inside - Piano Outlet

2
A Publication of
PianoDisc®
Vol. 2 – 2005
inside
PianoDisc delights
Harrods customers ... and diners
3
All his home is a stage
when it comes to PianoDisc
5
PianoDisc adds to Artist Series
6
PianoDisc helps preserve
a family heirloom
9
2
PianoDisc
brings silent piano
back to life
he saw and purchased a PianoDisc 228CFX player system.
“It allows me to get everything I can out of the piano,” says
Mr. Shawiak, “and I can enjoy beautiful music without having
to learn to play.”
Mr. Shawiak listens to hours of music on his PianoDisc three
to four times a week. He adds that listening to his favorite
artists on the system is a great way to relax and unwind.
“Instead of turning on the TV at night, like most people, I turn
on my PianoDisc and get lost in the music,” says Mr. Shawiak.
HOUSTON – Floyd Cramer’s country tunes waft from the
Some of his favorite artists are Steve Allen and Floyd
home of 35-year-old Michael Shawiak,
Cramer, and Mr. Shawiak enjoys the fact
welcomed sounds produced by a once“And if I never learn to play, that he can listen to these piano greats in
silent piano that plays again, thanks to
his own living room.
the PianoDisc makes sure that I “I know Floyd Cramer has passed away,
PianoDisc.
Mr. Shawiak bought the piano about a
but listening to him on the PianoDisc is
get the most out of my piano.” unbelievable,” says Mr. Shawiak. “I know
year ago with all intentions of learning
to play. But, as with so many good
I’m listening to the actual keystrokes that
intentions, this one was derailed by the busy schedule of this
he recorded before his death. It’s as if Floyd Cramer is in my
insurance underwriter. As a result, he felt that his once-in-a-lifeliving room playing my piano.”
time purchase was going to waste, unless he found a way to get
And while Mr. Shawiak enjoys his music, he hopes the
more out of the instrument.
PianoDisc will help motivate him to eventually learn to play.
“Just hearing what beautiful music you can make has
“I wanted to make sure my piano didn’t sit around gathering
prompted me to tinker with different songs,” explains Mr.
dust,” explains Mr. Shawiak. “I knew I needed to do something.”
Shawiak. “And if I never learn to play, the PianoDisc makes
And something he did. Three months after buying his Kawai
sure that I get the most out of my piano.”
GM-10, Mr. Shawiak went to H&H Music Co. in Houston, where
er
Floyd Cram
Michael Sha
wiak’s
grand piano
gets
plenty of pla
y via PianoD
isc.
3
PianoDisc’s display at Harrods department store in London is very popular with customers.
PianoDisc delights
Harrods customers ... and diners
LONDON – Visitors can’t think of shopping in London without automatically thinking of Harrods. After all, this venerable
retailer is one of the best-known and oldest department stores in
the world.
Harrods has been this city’s premier shopping experience for
a century and a half, but recently, it has been marching to a 21st
century beat since it started carrying PianoDisc, the digital player
system for acoustic pianos.
And while the pianos-and-musical-instruments department
offers this digital player system for purchase, store managers
were so impressed by its capabilities, they decided to install a
system on the Bosendorfer grand piano in Harrods’ fourth-floor
Georgian Restaurant. The epitome of fine dining at Harrods, the
restaurant is known for afternoon teas, serving hundreds of people each day.
While a pianist, usually, is at the Bosendorfer keyboard performing live, the PianoDisc system is a highly capable stand-in, offering
a broad pallette of musical styles with the flick of a switch.
“The superb performance of PianoDisc helps create an
enjoyable and elegant ambience in the store’s most formal dining room,” explains Chris Sweet, a buyer for Harrods’ sound,
vision and piano departments.
Mr. Sweet adds that using the PianoDisc system as entertainment in the restaurant also is a great way to expose customers to this intriguing musical product.
“When people see a piano playing by itself, they are curious,” he explains, “and we hope they are curious enough to
ask questions, then visit the piano showroom.”
To further promote PianoDisc, Harrods has placed special
banners and signs throughout the store extolling the system’s
ability to bring any acoustic piano to life. Then, when customers want more information ... or a demonstration ... they
can visit the permanent PianoDisc display on the selling floor.
“Customers always stop and watch,” says Mr. Sweet. “The
PianoDisc system never fails to amuse and surprise people who
love the magical effect of a piano playing itself so beautifully.”
4
PianoDisc is force behind
web-based business
DENVILLE, N.J. – Victor Levine has had a hand in commercial music recording, production, composition and supervision
for more than 30 years. He has worked with some of the biggest
stars in music, and his name can be found among the credits of
television series, pilots and even movies.
“As a veteran of the music-studio business, I’m always on the
lookout for new trends and technologies,” says Mr. Levine. But
in the case of PianoDisc, the technology found him.
It started with his 1920 Knabe Louis XIV baby grand piano, a
family heirloom. Wanting to restore the piano to its former
glory, Mr. Levine turned to piano-restoration expert Ed
Dryburgh, owner of Dryburgh Pianos of Hackettstown, N.J.
“While I was in Ed’s showroom one day, he demonstrated the
PianoDisc system, which he had installed on a restored piano,”
notes Mr. Levine. “Because I have a technician’s point of view, I
was impressed with the efficiency, effectiveness and versatility of
PianoDisc.”
It was then Mr. Levine realized he could use the high-tech,
piano-player system to create a virtual recording studio ... and
expand his New Jersey-based business to clients across the country.
“I knew I could give musicians and composers access to a wellmaintained and well-tuned piano ... without them leaving home.”
And with that, he was sold. Ed returned the rebuilt piano to
ForceField Studios – with a PianoDisc 228CFX (with a TFT
Record Strip) installed on it – and Mr. Levine’s Internet recording
studio was born.
Here’s how the studio works:
A musician generates a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital
Interface) file using a synthesizer, MIDI piano, guitar or computer
software, and uploads the file to ForceFieldStudios.com. From there,
PianoDisc does all the work.
“I feed the client’s MIDI signal into the PianoDisc controller, causing my piano to
perform their music,” Mr.
Levine explains. “Then, I
record that acoustic performance using my high-quality
studio equipment.”
Finally, the recording is
delivered to the client via the
studio’s website, or on CD.
The technology is helping
music students and amateur
musicians achieve professional-sounding recordings
quicker and easier.
Moreover, it helps other
music studios – that don’t
have access to a wellmaintained acoustic piano
– add that element to
their productions.
Mr. Levine’s services
aren’t limited to musicians,
however. A large portion of his web-based business involves combining PianoDisc with other technologies to convert personal
music libraries into PianoDisc-compatible media.
“Because PianoDisc operates on the general MIDI format, it
can accurately reproduce many songs that have been converted
to MIDI and are commercially available,” he says.
The result: even more options for other PianoDisc owners.
“My clients are thrilled that they can copy their discs from
other formats or make protected copies of their original
PianoDisc recordings.”
And the future for ForceField Studios and PianoDisc?
“I think virtual recording is the future of the medium,” Mr.
Levine concludes. “I used PianoDisc to set up my website, which
eventually will allow me to integrate other recording technologies with remote studios. And I plan to start marketing my services internationally. This is only the beginning.”
Victor Levine at ForceField studios works to
perfect a client’s performance
with a PianoDisc.
5
The Motos Y
amaha gran
d piano equ
ipped with P
ianoDisc
takes a place
of prominen
ce
in their Phil
lippines hom
e.
All his home is a stage
when it comes to PianoDisc
MANILA, PHILLIPPINES – Freddie Motos loves his piano and
PianoDisc system. And when we say love, we mean ... LOVE!
Head-over-heels, I’m-going-to-build-my-world ... or-at-least-myhouse ... around-you love.
Freddie and his wife, Lorna, are Global Marketing Directors
for Lifestyles International, a Canada-based health-and-wellness
company. And when the Motoses aren’t working, they are
enjoying their grand piano equipped with a PianoDisc 228CFX
digital player system.
Mr. Motos says music is a major part of his family’s life. And he
means it. His wife is a singer; his son, Christian, composes music
in his spare time; and his teenage daughter, Kim, plays the piano.
With that in mind, Mr. Motos designed his dream home in
posh Ayala Alabang Village outside of Manila. The 5,500square-foot home features six bedrooms, six baths, a home
theater and – most important – an elaborate piano stage in the
center of the house.
“We wanted a place to showcase the piano,” explains Mr.
Motos. “I had seen something similar in a magazine and
decided to incorporate a stage into the floor plan.”
And what a stage it is. About 10 feet in diameter. Raised about
15 inches above the floor. Surrounded by elegant Tuscan columns.
“It’s a spectacular site,” says Mr. Motos, “and to hear the
music waft through the house is nothing short of amazing.”
While crews were building the Motoses’ dream home, Mr.
Motos went shopping for a grand piano. Elite Piano Center, the
exclusive distributor of the PianoDisc system in the Philippines,
helped him choose a 7.5 foot Yamaha grand piano with the
228CFX PianoDisc system.
“I liked the flexibility of the system,” explains Mr. Motos,
“and I’ve been able to convert many Yamaha Disklavier disks
and old piano rolls to play on the PianoDisc.”
That flexibility has given the Motos family more opportunities to use the system. Mr. Motos says they use the PianoDisc
system almost every day.
“It’s wonderful,” Mr. Motos boasts. “You can have the best
CDs and audio system out there, but it still can’t faithfully reproduce the sound of a piano like the PianoDisc.”
To further enhance the system’s performance and sound, Mr.
Motos has linked the PianoDisc to his stereo system, making the
recordings sound even better.
“It’s like being in a concert hall listening to live music,” says
Mr. Motos.
The Motos family’s former neighbors probably agree. Before
the new home was completed, the Motoses would play their
PianoDisc system with the windows open at their old house.
And at the conclusion of many performances, Mr. Motos reports,
applause would erupt from the surrounding homes in appreciation of the impromptu concerts.
“One time, a friend said my neighbors asked him who in our
household played the piano,” Mr. Motos recalls. “My friend said,
‘All of them.’”
6
5
6
PianoDisc adds to Artist Series
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – For more than 16 years, PianoDisc
has been honored to work with great pianists, who have recorded
their music for the highly respected Artist Series. Joe Augustine and
Jessica Williams recently added new discs to their Artist Series
releases, while several more remarkable pianists have joined the
PianoDisc ranks.
Artist Series: Joe Augustine – How Sweet It Is (CD 16015): For
jazz pianist Joe Augustine’s fifth PianoDisc recording, the Steinway
artist recreated many pop/jazz standards featured on his
Moondance CD. Tracks include:
Moondance
Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You
You Are So Beautiful
The Wind, The Rain And You
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Cantaloupe Island
Soulful Moonlight
Old Devil Moon
Harlem Nocturne
I Only Have Eyes For You
Teach Me Tonight
Joe Augustine
Face Your Dreams
Isn’t She Lovely
Cinema Paradiso Love Theme
Augustine’s previous PianoDisc releases – in the Artist Series
jazz category – include Artist Series: Joe Augustine – Alone; Artist
Series: Joe Augustine – License To Groove; Artist Series: Joe Augustine –
Groove Attitude. The pianist also has released Artist Series: Joe
Augustine – Cool Yule, a Christmas album. For more information,
visit JoeAugustine.com.
Artist Series: Jessica Williams – I Love Sinatra (PD/CD 9308):
In her fourth PianoDisc release ... using only an acoustic piano ...
pianist and composer Jessica Williams captures the essence of
crooner Frank Sinatra. This disc contains 11 of Old Blue Eyes’
best-known hits, including:
I’ve Got You Under My Skin
Summer Wind
All Or Nothing At All
I Get A Kick Out Of You
They Can’t Take That Away
From Me
Meditation
Witchcraft
Strangers In The Night
Corcovado
You Make Me Feel So Young
Jessica Williams
The Lady Is A Tramp
Other PianoDisc releases by Williams include Artist Series:
Jessica Williams – One Woman’s Jazz; Artist Series: Jessica
Williams; and Artist Series: Jessica Williams Plays Ellington. In
the past three decades, Williams has released dozens of awardwinning CDs and records, and now travels the world as a solo
artist and with her trio. Learn more at JessicaWilliams.com.
Artist Series: Jeffrey Biegel – Best of David Foster
(PD/CD 2013): For his second PianoDisc release, Steinway artist
Jeffery Biegel plays the works of modern composer David
Foster on this 17-song collection. About the disc, Foster says
“It is a great honor for me to have my compositions performed
by one of the world’s greatest and most talented
pianists. Jeffery Biegel’s style and ability to
understand the classical and pop worlds –
without compromise to either – is perhaps his
greatest gift.”
The album’s songs include:
Glory Of Love
After The Love Has Gone
Look What You’ve Done To Me
You’re The Inspiration
Through The Fire
Jeffrey Biegel
The Prayer
Biegel studied at The Juilliard School in the late 1970s, made
his New York orchestral debut in 1983 and released his first CD
in 1994. Today, he performs internationally and is sought after
by composers to present their new works. Biegel also is an avid
Newest PianoDisc releas
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – PianoDisc’s extensive music library
contains a repertoire of genres as varied as the artists who have
contributed to it since 1989.
This list of new releases is no different:
country-music recording artists, including Shania Twain,
For The Love Of Country: This collection of 18
Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Allison Krauss, Tim McGraw and
contemporary country songs is performed exclusiveGarth Brooks.
ly by new PianoDisc artist, pianist Kyle Hankins. All
Elvis: A Musical Legacy: Hankins’ third PianoDisc
songs – including Alan Jackson’s Where Were You
recording is a collection of 15 songs from “The King.” The
When The World Stopped Turning; Toby Keith’s Courtesy
acoustic-piano pieces include Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, Don’t
of the Red, White and Blue; and Lee Greenwood’s God
Be Cruel, Suspicious Minds and Burning Love.
Bless The USA – feature a patriotic theme, and the disc
Christmas Dreaming – Tom Grant and
is dedicated to the men and women serving in the
Rebecca Kilgore: Smooth-jazz pianist Tom
U.S. military.
Grant joins forces with
Hankins has toured North America and Europe with
Kyle Hankins
jazz vocalist Rebecca
several country artists, is a sessions player, an organist for
Kilgore on this collection of
the Nashville Predators National Hockey League team, a
16 songs that range from holifreelance music director and a church worship leader.
day staples – Rudolph, the RedFrom This Moment: Kyle Hankins also is the featured pianist
Nosed Reindeer and Winter
on this CD, composed of 18 contemporary country love songs.
Wonderland – to the relatively
All selections were performed originally by some of today’s hottest
Rebecc
a Kilgo
re
Tom Grant
7
Biegel
choral composer.
Also available on PianoDisc is Artist Series: Jeffery Biegel Plays Rare
Gems of the Golden Age, and soon, the artist will release a third disc,
Artist Series: Jeffery Biegel Plays the Josh Groban Songbook. For more on
Biegel, visit www.cyberecital.com.
Artist Series: Philippe Entremont – Impressionist Classics (PD/CD
3038): Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Philippe Entremont
makes his PianoDisc debut on this disc featuring a collection of Frenchimpressionist classics by composers Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.
All pieces selected for the disc by Entremont
exemplify French piano music.
Selections are:
Reflections On The Water (Debussy)
Arabesque (Debussy)
Pour Le Piano Suite (Debussy) –
Prelude
Sarabande
Toccata
Pavane (Ravel)
Minstrels (Debussy)
Philippe Entrem
The Engulfed Cathedral (Debussy)
ont
The Isle Of Joy (Debussy)
A native of France, Entremont has performed on five continents as
a guest piano soloist with the world’s finest orchestras. Moreover, he
has been the longtime music director of the Vienna Chamber
Orchestra and principal conductor of the Netherlands Chamber
Orchestra. Additionally, he has guest-conducted orchestras that
include the Royal Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony and the
National Orchestra of Spain, as well as the orchestras of Philadelphia,
St. Louis, San Francisco and Montreal.
Artist Series: Jean-Francois Maljean Plays French Music (CD
19103): Belgian pianist Jean-Francois Maljean joins the ranks of
PianoDisc artists with this first
release. Many pieces feature brilliant
harmonica player Thierry
Crommen.
Included are:
Autumn Leaves
Hymne a l’amour
Un homme
Bruxelles
Jean-Francois Maljean
Que reste til
releases span all genres
Kilgore
unknown, including Winter Warm with music by Burt Bacharach and
lyrics by Hal David.
Chinese Popular Songs Volumes 1 and 2: Pianist and PianoDisc
recording artist Steve Siu performs on both new CDs. Volume One
is a collection of 14 contemporary
Chinese songs, while Volume Two features 13 pieces that have been popular in
China for decades.
Born in Hong Kong, Siu immigrated
to the United States at age 13. A graduate of the University of Southern
California’s School of Music, he has
released seven solo albums in addition
to his work with PianoDisc and is the
featured pianist at the Montage Resort
Steve Siu
and Spa in Laguna Beach, Calif.
Ballade Irlandaise
Avec le temps
Chanson de jumelle
Le Loup la biche
La Javanaise
L important cest la
Le deserteur
Les copains d’ abords
Le Grand Paysage
Born in Belgium, Maljean studied classical piano at the conservatories of Verviers, Liege and Brussels, and later completed
his musical studies in the United States at The Berklee College of
Music. There, he learned to play and compose jazz, inspired by
the music of Keith Jarrett, James Taylor and Debussy. He
released his first album in 1996.
Maljean’s second PianoDisc recording, Piano & Nature, will be
released later this year.
Artist Series: Nettle & Markham (PD/CD 3025): Steinway
artists David Nettle and Richard Markham – known professionally
as Nettle & Markham, and in the United States as The London
Piano Duo – recorded a program of well-known four-hands literature for their first PianoDisc release. The disc includes:
Marche Militaire (Schubert)
Anitra’s Dance – from Peer Gynt Suite (Grieg)
Laideronnette – from Mother Goose (Ravel)
Empress Of The Pagodas – from Mother Goose (Ravel)
Berceuse – from Dolly (Faure)
Mi-a-ou – from Dolly (Faure)
Carioca (Youmans)
Pas Redouble, Op. 86 (Saint-Saens)
Nettle and Markham formed a duo in
1979, and within four years established
themselves as a top-notch concert attraction on four continents. The Steinway
artists, who reside in the United Kingdom,
tour extensively. They normally perform
on back-to-back Steinway concert grand
David Nettle and
pianos or on their own dual-keyboard
Richard Markham
piano. For more information, visit
nettleandmarkham.com.
For a complete list of PianoDisc Artist Series releases, visit
pianodisc.com.
Beach Boys Favorites: Pianist Jim
Martinez – who has amassed a list of
musical accomplishments encompassing nearly all styles of music – recorded and produced this tribute to the
Beach Boys that is composed of the
group’s 15 biggest hits. The release
includes Surfin’ USA, Little Deuce Coupe,
Wouldn’t It Be Nice and I Get Around.
Steely Dan’s Greatest Hits: Lance
Jim Martinez
Taber, a guitarist and manager of
PianoDisc’s recording studio, produced – and plays guitar
on – this collection of songs originally performed by Steely
Dan. Titles include Ricky, Don’t Lose That Number; Dirty
Work; Do It Again; Peg; and Hey, Nineteen.
Taber also produced the popular PianoDisc release,
Doobie Bros. Greatest Hits.
For a complete list of songs on each of these new releases,
as well as a comprehensive catalog of PianoDisc titles, visit
pianodisc.com.
8
7
8
PianoDisc jazzes up
this neighborhood deli
HOLLYWOOD, CALIF. – Grandma’s Deli isn’t ... well ...
your Grandma’s deli. While it’s true you can pick up fresh
salami or smoked turkey, this unique food emporium spices
up its menu with a side ... of jazz.
Owner Konstantin Shvuim is a Russian immigrant who
confesses to secretly tuning his radio to Voice of America
late at night while growing up, just so he could hear
American jazz. He adds that his love of music led him to
immigrate to the United States a dozen years ago to pursue a career as a pianist.
Tucked amid rows of Russian goods at Grandma’s
deli is this grand piano outfitted with PianoDisc.
It was his wife’s idea – not his, he says – to invest in a
small Russian store and deli on famed Sunset Boulevard.
But he agreed with one stipulation: this deli would be anything but ordinary.
In true Hollywood fashion, an extreme makeover took
place, transforming a once-dingy store into a boutiquestyle European deli. Out went rows of metal shelves filled
with goods imported from his home country. In came
floor tiles in blue and purple hues. Murals accent the
walls. The ceiling is decorated with curved wooden beams.
But the most unusual addition to
the deli is a Kohler & Campbell
baby-grand piano, outfitted with a
PianoDisc system.
“Some people may ask, ‘Why have
a piano in a deli?’” says Mr. Shvuim.
“My answer is, ‘Why not?’”
Steve Likens at Fields Pianos in
Los Angeles introduced Mr. Shvuim
to the piano-player system.
“Konstantin told me he wanted to
add a little class to his deli, and wanted to do so with a player piano,”
Steve recalls. “He liked that
PianoDisc gives him the flexibility to
add elegance to his business by day,
but also allows him to record his own
music after-hours.”
Typical fare for Grandma’s Deli’s
PianoDisc is, of course, jazz. But customers also get servings of classic
American tunes, pop and even ragtime. And, on occasion, Mr. Shvuim
will turn off the PianoDisc and treat
patrons to his own performances.
And what are their reactions?
“Our customers are very surprised
because it is so unusual to see something like this in a carry-out deli,” Mr.
Shvuim confesses. “But they’re very
happy with it and so am I.”
And so far, Grandma’s Deli has
been a hit on Sunset Boulevard. Even
Steve Likens has been by for a visit.
“We had a seat at one of the small tables there, had a
cup of coffee and enjoyed the music,” Steve smiles.
Mr. Shvuim adds, “With PianoDisc, I made Grandma’s Deli ...
my way. Instead of a typical deli, I have something magical.”
9
PianoDisc helps preserve a family heirloom
DAYTON, OHIO –
John Stuckey has fond
recollections of being
lulled to sleep by soft
music, gracefully played
by his mother on the family’s 1918 Lyon & Healy
grand piano.
For decades, the grand
was the centerpiece of his
childhood home in
Albuquerque, N.M. But as
his parents aged, he says,
they began worrying about
the future of their cherished
possession, which had been
passed down to them by his
grandmother.
“For several years, every
time my mother would dust
the piano, she’d worry about
what would happen to it
when she and my father were
no longer able to take care of
it,” Mr. Stuckey explains.
However, a visit by his parents to his home – and to
Hauer Music Co., the PianoDisc
dealer in the Dayton, Ohio area
– put his parents’ minds at ease.
“My folks brought with them
a trumpet from my high-schoolband days,” recalls Mr. Stuckey,
“and when we made a trip to
ay.
Hauer Music to buy valve oil, I
listening to her pl
her’s grand piano
ot
m
s
hi
spotted a PianoDisc unit on a
r
.
de
isc
un
oD
key would lie
and listens to Pian
As a kid, John Stuc
demo piano. My parents had
his wife, Mitzi ...
ith
w
s
ge
un
lo
he
Today,
never seen PianoDisc, so the salesperson demonstrated it for us.”
Hauer Music and bought the PDS-128 Plus unit with Music
Impressed with the piano-player system, the Stuckeys were
Expansion and stereo speakers. Later, they connected a conthrilled to learn that PianoDisc could be retrofitted into virtually
ventional CD player to the system.
any acoustic piano, old or new, grand or vertical ... including the
PianoDisc, says Mr. Stuckey, was the perfect solution for pre87-year-old Lyon & Healy. That’s when John Stuckey turned to
serving a family heirloom. And, he adds wistfully, it evokes
his mother.
memories that touch all his senses because they are made by
“I asked her if I could have her piano and, with tears in her
this very special piano.
eyes, she answered, ‘Yes.’ Mom rarely cries.”
“I’ll go into the living room, turn on the PianoDisc and
His parents returned home, and arranged to have the Lyon &
soak up the wonder of hearing, seeing and smelling the Lyon &
Healy shipped from Albuquerque. But that’s not all.
Healy piano,” he says with a smile.
“The piano arrived with a check for the purchase of a
“It may sound odd, but I spent years laying under the piano
PianoDisc unit, as well as a collection of music for it,” Mr.
as my mom played it, and it gives off a certain scent as the felt
Stuckey says with a smile. “It was a wonderful gift that my wife
of the hammers hits the strings. Thanks to PianoDisc, I can
and I deeply appreciate.”
relive that feeling ... from the comfort of an armchair instead
After the piano’s arrival, John and Mitzi Stuckey returned to
of under the piano ... over and over again.”
10
9
10
For this reporter, all roads lead to PianoDisc
VALENCIA, CALIF. – From the gridlock on Los Angeles’ highways
others do,” Mr. Dunlap explains. “Recording myself gives me a betand interstates ... to the calming sounds of the piano in his home, one
ter idea of what I sound like to others.”
veteran traffic reporter floats between the
TFT Record also allows Mr. Dunlap to critique himself, to find out
two very different worlds with ease.
what he likes and doesn’t like about his perDoug Dunlap is a traffic reporter for
formances, target his shortKNX, Los Angeles’ 50,000-watt News Radio
comings and help him
1070, alerting commuters to accidents,
become a better pianist.
backups and gridlock they face going to ...
“No one is as hard on a
or coming from work. But in his off
pianist as the pianist himself,”
hours, he becomes a concert pianist in his
Mr. Dunlap states. “I know my
suburban Valencia residence.
wife and friends aren’t going to
Mr. Dunlap has been playing the
nitpick my performances, but
piano since he was a child, and as
the record feature lets me do the
an adult has been known to play
nitpicking.”
for various events, auditions and
Mr. Dunlap isn’t the only one
even community theaters. “I’ve
who enjoys the PianoDisc sysbeen playing the piano for 40
tem. His wife of 26 years, Patti,
years,” he explains, “so you could
also uses it extensively ... just to
say, it is my private passion.”
listen to music. The Dunlaps also
And that passion prompted Mr.
share their PianoDisc experience
Dunlap to purchase a Wurlitzer
with friends and family, turning on
Traffic report
baby grand piano and have it
soothing
piano music during visits
er Doug Du
nlap improve
enhanced with a PianoDisc
and
special
occasions.
s his play w
ith PianoDis
c.
228CFX system. But not just any system. The perfect,
“It creates an elegant ambience
customized PianoDisc system that gave him everything he wanted
for a special dinner party,” Mr. Dunlap
and more, thanks to an exciting option he didn’t know existed.
explains, “and guests think it’s amazing to see a piano playing by itself.”
“Although I thought it would be nice to have the piano play by
Even more appealing to Mr. Dunlap is the simple fact that
itself,” explains Mr. Dunlap, “what really intrigued me was
he can have a world-famous pianist actually play his piano via the
PianoDisc’s ability to record my piano performances.”
PianoDisc system.
By adding PianoDisc’s TFT Record option, Mr. Dunlap can hear
“PianoDisc captures the true intent, feeling and precise
himself play as a spectator and critic ... instead of just the performer
interpretation of the artist better than any recorded piece purchased
behind the music.
at a typical music store,” Mr. Dunlap says. ”It’s like a personal con“When you play the piano, you don’t hear your performance as
cert in my house.”
PianoDisc carries on
JCC club tradition
HARRISBURG, PA. – Every Tuesday and Thursday,
members of the Senior Adult Club from the Harrisburg
Jewish Community Center meet, usually starting the meeting with God Bless America and the Israeli National Anthem.
From time to time, volunteers would play the piano.
But more likely than not, the piano sat silent. The
solution? The staff decided to find a digital player system for the center’s Yamaha grand piano.
And after conducting a highly successful fund-raiser,
they purchased a PianoDisc system and had it installed.
“Now we don’t have to worry about finding someone
to play,” explains Cheryl Yablon, the senior adult director of the JCC, “because the piano plays all by itself.
Our seniors are thrilled that the PianoDisc helps them
carry on the tradition of the club.”
But the benefits of the PianoDisc system don’t end there.
It also is used for the center’s other events – including exercise sessions – and sing-a-longs for children’s programs.
“We even play it during lunch,” says Ms. Yablon,
“because the seniors enjoy the music while they are eating.”
11
Café’s grand piano,
PianoDisc play from on-high
(Photography by Chris Wizner / Vivid Candi, Inc.)
time,” says Steve Likens, general manager of Fields.
MALIBU, CALIF. – All along Malibu’s beautiful beaches sit
In fact, the café’s PianoDisc system has more than 24 hours of
multi-million-dollar homes owned by the Barbra Streisands, Mel
pre-recorded piano performances ready for immediate access.
Gibsons and Brad Pitts of the world. And amid the usual crop of
That way, managers can activate the system in the morning and
beachfront mega-manses sits a rather unusual restaurant with a
not worry about it all day.
unique feature for its customers.
Once the player system was chosen, Steve and Mr. Morris
Inside the Paradise Cove Beach Café is a grand piano –
devised a way to get the grand piano to its airborne perch.
equipped with a state-of-the-art PianoDisc system – perched in
“We built ramps and brought in lifts
the rafters, 10 feet above
to pull the piano onto a platform above
the heads of diners. Yes,
the dining room,” Steve explains. “It
while most restaurants fill
took a whole lot of muscle and braintheir dining areas with
power to get the piano that high, but we
canned music from publicdid it.”
address systems, the café’s
And the results? “Customers love it,”
grand piano showers
reports Mr. Morris. “Actually, many of
patrons with soothing
them don’t even know the piano is up
tunes from above.
there until someone points it out to them.”
About three years ago,
Paradise Cove’s owner, Bob
Morris, inherited his mother’s Steinway & Sons grand
piano, but wasn’t sure
what to do with it. Finally, Paradise Cove Beach Café serves up music via a grand outfitted
he hit upon the idea of
with PianoDisc, perched high above the dining area.
placing it in his beach
restaurant. However, just having the piano in the restaurant
wasn’t enough. Mr. Morris wanted to do something ...
well ... different. That turned out to
be hoisting the
Steinway grand
with a player system in the rafters.
Working with
Fields Pianos –
Home of Steinway
in Los Angeles, Mr.
Morris selected a
PianoDisc system
with the MX flashmemory option.
“Without easy
access to the piano, we
needed a player system
that didn’t require anyone to climb up a ladder
and change CDs all the
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11
12
His dream sets sail with wife’s PianoDisc
LOS ANGELES – Two years ago, Keith Dager received reluctant permission from his wife, Kimiko, to buy a fishing boat ... a 16-foot C-Dory,
christened the C-Pup.
You would think Mr. Dager was in heaven, but actually, he felt his
dream sinking fast as the cost of outfitting his boat was met with
increasing shock from Mrs. Dager.
That’s when Mr. Dager had an idea that would calm
troubled waters and keep his
dream afloat.
“I wanted to get
Kimiko something
she had always
dreamed of, so she
would know how
much I appreciated
having my boat,”
explains Mr. Dager. “I
thought about diamonds, jewels and even
a trip to Europe, but
then I remembered that
she has always wanted
to learn to play the
piano.”
With his course set, Mr.
The Dagers’
compromise:
Dager
launched the effort
He got a bo
at, she to fulfill his wife’s dream.
got PianoDis
c.
The couple attended a
piano sale at his alma mater, California State University in Dominguez
Hills, where they purchased a Samick petite grand piano in red
mahogany. It was all that Mrs. Dager wanted ... until she saw a PianoDisc
player on a display piano.
“I had flashbacks to my childhood when I had to listen to my
younger sister pound on the piano during her music lessons,” recalls
Mr. Dager. “It was painful and I didn’t want to relive that with my wife.
I knew if I wanted to enjoy the piano, I needed a player system.”
Mr. Dager purchased a PianoDisc 228CFX, which – along with the
piano – became the centerpiece of the couple’s living room. Now, on
many evenings, the Dagers will select a favorite PianoDisc CD from
their growing library, and listen to it while enjoying a glass of wine or
dinner. They’ll even dance, when the mood strikes.
“Our careers demand that we work long hours, so when we come
home, our piano and PianoDisc system provide us with a wonderful
way to disengage our minds from work and rush-hour stress,” explains
Mr. Dager. “Instead of rushed evening meals spent agonizing about
life’s burdens, we now relax and enjoy music played on our piano.”
The Dagers aren’t the only ones who enjoy the piano; so do their
two elderly dogs, who can be found sitting under the piano’s speakers.
“You can sometimes see them bobbing their heads to the music as
we dance,” Mr. Dager says.
While the PianoDisc gives the couple and their dogs enjoyment, it
also has given Mrs. Dager the incentive to continue with beginner
music lessons and to practice often.
“Sitting at a piano, practicing for hours can be monotonous and discouraging,” explains Mr. Dager. “But the PianoDisc system gives my
wife inspiration by showing her what she can aspire to.”
Scottish adventurer’s journey
leads to PianoDisc
BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND – John Sangster’s life story could have
been penned by Ernest Hemingway.
A Scotsman now living outside London, he spent most of his
working life in Africa – in mining, civil engineering and agriculture.
“I have fond memories of being camped in the African bush
with a wind-up gramophone and a case of vinyl 78-rpm records
containing the works of Chopin, Debussy and Liszt,” Mr. Sangster
recalls. “From time to time, friendly African villagers would appear
from nowhere and, in no time, would find a rhythm that would be
transferred to their feet in simple dance steps.”
Now, though, rather than a gramophone, the works he loves are
played via PianoDisc on his restored 1937 Bechstein baby grand piano.
“For many years, I had a 1908 Baldwin upright player piano that
came from a bar in New York,” he explains. “It played terrific
honky-tonk via a cassette-tape system, but lacked depth and sincerity
when it came to the classics.”
What he needed, what he always wanted, was a baby grand
piano, and a system that could play the music he loved the way it
was meant to be played.
He discovered the Bechstein piano on Ebay, the online-auction
website, and within an hour of contacting the seller, the adventurous Scot set off on a 600-mile drive to inspect the baby grand.
“I researched and compared all of the newest piano-player systems online,” says Mr. Sangster. “The number of features offered by
John Sangster with
his daughter, and his home in England.
PianoDisc was unmatched by any other
system, and it had the edge on flexibility
of installation.”
With that issue settled, Mr. Sangster had the baby grand delivered
directly to Barry Carradine Pianos – a PianoDisc dealer in the UK – and
within two days, the installation was complete. The Bechstein grand was
outfitted with a PianoDisc 228CFX system featuring the optional
Symphony Pro sound card that adds more instrumentation to the
piano’s musical performances.
Mr. Sangster estimates the piano and PianoDisc are enjoyed by he and
his wife, Vicki, on average, three hours a day. Even during the Sangsters’
many dinner parties, the Scotsman’s tales of adventure in the African
bush take a backseat to the piano-player system.
“Our guests always are treated to a piano recital during, and generally
after dinner,” he says with a smile. “They just love it.”