I was considering to have a grown up pedal, too. But decided for the toy pedal + transport bag, because I want to have a small and lightweight package for travel. And when I decided, I thought: "Pedal? I'll never use it. So, why carrying extra weight for nothing? But if I really need a pedal, then I have one."
Edit: So you invested the savings of the discontinued model wisely 
WieWaldi So you invested the savings of the discontinued model wisely
Yuppp!! Did I ever mention that pedals are my fascination? Ok, only a hundred times. But, it bears repeating: pedals are my fascination. Plus I figured that a keyboard might need replacing someday for a new/better model... but a stand and GOOD pedal are probably good for life 
Sophia A common feature on the original electric pianos, like Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer 200, was a tremolo, similar to that on organs. Later on, when stereo was available, this tremolo could be oscillated from left to right to left, on and on, and with headphones it's very noticeable. This effect is called panning. Without seeing the e373, I would guess that preset has that effect turned on, but it's probably adjustable as to how much, speed, or even turn off.
Your Clavinova doesn't have a headphone jack? I thought even the earliest models had one. If you discover that it does, that can be used to record audio. But, you'd still need that "stone aged" audio input on your phone, or whatever your recording on.
By the way... most modern phones have pretty good microphones. So, nothing to do with the little speakers on the phone. My relatively old iphone SE has a microphone good enough to record bird songs from around our yard with surprising clarity. And, it also has the 3.5mm headphone/mic jack, which is one of the reason I still use it.
Ahhh I see! Thank you for that. I was wondering if you were talking about a keyboard setting or my lack of playing skills, because either is equally conceivable 
I haven't even scratched the surface of all the bells and whistles of my e373; it could very well be possible to adjust it. Another thing that puzzles me is the lack of documentation on the built in features such as a list of all the sound banks. It does have a few manuals etc, but the documentation still leaves a lot of guessing!
I'm pretty sure that the Clavinova has a headphone jack in the back. I'm rather stone aged myself though, so I'm happy to mount the phone on a tripod and record that way, hoping that no one coughs, sneezes, meows or bangs around too noisily.
Have you decided on the e383 yet? 
Sophia At this very moment, the e383 is on sale for $169 on Amazon, and Sweetwater, and Musician's Friend. So, it might be a perk from Yamaha. I've had a few pangs, and if I did buy it, I'd get it from Amazon, because of the free returns. SweetH2O and MF offer free returns on items that are either damaged or have a defect. Where Amazon will pay the return shipping if the buyer's expectations are not met, as long as that privilege in not abused. I'm just not sure if I want another instrument, or if it would help me to play any better.
Page 68 of the e373 manual shows all of "voices", which I think is what Yamaha is calling the sound banks.
Sophia I forgot to mention... that you played that lesson from memory is impressive, especially since you haven't been at this very long. Do you listen to blues? Maybe some old players (actually dead players, like Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters) that have some fine piano going on in the rhythm section? Early "John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers" albums has some great piano.
I notice that you keep good time with your metronome, or drummer, which is good, technically speaking. But fiddling with the meter is part of what blues players do to carve out their take on a tune. All of the players I've ever played blues with liked to hit just before (push), or just after (pull) the beat. Push gives a sense of momentum; pull can have a laid back effect. I know you're just beginning these lessons, and offering up the idea of playing before or after beat one of a measure might sound counterproductive, but this is a way to liven up your licks.
Thank you!!!! I really appreciate the help and suggestions ^_^ I grew up in a mostly classical household, so I'm not all that familiar with blues - though obviously I love it whereas I positively hate modern rock(us). I think I know what you're saying about pushing or pulling the beat... I'm too close to being a metronome myself, which is probably good if you're a speaking clock, but more than likely less useful in music 
I must listen to more of your submissions and that of others who contributed blues/jazz here, to see what I can learn. Please keep offering your ideas/suggestions for improvements/kicks in the butt because I need all the help I can get When I get a little better, perhaps I should try to play along with the old Masters and see if I can get that laid back/momentum stuff in my fingers (brain) too 
Sophia You're welcome. It's much better to be able to play with a metronome, like you, and be able to work around it a bit, rather than not able to keep good time. So, you're off to a good start.
My blues playing days are about 30-40 years behind me. And most of that was guitar. These days, I can't play as fast, and I get bored with the three chord form. Although, it's fun to revisit.
PianoMonk All of the players I've ever played blues with liked to hit just before (push), or just after (pull) the beat. Push gives a sense of momentum; pull can have a laid back effect.
Stu Harrison mentioned this pushing of notes, demoed it, and I instantly knew what he was talking about. Sometimes I happen to push a note and I think it sounds really cool. Unfortunately I can't reproduce it consistently. Never tried to pull a note, but good to know there is something and what for it is. Thank you.
@Sophia, I am back at my parents place until Sunday... This Casio - it isn't a piano. Feels like a toy. Good enough to learn a melody, learn new notes, but not to really practise something to make it sound lush. The pedal is a toy, but still I think the spring loaded action is the greater problem of both. Don't expect me to make progress the next days, but maybe I can try to play through the entire lesson without playing wrong notes here and there. This is what the Casio is good for: pressing the right keys, but not pressing them right.
Right, it's nice to get these things pointed out, otherwise we sound like a precision clock... ok... not a FAST clock, but still, not exactly the effect that we want in blues. Deep down inside I knew it, but it's nice to hear it all the same
Have a good time WieWaldi! Enjoy your time with your parents! No rush to get the lesson done, it gets done when it gets done I haven't started mine yet... I have a flea up my bum to finalize the Chopin piece first. Plus my brain needs some time to recover from lesson 13 and make room for new memories... 
Sophia Here's another tidbit....
With blues, and some jazz, written eighth notes together are often played as if they were a dotted eighth and a dotted sixteenth. Instead of da-da-da-da, all even, more like dee-da dee-da, long short but takes up the same amount of space in the bar. This is how you swing! Now add the push, pull, and you can really mess with the meter. But don't do this with Chopin. At least, not where someone might hear you doing it.
Sophia Here's what Jamey Aebersold has to say about the metronome:
And he knows a lot more about blues and jazz than I do.
If you aren't familiar with Jamey, his site: https://www.jazzbooks.com/ has Play-a-Long book/audio sets, as well as many jazz and blues theory books.
That's you? Wow, Marty McFly - move over, lol!
Agree, sharing is a huge part of music. You know how in small bands they always acknowledge each other, nod, smile, play a bit, and nod at each other again. Even the Muppets communicate through music!
Of course, sometimes they need the process explained a little first 
Sophia Yes, that's me. Sometimes, hard for me to believe where my musical focus was back then. But I was still young at heart. There are more "historical" recordings on my YT channel.
I've had a few good bands, with good players and good vibe. And I've played in bands where the members were only there for the money, didn't really like each other. One of the reasons I like the piano is that you don't need a band.
I like the Muppets. Jim Henson and Frank Oz are/were geniuses.
WieWaldi Hi WW, I think you posted this in the wrong place - maybe you could copy and post it to the recitals thread? Anyway, it's not surprising that it happened - as you practically live in this Blues section!
"Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)
Oh nice! I must look into that, thank you PianoMonk! It would sure prevent a lot of bad language when a kitten shoves yet another heavy item onto the floor while I'm playing
WieWaldi I have mentioned this in another thread Wie, with examples to highlight the differency between this push and pull as apposed to rubato. Isaying
I love love love lesson 14! Of course I remember every note because of WW's recital in the spring, with all the interesting information blurbs. I wanted to learn boogie and I think it was rsl who advised I'd look into that course too.
I was so impressed and also a little worried, I thought I could never become as good as that... that's way too complicated. And here we are six months on, and I'm going to learn it 
This course is just so much fun!
Ah yes, if we're going into memory lane...
I remember thinking "'we BEGINNERS'? 'weaker playing'? He must be joking... that is not a beginner's piece! He sounds so advanced!" Of course now I realize it is just beyond bloody beginner into lovely beginner territory
Sophia Nononono... Back then I was a bloody beginner. I graduated to a total beginner with begin of the "Easy Blues Piano course", remember?
Speaking about graduating, I approach steady (but slowly) to the next one:
I am not really happy with this recording, cause today I simply don't feel in good shape. But still want to move on. Did screw up the pedal here and there, held a few notes not long enough. But the biggest gripe is the speed. I wanted to play without metronome and then I got too fast. With metronome, the duration would be 3min and a few seconds.
WOW! I know you said you are not completely happy with your playing today (I know that feeling, some days are fantastic and you can't do wrong, other days are horrible and you can't play anything right), but a third party (me) cannot hear any of those imperfections!
That is GREAT progress WieWaldi! Just yesterday I listened to your version of St Louis Blues again because I'm lazy enough that if I can learn by listening, not reading notes I will take that ^_^ So the contrast between six months ago and now is striking!!! Especially now that you use the pedal, it's a whole world of difference. And very intricate harmonies, independent hands, lots of variations, steady left hand, right hand all over the place... I'm so proud of you!
I agree, I think you are ready to move on now. We just submit our lessons here, not create near-perfect recital performances 
Sophia Just yesterday I listened to your version of St Louis Blues again because I'm lazy enough that if I can learn by listening, not reading notes I will take that ^_^
I think the best for us beginners is to look back 6 months, or even longer, and we can see the progress we are making. This should be the big motivator to continue.
Haha, the silent movie captions - making buzz for Christians channel. Well - at least one followed
Wow, that was nicely played WieWie! If that's how you play when you're not "in good shape" it would be interesting to hear how you play the piece on a good day!
I did notice the slightly faster tempo at one point, but overall it was a very relaxed and evenly paced performance.
"Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)
Nightowl Thank you, you are very kind.
I lost the notes for the pedal, pedaled too early, sometimes too late, and rushed through the difficult passages. Guess I should join this thread: On tempo and rushing .
Btw, I listened to your very 1st recital with "Edelweiss" on your Casio keyboard. You improved a lot since last 6 months. Especially the "Schwarzwald Polka" you posted a few days ago was exceptional well played. IMO this would have been the better recital piece, primary because you played with a lot of confidence. In the recital piece, you hesitated some notes, and I can only guess why. It sounded like you wanted to play some parts in piano and very nice and add soft dynamics and make it very smooth, but this was too much thinking while playing. And too many things to focus at the same time. So the result ended in a mistake free performance, but with too many hesitations. To play soft and with pp dynamics is very difficult, IMO. I tried this as well, a few years ago, and I hated to listen to my own playing, because some notes were too silent, others too harsh, and while trying to press the keys softly, I couldn't control the exact moment when to press my keys. I suggest to you, stick to pieces, similar the Schwarzwald Polka, and don't try to play some passages very soft. At least not yet in the next months. Play more pieces same fluid, as you did with Schwarzwald Polka. And if there is a piece that could be played with soft dynamics, learn it fluidily and confident first, then spend some more time to add pp-dynamics.
WieWaldi Thanks WieWie, you're right, it was "too much thinking while playing". The Polka piece was going to be my recital piece but I just couldn't seem to get a decent recording in time. Instead, I submitted another piece then began playing the Polka most days for a warm up exercise, which seemed to help muscle memory and fluidity.
"Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)
Heh true! But in my defense I had no idea how much fun it would turn out to be. I hardly even need PACT now to keep me going Just kidding, PACT is here to stay too
Sophia ... I flew through the first Alfred book in about six weeks, just catching up with what I had already picked up in the past.
Also, I'm starting to think that I probably picked up more from my parents (both professional musicians) than I realized.
You see, I was totally right about our brains... Mine is more like a 
and your's like 
(fast food).
WieWaldi 
see here
Btw, what did your parent do as professional musicians?
Hahaha nooooooooooo! My brain is more like this: 
(thank you for the tip on resizing images!)
My dad studied clarinet and played in the national operetta company, until the traveling became too much and he became a fulltime clarinet/sax/harmonica teacher. My mother studied violin and piano and played violin in an (amateur) orchestra at first, and later almost exclusively piano, part-time accompanying soloists, choirs etc. So I was basically spoon-fed on music...
Nah just kidding, I never expressed a real interest in learning to play an instrument so all I ever did was use them as toys, including our piano. But as I said, I am slowly starting to realize that some of it probably rubbed off a little more than I thought... because I'm definitely a 
in many other areas
Spoon fed?
No no - your parents injected the talent:
And no matted how hard you run away...
Now there's a mental image I won't ever be able to get rid of... 
Well, I have now learned the first two variations of the St Louis Blues and started the last one. Of course I am cheating a little... I love Christian's teaching but his speed is sometimes fast, sometimes slow, some of it he repeats several times and other passages he just explains once, quickly, and expect you to understand. But for this particular lesson I have found another teacher: WieBluesy 
I'm just now starting to realize how well you master your lessons, WW... your timing is bang on. You are very lucky... almost everything in music can be taught, except good timing. Either you have it or you don't... and very obviously you do. So much so that I can use your recital piece to teach me, because I'm basically a lazy learner, always finding shortcuts. It's nice when someone did the heavy lifting already! 
It'll probably be another week or so until I'm ready to start recording... and it will be on the Clavinova because the keyboard isn't big enough for this lesson 
Edit: ooooh!!! I THOUGHT something sounded horrible (not you! when I played from sheet music). He made a mistake in his ending. He put Eb-A-C and it sounded dreadful even for modern music. Of course when I checked his lesson, he played Db-G-Bb. You avoiced that altogether in your recital piece WW ^_^
Thanks for your kind words
.
Yes - the ending was weird. He teached two of them, one for the repeat and a final one. Possible, I cheated a little bit and made my life easy. But hey, if you didn't do this lesson now, nobody would have noticed. ^^
Haha true! But then I also noticed how much your version matches the actual lesson. Because in blues, we can easily cheat and make up our own rhythm or notes. No one would notice normally - only those people who do the same course 
I sent Christian a message about the mistake, it's obvious what happened (he just placed every note one location too high).
Hmmm - slowly, but steadily I get this feeling again
Such great advice all around.
