Simon Smith Explanations introduce a new multi CD and DVD tutorial set for the Yamaha CVP400 series Clavinova digital pianos.

Compatible with: Yamaha Clavinovas – CVP401, CVP403, CVP405, CVP407 and CVP409.

About CVP400 made easy

From learning how to save & organise registration banks through to enjoying features such as drawbars or creating your own rhythm styles, this new tutorial set is a must have for Clavinova CVP 400 series owners. It provides a step by step (button by button) tutorial on how to operate the Yamaha CVP400 series Clavinovas with detailed spoken word audio instruction and separate visual demonstrations.

The beautifully presented boxed set comprises of seven spoken word audio CDs, two DVD’s and a booklet containing a 3 week lesson plan plus tips and references.

The 2 x DVDs are normal DVDs and in (NTSC format, region free). The 7 x CDs in this tutorial set are normal audio CDs.

How does the course work?

1. Follow the lesson timetable in the enclosed booklet.
2. Watch a DVD video lesson demonstration first.
3. Then “it’s time for you to have a go” with the step by step spoken word audio / CD instruction, where you’ll be guided through each lesson button by button & will literally learn by doing without visual distraction.

Who is it suitable for?

The tutorial is suitable for complete beginners right the way through to intermediate/advanced users. The start of this tutorial assumes no previous knowledge of the CVP 400 series Yamaha Clavinova.

The DVD video lesson demonstrations include Clavinova screen images (from the CVP409 model) for your convenience. The spoken word CD audio instruction is clear and at a pace that is easy to follow, with plenty of pauses for you to carry out examples.

The video content of the DVD discs contained within this tutorial set has been produced in NTSC standard. We have opted for this standard to make this tutorial set accessible to keyboard owners across the world.

The majority of PAL DVD players will play NTSC discs without any difficulty at all. If you do find that you cannot view/play the DVD in your DVD player/television, it may be possible to play these in a computer.

English Language – Price: £49.99 (Available online from the Yamaha Club Shop)

• Yamaha Club Magazine: June / July edition

• Subscribe to Yamaha Club Magazine

• Download a sample copy in pdf format.

• Page 6: Overture & Beginners (Steve Selwood)
In part nine of his workshop series for Yamaha’s smaller instruments, Steve Selwood explains the importance of using the Style Variation buttons when building a musical arrangement with illustrations from one of his own compositions.

Listen to Steve’s own version of the song…
Spring – version A (original)
Spring – version B (using style variations)
Order Steve Selwood’s latest CD – ‘Electricity’

• Page 8: Roger Hagarty’s Workshop (Roger Hagarty)
Roger turns his attention to Music Finder with an illustrated guide to getting the most from this essential feature.
Update your Music Finder with the UK (non-cryptic) version – available from our website

• Page 11: Yamaha Club & YPKO Online (James Woodcock)
James Woodcock of YPKO invites you to…
o Check out the new Premium Styles for Yamaha keyboards and Clavinovas.
o Listen to demos of the new Premium Expansion Packs
o Find more information about the Forum Members’ get-together in Blackpool.

• Page 12: Easy-Beat Music: Six Of The Best (Penny Weedon)
Penny Weedon’s music workshop is based on her composition ‘A Pawn In The Game’.
MIDI file and Audio performances of the piece are available to download from our Members Area.

• Page 14: F.A.Q. (Steve Marsden)
In the June/July edition Steve focuses on accessories and recommends some Yamaha favourites…
o Headphones – Yamaha RH5MA
o Digital Recording – Yamaha Pocketrack 2G
o Speakers – Stagepas 300

• Page 16: EL X-plorer (Alex Payler)
In part seven of his series, Alex Payler takes on the EL series rhythm section – and shows us how to improve the patterns with a few simple ‘tweaks’.

• Page 20: New software from T.T.T.
Total Transformation Technology have been busy producing two new additions to their catalogue of organ samples. We look at…
o Theatre Magic – Volume 2
o Klaus Magic

• Page 20: Tutorial DVD Review – Learn to play Blues Piano 1 (Janet Dowsett)
Janet reviews another DVD in the popular piano tutorial series.
Learn to play Blues Piano 1 – A beginner’s guide to improvisation

• Page 21: Music For You (Janet Dowsett)
Janet Dowsett introduces another collection of music books (with discount prices for Yamaha Club members).
o Popular Piano Solos (Book 8 – Jazz)
o Budget Books: Broadway Songs (Easy Piano)
o Easiest Keyboard Collection (Love Songs)

• Page 22: Notes From The AR-Group
More ideas for AR Electone organ owners, based on material provided by The AR-Group.

• Page 24: Keyboard Performer (Tony Ross)
Part 20: Tony continues his multi-track recording in the Song Programmer. Now he uses the Step-write programmer to add section markers to the chord track he produced in the opening chapter.

Keyboard Performer Series 3 – Archive 0041: Tony refers to a previous article on the subject of chord sequencing that is now available to Club members from the Yamaha Club Archive.

If you’re in need of inspiration, why not watch/hear Procol Harum’s original recording of ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ on You Tube

• Page 28: Notebook (Your letters & emails)
Topics include…

o HomePlug Connections – Wi-fi your house using Homeplug connections.
o Owners Guides – More support for full owners manuals to be packaged with each instrument.
o Deleting unwanted recordings from the hard drive.
o Steve Lowdell – 1980s nostalgia
o Fault or design? The sync-start feature has been changed on Tyros3.
As we went to press an announcement was made…
o Creating backing tracks using ‘Real Band’. Andrew Leitch shows what he’s achieved…
Days Of Wine and Roses (Andrew Leitch – CLP380 + ‘Real Band’ backing)
o D.I.Y. organ style case for two-tier Tyros system

Plus…

• Have you visited our on-line shop yet?
You can now order software, accessories, CDs and DVDs on-line. James Woodcock has provided a beginners guide for those new to Internet shopping.

• Yamaha Club Weekend 2009
We have found a little gem in the shape of the Oxford Belfry Hotel…
Join us there for our 2009 Yamaha Club Weekend 23-26th October.
Visit the Oxford Belfry website…

Contents:

• Page 6: Overture & Beginners (Steve Selwood)
In the latest chapter of his series for owners of Yamaha’s smaller keyboards, Steve’s looking at ‘connections’ – with advice for setting the graphic equaliser and making the right connections for computers, recorders and professional PA equipment.
Details of ‘Electricity’ – a new CD by Steve Selwood

• Page 8: Roger Hagarty’s Workshop (Roger Hagarty)
Roger demonstrates how to use the Clavinova as a full-keyboard piano with backing band – using the Full Keyboard mode.

• Page 10: Easy-Beat Music: Six Of The Best (Penny Weedon)
Top teacher and performer Penny Weedon joins the Yamaha Club team again for a new series of Easy-Beat Music workshops – illustrating her original compositions with performance notes and chord charts.

• Page 12: Keyboard Performer (Tony Ross)
Part 19: Tony sets out to create a multi-track recording in the Song Programmer. In the opening session he lays down a chord track for the legendary rock organ anthem ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ – using the step-write function.

Tony refers to a previous article on the subject of chord sequencing that is now available to Club members from the Yamaha Club Archive. Keyboard Performer Series 3 – Archive 0041

If you’re in need of inspiration, why not watch/hear Procol Harum’s original recording of ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ on You Tube

• Page 16: EL X-plorer (Alex Payler)
Alex takes a look at what support is still available for owners oif Yamaha EL Series Electone organs – now that the company no longer produces instruemnts for the European market. Aside from the ‘official’ back-up offered by Yamaha UK Alex has found a range of unofficial websites, many run by and dedicated to the Electone enthusiast…

The Electone Zone
Yamaha’s 50th Anniversary of the Electone Site (Japanese)
Bee Software for Electone
Yamaha’s On-line Manual Library
Alex Payler’s own web site
Electone message board on YPKO

• Page 20: Music Software – ‘Finale 2009′
It’s expensive – but Finale is one of the best music score writing software packages.

• Page 21: Music For You (Janet Dowsett)
Janet Dowsett introduces another collection of music books (with discount prices for Yamaha Club members).
o The Black Book: 50+ Rock & Pop Hits For Buskers
o Registration Magic (Janet Dowsett)
o Budget Books: Movie Songs – Easy Piano

• Page 22: Notes From The AR-Group
A new series for AR Electone organ owners, based on material provided by The AR-Group.

• Page 24: F.A.Q. (Steve Marsden)
A fact sheet – ‘Easy Upgrade to Tyros3’ – deals with some of the concerns voiced by players considering upgrading to Tyros3 from a PSR9000, Tyros or Tyros2. It is available to download from the official Yamaha Tyros3 website at www.music-tyros.com
Other downloads available include:
Yamaha Tyros3 File Converter (converts files from Tyros2 for use in Tyros3)
MEGAEnhancer – version 1.2 (converts non-MegaVoice enhanced style data)

• Page 26: Little Diamond
Glyn Madden rounds up his series on this popular theatre organ software with an illustrated guide to loading the software to the hard-drive and adding MIDI pedals to complete the set-up.

For more information on the products:
Ultimate Edition (Diamond edition + upgrade) The original collection.
Wizard Compton. Full stereo theatre organ voices sampled from Byron Jones’ ‘Wizard’ Compton Theatre Organ.
Theatre Magic Six ‘high definition’ theatre organ samples. Recorded in full stereo these rich beautiful theatre organ voices can be used either as a self contained package or added to previous collections.

• Page 29: Notebook (Your letters & emails)
Topics include…
o Tutorial DVDs – Dave Dearmer can’t get the transpose to record onto the song track.
o Famous Names – Harry Lewis couldn’t find the ‘Famous Names’ registrations on the Regi-Stick Classic.
o Encore Music Notation – Gordon Campbell disagrees with Janet and thinks Encore is the best music score writing package. Take a look for yourself at: Encore
o Tribute to Ken Outram. Glyn pays tribute to one of his music heros… Ken Outram
o A Tough Lesson: Back-up the contents of your user files.
o Getting The Balance Right: Balancing the accompaniment and melody volumes.

Plus…

• Have you visited our on-line shop yet? You can now order software, accessories, CDs and DVDs on-line. James Woodcock has provided a beginners guide for those new to Internet shopping.

• Yamaha Club Weekend 2009
We have found a little gem in the shape of the Oxford Belfry Hotel…
Join us there for our 2009 Yamaha Club Weekend 23-26th October.
Visit the Oxford Belfry website…

Following the success of their Theatre Magic software collection T.T.T. has suddenly announced the addition of Volume 2 – in response, they tell us, to high demand from their customers. Using high-definition samples, Theatre Magic – Volume 2 extends the range of the collection with another seven stereo sampled theatre organ voices.

The theatre organ voices in this collection are sampled from REAL theatre pipe organs (not electronics) and include the natural wind, blower and ambience effects heard when the original instrument was played.

Tyros2 and Tyros3 support different sample formats so it is important that you state which model you own when ordering this software. The high-definition samples in the Theatre Magic collection are ideally suited for use with Tyros3 due to its super-fast USB2 loading time.

For more information…

• The Oxford Belfry Hotel. 23rd – 26th October 2009
It’s not without some sadness that we take our leave of Alvaston Hall after so long but, during the autumn last year, Grant Neal (of Sceptre Promotions) and Cath Madden (of Yamaha Club) visited a very promising new venue – and we believe they found a little gem for the Yamaha Club Weekend 2009!

• What the brochure says…

The Oxford Belfry is set in 17 acres of beautiful countryside, just a short drive from the dreaming spires of Oxford. The hotel is an ideal base for exploring the surrounding attractions, including Blenheim Palace.

The hotel’s 154 elegant and spacious bedrooms are set around two courtyards with their flower borders and sparkling fountain. Light and airy corridors lead to a variety of lounges, where guests can sit and relax after a day of sight seeing, before dining in the award winning restaurant.

The Reflections leisure facilities include a heated indoor pool, gymnasium, sauna and two all weather tennis courts.

• What Cath and Grant found…

Although the Oxford Belfry isn’t a ‘character’ hotel in the sense of Alvaston’s old world charm, it’s location – just off the M40 – makes it very easy to find and, as a 4-star hotel offering prices at around £10 per head cheaper than Alvaston, it represents excellent value for money.

Because the Oxford Belfry is a purpose built conference venue it is, in many ways, far better suited to our needs than Alvaston. The meeting rooms are more plentiful, more spacious and better equipped. Cath thought the bedrooms were superb and, if her experience of the dining room is anything to go by, so is the food.

The hotel and surrounding area provides plenty for ‘non-musician’ partners to see and do and, judging from the initial response from Yamaha Club members many of you welcome the move to a venue a little further south too.

• 4-Star Accommodation…

All the rooms at the Belfry are in the process of being refurbished and prices are as follows;

Un-refurbished
£235……. Standard
£259……. Deluxe

Refurbished
£249……. Standard
£265……. Deluxe

• Conference Room…

We’ll be hosting our evening concerts in one of the large conference rooms (set up here for a formal dinner). Sorry… we don’t yet have a picture of it set in theatre style for a concert.

• Leisure & Relaxation

It’s not all music. There’s plenty here for a non-playing partner to do too! All the usual concerts, workshops and tutorials will take place in rooms around the courtyard – and there are plenty of rooms available, so we should be able to provide a wide range of activities with something to suit everyone.
We’re never sure this far in advance which Yamaha artists will be attending the event but as always there’s sure to be a fine assortment of talent on hand to advise and encourage you in your music making.

• To secure your place at our new event

Phone SCEPTRE PROMOTIONS
01780 782093

We hope to see you there…

You can see more of the hotel on their website.

• Subscribe to Yamaha Club Magazine

• Download a sample copy in pdf format.

• New Password to Members Only area
Don’t forget to use the new password from 1st February if you want to access our archive and download sections. To enter the ‘Members Area‘ just enter the password in the box provided. The new password, which must be entered in upper case characters (as shown in the magazine) is given on page 4 of the February / March 2009 edition of Yamaha Club Magazine.

• Page 5: Keyboard Performer (Tony Ross)
Part 18: In answer to readers’ requests, Tony Ross provides an illustrated guide to adding percussion voices to a performance via the footswitch – and produces a reiterating guitar voice.

• Page 8: Overture & Beginners (Steve Selwood)
In the continuation of his series Steve Selwood focuses on Yamaha’s smaller keyboards – with related articles on setting up, using accessories and even connecting a computer to your instrument! Part 7 provides information on optimum posture and sitting position together with a guide to some of the accessories that are available to help you achieve and maintain it..
Details of ‘Electricity’ – a new CD by Steve Selwood

• Page 10: Roger Hagarty’s Workshop (Roger Hagarty)
This month Roger takes a look at how we set about recording a piece of music using ‘Step Record’ – a great feature that has been included in the specification of most upper end Yamaha keyboards and Clavinovas for many years…
If you’re not sure of the tune, you can see the original video of House Of The Rising Sun

• Page 14: On The Record
What better way to start 2009 than with news of two brand new albums from our very own Yamaha Club team.
o Harmony – by Janet Dowsett
o Electricity – by Steve Selwood

• Page 16: Club Weekend 2008 – Review
Some fool said it wouldn’t snow in December… but, despite the threat of a real blizzard only a couple of days before the event, the bad weather held off as around 280 Yamaha enthusiasts made their way to Alvaston Hall in Cheshire…
Glyn’s singers, ‘The Twins’ – Francine & Nicola, are now through to the final of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Eurovision show – ‘Your Country Needs You’. See them in action…
Read Glyn’s account of his visit to the first ‘live’ show…

• Page 17: Club Weekend 2009 – Preview
It’s not without some sadness that we take our leave of Alvaston Hall after so many years. However, we believe we have found a little gem in the shape of the Oxford Belfry Hotel…
Visit the Oxford Belfry website…

• Page 18: EL X-plorer (Alex Payler)
In part 5 of Alex’s series he gives four useful illustrated tips for Electone players. You can find out more about Alex at his website website.
2009 is a very special year as it heralds the Electone’s 50th Anniversary. Visit the special anniversary website and re-visit the full range of Yamaha’s Electones since 1959. (The text used on this site is in Japanese.)

• Page 20: Music Software – ‘PrintMusic 2009′
The New Year heralds a new edition of Janet’s favourite music score writing software – PrintMusic! Many Yamaha Club magazine readers will be aware that she has been a fan of this program for years…

• Page 21: Music For You (Janet Dowsett)
Janet Dowsett introduces another collection of music books (with discount prices for Yamaha Club members).
o The Complete Keyboard Player – Great Film Themes
o 100 No.1 Hits
o Chord Magic – by Janet Dowsett

• Page 22: Little Diamond
Despite all the wonderful instrumental voices on offer from Yamaha’s Tyros keyboard series it seems that the old fashioned sound of the theatre (or cinema) organ is as popular as ever. Theatre Magic is a collection of six brand new ‘high definition’ theatre organ samples. Recorded in full stereo these rich beautiful theatre organ voices can be used either as a self contained package or added to previous collections such as the ‘Diamond’ and ‘Wizard Compton’ sets.

• Page 24: F.A.Q. (Glyn Madden standing in for Steve Marsden)
The Christmas period was really quite busy at Yamaha’s technical support desk – not least because poor old Steve spent most of it out of action recovering from a hernia operation leaving the department seriously over-stretched. Thankfully he’s back and well on the way to a full recovery but, having fielded just a few of the calls usually directed towards the technical boffins, it became apparent that many Yamaha owners don’t actually appreciate the level of ‘self-help’ that is already available from the Yamaha, Yamaha Club and YPKO websites.
Visit the; Yamaha Manual Library ; YPKO ; Tyros3 Official website ; Tyros2 Official website

• Page 25: DVD Review – ‘Explore The Tyros3 with Eileen Lowry’
Since the release of her first DVD featuring Tyros 1 Yamaha Club member Eileen Lowry has become known to other enthusiasts as something of a ‘friend in need’… and she makes it her business to explore every button and slider a new instrument has to offer – before passing on the information via her tutorial DVDs.
More on Explore The Tyros3…

• Page 26: ARtiste Series – Tips From The Top (Glyn Madden)
There is now so much material in the archive relating to the AR organ you’d be forgiven for thinking that everything anyone could possibly want to know has been covered. Leafing through the manual, however, Glyn was surprised to find several things that, previously, he’d just glossed over – or simply forgotten. Some are very trivial and hardly worth mentioning. Others though might come under the heading ‘useful tips’…

• Page 28: Yamaha Club & YPKO Online (James Woodcock)
The Yamaha Club has shared the YPKO forum for a few years and, with such a mammoth community now registered online, it seemed appropriate for Yamaha Club subscribers to have their own password protected area allowing them to discuss the contents of the magazine in the knowledge they are only chatting with other club members. James explains how this operates…

• Page 29: Notebook (Your letters & emails)
Topics include…
o Music Finder Plus – Peter Baartmans explains more in a ‘You Tube’ demo.
o Club member Margaret Dodds has sent in a collection of MIDI files to download.
o Theatre Organ In A Box – Watch the ‘You Tube’ demo featuring Yamaha HS8 as host keyboard…
o Step Recording: Visit our archive. No.9 features a series on step-recording by Andrew Leitch
o Ai Fingering: For more information visit our archive No. 48 ‘Professional Chords’ – a series by Jackie Marsden

Plus…

• Have you visited our on-line shop yet? You can now order software, accessories, CDs and DVDs on-line. James Woodcock has provided a beginners guide for those new to Internet shopping.

The Twins – Francine and Nicola at Alvaston Hall with Glyn

What you may not know, however, is that for the past year the talented duo have been packing your bi-monthly Yamaha Club Magazine…

Glyn says, “We’ve known the girls for several years as they were at school with our two sons, but more-so during the past year or so as we have teamed up several times to perform at various charity functions in the Dronfield area. As Club members who met them at our Yamaha Club Weekend at Alvaston Hall will testify, the twins have grown up into two lovely, talented and unassuming young ladies. What you see on telly is what you get – no airs and graces, just down to earth hard working youngsters who hold down several part time jobs to help fund their way through University (something not mentioned too often in the BBC programme).

The opportunity to appear on ‘Your Country’ came out of the blue – and, naturally, Cath and I wish them the very best of luck, both in the programme and in their future careers. Bearing in mind their connection with Yamaha Club (and their recent appearance at Alvaston) we hope Yamaha Club members will feel they can support the twins by picking up the phone and voting on Saturday… and, hopefully, help to bring them the success they so richly deserve.”

See the twins in action with a live orchestra on BBC1’s Eurovision – Your Country Needs You

You can view all the photos on James Woodcock’s, ‘Yamaha Personal Keyboard Owner’ website:
> Yamaha Club Weekend – Alvaston Hall 2008 Photos

> Yamaha Club Magazine Free Sample Download
Download a sample copy in pdf format.

What’s new in the December / January edition of Yamaha Club Magazine…?

• New Password to Members Only area
Don’t forget to use the new password from 1st December if you want to access our archive and download sections. To enter the ‘Members Area‘ just enter the password in the box provided. The new password, which must be entered in upper case characters (as shown in the magazine) is given on page 4 of the December 2008 / January 2009 edition of Yamaha Club Magazine.

• Page 5: Yamaha Club News
Feedback from Yamaha Club and YPKO members following Tyros3 DVD. Alvaston Hall reminder.

• Page 6: Overture & Beginners (Steve Selwood)
In part six of his workshop series for owners of Yamaha’s smaller instruments, Steve Selwood provides an illustrated guide to using harmony effects to liven up a performance.

• Page 8: Keyboard Performer (Tony Ross)
Part 17: Tyros3 has arrived and, in a fully illustrated guide, Tony Ross takes you through the process of converting files from Tyros2 – before delving into the Mixing Console to upgrade some registrations with the new Tyros3 voices.
Visit Yamaha’s Tyros3 Downloads page for the File Converter

• Page 12: F.A.Q. (Steve Marsden)
Steve answers another of the frequently asked questions that come to the Yamaha UK technical help desk. Today he covers the subject of foot-switches – and shows you how to convert the S900’s Regi-Stick for use with a volume control pedal.

• Page 16: Little Diamond
Glyn Madden loads the ‘Diamond’ theatre organ samples into Tyros3 – and TTT announce the addition of some brand new theatre organ voices to complement their range.

• Page 20: On The Record
A new CD – recorded on Yamaha HX1 Electone by popular UK organist Tony Stace.

• Page 20: DVD Review – ‘Learning Country Style Piano’
Janet Dowsett reviews another tutorial DVD for the budding keyboard player.

• Page 21: Music For You (Janet Dowsett)
Janet Dowsett introduces another collection of music books (with discount prices for Yamaha Club members).
o Electronic Keyboard – Andrew Lloyd Webber
o Really Easy Piano – No.1 Hits
o Christmas Favourites for all keyboards

• Page 22: Roger Hagarty’s Workshop (Roger Hagarty)
More on using MIDI files – with help on locking new voices and tempo into existing files.

• Page 25: Christmas Gifts
A selection of gift ideas including:
o ‘Made Easy’ – Audio CD tutorial workshops by Simon Smith
o ‘Play Yamaha’ – DVD tutorial workshops by Glyn Madden
o Regi-sticks for Tyros2(3) and PSR-S900
o FC7 Volume Controller and FC5/4 foot-switch/sustain pedals
o Keyboard carry-bags and dust covers

• Page 26: ARtiste Series – Then and Now (Glyn Madden)
It’s twelve years since the AR100 was introduced. Have the years been kind to this popular organ – or is it now hopelessly out of date?
See and hear the San Francisco Fox Theatre Wurlitzer that provided the theatre organ sounds for the AR series organ on You Tube

• Page 28: EL X-plorer (Alex Payler)
In part 4 of Alex’s series for EL Electone players he explores the Keyboard Percussion and shows how to put the feature to good use in a performance. You can find out more about Alex at his website website.

• Page 30: Notebook (Your letters & emails)
Topics include…
o Moving from Electone to keyboard…
o Tyros3 – The Legacy Folder…
o Angie Diggens career update…
o Bass pedals – and perspex music desk extension brackets…
o Memories of American ‘Christmas’ organist Eddie Dunstedter…
o Bass pedals – and Tyros3
o D.I.Y. dual footswitches…
o Making a CD and gaining exposure via the Internet
o Music Finder – the key to an easy life

Plus…

• Have you visited our on-line shop yet? You can now order software, accessories, CDs and DVDs on-line. James Woodcock has provided a beginners guide for those new to Internet shopping.