7/07/2011

Yamaha FC3 Dual Zone Piano Style Sustain Pedal Review

Yamaha FC3 Dual Zone Piano Style Sustain Pedal
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This pedal is really worth the price. I can't imagine not having it. I use it with a Yamaha P70 digital keyboard. I grew up playing a normal piano, and was skeptical about how this would work. The control is very precise. It is indespensible for anyone who is used to using a pedal. At first I thought it was a little high of the ground, but I got used to it.

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About as close as you can get to natural sustain, the FC3 offers continuous sustain performing exactly as an acoustic piano would. Unlike most common pedals, the FC3 has a unique continuous zone that allows for different types of sustain.

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M-Audio Keystudio 49-NOTE USB Keyboard Review

M-Audio Keystudio 49-NOTE USB Keyboard
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Okay Look a couple disgruntled customers gave bad reviews about a product that does exactly what it's advertisements claim. 49 keys check, non-weighted keys;check, play 4 octives whithout using octive shift;check, pitch bend;check, modulation;check, assignable midi;check. Plug and Play, no driver installation needed with most every DAW not just Garage Band or Mac Products.Those people don't know what they are talkin about or what kind of equipment they are looking for frankly. I use a Sony Vaio with Windows Vista 64 bit, my DAW is FL Studio. It works fine. No, it doesn't make any sounds unless you have a program that it can communicate with, then there is no sound that is known to man that it want make for you, if only you now how to instruct it. It's not the keyboard's fault if you don't know how to use it. This keyboard is more for people who are into music production and have not progressed far enough or have not decided that they want to invest a couple of grand in a more serious keyboard, it's absolutely worth a [...] bucks. My advise to the lady is that if hubby doesn't know how to make his own melodies and background music, then just get him a toy Casio keyboard he'll love that. The only thing I would complain about is that the keys are not weighted, but I know that when I bought, it's a work around though. You just have to get used to the sensitivity, it would be nice if you could manually adjust the sensitivity setting to your personal touch. Good Keyboard not Great. There are no great keyboards @ [...] bucks!

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Harness the power of your Mac music software with M-Audio's KeyStudio USB keyboard controller. KeyStudio makes it easy to command a library of virtual instruments, audition loops and compose songs in GarageBand, Logic and other Mac-compatible applications. The sleek controller features 49 synth-action keys plus pitch bend and modulation wheels, sustain pedal input and more. Simply connect it to your Mac OS X computer with a single USB cable and start playing.

49-Note, Synth-Action Keyboard The KeyStudio keeps things simple with a 49-note keyboard and basic controls. Use the octave up and down buttons to hit higher and lower notes, and the pitch bend and modulation wheels for added expression.
Get Started Instantly The Keystudio will install instantly on Mac OS X computers--just plug and play. Of course, it works great on Windows machines too.
Powered by the USB port on your computer, the Keystudio makes a perfect controller for GarageBand, Logic or other music applications.
Assignable Functions You can easily set up the KeyStudio to work the way you want. You can assign the modulation wheel and volume slider for convenient control of functions like volume, pan or portamento (for just a few examples).
The assignable octave +/- buttons can be set to adjust octave shift, program change, bank MSB, transpose, Bank LSB, or MIDI channel change settings.
The "edit mode" button allows you to control advanced functions via the keys themselves, changing anything from octave to bank or program info.
Easy Connections Because the Keystudio is powered by your computer's USB bus, all you need for connection and power is the included USB cable.
You can also add a standard sustain pedal for more piano-like expression, using the quarter-inch input on the back of the keyboard.
What's in the Box M-Audio KeyStudio USB keyboard, USB cable, Printed KeyStudio Quick Start Guide

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7/06/2011

Piano For Dummies Level 2 Review

Piano For Dummies Level 2
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I played brass instruments as a kid. I stopped playing at age 13. I have not done anything since. I am 42 now. With this series of programs (level 1 and this level 2) I have learned how to read music and play the piano and am loving every minute of it. I can actually make music from my piano now. Thank You

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eMedia Piano For Dummies Level 2 gives you everything you need to continue your journey toward being an accomplished piano or keyboard player! It is perfect for anyone who already knows some basic note reading, the middle C position and how to play some melodies. Learn to play at your own pace from over 150 easy-to-follow interactive lessons with full-motion videos. New Instant Feedback, for both acoustic pianos and electronic keyboards, highlights correctly played notes in melodies. Enjoy playing along with live recorded songs or have fun playing with accompaniments that you can slow down or speed up. Learn to play over 50 songs with recorded audio and variable-speed MIDI tracks.

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7/05/2011

Suzuki Piano School International Edition Piano Book and CD - Volume 2 Review

Suzuki Piano School International Edition Piano Book and CD - Volume 2
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The book is great!! The seler very professional and delivery was very fast!!

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This International Edition of Suzuki Piano School, Volume 2 includes French, German and Spanish translations, new Romantic and 20th-century pieces, as well as a recorded CD performed by internationally renowned recording artist Seizo Azuma. Now the book and CD can be purchased together right here for additional savings. The contents have changed slightly with minimal reordering of the music. The Mozart Minuet and Bach Musette from the earlier edition were eliminated and replaced with two new 20th-century pieces by Bartok (noted below), and the Bach "Minuet in G Minor" (from J. S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach) has been moved to Volume 3. Other improvements include a cleaner appearance with less editing and spacious new engravings, as well as more detailed titles that include the keys, sources, composer dates, and catalog numbers. Titles: Ecossaise (J. N. Hummel) * A Short Story (H. Lichner) * The Happy Farmer, from Album for the Young, Op. 68, No. 10 (R. Schumann) * Minuet in G Major, BWV 822 (J. S. Bach) * Minuet in G Major, from J. S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (Anonymous) * Minuet in G Minor, BWV 822 (J. S. Bach) * Cradle Song, Op. 13, No. 2 (C. M. von Weber) * Arietta (W. A. Mozart) * Hungarian Folk Song, from For Children, Sz. 42 (Bela Bartok) * Melody, from Album for the Young, Op. 68, No. 1 (R. Schumann) * Minuet in G Major, from J. S. Bach's Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (C. Petzold) * Sonatina in G Major, Anh. 5 (Moderato, Romance) (L. van Beethoven) * Children at Play, from For Children, Sz. 42 (Bela Bartok).

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Yamaha DGX-630 88 Full-Sized Keyboard with Weighted Action Review

Yamaha DGX-630 88 Full-Sized Keyboard with Weighted Action
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I am a complete piano novice, but my next-door neighbor, who plays for a living and owns a Kurzweil came over, and after playing it a few minutes said, "If you don't mind my asking, how much did this cost?" His keyboard is a few years old, but he said that he likes the action on this better than his, and he found the sound excellent.
I'm writing this review because I had a few questions that I wished I knew the answers to, but could not find anywhere online before I bought this product sight unseen.
1. Question: How many degrees of loudness are there, depending on how hard you strike?
Answer: A lot. At least 8, but I suspect if my fingers were more dextrous and my ear better I could hear many more levels of touch sensitivity. In any case it sounds in this respect just like a piano to me.
2. Question: Does the timbre of the note change depending on how hard I strike the key?
Answer: Yes, and this effect depends on which keys you strike. In the low notes you hear a realistic sounding distortion when you slam down on the key. On the high notes you hear that hollow sound of the wood piano frame when you nail it. This latter effect was so realistic that I had to turn off the keyboard to be sure it wasn't something that was physically happening inside the box rather than a simulated effect.
Question: On a sustained note does the sound simply fade, or does the quality of the sound change in a natural sounding way as it fades out?
Answer: Again, it sounds just like a real piano to me in this regard.
This keyboard has a "graded hammer action" so that the weight of the keys at the top is lighter than the weight at the bottom. While they may have reproduced this effect accurately, it is almost indiscernable to me with the keyboard off. But with the keyboard on, the weight of the keys feels absolutely distinct from top to bottom because the "strings" at the top and bottom respond so differently. That is, the sound is so good that it tricks your brain into sensing that the keys have completely different weights.
I bought it in spite of the fact that I wasn't sure of the answers to these questions, and it is exactly what I had hoped for. It feels and sounds just like a piano to me, especially with good headphones, which allow me to practice scales in my living room without driving my family insane.


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The new top of the range 88 keys Yamaha DGX-630 features a fully weighted 88-note Graded Hammer keyboard action, a new piano sound with 64-note polyphony and over 500 high quality sounds. The 88-key Yamaha DGX-630 is a weighted graded hammer action portable keyboard. Upgrades from the previous model include 64-note polyphony, a beautiful matching stand and an optional three-pedal unit, along with additional DSP (Digital Signal Processing) effects that enable realistic sounding Distortion Guitar and Rotary Organ. The Yamaha DGX-630 also includes USB MIDI and USB to Device for removable storage, along with a high resolution Live! Grand stereo sample, song recorder, score and lyric display. The Yamaha DGX-630 offers an affordable, feature-packed portable keyboard. It also boasts an authentic grand piano-like touch: heavy in the low end, feathery light in the highs, and amazingly responsive throughout. Yamaha Education System (YES) offers an easy, intuitive method of learning how to play a keyboard music instrument. Stand, AC Adapter, Foot Pedal, and Quick-Start DVD are included. USB connectivity for easy matchup to optional PC software complements. Yamaha DGX Series offers a high quality, moderately priced digital piano, but also a diverse feature set typically found on high-end professional synthesizer products. 88 Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keysDual and split modesFC5 sustain pad, music rest and CD-ROM includedGM and XG-Lite compatibleHeadphone portLarge backlit (blue) LCD displayMulti-fingering mode and 'full' keyboard mode availableOptional 3-way pedal board available (model LP-7)Over 500 voices to select fromPitchbend wheelRegistration memories (2 x 8 banks)Reverb, Chorus, DSP and master EQ effectsSupplied with fixed-frame wooden stand and AC power adaptorSweet, Live and Cool voice technology USB connectivityYamaha Education Suite (Y.

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7/04/2011

M-Audio ProKeys Premium Stage Piano Review

M-Audio ProKeys Premium Stage Piano
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The Piano sound is truly the best sound you can find for even under $1000, and this is only $500.
Thats the good news.
The other sounds are ok, the organ sounds being the worst, and the electric piano being the best non-piano sounds. The worst part (and the reason i wouldnt buy it again) is the touch. If you plan on just pounding out chords, itll be fine, but if you play classical, jazz, or even most pop-styles that require a bit of touch, you will hate this piano. They say it is "Hammer-Action" but really they should be called "way-over-weighted". These are the heaviest keys i have ever played, and I wish i would have played it before i bought it online.

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The ProKeys 88 is the premium digital stage piano that doubles as a great MIDI controller. It's loaded with large, realistic samples 14 world-class instruments in all, including split/layer capabilities. We paired those great sounds with an 88-key hammer-action keyboard, delivering a realistic feel to satisfy the most demanding pro. The ProKeys 88 is also a great master controller keyboard, including a built-in USB MIDI interface for easy direct connection to your PC or Mac, MIDI In and Out jacks to communicate with other MIDI gear, pitch and modulation wheels, sequencer controls and more. ProKeys 88 pulls out all the stops in creating the ultimate playing experience in an affordable digital stage piano.


Ultra-Realistic Piano Our goal in designing the ProKeys 88 was to create an extremely musical and realistic piano experience. The caliber of a digital piano is greatly influenced by the quality and the size of the samples, so we started by giving the ProKeys 88 a generous amount of memory. Then, rather than dividing it up amongst a bunch of sounds you're not likely to use, we focused on the 14 sounds that are the bread and butter for many keyboardists--paying special attention to the stereo grand piano.

More Than a Stage Piano The ProKeys 88 delivers all the staple keyboard sounds needed by many musicians. Its flagship stereo grand is supplemented by an alternate grand designed to really cut through in popular music. The ProKeys 88 has electric pianos covered too. And the Clavinet brings one word to mind: "funky." Acoustic and electric basses give you the option of layering a ride cymbal for jazz tunes. Vibes, ensemble strings and an inspiring warm, lush synth pad round out a great sonic palette for the gigging keyboardist.
88-Key Hammer Action Of course, a realistic digital stage piano must have a full 88 keys that are properly weighted. The ProKeys 88's full-range clavier features hammer action that feels just like the real thing. It features three velocity curves tailored to different touches, as well as a fixed velocity for synth work.
Splits and Layers The ProKeys 88 keyboard also features split and layer capabilities. Put a bass in your left hand and keys in your right. Chord with an organ while playing a piano lead. Layer lush strings over a piano. You can even have a split and layer simultaneously for a total of three sounds at once.
Control Your DAW When it comes to communicating with the outside world, most digital stage pianos offer little more than a MIDI jack. In sharp contrast, the ProKeys 88 inherits much from M-Audio's years of experience pioneering mobile MIDI controllers. It incorporates a full USB MIDI interface that communicates with your PC or Mac via a single, simple USB connection--perfect for recording with virtually all MIDI sequencer software on the market. (The instrument features class compliancy with Windows XP and Mac OS X without installation of additional drivers.) You can even control your sequencer remotely via front-panel Start, Stop and Tempo buttons.
MIDI In and Out jacks allow full communication with all standard MIDI gear as well. The ProKeys 88 also features performance controls that are rare on digital stage pianos, including pitch wheel, modulation wheel, two footswitch inputs, and expression pedal input. The three different ranges available via the ProKeys 88's combined split and layer functions can each transmit on a separate MIDI channel as well. You also get dedicated front-panel buttons for program change, channel, bank MSB, bank LSB and local on/off.
Built-in Effects There's no need to mess around with additional gear to add basic effects to your ProKeys 88. On-board EQ lets you easily tweak the tone on the fly. You also get three different built-in reverb spaces that simulate different acoustic environments. Chorus fattens up sounds like the electric pianos and basses. And what's a vintage Wurlitzer electric piano without tremolo? Experiment with different effects on the ProKeys 88 to create signature sounds of your own.
Full Pedal Complement Every digital piano has a sustain pedal jack. But what about the sostenuto pedal (the middle pedal on an acoustic piano)? ProKeys 88 has it. There's also an expression pedal for foot-control of volume. And all three of these pedals serve as MIDI controllers for outboard gear as well.
Headphones and Pro Audio Outputs Ever need to practice privately? ProKeys 88 includes a 1/4-inch stereo headphone jack so you can play without anyone else hearing you--at home or at a sound check. Of course, it wouldn't be an M-Audio product without high-fidelity 1/4-inch unbalanced audio output with specs like 20Hz-20kHz frequency response and 108dB dynamic range.
What's in the Box ProKeys 88, Software Driver CD (drivers and applications), USB cable, Printed User Manual, Power supply (12V DC), Sustain Pedal

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7/03/2011

Bastien Piano Basics Level 1 - Theory Review

Bastien Piano Basics Level 1 - Theory
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Ordered 2 piano books for my daughter. They arrived in good condition. Shipping was very fast, days ahead of schedule.

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Bastien Piano Basics is an exciting and comprehensive series for piano study designed to get the young student off to the right start. The learning sequence is carefully graded to assure steady progress in all areas. Theory contains written work and some short pieces to reinforce each concept introduced. Students will have a better understanding of the music they are playing - and they will learn it more easily - when theory is integrated as a regular part of the learning process.

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