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Stylophone Original Pocket Synthesiser
by chloeexo
The fascination around the stylophone synthesiser has always been based on a few things, namely its small size, the fact a stylus is used to control it and the fact that actually, it makes some good sounds. These days it is quite common to see indie and electro bands using these instruments to make retro sounds.
The great ... thing about a stylophone is the fact that while it is fun for those out there who aren't musically skilled, purely because it is very novelty, for those that are into creating music it opens up a lot of opportunities in a far more simple manner than the classic synthesiser. For touring musicians, it is a great accompaniment to a band as it can be easily taken around and experimentation is something that is even encouraged with this instrument.
Another highlight of the stylophone is the tiny pitch changer that can be really funny if you're using this in a large group. This is the type of thing that would make a great stocking filler for the family to mess about with on Christmas day, but can easily serve its purpose as a legitimate instrument as well.
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M-Audio Oxygen8
by ste87
This is a budget midi keyboard for people to input their midi data into music production software. This is a simple matter of plugging the keyboard via a midi cable into your audio interface or sound card and finding the device in your DAW (digital audio workstation).
The construction is plastic with 25 keys but an octave ... switch allowing you to select your pitch range. While this isn't big enough to play like a proper keyboard it is big enough to input melodies and chords an idea at a time, or for triggering samples off.
Also included are rotary knobs which are programmable to control any midi parameter which is assignable in your software. This could be a resonance on a synth patch, a reverb time or a sweep speed etc. There is also a transport panel which when linked to your DAW control play, stop, FF, RW and loop.
Preferences can be saved in memory banks for fast recall of plug in settings or synth controls. The keyboard is bundled with a cut down version of Ableton live which is still really good. This keyboard can be bought from £50-100 making it the perfect combo for Pro-tools or Ableton.
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Yamaha Clavinova
by edwardjmarsh
I have been playing piano for a few years now, practising on our old piano which was basically way past its sell by date! After decorating the room at home and doing a bit of moving around, it was obvious that we needed a piano which was slightly smaller. If you had even mentioned to me a few years ago about getting a Clavinova I would ... have thought you were crazy! Firstly, they seem to have a reputation in the piano world as being an imitation.
There are various models on the market which offer different features, feel etc... we chose the CLP-370 as it seemed to be a good all round model, I also liked the feel whilst playing. The features of this model are as follows:
Dark Rosewood / Cherry / Mahogany / Polished Ebony
88-key NW (Natural Wood) keyboard (wood is used for the white keys)
Synthetic Ivory Keytops
7-segment LED
Pure CF Sampling
4-step AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) Dynamic Stereo Sampling tone generation with Stereo Sustain samples and Key-Off samples
14 Voices x 2 variations
128-note polyphony
Split, Dual
Digital Effects (Reverb / Chorus / Brilliance)
2-track recording
Internal Flash ROM for song memory
USB TO HOST and USB TO DEVICE (2, Selectable)
7 temperaments
Amplifier (40W x 2)
Speaker System (6 5/16" + 1 15/16") x 2
Internet Direct Connection
Metronome
Three foot pedals
MIDI IN / OUT / THRU
Sliding key cover
Music clips
Dual headphone jacks
Headphone hanger
LAN port
50 built-in demonstration piano songs with sheet music
As you can see the capabilities of this instrument are certainly not limited. There is even the option to connect the piano to the internet and download lessons and tracks etc...
~ Usage ~
The technology that Yamaha uses in the Clavinova has evolved again and again. Yamaha strive to get the same feel and sound as a real piano whilst often saving on space. A grand piano for example would never fit in one of our rooms at home, but the Clavinova means that the sound produced by a grand, can be imitated to a certain extent.
What I really like about the Clavinova is the headphone port. We have our piano in the living room at home and as you can imagine, as soon as someone turns on the TV, practising becomes impossible! Now I can either turn the volume down or wear some headphones and play until my heart's content!
This model also has a button which allows you to control the damping and the piano also has 3 pedals allowing you to get the most out of your music.
~ Why would I choose a Clavinova? ~
The Clavinova is a superb instrument however side by side, the sound quality and the feel are without doubt not the same. So why choose a Clavinova and not a real piano? We chose the Clavinova firstly because it saves a lot of space. The dimensions of the product are 1408mm x 917mm x 511mm. Because there is no need for strings the height can be reduced.
Secondly, the Clavinova is an electric piano so does not need any tuning. This in the long term saves an extremely large amount of money as each tuning session can cost around £50!
~ Verdict ~
I seriously recommend trying a Clavinova out in a showroom if you are thinking of purchasing a new piano. As previously said the quality is not the same as a real piano, but if you are looking for something to play every now again without the worry of tuning costs etc... then the Clavinova could well be for you. New models are also being released all the time meaning the technology used to built these products is improving drastically! Who knows, in a few years people may be writing reviews on here and saying that they cannot tell the difference between this and a real piano.
What is more the piano is even supplied with a free music book and recording capabilities - release your creative side!
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