For the best part of two decades, in the 1980s and 1990s, Yamaha created some iconic mini music keyboards under the PortaSound name. Many of these were simple instruments aimed at children and/or beginners, but as the years rolled on, a number of additional features were added. Even today, some […]
Yearly Archives: 2022
93 posts
Structure A one octave E harmonic minor scale is made up from the eight notes E, F#, G, A, B, C, D# and E. This can be extended across the keyboard as required for two, three or four octave scales. Here are the notes of one octave depicted on a […]
Structure A one octave F harmonic minor scale is made up from the eight notes F, G, Ab, Bb, C, Db, E natural and F. This can be extended across the keyboard as required for two, three or four octave scales. Here are the notes of one octave depicted on […]
Chords are an integral part of many musical styles, providing harmony to a melody and adding fullness to accompaniments. In their simplest form, chords are simply two or more notes of a scale played at the same time, creating a rich sound over which a tune can be played or […]
A really good theme tune can lift any TV show, and one with a prominent piano accompaniment is (in our opinion) extra special. While there are plenty of high-tech electronic and fully orchestrated compositions, here are our selection of the best piano-centric programme theme tunes. Not every piece features the […]
Biographical Wilhelm Bachaus was born at Leipsic, March 24, 1884, two years before the death of Franz Liszt. Nine years younger than Josef Hofmann and a trifle more than one-half the age of Paderewski he represents a different decade from that of other pianists included in this work. Bachaus studied […]
Biography Pepito Arriola was born on the 14th of December, 1897. A careful investigation of his ancestry reveals that no less than twelve of his forefathers and relations have been pronouncedly musical. His father was a physician, but his mother was a musician. His early musical training was given to […]
See the complete series of Mastering Christmas Carols. See Him Lying On A Bed of Straw (Calypso Carol): An Introduction See Him Lying On A Bed of Straw (Calypso Carol) is written and played here in the key of C Major, and has a 4/4 time signature. See Him Lying […]
See the complete series of Mastering Christmas Carols. Good Christian Men Rejoice: An Introduction Good Christian Men Rejoice is written and played here in the key of E Major, and has a 6/8 time signature. It has been sung in a variety of keys, however E major is quite a […]
See the complete series of Mastering Christmas Carols. As With Gladness Men of Old: An Introduction As With Gladness Men of Old is written and played here in the key of G Major, and has a 4/4 time signature. As With Gladness Men of Old: Main Melody As With Gladness […]
See the complete series of Mastering Christmas Carols. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear: An Introduction It Came Upon The Midnight Clear is written and played here in the key of F Major, and has a 4/4 time signature. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear: Main Melody Take a moment […]
See the complete series of Mastering Christmas Carols. Once In Royal David’s City: An Introduction Once In Royal David’s City is written and played here in the key of G Major, and has a 4/4 time signature. Once In Royal David’s City: Main Melody The melody of Once In Royal […]
See the complete series of Mastering Christmas Carols. I Saw Three Ships: An Introduction I Saw Three Ships is written and played here in the key of G Major, and has a 6/8 time signature. It could be written in 3/4 waltz time but having a six quaver measure length […]
See the complete series of Mastering Christmas Carols. The First Noel: An Introduction The First Noel (also spelled The First Nowell) is written and played here in the key of C Major, and has a 3/4 (waltz) time signature. The First Noel: Main Melody It’s worth taking a moment to […]
The Original MODXs In 2016, two years after Yamaha’s mammoth MONTAGE arrived on the scene, impressive in both features and price tag, came the first baby siblings in the form of the MODX arranger workstations keyboards. Featuring many of the same impressive sound engines, controls and functions, they were a […]
In this article we take a look and compare the features and specifications of the thirteen models of Korg’s Pa*X line of synthesisers. There are thirteen models comprising eight distinct models with various key count variations on some. The Pa1X was launched in 2003 so we are now looking at […]
In this article we look at the classic Christian hymn “The Lord’s My Shepherd” which was credited to Jessie Irvine, based on text from Psalm 23. A classic hymn already well-known but shared with a wider audience when it was a chosen hymn at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II […]
In this article we look at the classic Christian hymn “The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended” (St Clement) which was written in the 19th century by John Ellerton and then subsequently revised/arranged by both Clement Scholefield and James O’Donnell. A classic hymn most likely made known to a wider […]
Digital pianos have made it much easier for anyone with an interest in learning to play the piano to get started, but there is a bewildering array of instruments to choose from and a significant price range to go with them. If you’re just starting out as a beginning or […]
Yamaha introduced the first two models in its more compact and portable P Series of digital pianos in 1994, and now nearly thirty years on there have been twenty models in the entire line, with four currently on sale and sixteen discontinued. Portable may be a relative term in comparison […]
