What Makes the Yamaha Clavinova CLP320 Such a Coveted Digital Piano?

The Yamaha Clavinova is the company's most popular product and has an enviable reputation as the digital piano that everyone aspires to own. But why should this be the case? What is so special about this particular Yamaha digital piano? The CLP320 is the entry level model in the highly respected Clavinova range and has many of the superb features of models at the top end of the series.
Like every model in the Yamaha Clavinova range, the CLP320 uses sampling of authentic Yamaha concert grand piano sounds. It has 3 levels of dynamic stereo sampling, which means that each piano note has been recorded at three different levels, giving greater depth to your playing. It's so convincing that you'll forget that there's any difference between this digital piano and an old-fashioned upright.
The keys are lightly weighted to make this digital piano feel as true to an acoustic piano as possible. Every Yamaha Clavinova uses graded hammer action for its 88 keys, and has re-created the subtle effects of each of the three pedals a pianist uses. For example, the Yamaha Clavinova has a damper pedal with a half-pedal effect - one of many superior features. There's plenty more to keep you interested in this Yamaha digital piano, such as the ten different voices include several different styles of piano, organs, harpsichord, and even string instruments.

However, this model in the Yamaha Clavinova range is only really designed to sound good in the average home. The two 20 watt speakers don't give out a huge sound - you'll need to connect up some external amps and speakers to get that. So if you are looking for a more powerful instrument, this may not be the right digital piano for you.
Probably the most impressive aspect of this Yamaha digital piano is its awesome 128 note polyphony, a great improvement on older models and better than many of its rivals. This means that it can play up to 128 variations of notes at the same time, so you get a richer sound and a finely graduated transition when you go from one note to another.
There are several special effects to experiment with, such as the digital reverb, the built-in metronome, and the transposing function. Once you've mastered a piece of music on your Yamaha Clavinova you can record it using the single track song recorder. You can even connect it to a computer for upload of MIDI files.
At 46 kilos this is no lightweight piece of kit, but it's a lot easier to move around than many digital pianos. It's easy to match your Yamaha Clavinova to the interior decor of your home too, with a choice of Rosewood, Mahogany, Cherry or Polished Ebony finishes. You even get a matching bench with it.

Pedal Board Gig Bags

Gig bags/soft cases are an ideal way for Guitarists/ Musicians to transport around their pedals. Effects pedals are most often used by guitarists, bassists and keyboard players to enhance or change the sound that their instrument produces. Soft cases allow musicians to protect their pedals by attaching them with velcro to the inside of a padded case.
Advantages
Pedal board gig bags give several benefits to Musicians

• Ensures protection of their pedals during transit and storage
• Can be quickly set up and ready to go in an instant
• Light and easy to transport around
• Less likely to hurt yourself carrying it (e.g than smashing your leg off the corner of a flight case!)
• provides accessory pockets to store leads etc.
• Includes a pedal board (which can be removed) to attach your pedals to
• Can be bought cheaper than flight cases

How will it help you?
Because there is such a large variety of cases on the market today (flight cases, pedal pads, soft cases, Pedal board gig bags etc.), it can be difficult to find the right case for yourself. However, because there is such a variety of cases, this means that manufacturers can target the more specific needs of each musician. For example:

If you have limited storage space at home, or if you have limited space for transporting around your gear ( e.g you may have a small car and have to carry around a lot of other gear like myself!) a soft case would be a better option than a hard case which would be bulky and take up more room.
If you have a limited budget to buy a case, then pedal board gig bags offer the same quality protection and posses many of the same benefits to Musicians as any other case. You don't have to buy the most expensive case to do the right job.
Pedal board gig bags are also ideal and popular among people who use public transport a lot or those who do not have their own transport. This is so because they are light, soft, compact and easy to transport around.
Where to find the right case?
There are a wide choice of pedal board gig bags online and it is worth taking some time to do some research on them and understand what exactly your needs and requirements are. By doing this you will be better off in the long run.

Types of Bass Guitar Effects Pedals

Are you playing the same old song on your guitar every day? Aren't you improving in the least bit? Well, the main problem is that you lack the fun of playing the six strings and instead you can try out the new guitar effects pedals. These pedals enable you to mix and match up the sounds with everything that you do, and thus gradually you'll have a much better time playing your guitar now. These effects pedals are packed and sold in various ways like individual pedals, built in effects on amplifiers, guitar multi-effects pedals, etc.
Now, the effects described on these pedals are almost similar for electric and bass guitars. Among the various types of bass guitar effects pedals, here are a few:
- Bass wah wah pedal- This effect on an electric guitar is the result of the use of a foot pedal which is of the rocking treadle type. Here, custom EQ circuitry has been enabled, which is best suited for playing rhythmic melodies ranging from warm to subtle, to even punchy.
- Overdrive distortion pedal- The main function of this type of pedal is to enhance the resulting sound output between warm and rich, making it more aggressive. These pedals are varied in their complexity. But they have some complaints regarding the high noise level which makes them inefficient for recording in studios.

- Bass chorus pedal- Usually these pedals are used for emulating the illusion of involving the multiple bass notes being played in unison, and the creation of variations in the chorus effects. Up to sixteen sounds can be emulated at a time, and randomization of the voices will help thicken the sound.
- Octaver pedal- This octave is used in cases where the requirement involves the production of one full octave and mostly used in case of Funk and R&B. Many even are good enough in coping up with more than two note chords. It is used in creating 'live' altered pitch, but the pedals need to possess a fast and unique tracking capability that can be used well in rapid playing techniques.
- Bass compressor pedal- This enables the bass guitarist to play styles covering a huge range- including normal rhythmic to a greater dynamic. All these can be done smoothly by variation of the sound output resulting from the amplifier. This pedal, though the hardest to use, is only able to produce a bland performance.