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.
Download
or request your free copy of Keyboard Player Magazine
here
The second London
International Music Show was held recently at London’s
Docklands ExCel Centre and John Bates went along to check
out the new keyboards at the show, some making their debut
appearance. Yamaha,
Roland, Casio
and Clavia
are featured in this show overview.
There are
several new Roland
keyboard products we’ll be looking at over the next
few months and in this issue Andrew Gilbert gets to look at
the Prelude
keyboard and is highly impressed with the vast array of
high quality sounds and backing styles and with a price below
£900, a definite model to consider.
Every
year a new version of that perennial favourite, Band-In-The-Box
is launched and 2009 is no exception. There are plenty of
new refinements to this software package to get excited about
and Andrew Gilbert does just that in his 7
page in-depth review.
Mention the name Mike
Batt and those furry eco-warriors turned pop stars,
The Wombles probably spring to mind. However this multi-talented
songwriter, pianist, producer, arranger and record company
boss has in his time been behind many hit records including
Art Garfunkel’s ‘Bright Eyes’ as well
as launching Vanessa Mae’s career and discovering
Katie Melua. In Key People this month he talks about his
40 years in the business.
With the Classnotes
tuition series featuring music by Bach, Chopin and The
Funk Brothers plus the usual music piece, this then is our
July 2009 issue
which we hope you’ll enjoy. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - June
2009
Welcome
to the June issue of
Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase and
download.
First up Andrew Gilbert looks at the Yamaha
PSR-S550 keyboard, an upgrade from the PSR-S500
from some 2 ½ years ago. This latest model boasts plenty
of new sounds and features, and will be a serious contender
in the mid-range keyboard market.
Casio have
always been able to offer value for money with their keyboards
and pianos and the CDP200
compact digital piano is a case in point. Andrew Gilbert finds
it remarkable that a piano with a rrp of under £600
can boast a proper weighted and graded hammer action. Read
his full in-depth review in this issue.
Isotope
Ozone 4 is a complete mastering system which operates
as a plug-in for PC or Mac in any major DAW program like Cubase,
SONAR or Logic. Tony Cliff who has been using the Ozone 3
for some years looks at what this new version has to offer
in his in-depth review for this issue.
Propellerhead's
Reason 4 is a powerful sequencer package which is available
as a Premium Edition priced at £399 with the complete
Hypersampled ReFill Collection that includes Abbey Road Keyboards,
Reason Pianos, Drum Kits and Electric Bass.
You’ll find Mark Jenkins in-depth review in this issue.
Ruthie
Foster may not yet be a household name, but this Texas
born singer, guitarist and keyboard player has an amazing
voice and is equally at home singing blues, soul or folk.
She talks about her life and music in this issue and can
be seen performing in London and Dublin in early July. Try
and catch her and check out her CDs.
With the usual tuition and music features, this then is
our June issue which we hope you’ll enjoy. See you
next time.
WIN AN APPLE MAC AT THE 2009 LONDON
INTERNATIONAL MUSIC SHOW
Allianz Musical Insurance (AMI), the specialist musical
instrument insurance
provider, is celebrating its involvement with this year’s
London International Music Show by offering visitors the
chance to win an Apple Mac computer worth £1,200.
AMI will be sponsoring the bar, café and press areas
for the duration of the event, from June 11 to 14 2009 at
the Excel Exhibition Centre, London Docklands. In addition
to providing refreshments to music fans, the insurer will
offer show visitors the chance to challenge each other to
a game of Guitar Hero on its stand. www.allianzpowerplay.co.uk
Issue & Web Site Update - May
2009
Welcome
to the May
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
The Swedish company Clavia
has always had a strong following of worldwide devotees from
the days of its synthesizers and particularly since the launch
some seven years ago of the Nord
Electro, a stage instrument offering classic organ and
piano sounds. Now the eagerly awaited Electro
3 is available and John Bates puts it through its paces
and discovers a highly commendable instrument. Read his in-depth
review in this issue.
All the
major manufacturers seem to be launching digital pianos designed
for their looks as much as their sounds at the present time.
Korg now step
into this market with their LP350
which comes in black or white. The LP stands for ‘Lifestyle
Piano’ and its slimline designer looks are certainly
different from the usual Korg piano. But does it sound as
good as it looks? Check out Andrew Gilbert’s in-depth
review in this issue.
Yamaha’s
powerful sound module, the Motif-Rack
XS Tone Generator, which can be used on stage, in the
studio and with or without a computer, and is designed to
offer the best of all worlds. Read Tony Cliff’s review
which is in this May issue or – as with all reviews
– download as a separate PDF file.
Andrew Gilbert takes a break from ‘Computer Music’
this month to present one of his occasional Making
The Grade articles. In this article he examines several
new publications from experienced music teachers and performers
offering sound playing advice and practice pieces for budding
keyboardists. There is also a 3 page music arrangement taken
from one of the books under review. Charles
Gillingham, keyboardist with one of the most successful
US bands of the past couple of decades, ‘Counting
Crows’ talks about the bands upcoming UK tour and
discusses his love of the accordion and the mellotron.
With Classnotes
tuition feature and the usual news features this then is
our May issue in which we hope you’ll find much to
enjoy. See you next time.
