Musical Instruments

An Overview of the Yamaha GB1 Grand Piano

If you’re looking for your first grand piano, the Yamaha GB1 will definitely be in the running. You probably already have come across this model if you’ve researched the market thoroughly enough. I’ve recently had the pleasure trying out this instrument, and felt I should present my findings here. Being the cheapest Yamaha grand piano on the market, this model will appeal to many players on a tight budget. But is price really everything?

The GB1 has been described by many industry experts as uncommonly compact; in fact it has been designed especially to fit in practically any home, no matter how small. The instrument features a standard 88 keys, 3 pedals and its tone is just as rich and expressive as any grand pianos in its price range. Obviously the stand-out feature is the instrument’s price, £10,000. This may not be everyone’s idea of a bargain, but most pianists will agree that the price is quite reasonable for a piano of this kind.

I personally think the tone of the GB1 is simply amazing; this instrument has all of the rich, expressive tonality you could need. I remember I was in the piano store when someone began playing this piece, and the sound radiated across the room and got everyone’s attention. One critique I will make about this instrument’s sound is that its bass tones aren’t quite as deep as other models; this is mainly due to the significantly smaller size of the GB1.

Apart from its awesome sound, I must say that the playability of this piano really surprised me. The keyboard is really responsive and actually makes playing easier, and the keys are perfectly weighted to facilitate expressive and fluent playing. This playability makes it the perfect beginner’s grand piano in many ways.

My only concern about this product is the impact that some of Yamaha’s cost-cutting measures have had on the piano. It is no secret that in order for the manufacturer to sell this instrument at such a low price, several concessions had to be made. The Gb1 doesn’t feature under-covered hammers, and these are important to preserve the tone of the instrument. Without their presence there would be no telling how the sound of the instrument might degrade over the years.

All in all I fell that the Yamaha GB1 is the perfect beginner’s piano, although seasoned professionals might not be able to look past the obvious cutbacks the manufacturer has made. Or maybe you want a Yamaha baby grand piano. It’s well worth the money and guaranteed to give you years of pleasure.

Want to find out what the best cheap guitars are? Then read my guitar guide.

Learning To Play The Drums

Exploring how adept you can be at playing any musical instrument is definitely a worthy endeavor. Musicality has always been a valued characteristic across various cultural and social strata, manifested in an ability to sing or play an instrument quite well. One of the most popular instruments to date is the drums. Having your own drum set and experiencing the freedom which it allows you to express your musicality with is a kind of thrill that anyone can hardly resist. It is not easy to be a good with drums, however. As with any skill, it requires patience and diligence to master. Fortunately, the advent of electronic drum sets has introduced an easier and less daunting way of learning the art of playing the drums.

Electronic drums did not always enjoy the popularity that they do now. In fact, learning on an electronic set before trying out the acoustic used to be heavily frowned upon. Back in the 80′s, electronic drums lacked the feel of actual drums and were producing sounds that were far from the real thing. They seemed no more like expensive kids’ toys and did not guarantee proper mastery of the instrument. Up until the early nineties, most musicians disliked incorporating the electronic sound into their work.

Developments in technology and digital sound-making has since turned such negative perception around. Good quality electronic kits are almost as authentic to the ear as acoustic drums. To some extent, electronic counterparts even allow for more experimentation with sound and in a more convenient manner too. The Yamaha electronic drum set, for example, has gained prominence among many professional musicians in recent years. Since the company’s creation in 1887, Yamaha has become one of the most respected musical instrument manufacturers in the world. Its line of acoustic drums do not lack in endorsements from a long list of performers throughout the past decades. It had been no surprise then that when Yamaha decided to come out with their own line of electronic kits, they did so with the same guarantee of quality that came with each string or percussion instrument that they have produced in the past.

Should you happen to be a novice at playing the drums, know that learning via an electronic set should not hinder you from being good on a real set. Simply make sure to get your hands on one that is of great quality so as not to impede your full appreciation of not only drums but of music in its entirety.

Piano Movers

We've all seen the gag; two men bringing a piano to a customer on the fourth or fifth floor of a building. There are usually two ways, either through the stairs, or by using a pulley. In movies and cartoons though, it always ends the same. The piano falls, crushing some poor fellow who then reemerges with piano keys as teeth.

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The Epiphone Bass

Near the turn of the 20th century, a number of musical-instrument companies had been founded in order to cater to the demands of the increasingly prosperous market. Many of these would create pianos, brass instruments, and guitars. But for The Epiphone Company, string instruments would be what would make them famous. The Epiphone Bass, in particular, has proven to be very popular to musicians since the company was founded back in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos.

The name “Epiphone” comes from a word play on the word “epiphany”, and the nickname “Epi” of the son of the original founder, Epaminondas. Originally, Anastasios made fiddles and lutes in what is now known as Izmir, Turkey. But when he moved to the U.S. in 1903, he added mandolins to his creations. When his son “Epi” took over, the company continued to add products, first banjos, then Epiphone Guitars, well into 1943 when Epi passed away. While his brothers took control, however, the company did not last that long, and was finally bought out by Gibson, the company’s main rival, in 1957.

The buyout would prove to be good for the Epiphone name, however, because under Gibson they continued to create Epiphone guitars and bass guitars. Epiphone Guitars were either Gibson copies, or Epiphone originals, and both classifications were successful. There are many well-liked bass guitars by Epiphone as well, but perhaps the most popular of them is the Epiphone Thunderbird Bass. At the moment, it has seven incarnations – the Thunderbird Pro, the Thunderbird IV, the Goth Thunderbird IV, the Limited Edition Silverburst Thunderbird IV, and the Nikki Sixx Thunderbird Bass and Blackbird. Each is crafted using very beautiful woods such as maple, rosewood, and mahogany.

Many bassists today have, at one point or another, dreamt of getting a Thunderbird, because of its classic shape that fits perfectly for rock or heavy metal. And as the name implies, the Thunderbird has an imposing sound, and can blaze through musical pieces while at the same time, still maintaining the foundation of the music, just as a bass should. And the Thunderbird’s classic shape has become something of an icon, and is shared by another Epiphone classic, the Nikki Sixx Blackbird, named after the legendary bassist of Motley Crue.

Today, while there are many bass guitars available, the Thunderbird’s place in the music industry is cemented, and is a very good buy for musicians who wish to use a classically designed, yet very advanced instrument.

Also of Interest:

Yamaha Bass Guitar

Electronic Drum Set

Yamaha Bass Guitar

Yamaha is known for its motorcycles as much as it is for its musical instruments. Yamaha's musical instruments include organs, pianos, percussion, and string instruments, like acoustic and electric guitars. One of its most popular string instruments is the bass guitar, which is one of the premiere choices for bass guitarists everywhere.

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Benefits of the Electronic Drum Set

Electronic drum sets work almost exactly the same as a traditional drum set, except that the sound from the electronic version comes from an electronic waveform generator, as opposed to the vibrations of a membrane over a shell.Electronic drum sets work almost exactly the same as a traditional drum set, except that the sound from the electronic version comes from an electronic waveform generator, as opposed to the vibrations of a membrane over a shell. They can fit into a smaller space, and the volume can be controlled.

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Yamaha Electronic Drums

Many people think of the 1970s and 1980s when they think of electronic instruments. The music of that era was highly influenced by synthesizers and non-acoustic instrumentation. This was also the time when Yamaha electronic drums also made their way into the mainstream of music.

A drummer will tell you that the early electronic drum kits did not accurately replicate the sound of acoustic drums. Because of this shortcoming, early electronic drums were mostly used for disco and new wave music.

Electronic drums today are quite amazing. One Yamaha electronic drum set is pre-programmed to be able to sound like 50 drum kits! They also are equipped with special effects and the ability to replicate the sounds made by percussion instruments from across the globe.

Most parents dread the day when their son or daughter tells them that they want a drum kit for their birthday. There are the issues of space, as well as the well-merited fear of never hearing the sweet sound of silence again. But electronic drums take up about half the space of an acoustic drum set. So the garage can remain the home of the cars! And unlike acoustic drums, electronic drum kits can be played at a low volume or with headphones on. So the drummer can be rockin’ her heart out, while the baby is asleep down the hall.

Electronic drums come in all shapes and sizes. Smaller basic kits exist which are equipped with a kick drum, a snare, three toms, high hats and cymbals. The larger Yamaha electronic drums have cymbal pads, multiple drum pads and double bass pedals.

Yamaha has a very versatile and wide range of electronic drums for everyone from the beginner to the most advanced percussionists. The popular Yamaha Electronic Drum DTX series would be a great place to start your search.

Other Topics of Interest:

Yamaha Bass Guitar:  The Yamaha bass guitars usually come in the form of the 4 string guitar, but the Yamaha 5 string bass guitar is among the best selling bass guitars of the company.

Piano Movers:  We’ve all seen the gag; two men bringing a piano to a customer on the fourth or fifth floor of a building. There are usually two ways, either through the stairs, or by using a pulley. In movies and cartoons though, it always ends the same. The piano falls, crushing some poor fellow who then reemerges with piano keys as teeth.

Waterproof MP3:  Waterproof MP3 players are becoming more and more popular, especially for people who are usually near the water, whether it be for leisure or for work.

Garden Lighting:  Property lighting of a garden can make it as beautiful at night as it is during the day. View lighting options for your garden here.

Transcribe Drum Solos To Help With Learning Drums

One of the best ways to start learning drums is by listening to the great drummers of the genre which you are trying to learn. All too often, I see drummers that start out playing the drums with absolutely no knowledge base, and they flouder for about six months before actually getting anywhere with the drums. In this time period, they may make improvements in their technique and chops, but the only way to improve your actual approach to the drum set is by listening to great recordings of master drummers and studying them as you would a textbook. This is how to learn drums.

When you first sit down to play the drums, you need to have some basis for what you want to sound like, and the only way to get this is by drawing upon your previous experiences and what you have already learned by listening. As long as you have the basic techniques mastered, such as how to hold the sticks, etc., you will be fine. But what will determine how you actually progress in the long run is both your work on technique and your studying of the great drummers.

When I started learning to play jazz drums in college, one of the things I had to do was to do transcriptions of other great jazz drum solos. And this really pushed my ear to learn the “language” of jazz, because their really is a unique vocabulary associated with every genre of music. If you do approximately 2 transcriptions a month of drum solos, you will see your technique and your musical ear progress more rapidly than you had ever imagined. You should really take the time to dive in to the specific of the particular drummer’s phrasing, too, it is not enough to simply play the notes and move on; every drummer has a different way that they approach the beat and rhythm in general, and if you do your best to not only play the transcribed notes, but emulate your idol’s phrasing as well, I think you will find that this concept will make learning drums much, much easier for you and give you greater confidence with playing on the beat.

Practice Makes Perfect For Learning The Flute

Practice makes perfect and playing the flute is no different. If you want to be a really good flute player, then you need to practice each and every day. It’s the only way that you can improve your technical ability as well as your embouchure for playing the flute. It can be rather difficult to stick with at some times, but you just have to push through the difficult times.

When you buy a flute like Yamaha flute or Muramatsu flute you usually get a flute that comes in 3 different pieces. These are easily put together with some basic pressure. This will make a full length flute. The manufacturer will always give you a case as well as some cleaning supplies such as a towel.

The flute is considered a Woodwind instrument like the Clarinet. However, most flutes made today are made out of metal so that are rather disconnected from the implied name. However, years ago, flutes were made of wood. Some can still be found today.

If you are just now learning to play the flute, then it is very important that you get some private lessons. If you live close to a University or College, this can be a great resource for private music lessons. Usually, music majors offer music lessons at affordable rates. If you eventually get to the level in which you need more advanced instruction, sometimes the professors also offer private lessons.

The flute can be an extremely rewarding instrument to learn. There are so many different kinds of musical ensembles that you can join with your flute. Flute is most commonly known for it’s importance in classical orchestras and bands. However, the flute is often used in jazz and folk music. So, there are a lot of genres that you can enjoy while learning and playing the flute. It’s important that you keep an open mind while learning.