Focus On Keyboard Accessories, & New Drum Kit

Welcome to a new week! 

This week's In Focus is Keyboard Accessories.

That means all the things you need or want if you are playing Piano or Keyboard. First up, you would probably want a stand to put your Keyboard on, so this Xtreme model would suit your needs perfectly - double braced for extra strength, so it's suitable for any size Keyboard. If you are playing two Keyboards then you might be interested in this Hercules Double Tier Stand, which will hold 80kg on the lower tier and 45kg on the upper.

Once you have your keyboard secured on a stand, you might want something appropriate to sit on - like this Xtreme Keyboard Stool. Heavy duty construction and height adjustable. Or if your keyboard is really fancy, or you have a Digital Piano, you'll love this FPS Piano Bench, which is extremely comfortable and would look perfect in any setting.

If you want a bit more volume and control from your Keyboard, this Behringer Keyboard Amp would be perfect for you. Small and portable, it can be used for Keyboards or PA, to get your sound out clearly in the loudest outdoor setting.

We have lots more accessories for Keyboards as well as other instruments, so be sure to come down and visit us today!

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This Just In! 

Just landed this week is this sexy black DXP 5 piece Drum Kit. A great quality kit at an entry level price, it has 7 ply 7.5mm shells on a 20" bass drum, 14" x 14" floor tom, 12" x 10" and 10" x 8" toms, and a 14" x 5" wood shell snare. Medium weight double brace hardware includes snare, hi hat and cymbal stands, bass drum pedal, heavy duty retractable bass drum spurs, and heavy duty tom holders and mounts. Click here to see the details or come on in to the shop to grab your own!

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Fact Or Funny

This week we decided to go with a Fact: What exactly are Folk Instruments?

Wiki says that Folk instruments are instruments that have developed among "common" people and not attributed to a known inventor. What this means is that these are the true musical expressions of different groups of people around the world. Wiki has a pretty nice list on their page, but the main folk instruments that we are familiar with in Australia are the Banjo, Mandolin, Ukulele, Harmonica, and Tin Whistle.

November is Folk Month at The Music Spot, so we thought it would be a good idea to have a look at what these things are. The Banjo is something of a cross between a guitar and a drum head, and seems to be depicted in pop culture as a favourite instrument of hillbillies on warm swampy nights. And of course, "Duelling Banjos" springs to mind.

Mandolins are beautiful European instruments in the lute family, kind of like a smaller, more decorative guitar. Listening to one of these played well is a truly wonderful experience.

Ukuleles are one of the most popular instruments we stock. They are very popular in the Pacific Islands, and remind most people of warm tropical nights in Hawaii. They look like smaller, four stringed Guitars and come in Soprano, Concert, Tenor and Baritone sizes. They can be a cheap and fun way to get into music, and can sound absolutely awesome.

Harmonicas will bring to mind either prisoners making lonely music in their cells, or Mick Jagger. Sometimes called the mouth organ, these cool little instruments can fit in your pocket and go anywhere with you, and all you need to play them is your breath. Played well, they sound amazing - and anyone can learn.

And finally, speaking of cheap and fun - have you ever tried a Tin Whistle? These are brilliant, played like a recorder, and can make seriously amazing sounds. That solo from Titanic that made your hair stand on end? Yup, a simple Tin Whistle. Also called Penny Whistles or Irish Whistles, they hail from Ireland and should be a staple in any musician's kit. And you can start playing at any age!

Remember to check us out on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and next time you're in the area, pop in for a chat!

School Time Again?!

Welcome to a new week! 

This week's Product Focus is our massive range of Keyboard and Piano Books.

The concept of books explaining how to play piano is as old as the Hanon hills, so what that means for you is a very wide range of polished, quality options. Whether you're aiming to play classical music on a Grand Piano, or a few pop tunes on a small Keyboard, we are sure to have something here to give you the boost you need. We also have books that cater to every level, from very early / beginner level to advanced.

Alfreds have many series on their own, from beginner to advanced, consisting of Lesson, Theory and Solo (songs to play) books at each level, and then you have the option of getting them All-In-One. They cater for both children and adults with these series.

If you are wanting to study professionally and become qualified in Piano, we also stock the AMEB series of resources. They have books for each grade, and also have a handy pack with recordings and a manuscript book to assist you with your study.

We stock many other similar series, such as Bastien, Hal Leonard, Suzuki, Faber Piano For Leisure, and of course the very popular FastTrack and Progressive books, which include CDs, DVDs and online learning resources. They cater to differing styles of learning as well as different tastes in music.

And just to make it super easy, we have things like key stickers and flashcards.

No more excuses! ☺

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This Just In! 

Exciting news for this week includes - now you may not believe it - but it's School Music Presentation time again! Seems to come faster every year. Everyone's getting ready for their end-of-year concerts, and making preparations for next year's School Music Program. So if you have a child involved in the Program, or one who is considering joining, let's have a look at the new School instruments we have ready for you.

This year we are stocking Beale Student Brass & Woodwind instruments, alongside our perennial favourites, Yamaha and Jupiter.

Beale Band Instruments are the exciting new extension to the well known Australian Beale Piano company. Since 1893 Beale has been utilising the best of European Piano manufacturers to create excellent quality instruments, and with that ethic in mind they have crafted a brilliant range of student Brass and Woodwind instruments. Excellent quality at a student-friendly price, Beale is a great way to get into your own instrument sooner, while ensuring that you will still have the necessary quality to join in with the rest of the class.

At this time of year we often see parents making the mistake of purchasing instruments from supermarkets, pawn shops or online retailers, and then ending up with something that looks great but doesn't play properly. Best case scenario, it makes a sound, but your child sounds worse than any other in the class, and gives up on learning Music. Worst case scenario - and we have seen this happen often - the instrument doesn't make any noise at all, and none of the local repairers will touch it - as it voids their insurance.

Either way, you are much better off going straight to the experts - us! - to ensure the best possible quality at the best possible price, and we are here for the long haul to support you through your musical journey.

You can pick up a Music Spot School brochure from your local school, or pop into the shop to pick one up.

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Fact Or Funny

This week we decided to go with another Funny.


What's the difference between a Keyboard and a lawn mower?

The neighbours get upset if you borrow their lawnmower and don't return it.


Naw come on, I'd be a bit annoyed if you didn't return my Keyboard!

Have a great week gang and we'll catch you next time!

Remember to check us out on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and next time you're in the area, pop in for a chat!

Control That Puts YOU In The Driver's Seat

Welcome to a new week! 

This week's Product Focus is on our great range of Synthesisers and Midi Controllers - instruments that enable you to make a huge array of sounds with the touch of a few keys.

We have a good stock at the moment of Synthesisers, including the XW-G1 Casio Performance Synth. This groove synth is designed for the DJ and club performer, providing an interactive step sequencer and a sample looper for digitally capturing performance patterns and external instruments.

We also have the Yamaha MX49 Synthesiser, which features carefully selected sounds from the Yamaha MOTIF XS, packed into a sleek 49 key design.

Yamaha also has a range of synthesisers called the Reface series, and we have four great models in stock. The DX features the exemplary sound of a 4-operator FM Sound Engine, and offers dynamic and expressive additive synthesis, allowing for a wide-range of sound creation. The bright red YC has a combo organ sound engine featuring five vintage organ waves, with comprehensive physical controls and two retro organ effects: distortion and reverb. The CS is an analogue physical modelling engine with multiple synthesis and oscillator types and five types of effects. And the CP is a vintage keyboard sound engine with six incredibly detailed vintage keyboard types and five stomp box-style effects. Whatever your synth needs, Yamaha has you covered!

If you're after a midi controller keyboard, Behringer has a great model in the MOTÖR 61. It allows you to take total command over your virtual instruments and DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). Featuring amazingly-smooth action, motorised faders and touch-sensitive pads, the MOTÖR 61 provides an unparalleled level of control for the ultimate creative expression.

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This Just In! 

Exciting news for this week involves Cort, Ibanez and Fender Electric Guitars!

We've had a huge restock and redo of our Electric department, and welcomed new models from Cort and Ibanez into the fold. You can see here the Ibanez RG350DXZ model in White, the RG370AMZ in Sapphire Blue Burst and the RG421 in Natural Mahogany. On the Cort side you can see the CR50 in Cherry Sunburst, the CR150 in Silver Burst Satin, the KX275B in Matte Black and the CR200 Gold Top.

Our Fender Wall has grown significantly, and new models are coming in regularly. Our Electric Guitars are flying out the door lately so you might want to pop in and check out our new models, while they last!

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Fact Or Funny

This week we decided to go with a Funny.


Why do bands have Keyboards?

So the Guitarist has somewhere to put his beer!


Oh my.. they are getting worse by the week :P

Have a great week everyone, and we'll catch you next time!

Remember to check us out on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and next time you're in the area, pop in for a chat!

Amazing Arrays of Sound

We have some absolute works of art appearing on our YouTube channel lately, so we thought we'd better check back in with you guys: have you subscribed to our YouTube channel??

You can click on the YouTube icon on our website, or go directly to youtube.com/c/TheMusicSpotInstrumentRetailerBrownsPlains - make sure you subscribe so you never miss one of our creations! We post every week with industry news, product demos and reviews, interesting tidbits and hilarious instore videos. Fun for the whole family ;) And remember you can always catch us on Instagram and Facebook as well!

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Since we're celebrating all things Keyboard this month, let's have a look at the different types of keyboard instruments out there.

On the top left of the above picture, we have a Digital Piano - we had a closer look at these last week. If you missed our email, you can find it on our Blog. These are electronic instruments based on the design of the traditional Piano, but without the weight and need for constant tuning. They usually come with a range of piano tones and can look and feel just like the real thing.

Next to that you can see a Midi Controller. These are instruments that work as interfaces to computer recording equipment.

In the top right corner is an Electronic Organ - hugely popular in the 1970s, but a bit harder to find these days. Like the Digital Piano, these are electronic versions of the traditional Organ, but smaller and easier to have in the home. They have a volume pedal and bass pedals and can have up to three keyboards.

In the middle of the picture, you can see an Electronic Keyboard. These are what people usually mean when they say "Keyboard" these days, and can be extremely affordable and versatile, while holding a surprising array of different sounds and tones, and also rhythms and backing tracks.

On the bottom left corner is a traditional Grand Piano. These are beautiful, and very large instruments, that make music by using keys to strike strings with hammers. The harder the strike the louder the sound.

On the bottom in the middle is a traditional Pipe Organ. These instruments date back hundreds of years and can be found today in old church buildings and opera houses. Pedals pump air through a complicated system of pipes of varying lengths, and the notes are selected through a console of several keyboards.

Next to that on the right is a Piano Accordion. Very popular in European countries, these beautiful instruments are portable and also use air to create sound, with keys being the method of selecting notes.

And on the bottom right is a Synthesiser. This is a keyboard instrument that produces a wide variety of sounds by generating and combining signals of different frequencies. it is used in many different types of music.

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This week, let's have a look at our range of Electronic Keyboards.

If you are after a handy, affordable keyboard with everything you need and nothing you don't, give the Casio CTX700 a try. It comes with the AiX Sound Source, giving you a wide range of tones.

A great 76 note keyboard is the Yamaha PSREW410, which is perfect for any style of music. It has high-res piano samples, powerful onboard speakers and easy to use professional features.

We also have the Yamaha PSRS670 keyboard, a step up in professional keyboard sound with two assignable live controllers, a modulation wheel and two assignable footswitch inputs. It puts you in total control of your sound and style during live performances.

And then there's the Yamaha PSRS975 Arranger Workstation keyboard, the ultimate of the PSR series, with more content and larger memory for expansion packs. It combines all the functionality of the other models together with powerful performance features, including versatile effects, external display and programmable vocal harmony.

When it comes to electronic keyboards, no matter what your needs or budget, we have you covered!

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And for our Friday Not-So-Funny:

Urgh that was terrible :P Have a great weekend guys and I will be back next week with some better jokes!

Keys Through The Ages

Welcome to October! It's a new month, the air is warmer, the sun is brighter, and thoughts are turning towards things like Summer, Christmas, even the new school year. But let's not get ahead of ourselves - there's lots to celebrate about October!

Like the fact that, for us, it's Keyboard Month. So each week we will be bringing you new and exciting news about our Keyboard Department. As usual, we don't leave things the way they are for very long! So if it's been a while since you've visited our shop, why not get some sunshine and fresh air and come on down to Browns Plains.

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Being Keyboard Month, let's have a look at the history of the instruments we loosely group together today as "keyboards".

The first keyboard instrument was the Ancient Greek Hydraulis, which was the great great grandfather of the pipe organ. It was invented around 300BC, and remained the only style of keyboard instrument until the 1400s.

That was when the Clavichord and Harpsichord appeared on the scene, which look at lot more like today's keyboards. The Clavichord resembled today's keyboards in that it was relatively small and box like, and able to be carried around. The Harpsichord was shaped in a similar fashion to today's piano, with legs standing on the ground, and was considered a central furniture piece in many music rooms of grand houses.

The Piano-Forte, whose name literally means loud-soft in Italian, appeared in the late 19th century, and was groundbreaking in its ability to adjust the volume of the note being played by the pressure applied to the keys. It produces sound by using a hammer action to strike at strings.

Today's electronic keyboards developed in the 20th century, with the emphasis being on giving the player a variety of sounds to play with, in a portable, versatile package. While a concert grand piano and the massive church pipe organs lend an authenticity to their tones that can rarely be replicated, electronic keyboards and digital pianos have evolved to deliver the entire orchestra to your fingertips with incredible clarity. As with all instruments, the cheaper models will give you a basic experience while the more expensive models will deliver a better range, with every price point and option being covered in between. There really is something for everyone these days, and learning the art of creating beautiful music has never been easier.

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We thought we'd dedicate the first week of Keyboard Month to our elegant range of Digital Pianos.

Let's begin with the Yamaha DGX660, a portable digital grand piano. It has a variety of interactive features for learning, playing and sharing music, and comes with the LP7A Pedal unit. It would look as good as it sounds in any living room.

The Privia PX160 Portable Digital Piano has a beautiful gold sheen, and is lightweight and also includes a Pedal unit. It features innovative sounds and a superior speaker system. Textured keys provide an authentic experience, and a variety of orchestral string and piano tones ensure a sound that will entertain in any setting.

Yamaha's NP32 Digital Piano is a slim and compact model with an exquisite tone. Designed around the essential elements of piano playing, this model provides everything you need and nothing you don't, ensuring you can get a piano experience without the inconvenience of a heavy, large acoustic instrument.

As you can see, if you have the yearning for a piano in the corner of your home but don't want to fork out for movers and tuners every time you want to rearrange the furniture, Digital Pianos are the perfect solution for you!

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Friday Funny time! Now how can we top last week? Here's another snippet from the everybody-can-relate-to-that pile:

I loled! Can't imagine why ;)  Have a great weekend gang and we will catch you next time!