Hal Leonard Jazz & Blues Piano Methods and First 50 Christmas Carols You Should Play on the Piano
Hal Leonard has just released two new genre-specific methods for piano and keyboard: The Hal Leonard Jazz Piano Method by Mark Davis is a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide designed for anyone interested in playing jazz piano – from the complete novice just learning the basics to the more advanced player who wishes to enhance their keyboard vocabulary. The Hal Leonard Blues Keyboard Method is written by Marty Sammon, the keyboardist in Buddy Guy’s acclaimed band, and includes a foreword by Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the Allman Brothers Band, Rolling Stones, and many more! It is the authentic guide to traditional and modern blues keyboard playing, with rhythm and soloing concepts for piano and organ.The accompanying audio includes demonstrations of all the examples in the books and is accessed online, where you can adapt the tempo or set practice loops so you can work at your own pace! Both books can be ordered by calling the Hal Leonard E-Z Order Line at 1-800-554-0626.
The First 50 Series from Hal Leonard features cream of the crop collections geared at players who’ve been taking lessons long enough to feel comfortable picking up their first songbook without the aid of a teacher. Each arrangement is simple and streamlined, yet still captures the essence of the tune. This Christmas collection includes 50 holiday standards for beginning pianists to learn. Other books in the series include First 50 Popular Songs You Should Play on Piano and First 50 Classical Piano Pieces You Should Play on the Piano. Books are also available for guitarists! Call the Hal Leonard E-Z Order Line at 1-800-554-0626 for more information.
Halleonard.com
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library: Popular Hits and Professional Piano Teaching, Volume 2
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library: Popular Hits offers Broadway, pop, and movie music arrangements to be used as supplementary pieces for students. Soon after beginning piano study, students can play attractive versions of favorite classics, as well as the best-known popular music of today.
Each book is correlated page-by-page with Alfred’s Basic Piano Library: Lesson Books. When pieces from the Popular Hits books are assigned in conjunction with the material in the Lesson books, new concepts are reinforced in a fun and motivating way, increasing the student’s interest in piano study.
Level 1B titles: All About That Bass • Baby • Batman Theme • Believer • Clouds • Everything Is Awesome • Let It Go • May the Force Be with You • and more.
Level 2 titles: Best Day of My Life • Don’t Stop Believin’ • Over the Rainbow (As sung by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole) • Maybe • Some Nights • Star Wars (Main Theme) • You Raise Me Up • You’ve Got a Friend in Me • and more.
Alfred’s Basic Piano Library: Popular Hits, Levels 1B & 2 are available for $7.99 each.
This second volume of Professional Piano Teaching is designed to serve as a basic text for a second-semester or upper-division piano pedagogy course. It provides an overview of learning principles and a thorough approach to essential aspects of teaching intermediate to advanced students. Divided into 10 chapters, this book presents a wealth of information on teaching principles and skills and provides the step-by-step means to apply them. Special features include discussions on how to teach, not just what to teach; numerous musical examples; chapter summaries; and suggested projects for new and experienced teachers.
Topics include: Teaching students beyond the elementary levels • An overview of learning processes and learning theories • Teaching transfer students • Preparing students for college piano major auditions • Teaching rhythm, reading, technique, and musicality • Researching, evaluating, selecting, and presenting intermediate through advanced repertoire • Developing stylistic interpretation of repertoire from each musical period • Developing expressive and artistic interpretation and performance • Motivating students and providing instruction in effective practice • Teaching memorization and performance skills. (452 pages)
Professional Piano Teaching, Volume 2 is available for $59.99.
Alfred.com
Kawai GL Series Grand Piano Line
Kawai has introduced a new line of grand pianos called the GL SERIES, the company’s first new line of entry-level to mid-level grand pianos in over 15 years. Kawai redesigned three existing product groups – the GM, GE and RX models – into one collection of instruments featuring its revolutionary Millennium III Grand Action and a powerful set of enhanced performance features that will ensure long-term musical enjoyment for the discerning pianist. The GL Series was introduced worldwide on September 2, 2015.
There are five GL Series models – the 5’ GL-10, the 5’2” GL-20, the 5’5” GL-30, the 5’11” GL-40 and 6’2” GL-50. In addition to Kawai’s acclaimed Millennium III Action with carbon fiber, all GL models have tapered solid spruce soundboards, extended-length keys and key buttons, the SOLID system (that features a thicker stretcher bar for added strength), agraffes and a soft-fall closing system. Every element is designed to provide exceptional touch and tone over time.
Polished ebony editions of GL-20 through GL-50 models are now available through authorized Kawai dealers. The GL-10 in polished ebony will become available in October. Other finishes will be announced later in the fall of 2015. For more information, contact Joe Deleski at 800-421-2177 (x878).
Kawaius.com
Jamey Aebersold for Piano
Jamey’s best-selling “Volume 1: How To Play Jazz” has been carefully adapted for piano by jazz master and IU professor of music Luke Gillespie. While carefully aligned with the original Vol. 1, it now includes information on left-hand/right-hand voicings, suggested fingerings for the scales and exercises, and special pianistic considerations like touch and phrasing. The spiral binding allows it to open easily and many examples are notated in a grand staff format. Also included are 2 play-along CDs.
Jazzbooks.com
ORGANS
Lowrey Marquee
Lowrey has unveiled a new flagship instrument, EX5000 – Marquee. The Marquee holds a stunning collection of performance features designed to satisfy all manner of player. Immediately apparent is the full color, super cinema touch screen; the largest ever offered by Lowrey. The highly visible screen offers one touch access to sounds, features, and controls making the Marquee exceptionally easy to operate and play.
Newly minted features, such as Pro-Play, Quick Picks, Style Suites, and Grand Virtuoso are fun and fanciful musical tools that dramatically enhance player enjoyment. And true to Lowrey’s easy play tradition are features like Auto Bass, Pedal Magic, Harmony, and the latest version of MCS, Lowrey’s easy play chord method. MCS Plus adds an even higher level of complexity and sophistication to left hand accompaniment chords without changing the familiar one and two finger chord formations.
The Marquee maintains ‘touch and play’ ease of operation with the largest collection of instant sound setups ever offered by Lowrey. Select from among thousands of dynamic setups or use the extensive pallet of sounds to create new setups. The Lowrey Marquee makes it possible for all players to be powerfully creative.
lowrey.com
SYNTHESIZERS
Roland’s JUNO-DS Synthesizer
Roland introduces the JUNO-DS Synthesizer, a powerful and versatile keyboard for performing and recording musicians. This latest evolution of the popular JUNO series delivers many enhancements over previous generations, including improved pianos, additional organ sounds, waveform expansion capability, Phrase Pads, new vocal effects and more. Along with a 61-key model, the JUNO-DS is also available in a weighted-action version with 88 keys to complement the expressive new piano sounds.
Relied on by players around the world, Roland’s JUNO synths are known for their high-quality sounds, intuitive operation, portability and exceptional value. The JUNO-DS takes the iconic series to a new level, offering many feature updates for performing keyboardists. Lightweight and mobile, the instrument is packed with great Roland sounds for any musical style. And with battery or AC operation, users have the flexibility to play anywhere their music takes them.
Many stage players rely on pianos and organs more than any other sounds. The JUNO-DS acoustic and electric pianos have been newly enhanced with improved sound and response, and the selection of organs has been increased. The 1000-plus sound set from the previous-generation JUNO-Di is included as well, and patches from that keyboard are fully compatible with the JUNO-DS.
Rolandus.com
DIGITAL PIANOS
Williams Overture 2 and Rhapsody 2
Williams just introduced two next-generation, 88-key console digital pianos. The Rhapsody 2 and Overture 2 feature exquisite finishes, a new weighted hammer action with incredibly realistic response and feel, high-definition sounds from Williams’ all-new custom sound library, and an impressive feature set.
Both instruments offer 64-voice polyphony, so you can create deep, layered orchestrations without running out of voices. Split and Layer functions enable you to combine sounds as desired, and a Modulation/FX control provides realistic rotary and vibrato effects on select instruments. Both Rhapsody 2 and Overture 2 can be used as a MIDI controller and connect to a computer via USB for recording to any standard MIDI software.
Williamspianos.com
KEYBOARD
Korg’s Liverpool Professional Arranger
Korg now pays tribute to the legendary duo of Lennon and McCartney with the release of the Liverpool Professional Arranger, a union-jack embossed, light-weight, portable arranger keyboard with 100 of the artists’ timeless songs and 64 styles built into its memory.
With built in stereo speakers, users can play back, and play along with, familiar songs, while the styles function allows the user to freely change the song structure and chords while performing. Arranged in alphabetical order just like the built in songs, each Liverpool Style has up to four functions and also allows for an intro, fill and ending.
The Liverpool allows users to add their own chords and melodies to use the accompaniments as inspirations to create original musical works. With standard keyboard sounds such as piano, electric piano, and organ, as well as guitar, bass, strings, brass, and drum sounds that can also be used with the styles, this instrument covers a wide range of sounds needed for performance. In addition to the 64 Lennon and McCartney Styles, Liverpool also includes styles inherited from the microARRANGER, KORG’s compact and powerful arranger keyboard.
The Liverpool will be available November 2015 for a street price of $599.99.
Korgusa.com
Yamaha Clavinova CVP-700 Series
The powerful, award-winning new lineup includes the CVP-701, CVP-705, CVP-709 and the CVP-709GP. At the heart of each model is Yamaha’s Real Grand Expression sound engine, which harmonizes the three key elements of sound, touch and pedals to provide the definitive, immersive experience of playing a real grand piano.
For the first time, the Yamaha CVP Series features the sampled sounds of two world class concert grand pianos—the Yamaha CFX and the Bösendorfer Imperial—further redefining the expressive capabilities and dynamic range for digital pianos today.
The CVP-701, CVP-705 and CVP-709 (MSRP range: $5,399 to $20,999) will be available in July in black walnut wood finish or polished ebony. The CVP-709GP (MSRP: $20,999) offers customers a 4-foot 6-inch baby grand cabinet with an enhanced sound system.
