Clavinova Lessons

[kumachan]

Hello all,

Being a total novice to the clavinova, I posted a thread earlier on asking about an idiot's guide for the CVP303. Someone recommended a set of CDs. I'm waiting for verdicts from anyone who has bought the set. I wonder how motivated I'll be with these teach yourself materials. I am looking into Clavinova lessons and wonder what the lessons would entail. Is it on how to play the clavinova and using all of its functions or simply keyboard lessons. Still waiting to contact the tutor from the music school designated by the Yamaha website (He's on vacation at the moment). Has anyone taken any Clavinova lessons before?

[Scubacpa]

My CD set of "CVP Clavinovas Made Easy - 300 Series" just arrived by mail about 10 minutes ago. Only thing is my 309PE has not arrived yet (should be sometime next week). I will give them a quick listen over the weekend just to see what they sound like, but I will not be able to apply the lesson without the piano in front of me. I will give you my impression of them, given that limitation.

[goodoboy]

My 309PE arrived last week.
The CD's, CVP Course Made Easy arrived yesterday.
I poped cd#1 into the cd player.

The man teaching takes the subject he's teaching very slow and explains every step several times in detail.

After listening to the first few lessons on CD #1, I turned off the CD player and practiced what he'd taught until I knew for sure what he'd taught sunk in.

Today I'm going to pick up where I left off yesterday and do the same thing. I highly recommend the CD course.

It sure beats learning from Yamaha's (quick start) guide. The Yahama guide book is OK if you don't mind flipping pages back and fourth between pages, say page 18 to page 74 and back.

I believer Yamaha should have spent more time and money and made a (complete) guide instead of a (quick) learning guide. Placing everything you want to learn together in one chapter.
For what you pay for a CVP that's the least Yamaha could have done.

Can you imagine how difficult it would be to learn what the correct tire pressure should be for that brand new car you paid $26,000 for if the car's manual referred you back and fourth from pages 85 to 103 and back to 85 by way of page 72 to find out the tire pressure should be 32psi?

Buy the CD's

Sincerely,

Paul M White

[Scubacpa]

I echo that. I also listened to lesson #1 last night. I think it is great. In some ways it may seem too elementary (the first step in lesson one is pushing the "on" button), but that way you are sure nothing is missed. The assumption is that you know absolutely nothing. I then put in the last CD and spot checked a few lesson tracks, these sounded way above me head. So it goes from absolute elementary to serious advanced in baby steps. It is designed to go from the first to the last lesson in 20 days at about 20 minutes per day. Within a month you will know what every single button does and what every single page of every menu means.

If you really want to know a specific advanced topic and want to skip ahead, the booklet tells you which lessons you should really listen to first. You can then go back later and fill in the ones you skiped. But it is really designed to be used sequentially.

The CD set was made in the UK and therefore the narrator has a british accent and talks very slow. But it is not a real thick accent and is very understandable for us here in the Colonies. When he tells you to push a botton he pauses for a few seconds to give you enough time to do it.

If you have spent $5,000 to $10,000 for a Clavinova you are crazy not to spend another $80 to make sure you know it's proper use.

If you are in the US there is a link on the home page of this users group to it.

If you are in the UK go to http://www.simonsmithexplanations.co.uk/index.html