Tascam CD-VT2 CD Vocal and Instrument Trainer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Not everyone has a need for this but if you do, it works very well. It plays a CD well enough although if that's all you need then don't buy this. What it does well is it can either speed or slow the tempo of what is on the CD without changing the pitch, or it can change the pitch of what is on the CD without changing the tempo. It also acts as a tuner. And, it can remove center channel vocals if you want to just hear the music portion of what is on the CD.
Regarding the tempo and pitch change, it executes these tasks flawlessly.
Regarding the vocal elimination, it removes the vocals satisfactorily. I don't think any machine can do a perfect job because there's too many hitches inherent in the recording, but this one does a good enough job so that the vocals are faint enough for someone to sing over and not compete with them.
Build quality is good - it is part of the Teac company and they make quality stuff. I bought a separate power transformer for this unit so I didn't have to worry about batteries, so I have no comments regarding how long the batteries last.
The controls and functions are neatly laid out on the panel and are easy to use. The instruction book is easy to follow. This product does what I bought it for very well so I am happy with it.


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Featuring an improved compact design, the Tascam CD-VT2 CD vocal/music trainer allows artists, musicians, students, and music teachers to practice, learn and teach vocal harmonies, fast rap passages and complex melodies from their favorite music. It offers comprehensive LCD display with graphical user interface, album title/track title indication by CD-Text, expanded effect banks for user preset, chromatic tuner.
Tascam's VSA feature (Variable Speed Audition, pitch control without affecting key) lets you learn a continuous mix of your favorite songs anywhere you go, while Flash Back, loop, and other play functions help review parts without having to constantly reach for the controls. The CD-VT2 also includes a vocal/instrument canceller, allowing you to play along to featured parts with your own vocal or instrument.

Key Features
Portable CD Music/Vocal trainer (More compact than previous CD-VT1MKII)
CD-DA/CD-R/CD-RW disc playback
10 second anti-shock memory
Comprehensive 128 x 64 dot matrix LCD display with graphical user interface
Album title/Track title indication by CD-Text
Elapsed Time/Remain Time display with bar meter
+16 to -50% pitch control in 1% steps
VSA (Variable Speed Audition, pitch control without affecting key)
Key control: +/-6 semi-tone, in semi-tone steps with +/-50 cents fine tune
Single play and continuous play
Single Loop, All Loop, and Seamless IN-OUT Loop
Flash Back function (Instant review up to 5 seconds prior playback)
Vocal/Instrument Canceller with selectable canceling pan point and selectable frequency range
10 effect banks for user preset
Chromatic tuner with calibration (435 to 445Hz)
3 octaves tone oscillator
Metronome (BPM: 40 to 220, Beat: 2 to 6)
(2x) 1/4-inch Mic input
Mic input volume
Mic input level meter indicator on LCD display
CD level meter indicator
Foot switch connector
5 selectable functions by foot switch (Flash Back, Rewind, FF, Bank, Effect on/off)
1/8-inch stereo line output
1/8-inch stereo headphone output
Headphone volume
MONO monitor for CD (L+R, L, R)
Split monitor (Left ch: CD, Right ch: Input or vice versa)
Battery operation
Optional power supply PS-P520

Specifications
Disc Type: 8cm and 12cm CD
Line Output Connector: 1/8-inch Stereo mini connector
Nominal Stereo Output Level: -10dBV
Output Impedance: 600ohm (2V RMS)
Maximum Output Level (LINE OUT): +6dBV
Headphone Output Connector: 1/8-inch Stereo mini connector
Maximum Output Level (PHONES): 15mW (at 32ohm loaded)
Mic Input Connectors: 1/4-inch Phone Connector
Nominal Input Level, Mic Input: -40dBV
Maximum Input Level, Mic Input: -19dBV
Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz (-3/+1dB); (A weight filter + 20KHz LPF)
Signal to Noise Ratio: Better than 85 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion: < 0.03% (200Hz HPF + 20KHzLPF)
Channel Separation: Better than 80dB (A weight filter + 20KHz LPF)
Power Requirements: DC 5V (Optional AC adapter PS-P520); AA batteries x 4
Power Consumption: 4W (with PS-P520)
Dimensions: 7.64 x 1.52 x 5.43 inches (WxHxD)
Weight (excluding batteries): 19.4 ounces

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Sennheiser E 845-S Dynamic Super Cardioid Microphone Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you are a frontman / lead singer that plays a little piano as well...this is the mic for you to use with your keyboard...so you dont have to use your wireless and set it up to the right position before a song... It is a great value for the price. I use a Sennheiser Wireless E835,
This is a great stage mic if you are tired of using your wireless with your keyboard/piano. I use this mic with a boom stand with my piano and leave it in the on position for the whole show. This way, I can leave my wireless Sennheiser with my Glam rock Stand up Stand. Helps save battery life and decreases anxiety of your battery going during a gig.
G-Front
White Dove Red

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The e845 S is a High Performance super-cardioid vocal microphone with exceptional feedback rejection. It ensures vocal projection through high on-stage sound levels. It has a noiseless On/Off switch

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Hisonic Signature Series LXG-20 10" Drum Practice Pad with Stand & Sticks Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm a jazz pianist by training and profession who has recently begun work on drumming issues. This little practice pad has met my expectations, as I have no need for a full set. The pad/stand assembly is very stable and sturdy, and the pad itself has excellent "rebound" action, which approximates a ride cymbal. The sticks that are included are size 5A, which are a bit large for me, so I bought some jazz sticks and am using those instead. I'm working on rudiments, 3 against 4 cross-rhythms, and press-rolls which are an extension of my work as a pianist. After a short time, I've been able to go into drum stores and actually make music, which is surprising, after all of these years at the piano. Kudos to the manufacturer for this fine product.

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Our Instruments and Accessories are Brand new, direct from our manufacturer. All of our instruments have a 1 Year Limited Warranty!. We are in direct contact with the manufacturer which makes our instruments a safe purchase for you. We sell to many schools and colleges. Our company is a proud member of: NAMM

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Pop/Rock - Note-for-Note Keyboard Transcriptions Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is exactly what the title says it is: accurate note-for-note transcriptions of pop/rock songs. It doesn't have the typical cheesy arrangements with the vocal line mixed into the piano part. It also doesn't have guitar songs that don't quite work on the piano. All the songs have prominent piano/keyboard parts, and every one I've tried is faithful to the original. Since the melody is typically not in the piano, you do need to be able to sing along or have a friend who can sing. But the result sounds much, much better than just about any other piano book I've bought. If you like at least a few of the songs in the book, you will not be disappointed!

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35 note-for-note transcriptions for those who want to play exactly what they hear on recordings. Songs include: Africa * Against All Odds * Axel F * Centerfold * Chariots of Fire * Cherish * Don't Let the Sun Go down on Me * Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) * Faithfully * It's Too Late * Just the Way You Are * Let It Be * Mandy * Sailing * Sweet Dreams Are Made of This * Walking in Memphis.

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Yamaha DGX200 76-Key Electronic Keyboard Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have plyed piano professionally and have a degree in music. i have a very expensive Yamaha Clavinova (as well as a real piano)
i bought this thinking of it as a toy for my 22 year old who suddenly wants to play. it has a fabulous piano sound (better than the expensive triton). the built in piano lessons are really helpful. my favorite part is when i taught piano, i could never get kids to practice one hand at a time. this keyboard will play the left hand for you as you play the right and vice versa. my daughter loved that it would record and play back what she had just played.

i always discoraged parents from having their kids practice on keyboards but the touch of these keys is very realistic. i would recommend it to someone starting out in piano not wanting to make that huge investment until they were sure they would continue.
but, as a keyboard (not a tiny piano) there are enough sounds and gimics for a beginner in keyboards but not for someone who really is into all the synthesizer effects.
But, what is this? no power cord? and no sustain pedal. the pedal i can understand but no power cord - that is just too cheap. they should at least put a huge notice on the front of the box that you're going to have to buy one separately.
still, i was shocked at the quality considering the price.

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Yamaha DGX200 76-Key Electronic Keyboard

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Casio LK-92TV 61-Key Lighted Keyboard with TV Outputs, Stand, and Power Adapter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This keyboard is very nice. I was going to purchase an LK-55 at an online auction site. The price of that was much higher than [...] and that was before shipping. Good thing I checked Amazon.com. I discovered this better model, at a better price and with a stand and AC adaptor thrown in.
I ordered on Monday afternoon using free shipping. Amazon emailed notice of shipping that very night, and it was delivered on Tuesday before noon. Awesome! Thanks Amazon.
Apart from the keyboard and manuals, I found a microphone in the box. Embedded carefully in one outer end of the styrofoam packing material was a Casio AC adaptor. This can be easily missed and thrown away with the packaging. Amazon had packaged yet another AC adaptor and keyboard stand with the shipment. In effect I received TWO AC adaptors.
I've already started to use it and I have to say it makes it extremely easy to learn to play. The keys to play next light up, there are voice prompts for which fingers to use, in addition to the LCD screen guidance. The voice also says encouraging stuff like 'Very close', 'keep trying' in response to your performance. All these features can be turned off. There are in fact too many feature to mention - some are listed in the seller's description above.
Something I wondered about was what the differences were between the LK90TV, LK92TV and the LK94TV. I believe the 90 and 92 to be basically the same, and the manual has LK90TV and LK92TV written on it with nothing whatsoever distinguishing one from the other in the manual. The LK94TV on the other hand is very slightly larger in dimensions and weighs a little more than the LK90TV/LK92TV. The LK94TV has a larger memory for songs and will accept 15 user songs while the LK90TV/LK92TV can only take 5, but has a SmartMedia card slot for more songs downloadable onto a card. The LK94TV has no such slot. The LK94TV also has a digital effects function in form of digital reverbration and digital chorus. The LK90TV/LK92TV do not have these. The LK94TV uses 6 D batteries, the LK90TV/LK92TV use 6 AA batteries. Battery life though is aproximately 2.5 hours on continous play for both the LK94TV and the LK90TV/LK92TV.
There are no other differences other than the above. I have no regrets for having gone for the LK92TV, especially at $129 with all the extras thrown in, and I look forward to my family having loads of fun with it.

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Common knowledge says that if you don't practice diligently and master technique, you can't play a musical instrument. Casio, however, thinks everyone should experience the thrill of playing piano, which is why it developed the LK-92TV lighted keyboard. The intuitive device connects to your TV to guide you through lesson plans while lighted keys show you which notes to play. It makes playing piano as easy as coloring by numbers, giving your musical education a terrific jump-start.
The keyboard employs a comprehensive three-step lesson system to build up your knowledge, with feedback and grades after each tutorial. The three-step plan also lets you play at several different paces: you can advance the melody by using the One-Key Play buttons or any other key; you can follow the lighted keys at your own pace as the accompaniment slows down; or you can play the melody in time with the rhythm. Plus, the TV connection does more than just display lessons. It also offers sing-along lyrics for 65 karaoke classics, with the option of loading more songs via computer. If Elton John and Billy Joel are your biggest musical heroes, the sing-along function is a must. And because the song lyrics scroll across the screen while you play, both guests and keyboard players can harmonize through a host of favorites.
Another nice feature is the full complement of 61 illuminated keys, so you don't have to learn on a truncated keyboard, and the 100 prerecorded songs that give you plenty of choices for accompaniment. The setup also offers an extensive repertoire of 264 timbres for creative expression (128 tones, 128 general MIDI timbres, and eight drum sets), 32-note polyphony, and 120 rhythm patterns. To load additional songs, merely connect the LK-92TV to a USB-enabled PC and download the songs to the keyboard's SmartMedia slot.
The LK-92TV owes its high-quality sound to its HL dual-element sound chip, which delivers rich, crisp tones, and its pair of 4.72-inch speakers (2.5 watts x 2). Additional features include a practice phrase switch; transpose and tuning control; an assignable pedal jack (sustain, soft, sostenuto, and rhythm start/stop); and an easy-to-read LCD display. The LK-92TV, which runs on six AA batteries (not included), comes with a keyboard stand, microphone, and power adapter, and is backed by a one-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box Keyboard, keyboard stand, microphone, mini-to-RCA video cable, power adapter, user's manual.

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Yamaha PSR-295 Portatone 61-Key Touch-Sensitive Musical Keyboard Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)[Please note that this product is available from Amazon under three packagings: PSR-295 (no adapter) PSR-295AD (includes adapter) and PSR-295MS (includes adapter and stand). I bought the PSR-295MS package.]
I got this full-length keyboard at a great price of $190 with included adapter and keyboard. Both accessories are a must, since this thing is huge.
The product shipped in two days (from PA to MD) with free shipping. I was delighted to find a helpful instructional DVD in the package to get started with the basics, so I didn't have to go through the manual, except for detailed and advanced features.
Also included was a Song Book, with staff music for some popular songs. It's great for someone who knows how to read music - I'm still learning to. There's also software to transfer music between PC and keyboard.
"Portable Grand" is just a one-touch button option to set the keyboard to Grand Piano mode. Of course, this cannot be expected to sound as great or realistic as a high-end digital piano or an expensive wooden one. However, the touch sensitive feature makes it as realistic as possible.
Here are the features I liked:
* Display shows notes and chords being played in three ways - staff notation, note name (ex. E# m7 aug etc.), and graphical (actual keys on a diagram).
* Truly Touch (Force) Sensitive Keys (can be toggled on/off).
* 487 Voices (incl. ~360 XGLite voices).
* 136 Accompaniment Styles to play along.
* Built-in songs which can be practised using Yamaha Education Suite. (Buil-in feature).
* Jog Dial to move between voice/style/song numbers.
* Flash memory to record your songs.
* Direct USB connection (MIDI-USB connecter cable *not* required - that cable would cost around $40).
* Software to transfer songs and voices between PC and keyboard.
* Truly stero output (not just two speakers).
* Phono/Line-Out socket.
* Sustain pedal socket (pedal not included).
Here are some things I didn't like:
* USB cable not included. ($7 extra from Amazon).
* Volume sometime seems a little low. But then, you can always pass output through amps if you really need it that loud.
* No mic or line-in socket.
* Phono out uses 1/4 inch pin. Had to buy a 1/8 to 1/4 converter from RadioShack.
* LCD display is highly "directional", visible only when looking at a particular angle. This is not much of a problem when playing sitting. However, if playing standing, this may be a little inconvenient.
* No sustain toggle switch. If you don't have a sustain pedal, turning sustain on/off manually takes a couple of steps.
Overall, at under $190, free shipping and included adapter and stand, this is a great buy for beginners as well as advanced users.
I had a Yamaha PSS-11 long back. It was a good beginner keyboard but it soon outgrew me, since you couldn't play it with two hands. Overall, I like Yamaha quality and find their keyboards much more professional than Casio ones (maybe I'm wrong). Of course, "real" professionals would use KORG, but that'll be upwards of $1000! :)


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Yamaha PSR295 61-Key Touch-Sensitive Keyboard Musical Instrument - The Yamaha PSR295 represents a breakthrough in interactive playing, learning, and offers new horizons for the musician. In addition to MIDI connectivity, this is the first time that Yamaha has been able to offer USB on a portable keyboard at such a breakthrough price. Its 'one cable' setup makes it easy to connect the PSR295 and your computer. You can have the ability of creating, editing, and scoring compositions using software on your PC system. The opportunities are virtually endless. Other features include a 6-track sequencer for recording songs and performances, plus 487 selectable instrument voices, including Yamaha's ultra realistic Portable Grand Piano function. The PSR295 comes with 135 built-in styles which will follow your playing like a built-in band. Choose from one of the 30 internal or 70 CD-ROM songs, or download songs from the Web.Easy Song Arranger allows song playback in any of 135 accompaniment styles Portable Grand for the realism of a stereo grand piano Yamaha Education Suite with exercises, interactive lessons and the innovative Your Tempo learning mode, which allows the user to learn songs by progressing at a suitable rate; may repeat any difficult sections On-Board Sequencer records up to 5 songs in 6 tracks 2-way speakers, bass ports & Bass Boost System provide great sound quality Large back-lit LCD shows musical staff & chords Headphone & sustain pedal jacks (headphones and pedals are optional) Includes Digital Music Notebook software for Windows PC

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