Search found 1388 matches

by markymark
25 Apr 2020, 15:28
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: Young Chang vs Yamaha baby grand
Replies: 1
Views: 6012

Young Chang vs Yamaha baby grand

Hi everyone! Long time since I’ve been on here. Looking for some acoustic piano advice. I currently own a P121N. Since then, I have gotten married and moved. Am seriously thinking along the lines of a baby grand piano. I am learning towards another Yamaha piano but came across Young Chang. At this p...
by markymark
30 Jun 2016, 22:17
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Digital Piano Action
Replies: 4
Views: 18151

Re: Digital Piano Action

I would personally vouch for Yamaha digital pianos balancing touch, tone and cost.

Have you looked?
by markymark
31 Jul 2015, 23:41
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: Looking for the piano from simpleshoppinglink.com
Replies: 3
Views: 18686

Re: Looking for the piano from simpleshoppinglink.com

Look out for phrases like "graded HAMMER action" - these replicated the feel and weight of an acoustic. Notice that I said REPLICATED. Some keyboards are only weighted or touch sensitive - this is not the same thing!
by markymark
17 Jul 2015, 00:24
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Church music
Replies: 66
Views: 70703

Re: Church music

Gill the Piano wrote:It's merely chit chat, of which nobody took much notice, until attention was drawn to it.
Sad days for the former Piano Lounge... :(
by markymark
14 Jul 2015, 13:08
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Intro to Taking Care of Business
Replies: 4
Views: 12801

Re: Intro to Taking Care of Business

Quite a simple arrangement but try this:

http://youtu.be/oC9MBvhlrFg
by markymark
14 Jul 2015, 01:30
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Church music
Replies: 66
Views: 70703

Re: Church music

Happy crappy, you mean... That's the one, without incurring the wrath and anger of the right-wing evangelical zealots.Happy clappy crappy shiny shiny praisey Lordy. I don't know if you're aware of a fundamentalist hymn book called 'Power Praise' but some herbert's attempted to translate it into Wel...
by markymark
14 Jul 2015, 00:36
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: Sight reading
Replies: 16
Views: 25150

Re: Sight reading

Super Sight Reading Secrets by Howard Richman is very good and cuts through all those overly cumbersome practices you hear others using which really only copes with the issue as opposed to fixing it. He comes from the background of someone who could perform at a high standard but couldn't even play ...
by markymark
13 Jul 2015, 23:50
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Best digital piano for a beginner?
Replies: 2
Views: 15489

Re: Best digital piano for a beginner?

I am going to disagree a bit with Colin: it is certainly safer and easier to buy new but secondhand is worth a consideration giving that digital pianos depreciate quite quickly. I sold a CP33 for around £600 a year after buying it at £900....

What have you been looking at?
by markymark
13 Jul 2015, 23:44
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: First Digital Piano?
Replies: 2
Views: 13974

Re: First Digital Piano?

Agreed. You would be very lucky or unlucky to get a digital piano at that price. The cheapy toy-like ones with keys like rulers retail new above £100... I would save up and keep an eye out for something more substantial! I can mention some if you can give a more realistic price range.
by markymark
13 Jul 2015, 23:41
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: I am looking to buy a digital piano and in a dilemma
Replies: 3
Views: 15621

Re: I am looking to buy a digital piano and in a dilemma

Yamaha has a much better action and voicing than Casio.

It is also more expensive on the whole so you will really need to go and try these for yourself.
by markymark
25 Feb 2015, 23:59
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: Skype lessons (ABRSM)
Replies: 2
Views: 8722

Re: Skype lessons (ABRSM)

Not sure just how good these would be. Are you an experienced player, that is to say, post Grade 6?

In my opinion, there is no substitute for one-to-one, in person, training.
by markymark
03 Sep 2014, 21:20
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Distorted Sound from Yamaha HS5 Studio Monitors
Replies: 1
Views: 14735

Re: Distorted Sound from Yamaha HS5 Studio Monitors

The earphones tend to give you a better indication of the sound quality - all the time as far as I am concerned. External speakers don't always. The fact that all the other sounds are sounding clearly would suggest to me that the speakers are not able to cope with the signal. I have discovered that ...
by markymark
12 May 2014, 21:06
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Brucie to leave Strictly:
Replies: 4
Views: 10737

Re: Brucie to leave Strictly:

Wonder who is going to present the weekday show, tho - that's the more open question I think!
by markymark
12 May 2014, 21:01
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: Replacement ivory key tops
Replies: 4
Views: 10001

Re: Replacement ivory key tops

Barrie, sometimes I wish I was still moderating on this forum: "cheep"???

:wink:
by markymark
12 May 2014, 20:59
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Brucie to leave Strictly:
Replies: 4
Views: 10737

Re: Brucie to leave Strictly:

Claudia is an obvious choice for consistency.
by markymark
12 May 2014, 20:53
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: Are adult learners notoriously difficult to teach?
Replies: 5
Views: 15029

Re: Are adult learners notoriously difficult to teach?

I think adults would be more difficult to teach. - as people "mature" they tend to be experts at carrying out skills or applying knowledge gleaned many years prior, they can have the inability to apply or get back into the position of "learning", almost forgetting how to learn; -...
by markymark
12 May 2014, 20:44
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: New piano, New issues.
Replies: 7
Views: 14109

Re: New piano, New issues.

If your retailer proves to be troublesome, your credit card company/bank has support in place for services paid for an not received but for the latter, you would need to act soon if the store is not going to reimburse you.
by markymark
12 May 2014, 20:42
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: How to remove a light scratch on a polyester finish
Replies: 6
Views: 15231

Re: How to remove a light scratch on a polyester finish

Thanks for the feedback.

Have gone back to look at the piano a few times and not really as bad as I thought - the polyester fading. I think the scratches will just have to do. Not worth is when the piano is being sold on as second-hand.
by markymark
12 May 2014, 20:40
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: CP-1
Replies: 2
Views: 14954

Re: CP-1

I don't think I have ever played one with wooden keys though I have been tempted. Problem is that they do tend to be much more expensive. I think the expressivity of the piano voicing is important too which is why I tend to encourage people towards Yamaha as a brand. Colin is right - no matter how m...
by markymark
19 Apr 2014, 14:02
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: How to remove a light scratch on a polyester finish
Replies: 6
Views: 15231

Re: How to remove a light scratch on a polyester finish

Hi Colin! Thanks for that advice. Took some from somone else who suggested toothpaste or furniture polish. The result has been creating a slight light patch - possible damage to the polyester finish. Tried using meths to remove any reside but still there and noticeable in daylight. Is this a job for...
by markymark
19 Apr 2014, 10:52
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: How to remove a light scratch on a polyester finish
Replies: 6
Views: 15231

How to remove a light scratch on a polyester finish

The title pretty much sums up what I need. Fiancée is selling her B1 piano as we will be keeping my much better one. When she was dusting, the wire centre of the feather duster lightly scratched the polyester. Just noticed the scratch today and was wondering how to get rid of it. It isn't a deep scr...
by markymark
17 Mar 2014, 23:35
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: Moving house
Replies: 2
Views: 7177

Re: Moving house

Thanks Barrie! Yeah she is a player and teaches piano privately. As the for the piano, you're dead right there! Don't know how I'll get through that! It's ok! If I get too stressed about scratches to my polyester, the Piano Lounge seems to be taking a very strong guidance counsellor vein these days ...
by markymark
16 Mar 2014, 23:30
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: Moving house
Replies: 2
Views: 7177

Moving house

Am getting married soon but will be starting to move my personal belongings into what will be our marital home. The piano will be one of those things which is why I am posting now. How long should you give a piano to acclimatise to its new surrounding before getting it tuned and/or serviced?
by markymark
01 Mar 2014, 14:59
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: 'Pushy' piano teachers
Replies: 5
Views: 10398

Re: 'Pushy' piano teachers

It depends what you mean. Is this your first lesson with the new teacher?

If it is, then maybe he/she is trying to carry out some kind of benchmarking exercise (see where your cut of point is across the skills)?
by markymark
11 Feb 2014, 18:26
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Keyboard - Clavinova CLP-840
Replies: 10
Views: 40914

Re: Keyboard - Clavinova CLP-840

Ich auch! :)
by markymark
06 Feb 2014, 18:11
Forum: Piano Showcase
Topic: What is the advanced certificate equivalent to nowadays??
Replies: 1
Views: 6764

Re: What is the advanced certificate equivalent to nowadays?

The advanced certificate was replaced by the DipABRSM and you would get those letters after your name. Not sure whether your qualification would be entitled to letters but you probably should check with ABRSM.
by markymark
06 Feb 2014, 17:57
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: Hello from another oldie.
Replies: 22
Views: 30576

Re: Hello from another oldie.

You're right - it would. Exposing a piano to extreme temperature change will affect tuning and can cause damage to the soundboard.
by markymark
04 Feb 2014, 22:43
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: Hello from another oldie.
Replies: 22
Views: 30576

Re: Hello from another oldie.

Hi Dave, thanks for your advice and best wishes. I've got my first lesson booked for next Sunday. It's free because we're just sounding each other out. If I carry on with him, the next is half price. Can't be bad. Phil Hi, Phil. Be honest with your piano teacher. Some teachers, quite frankly, prefe...
by markymark
04 Feb 2014, 22:40
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Keyboard - Clavinova CLP-840
Replies: 10
Views: 40914

Re: Keyboard - Clavinova CLP-840

But it's in German. That won't suit most readers on this site!
by markymark
21 Jan 2014, 01:21
Forum: Piano Advice
Topic: Yamaha P121 Made
Replies: 6
Views: 12423

Re: Yamaha P121 Made

How does the P121N relate just out of interest?
by markymark
21 Jan 2014, 01:13
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: Grade 4 Block
Replies: 7
Views: 13448

Re: Grade 4 Block

Agreed, although not impossible to achieve by yourself.
Are you keeping theory going?
by markymark
05 Nov 2013, 01:47
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Random thoughts or comments...
Replies: 1635
Views: 1268663

Re: Random thoughts or comments...

Now, where's Markymark lurking?? (obviously not in the moderator's rest room!) Hi, dave - I thought you'd be back. I am here.... though I haven't been for a long time. I made a couple of posts on digital pianos and this is one of my first posts on Piano Lounge for ages. Certainly not in the moderat...
by markymark
17 Oct 2013, 18:53
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Beginner looking for a digital piano
Replies: 2
Views: 14413

Re: Beginner looking for a digital piano

Have you tried any other brands?
by markymark
17 Oct 2013, 18:51
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Not sure how much to sell my piano for?
Replies: 2
Views: 14918

Re: Not sure how much to sell my piano for?

This keyboard is probably around 20 years old. To be frank, keyboards and digital pianos have come a long way. If you're selling a 20 year old Kurzweil model, you are trying to sell an old keyboard first of all and you are also trying to sell a brand that, in many ways, is not entirely established i...
by markymark
19 Jan 2013, 01:17
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Can someone help
Replies: 4
Views: 9202

Re: Can someone help

The letter to the left of the forward slash represents the chord; the letter to the right refers to the left hand for keyboardists and is also observed by bass guitar players. So, when you see a chord like D/F#, it means that you play a D major chord with your right hand and F# with you left hand.
by markymark
02 Oct 2012, 17:24
Forum: Piano Showcase
Topic: Saint-Saëns/Liszt/Horowitz - Danse Macabre
Replies: 2
Views: 7141

Re: Saint-Saëns/Liszt/Horowitz - Danse Macabre

I enjoyed that - you did a great job!

On another issue, where did you get that awesome shirt?
by markymark
04 Sep 2012, 22:17
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Which Yamaha YPD Digital Piano
Replies: 2
Views: 10065

Re: Which Yamaha YPD Digital Piano

My question to members is; can anyone give me advice as to which of the YPD range I should go for. In particular I looked at the 141/161/181/240 (which I presume are the order they were released by Yamaha) The current prices on the Internet are 141 (£630) 162 (£830) 181 (£1000) 240 (1300) – quite a...
by markymark
07 Aug 2012, 16:23
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Calling it a day as Global Moderator
Replies: 0
Views: 5321

Calling it a day as Global Moderator

Hey guys! You'll have noticed that I haven't been posting much. I've been behind the scenes doing mainly moderating however, I've decided to step down from that role. I am currently about to undertake some postgraduate study. That, coupled with an already hectic and demanding career and church commi...
by markymark
04 Jul 2012, 17:52
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: similar to Yamaha Clavinova CLP-430WH White ?
Replies: 2
Views: 9737

Re: similar to Yamaha Clavinova CLP-430WH White ?

White...?? :| As far as I am aware, Yamaha don't do ANYTHING in white! They used various shades of silver/aluminium for one of their 'P' models and especially for their Motif range but even then, Yamaha has gone back to black for their newest Motif XF range. Some models, like Kawai for example, use ...
by markymark
16 Jun 2012, 23:33
Forum: Digital Pianos
Topic: Help choosing Yam NPV80 or Casio CDP 200
Replies: 2
Views: 10276

Re: Help choosing Yam NPV80 or Casio CDP 200

Well firstly, the two keyboards are not exactly on a par with eachother, though without a doubt, having some benefits against the other. The Casio model, based on what I read for I'm not a huge Casio fan, has a hammer action keyboard which will probably be at least slightly heavier than this Yamaha ...
by markymark
06 Jun 2012, 19:14
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Englebert and Eurovision
Replies: 6
Views: 10641

Re: Englebert and Eurovision

I sometimes think that how the song is song has very little to do with the overall scores. There is undoubtedly a political agenda there still but I also think that having an enjoyable song is a big part of the final decision too. Look at the six Russian grannies - I didn't get that one and sure loo...
by markymark
12 May 2012, 17:27
Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
Topic: Novice Seeking Guidance
Replies: 3
Views: 8239

Re: Novice Seeking Guidance

Don't know anything about this book but I did have a look at the reviews. They range from 3-5 star ratings. Negative comments highlight the difficulty of the exercises contained in them. Finger movement and placing have very close connections with techniques you develop when playing scales. Take Bac...
by markymark
30 Apr 2012, 00:07
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Cost of living versus the cost of learning
Replies: 40
Views: 41392

Re: Cost of living versus the cost of learning

This is kind of becoming rather tiresome I have to say... :| He either wants to be on the forum or he doesn't! Just because you get upset or don't approve of how things are run isn't a good enough reason to storm off the forum and demand that your account gets closed. I can't think of anyone apart f...
by markymark
25 Apr 2012, 23:01
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Blood Brothers UK Tour
Replies: 5
Views: 6630

Re: Blood Brothers UK Tour

Absolutely loved the musical! Am trying to get back into seeing them.
Was going to see Legally Blond but not sure.
by markymark
23 Apr 2012, 18:25
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Blood Brothers UK Tour
Replies: 5
Views: 6630

Re: Blood Brothers UK Tour

When? Last week?
by markymark
23 Apr 2012, 17:55
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Blood Brothers UK Tour
Replies: 5
Views: 6630

Blood Brothers UK Tour

Went to see Blood Brothers in Londonderry on Friday night! What a really great musical - Maureen Nolan and Sean Connelly were outstanding!
by markymark
23 Apr 2012, 17:52
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Cost of living versus the cost of learning
Replies: 40
Views: 41392

Re: POLL: Future of the Piano Lounge

It's not technically in my court at all because I didn't handle or did I see the reported post. All I know is what you've said.
by markymark
21 Apr 2012, 19:04
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Cost of living versus the cost of learning
Replies: 40
Views: 41392

Re: POLL: Future of the Piano Lounge

dave brum wrote: and that he's been booted off.
Uhh... no he hasn't!
by markymark
19 Apr 2012, 17:06
Forum: Idle Chitchat
Topic: Cost of living versus the cost of learning
Replies: 40
Views: 41392

Re: POLL: Future of the Piano Lounge

him again - are you davebrum? you have the same way of writing, been reading some of these posts for months and never thought to reply as not really a piano player, can play fur elise from listening to it and thats it :sad: Its odd how davebrum signed off and then him again appears with similar sty...