Dave Chick
I'm a film / TV composer based in Vancouver BC. Music has always been part of my life, but my first career was in the technology industry as a consultant and project manager. I helped to build and open the Experience Music Project – a rock and roll museum in Seattle. I hold a Bachelor of Music from the University of Western Ontario and a Master of Business Administration degree from McMaster University. I also hold a diploma in Audio Engineering from the University of Washington and I’m a graduate of Hummie Mann’s acclaimed Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program.
Review: Yamaha P-115B Digital Piano
The Yamaha P-115B is a great choice to consider in the ever popular sub-$1,000 digital piano market. It has all the essential features, very good sound and comes in a convenient footprint for those looking to acquire a piano, but not the size and inconvenience.
NAMM 2016: iRig Blue Turn
Gigging musicians that use iPads as their notation display rather than traditional paper-based music, consistently come across the problem of turning pages or scrolling while both hands are occupied. iRig BlueTurn is a simple Bluetooth solution to the problem – two soft illuminated footswitches to be operated by your feet.
NAMM 2016: IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor
IK Multimedia has always been able to come out with products for the mobile musician and audio engineer. The iLoud Micro Monitor joins a line of loudspeakers that further support that market. The speakers are incredibly small, but boast a feature set that is usually found in larger, more expensive studio monitors.
NAMM 2016: Roland Keyboards
You can always count on Roland to announce products at NAMM that garner a second look. They’ve created quite a little buzz around a couple of new offerings that Best Buy is planning on carrying: The FP-30 Digital Piano and the Roland Boutique Series are going to have people talking for a while.
M-Audio BX5 and Yamaha HS5 Comparison
The M-Audio BX5 and the Yamaha HS5 studio monitors boast similar studio-level features and specs. They both pack a nice size : punch ratio. You can’t go wrong with either of these little guys. I took them both for a spin, put them head to head and jotted down my thoughts.
Yamaha PSR E253 Keyboard Review
Yamaha has packed a lot into this instrument aimed at getting people to learn and enjoy playing music. If you or you have someone in your family who looks like they’re itching to let their inner muse out, then with the PSR E253, you’ve got a very cost effective start to realizing that dream.
Casio CDP-130CS Digital Piano Review with Videos
The price-performance ratio is hard to beat on this piano—you really can’t go wrong. It is a solid product with a good feature set that will enable the beginner or intermediate player to really enjoy the instrument. If you’ve been wanting to take up piano or you’ve been looking for a reason to buy a piano and cost has been a factor, check out the CDP-130CS at Best Buy Canada.
Digital pianos have come along way toward modeling the Real Thing
A decade ago, I probably wouldn’t have recommended digital pianos to anyone looking to purchase one for learning the instrument. These days, given the advances in technology and relative prices, I’d say they’re something that one needs to seriously consider. They’re a great option for the modern family who want to start learning and enjoying the instrument.
Fender DG-60 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Review
The Fender DG-60 dreadnought acoustic guitar will soon be available at Best Buy. I’ll come out and say it—this is a great guitar for the price. If asked to recommend something for a beginner or as a small-gig instrument, I’d put the DG-60 on the list for sure. It has a nice look and feel coupled with great playability and a brighter tone that fills the room.
Pioneer X-CM32BT Micro System Review
The Pioneer X-CM32BT Micro System is a relatively compact little unit that can be deceiving. If asked to describe where it lands in the crowded arena of audio playback systems, I’d have to say it lies somewhere between massive amplifier/receiver systems and compact all-in-one mobile device docking stations. It reminded me of hi-fi systems of a couple of decades ago, but in a much smaller package. The system will play many audio formats and media. Radio, CD’s and digital audio files (MP3/WMA) are all supported.