This week at NAMM (Hall D, Booth 5406) L.R. Baggs is unveiling HiFi, a non-invasive pickup design that pairs dual bridge plate sensors with high-fidelity electronics, providing exceptional balance, definition, dynamics, and good feedback resistance. With a simplified peel-and-stick installation, the lightweight pickups preserve the integrity of your instrument’s bridge plate without negatively altering your acoustic tone. The construction, materials, size, and shape of the pickups contribute to a balance between string and body energy that represents the inherent sound of your instrument. Lastly, HiFi’s built-in, studio-quality preamp is voiced to complement the pickups for an optimal plug-and-play experience.One of the HiFi’s most notable features is the all-discrete, high-fidelity endpin preamp, which ensures excellent audio quality. In addition, the HiFi is equipped with prewired bridge plate transducers and soundhole mounted volume and tone controls. The installation process for the HiFi is simplified thanks to the peel-and-stick method and installation jig to help with optimal placement. The HiFi runs on a single 9V battery, which boasts an impressive battery life of over 700 hours.
HiFi Demo Video Here:
https://youtu.be/f5EN45nlO38
More on HiFi Here:
https://www.lrbaggs.com/hifi-high-fidelity-acoustic-bridge-plate-pickup-system
Casio to Highlight “Reborn” Privia Digital Piano Brand during NAMM
Latest Models Represent the Culmination of More than 40 Years of Development
in the Spirit of Casio Founding Member Toshio Kashio
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Casio's Privia PX-S5000BK will be among the instruments showcased at the NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center, April 13-15, 2023. |
Anaheim, California, April 10, 2023 – Casio will introduce the company’s “reborn” Privia brand at The NAMM Show, to be held April 13-15 at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The world’s leading maker of powerful and affordable musical instruments devoted nearly five years to redefining the vision for the company’s highly successful Privia digital piano, first launched in 2003 to prove that digital tools can offer an elevated and professional playing experience without being bulky, heavy, or expensive.
The result of its half-decade effort is realized in a trio of premium-level Privia digital pianos — the PX-S7000, PX-S6000, and PX-S5000 —which were unveiled in the fall of 2022 and are being shown in Casio’s booth (#9103) at The NAMM Show for the first time. These remarkable instruments feature exceptional piano action, textured key surfaces and immersive piano sound that take the playing experience to another level.
The new models build upon the company’s storied legacy of pursuing freely creative concepts to deliver innovative products one after another and have been extremely well received, with the PX-S7000 enjoying first-month orders surpassing projections by 50 percent.
They also represent the culmination of more than 40 years of development in the spirit of Toshio Kashio, the second eldest of the four Kashio brothers and a founding member of the company. Born of his personal challenges learning to play instruments, Kashio took great pride in creating inventions that addressed user needs ahead of perceived market demand, while bringing the joy of making music to everyone.
The new Privia models truly embrace Kashio’s spirit, effectively reimagining the way in which skilled players incorporate pianos into their lifestyles and living spaces. Among them is Actor and Billboard Top 30 charting singer-songwriter and Casio Artist Alicia Witt, who shares her thoughts on the PX-S7000 digital piano: “When a grand piano isn’t available, and I have to play a keyboard, out of necessity, I want it to feel as similar to a live piano as possible. So, the Casio has filled that need for me in a way that no other keyboard ever has.”
Casio Privia retains the crown for the world’s slimmest digital piano1 while the company has kept innovation at the heart of the line’s evolution. Luxurious and functional appointments, including spruce key sides and new key-tops on every model, communicate an aesthetic of understated elegance while immersing the player in a fresh and authentic piano experience. But, of course, this beauty is far more than skin deep, with each model showcasing the Privia family’s best acoustic piano sounds and remarkable feel that will engage and delight the experienced player.
It’s not surprising that Privia remains one of the top-selling digital pianos on the market. The brand also won the 2021 Dealers’ Choice Award for “Pro Digital Keyboard of the Year,” as well as “Home Digital Keyboard of the Year” in both 2021 and 2022, from the highly respected music products industry publication Musical Merchandise Review.
Privia PX-S7000
Inspired by the concept of “Style, Reimagined,” the PX-S7000 was born out of a desire to re-engage experienced players who had stopped playing, while infusing contemporary fashion to redefine the piano’s role in their lifestyles, and their homes.
Striking in its looks, the PX-S7000 features a crisp mid-century modern design, wood-grain accents and three choices of finishes, including a new Harmonious Mustard color that evokes vintage musical gear and fine European furniture yet blends remarkably well with any decor. A sleek and sturdy minimalist stand with an integrated triple-pedal assembly perfectly complements a transparent music stand that invites gazes from every angle, liberating it from its traditional confines against a wall, to take center stage in any living space.
The instrument’s new Smart Hybrid Hammer Action keyboard and simulated ebony and ivory key-tops connect the player’s fingers to the rich sound of three world-class concert grand pianos: Berlin, Hamburg, and New York. A new, improved Acoustic and Intelligent Resonator, derived from Casio’s top-of-the-line Celviano Grand Hybrid pianos, accurately reproduces the physical resonances inherent in an acoustic piano’s strings, soundboard, damper and other components. The improved key action provides a pleasingly quiet and smooth response, delivering the overall experience of playing a well-regulated concert grand.
The PX-S7000’s 400 built-in Tones (including 50 electric piano Tones featuring inspiring tine, reed, and other classic instruments) are enhanced by brilliant DSP effects, and many are designed to cover the keyboard parts of timeless, world-famous songs.
The top panel of the PX-S7000 is a shining example of elegance and simplicity. A touch ring that allows easy scrolling and directional input complements the easy-to-read backlit display, illuminated touch sensor controls and color-changing pitch bend wheel. Four multi-function, context-sensitive buttons let you quickly access your favorite sounds and settings. You can protect your PX-S7000’s beauty when not playing using the included matching fabric key cover.
Privia PX-S6000
The Privia PX-S6000 inherits many of the premium performance features on the line’s flagship model, including the Smart Hybrid Hammer Action, Acoustic and Intelligent Resonator, 4-way Spatial Sound System, touch ring, backlit display and key cover. Players are treated to a gorgeous German concert grand Tone courtesy of the Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source. At the same time, string and damper resonance, key action noise and damper noise heighten the realism and expression as they play. The optional CS-90P wooden stand and SP-34 triple pedal unit give the PX-S6000 all the presence and playability of its sibling, the PX-S7000.
PX-S5000
The PX-S5000 brings Casio’s Smart Hybrid Hammer Action Keyboard to the most portable and accessible model. Featuring 23 tones, including an immaculately detailed Hamburg concert grand and four electric piano Tones, the PX-S5000 is the perfect studio, stage, or home piano for anyone who needs to combine impeccable touch and sound with ultimate portability.
All three models come with the WU-BT10 Bluetooth adaptor, which allows for streaming audio through the Privias’ speakers from a device such as a smartphone, wireless MIDI communication with a computer, and connection to the Casio Music Space app. This do-it-all app for iOS and Android devices maximizes the Privia playing experience with score display, interactive game-like lessons, comprehensive graphical control over all settings, and much more. In addition, all models also feature a USB-B port for wired computer connection. For mobile music making, the PX-S7000 and PX-S6000 can run for up to four hours on eight AA batteries; the PX-S5000 uses six.
“For the first time, NAMM Show attendees will have the opportunity to experience these new premium models, which are the best-sounding, best-feeling, and best-looking Privias ever made,” says Stephen Schmidt, Vice President of Casio’s Electronic Musical Instruments Division. “They fully embrace the spirit of our company’s founder Toshio Kashio and represent the pinnacle of Casio’s technological achievement and design.”
Pricing and Availability
The new Casio Privia digital pianos are currently available at music retailers nationwide andCasioMusicGear.com at the following manufacturers’ suggested retail prices:
● PX-S5000 (Black) $1,799 MSRP
● PX-S6000 (Black) $2,399 MSRP
● PX-S7000 (Black/White): $3,199 MSRP
● PX-S7000 (Harmonious Mustard): $3,399 MSRP
To learn more about Casio’s entire portfolio of electronic musical instruments, please visit the Casio Booth #9103 at the 2023 NAMM Show in the Anaheim Convention Center, April 13-15, 2023, or www.CasioMusicGear.com.
Introducing SusEx, the first wireless combo MIDI pedal for players and producers
Daily Live Demos with Jordan Ruddess at NAMM 2023 |
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Anaheim, CA (April, 2023) - Black BT proudly presents their innovative SusEx Pedal at this year’s NAMM show. Jordan Rudess, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, will demo the SusEx at the Black BT booth #11006 twice daily.
The SusEx Pedal is the first pedal that can sense your foot position to automatically and seamlessly switch between a footswitch (eg. SUSTAIN / NOTE TRIGGER) and continuous control modes (eg. EXPRESSION / CUTOFF). In live performances, the SusEx Pedal eliminates the need for multiple pedals on stage and creates a natural way to creatively “play” multiple pedal parameters without stomping switches or moving back and forth between multiple single-parameter pedals. |
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AR Rahman, an early adopter, feels the SusEx Pedal has inspired him to play even more intuitively. “I immediately fell in love with this break-through technology. When I first tried the SusEx, it was clear it would be part of my regular set-up.”
Jordan will demo the pedal at the Black BT booth 11006 at NAMM twice daily: ● Thursday & Friday at 10:30 AM and 3:30 PM and 3:30p ● Saturday at 10:30 AM and noon.
SusEx Key Features:
In setups with only the MOD wheel as a continuous controller, the SusEx Pedal frees both hands for a truly polyphonic performance. It works wirelessly via BLE MIDI (Bluetooth Low Energy) and can also be simultaneously used as a wired sustain pedal thru a mono quarter inch to work with a second keyboard instrument. SusEx packs a lot of power and control into a portable form factor that complements your keyboard or DAW based music production setup. It can connect to any keyboard workstation with only USB MIDI via the Black BT HubBLE App (iOS / Android) that makes any such setup BLE MIDI enabled with up to two pedal connectivity. |
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“When we first introduced the pedal at last year’s NAMM, we received great feedback from musicians and producers that led to further refinements like positional memory, when the pedal remembers where you left off the continuous control before you switched to footswitch mode, and the ability to connect directly to non BLE MIDI keyboards,” says Satish Chakravarthy, a Berklee-educated professional composer and CEO of Black BT. “The SusEx pedal enables keyboardists, MIDI guitar players as well as beat makers to really express their musicality in an easier, more natural way.”
The SusEx Pedal will be shipping in the US middle of April. Pre-orders can be placed at BlackBT.com for $149.99. |
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About Black BT
Composer Satish Chakravarthy Thaianban founded Black BT in 2022 and quickly found support among India’s most creative innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers and musicians. In the US, Black BT has teamed up with Triple G Ventures, the award-winning go-to global business growth accelerator for rising brands. The SusEx pedal is the first product to be released, to be followed by other innovations in the future.
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