9/30/2011

Yamaha PKBS1 Single Braced Adjustable X-Style Keyboard Stand Review

Yamaha PKBS1 Single Braced Adjustable X-Style Keyboard Stand
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
When I purchased my daughter a keyboard for Christmas, this stand was included. I must admit that I was very skeptical at first about a stand that was included with the product, but I am very happy.
It is very sturdy, easy to use and folds for storage or transport. The legs scissor, so the height can be adjusted for basically any type of seating you use - we have used it from kitchen chair to bar stool height. When not in use, you can collapse the legs together for easier storage, the width is about 4" when closed.
The only downside to the product, and I am not sure it is a problem with the product or with keyboards, is that there is no mechanism to firmly attach the keyboard to the stand. The keyboard just sits on top of the stand, and can easily be bumped off. I am sure that a way to attach the keyboard could be found, however I would not recommend this stand to a household with small children or for a household where the keyboard will be placed in a high traffic area.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha PKBS1 Single Braced Adjustable X-Style Keyboard Stand



Buy NowGet 13% OFF

Click here for more information about Yamaha PKBS1 Single Braced Adjustable X-Style Keyboard Stand

Read More...

9/29/2011

Pro Piano Tuning Hammer Mute Kit Review

Pro Piano Tuning Hammer Mute Kit
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This product worked fine for me. The hammer seems of good quality. The only problem that I had was that the hammer tip kept coming loose. It needs to be tightened down very tightly. Once that was done it worked fine.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Pro Piano Tuning Hammer Mute Kit



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Pro Piano Tuning Hammer Mute Kit

Read More...

Synthogy Ivory II Grand Pianos Review

Synthogy Ivory II Grand Pianos
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I installed Ivory Grand II about two weeks ago and I am blown away by the quality of the samples and the sensitivity of the touch. It is difficult to tear oneself away. My personal favorite is the Steinway (German D) although they are all excellent. I use the pianos in standalone mode as well as a plug-in when I run Cubase. I would highly recommend Synthogy's products and I'm planning to go ahead and order The Italian Grand for Christmas. I looked at other manufacturers but this one came out on top. Make sure you buy the iLok or you will not be able to run the application. Also, be warned that it will take a few hours to install - 11 disks (DVD) so at least 50GB to transfer but probably more like 80GB. You will need more than one drive also. I would use a 7200 rpm, eSATA or FW800 connection to the drive where you store the samples. Enjoy!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Synthogy Ivory II Grand Pianos



Buy NowGet 9% OFF

Click here for more information about Synthogy Ivory II Grand Pianos

Read More...

9/28/2011

Suzuki Piano School Volumes 1 & 2 - Compact Disc (Lloyd-Watts) Review

Suzuki Piano School Volumes 1 and 2 - Compact Disc (Lloyd-Watts)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
We first tried to have our kids learn the Suzuki books without the CD. Big mistake. Listening is so much a part of the method. We saw marked improvement once we added the CD to practice time. Would recommend.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Suzuki Piano School Volumes 1 & 2 - Compact Disc (Lloyd-Watts)



Buy NowGet 10% OFF

Click here for more information about Suzuki Piano School Volumes 1 & 2 - Compact Disc (Lloyd-Watts)

Read More...

9/27/2011

Yamaha CP1 Stage Piano Review

Yamaha CP1 Stage Piano
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I wanted a great sounding, great feeling piano for a very small space. I had thought about an upright but even that would have been too much bulk. I looked at a lot of options, including the V Piano, and the CP5... it wasn't too hard to decide to go with the CP1 just based on the sound alone. There is a subtle difference between the CP5 and CP1 tone, primarily due to the superior hardware/chip set that Yamaha doesn't disclose on their website but if you call them, they tell you the difference, and while the tone is subtle, it's noticeable if you play it side by side thru an identical speaker. There is more warmth and crispness to the CP1 than the CP5. If you don't need the extra synth sounds and just want the absolute best sounding piano tones, the CP1 is the only option.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha CP1 Stage Piano



Buy NowGet 17% OFF

Click here for more information about Yamaha CP1 Stage Piano

Read More...

Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method (Win/Mac) Review

Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method (Win/Mac)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I recently bought this after reading the review at [...].
Despite a few technical glitches, I found this software met my modest goals, and I covered a lot of new material.
As an intermediate-level player that hadn't played in years, I wanted something to help me improve my skills in a more structured way than trying to find appropriate sheet music on my own, but without the financial and time commitment of private lessons.
First, if using software rather than paper sheet music, you need a digital piano with a MIDI interface to your PC, with the piano keyboard set in front of your PC's monitor. I'm using a Casio PX-120 an an Xmidi 1X1 USB interface.
Interesting aside: when I placed my keyboard on my metal stand, I got a horrifying sound when I hit D# - apparently the stand's resonant frequency, a problem solved with a bit of self-adhesive felt.
The Good:
For each piece or selection thereof, you can hear what the piece is supposed to sound like.
For some exercises, you can get automated feedback on how you played, with the errors tagged on the score, e.g. a missed or wrong note hit, or note held too long.
For other exercises, you can play along to a recorded ensemble.
Along with the music, audio clips are provided with interesting background trivia on the composers and their music but I'd rather read these than listen.
The not so good (are you listening emedia?):
There's not a good way to print a score as there is with online Scorch sheet music.
You cannot expand the window to see a whole page of music at once.
It's possible to lock the program up by trying to set various while audio is being played.
I found the metronome far too loud, with no obvious way to adjust its volume. I wound up just using the metronome built into my keyboard.
I had to keep the CD in my PC to use all the features.
The table of contents is too coarse, only allowing you to jump to the top of each section, rather than to a particular lesson or piece.
The "Animated keyboard" which displayed by default is a worthless waste of screen space for an Intermediate player. Fortunately, you can turn it off.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method (Win/Mac)

The eMedia Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method software features over 150 lessons and 50 songs with a focus on blues, classics, conventional scales, chord progressions, improvisation and other techniques necessary for mastering the piano. Vadim Ghin, author of the innovative eMedia Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method CD-ROM, holds a Masters Degree in Piano from the Julliard School of Music, and has taught extensively at Julliard, New York University, and the Manhattan School of Music. AC_FL_RunContent( 'codebase','http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,28,0','width','330','height','286','title','eMedia Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method Video Demo','src','http://www.americanmusical.com/ItemFiles/Flash/eMediaPianoKeyboardMethodIntermediate','quality','high','pluginspage','http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash','movie','http://www.americanmusical.com/ItemFiles/Flash/eMediaPianoKeyboardMethodIntermediate' ); //end AC code

Buy NowGet 17% OFF

Click here for more information about Intermediate Piano and Keyboard Method (Win/Mac)

Read More...

9/26/2011

Yamaha LP5A Sustain Foot Pedal for L85 and L85S Digital Pianos Review

Yamaha LP5A Sustain Foot Pedal for L85 and L85S Digital Pianos
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have a Yamaha P85, so I also bought this pedal unit for it. Any semi-advanced pianist who either wants to use the soft and sostenuto pedals or just wants to upgrade from the basic sustain pedal that comes bundled with the keyboard should check this set out.
Here are some things that are good:
Stability: Along with the stand, this pedal system is solid, both in connecting to the stand and improving the overall stability of piano. It doesn't move around when connected to the stand and when you press down. Also, you don't have to worry about the pedal shifting around all the time under your feet.
Realistic physical arrangement: This is pretty obvious, but having the addition of three pedals makes the digital piano feel more lifelike. These pedals are spaced just like a real grand pianos, and don't move around.
Effects: The sostenuto works pretty well. It actually creates the effect that a real sostenuto pedal should create. It probably is just electronically simulated, but it works for me. Plus, most players rarely need the sostenuto pedal. It's nice having one anyway, though.
Adjustable height: When you first attach the system, you can raise or lower it. This is useful because it allows you to adjust the height so it is like your real piano and fits comfortably.
Visually appealing: Although real pianos usually don't have gray pedals, these pedals blend in well with the rest of the P85, and make the piano overall better looking.
Half-pedal: The sustain pedal gives a half pedal power. You can fine tune how sustained a note is on a real piano by adjusting how hard you press down with your feet. Half-pedal capabilities on this aren't perfect, but they're still a good feature to have if you're a talented pianist.Cons:
Touch: The pedals on this system don't feel like the pedals on a real piano to your feet. They feel a bit too tight to press down, and the springs under them make it harder to control release and pressure (a problem to advanced players).
Construction of pedals: Although the rest of the system is built pretty solidly and well, the pedals themselves are made out of plastic, further contributing to the touch problem. They don't feel as realistic than the heavy but fine bronze pedals on most real pianos.
Perfection: A lot of things with sound could be a bit more perfect. The soft pedal could be a bit warmer than just softer. The sustain could be grander and deeper, not so shallow. Also, it would be nicer if the sustain pedal had a wider range of depth for the half-pedal feature. Yamaha could have paid a bit more attention to designing the feel of the pedals and construction in order for them to be more realistic.
Overall, these are suitable pedals for a beginner or slightly advanced player. If you're a professional or looking for a truly realistic set of pedals, you should look elsewhere. Perhaps the next generation of pedals from Yamaha will be better!


Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha LP5A Sustain Foot Pedal for L85 and L85S Digital Pianos



Buy NowGet 24% OFF

Click here for more information about Yamaha LP5A Sustain Foot Pedal for L85 and L85S Digital Pianos

Read More...

9/25/2011

Bastien Piano Basics - Theory Level 2 Book Review

Bastien Piano Basics - Theory Level 2 Book
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Bastien is the best source for paino books! I grew up using them and now I have purchased them for my children. Great content, good song choices, and fluid levels.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bastien Piano Basics - Theory Level 2 Book



Buy NowGet 5% OFF

Click here for more information about Bastien Piano Basics - Theory Level 2 Book

Read More...

Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner - Primer A Review

Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner - Primer A
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I started my 6 year old on this book and she learned very quickly from it. The teaching is clear and simple, perfect for a beginner and especially for a child. I heard about this book from a very experienced teacher and have been super happy with it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner - Primer A



Buy NowGet 7% OFF

Click here for more information about Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner - Primer A

Read More...

9/24/2011

Yamaha PA130MM 120 Volt Keyboard AC Power Adaptor Review

Yamaha PA130MM 120 Volt Keyboard AC Power Adaptor
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Does exactly what the description says, however in the long run, it's just a very average AC power adapter that can be replaced by any 12V generic one. The cord is too short, I'd estimate around 5-6 feet, so you may have difficulty playing your piano if it isn't up against the wall. (Additionally, it will serve as a tripping hazard if your piano is positioned 3-4 feet away from the wall.)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Yamaha PA130MM 120 Volt Keyboard AC Power Adaptor



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Yamaha PA130MM 120 Volt Keyboard AC Power Adaptor

Read More...

9/23/2011

On Stage KT7800 Plus Keyboard Bench Review

On Stage KT7800 Plus Keyboard Bench
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The legs remove completely from the bench by squeezing in two pins on each arm of the "X". There are knobs you can tighten to hold the pins in, which is handy because otherwise it would require a lot of hands to set up the bench.
I would not recommend this bench if you plan to set it up and take it down frequently. The rails on the bottom of the bench are too close together on mine and that makes one end very difficult to remove. It also takes a bit of fiddling around with both ends to ensure all 4 pins seat in the holes in the bench rail. If you were in a hurry it would be easy to only wedge the unit together and have it collapse when you sat down.

Click Here to see more reviews about: On Stage KT7800 Plus Keyboard Bench



Buy NowGet 56% OFF

Click here for more information about On Stage KT7800 Plus Keyboard Bench

Read More...

Casio WK-200 76-Key Personal Keyboard with MP3/Audio Connection and 570 Tones Review

Casio WK-200 76-Key Personal Keyboard with MP3/Audio Connection and 570 Tones
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I played piano on my family's old baby grand piano all my life and then I went off to college where I had no piano. I finally asked for one for my birthday and this is what my family chose for me. The sound is GREAT (the 5 main piano tones are very nice, I love 002), the keyboards have a very nice weight to them that makes them feel like a real piano (not something cheap and plasticy).
Some accessories I'd recommend for any buyers:
Headphones-- This keyboard can go really loud and if you're around others, you may want to consider headphones so you can enjoy all the sound :) If you use regular stereo-mini phones (like iPod jacks), you will need a Stereo Mini Jack (1/8") to Stereo Standard Plug (1/4").
Pedal-- This is an M-Audio keyboard so it works with just about any pedal but I really love this one:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00063678K
It has a very realistic feel to it; much better than those cheap plastic ones that you get from the manufacturerOver all a great keyboard, I couldn't be happier!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Casio WK-200 76-Key Personal Keyboard with MP3/Audio Connection and 570 Tones

The Casio WK-200 is an affordable instrument with a 76 Key Piano Style Touch Sensitive Keyboard, 570 total onboard Tones, 180 Rhythms and Reverb plus Chorus Digital Effects. Packed with great features such as Casio's famous Step-up Lesson System, audio inputs for a MP3 player, Mic input, 10 seconds of sampling and a USB port for MIDI. All this makes WK-200 more realistic and expressive than ever before at this price range.


Standard-Size Keys with Touch Response The WK-200 features 76 standard-size keys and two sensitivity levels for a more piano-like experience, along with 48-note polyphony (24-note for certain tones).

570 Built-In Tones Find just the right sound with 570 built-in tones, from strings to woodwinds and plenty more. You can layer two different tones (such as piano and strings) or split the keyboard down the middle for an ensemble approach.

Reverb and Chorus Effects Select from ten different reverb and five different chorus effects to add depth and shimmer to your performance.

USB Port For many musicians, the computer has become a music-making center. Connect the WK-200 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 your computer, or send MIDI data from your computer to the keyboard for playback.

Built-In Sampling You can use the WK-200 to sample a sound from a portable audio player or other device, and then play the sound with keyboard keys. Sample up to ten seconds, and store up to five sampled sounds to keyboard memory.

152 Built-In Songs and Ten User Songs The WK-200 comes with a bank of songs for your learning and enjoyment. You can also record your own performances, using up to six tracks of different instruments.

Step Up Lessons To master a song, it is best to break it up into shorter parts (phrases), master the phrases, and then put everything together. The WK-200 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 Game Music 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 Accompaniment With Auto Accompaniment, simply select an accompaniment pattern. Each time you play a chord with your left hand the appropriate accompaniment will play automatically. It's like having a personal backup group along with you wherever you go. The WK-200 features 180 built-in rhythms, and you you can also edit and save up to 10 of your own auto accompaniment patterns.

Auto Harmonize Auto Harmonize automatically adds harmony to notes you play with your right hand, which adds rich depth to the melody of your performances. You can select from among 12 types of Auto Harmonize to suit the type of music you are playing.

Arpeggiator The Arpeggiator makes it possible to play an arpeggio pattern automatically. There are 90 different arpeggio patterns from which to choose in order to match the music you are playing.

Transpose Function An easy operation instantly changes the key of the keyboard.

Line-in and Mic Input Play along with MP3 or CD players or other devices by plugging them into the stereo mini input jack, or plug a mic right in and sing along.

Battery or AC Power Power the WK-200 with six D-sized batteries or purchase the AD-5MR 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 Box WK-200 Keyboard, Song Book, Safety Precautions, Appendix, Warranty


Buy Now

Click here for more information about Casio WK-200 76-Key Personal Keyboard with MP3/Audio Connection and 570 Tones

Read More...

9/22/2011

Hal Leonard Elton John - Greatest Hits 1970-2002 Piano, Vocal, Guitar Songbook Review

Hal Leonard Elton John - Greatest Hits 1970-2002 Piano, Vocal, Guitar Songbook
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this for my mom for Christmas. She was very excited about the song selection. And the cover is awesome!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hal Leonard Elton John - Greatest Hits 1970-2002 Piano, Vocal, Guitar Songbook



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Hal Leonard Elton John - Greatest Hits 1970-2002 Piano, Vocal, Guitar Songbook

Read More...

Taylor Swift - Fearless - Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook Review

Taylor Swift - Fearless - Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This book arrived in new condition, and it is not very hard to play. I've been playing the piano for about 4 years, and the piano parts are basically just the notes to the lyrics, plus some chords and stuff. It's really nice to play along with a guitar and sing. =)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Taylor Swift - Fearless - Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook



Buy NowGet 30% OFF

Click here for more information about Taylor Swift - Fearless - Piano/Vocal/Guitar Artist Songbook

Read More...

9/21/2011

Grover-Trophy Pitchpipe Piano Tuning Hammers Square Head Review

Grover-Trophy Pitchpipe Piano Tuning Hammers Square Head
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The treading that connects the head to the handle striped rather quickly. A little J-B Weld fixed that. Other than that it's a solid tool.
J-B Weld 8265-S Cold Weld

Click Here to see more reviews about: Grover-Trophy Pitchpipe Piano Tuning Hammers Square Head



Buy NowGet 21% OFF

Click here for more information about Grover-Trophy Pitchpipe Piano Tuning Hammers Square Head

Read More...

9/20/2011

Korg SP250 Portable 88 Key Digital Piano With Keyboard Stand Bundle & Bench; Headphones; Review

Korg SP250 Portable 88 Key Digital Piano With Keyboard Stand Bundle and Bench; Headphones;
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I purchased the Korg SP250 as a practice piano, a recording piano, and as a MIDI controller for a Ketron SD2 sound module.
As a practice piano it is completely acceptable. The touch of the keys is pretty good and the piano sound is fine too.
As a recording piano it is not entirely acceptable. Even with lots of added reverb, the sound tends to come across as "too close". This is a pity, because the recorded piano sound itself is quite realistic, better than it sounds over the SP250's built-in speakers.
As a MIDI controller this is all but a complete bust. The Korg ignores MIDI control changes above 30 (30-128), so it's extremely limited as a controller. This was by no means made clear in the literature or reviews for the keyboard. I came across it in the middle of the owner's manual as I was puzzling through the fact that I couldn't access most of the banks and sounds in my sound module.
As it stands, this will be a fine practice piano for my husband, but I've had to purchase a new controller and digital piano.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Korg SP250 Portable 88 Key Digital Piano With Keyboard Stand Bundle & Bench; Headphones;



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Korg SP250 Portable 88 Key Digital Piano With Keyboard Stand Bundle & Bench; Headphones;

Read More...

9/19/2011

Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner - Primer B Review

Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner - Primer B
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
this is a great series for the beginner pianist. And one that a novice can use to self teach.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner - Primer B



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Bastien Piano for the Young Beginner - Primer B

Read More...