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This James fellow has been getting his hands on everything


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Just don"t bring the Crumar Seven unless he promises to carry it himself and he"s installed the 'Venice Grand' samples. ;)

 

 

If you are suggesting that the Crumar Seven is heavy, I can assure you it isn't. Get the Crumar soft case and leave the lid and legs at home and it is a breeze. Incredibly light.

Endorsing Artist/Ambassador for MAG Organs and Motion Sound Amplifiers, Organ player for SRT - www.srtgroove.com

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I want to record with that 1960's family room wall paneling feel. This place is in Penn Valley CA oh that's a hotbed of ????

 

 

"The 2010 United States Census reported that Penn Valley had a population of 1,621. " Wikipedia...

 

That's one overpopulated place.

www.youtube.com/c/InTheMixReviews
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Yes the phrase "big fish in a small pond" comes to mind. Anyway, I think the family moved to Tennessee. And color me skeptical but I would think it unlikely that owning a local music store â especially a PIANO store â in a town with 1621 people would generate the bucks to afford what I see in that "recording studio" vid. Of course, what do I know - I'm just a piano player! A very bored piano player - bored enough to spend time speculating about this shit! And yea, that Chick & Herbie shred is definitely one of the funnier things on the internet!
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Yes the phrase "big fish in a small pond" comes to mind. Anyway, I think the family moved to Tennessee. And color me skeptical but I would think it unlikely that owning a local music store â especially a PIANO store â in a town with 1621 people would generate the bucks to afford what I see in that "recording studio" vid. Of course, what do I know - I'm just a piano player! A very bored piano player - bored enough to spend time speculating about this shit! And yea, that Chick & Herbie shred is definitely one of the funnier things on the internet!

 

Ha ha, it's actually a very small club. But at KC you are not alone!

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I've watched a few of James' videos, but I watch ALL of Woody's Piano Shack! Love 'em!

M-Audio Hammer 88, Yamaha MODX6, Yamaha ReFace CP, Korg D1

MacBook Air 13" M1 (2021) Logic Pro X 10.5, Mainstage, Roland Cloud (Ultimate), U-He DIVA, Arturia V-8

JammSammich, Peoria, Illinois

 

 

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He lost all credibility with me after calling into question the character of Mike Martin and Rich Formidoni. He has nothing to say that I care to hear.

 

But he was right about the the Casio PX-S action. Regarding his classical background and lack of knowledge in digital pianos - I find that most of the value in his reviews is in DP actions, where his classical training is very helpfull.

 

I believed him then set up a Casio for a friend. The action is not "flawed", it's just short, and we know that is not good. That's all he had to say. He acts like Casio is out to rip people off. The Casio is probably the best action with that short of a hinge ever made. His test with the weights, I could not tell. That action is light years better than the Numa 2CX in every way--I know the numa is unweighted. I gave him a hard time about his use of the english language. He has gone off at Nord and Hammond in unreasonable ways also.

 

But, he is young and obviously learning fast. Now he has his own Hammond etc. He is showing signs of coming out of the classical trance. He choice of the Crummar surprised me, and he bought that thing.

 

I don't watch him to figure out what is good, except regarding acoustic pianos. But he is entertaining. He curates his comments, so what? His choice. He reads them all. Being a very imperfect person myself, I forgive the implusive "toxic" remarks.

 

I love the Italian reviewer "Mex". He is the real deal, obviously gigging awhile. Really great reviews are not that common. Even Loopop who goes over every single feature, is obviously being careful so the products will keep coming. That said his work is a great reference.

 

James is unique :) I'm also a fan of Woody and our local pianoman Chuck, and many others.

 

But here is an example of a "real" review, not totally comphrensive, but a report from the front:

[video:youtube]

It's not like the machine just showed up. He knows this rig inside and out. That's my favorite sort of review.

RT-3/U-121/Leslie 21H and 760/Saltarelle Nuage/MOXF6/MIDIhub, 

SL-880/Nektar T4/Numa Cx2/Deepmind12/Virus TI 61/SL61 mk2

Stylophone R8/Behringer RD-8/Proteus 1/MP-7/Zynthian 4

MPC1k/JV1010/Unitor 8/Model D & 2600/WX-5&7/VL70m/DMP-18 Pedals

Natal drums/congas etc & misc bowed/plucked/blown instruments. 

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I was in James' corner when it came to the digital piano reviews. I really believe there is value to be extracted if you have the time to separate the wheat from the chaff. But the "recording studio" vid was just bizarre. Fails to compute on so many levels. What sort of music will he be recording? He doesn't even drop a hint. Seems like if he has a forte, it's instrument evaluation and collection. I can see him being a successful music store owner someday. Maybe he will regale shoppers with stories of his younger days as a YouTube celebrity.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I can see him being a successful music store owner someday.

Is that a thing anymore?

 

well, a lot of things that were things are no longer things . . .

 

Off-topic but I was actually able to go into my local Guitar Center yesterday for the first time in months. They were regulating the number of customers so there were about 12 people in the store. Half were sales staff. The ambient music was so loud I had to shout to be heard from 6 feet away. Anyway, I was able to return a keyboard long after the 45-day trial period had expired. GC is being very cool about that.

 

But back on topic, I returned my Moog Subsequent (great instrument, just don't have a use for it) and ordered an SV2S73. "Open box" so $250 off. James' review helped me reach the decision to try it, but I considered a lot of other information and opinion as well.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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But back on topic, I returned my Moog Subsequent (great instrument, just don't have a use for it) and ordered an SV2S73. "Open box" so $250 off. James' review helped me reach the decision to try it, but I considered a lot of other information and opinion as well.

 

Hello Adan,

If I remember correctly from browsing forums, you have had Grandstage 73, CP73, now there is a time for SV2S73 ! :D Anyway, a nice review from you will be highly appreciated, with a little comparison to the others will be excellent! In SV2-dedicated thread, of course.

 

End of OT

Yamaha P-515, Korg SV-2 73, Kurzweil PC4-7

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But back on topic, I returned my Moog Subsequent (great instrument, just don't have a use for it) and ordered an SV2S73. "Open box" so $250 off. James' review helped me reach the decision to try it, but I considered a lot of other information and opinion as well.

 

Hello Adan,

If I remember correctly from browsing forums, you have had Grandstage 73, CP73, now there is a time for SV2S73 ! :D Anyway, a nice review from you will be highly appreciated, with a little comparison to the others will be excellent! In SV2-dedicated thread, of course.

 

End of OT

 

Absolutely I will review it. I've got a really cool motorcycle jacket too, so you can look forward to pics.

 

It's true I go through a lot of gear. I did the math and figured out that my gigs have paid for it all. Then I bought the VV and went deep into the red.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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Although he does more talking than I'd like (but I get it - the few gear vids I've done have more talking than I envisioned), I appreciate any keyboard related gear vids where there's playing. There are so many vids that are simply a sequencer running some dude twists knobs. That is just not my thing. I prefer the technology in conjunction with the performance.
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Got almost an hour to kill? He has a new channel for his "recording studio." If you have GAS or are prone to being jealous of 20-year-olds with lots of toys, don't watch this! I had to fast-forward through a lot of it, as he can get a little long-winded â like the first few minutes where he takes us on a tour of the trailer he used to transport his gear across the country. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that he's not financing his gear acquisitions through youtube subscribers. Not begrudging him - my mom lent me almost $5K to buy my OBXa when I was around 22 years old, there was no way I was gonna do it on my own. James does take it to a slightly higher level, as you'll see if you hang in there! There's something for everybody to lust after - blackface Fender amps, multiple guitars and basses, a mint-condition B3 and Leslie, a $15K marimba, harpsichord, A few old Rhodes, etc.

 

I especially liked the part where he talks about his Steinway D - saying with a straight face that eventually he "might upgrade" to a C Bechstein or Fazioli but for right now the Steinway "honestly doesn't sound that bad." :laugh:

 

In the comments he states that he convinced his parents to fund the studio instead of paying for his east coast college education.

 

Yeah, had to laugh at his viewpoint on the D being "not that bad, after all it is a Steinway" (thanks Mom and Dad!).

Then again a college education isn't all that bad either.

J a z z  P i a n o 8 8

--

Yamaha C7D

Montage8 | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven

K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3

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In the comments he states that he convinced his parents to fund the studio instead of paying for his east coast college education.

 

I think he knows if he went on one of the good music schools he'd just be another piano, but having a studio in a tiny town he can be king of the hill.

 

If you look at his personal webpage all this stuff about being a child prodigy and playing places as the wunderkind. I imagine his parents constantly filled his head with how amazing he is until he believed it himself and still does. Then he grows up and basically just a better than average piano player no longer a prodigy. Going to college might of been the best thing for him to get a reality adjustment and decide if he want to do the work to be a name player.

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In the comments he states that he convinced his parents to fund the studio instead of paying for his east coast college education.

 

Ouch. That is something he may come to regret, or at least odds are he would.....Tough row to hoe in the long run, though it looks fun now. But I hope he beats the odds. Time to branch out and start putting those chops to a greater variety of music.

 

Now alot of that gear will retain value, so.....

RT-3/U-121/Leslie 21H and 760/Saltarelle Nuage/MOXF6/MIDIhub, 

SL-880/Nektar T4/Numa Cx2/Deepmind12/Virus TI 61/SL61 mk2

Stylophone R8/Behringer RD-8/Proteus 1/MP-7/Zynthian 4

MPC1k/JV1010/Unitor 8/Model D & 2600/WX-5&7/VL70m/DMP-18 Pedals

Natal drums/congas etc & misc bowed/plucked/blown instruments. 

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My impression of the classical world is that if you are truly a "wunderkind" or prodigy then by the time you're 20 you have a bit of a track record to show for it - i.e., some appearances with orchestras, or recordings on a real record label, perhaps a solo tour of some kind. I don't follow James closely enough to know if any of this has happened for him, but have not seen evidence of it in any of his youtube videos or my occasional web crawlings to find out about the guy. He appears to be someone who showed some talent at a young age, and was pushed or encouraged in a major way by his parents. The few youtubes I've seen of him playing his original works or "jamming", heard through my lens of playing jazz, funk and rock most of my life, sound very simplistic and borderline amateurish. Again, not trying to dog him, just giving my honest appraisal of what I'm hearing. Back in my younger days there were probably thousands of kids like him - I might have been one of them myself; I was playing 20-page long Beethoven sonatas by memory at piano recitals in Carnegie Hall when I was fourteen. What I didn't have was a social media platform and the confidence to exploit it! The crowning irony here is that in today's world the decision to forgo college and become a "youtube star" might actually work out better for him!
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My impression of the classical world is that if you are truly a "wunderkind" or prodigy then by the time you're 20 you have a bit of a track record to show for it - i.e., some appearances with orchestras, or recordings on a real record label, perhaps a solo tour of some kind. I don't follow James closely enough to know if any of this has happened for him, but have not seen evidence of it in any of his youtube videos or my occasional web crawlings to find out about the guy. He appears to be someone who showed some talent at a young age, and was pushed or encouraged in a major way by his parents. The few youtubes I've seen of him playing his original works or "jamming", heard through my lens of playing jazz, funk and rock most of my life, sound very simplistic and borderline amateurish. Again, not trying to dog him, just giving my honest appraisal of what I'm hearing. Back in my younger days there were probably thousands of kids like him - I might have been one of them myself; I was playing 20-page long Beethoven sonatas by memory at piano recitals in Carnegie Hall when I was fourteen. What I didn't have was a social media platform and the confidence to exploit it! The crowning irony here is that in today's world the decision to forgo college and become a "youtube star" might actually work out better for him!

 

He"s not a competitor in the classical piano competitions. Not even close. And achievement in that regard doesn"t stop at 20. It"s life long. Of course the recording people and concert houses like a handsome/beautiful prodigy to market - but that magical combination is a tricky find. I"m not saying he"s untalented, or a hack. Just that he"s found his niche on YouTube reviews and more power to him. Music - as we all know is a tough business. Earn a buck however you can.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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