Showing posts with label instrument. Show all posts
Showing posts with label instrument. Show all posts

7/03/2012

First Act FL312 Discovery Learn & Play Accordion Spiral Bound Book Review

First Act FL312 Discovery Learn and Play Accordion Spiral Bound Book
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This is an easy to follow and very durable book and leads to many hours of enjoyment! Be sure to get the First Act Discovery Accordion to play along! First Act Discovery FA107 Junior Accordion

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The accordion has always been an intriguing instrument. This book will let aspiring musicians explore this fun musical instrument while developing a lifelong love of music. Give it as an inspiring gift to your favorite junior musician. Ideal for children and beginners, the 42-page book features one- and two-hand exercises, international songs and custom illustrations. Imported.

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6/15/2012

Music Maker with Bonus Sheet of Christmas Music Review

Music Maker with Bonus Sheet of Christmas Music
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Anyone who can do a follow the dots--in this case, notes--can play this instrument. Slide one of the cards underneath the strings and pluck or pick where the notes lead. My son loved this when he was little, and my students love it now. Anyone will be instantly successful and be able to play recognizable tunes. It also has a very light, pleasant sound so you won't get a headache no matter how much it's played. It's also very well made; it can withstand small, enthusiastic musicians. It's the perfect first instrument which can lead to a real love of music, and maybe more instruments later. I highly recommend it.

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This unique string instrument is hand finished from solid hardwood. Beautiful in tone and appearance, the Music Maker is playable even by young children. Simply pluck the strings indicated on the twelve individual song sheets which are included and you have instant music.A tuning key and pick are included with this lightweight and portable instrument.

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4/22/2012

DBX Driverack RTA Condenser Microphone Review

DBX Driverack RTA Condenser Microphone
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I'm doing research on car audio noise due to subwoofer excitation. I am not 100% sure if this microphone is giving me adequate response for my study, but so far I am pretty impressed considering this is only $100. I'm able to easily quantify noise below 1kHz to at least 110 dB without any doubts. My only complaint so far is that I wish the technical information provided was more detailed but that's because I am doing research, which is more demanding than most applications.

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The DBX Driverack RTA Condenser Microphone is a omni-directional, flat frequency, measurement microphone designed for use with DBX's Driverack systems. By using the Driverack RTA microphone and a DriveRack you can Pink any room set up for live or studio performance. You simply connect the microphone to the DriveRack, generate your pink noise and optimize the EQ settings of any room through the use of the Auto EQ in the Driverack Wizard setup assistant.Even though the Driverack RTA Condenser Microphone is designed to be used with the Driverack systems, this is still a condenser microphone and works great on acoustic guitars, pianos, drums or just as a room microphone.

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3/28/2012

Hurricane Harps S32 Student Melodica with Two Mouthpieces and Canvas Case Review

Hurricane Harps S32 Student Melodica with Two Mouthpieces and Canvas Case
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it was alright at first, but after 1 week it started to breakdown. Some of the keys got off tone and broke but other then that it was what i expected in a cheap melodica!

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Hurricane Harps has just introduced a 32 Note Student Melodica to its line of harmonicas and woodwind instruments.The Melodica is a unique instrument in that it has a piano keyboard but plays by blowing air through the mouthpiece and over a reed similar to a harmonica.You can have lots of fun with this great instrument that is often used to teach music education to young students.It is light enough to carry around and very easy to play.As usual, Hurricane Harps has a great product at a reasonable price, comparable to similar instruments costing twice as much.Give it a try!

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3/05/2012

Yamaha PSR-175 Music Keyboard with DJ Voices Review

Yamaha PSR-175 Music Keyboard with DJ Voices
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Before I go on, let me state for the record that I have been playing classical piano for over 15 years, and I bought this keyboard for jamming and multitrack recording (both midi/audio).
First, for those who are confused with the entry level Yamaha portable keyboards, the PSR-175 is almost exactly the same as the PSR-175AD and the PSR-172. The only difference is that the PSR-172 is much more widely available than the 175s. That said, let's analyze the more important features:
Keys: You get what you pay for. 61-keys is quite all right for beginners and for those who want to do some basic multitrack recording. Better players should go for a bigger keyboard, unless you don't mind using the transpose feature. However, I gave this keyboard a low rating because the keys are not truly touch-sensitive. These keys are not sensitive to the amount of force you exert on them -- the volume for each key remains the same regardless of the amount of force you exert on it. Instead, the keys are only sensitive to the length of time that they are depressed (this should have been called a portable organ instead). By playing on this keyboard, you will never be able to develop a feel for a real piano which requires varying amounts of force applied to different keys. Thus I would not recommend this keyboard for serious beginning piano players because it only hurts your musical foundation.
As for the other features, the sound patches are adequate for most users and are rather standardized in similar entry-level keyboards. I have no complaints because most of the main instruments are there and sound decent enough (piano, organs, guitars,wind, drums,etc). There is also an automated drum synthesizer that's been preprogrammed to different music genres (e.g. soul, rock, jazz, blues, etc).
Regarding size and weight, this is a small and light keyboard and I have no trouble carrying it around to jamming sessions.
On a final note, I recommend shelling out a little more (about $50) for the PSR-273, another 61-keyboard which is just one step higher and offers touch response keys that feel and react more like a real piano. A touch response key produces a louder sound when you strike it harder, vice-versa. Further, the PSR-273 is only slightly larger and heavier.
Hope this review helps. =)

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Yamaha's 61-keyPSR175 is a full-featured portable, with plenty to offer the budding musician: Yamaha's rich "Portable Grand" sound, an education suite with 100 songs to learn (and several ways to go at it), a wealth of great voices and auto-accompaniment styles, MIDI connectivity, and more.


Yamaha's Portable Grand
The PSR175 may have an entry-level price, but it comes with a host of advanced features like the Portable Grand. The Portable Grand button is perfect for beginners and students. No matter what buttons and features you've been using (for example, the drums or DJ), one touch of the Portable Grand button instantly resets the keyboard to a great grand piano sound, with warm, clear stereo grand samples. And of course, the keyboard includes a Sustain Pedal jack on the back for practicing and playing piano pieces.

"DJ" Function
Get the world of Hip Hop, R&B, Techno and all the hottest music in a snap using your Yamaha keyboard. Push the DJ button, hold down a key with your right hand, and you're groovin'!
Conveinent display helps with songs and lessons.

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2/26/2012

Hohner Student Melodica, 32 Key Review

Hohner Student Melodica, 32 Key
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In this price range you aren't going to find a better melodica. Great instrument to learn on or to have around to add spice to your home recordings. It doesn't come with any instructions, but all you do is insert one of the two included mouth pieces. One is short, one is long. With the short one you hold the instrument with one hand (slide your hand under the strap) and play with the other. With the long bendy straw mouthpiece you can set the melodica on a table and play it like a small keyboard. Good sound and easy to play. Have fun.

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2/13/2012

Essential Songs - The 1980s - Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook Review

Essential Songs - The 1980s - Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook
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I have been looking for a good 80's collection to play on my keyboard and trumpet... thankfully I found this. It has everything I could ever want. I do wish there was more but that is just my greed kicking in wanting everything. I think this is an awesome addition for any musician's collection. It is worth the money and is very informative.

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72 hits from the age of new wave, power pop, and hair metal: Abracadabra * Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) * Axel F * Call Me * Centerfold * Didn't We Almost Have It All * Don't You (Forget About Me) * Ebony and Ivory * The Heat Is On * Higher Love * Hurts So Good * Jump * Man in the Mirror * Manic Monday * Material Girl * Sister Christian * Somewhere Out There * Take My Breath Away (Love Theme) * Time After Time * Up Where We Belong * We Are the World * What's Love Got to Do with It * and more.

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1/07/2012

Mini 17 Key Piano Accordion Review

Mini 17 Key Piano Accordion
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My sister had fun with this when she got it for Christmas...but it didn't last long. The buttons on the top stopped working shortly after she got it.
But what else can you expect for that price...I felt that I got the quality I deserved for the price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Mini 17 Key Piano Accordion

A well made small piano accordion, offering seventeen keys in a 1 1/3 chromatic range, and four bass buttons. A simple system design in C major with D, G, C, and F basses makes it easy to play many, many tunes. Finished in pearloid finish, it is lightweight and easy to handle, approximately 3lbs., measuring 10 inches x 9 inches x 4 inches. Perfect for kids and great fun for adults! Looking for good instruction? Have a look at item number BOA002 or BOA596. A Best Buy! Mini 17 Key Piano Accordion Lark in the Morning Item NumberACC002

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12/09/2011

Hohner S32 Melodica Student Piano Review

Hohner S32 Melodica Student Piano
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This melodica is nice because it's cheaper than Hohner's fancy professional models. And you don't lose much, it seems: it sounds like a melodica should sound, and it can be played with a reasonable degree of musicality, even by a novice like myself. The instrument comes with a little gig bag and two mouthpieces (a short one and a flexi-tube one). The construction and materials are of acceptable quality, I have no complaints.
Those of us with finicky ears are going to want to have this thing tuned, though. Music stores dealing in folk instruments ought to be able to do this, for a fee, or one can find DIY tuning instructions on the internet. Although the instrument is *mostly* in tune with itself, it will almost certainly need to be adjusted in order to play along with other chromatic instruments, or your Gang of Four records, or whatever. All that said, this would be a good instrument for the amateur musician or student to learn on. I keep it around for doodling and songwriting, and I use it on a home recording every now and then (whenever I feel like spending my time doing post-production pitch correction).
One final (miscellaneous) note: the sonic frequencies produced by this melodica are apparently unpleasant for cats to hear: mine get agitated and start to complain when I play it for them. I don't know if it's melodicas in general or just this one, but they don't like it. Anyone have any insight into this?

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hohner S32 Melodica Student Piano

The Melodica is so easy to play that many educators use it for teaching the rudiments of harmony, chord formation, theory, and for choral work. You can play chords and single notes, sharps and flats just like a piano, but within a smaller range.

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11/26/2011

Hugh Tracey Treble Kalimba 17-key Treble Kalimba Review

Hugh Tracey Treble Kalimba 17-key Treble Kalimba
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I proudly own a Hugh Tracey Treble Kalimba. This is a very fine instrument so don't be put off by it's simple design. It is well worth it's price the minute you hold it & play it for the very first time....the best sounding kalimba on the market....anything else is ,in my opinion, an imitation of it, I know, I bought one of "those" too!!!
You have to play one to know what I'm talking about. A finely crafted product...Do I sound like a commercial??? I sing it's praises, but a Hugh Tracey Kalimba "speaks" for itself!

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Hugh Tracey Kalimbas are hand made thumb pianos from South Africa, known the world over for their beautiful tone. These instruments are truly authentic both in construction and sound. The Kalimba - depending on the region also called Thumb Piano, Finger Piano, Mbira, Sanza or Likembe - is a wood box on which a collection of metal strips are mounted. The Kalimba is held in the hand or on the knee and the musician plucks the free hanging strips with the thumb or fingers.

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8/17/2011

Barcelona Full-Size 30 Key Piano Styled Accordion - Tricolor with Free Locking Case Review

Barcelona Full-Size 30 Key Piano Styled Accordion - Tricolor with Free Locking Case
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Yes this is a very pretty instrument that we did buy on a whim. My 16 year old son is getting quite good just goofing around. The only hassle was Fed Ex delivery, usually it's UPS and they seem to be superior at least in my neck of the woods

Click Here to see more reviews about: Barcelona Full-Size 30 Key Piano Styled Accordion - Tricolor with Free Locking Case

First, the accordion took over Europe before making its way into folk music from Europe to the Americas. Then, since 1993, during their MTV Unplugged performance, when Nirvana's Krist Novoselic used accordion while covering The Vaselines song Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam, our site has been jam-packed with aspiring accordion rockers. The Barcelona 3032 is our flagship piano-style accordion.It features 30 piano keys and 32 Bass/Chord Buttons, and for a limited time only, include a free Deluxe Hardshell Carrying Case, complete with lock and key!Stop what your doing, add this to your cart, and live the dream.

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7/15/2011

Kalimba Thumb Piano, Coconut Shell, 7 Keys Review

Kalimba Thumb Piano, Coconut Shell, 7 Keys
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The previous reviewer is right. I've made my own kalimbas or thumb pianos from things around the house - they aren't that hard to make. But this is a good price for a kalimba with a good sound and simple number of keys.
The rewards from playing this instrument are phenomenal when just played with for an hour or two. It seems like it would be a waste of time, but it isn't. You'd be amazed at how fast an hour goes by while plucking the keys in singles and in pairs. The angels will indeed sing you into a much more relaxed and contemplative mood.
Whether you play in the morning to set you at ease before going to work, or play before bed time to set you in the right mood for dreaming, this "toy" is a very powerful mood altering drug. Use it in excess, safely, knowing that the only harm it might do you is sore thumbs and the occasional cracked thumbnail. The benefits are endless.
Eight keys is a minimum. More is better. But any number of 8 or more keys should give you at least one scale to play with.
Aim for a medium pluck - not too hard, and not too soft. Hard makes for harsh noise, but medium plucking will not wear you out and will produce a nice sound. Play the keys beside each other together for variety, or in quick succession as your thumbnail falls off one then the other. It's a fun instrument to experiment with. Have fun getting high on sound and your imagination.

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This Kalimba thumb piano is made of a coconut shell with a wooden faceplate. Features 7 keys and a hand carved wooden gecko design on the faceplate. Tune the keys by tightening the screws.

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6/04/2011

Yamaha DGX230 76 Full-Sized Piano Style Keys, 489 Instrument Voices Review

Yamaha DGX230 76 Full-Sized Piano Style Keys, 489 Instrument Voices
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I now own two these. One I leave at my band's practice site, the other I keep at home and then take with me for performances. At $200 there's no sense hauling the practice instrument back and forth. Of course, it's not a professional keyboard and will rate sneers from real keyboardists. But for my purposes providing chording and some embellishments for a couple of local bands, it works just fine . . . especially great sound for the "rock organ" setting . . . and I also use the violin voice for country songs and the various saxophone voices on occasion. I have no idea about the other features of the keyboard as a learning device . . . but for an inexpensive, good-sounding, sturdy and dependable keyboard, it's great.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha DGX230 76 Full-Sized Piano Style Keys, 489 Instrument Voices

If you're looking for a reasonably priced piano replacement, look no further than the DGX-230. It is the music student or professional musicians answer to I need more keys! and many music teachers encourage new students to get a keyboard that will grow with their needs. It features 76 non-weighted keys that not only look like piano keys but have a Graded Soft Touch (GST) action with different levels of resistance, making it easier for a budding musician to move to an acoustic or digital piano.The DGX-230 delivers on its piano theme with a special mode of fingering called Full Keyboard Mode. This allows the player to play the keyboard like a piano; for example a chord with the right hand and bass notes with the left. When using the accompaniment feature, the virtual band will follow these chords. Traditional portable keyboards normally require you to chord on the left side of the keyboard, in the bass section, which is foreign to most piano players. The DGX-230 is also capable of this mode, for those who prefer it.The DGX230 has 30 built-in songs plus 70 more on included CD-ROM for you to learn to play using the Yamaha Education Suite. The songs are separated into left and right hand parts, providing 7 levels of lessons plus a convenient chord dictionary.Imagine capturing your childs first performance or writing and recording your own songs. With the DGX-230, you have the equivalent of a built-in multi-track recorder to record one or multiple instrument parts at a time and assign each part to a different track. Six tracks are provided to accommodate sophisticated melodies, chord accompaniment and rhythm parts.The DGX-230 comes with 30 built-in songs plus 70 more on an included CD-ROM and an interactive lesson system, divided into left and right hand parts, for learning them. In addition, you have the ability to connect to a computer via USB, download more songs from the Internet into the internal Flash ROM (PC only), and use all of the Yamaha Education Suite features to help you learn to play them. Yamaha makes it easy to get connected with the new PC button. Now, instead of wading through function menus and fighting through a maze of selections, one button is your expressway to music on the web and your computer. In addition, once connected, you can play your songs into the computer (PC and Mac), edit them if necessary, and e-mail them to your friends and family. And with General MIDI (GM) and XGlite compatibility, song data always plays back with the correct sounds.Master EQ: Tailor your sound Five different master equalizer (EQ) settings are provided to give you the best possible sound when listening through different reproduction systems-the instruments internal speakers, headphones, or an external speaker system. You're in control.

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5/15/2011

Casio CTK-3000 Premium Pack with Power Supply, Keyboard Stand and Professional Closed Cup Stereo Headphones Review

Casio CTK-3000 Premium Pack with Power Supply, Keyboard Stand and Professional Closed Cup Stereo Headphones
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I really don't think I could have found a better keyboard at the price of the Casio CTK3000. After much research, I decided on this keyboard because of the number of keys and the fact that it came with a stowaway stand, headphones and charger. For me, an adult who is just learning piano, it was essential for me to have headphones so I wasn't disturbing everyone in the house. The keyboard is really easy to use. I didn't even read any of the instructions. I just plugged it in and started practicing.
The stand is a little difficult to adjust and it doesn't attach as securely to the stand as I would like it to, but it's not unstable or anything. The keyboard sort of just sits on top of the stand. This is not a problem for an adult, but if you're looking at getting this keyboard for a child, then you may want to take that into account. This keyboard also works great on a regular table, as long as you have one that is at an appropriate height for practicing. I use the keyboard on the tabletop more than I use it on the stand, but I'm glad I have the stand for those times that I do need to use it.
The keyboard also comes with a little bar that you insert into the back of the keyboard to hold your sheet music or lesson book. There is a groove at the top center of the keyboard to prevent the sheet music/book from slipping. I found that the other reviews I read and the product description didn't note that the keyboard does have a space to hold music. Of course that may be something that is just standard on keyboards, but, as a piano novice, I was not aware of this.
Bottom line, I think this keyboard is excellent quality for the price and will last a beginner quite a while.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Casio CTK-3000 Premium Pack with Power Supply, Keyboard Stand and Professional Closed Cup Stereo Headphones

The Casio CTK-3000 is an affordable instrument with a 61 Key Piano Style Touch Sensitive Keyboard, 400 total onboard Tones, 150 Rhythms and Digital Effects. Packed with great features such as Casio's famous Step-up Lesson System, audio inputs for a MP3 player, USB port for MIDI implementation and a pitch wheel for additional expression over sounds. All this makes CTK-3000 more realistic and expressive than ever before at this price range.


CTK-3000 Premium PackThe Premium Pack bundles the CTK-3000 keyboard with a Yamaha power supply, keyboard stand and professional closed-cup stereo headphones.
Standard-Size Keys with Touch ResponseThe CTK-3000 features 61 standard-size keys and two sensitivity levels for a more piano-like experience, along with 48-note polyphony (24-note for certain tones).
400 Built-In TonesFind just the right sound with 400 built-in tones, and select from ten different reverb settings to add depth.
USB PortFor many musicians, the computer has become a music-making center. Connect the CTK-3000 to a computer using a USB cable and exchange MIDI data between the two devices. Send play data from the keyboard to music software running on yourcomputer, or send MIDI data from your computer to the keyboard for playback.
Built-In SamplingYou can use the CTK-3000 to sample a sound from a portable audio player or other device, and then play the sound with keyboard keys. For example, you could sample the bark of your dog and then use the sound in a melody, or grab passages from a CD. The sampling feature is a fun way to create new sounds.
Note: Samples are not stored permanently. Turning off power will cause any sampled sound data on the keyboard to be deleted.
110 Built-In Songs With Step Up LessonsThe CTK-3000 comes with a bank of songs for your learning and enjoyment, from classics like "Greensleeves" or "Auld Lang Syne" to holiday tunes like "Jingle Bells."
To master a song, it is best to break it up into shorter parts (phrases), master the phrases, and then put everything together. The CTK-3000 features a "Step Up Lesson" feature that helps you to do just that. The built-in songs are pre-divided into phrases to help you master keyboard play. Step Up Lesson takes you through practice of the right hand part, left hand part, and both hand parts for each phrase of a song. Master all of the phrases and you master the song.
Music Challenge Keyboard GameMusic Challenge is a game that measures your reaction speed as you press keys in response to on-screen keyboard indicators and fingering guide indications.
Auto AccompanimentSimply specify a chord and the keyboard automatically produces the matching rhythm, bass, and chord patters. One-touch fill-ins make accompaniments sound interesting and natural. 150 built in auto-accompaniment rhythm patterns.
Transpose FunctionAn easy operation instantly changes the key of the keyboard.
Audio InputPlay along with MP3 or CD players or other devices by plugging them into the stereo mini input jack.
Battery or AC PowerPower the CTK-3000 with six AA-sized batteries (approximately four hours of continuous operation with alkaline batteries) or purchase the AD-5 AC adapter separately to power from your electrical outlets. Built-in speakers make the keyboard entirely portable.
An Auto Power Off feature turns off the device six minutes after the last key is touched, helping you save batteries.
What's in the BoxCTK-3000 Keyboard, Music Stand, Song Book, Safety Precautions, Appendix, Warranty, Power Supply, Keyboard Stand and Headphones

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5/07/2011

Yamaha NP30 Portable Grand Piano Review

Yamaha NP30 Portable Grand Piano
Average Reviews:

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Before detailed remarks, here is my reference point. Having been spoiled with playing real pianos (I should say "acoustic", for PC :), I wanted a keyboard just to enjoy some classical music on my own, at my amateur level. I wanted it to be like a piano (in how it feels and sounds) but small and inexpensive.
PROS:
PORTABILITY - especially for an (almost) full-size keyboard. I really didn't want another piece of furniture. NP30 just lies on the table, which (to my own surprise) ended up as the deciding factor for me. YMMV.
SOUND. All the voices (including grand piano, organ, harpsichord) are well done and beautiful. (But see "CONS" below.)
KEY WEIGHTING. NP30's keys are something like "semi-weighted" and "touch sensitive" (but consult the official specs on this) and somewhat easy to press. But see "CONS" below. BTW I researched this "weighted" topic quite a bit and tried several options, but my practical conclusion is this. If you care about the feel, go more high-end or get the real thing (an acoustic piano, that is). Otherwise you will likely get used to what you have, even though it isn't perfect.
SIMPLICITY. The controls are few and quite intuitive.
PRICE. It's all relative, of course, but compared to other full-size keyboards out there, it's among the cheapest - $300 at Best Buys. (And that's without any sale discounds - Best Buys felt kinda thin on sales to me.)
CONS:
KEY WEIGHTING. While offering you an approximation of an acoustic piano's feel, NP30's keys are not quite there. First, they are hard to press if you place your fingers far from the edge of the key (i.e. towards the back of the keyboard) - I have never noticed this on an acoustic. Second, in some cases when I press several keys at once, NP30 doesn't sense one or two of them, whereas an acoustic piano would. I have to re-adjust the pressure to get NP30 to play them.
SOUND. While individual sounds are beautiful, their combinations may not parallel the richness of an acoustic piano's. This is probably because there is no is no resonating effect between the various strings. (Which is quite understandable at this price level.)
FEATURES (missing). The ones I cared about: additional voices (NP30 only got 10) and the 12 keys for the full-size 88-key keyboard. Again, it's all about a trade-off against portability and price.
ACCESSORIES (missing). Power adapter and the sustain pedal are not included, and Best Buys charges $25-30+ for each. This is a RIP-OFF, people. For power, look around; maybe you have a compatible one already (12V, 1500 mA, negative is outside) - or use rechargeable batteries. And maybe you are fine without the pedal (I am still to answer that question for myself).


Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha NP30 Portable Grand Piano

The Yamaha NP30 Portable Grand is an easy-to-carry piano that features Advanced Wave Memory stereo sampled piano sounds for incredible sound quality.A entirely new take on the digital piano, offering quality, value and portability with a lighter touch. Featuring 76 Graded Touch keys and stereo-sampled pianos. Also, 10 voices like Organs and Strings plus 32 notes of polyphony. Another great feature for the home recording artist is that it performs as a MIDI controller too. The built in speakers allow you to play it anywhere since it operates on six AA batteries.Ultra-Portable Digital PianoThe new NP-30 Portable Grand delivers Yamaha digital piano sound and simplicity in a new lightweight, compact design like nothing else you've seen... all at a price point you won't believe.Its super slim design and minimal weight of 12 pounds makes it the most compact performer in the digital piano family of instruments. And 6 AA batteries are all you need to power up and start playing immediately.Do you have questions about personal keyboards?Click on the image for product comparisons and FAQs!Graded Soft Touch Action - NEWBecause of its similarity to acoustic pianos, a graded action is one of the primary features sought by pianists in their digital instruments. While technically a non-weighted action, the new Graded Soft-Touch keyboard is the first of its kind bringing different levels of resistance without the extra

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