Roll Call!

Introduce yourself to the Playground Community.
Pino
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 8:16 pm

Re: Roll Call!

Post by Pino » Mon Jan 02, 2017 8:25 pm

Hi all Clavinova 609 users

Am just a Rookie beginner and keen to improve.

Have hooked up a PC tp Playground Sessions and my Clavinova 609. Its working but the sound is coming from my PC speakes and not the Piano speakers.

Has anyone else come across this? Is there a way around this.

Pino

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: Roll Call!

Post by sw1tch73ch » Wed Jan 04, 2017 2:43 pm

I think this has been one of the frequent requests for Playground Sessions - to be able to route the sound to the musical instrument.

My digital piano doesn't have the ability to play an audio stream, but it certainly could play a MIDI representation of the accompaniment tracks. The speakers on my computer are through the rather unimpressive speakers on my monitor. Meanwhile, I have the audio from my digital piano muted because of latency issues (minor, but audible if both sources are sounding). I would much rather play completely through my digital piano. Video lessons would still have to come through the computer and monitor since the piano doesn't play video and has no aux audio input, and audio through USB ability.

The challenge will be when the MIDI device does not offer full General MIDI. Fortunately for us, our pianos are fully GM capable and so have "known capabilities" for the accompaniment tracks. If I recall correctly, the CVP-609 does aux audio too, so you could route your PC audio to that. I don't have a 609, so I don't know the procedure to use the USB Audio, though I suspect the CVP will be one of the devices available in your playback devices. On windows you right-click the little speaker icon in the system tray to select the playback device. I'm not sure how it works on a Mac.
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

mykcheng
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2016 12:33 am

Re: Roll Call!

Post by mykcheng » Thu Jan 05, 2017 10:00 pm

JBS,
At the moment, I'm not going anywhere. But, if I were, I probably will still leave my PX-160 at home because my daughters are beginning to pick up on it. I might get myself a smaller keyboard just to keep practicing while I'm away. I've been playing and practicing as much as I can, but one thing I've found is that I don't get as much out of my iPad as I would if I connect my laptop to the keyboard. But, taking the laptop to my room isn't best since it's the computer my wife uses on an everyday basis. But, I'm only missing the beginner bootcamp video lessons. I've watched a few and so far. I've finished all the beginner bootcamp lessons and am working on the beginner song. Thanks for your support and I look forward to hearing from you again.

Mike

avatarivn
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2017 9:40 pm

Re: Roll Call!

Post by avatarivn » Sat Jan 07, 2017 9:58 pm

Hi everyone nice to meet you all. My name is Ivan so please feel free to call me by my name or by Avatar which is my usual nickname.

I am 30 years old and I decided to start learning how to play the piano about one year ago. Yes, I know, learning to play the piano when you are 29 years old, working full time and with so little time to spare? Sounds crazy right? :lol: But here is the thing, music has always been such an important part of my life and now that I am (relatively) old I regret not trying to learn sooner. Well, whining time is over, as I took my money and bought a Casio PX-150 and started looking for a teacher. Got no luck so I thought "what the hell!!! I will just learn from the internet", so I landed to the Playground Sessions.

I have been with the software for a while (about 10 months now) and althrough I abandoned the practice about 4 months ago, I decided to come back and keep working (no matter what, I can always count on music to cheer me up). Flaws and everything, I really like the PS software, but I am on the idea that the music theory is still pretty limited among the lessons (and the IPad version is even more limited). So I will probably need a teacher in the future but for now I am 100% practicing from here.

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: Roll Call!

Post by sw1tch73ch » Mon Jan 09, 2017 2:59 pm

Like I tell all my friends when I get the chance - enjoy your time with your family while you aren't going anywhere for the moment. It is awesome that your daughters are picking up piano, too! I tried to encourage my daughter to find an instrument. She chose the computer. :lol:

The good folks at Playground Sessions are working on making the video lessons available on the iPad, so hopefully that will be in an update any day now. Meanwhile, I need to keep my progress moving! So, just keep playing!
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: Roll Call!

Post by sw1tch73ch » Fri Jan 13, 2017 8:22 pm

avatarivn wrote:Hi everyone nice to meet you all. My name is Ivan so please feel free to call me by my name or by Avatar which is my usual nickname.
Hi Ivan! Good to see you here!
avatarivn wrote:I am 30 years old and I decided to start learning how to play the piano about one year ago. Yes, I know, learning to play the piano when you are 29 years old, working full time and with so little time to spare? Sounds crazy right? :lol:
Not crazy at all. It is never too late to start learning something new.... unless you need it yesterday ;-)
avatarivn wrote:But here is the thing, music has always been such an important part of my life and now that I am (relatively) old I regret not trying to learn sooner. Well, whining time is over, as I took my money and bought a Casio PX-150 and started looking for a teacher. Got no luck so I thought "what the hell!!! I will just learn from the internet", so I landed to the Playground Sessions.
Even if you had found a good teacher, you might have wanted to add to your lessons and Playground Sessions is awesome, regardless. You might even consider keeping an eye open for an in-person teacher for the same reason. But come to the forums, ask questions, and the rest of us in the community and the folks at Playground Sessions will work with you.
avatarivn wrote:I have been with the software for a while (about 10 months now) and althrough I abandoned the practice about 4 months ago, I decided to come back and keep working (no matter what, I can always count on music to cheer me up). Flaws and everything, I really like the PS software, but I am on the idea that the music theory is still pretty limited among the lessons (and the IPad version is even more limited). So I will probably need a teacher in the future but for now I am 100% practicing from here.
The music theory is introduced slowly. I think they feel the idea is to learn to play. Many have advised finding theory on other sites to augment the practice you get here. Some people tell us that you don't have to know theory to play and that may be true. I like knowing the theory, so I'd like to see more too.
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

Raiderpat
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:18 pm

Re: Roll Call!

Post by Raiderpat » Fri Feb 24, 2017 11:47 pm

Hello Gang,

My name is Patrick Marks and I am an Oakland Raider fan from New Orleans, LA and a 42 yr old married father of 3 boys. Unlike many of you, I never took music lessons of any kind growing up but always had a desire to learn an instrument due to my love of music, constant picking apart of the beats and rythyms of songs I enjoy, and being surrounded by such a rich music culture in the Big Easy. I got a Yamaha P45 starter piano in October and immediately jumped into Playground as my music teacher of choice after doing some research online. It has been addictive so far. I have never enjoyed practicing a skill as much as I have enjoyed this and it is due in large part to the structure of the teaching that Playground uses. I look forward to reading your stories and using it for inspiration to push on further. I puchased the Rookie version of Silent Night in early Decmber and set it as a goal to learn by Christmas. I learned it but wasn't comfortable enough to play it for family without any hitches. But next Christmas, IT's ON!, hopefully with a few additional songs. I've logged about 14 hrs so far and am 1 lesson away from completing Rookie Tour at Level 22. The scoring and progress tab are really encouraging and keep me hooked.

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: Roll Call!

Post by sw1tch73ch » Mon Feb 27, 2017 9:13 pm

Excellent work, Patrick!

I'm behind you in lessons, even though I think I started before - I certainly have more hours built up. But I'm not nearly done with Rookie boot camp. The P45 is a great starter piano. At your rate, though, you'll outgrow it in no time! ;)

Something I saw way back was a book or video (or both, actually) called "How to play piano despite years of lessons." Being a raw beginner is a great place to be. You don't have any nasty habits to unlearn. You can certainly be happy with your progress.

I bought the "O Holy Night" Rookie level song before Christmas, but I wasn't able to get to a decent playing level before the holiday. It's on hold for now until I get further into the Rookie boot camp and build up my coordination more. When you do hit that milestone and "upgrade" to the Intermediate lessons, be sure to come back and give us an update! Be sure to encourage those of us plodding along ever so slightly slower... :D
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

Mauplett
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2017 9:14 am

Re: Roll Call!

Post by Mauplett » Wed Jun 21, 2017 9:45 am

Hi there, my name is Maureen.
I was the first musician in my family beginning when my parents bought me a guitar, after much nagging at the age of 11. Because we could not afford lessons I taught myself to play by photostatting lessons at the library - this was a looooong time ago before internet was born :) My brothers and sisters gradually followed suit and now we can boast that we are a musical family. Both my brothers play guitar and one of my brothers is also currently learning to play the piano, although he has chosen the more conventional route.

I have always wanted to play the piano and when I first got married my husband presented me with a dishwasher which I promptly swapped through a radio broadcast for an organ. Sadly babies took up all my time so I never got to learn how to play although they had a ball and all my children learnt how to play an instrument. When they grew up I tried to take some piano lessons and was told that I had two left hands and would never be able to play so although I am an accomplished guitarist I have never pursued the piano until I discovered Playground Sessions in March 2017.

I promptly bought a Yamaha keyboard and iPad and hunted high and low to find a camera adapter that would connect the two together and on 30 March I signed up with Playground Sessions and began my journey with the piano.

To my astonishment I have found that using this amazing system I can actually learn to play and within 2 1/2 months I have completed my first song - Lean on Me. I am loving the journey and am thrilled to be a part of this community.

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sw1tch73ch
Posts: 539
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm

Re: Roll Call!

Post by sw1tch73ch » Wed Jun 21, 2017 10:36 pm

Welcome to the forums, Maureen! It's good to see you here.

Since it is not entirely obvious from my user name, I'm John Sandlin on Facebook. I discovered Playground Sessions when Yamaha promoted them in the summer of 2016. I joined in September last year - and found the Forums in October. I started off pretty slowly, not really giving piano the priority I should have. I really got going in November, 2016 - putting aside time for practice and just getting to it.

I think as humans, music is integral to our being. Some of us just take more prodding to get to it... :D
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

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