Keyboard Player is the longest-running keyboard magazine
on the UK market, having been published monthly since 1979. Appealing
mainly to the home enthusiast and semi-pro player, the magazine covers
all types of keyboard instruments including portables, workstations, synthesizers,
pianos and organs, plus amplification/speaker systems, computer music
software and ancillary equipment. As well as product news and in-depth
reviews, Keyboard Player publishes expert playing advice, tuition plus
sheet music including exclusive music arrangements, along with interviews
and profiles, prize competitions and reviews of CDs, DVDs and books.
Welcome to the combined July/August
issue of Keyboard Player which is available now for
download only at present. Better late than never are the
words that spring to mind, so many apologies for the delay.
We hope that this is only a temporary blip and that normality
can be restored in the not too distant future. Look out
for future updates.
First up
in this issue we have the first part of Andrew Gilbert’s
two-part review of the Korg
PA3x Professional Arranger keyboard. His first impressions
suggest that this is a keyboard aimed mainly for the pro,
although he is very impressed with the sounds and styles on
offer and believes further delights await when he tackles
the sequencers and harmoniser. In the meantime read his 6
page in-depth review in this issue.
Next
up we have the latest MOX
synths from Yamaha. The MOX6
and the MOX8
are both genuine and fiery upgrades, opines John Bates and
fantastic value for money, and should appeal to both gigging
musicians and home/studio use.
Finally
on the review front we have a PA system from Bose, the L1
Model ll which has impressed Tony Cliff so much he’s
decided to order one for himself. (Contrary to popular belief
reviewers don’t get to keep the products they review)
In Key People we interview Gregg
Allman, one of rock music’s true survivors. Here
he talks about his 40 years in music and what persuaded
him to record a new album, ‘Low Country Blues’,
after nearly 15 years.
Over the years popular music has raided the classical archives
for inspiration on numerous occasions. Classnotes
looks and some examples including music for ‘Strangers
In Paradise’ from ‘Kismet’
This then is our July/August issue which we hope you’ll
enjoy. See you soon.
COMING SOON....
Sorry for the delay with Issue 361 but it will be worth the wait!
Our cover story is one of rock music's great survivors, Gregg Allman, who is currently on tour promoting his first album in nearly 15 years, Low Country Blues. Issue 361 will also present in-depth reviews on Yamaha's new synthesizers, the MOX6 and MOX8; Korg's latest Professional Arranger keyboard, the Pa3X; and the Bose L1 Model II portable loudspeaker system.
Issue & Web Site Update - June
2011
Welcome
to the June issue of
Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase and
download.
At long last we are able to bring you part two of the Yamaha
Tyros4 review which we promised when part one was published
last November. Apologies for the delay but hopefully the wait
will be worthwhile as Andrew Gilbert digs deep into the things
that impressed him initially, in this 6 page in-depth review.
Anyone purchasing this review will get part one as well.
Roland have
a reputation for bringing out innovative products and their
new BK-7m
feature-packed compact module, could prove to be a god-send
to solo performers and duos. Read Tony Cliff’s in-depth
review in this issue.
Computer
Music this month features an impressive trio of virtual
saxophones and a trombone, all from Sample Modeling.
In Key People there is an interview with Robert
John Godfrey, keyboardist and founding-member of The
Enid. He’s not too keen on the term prog-rock; and
who can blame him after the excesses of some bands during
the mid-seventies, when the music press painted the whole
genre with the same brush, which rather disguised the fact
that some fine music was still being produced. And of course,
still is. Both, what we’ll call symphonic-rock, and
The Enid have survived and still have a major following
and popularity in the 2011. Godfrey and the band’s
story from their formation in 1975 to the present day is
a fascinating one with many ups and downs, a story of survival
without compromises.
The Can-Can is probably Offenbach’s best known melody
but his Barcarolle from ‘The Tales of Hoffman’
will be equally familiar although perhaps the title less
so. Classnotes
has a fully orchestrated arrangement of this piece for advanced
players with a no-frills version for beginners. Intermediate
players get to tackle Mussorgsky’s Promenade from
‘Pictures at an Exhibition’.
This then is our June issue which we hope you’ll
enjoy. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - May
2011
Welcome
to the May issue of
Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase and
download.
For those of you who would like a ‘real’ organ
but don’t really have the space Orla
have come up with the Compact Theatre which shares its specification
with the Grand Theatre which we reviewed a few issues ago.
With great sounds and styles Andrew Gilbert is impressed with
this organ’s sleek appearance. So for those of you already
working out where it will fit, it’s 114cm wide (that’s
about 45inches for you Imperial die-hards) – full spec
with review. Read
Andrew’s in-depth review in this issue.
We continue
with reviews of Kawai’s
current crop of digital pianos. This time it’s the CN23
and CN33
which are essentially for the home player. John Bates believes
the quality of the sounds and the intuitive response make
these pianos serious contenders in a very competitive market.
In this month’s Key People we interview Bobby
Whitlock best known for being the keyboardist with 70s
band Derek and the Dominos. It is the 40th anniversary of
their classic album ‘Layla and Other Assorted Love
Songs’ now re-released in a special edition. The title
track is one of the all-time great rock love songs and was
written by Eric Clapton, inspired by his then unrequited
love for Patti Boyd, wife of George Harrison. The song is
in two parts, the first written by Clapton and the second,
a piano coda written separately by Jim Gordon. John Bates
examines this second part in his Classnotes feature although
Bobby Whitlock has some strong views on this part of the
song. He also reveals how the recording sessions should
have been a disaster but managed to produce one of rock’s
most iconic albums. ‘It was divinely inspired’
he says.
Europe’s premier music show was held in Frankfurt
recently and both Yamaha and Roland had important new products
unveiled. We take a look at these in our news feature.
As well as Layla part 2, Classnotes
also has the overture from Bizet’s ever-popular opera
‘Carmen’ for both beginners and advanced to
savour. This then is our May issue which we hope you’ll
enjoy. See you next time.
