Welcome
to the December
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
It seems these days that digital piano design and looks are
as important as the sounds and features. Andrew Gilbert looks
at Roland’s latest budget-price model, the F-110
and finds it scores well on all fronts. Read his in-depth
review in this issue.
For the
stage performer Yamaha’s S range of synthesizers have
been a popular choice over the past decade and the latest
series, the S70XS and S90XS have recently been launched. John
Bates looks at the S70XS
in this issue and finds this piano-weighted 76 note model
breaks new ground.
The second
part of the Ketron
Audya review is featured this month and Andrew Gilbert
concentrates on the styles section of this advanced music
station which he regards as the most impressive feature of
this keyboard.
If you
are looking for a powerful and compact keyboard amplifier
the Behringer
K1800FX may be worth checking out in the 2 page review
in this issue.
In Computer
Music this month Andrew Gilbert rejuvenates his guitar
skills with Overlaud’s budget amp simulator TH1 Triode,
checks out the Sibelius
6.1 update and reviews a book on sound mixing.
In Key People, Douglas McPherson talks to Britain’s
versatile and energetic jazz pianist and vocalist Jamie
Cullum who is more than happy to talk about his keyboard
collection, wide-ranging musical tastes and his desire to
integrate the pop and rock world with the spirit of jazz
and improvisation.
In Classnotes John Bates acknowledges that the festive season
is almost upon us with two helpings of Prokofiev’s
‘Troika’ and elsewhere Antonio Vivaldi’s
guitar concerto is featured.
This then is our December issue. Best wishes for Christmas
and the New Year. See you soon.
Issue & Web Site Update - November
2009
Welcome
to the November
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
The Italian company Ketron
have been around for many years producing excellent keyboards
and pianos and in that time have built a strong reputation
for original if at times complex instruments. Their latest
model, the Audya,
has been much-anticipated and Andrew Gilbert got his hands
on one for a couple of weeks and found much to write about.
So much, in fact, that we are splitting his review into two
parts, going into great detail on the sounds in this first
part with the styles and other features in next months issue.
Those wishing to purchase the review will be able to download
both parts for the price of one next month, however those
of you who cannot wait can download part one now and get the
second part free next month by emailing info@keyboardplayer.com
giving your name and the date you purchased the first part.
For those
pianists out there who won’t be parted from their acoustic
pianos, and who’d really like to play at all hours but
have family and neighbours to consider, Yamaha
have come up with a neat idea. By combining elements of the
digital piano with a good acoustic piano you get what Yamaha
have named the Silent
Piano. Read John Bates review on this quiet revolution
in this issue.
Casio
have always represented good value for money and their new
Privia
PX-330 is no exception. Tony Cliff gives this model a
run and finds it light on weight but heavy on features making
it ideal for both the home and gigging. Read his in-depth
review in this issue.
Earlier this year Rick
Wakeman realised an ambition by performing The Six Wives
Of Henry Vlll, his first solo album at Hampton Court Palace.
Back in 1973 the idea of a rock musician performing at such
an historic venue was unthinkable but in 2009 he was welcomed
with open arms – how things change. Douglas McPherson
spoke to him about the gig and his plans for revisiting
some of his other classic albums from the 70s and giving
them similar treatment. Anyone up for a trip to the centre
of the earth?
Rick Wakeman also gets a name check in Classnotes
this month with his role in helping to make Cat Steven’s
classic ‘Morning Has Broken’ such a massive
hit. We also have the sheet
music in this issue.
That’s our November
issue then which we hope you will enjoy – see
you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - October
2009
Welcome
to the October
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
First up this month we have the Roland
VP-770 Vocal & Ensemble keyboard which John Bates
in his 5 page review describes as ‘a highly developed
live vocal synth/processor plus a set of sounds’. He
then goes on to say that this is a unique instrument that
offers some very special sounds and effects.
Andrew
Gilbert has a look at the Yamaha
P-155 portable piano and opines that Yamaha have made
a very good job of making one of its mid-range home digital
pianos into a portable-cum-stage piano. Read his 3 page review
in this issue.
You may
have caught the news item in last month’s issue about
the TRX
Tyros Organ System. In this issue we have a full review
on this upgrade kit which converts the Tyros 2 or 3 into a
full organ set-up.
Two software items dominate Computer
Music this month. The Vienna Imperial which replicates
the superb tones of the Bosendorfer 290 grand piano and
the ‘pop starlet’ singer that is the Vocaloid
Sonika from Zero-G. There is also a review of the Cubase
5 tutorial DVD from ASKVideo.
Key People has an interview with singer, songwriter and
keyboardist Nerina
Pallot who tasted chart success a few years ago and
is now back with a new CD after taking time off to complete
her education.
Another eclectic mix of musical styles in Classnotes
ranging from Beethoven to Hip-hop plus the usual music and
news features, this then is our October issue which we hope
you will enjoy. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - Septmeber
2009
Hello again,
another month goes by and another issue of Keyboard
Player is available to purchase and download.
When Yamaha launched Tyros3 a year ago they announced that
expansion software would be made available to broaden the
sounds and styles that the instrument could produce. Two Premium
Packs entitled ‘Euro & US Organ’ and ‘Choir
& Vocals’ plus the ‘SA2 Trombone Premium Voice’
are now available in download versions only. In
his 5 page In-Depth Review, Andrew Gilbert looks at what’s
on offer and explores their creative potential. Read his review
in this issue.
The Swedish
company Clavia have just launched the latest version of its
combo organ the Nord
C2. John Bates discovers that this new version has a lot
more to offer than your average upgrade. Read his review in
this month’s issue.
Orla are
usually associated with the home organ market but this long-established
Italian company have ventured into the digital piano market
in the past and have now come up with a highly
impressive ‘arranger’ piano, namely the Orla
Stage Ensemble. Andrew Gilbert thinks a lot of thought has
gone into making a classy instrument with lots of good sounds,
that is well laid out and easy to use. A definite contender
for those looking for a digital arranger piano with an rrp
well below £1,000.
Our final
review this month is an intelligent virtual drummer called
Jamstix
2 along with its expansion partner Jamcussion from American
company Rayzoon. Tony Cliff finds that creating realistic
drum tracks with this software is not only a fun and satisfying
process but gives an insight into how drummers think and operate.
Twenty five years after they sprang to fame Norwegian synth-pop
band A-ha
are back making records and performing to packed-houses.
Keyboardist Magne
Furuholmen talks about the bands past glories and the
direction he hopes the band will be taking in the future.
With the usual diverse mix of music and tuition in Classnotes
plus a lively ‘House/Dance’ style composition
‘Summer Daze’ this then is our September issue
that we hope you’ll enjoy. See you next month.
Issue & Web Site Update - August
2009
Welcome
to the August
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download. Digital
pianos have evolved over the past 25 years to such an
extent that the latest models are vastly superior to the early
ones. The one factor that has remained constant is that all
digital pianos have used samples to create the sounds. That
is until now. Enter the Roland
V-Piano which uses computer modelling techniques which
until now had only been tried with software virtual pianos.
Andrew Gilbert believes this is the future for digital instruments
and goes so far as to say ‘This is the best digital
piano I’ve played to date’. Read
his 6 page in-depth review in this issue.
The popular
notation program, Sibelius
has just launched its sixth edition and Andrew Gilbert believes
that it is a significant step forward from previous versions.
In a comprehensive 8 page review the many facets of Sibelius
6 are looked at in detail and the conclusion is that it’s
an absolute winner. So whether you are a user of a previous
Sibelius or thinking of investing in a notation program, check
out this review first.
Yamaha’s
Pocketrak CX is an ‘instant’ recording device
that is easy to use, has lots of functions, but is not much
bigger than a phone. John Bates takes a look at this highly
versatile and portable device and finds it extremely pleasing.
Although born in Kent, the garden of England, Jon
Cleary has spent most of his life in New Orleans and
as a highly regarded blues pianist has worked with many
top artistes including B.B. King, Taj Mahal, John Scofield
and Bonnie Rait. In Key People he talks about the people
he’s worked with, his solo work and how the hurricane
affected him.
Classnotes
reaches part 50 this month and there is news of an Organ
conversion system for the Yamaha Tyros. We hope you’ll
enjoy this issue. See you next time.
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.
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 - 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.
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.
Issue & Web Site Update - March
2009
Welcome
to the March
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
In our main review, Andrew Gilbert looks at the flagship model
in Yamaha’s Portable Grand keyboard range, the DGX630.
Describing it as a mid-term update he feels that it represents
excellent value for money in this specialist marketplace.
We have a two page news feature on the new upcoming keyboards
and pianos from Roland, recently shown at NAMM. There is also
news of a launch event in Bristol on March 4th which is open
to the public. For further details contact lisa.lewis@roland.co.uk
Keith
Jarrett is without doubt one the greatest pianists of
all-time. Although his talent was considered extraordinary
when he came on the jazz scene in the early 60s it wasn’t
until the 70s when he started improvising entire concerts,
spontaneously composing fully-formed pieces of music, which
unlike most ‘free jazz’ were both accessible
and melodic. Check out the 1975 ‘Koln Concert’,
his best-selling solo piano work. In this month’s
Rhythm Kings we look at the music of Jarrett, both solo
and the European Group as well as the highly acclaimed Standards
Trio.
Key People interviews American blues-rock-singer-pianist,
Beth
Hart and with the regular music and tuition features,
this then is our March issue which we hope you enjoy. See
you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - February
2009
Welcome
to the February
2009 issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to
download and purchase.
First up we have Andrew Gilbert’s review of the Roland
GW-8 arranger workstation. For a mid-range keyboard he
is generally impressed and particularly enthuses with regard
to the World music sounds, but especially the Latin sounds
which put it in a class of its own. If you’re looking
for a specialist Latin keyboard this should give you all you
want. Read his full in-depth review in this issue.
Ketron
have been around for quite awhile but have rarely got the
coverage and publicity their products deserve. Manufactured
in Italy they exude the style and class we have come to expect
from Italian design and the long-awaited Audya keyboard has
now at last reached the UK. We hope to have an in-depth review
in March or April but have news and details of this new top-end
keyboard in this issue. We also feature an in-depth review
of the Ketron
SD4 sound module with its impressive array of quality
sounds.
The main
software feature this month looks at Spectrasonics
Omnisphere software synth which bravely goes where no
synth has gone before. With its unique and original sounds
John Bates believes Omnisphere
is a shining example of originality.
Welcome
to the January
2009 issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to
purchase and download.
First up Andrew Gilbert looks at two concert digital
pianos from Korg, the C540
and the C340.
In his in-depth review of these models, Andrew makes the point
that there are no ‘bad’ digital
pianos being produced today so the choice is one of personal
preference and budget. He feels both these models are worthy
of consideration if you’re looking for a piano in the
£1.2K-£1.5K price bracket.
John
Bates took the opportunity to sneak a look at the updated
KeyB
Duo drawbar organ and spoke to its designer, Elvio Previati
and jazz organ star Joey
DeFrancesco about his role in the company.
Akai
haven’t produced anything on the keyboard front for
quite a while and were ‘kings’of the sampler market
while that lasted. However they have just produced a new controller
keyboard, the MPK49
which John Bates thinks will find a place in many studio and
state set-ups.
Computer
music this month looks at two new budget virtual instruments
and three new sets of digital effects from Genuine Soundware.
This issues Key People has an interview with singer-songwriter,
Tori
Amos who talks about her 20 years in the business and
the battles she has had to secure creative freedom. We also
review her new DVD which features early performances at
the ‘Montreux Jazz Festival’ from 1991 and 1993.
With the usual tuition and music features, this then is
our January
2009 issue which we hope you enjoy.Best wishes for the
New Year. See you then!
Issue & Web Site Update - December
2008
Welcome
to the December
issue of Keyboard Player which is now ready to purchase
and download.
As promised we have part two of Andrew Gilbert’s Tyros3
review. Across seven pages he goes into the many and varied
facilities that this top-end keyboard offers. So, does he
think it’s the ‘perfect’ keyboard? Read
the review in this month’s issue.
At the
other end of the scale, at least price-wise, Casio offer up
the CTK-5000
which at under £200 offer a good selection of high-quality
sounds and a generous supply of stunning accompaniment styles.
Read Andrew Gilbert’s in-depth review in this issue.
In ‘Computer
Music’ this month, Andrew Gilbert turns a disaster
into an article by relating the trials of a major computer
crash and how he went about the required overhaul to get things
running again. He also completes the ‘Spanish Ice’
feature from October.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive audio recording
system in one package, check out the Cakewalk
Sonar 8 Digital Audio Workstation which we review this
month.
Pink Floyd were both critically and commercially one the
top groups of all time. Sadly, founder member and keyboardist
Richard
Wright passed away in September. In this issue we present
a special tribute to one of popular music’s most overlooked
and seemingly invisible keyboard players. In the first part,
John Bates looks at his life and career paying particular
attention to the role he played with Pink Floyd both as
a composer and arranger as well as his role in developing
the ‘Floyd Sound’. In the second part we publish
for the first time an interview he gave to our US writer,
Steven Rosen, in which he talks at length about his solo
album ‘Broken China’ and the legendary ‘Dark
Side Of The Moon’.
Another legendary band, ‘Tangerine
Dream’ celebrated their 40th anniversary with
a concert in London recently. Mark Jenkins went along to
cover the show for us.
With Pink Floyd making an appearance in ‘Classnotes’
this month plus the usual music features, this then is our
December issue. I note from the TV commercials and shop
displays, that Christmas is almost upon us again, so seasons
greetings to all our readers. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - November
2008
Welcome
to the November
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
First up this month, Andrew Gilbert turns his attention to
the Roland
Juno-Stage synthesizer and once again finds that the distinctions
between synths,
workstations
and arranger keyboards are becoming increasingly blurred.
However apart from one or two gripes he finds this stage keyboard
one of the best at present and worthy of consideration.
A name
that has always been synonymous with synthesizers
is Kurzweil
going back to their original 250 keyboard of the early 80s.
John Bates looks at the PC3x
keyboard, which is in fact three synths
in one, and declares it to possess some of the finest keyboard
sounds around bar none. Check out his in-depth review in this
issue.
Next we
have a digital piano from Yamaha’s
tried and trusted Clavinova range. Andrew Gilbert looks at
the ‘baby’ of their latest range, the CLP330
and believes with its player-friendly functions and keen price
it would make a very good choice for a first digital piano.
In Computer
Music this month, our new contributor Tony Cliff tries
out the virtual drum-kit Superior Drummer S2.0 and samples
some of the professional MIDI beats from Groove Monkee.
The meeting of Mike
Oldfield and Richard Branson in 1972 and the subsequent
release on Virgin Records of ‘Tubular Bells’
undoubtedly changed both men’s lives and revolutionized
the whole concept of non-vocal pop music. In this issue
Mike Oldfield talks to Mark Jenkins about his recent collaboration
with Karl Jenkins on the album ‘Music Of The Spheres.
With the success of the film ‘Mama Mia’ it’s
probably fair to say that Abba’s music is more popular
than it’s ever been. Founder member, keyboardist and
composer, Benny
Andersson is the subject of Rhythm Kings this month.
In fact with Classnotes
and two music pieces we have 20 pages of music and tuition
this month.
With news of six new keyboards coming from Casio,
this is our November
issue which we hope you will enjoy. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - October
2008
Welcome
to the October
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
In late 2005 when Tyros2
superseded the original Tyros it was generally felt that Yamaha
had produced keyboard perfection. Technology moves at such
a pace that three years later it would appear that even perfection
can be improved on. And so we have this years big launch;
Tyros3.
In a 7 page in-depth review Andrew Gilbert extols the virtues
of this new top-end digital workstation (it seems that no
one calls a keyboard a keyboard anymore) and using an Olympic
analogy, believes Tyos3 has gold written all over it.
Anyone
looking for a keyboard with a superior quality piano voice
and a 88-note piano keyboard action might take a close look
at the Korg
Pa588. Read Andrew Gilbert’s in-depth review in
this issue.
This month’s
software review is ScoreFX
which is specifically aimed at film soundtrack design. Computer
Music also looks at some software, namely All
Them Beats, a set of drum loops from Power FX. The main
feature in Computer Music offers advice on using a software
sequencer with a modern keyboard in a recording project.
Behind every superstar there are musicians who play and
appear with them all the time but remain basically anonymous.
Yves
Frulla has been playing keyboards on stage and in the
studio with Celine Dion for some 20 years. He talks with
Douglas McPherson about his time with her plus his fascination
with technology and the equipment he uses.
With news of two new additions to Roland’s
Atelier organ range plus the 40th edition of Classnotes
and another piano piece, this then is our October 2008 issue
which we hope you enjoy. See you next time.
First this month we look at Yamaha’s new flagship
Clavinova, the CLP380.
With a new design, Andrew Gilbert believes that this is
another step forward in the Clavinova’s evolution
and one for the short-list if you’re considering a
top-end digital
piano.
It’s
been a while since we looked at anything from Kurzweil
but Mark Jenkins reviews a high quality stage
piano, the SP2X
in this
issue. Although there is a lot of competition in the stage
piano market at present, he feels this model represents
excellent value for less than £800.
We have
touched on the subject of the blurred lines between synths
and self-accompanying
keyboards in the past and Yamaha’s
new MM8 is one such product. However a synthesizer
that has both Motif and PSR features is, John Bates opines
an instrument with few rivals at present. Read his in-depth
review in this issue.
Download
only software is becoming quite common of late and the classic
synth, KikAxxe
from WayOutWare
priced at £39, is checked out by Mark Jenkins in this
issue. The original Axxe came from ARP, an early competitor
to Moog,
whose greatest claim to fame was arguably building the giant
synth used for the alien encounter in ‘Close Encounters
Of The Third Kind’. Although the Axxe itself is fairly
basic, WayOutWare have added a sequencer and some drum sounds
to make this fun to play and experiment with.
Not many of us have the space for a grand piano, but for
those who do, but can’t run to the price of a Steinway
or Kawai
Shigeru you can get a beautiful instrument at an affordable
price. Such an instrument is the Roland
RG-1 digital grand. This slim-line piano will take up
a lot less space than even a conventional baby-grand and
at a shade under 3.5K should be checked out by anyone with
‘grand-ambitions’. Read Andrew Gilberts review
in this issue – he was knocked-out by it.
Although
not Yamaha’s lowest price keyboard, the new PSR-E413
at under £200 is highly recommended by Andrew Gilbert
as an entry-level keyboard for new students and he believes
Yamaha have raised the bar for budget keyboards considerably
with this all-new keyboard with improved design, sounds and
styles.
Mark
Jenkins looks at a new studio and stage piano from M-Audio
that’s also a audio/MIDI interface. The
ProKeys Sono comes in 88, 61 and 49 note versions.
Software reviews this month are both download only upgraded
Virtual Instruments. SaxLab
2 from LinPlug and VB3
from SoundFonts.it a low-cost Hammond clone.
Forty years ago in
1968 while students in Paris were trying to start a second
French Revolution, David Vorhaus was forming the legendary
electronic group White Noise with BBC Radiophonic Workshop
musicians, Brian Hodgson and Delia Derbyshire; and The Crazy
World Of Arthur Brown’ was setting the world alight
(sometimes literally) with their smash-hit ‘Fire’.
A 2008 version of White Noise (including our own Mark Jenkins)
and a slightly older but no less crazy Arthur Brown were part
of the line-up of Paris Mai ’68 40 Ans, a festival celebrating
the 40th Anniversary of the student uprisings. Apart from
performing, Mark took time to report
on this event talking to some of the artistes, in particular
an amazing Czech keyboardist, Lucie Rejchrtova who plays with
London based group Instant Flight who also acted as Arthur
Brown’s backing group.
Jazz pianist, improviser
and composer, Bill
Evans is the subject of the latest Rhythm King’s
feature and American country and western singer/pianist Phil
Vassar talks to Douglas McPherson about his plans to make
a mark in the UK.
With the usual tuition and music features plus reviews
on CDs from Dutch instrumental record label Groove Unlimited,
this then is our August issue. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - July
2008
Welcome
to the July
issue of Keyboard Player which is now ready to purchase
and download. Although Yamaha
and Kawai
are producing organs for the Japanese market, of the big Japanese
producers only Roland
seem to be distributing them in the UK. Andrew Gilbert had
the opportunity to look at the Atelier
AT-300 and is impressed with it’s classic look and
the fact that no compromise has been made in sound and tone
quality over the larger models and with a price tag under
4K excellent value too.
Another of the great
jazz and blues organists, Jimmy
McGriff has sadly passed away and John Bates pays tribute
to him in this issue Ron
Mael, keyboard player of the brotherly duo Sparks talks
about their highly ambitious series of gigs, playing each
of their 21 albums over 21 shows at the Shepherd’s Bush
Empire in London.
With a special feature on how to avoid keyboard-related back
pain and our usual tuition and music features, this then is
our July
2008 issue. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - June
2008
Welcome to the June
issue of Keyboard Player which is now ready to download
and purchase. It doesn’t seem possible we’re
halfway through the year already but we’ve reached
that time of year when new instruments are a bit thin on
the ground – most of the stuff shown at NAMM and Frankfurt
starts to come through late Summer, early Autumn.
However Yamaha are launching some new keyboards and digital
pianos during the next month and there is news of these
including the CLP-380 Clavinova of which Yamaha
are making ‘best ever’ claims. Expect in-depth
reviews on this and the other models in future issues.
If you’re
looking for a great little entry-level portable
piano you should check out Andrew Gilbert’s review
of the Yamaha
P-85. At around £500 (£600 with stand and
pedals) this sounds like a good buy.
There seems
to be more controller
keyboards around these days than you can shake a stick
at, but of course every computer equipped studio needs one.
Mark Jenkins takes a look at the CME
M-Key in this issue.
Computer
Music this month starts a two part feature on digital
recording and Andrew Gilbert looks at two models from Boss
– the
Micro BR and the BR-600. This is an essential feature
for musicians looking for affordable multi-track digital recorder
options.
We have
a couple of software reviews, first the Ivory
Italian Grand which is based entirely on a ten foot Italian
grand piano which would cost you £200,000, so £89
for this piece of software sounds quite a bargain and it won’t
fill up the living room. In the second software review Mark
Jenkins examines an impressive budget sequencer
from Steinberg, Sequel, which you can purchase in a package
with the M-Key (see above) for around £100.
With the digital
age providing musicians with so many options these days it
is hardly surprising that re-inventing past glories is an
attractive proposition, often reaching a new audience as well
as keeping existing fans happy. So it is with Jean
Michel Jarre’s Oxygene whose 30th Anniversary has
been marked with a complete new studio recording, a multi-musician
live DVD performance and a series of concerts in Paris which
has been followed this Spring by a full European tour. In
Key People, this issue, Mark Jenkins covers the concert, Jarre’s
career and Oxygene’s continuing popularity.
With the usual music and tuition, this is our June issue which
we hope you will enjoy.
No update on the new website other than it progresses well
but might be another month or so before we’re up and
running. See you soon.
Issue & Web Site Update - May
2008
Welcome
to the May
issue of Keyboard Player which is available to purchase
and download.
First up we have a new range of Yamaha
Motif synthesizers. Now in its seventh year of production
the new XS range continues in the tradition of previous Motif
ranges in what John Bates describes as ‘all about the
integration of musical facilities’ in his in-depth review
of the 61 note XS6,
one of four models in this new range.
Casio’s
Privia range of digital pianos have been around a while and
have made a name for themselves as quality products at a very
reasonable price. With the new PX-320
the price remains as keen as ever but John Bates believes
that Casio
have come up with an exceptionally good piano that can be
used in the home, on the stage, in the studio and is good
for teaching. High praise indeed, for a piano costing under
£550.
Another
tried and tested range is Roland’s
RD stage pianos. Andrew Gilbert takes a look at the RD-700GX
which he is highly impressed with claiming there is not a
poor sound or feature to be found on this substantial instrument.
VSTi packages bearing
famous names appear to be the ‘in thing’. A couple
of months ago we had Miles Davis lending his name to Miles’tone
then last month it was Ray
Charles and now it is The Beatles in the shape of EastWest’s
Fab
Four. Mark Jenkins reviews this and three other new VSTi
packages – Gypsy, Voices of Passion and Ministry of
Rock – in this month’s Computer
Music.
With the usual music
and tuition features, this then is our May
2008 issue which we hope you will enjoy.
As mentioned last month we will soon be re-launching our website.
Amongst other things, we plan to include MP3 and video samples
of products reviewed as well as tuition and demonstration
features. The idea is to build up a mass of freely accessible
items to make the Keyboard Player website the number one port-of-call
for all things keyboard related. We should be up and running
within the next month or so.
See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - April
2008
Welcome
to the April issue of Keyboard
Player which is now available to download and purchase.
First up this month we have an in-depth review of Korg’s
PA500 from their Professional Arranger series. This one
comes in at a tad under 1k and Andrew Gilbert thinks this
may be an ideal stepping stone for those looking to move up
from the more basic keyboard without going into four figures
on the price. Read
his 6 page review in this issue.
When
Kawai
launched their CN piano range some three years ago, they proved
to be both novel in design and very popular. Kawai
have now launched three new models, the CN
21, 31 and 41. John Bates takes a look at this latest
range and believes their ideal customer will be looking for
a good attractive digital piano that doesn’t take up
too much space and doesn’t break the bank. Check out
John’s review
in this issue.
When is
a B3
not a B3?
When it’s a KeyB
Duo. Fashions come and go with musical instruments as
with everything else but the sound of the tonewheel organ
remains a constant. The latest company to try and replicate
the Hammond
B3 is DLQ, an Italian company, the origins of which John
Bates delves into in his review, who have managed to secure
the services of Joey
de Francesco as both a partner and chief performer.
To complete
this month’s hardware reviews, Mark Jenkins takes a
look at the 30th anniversary edition of the famed DSI Prophet
analogue synthesizer now simply renamed the Prophet
’08. So if you want the authentic Prophet sound
without compromise and don’t mind paying for it, this
one could be for you.
On the software front
the ever-popular Band-In-A-Box
gets its annual makeover and as the last edition Andrew Gilbert
reviewed was 2006 you get the ins and outs of both 2007 and
2008 editions which Andrew thinks are now more powerful and
easier to use. Either edition is highly recommended. Last
month we had Miles Davis lending his name to some software
– this month sees Ray Charles name being added to a
Fender Rhodes 73 VSTi aptly named MrRay73.
Again, recommended especially with a price tag of 49 Euros.
This months Key Person
is Don
Airey who has played keyboards for Ozzy Osbourne, Black
Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Judas Priest and, even Andrew Lloyd
Weber, amongst others but currently is full time with Deep
Purple.
With news of some
new Roland pianos plus the usual tuition and music, this then
is our April
2008 issue which we hope you enjoy.
Look out next month for news of our new expanded all-singing,
all-dancing website which we hope to launch in a couple of
months time. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - March
2008
Welcome
to the March
2008 issue of Keyboard Player that is now available to
purchase and download.
When is a synth
not a synth?
A question that Andrew Gilbert poses in his review of the
new Yamaha
MM6. Described as an entry-level synth by Yamaha, AG is
very impressed with the array of sounds, styles and features
on offer but feels Workstation
might have been a more apt description. Still, what’s
in a name – synth
or not it seems great value at £429.
Andrew
also enthuses over Roland’s
SonicCell hardware module, going as far as to say that
it includes some of the best sounds he’s heard from
a module. Read his full in-depth
review in this issue.
Italian
company SR
Technology continue to knock out cracking sound systems
and they come up trumps again with the SR
Club 150A powered speakers which you can also add a STW250A
sub-woofer to. John Bates believes that SR
Technology perfectly understand the needs of the gigging
musician and design their products accordingly. Read his review
in this issue.
You may remember
last month in our interview with jazz pianist Geoff
Eales he particularly mentioned Oscar
Peterson as probably the greatest influence on his own
playing. Who better then to write us a personal tribute to
the great man, who sadly passed away in December last year.
It is fascinating to hear a musician explaining what it is
that makes someone like Peterson
so great – something not always easy to put into words.
Geoff doesn’t shy away from answering the few (and there
were only a few) detractors of Peterson’s
playing and style. A good read.
Joe
Jackson is not an artiste easily defined. Over the last
30 years he has dabbled in most musical genres including punk,
pop, jazz and classical. On the eve of his European tour and
the release of a new album ‘Rain’, Jackson talks
to Douglas McPherson about his career and music.
There are not many
musicians who get a piece of software named after them but
then Miles Davis was unique. Soundfonts have come up with
Miles’tone,
a virtual trumpet. Now although the references to Miles Davis
are obvious, there are no samples inside (as the packaging
clearly states) which means the sounds are fully modelled
and a modelled trumpet is rather complex and requires patience.
Andrew Gilbert goes into this software in some detail with
advice on getting the best from what he feels is a worthwhile
addition to your VSTi library. Also check out the review of
LinPlug’s
Alpha 3 analogue synth VSTi which completes this months
Computer
Music.
With the usual tuition and music, this then is our March
2008 issue which we hope you’ll enjoy. See you next
time.
Issue & Web Site Update - February
2008
Welcome
to the February
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
John Bates reviews the new flagship arranger keyboard from
Korg,
the Pa2X
Pro which he describes as being possibly the most detailed
and feature-full keyboard he has ever reviewed and believes
that at present it is in a class of its own. Read his full
review in this issue.
Andrew
Gilbert has a look at the new slimline ensemble
digital piano from Casio,
the Privia
PX-120. He thinks that for £549 this is a good starter
piano well worth considering. Computer
Music this month has a review of Mark Jenkins new book
‘Analog Synthesizers’ checks out updates to the
free-download virtual Wurlitzer, Miditzer and looks at 16
rare classic Moog synths with IK Multimedia’s Samplemoog
software.
If you’ve
ever considered setting up a home music studio you’ll
need a mixing desk and some decent monitor speakers. Mark
Jenkins takes a look at Yamaha’s
MG166C mixer and the MSP ‘nearfield’ monitor speakers,
which come in three models, and finds them both excellent.
Read his review in this month’s issue.
Those of you who enjoyed last month’s James Last interview
might like to know about his autobiography which is reviewed
in this issue.
News came through
over the Christmas period of the sad passing of Oscar Peterson
one of jazz pianos greatest virtuosos. We’ll be featuring
a tribute to him, hopefully in the next issue.
Talking of Jazz Piano Legends, that is the title of a new
CD by British jazz pianist Geoff Eales. He is the feature
of Key People this month and talks about his journey from
session man to one of the country’s leading jazz improvisers.
With the usual music and tuition features, this is our February
issue which we hope you’ll enjoy. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - January
2008
A happy
new year to everyone and welcome to the January
2008 issue which is now available to purchase and download.
We have an in-depth
review of the two self-accompanying digital pianos from
Kawai’s current CP range (Pictured Right) which John
Bates puts through their paces. You can download several demonstrations
to hear how they sound from www.kawai.co.uk
For those
of you who must have the latest gadgets, how about the Yamaha
Tenori-On (Pictured left). What is it? Well I guess you
could call it a hand-held musical interface but to find out
more you’ll need to read Mark
Jenkin’s review. He wonders whether this
could be the keyboard player’s instrument of the future.
Also in this issue Andrew concludes his two-part special feature
on Hammond
organs. This time he looks at the spinet models and a
selection of Leslie speakers.
If you’re
looking for a entry-level digital
piano with both impressive performance and appearance
check out Roland’s
RP-101 (Pictured Right). Read Andrew Gilbert’s in-depth
review in this issue.
Our Key People series has an interview with legendary arranger
and bandleader James
Last. At the age of 78 he is still going strong and talks
about his long and successful career and why retirement is
not an option he is likely to contemplate.
With news of two
new Casio
Privia pianos, how to get a free Garritan album download.
Jools Holland’s autobiography reviewed plus the usual
music and tuition, this is our January
2008 issue which we hope you’ll enjoy. See you next
month.
Issue & Web Site Update - December
2007
Welcome
to the December
2007 issue of Keyboard Player which is available to purchase
and download.
First up this month we have an in-depth review of two of Yamaha’s
new Clavinova series, the CVP403
and CVP405.
We’ve already covered the top model, the CVP409
(see issue
314) and Andrew Gilbert thinks both these models deserve
consideration, especially for those who don’t require
all the extras the 409
offers. In just about all other respects there is little difference
between the models.
Roland
are launching a new trio of Atelier organs early next year
and Andrew Gilbert got to preview a pre-production model of
the AT-900
which he feels certain will be ‘an absolute cracker
of an organ’.
Kawai have come up with an elegant and good sounding digital
piano with the CL25
for under £600. Read John Bates’ in-depth review
in this issue.
Donny
Osmond is perhaps best remembered as the teeny-bop idol
from The Osmonds pop band. What is less well known is his
long-standing love affair with music technology. He talks
about how he first embraced new technology in the early days
with the band on tour and brings us up to date with his hi-tech
computer system in use today. He’s the subject of Key
People this month.
With the usual news, reviews and tuition features, this then
is our December
issue.
All of us at Keyboard Player send our best wishes for the
festive season to all our readers and subscribers throughout
the world and everyone who has visited the Keyboard Player
website during the past year. Thanks for your support. See
you next time.
In our
September
issue (304) last year we reviewed the Ketron
SD5 keyboard. We now get the opportunity to review the
module
version, the SD3. Coming with or without a hard drive,
John Bates highly recommends this as part of your stage set-up.
Read his review in this issue. Computer
Music assesses some graphic tablets for music application
from Wacom, explains how to get more out of Band-In-A-Box
and examines the latest upgrade to the Sampletank VSTi program.
In 2001
we reviewed the Nord
Electro and now Swedish company Clavia
have brought out the Electro
2. Coming in a 73 or 61 note version (there is also a
rack version) it provides both a Hammond Organ clone as well
as a selection of electric pianos, Andrew Gilbert is very
taken with its sounds and features.
Talking of Hammond,
Classic
Keyboards returns this month with the first part in a
Hammond
special. In this issue Andrew Gilbert concentrates on
Hammond’s Console organs.
Last month we heard
the sad news of Joe
Zawinul passing away. In tribute to the great man we’re
publishing a 6 page feature on his life and music. From the
early years with Cannonball Adderley, the landmark jazz-rock
albums with Miles Davis, and the creation of Weather Report
with Wayne Shorter, without doubt the most influential jazz
fusion band, through to the more recent work with the Joe
Zawinul Syndicate, Joe’s influence on jazz music
over the last forty plus years has been immense. He’ll
be greatly missed. Mike
Oldfield fans may be interested to know that we review
his autobiography as well as his new CD in our review section.
With news of an impressive new flagship pro keyboard from
Korg,
the Pa1XPro plus the usual music and tuition features, this
then is the November issue of Keyboard Player which we hope
you’ll enjoy. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - October
2007
Welcome
to the October
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
Roland’s new flagship HP digital piano, the HP-207
gets a thorough testing from Andrew Gilbert in this issue
who thinks this is a superb piano well worth checking out
if you’re in the market for a luxury digital. The E80
update review mentioned last month will now hopefully be in
November.
You may
be surprised to learn that Kawai
are the second largest musical instrument manufacturer in
the world and as their output is almost entirely pianos, both
acoustic and digital their expertise and experience in producing
pianos is perhaps unrivalled. It is perhaps less of a surprise
then to learn that the first digital piano to use a full wooden
soundboard – just like acoustic pianos – has just
been produced by Kawai.
The
CA91 is Kawai’s top of the range digital
and John Bates reviews this innovative new instrument in this
issue.
Mark Jenkins
takes a look at the new VX
series of controller
keyboards from the Chinese company CME. He also looks
at three new pieces of software namely, Arturia
Jupiter 8, Steinberg Groove Agent 3 and Finale 2008. For
those thinking about updating their existing software or looking
to buy for the first time, check out this month’s Computer
Music feature.
80s techno-pop pioneer
Thomas
Dolby is the subject of this month’s Key
People. He’s about to launch a UK tour and talks
about his career, electronic music today and his success in
recent years with ringtones.
Everyone recognises the theme from ‘Mission Impossible’
but do you know who composed it? Argentinean composer, conductor
and pianist Lalo Schifrin has composed over 150 scores including
‘Bullitt’, ‘Dirty Harry’ ‘Rush
Hour’ as well as the aforementioned ‘Mission Impossible’.
He is this month’s subject in Rhythm Kings and it is
his rhythms, which have been an inspiration to many young
musicians in recent years that are looked at in this feature.
Just as we were finalising this issue the sad news came in
that legendary jazz keyboardist Joe Zawinul had passed away.
We’ll have a full profile on Joe’s life and music
in the November issue.
With the usual music and tuition features, this then is our
October issue which we hope you’ll enjoy. See you next
time.
Issue & Web Site Update - September
2007
Welcome
to the September
issue of Keyboard Player that is ready to purchase and
download.
Following on from the preview last month of the Yamaha
PSR-S900 & S700 we bring you an in-depth 6
page review and it looks as though Yamaha
have once again set the benchmark for high-end home keyboards.
Both the preview and main review are included for those wishing
to download
this -10 pages in total – feature.
Roland’s
HP-203 digital piano also gets the thumbs-up from Andrew
Gilbert who thinks it’s one heck of a piano for under
£1,500. More reviews from this new HP series will follow.
Our Key Person this month is Hiromi,
the Japanese pianist who sprung to fame after a chance meeting
in Tokyo with Chick Corea nine years ago when she was 17.
With her fourth CD ‘Time Control’ just out, she
recently did a stint at Ronnie Scotts in London which is where
John Bates caught up with her.
One of
the best known and most popular software packages, Sibelius,
has reached version
5 and John Bates takes us through the new ideas and changes
contained in this major upgrade. There is also a chance to
win a copy of the top package.
Next month we’ll be looking at the new RolandE-80
upgrade, but we have details of this plus a new digital grand
and a sampler from Roland
in this issue. We also bring news of a new sound module from
Ketron,
the SD3 which has everything from the SD5 keyboard plus more.
Keyboard Player contributor
and musician, Mark Jenkins has organised a concert series
in London this Autumn under the title ‘Music for the
3rd Millenium’. One of the highlights will be a performance
of ‘An Electric Storm’ by The White Noise. This
is being performed live for the first time since this legendary
electric music project, born at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop,
first produced the album in 1968. Included in the original
line-up was the late Delia Derbyshire, creator of the Doctor
Who theme and David Vorhaus who effectively is White Noise
today. Check out this and other concerts in this issue or
go to www.myspace.com/musicforthe3rdmillennium
There is a feature looking at Music in the Movies –
in terms of DVD extras, and Classnotes
looks at Elgar for beginners, chord progressions for the intermediates
and funk on the Hohner Clavinet for more advanced players
in our tuition series.
I hope you enjoy this issue – see you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - August
2007
Welcome
to the August
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to puchase
and download.
To start we have the first part of Andrew Gilbert’s
two-part in-depth review of the new top of the range PSR-S900.
Elsewhere John Bates gets his hands on the first Kawai
MP5 in the UK and is very impressed with this eagerly
awaited stage
piano.
We also have a feature on other new Kawai
pianos, for both home and stage being launched this autumn.
If you
like to sing and play, Korg’s
new R3
Vocoder Synth might be worth a look. Mark Jenkins reviews
it in this issue and believes it should prove popular, thanks
to its compact layout, wide range of analogue sounds as well
as the slightly gimmicky vocoder facility.
I’m sure we’ve all got a record or two in our
collections by artistes who had one massive hit and then seemed
to disappear off the face of the Earth. Of course, just because
we no longer hear about them doesn’t mean they’re
not having successful and eventful careers in music. Billy
Swan, who had a worldwide hit in 1974 with ‘I Can
Help’ is one such musician. Now 65 years old he’s
still in the business and making records and he’s got
a good story to tell both before and after ‘the big
hit’.
Not a lot on the
software front this month with quite a few items awaiting
arrival, so Computer
Music reviews a new digital sheet music system called
MusicPad Pro. We also look at The Fast Guide To Cubase 4.
Mark Jenkins examines the new phenomena of musicians who have
succumbed to ‘the lure of the laptop’ ie music
that is composed, mixed, equalised, mastered and burned entirely
on a laptop. There are reviews of CDs by Mike Oldfield, Enigma,
Tangerine Dream and Jean Michel Jarre who’ve all taken
this course.
With Classnotes
of special interest to ragtime
fans, plus the usual musical selections, this the is our August
issue. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - July
2007
Welcome
to the July
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download. After last months new product news from Yamaha
and Roland
we have news from Korg
and Casio
on forthcoming products.
As promised we have the first in-depth review from the new
Yamaha
range. Top of the range CVP409
Clavinova gets a pretty big thumbs-up from Andrew Gilbert
and believes that Yamaha
still lead the way with top line ensemble
pianos. Computer
Music previews Sibelius 5, reviews a book on Cubase 4
and checks out a couple of digital metronomes from Korg.
Hammond
have at last launched their modular drawbar and controller,
the XM-2
and XM-2C. John Bates puts them through their paces and
finds much to admire in terms of sounds, versatility, portability
and price.
In Key People this month, we talk to Mike
Smith who was lead singer and keyboardist with the 60s
pop band The Dave Clark 5. They had some massive hits covering
R&B artistes like The Contours (Do You Love Me) and The
Isley Brothers (Twist and Shout) and were, for a while, nearly
as big as The Beatles. When the band split up he turned to
studio work but decided to return to the road in 2003. Then
a tragic accident changed his life completely.
One of the finest jazz pianists of all time, Oscar Peterson
is the subject of Rhythm
Kings this issue and Classnotes
reaches part 25. We have a special offer for those wanting
to get earlier parts of the series.
This is our July issue which we hope you’ll enjoy.
Issue & Web Site Update - June
2007
Hello
again and welcome to the June
issue of Keyboard Player. We’ve reached that time
of year when the major distributors are starting to release
their new products and Yamaha
and Roland
both feature largely this month with a multitude of pianos
for consideration.
John Bates recently attended Roland’s piano
launch and gives us the low-down on their new ranges. One
of these, the FP-7
gets an in-depth review which he describes as a really innovative
instrument. Reviews on the other models will follow during
the next few months.
Andrew
Gilbert takes on the new Yamaha
pianos, and starts with three ‘straight’ (ie no
rhythms etc) pianos, the Modus
H01, YDP-S30
and the NP30/30S
which range in price from a whopping £5,000 to a modest
£199. With other Yamaha
piano reviews coming up including a major top range CVP model
there would seem to be plenty of choice this summer for those
looking to buy a piano.
Talking of pianos,
one of the world’s leading piano manufacturers, Kawai,
celebrates their 80th anniversary this year. We look at the
history of the company that arguably makes the finest acoustic
piano in the world today but uses their experience to
bring us excellent digital
models as well. They too are launching some new products
which we will be looking at over the coming months.
If you are reading this update the chances
are that you play a keyboard instrument and possibly compose
and produce your own music. And if that is the case you
may also have thought about how to get your music heard
by more people than just friends or family. Well, it may
not be as hard as you think. Mark Jenkins starts a short
series titled ‘Who
Needs A Record Label?’ this month in which
he looks at how to produce and sell your own music. Mark
Stanway, one of the most experienced keyboardists on
the UK rock scene talks about his 25 years with Magnum and
his stints with Whitesnake and more recently Robert Plant,
in this month’s Key
People feature.
For UK keyboard students building towards LCM grades 6-8,
Andrew Gilbert’s Making
The Grade feature will be of particular interest in
this issue.
With the popularity of World Music increasing all the time,
it is only natural that musicians will want to produce ethnic
instrument sounds from their keyboard. A new software package,
MOTU
Ethno allows you to do just that. Mark Jenkins investigates
in this month’s Computer
Music feature.
With a special Tangerine Dream CD feature plus the chance
to win a limited edition Tangerine Dream DVD, signed by
Edgar Froese, this then is our June issue that we hope you
enjoy.
See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - May
2007
Welcome
to our May
issue which is now available to purchase and download.
Our main review this month is the E-60
workstation from Roland
(pictured left). Andrew Gilbert takes this one through
its paces and believes it’s a worthy addition to the
mid-range keyboard market with a good mix of sounds and styles.
Andrew also looks at the Pocket
180 speaker system from SR
Technology which at around £500 is designed specifically
for the home and studio keyboard set-up. Read his in-depth
review in this issue.
Mark
Jenkins looks at two of the latest methods of getting music
recorded directly onto your computer. IKM’s
Stealth Plug for guitarists and the more complex and versatile
Audio
Kontrol 1 from Native
Instruments (pictured right). Mark also inspects the K61P
MIDI controller studio keyboard from Korg. Classic
Keyboards this month looks at the iconic Vox Continental
much loved by bands in the 60s and can be heard to great effect
on The Doors first two albums. But it is probably best remembered
for the sublime Alan Price solo on The Animals House of the
Rising Sun.
Key People this month talks to Susan
Hedges a young Merseyside singer-songwriter
who, blind from birth, recorded her first album when she
was 13. Now 21 she is following both a solo career and singing
with a group. Certainly a name to look out for in the future.
In Computer
Music we take a look at Garritan’s
Gofriller Cello and Andrew Gilbert discusses the importance
of dynamics in music making.
With news of new products being launched by Yamaha
over the coming months plus the regular music and tuition
features, this is our May
issue which we hope you’ll enjoy. See you next
time.
Issue & Web Site Update - April
2007
Welcome
to the April
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
Another month, another ‘designer’ digital
piano – well it seems to have been like that just
lately. This month it is the turn of Casio,
in the shape of the PX-800
(pictured right) which at less than £1,000 lives up
to Casio’s
reputation of giving value for money. They also seem to have
got the style and substance right as Andrew Gilbert opines
in his in-depth
review in this issue.
Looking
like a minnow but sounding like an ocean is how John Bates
describes the Korg
X50 synth (pictured left), which with a price tag of a
shade north of £500 would seem to be worth checking
out. John’s review explains in detail.
Where PA
systems are concerned the name of the game seems to be
‘more power’, ‘more portable’, ‘pay
less’. Into this market steps the Stagepas
500 from Yamaha
which Mark Jenkins believes satisfies the for-mentioned criteria
but that its rugged simplicity could make it a real winner.
On the
software front, Native
Instruments offer up three new packages in the shape of
FM8,
Absynth
4 and Massive,
the first two being major revisions with the third brand new.
Mark Jenkins gives us his thoughts on all three in this issue.
More software reviewed in Computer
Music. Andrew Gilbert looks at Linplug’s
Organ 3 and 4Front
Technologies TruePianos. Rhythm
Kings this month features that colossus of American music,
Randy
Newman. His music from the 1970s to the late 90s is covered
this month from albums such as ‘Little Criminals’,
‘Sail Away’ and ‘Bad Love’.
I don’t confess to be very up
on Canadian prog-rock but any band that’s been together
for 30 years must have something going for them. Jim
Gilmour of Saga talks to Mark Jenkins about the prog-rock
scene and his recent solo work which has allowed him to
venture into other areas such as jazz. It’s an interesting
story, particularly in this age of bands who form in January,
release a CD in February and then split in March due to
artistic differences.
Moving
on from the golden age of prog-rock into the 80s and this
months Classic
Keyboard; the Fairlight
CMI (pictured right) which was very big and cost more
than a small house. Kate Bush, Tears For Fears, The Art Of
Noise, Peter Gabriel, Duran Duran – yes they all used
the Fairlight CMI. These days it’s of little value and
the sound can be easily imitated, but back then it defined
a musical era, read its story in this months Classic
Keyboards.
With the usual music and tuition features, this then is the
April
issue of Keyboard Player which I hope you’ll enjoy.
See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - March
2007
Hello
again and welcome to the March
issue of Keyboard Player. When it comes to grand pianos
it is probably fair to say you need a lot of room and a lot
of money, certainly if you want the ‘real thing’.
However in these days of digital technology, whilst the large
room is still essential, you can now get a very classy looking
digital grand for under 2.5K.
Andrew Gilbert looks at Yamaha’s
CLP295GP and CLP265GP
(pictured left) in this issue and is very impressed with both
the sound and look of these pianos. So if you’ve got
the space and always fancied having a grand sitting in the
corner check these two out.
You won’t
need a lot of space to accommodate the two products that Mark
Jenkins reviews this month. First up we have the Novation
XioSynth compact keyboard
synthesizer (pictured right) which is both highly versatile
and highly affordable. Next we have the Boss
Micro BR digital recorder, which has been described as
‘the world’s smallest pro studio’. Of course
this means very small controls, but if you can find your way
around the average MP3 player, you’ll not have a problem.
Read Mark’s in-depth reviews on these products, in this
issue.
Computer
music tackles two very different software packages with
the Earmaster
5 ear training program, which Andrew Gilbert explains
can be a very useful teaching aid, and Garritan’s
Stradivari Solo Violin VSTi which Andrew thinks leads
the field by a mile.
There’s a bit of an 80s feel to the issue this month
with reviews of a couple of DVDs from The Human League and
Soft Cell and an interview with Mike
Lindup, keysman with Level 42 who have recently reformed.
We also look at some early Ensoniq keyboards and synths
starting with the Mirage, an early example of the sampler,
which came out in 1985.
With news of new products from Casio,
Roland
and Yamaha,
which will be reviewed over the coming months, plus the
usual music and tuition, this then is our March issue which
we hope you’ll enjoy. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - February
2007
Welcome
to the February
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to download
and purchase.
First up we have another Yamahastage
piano bearing the iconic CP prefix. In July 06
issue we looked at the CP300,
this time it’s the CP33
(pictured right). This is a slimmed-down version of the 300,
exactly the same quality sounds, just fewer of them. With
a price-tag of under £1000, John Bates thinks this latest
addition to Yamaha’sstage
piano stable is an attractive proposition.
Next
we have the Ketron
SD2 Orchestral Wizard sound module. Whilst Andrew Gilbert
thinks that the SD2 produces some amazing sounds in all categories
he does have some reservations about its ease of use. However
if you’re in the market for a product like this it’s
certainly worth reading his review.
One musical field that has been developing rapidly of late
is the ‘small is beautiful’ master keyboard. Mark
Jenkins takes a look at the ReMOTE
25LE from Novation
(pictured left). At around £100, Mark believes there
is nothing around – at the moment – to match it
for size, facilities and price.
Ten years
ago the average studio might have looked impressive with banks
of keyboards, modules and other instruments but these days
all you need is a computer loaded with all your favourite
sounds. Classic synthesizer sounds have been particularly
well served with software releases and the Korg
Legacy is no exception. Initially released a couple of
years back, we now have the Korg
Legacy Digital Edition which Mark Jenkins checks out in
this issue.
Andrew Gilbert recovers from a hard
drive failure –that’s his computer, not him
– to sing the praises – all six pages of them
– on the Symphonic
Choirs VSTi from EastWest/Quantum Leap in this month’s
Computer Music.
We don’t usually have glamorous
Hollywood actresses on our front cover or interviews with
them, but Alicia
Witt is an exception. Trained as a classical pianist
she may well have chosen this path, but the acting profession
proved too strong a magnet after she got a part in David
Lynch’s ‘Dune’ whilst still a little girl.
However she has recently put her musical talent to good
use with her London stage debut in the play ‘Piano/Forte’
where she gets to perform Rachmaninov and Chopin every night.
Mark
Jenkins talked to her, during the play’s recent
run, about both her acting and her love of music.
With features on Blackpool Tower organist
Phil Kelsall, Classic
Keyboards look at Elka
keyboards plus the usual Classnotes
– which this month features the music of New Orleans
legend, Dr.
John - and music arrangements, this then is our February
issue which we hope you’ll enjoy.
See you next month
Issue & Web Site Update - January
2007
Welcome
to the January
2007 issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to
purchase and download.
The main review this month is the Casio
WK-8000 (pictured right) which falls into that relatively
new category, the keyboard/piano. In his review Andrew Gilbert
draws a comparison with the Yamaha
DGX-620 which he reviewed a while back and believes that
at the price of around £500 Casio
have got a real winner.
If you’re
looking for a tiny, lightweight synth
that packs a big punch for well under £500, have a look
at Korg’s
Micro X (pictured left) which Mark Jenkins takes a look
at.
Mark also
investigates how Steinberg
is trying to keep ahead of its competitors with the latest
version of the popular software recording package, Cubase
4 (pictured right). They have also launched a cut-down
version called Studio 4 which is less than half the price. Classic
Keyboards goes back to the 70s for a look at the Yamaha
YC Combo organ series that attracted a wide variety of
appeal from The Osmonds to Miles Davis to minimalist composer
Terry Riley.
Session keyboardist Pete
Wingfield has played with everyone from The Everly Brothers
and Paul McCartney to The Beautiful South and produced major
hits for The Proclaimers and Alison Moyet as well as many
others. He talks to us about how to be successful but keep
out of the spotlight.
With news of some beautiful new digital grands from Yamaha
plus the usual music and tuition, which includes a new music
series for Grade 1 ability pianists, this then is our first
issue for 2007.
A very Happy New Year to all our readers. See you next month.
Issue & Web Site Update - December
2006
Welcome
to the December
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to download
and purchase.
Over the past couple of years or so Yamaha
have tended to concentrate on either top-end keyboards like
Tyros,
or the entry level models like the E-series,
with nothing very radical happening with the mid-priced keyboards.
However Yamaha
have just launched the PSR-S500
(pictured right) and it would seem that Tyros2
technology is starting to ‘trickle-down’ to the
mid-range, which at around £500 the S500 falls into.
Andrew Gilbert got his hands on the first model in the UK
and thinks it has a lot to offer for its price. Read his
in-depth review in this
issue.
Mark
Jenkins gets to grips with a couple of new Roland
synths, the Juno-G
and the SH-201
(pictured left). Although brand new models these synths are
very much in the classic tradition of some Roland
synths of the 80s and 90s. His joint review of both instruments
are in this
issue. Keyboard
amplification has been getting more attention in the last
few years and the new Fortifier
PRO-300 is a new addition to BCK Products range of amp
and speaker systems. This model delivers 300 watts of
stereo power for around £600. Read John Bates in-depth
review.
On the
software front this month, we have Auturia’s
Analog Factory (pictured right) which manages to cram
thousands of analogue keyboard sounds onto your desktop for
£149.
Our Rhythm
King is one of the truly great jazz pianists of the last
40 years. Herbie
Hancock has covered more musical genres in his time than
almost any other musician. From be-bop to hip-hop and just
about everything in between mean the selections for the patterns
in this edition can of course, only touch on the wealth of
Hancock’s material, but given that it’s the festive
season the first pattern is from ‘I’ll Be Home
For Christmas’ which he recorded with Eliane Elias for
the ‘Jazz To The World’ charity album.
Ever heard of Yaron
Gershovsky? No – well I hadn’t either. But
perhaps we should have. He’s been Manhattan Transfer’s
regular keyboardist for the past thirty years and has played
with Pharoah Sanders, Wayne Shorter, Al Jarreau and George
Benson to name but a few. He hopes a few more people will
get to know of him with the release of his first solo piano
album, ‘Personal Notes’. He’s interviewed
in this issue and should Pete Townsend happen to read this,
please get in touch because when Yaron met you in the 80s
he promised to send you a copy when he got his solo album
out, and now that he has, he wants to know where to send
it.
With Farfisa Combo organs highlighted in Classic
Keyboards plus Classnotes,
reviews and the other usuals, this is our December
issue.
Compliments of the season and see you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - November
2006
Welcome
to the November
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download. The top-end keyboards keep on coming
– following on from the Ketron
and Roland
keyboards from the last couple of months, we now have the
Korg
PA800 (pictured left) which John Bates puts through its
paces. Read his 5 page
in-depth review of this excellent new Arranger keyboard
in this issue.
Andrew
Gilbert looks at the top model in Yamaha’s
range of piano-style keyboards, the DGX-620
(pictured right), which would seem to be the answer for
those looking for a keyboard with a digital
piano sound that matches digital
pianos costing twice the £599 tag of this model.
On the subject of piano sounds, the French company Modartt
have just launched a virtual
piano program called Pianoteq.
It uses what is known as physical modelling which means it
models the piano sound in real time. The benefit of this is
that instead of taking masses of memory to operate you need
only 8 megabytes of RAM. Andrew Gilbert believes that this
could be the future for virtual
pianos. Check out his 5 page review and win yourself a
copy in the crossword competition this month.
Staying with software, Computer
Music this month looks at the virtual music composer,
LvvB’s X and discusses the sequencing capabilities
of notation programs such as Sibelius
and Finale.
Mark Jenkins investigates the wonderful world of the Modular
Sythnesizer and for those interested in maybe acquiring
one there’s a very impressive list of current manufacturers.
Britain’s own pianist and evergreen entertainer Bobby
Crush talks about his 35 years in show business and
in particular his stage role playing Liberace, first in
a West-End play about a fascinating episode in Liberace’s
life in the late 50s – a great insight into how things
have changed – and more recently his Liberace: Live
in Las Vegas all glitter tribute show.
Fans of Mike Oldfield, Pink Floyd and Yellowjackets will
want to check out new DVDs and in the case of Yellowjackets
CD+DVD in our reviews section.
Our music and tuition features this month find Classnotes
full of useful things for players of all abilities and our
original seasonal composition entitled ‘Autumn Serenade’
Enjoy the issue and see you next month.
Issue & Web Site Update - October
2006
Welcome to the October
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to download
and purchase. Yamaha
have announced the new Tyros2
Regi-stick which will give owners over 350 custom registrations.
This will be available from October and we have a two page
news feature on this upgrade. There is also a free Yamaha
DVD with this issue entitled ‘Exploring Tyros2’.
There
is plenty of activity on the top-end keyboard front. Following
on from last months Ketron
review, Roland
have launched their new flagship keyboard, the E-80
which Andrew Gilbert puts through its paces in a 6
page in-depth review.
John Bates had the pleasure of flying out to Ancona, Italy
last month to see the launch of the Korg
PA800 which is packed with new and innovative features.
Read his report of the trip in this issue and look out for
a full review shortly.
Did you know that Billy
Joel’s first album was released at the wrong speed
– strange but true. Well some 100 million album sales
later and after nearly 40 years in the business, I guess
it didn’t do him too much harm. Read our profile
on ‘The Piano Man’ in this issue.
There is a review of the Yamaha
Stagepas 300, a compact self-contained PA
system ideal for smaller venues.
Mark Jenkins
looks at Steinberg’s
latest VST instrument, the Halion
Symphonic Orchestra which he thinks is a very impressive
package. There’s also a copy to be won in our crossword
competition this month.
Andrew Gilbert looks at setting up your own templates in Computer
Music, this month, plus a round-up of some recent computer
music books.
This then plus our usual tuition and music features, is the
October
issue of Keyboard Player. See you next month.
Issue & Web Site Update - September
2006
Welcome to the September
2006 issue of Keyboard Player which is now available
to purchase and download.
This is always the time of year when new top-end keyboards
tend to be launched and this year is no exception. In this
issue there is news of the Roland E-80 music workstation
and an in-depth review will hopefully feature next month.
Also expect news of activity from Korg
and Yamaha
next month.
In this issue we have a review of a new flagship keyboard
from Ketron,
the SD5
(pictured left). Over the years Ketron have built a reputation
for producing keyboards that are a little bit different
to the models from the bigger companies, and Andrew Gilbert
thinks this latest edition continues that trend and is particularly
impressive in live performances. Read his in-depth
review in this issue.
Hammond
seem to have come up with a nifty compact version of the Pro
XK-3, namely the XK-1
(pictured right) which is less than half the price of the
XK-3
and John Bates thinks this single manual organ is not only
fantastic value but sounds just like a ‘B’. There
is also a modular version, which we’ll look at in a
future issue.
In the July
issue we looked at the C320,
one of two new C-series pianos
from Korg.
This month it’s the turn of the bigger model, the
C520
to go under the spotlight.
There’s stacks of new software
just around the corner which should be hitting Andrew Gilbert’s
doormat as we speak, but this month he’s been surfing
the www in search of useful and informative websites and
forums and brings you his findings in this edition of Computer
Music.
There are two jazz ladies for you in
this issue. This month’s Rhythm
Kings features the music of jazz star Diana
Krall and Key People has an interview with UK jazz keyboardist
and vocalist, Liane
Carroll.
In Classic
Keyboards, Mark Jenkins takes a look at the chequered
history of the vocoder. Much loved by Kraftwerk and picked
up in the 70s by musicians as diverse as ELO and Herbie
Hancock, the vocoder seem to fall out of favour during
the 90s, but now seems to be coming back into fashion. (see
last month’s VP-550
review)
With the usual tuition and music features, this then is
our September
2006 issue. See you next month.
Issue & Web Site Update - August
2006
Welcome to the August
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
First up we look at all the new products on show at this
year’s British
Music Fair. New pianos from Yamaha
and Korg
and top-end keyboards from Roland
and Ketron,
as well as new synths from Roland,
were the highlights this year and we’ll be doing in-depth
reviews on these over the next few months.
The main hardware review this month is the Roland
VP-550, ensemble keyboard. Mark Jenkins is particularly
impressed with the Vocoder which he thinks uses more powerful
technology than previous vocoder keyboards.
An ideal
keyboard for newcomers is the Yamaha
PSR-E403, which for just under £200 offers more
features than the price-tag would suggest. Andrew Gilbert
puts it through its paces.
Andrew also looks at Peavey’s
range of PA
audio mixers, the PV
range, concentrating on the mid-range PV8.
On the software front Arturia
have brought out a new software version of one of the most
successful keyboards ever marketed, the Prophet
V. We have an in-depth review plus one up for grabs
in our crossword competition.
Mark Jenkins reports from Electro-Music
2006 in Philadelphia, the favourite festival for connoisseurs
of classic
keyboards, where he both performed and spoke to other
musicians. Computer
Music this month, covers the Hauptwerk
upgrade and the Classik
Studio Reverb plug-in.
It was with sadness that we heard the
news that Billy
Preston passed away in June. He never really became
the star he should have been, although if The Beatles hadn’t
split he could well have ended up a permanent fixture, and
was often referred to as the 5th Beatle. It could be argued
that without Preston ‘Let It Be’ may never have
been completed. He certainly had a calming effect on the
group and we all remember his infectious presence at the
Apple rooftop session. Steven Rosen, a California based
writer who has covered the music scene over the last few
decades had a lengthy interview with Preston back in 1979,
which we publish as a tribute to this great musician. It
is a fascinating time-capsule with Preston talking about
the music scene of the late 70s when new technology was
making such an impact, and looking back now, we can see
how much has changed over the past 25 years or so.
This then, along with all the usual tuition and music features,
is the August issue of Keyboard Player. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - July
2006
Welcome to the July
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
As mentioned last month there are some new pianos coming
onto the market and we look at two in this issue. First
up we have a new stage
piano from Yamaha.
Those of you with a long enough memory might remember the
CP70 acoustic portable piano whose size and weight put many
a roadies back out. Now Yamaha
are using the CP prefix for this new range and John Bates
takes a look at the CP300
which he thinks is not only a good gigging instrument but
a good choice for schools and colleges
On the
home front Korg
have brought out a new range of digital pianos called the
Concert range. Andrew Gilbert tackles the smaller C320
model aimed at the first-time buyer.
We had a news item last month on the latest Moog
product, the strangely named Little
Phatty. Well Mark Jenkins who was in the States doing
a series of concerts recently got an exclusive look at this
compact keyboard, a must for analogue fans. Read his In-Depth
review in this issue.
The ever popular Steinberg
Wavelab audio editing and mastering suite gets a make-over
with version 6 and Dean Spencer, our new contributor, welcomes
the extra features and refinements that Steinberg
have made. Classic
Keyboards starts to look at the rise of digital synthesis,
which was led by the trail-blazing Yamaha
DX7. Mark Jenkins continues his fascinating series with
this influential keyboard and its descendants which made
such an impact in the 1980s.
Jazz seems to have made one of its occasional
forays into the mainstream recently (or at least the lighter,
easy on the ear variety) with artistes like Jamie Cullum
and Norah Jones becoming very successful and in this mode
we talk to Michael
Kaeshammer a jazz pianist and vocalist who looks set
to also be discovered by a wider audience. Keith
Emerson fans will be interested in a triple CD set featuring
most of his film soundtrack work. With classic Italian horror
to not so classic Japanese monster movies plus some Hollywood
titles along the way Emerson
seems to have scored a fairly diverse selection over the
years and this CD set divides them into pretty much chronological
order. See the full page review in this issue.
With the usual music and tuition features and the second
part of the ‘Mattinata’
arrangement in Computer
Music, this is our July
2006 issue. We hope you enjoy it.
See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - June
2006
Apologies for the slightly late update
this month. We have been away for a few days but are now
back in the swing of things.
So welcome to the June
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download.
The main review this month is the Roland
HPi-6 (pictured left), which Roland are calling a ‘tutor
piano’ which basically means a ‘straightish’
piano with built-in tution features. Anyway it represents
a new approach for digital pianos and Andrew Gilbert gives
it his usual thorough test.
Fans of vintage New Orleans jazz will
be interested in our portrait of one of the true jazz originals,
Jelly
Roll Morton. His life and music took many ups and downs
and he died a broken man, but what remains is his music,
showing him to be a real innovator.
And, talking of innovators, Rhythm
Kings, this month looks at the music of Brian
Wilson, the genius behind The Beach Boys amazing harmonies.
His life too has had its ups and downs, but fortunately,
Brian’s still with us and producing great music.
We take
a good look at the virtual organ software, Hauptwerk
2, which Andrew Gilbert is highly impressed with. There
is also one up for grabs in our crossword competition.
In Classic
Keyboards, Mark Jenkins looks back at the very first keyboard
workstation, the Korg
M1 (pictured right) and the extended family of keyboards
that followed.
Don’t forget to complete the readership survey that
appeared in the May issue. If you are a regular reader we
want to hear from you and you could win one of the great
prizes on offer. The closing date is June 12th.
Keep an eye open for some important new products being reviewed
over the next few months including new pianos from Yamaha
and Korg
and a top of the range keyboard from Roland,
the E-80.
That’s it for this month. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - May
2006 (300th ISSUE!)
Welcome to our May update. This month
sees the 300th
issue of Keyboard Player. The first issue was published
in the autumn of 1979 and to celebrate this milestone we
asked our regular writers and contributors to cast their
minds back 27 years and share with us their memories of
that time. One thing is for sure, we've seen an unprecedented
change during this time in the way that music is played
and produced and in the production of musical instruments.
Perhaps these changes have been most evident in the types
of keyboard instruments we see today and the way in which
computer technology has become an ever greater influence
in music making.
So, as well as our little nostalgia trip down memory lane,
we’re also looking very much to the future, with the
inclusion of a Readership Survey in this issue, the results
of which will go a long way in determining the direction
the magazine and website take in the future. We hope as
many readers as possible will take the time to complete
this survey and to make the task even more worthwhile, we
have a draw with some great prizes to be won.
The earliest
issue we have on file is July 1980 pictured above.
In this
issue you will find the promised review of the Kawai
ES4 stage piano (pictured right), which comes highly recommended
as an ideal choice for both the home player and the gigging
musician. At a pound shy of 1K it’s also extremely good
value.
A couple
of ‘straight’ digital pianos from Roland,
the HP-103E
and HP-102E.
These have been around for a little while but are both worthy
considerations at the budget end of the market. Finally on
the hardware reviews we have a nifty little mixing studio
from Yamaha,
the MW10
(pictured left). For £189 you get a USB mixing desk
plus Cubase, which for those just venturing into the recording
side of music making seems an ideal place to start.
With the usual music and tuition features
and an interview with Sam
Brown, regular vocalist/keyboardist with Jools Holland’s
Big Band and daughter of cockney rock ‘n roller Joe
Brown, this is the May 2006 issue 300 of Keyboard Player.
The issue is now available to
purchase and download. I look forward to receiving all the
completed surveys. See you next month.
Issue & Web Site Update - April
2006
Another month has flown by and the April
issue is now out and available to purhase and download.
You won't want to miss this issue if you're a jazz-rock
fan. Yellowjackets, arguably the most successful jazz-rock
outfit, both commercially and critically since Weather Report,
occupy both Key
People and Rhythm
Kings features this month. Russell Ferrante, keyboardist
and founder member of Yellowjackets, talks to John Bates
about the band's music, influences and how they've evolved
over the years they've been together in this exclusive interview.
In Rhythm
Kings, we look at the complexities of the band's rhythms
and styles with the usual examples to experiment with.
Stage
pianos seem to be designed these days so that they are
equally at home, in the home or on stage. Such a product
is the Korg
SP250 (Pictured Above) which Andrew Gilbert puts through
it’s paces this month.
The latest Classic
Keyboards features the Roland
MT-32 (pictured left) and the whole range of D series
synths that followed in the latest part of Mark Jenkins’
series.
Fans of techno-pop may be interested in the full page review
of Kraftwerk’s double DVD which has recently been
released.
In Computer
Music the 2006 version of Band-In-The-Box
is reviewed. As Andrew Gilbert concentrates mainly on the
new features, anyone downloading this feature will also
receive the Computer
Music feature from issue 279 which covers B-I-T-B more
fully. Andrew also looks at some controller keyboards being
distributed by BCK Products.
The Kawai ES4 review mentioned last month will now appear
in the May issue and we’re planning on having our
Readership Questionnaire ready for this issue which will
be the 300th since it was launched back in 1979.
With the usual music and tuition features*, we hope you’ll
enjoy the April
issue of Keyboard Player. See you next time.
* Anyone who has missed any parts of the Classnotes series
can download the first ten parts for £7.50 (Click
here for details)
Issue & Web Site Update - March
2006
Welcome to the March
issue of Keyboard Player which is now available to purchase
and download. Roland
are centre stage again this month with the new version 2
of their flag-ship music station, the G-70.
Andrew Gilbert was very impressed with the first version
when he reviewed it last year and now takes a close look
at the new extras that Roland
have added including ‘guitar mode’ which he
finds especially innovative. Those of you who wish to download
the new review will automatically receive the original G-70
review at no extra cost. As Andrew concentrates entirely
on the new additions in his review, those who don’t
have the original will, I’m sure, find it helpful
to have it for reference
Those, of a certain age, may remember
singing along to pop classics like Oh Carol and
Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen as well as many other
hits by Neil
Sedaka back in the 1960s. Well, Neil talks to us about
the art of writing a good pop song as well as the joys of
performing live, and for those who think that Sedaka may
be just a blast from the past, might like to know that,
in America, the top selling single of 2004 was Solitaire
by Clay Aiken originally a hit for Andy Williams in 1972
and of course, penned by Mr. Sedaka. He will be touring
the UK in March and April and all dates and venues are listed
in the feature.
Kawai,
one of the world’s top acoustic piano makers bring
much of their acoustic expertise to the ranges of digital
pianos they produce for both home and stage. John Bates
takes a look at their new stage piano, the MP8,
in this issue. We will also be looking at their ES4 piano
in a future issue.
Superscope
is probably not a name that rings too many bells –
except for those who have a serious interest in widescreen
cinema processes from the 1950s – but, this company,
who owned Marantz until 2002, are producing some innovative
products for music education. One such product is the PSD340,
a rather unique item described as a music practice and rehearsal
tool. Basically it is a CD recorder and player, but one
that can do things well beyond the normal functions of playing
and recording. John Bates investigates.
Having reviewed Sibelius
4 a few months back, that other heavyweight contender
in the notation software market, Finale,
takes top billing in this month’s Computer
Music. Andrew Gilbert does his usual ‘let no stone
remain unturned’ review for this 2006 version. Elsewhere
Arturia
Brass gets tested and Andrew has some advice on how
to avoid installation problems.
With Classic
Keyboards covering more software versions of classic
synths and the usual tuition and music features, this is
our March 2006 issue.
The readership survey we alluded to a month or two back
will now appear in our May issue which also happens to be
our 300th issue. Before that though, see you next month
for issue 299.
Issue & Web Site Update - February
2006
Welcome to the February
2006 issue which is now
available to order or download as a PDF file. This
month we have an in-depth review of the Roland
GW-7 arranger workstation which Andrew Gilbert thinks
is at present a unique product. Elsewhere we look at Casio’s
latest Privia piano, the slim-line PX-700,
which at £799 makes it an ideal choice for beginners.
Those of you old enough to remember
the 70s may have an old vinyl copy of Jeff
Wayne’s prog-rock opus ‘War of the Worlds’.
Well it’s out again on CD and Jeff
talks to Mark Jenkins about his plans to bring out a
stage version. Rhythm
Kings looks at the music of jazz keyboard maestro, Chick
Corea. So, those of you who like their jazz rhythms and
patterns laced with Latin, Spanish and Brazilian flavours
will want to check this one out.
You may well have noticed we have launched our members
section which means you can now subscribe to an e-version
of the magazine and get reduced rates on downloads. Click
here for more info.
Let us know if there are any new keyboard instruments or
software you would like us to review. We can't promise to
review everything but will certainly give any suggestions
serious consideration.
See you again next month.
Issue & Web Site Update - January
2006
Welcome to the January
2006 issue which is now
available to order or download as a PDF file. The
main feature this month is an in-depth review of Native
Instruments new version of their highly acclaimed B4
VSTi, the B4
II (pictured left). The original version has been around
for over five years, but Native feel it’s time for
this new version and Andrew Gilbert’s review suggests
they have got it right.
A couple of items that should interest any 70s prog-rock
fans out there. We interview ex Kansas keyboardist Dan
Wright now recording and touring with his new band Proto-Kaw,
and a couple of DVDs featuring concert footage of Camel
get a mention in our reviews section.
On the hardware front, a starter keyboard
from Yamaha,
the PSR-E303
is reviewed and we also look at a budget stage piano from
M-Audio, the ProKeys
88 (pictured right).
It’s not often we get the opportunity to review a
instrument that is 100% British, but this month Mark Jenkins
reviews an intriguing new product, the Rainbow
Easy-Chord guitar-keyboard. Worth checking out.
In Computer
Music, Andrew Gilbert looks at EMC’s Style Factory
and MIDI Solutions Pedal Controller. He also concludes his
guide to sequencing. Classic
Keyboards covers software versions of famous synths
currently available.
Many thanks to all our subscribers around the world, and
to all of you who have visited our website. Best wishes
to you for a peaceful and musical 2006, and here is a little
taster of whats to come in the new year...
January will see the launch of our members area, which will
allow anyone to subscribe to an electronic download version
of the magazine. Depending on the length of subscription
taken out, members will have a number of free downloads
plus discounted prices on other downloads. Existing subscribers
will also be able to take advantage of the special rates.
More information will follow when it’s launched.
Following shortly after, the March issue will include an
in-depth readership survey, which will allow you to express
your views and opinions on the magazine and help shape Keyboard
Player over the following months.
Also planned are a few more interesting web site developments,
but we will keep you posted on those throughout zero six.
See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - December
2005
Welcome
to the December
issue which is now available to order or download as a
PDF file. This month, as promised, we have John Bates’ review
of Tyros2
from the pro and semi-pro perspective asking whether it’s
a viable option for the stage and studio.We take a look at
the Roland
KR-107 digital piano, or as Roland
like to call it ‘digital intelligent piano’. Andrew Gilbert
gives his usual thorough assessment to this top end 3.5K instrument.
One of popular
music’s greatest singer-songwriters, Carole
King, is the subject of this month’s Key People. Douglas
McPherson looks at her career spanning close on half a century
from her early collaborations with Gerry Goffin to her recent
‘Living room Tour’.
Classic
Keyboards, this month, looks at the legendary Fender
Rhodes electric piano. Although it was first developed
in the 1940s it wasn’t until the mid 60s that the Fender Rhodes
proper was born. It quickly became established with jazz musicians
like Chick Corea, playing with Miles Davis’ jazz-rock group,
Joe Zawinul, Herbie Hancock and Sun Ra. One of the first rock
groups to embrace it were The Doors (Ray Manzarek) and Stevie
Wonder, Donny Hathaway and Billy Preston – on The Beatles
‘White Album’ and ‘Let It Be’ – were also taken with its sound.
Our concession
to the festive season comes in the form of a Classnotes
feature using carols and Christmas songs as tuition tools
and Rhythm
Kings looks at seven celebrated keyboard players and their
contributions to Yuletide music.
We have now listed reviews going back to 1993. These will
gradually become available as PDF downloads but if there
is a particular review you want, contact
us and we’ll aim to make it available within a few days.
The members section for e-subscribers will be launched early
in 2006 but a few things remain to be ironed out before
full details can be announced.
The next update will be posted just before Christmas so
I’ll take this opportunity to wish all our readers and website
visitors a happy holiday. See you next time.
Issue & Web Site Update - November
2005
Another
month has come around and the November
issue is now available to purchase or download in PDF
format. After all the hype and speculation, the Yamaha
Tyros2 (pictured Left) is now with us and we feature a
6
page in-depth review from Andrew Gilbert. He’s given
it a pretty thorough road test, so what’s his verdict?
Well, check it out and see! Next month in the December issue
John Bates looks at Tyros2
from the pro and semi-pro perspective. We’re also giving
away a special Tyros2
demonstration CD with every copy of the November
issue. A CD and brochure are also available by registering
at www.yamaha-music.co.uk
(UK only – elsewhere go through www.yamaha.com)
Elsewhere in
this issue we look at Mackie
Tracktion 2. This simple approach software is ideal for
those just starting out on using a computer for editing music
and for those who just want to do some straight forward, no-frills
editing.
Basic,
though, is not a word to describe the Miroslav
Philharmonik. This orchestral VSTi started life a few
years ago as a large and rather expensive sample set for the
Akai sampler (remember those). The samples were recorded in
the Dvorak Symphony Hall in Prague by Miroslav Vitous, the
renowned bass player who played with Miles Davis and Weather
Report back in the 60s/70s. A full review can be found in
Computer
Music this month along with a guide to MIDI sequencing
for beginners.
This
months Classic
Keyboards features the much-loved Hohner
Clavinet. Mark Jenkins guides us through the various incarnations
that made it a favourite for musicians as diverse as Stevie
Wonder, Klaus Wunderlich, John Paul Jones (Led Zep), Benny
Andersson (Abba) as well as jazz fusion maestros Herbie Hancock
and Chick Corea. By sheer coincidence John Bates touches on
the Clavinet in this months Classnotes
feature.
There is news
of a new top-end stage piano from Kawai,
the MP8, which we hope to have an in-depth review of shortly.
Things have
been so busy this past month that there has been no further
back issues added to the website database. We hope to remedy
that by going back to 1993 during November. Next month we
hope to be giving details of a new members section on the
website for those who would like to receive the magazine as
a PDF download each month. That’s it for this month.
Issue & Web Site Update - October
2005
Welcome
to the October
(0293) issue which is now available to download as a PDF
file or purchase for delivery worldwide. As you may have noticed
elsewhere on the site, Yamaha are about to launch their successor
to the Tyros,
aptly named Tyros2
(pictured left). This much anticipated keyboard will be officially
launched on October 1st worldwide and roadshows and special
demonstrations are being arranged.
In the October
issue we have an exclusive interview with the man behind
Tyros2,
Martin
Harris, who talks at length with John Bates about its
development and what we can expect from this new keyboard.
In the November issue we will have Andrew Gilbert’s
full in-depth review of Tyros2.
We also plan for a more technical review aimed at the pro-player
to follow from John Bates.
Back
to the October
issue, and we have reviews of Yamaha’s
CLP280 & 270 straight digital pianos (pictured left),
and if money is no object or you’ve recently won the
lottery you might feel like splashing out on the Kawai
Shigeru, an acoustic grand piano that has been called
the worlds finest musical instrument. For up to £80,000
you can find out for yourself.
The
previously promised Sibelius
4 (pictured right) notation software review also features
with a seriously in-depth 6 page review, plus we have a copy,
worth £595, to be won in this issue.
The sad news
came through late last month that Dr.
Robert Moog, the synthesiser inventor had passed away.
Mark
Jenkins, who’s also the subject of this month’s
Key
People, has written a tribute to this pioneer of electronic
music. Co-incidentally we also review the recently released
DVD of the ‘Moog’ documentary film.
This month
Drum
Break becomes Rhythm
Kings as the accent is now on individual musicians rather
than genres or styles. Elton John’s music is looked
at in this issue.
On the website
all reviews back to 1995 are now available as PDF downloads
and more will be added during October.
Issue & Web Site Update - September
2005
Welcome
to the September
(0292) edition of Keyboard Player which is now available
to purchase or download in PDF format. This is a special Hammond
issue with a review of the XK3
(pictured left) & XK33
two-manual organ , an exclusive interview with B3 maestro
Joey
DeFrancesco when he recently appeared at the Birmingham
Jazz Festival and Mark Jenkins gives us a brief history
of Hammond organs from the 1934 Model A to the present
day.
We
also have news of the new Hammond M44 (Pictured Right) due
out later this year. Hammond UK are starting a road show on
August 27th at Music World at Southampton and then at Edinburgh
Organ Studios a week later on September 3rd. For further information
go to www.hammondorgan.co.uk
Elsewhere
in this issue there are reviews of a couple of Kawai’s
excellent CN digital piano range, the CN3
& 4 (pictured left) plus another interesting item
from BCK,
the Okyfly,
a MIDI file karaoke player.
For those of
you interested in music education or planning to gain music
qualifications, Andrew Gilbert examines in detail some important
changes to the 2006 London College of Music’s Piano
and Keyboard Syllabuses. There is also a music example from
the book that covers most of the musical performance exams.
On the subject
of education we also have news of a new music course for keyboard
and piano created by Casio
for students attending Casio Music Centres.
If
you’re a lover of vintage electric pianos check out
Andrew Gilbert’s Computer
Music this month. He takes a very pleasant trip down nostalgia
lane with the Scarbee
Vintage Keyboard Collection (pictured right) and for those
with a more acoustic leaning, he looks at Steinberg’s
The Grand 2.
At this point
I should apologise for the absence of the Sebelius 4 review
in this issue. I jumped the gun a bit on this one but it should
be in the October issue.
On the website
many more reviews are now available as PDF downloads and more
issues will be added this coming month. In the meantime please
let us know if there are any reviews you would like to see
of new products we may have missed or other features you would
like to see in the magazine or on the website.
Issue & Web Site Update - August
2005
The August
issue (0291) is now available to purchase or download
as a PDF file. As promised last month we have in-depth reviews
of Casio’s
WK3700 (pictured left), exceptional value for
£399, and the Yamaha
designer, slim-line Clavinova the CLP-F01.
The trade only British
Music Fair held earlier in July featured some
exciting new products including two new synths. Yamaha
unveiled their new S90ES (pictured right) and Korg
had the Oasys on show (all 5.6K of it). More on these and
the other new products on show in our 4 page BMF report.
John Bates continues his new Classnotes
series designed for all levels of ability, this month looking
at chords and their construction.
Mark Jenkins looks at Native
Instruments software sampler Kontakt
2 and poses the question is the distinction
between sound sampling and audio recording becoming blurred,
with software that now has virtually limitless sound processing
capabilities?
Mark also has a new CD out which our reviewer describes
as ‘ Totally therapeutic and much safer than drugs’
. If that sounds like your cup of tea more info from www.markjenkins.net
Andrew Gilbert samples the piano sounds
of Sampletekk’s
Black Grand and checks out BCK’s
roll-up rubber keyboards (pictured right) and
if you’re thinking about the idea of taking Music
Technology qualifications there’s some useful information
in Computer Music this month.
Amongst the features planned for next
month, we’ll have another new Kawai
piano review and a in-depth review of Sibelius
4
We are continuing to add issue details
to the website and we’ve now gone back to 1997. We’ll
be looking to add another 2 or 3 years during August. We
are making product reviews available as PDF downloads as
fast as possible but if you see a review you’d like
that is not available as a download yet, drop us an email,
we can usually get it on within a few days.
Issue & Web Site Update - July
2005
The July
issue (0290) is now available to purchase or download
as a PDF file. We have reviewed the Yamaha
CLP-230 one of a new batch of CLPs being
launched. Details of all Yamaha’s new products can
be found in this issue including the Clavinova
F01 (pictured left) which Yamaha describe as
a new design concept. We hope to have an in-depth review
of this in our August issue.
John Bates takes over the Masterclass
slot from David Ash this month with a brand new series entitled
Classnotes
which is designed to appeal to players at every level of
ability. The first part looks at some of the fundamental
aspects of music with the idea of trying to explain what
and why they are.
In Computer
Music this month, Andrew Gilbert may have solved
the question ‘Where can I find a good saxophone sound’
with the new virtual instrument, Saxlab
from Linplug. Full review in the issue.
Mark Jenkins takes a trip to Philadelphia
to visit and perform at Electro-Music
2005 an event dedicated to electronic keyboards
old and new. Mark’s report on the event is presented
in his regular Classic
Keyboards feature.
Roland
have updated their EXR range and the top model the EXR7s
is reviewed in this issue.
BCK
Products are launching 3 rather unique
flexible rubber keyboards which can be rolled-up making
them the ultimate in portable music. Further details in
this issue with reviews to follow.
Joey DeFrancesco, the American jazz
organist will be playing at the Birmingham Jazz Festival
on July 9th (details and booking: 0121 454 7020 or www.bigbearmusic.com
) He’ll be playing the new Hammond
B3. Also on show will be the XK3 and XK33 which
will be reviewed in a future issue.
Casio have announced a whole new range
of keyboard products being launched over the next couple
of months. We hope to have full details next month but we
will have an in-depth review of the WK-3700
ready for August.
PDF downloads are being
added to the website all the time and all issues from April
04 to the current issue are now available. Many reviews
are being added from older issues plus popular series like
‘How
to Write a Hit Song’ and ‘Starting
from Scratch’ which are available as a complete
series at a special price. We hope to have back issues listed
back to 1997 during the coming month.
We’ve been very
pleased with the response to the website since it opened
on June 14th with some 3000 unique visitors, lots of reviews
and back issues bought and some kind words from you. We
would certainly appreciate a few comments on the Forum –
whether it’s comments on the magazine, the website,
new products you can recommend or not or anything else relevant
to the world of keyboard music. Let’s have your thoughts.
Issue & Web Site Update - June
2005
The Keyboard Player web site has been
designed to work both independently and complimentary to
the magazine. That is to say that non-readers as well as
regular readers will be able to use its resources and join
in discussions in the forum.
We believe our catalogue of in-depth
reviews of keyboard instruments which stretches from the
present back to the early 80s will be the largest available
on the internet. Initially we are launching with reviews
covering the last six years but we will add to this over
the coming months and visitors are welcome to contact us
if they wish to find out if we reviewed a certain model.
To begin with in-depth reviews will be available as back
issues but PDF files will be available for all features
in the magazine fr