Hi,
I have been lurking for the past 5 years and finally decided to register.
I am not an audiophile, but enjoy listening to music for the purpose of listening and practicing to be a better piano player...adult beginner / intermediate (ABRSM Level 3); I take 1 hour lessons each week and take yearly piano exams for fun! I listen and like to attempt to play all types of music and attempting to make the difficult piano transition to "jazz"; I was / am classically educated. Singing back 3 bars of notes, played separately by the piano examiner, is quite interesting and challenging. I have no dreams of being a band player...I just want to be a competent piano player that can play with some level of confidence and courage in front of friends and family. Having a reasonable stereo system helps my endeavors; repeat hearing patterns, styles, dynamics helps me learn quicker / faster.
My stereo system objective has evolved (and began in the early 1980s) from purely listening to music to most recently (since 2011) listening to help me play better piano, which is a big difference. For example, I listen for dynamics, crescendos, decrescendos, triplet playing, grace notes, etc. so that I know how to "touch" the keys (and not STAB the keys! )...or listen to get the rhythm straight in my head. My stereo is in our family music room next to the piano...which makes it convenient to listen to songs over and over and then attempt to play them correctly on piano. My wife plays violin; older son plays piano, synth, and mariba (for the high school marching band; younger son plays piano and the sax. It is very convenient having the stereo system in the music room for practice and general music enjoyment. The music room has our Yamaha UX3 upright, a Yamaha MO8 synth, wife's violins, and the boys marimba and sax. We are trying to figure out if we can fit a Steinway B into the house; you can really hear and feel the difference between the Yamahas and the Steinways!
I was fortunate in the mid1980s, unknowing to me at the time, that I did some computer system work at the now infamous Sheffield Labs in Santa Barbara, CA. I recall being in the mixing room and looking down at the "stage". As I look at photos from Sheffield albums showing the "lab", the photos time machine me back to good yet different periods in my life. Sheffield had given me some of their albums and cds, which I still have and play today.
I am finally making my way into the new digital era for my stereo system....because I need to hear songs for piano practice, which brings me to why I am here trying to learn what digital system / components I should add to my humble system below (in my signature), which is basically mid 1980 to mid 2000 year gear. I have no interest in constantly upgrading and A / B equipment testing in my house....just playing back music so I can hear and become a better piano player...at the age of mid 50's. I would rather spend the money on a great Steinway B!
Cheers.
-stu
I have been lurking for the past 5 years and finally decided to register.
I am not an audiophile, but enjoy listening to music for the purpose of listening and practicing to be a better piano player...adult beginner / intermediate (ABRSM Level 3); I take 1 hour lessons each week and take yearly piano exams for fun! I listen and like to attempt to play all types of music and attempting to make the difficult piano transition to "jazz"; I was / am classically educated. Singing back 3 bars of notes, played separately by the piano examiner, is quite interesting and challenging. I have no dreams of being a band player...I just want to be a competent piano player that can play with some level of confidence and courage in front of friends and family. Having a reasonable stereo system helps my endeavors; repeat hearing patterns, styles, dynamics helps me learn quicker / faster.
My stereo system objective has evolved (and began in the early 1980s) from purely listening to music to most recently (since 2011) listening to help me play better piano, which is a big difference. For example, I listen for dynamics, crescendos, decrescendos, triplet playing, grace notes, etc. so that I know how to "touch" the keys (and not STAB the keys! )...or listen to get the rhythm straight in my head. My stereo is in our family music room next to the piano...which makes it convenient to listen to songs over and over and then attempt to play them correctly on piano. My wife plays violin; older son plays piano, synth, and mariba (for the high school marching band; younger son plays piano and the sax. It is very convenient having the stereo system in the music room for practice and general music enjoyment. The music room has our Yamaha UX3 upright, a Yamaha MO8 synth, wife's violins, and the boys marimba and sax. We are trying to figure out if we can fit a Steinway B into the house; you can really hear and feel the difference between the Yamahas and the Steinways!
I was fortunate in the mid1980s, unknowing to me at the time, that I did some computer system work at the now infamous Sheffield Labs in Santa Barbara, CA. I recall being in the mixing room and looking down at the "stage". As I look at photos from Sheffield albums showing the "lab", the photos time machine me back to good yet different periods in my life. Sheffield had given me some of their albums and cds, which I still have and play today.
I am finally making my way into the new digital era for my stereo system....because I need to hear songs for piano practice, which brings me to why I am here trying to learn what digital system / components I should add to my humble system below (in my signature), which is basically mid 1980 to mid 2000 year gear. I have no interest in constantly upgrading and A / B equipment testing in my house....just playing back music so I can hear and become a better piano player...at the age of mid 50's. I would rather spend the money on a great Steinway B!
Cheers.
-stu