When buying student instruments, it is a good idea to get recommendations from qualified musicians and music educators before you make your purchase. Their advice, along with your personal research, will help you make an informed band instrument purchase.

If you’re shopping for a student clarinet, the LeBlanc Noblet wooden clarinet, model L4K,  is an excellent choice. It is a wind instrument that has passed the test of time and durability in many school programs, and also with many student clarinetist.  It is is an intermediate clarinet made in France and has a beautiful full-bodied tone quality that is exceptionally flexible, responsive and easy to control throughout the clarinet range.

The LeBlanc Noblet also has separate post mountings for the C#-G# key and gold-plated springs. The Noblet clarinet by LeBlanc has a long and very favorable reputation among band directors and students. It is an excellent choice for someone who needs a high quality instrument, but does not have thousands to spend on a new wind instrument.

For additional information on student clarinets and oboes, visit the music instrument music store at www.AndysMusicOnline.com.

Yamaha ’s best selling console digital pianos - the YDP series - now have a name customers can ask for instead of only a number. ARIUS is the newest name in digital pianos and is sure to stand for the quality and piano-realism Yamaha has come be known for.

A combination of “Aureus” (Latin for “golden”) and “Aria”, ARIUS can be taken literally to mean “golden song” and there are two new models that are sure to live up to their moniker.

The Yamaha ARIUS YDP140 and ARIUS YDP160 have improved upon the YDP213 and YDP323 in tone, touch, and cabinetry. New piano Voices featuring 3-layer Dynamic Stereo Samples deliver true acoustic piano tone, while their Half-Damper Effect sustain pedals fluidly measure foot position for varying levels of sustain just like an acoustic piano.

The new dark alder YDP140 and dark rosewood YDP160 top-to bottom cabinetry replaces the walnut finish and Plexiglas music rests of the previous models for a more traditional console appearance.

All Yamaha ARIUS Home Digital Pianos include:

• 3-layer Dynamic Stereo Piano Samples
• 64 note polyphony
• User song record
• Adjustable touch response
• 50 Greats for the Piano music book

The ARIUS YDP160 digital piano will be available in May 2008, and the ARIUS YDP140 will ship in April. For more information on Yamaha digital pianos and keyboards, visit the music instrument music store at www.AndysMusicOnline.com.

Making a classical guitar requires a high level of sensitivity and a deep dedication to the art of guitar making, and Yamaha master craftsmen posses those qualities.

Yamaha classical guitars are made using extensive analysis, research, and experimentation and Yamaha guitar craftsmen have succeeded in blending the best and most critical aspects of traditional Spanish guitar making techniques with modern manufacturing processes.

Processes that include a comprehensive quality check system that ensures each classical guitar is of the highest standards possible. The result of this effort is a classical guitar that delivers outstanding quality and performance at an affordable price.

For information and prices on Yamaha classical guitars, visit the  music instrument music store at www.AndysMusicOnline.com.

Close your eyes and play the Roland DP990 digital piano. Your fingers will experience the feel of a real piano, and your ears will hear the authentic sound of a true grand piano. Roland’s mastery of music technology culminates in features such as the DP990’s PHA II(Progressive Hammer Action II) keyboard, which provides a true piano touch that gets gradually lighter as you travel up the keyboard. If even faithfully the “Escapement” click feel of a grand piano key action.

The Roland DP990 digital piano is sophisticated, stylish, and compact, only 13-9/16 inches in depth. It can fit easily into the tightest of spaces. When the lid is closed, the top becomes a smooth, flat surface. The DP990 is available in two attractive color choices: Satin Black and Medium Cherry, and the lid closes slowly and silently.

Peavey has announced their new VYPYR series modeling guitar amps. With double the processing power, models and effects of competitive modeling amplifiers, the Peavey VYPYR modeling amps dramatically redefine the power and scope of modern guitar amplification. VYPYR amplifiers are based on powerful 32-bit, floating-point SHARC processors that enable highly detailed, accurate modeling as well as vastly enhanced flexibility and features than ever before available in guitar amplification.

The VYPYR guitar amps should be available in the 2nd quarter of 2008 from the www.AndysMusicOnline.com music instrument music store.

Casio has recently announced the PX320 and PX120 digital pianos. Both feature 88 weighted keys, and weigh less than 30 pounds. These new pianos are the perfect solution for the garage band or the music student. They are are compact and stylish, and can easily be stored to conserve space in a studio, classroom or apartment.

The Privia has dual headphone jacks that allow a student and instructor to play the keyboard simultaneously and features the new AIF sound engine that provides quality sampling and the ability to produce 128 polyphony.

The PX320 has 1/4″ line outs and can be connected to an amp or studio equipment without requiring adapters. A USB Port provides quick and easy connection to a PC for recording and sharing music with friends and family. These new Casio keyboards will be available in February of 2008.

Yamaha has recently announced the introduction of the P85 and P85S digital pianos. The new models will replace the existing P70 and P70S models. The P85 and P85S feature 88 weighted action keys, 62 note polyphony, 10 voices, metronome, sequencer, and much more.

 Also available are the matching keyboard stands L85 and L85S and the LP5 pedal set. We should receive these new digital pianos in the latter part of January.

Effective November 1, 2007, the Yamaha P140 and P140S digital pianos will have a new low price of $999.99.

The P140 digital piano has three separate layers of stereo samples each set at a different velocity, Dynamic Stereo Sampling changes not only the volume, but also the harmonic structure of the notes depending on how hard you play the keyboard – just like a real acoustic piano! An exclusive fourth sample layer recreates a piano’s unique sustain resonance whenever the damper pedal is pressed, while key-off samples add even the subtle sounds of felt dampers coming to rest on piano strings. Better still, the P140’s highly efficient built-in powered speaker system directs your music forward for unbeatable sound.

At the new price, the Yamaha P140 is definitely a bargain!

Yamaha has designated October as Yamaha Music Month, and in each product category of music instruments - i.e. digital pianos, synths, guitars, etc. - they are providing Special Offers. For instance, if you buy a Yamaha YDP223 digital piano, you receive a free Home Companion Kit. If you purchase a Yamaha guitar - some models excluded - you get a free Yamaha Axe Pack.

The Yamaha N100 Nocturne Grand combines modern and elegant design with traditional piano-styling. It is a new standard of style and sound. The Graded Hammer Effect (GH) keyboard on the N100 offers an authentic playing experience. The N100 is tastefully high-tech without being cold or uninviting, and the soft-blue glow of its control surface and its slow-close fallboard give the Nocturne a personality that’s elegantly modern.

The N100 digital piano wraps high-quality touch and tone into a package that features breakthrough design. The N100 boasts 88 Graded Hammer Effect, weighted-action keys; 64 notes of polyphony; 10 of Yamaha’s best keyboard voices (including Grand Piano, Electronic Piano, Pipe Organ, and Strings); and 50 built-in songs of standard piano repertoire that can play continuously. It also includes a spacious digital reverb that adds depth to its deceptively slim appearance and dual voice mode for the richer sound of two sounds playing together.

For complete information on the Yamaha N100, visit the music instrument music store at www.AndysMusicOnline.com.