time I pushed in the 48v button for my Pro Tools rig. It's a great price for an excellent microphone, Shure has always made affordable go to microphones especially for live performance ie the 57 or the 58. I really like the roll off switches, I don't use the db switch because on my pre I have a pad that I rarely use on an acoustic guitar. I usually place this mic at the 12 fret and use a vocal condenser as a room mic for the stereo effect, so far the work has turned out very well. I would recommend this microphone to someone looking above maybe that entry level or would like to produce there own music.

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Versatile, durable, and precise, the Shure KSM137 end-address condenser microphone is an outstanding microphone for instruments ranging from percussion to wind, strings to brass, and piano to guitar. Designed for studio use, yet rugged enough for live applications, the KSM137 can withstand extremely high sound pressure levels (SPL). Its low self-noise and extended frequency response make it ideal for recording musical instruments.

Key Features
A highly consistent cardioid polar pattern
Ultra-thin, 2.5 micron, 24 karat gold-layered, low mass Mylar diaphragm for superior transient response
Class A, discrete, transformerless preamplifier for transparency, extremely fast transient response, no crossover distortion, and minimal harmonic and intermodulation distortion
Premium electronic components, including gold-plated internal and external connectors
Subsonic filter eliminates low frequency rumble (less than 17 Hz) caused by mechanical vibration
Switchable 15 dB pad for handling extremely high sound pressure levels (SPLs)
Three-position switchable pad (0 dB, 15 dB, and 25 dB) for handling extremely high sound pressure levels (SPLs)
Three-position switchable low-frequency filter reduces background noise and counteracts proximity effect

Performance Characteristics
Extended frequency response
Low self-noise
Exceptional reproduction of low-frequency sounds
Can withstand high sound pressure levels (SPL)
High output level
No crossover distortion
Uniform polar response
Superior common mode rejection and suppression of RFI (radio frequency interference)

Applications Some typical applications for the KSM137 are listed below. Microphone use is a matter of personal taste and the KSM137 may be used for a variety of applications other than those listed.
Acoustic instruments -- such as piano, guitar, drums, percussion, strings
Wind instruments -- brass and woodwind
Low frequency instruments -- such as double bass, electric bass, kick drum
Overhead miking -- drums or percussion
Ensembles -- choral or orchestral
Room ambiance pick-up -- guitar amplifier or drums

Specifications
Type: Permanently Biased Condenser
Frequency Response: 20­ to 20,000 Hz
Directional Polar Pattern: Cardioid
Output Impedance: 150 ohms (actual)
Attenuation Switch: 0 dB, 15 dB, or 25 dB attenuation
Low Frequency Response Switch: Flat; ­6 db/octave below 115 Hz; -18 dB/octave below 80 Hz
Phantom Power: 48 Vdc +/- 4 Vdc (IEC­268­15/DIN 45 596), positive pins 2 and 3
Current Drain: 4.65 mA typical at 48 Vdc
Common Mode Rejection: ≥50 dB, 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Sensitivity (typical, at 1000 Hz; 1 Pa = 94 dB SPL): -37 dBV/Pa
Self­noise (typical, equivalent SPL; A-weighted, IEC 651): 14 dB
Polarity: Positive pressure on diaphragm produces positive voltage on output pin 2 relative to pin 3
Weight: 3.5 ounces

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Steinway Virtual Concert Grand Standard Version Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The only thing that beats this product is actually sitting at a recently tuned quality grand in a nice room.
I got so excited by this sample set that I bought a 3 pedal controller so I can feel even more like I'm playing an actual piano.
I only wish this had been available in the late 1970's when I got a big loan for a Yamaha cp70 electric piano before going on the road (and also hurting my back!)
There are other very good similar products but I really think this is top of the current heap.
The only thing I'm not sure about is whether there is an upgrade path from the standard version that I bought (16 bit with 2 mic perspectives) to the Pro version (24 bit with 5 mic perspectives).

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Software. With CD-ROM. 6.7x10.75 inches. 98 pages. Published by Garritan.
The Steinway concert grand piano chosen for the sample set is among Steinway's finest Model Ds - newly voiced, regulated, and meticulously tuned by a master Steinway technician. Recording was done in one of the finest venues in the world, the Troy Music Hall. The Standard Version includes only the under-the-lid perspective and 16 GB of sounds. Cross-platform.

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World Tour WTPA3 PA3 Yamaha Power Supply Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the power supply for my husband's old Yamaha keyboard so that I could teach myself how to play piano. It had been sitting under the bed collecting dust for years, but thanks to this site it is now cleaned off and in use! :)

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World Tour PA3 Yamaha Power Supply designed specifically for Yamaha EZ and PSR Models 293 and lower.These AC adapters plug right into your keyboard saving you lots of money on batteries.

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Yamaha DGX300 Electronic Keyboard Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Considering the price of this keyboard, it is of very good quality. It sounds 80% like a real piano and feels 70% like the real one (the keys are still a little too light). And like many have reviewed this keyboard, I also feel the sound is not "loud" enough. I have to turn the volumn close to max in order to have a decent volumn with or without headphone (btw, if you turn off the touch function then the keyboard will be louder but it will be mono-tone). However, it is still a wonderful keyboard in this price range. I am glad that I got it. If you don't mind spending a bit more money (~$500), the Casio 88-key ones sounds and feels better than the Yamaha ones.

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YAMAHA DGX-300, 76 key educational keyboard with 3.5 floppy disk

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Matrix MR-800 Quartz Metronome Review

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(More customer reviews)This metronome is a great product but needs a volume control. The knocks and chimes keep perfect time, but are at full volume. There is no way to reduce the volume in situations that require it. If not for the lack of this feature I'd give it a 5.

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The MR800 LED display simulates the swinging motion of a traditional pendulum - especially helpful for students. In addition you can select multiple beat settings with an accent for the downbeat, both visually (green LED) and audibly (chime sound).

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Modartt PIANOTEQ 3 Virtual Instrument Software Review

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(More customer reviews)Although there are sampled pianos that can compete very well with Pianoteq, this is the way of the future. Modartt is upgrading this piano and it just keeps getting better. Wonderful sound and coupled with a quality controller it is very pleasant to play.

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After two years of intensive research in several fields — acoustic models, electro-acoustic models, algorithms — MODARTT created the long-awaited and much-improved version 3 of PIANOTEQ.New acoustic modelOne of the most exciting features in version 3 is the new acoustic model which simulates the sound radiation of the soundboard and the cabinet. Developed in close cooperation with demanding musicians, it brings stunning realism, clarity, and brilliance. This new acoustic model allows you to place up to 5 microphones anywhere around the piano in an additional illustrative interface. A mixer is available for combining the mics into 5 output channels, with the possibility to adjust separately level and delay.PIANOTEQ 3 offers full control of the sound source and unlimited possibilities to choose the color of the piano sound, similar to what professional audio engineers do when recording. The resulting experience is simply an amazing audio immersion. In binaural mode, for headphone usage, a head model is used for simulating the sound heard by a person located where the head is placed in the interface. The head can be rotated in any direction and even its size can be changed.New-to-the-series grand pianosThanks to MODARTT's research, they were able to build two beautiful new instruments, each with its own personality. The Grand C3 has a warm and colored sound, suitable for classical, romantic, or lyrical music. The Grand M3 has an attack and presence that will better suit jazz and rock music. Different perspectives are provided with each instrument: player, recording (4 mics in the C3 solo recording), close mic, binaural, etc. These are only a few of the many perspectives that you can create yourself by choosing your own recording settings: mics placement and mixing. Thus, any musician or producer should find the piano sound they need.The virtual piano factoryWhen building those two instruments, MODARTT took their inspiration from the very best acoustic piano

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Alfred Music for Little Mozarts Plush Toy -- Mozart Mouse (Level 1-4) Review

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(More customer reviews)My son just started the "Little Mozart" series for piano and loves this character. I was happy to find one for his birthday. It has some very nice details and is just like Mozart Mouse from the books. Great find!

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Mozart Mouse is an adventurous toy mouse who explores the children's Music Room with Beethoven Bear and other toys from the playroom. He likes the piano's high sounds best, saying "I find them quite refreshing!" He is a quick learner who composes beautiful music and enjoys performing at concerts. The course centers on the adventures of Beethoven Bear™ and Mozart Mouse™ as they learn about music. The plush animals of the two characters are integral to making the course fun for young students. 5 inches tall.

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Yamaha NP-V80 76-key Piaggero Keyboard Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm a professional keyboard player. I needed something light to take to practice and small solo gigs, but it needed to have at least 76 keys. My 88-key weighted controller is a lot to move, and 61 keys aren't sufficient for classical music. Generally speaking, the only choices for 76-key unweighted keyboards are workstations costing well over $2000. I don't need another workstation, just a workhorse for use in-between stage shows. The Piaggero, then, seemed to be my dream come true. It didn't quite meet my needs, though.
First of all, it lacks MIDI ports. Some of the cheapest $99 keyboards have MIDI IN and OUT ports. Yes, it does have "USB" MIDI, but that is no good on the road. You can't connect to other keyboards and sound modules. It also doesn't have proper Line Out ports. If you want to connect to an amplifier, you're forced to use the headphone out. That method introduces more noise into the signal. Another missing feature involves the USB to Device port. Try as I might, I can't load standard MIDI files from this connection. I can save and load my own performances recorded on this keyboard, and even convert them to SMF format, but I can't get it to recognize Internet-downloaded MIDI's or MIDI files of my own creation. My old Yamaha PSR-S700 had no trouble with this. Another problem, and it may be unique to the one I received, is that the speakers buzz terribly when I play the D 14 half steps above middle C. The display could also be better; It's not very detailed or informative. Thankfully, it's much better than the NP-30's lack of one.
The sound quality falls short for a keyboard that's trying to emulate a piano. Supposedly, paying $70 extra for the NP-V80 over the NP-V60 gets you the Live! stereo-sampled Grand Piano. I've heard that sample. This isn't it. The Piaggero grand doesn't sound any different to me than the default piano on the $159 Yamaha PSR-E323. It is very harsh. It's very difficult to get an expressive performance from this patch. The dynamic levels just aren't there. I guess this is a limitation imposed when you're trying to save money on components and use as little sample memory as possible. The name Piaggero is a portmanteau of the Italian words for "piano" and "light", yet my ears are not fooled into believing I am playing a piano at all.
This keyboard does have a few redeeming qualities. It is very light. It's the first electronic keyboard I know of that has 76 keys, runs off of batteries, has a full sound set (more than just Piano, E.Piano, Organ, and Strings), and plays through built-in speakers. It even has a real display and not just blinking red lights. The keys themselves are pretty good. Better than your average portable, but there are better soft-feel actions out there. The Piaggero isn't really a bad keyboard, I just can't see what it was made for. The Yamaha Portable Grand YPG-235 is almost the same instrument, just with a little more bulk/weight and a beige finish. I don't understand why Yamaha removes valuable features from their keyboards. Maybe it's to prevent professionals from being steered to the cheaper products. They missed a great opportunity, though. The Piaggero could have been an amazing keyboard had it not been crippled so dramatically. Maybe it's not a total stinker, but Yamaha knows they aren't giving you the best they have to offer.

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In both design and playability, Yamaha Piaggero embodies the almost lyrical combination of 'piano' and 'leggero' - Italian for 'light' - that constitutes its name. Piaggero provides go-anywhere portability and style while also delivering Yamaha's legendary piano touch & tone. Whether you're taking up piano for the first time or recapturing your musical passion, the Piaggero offers easy-going piano fun. To recreate the playability of an acoustic piano, Piaggero features Yamaha's own Graded Soft Touch keyboard, giving keys in the lower octave a heavier touch than those in the upper octaves. Along with superb grand piano sound, Piaggero features a number of popular instrument Voices, such as organ and strings, recorded using Yamaha's AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) stereo sampling technology for amazingly true-to-life sound. And for a complete orchestra of sonic options, Piaggero includes XGlite Voices and drum/SFX kits. Piaggero boasts over 160 preset Styles -- from the basic eight-beat to contemporary Latin rhythms -- that follow and backup the performer with dynamically responsive accompaniment. At the touch of a button, Piaggero's Music Database offers pre-set combinations of Styles, Voices, effects and tempos based on the song of your choice. Play a chord at let the 'Intelligent' arpeggiator automatically play the notes with the appropriate feel of the instrument.

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Hohner Accordion Straps Review

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(More customer reviews)This was exactly what I needed to replace the straps on my vintage accordion.
I was lucky to buy to last available set at Amazon, and it is perfect!
Received it very quickly too.

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Accordion Straps

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Planet Waves Tru-Strobe Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great strobe tuner. I really expected a plastic meter for the price I payed but I was pleasently surprised when I opened the box. It was "heavy metal." The thing weighs what seems like a couple of pounds and works great. Thanks loads.

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The Tru-Strobe Tuner is an extremely accurate pitch measurement device, perfect for settling intonation, recording and live performances where being in tune is of the utmost importance. The tuner's heavy-duty construction includes a built-in microphone and input jacks for tuning acoustic, as well as electronic instruments. The slightest difference between input frequency and the ideal frequency accumulates over time, and appears as movement on the circular LED interface. Once the movement stops, you are perfectly in tune.•Accurate to +/- .1 cent•Features true strobe tuning(not a simulation)

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