Dollarhide's Music Center Blog

Band Instrument Closeout Nears End!

2012-02-21T05:57:00.000-08:00

The closeout of Dollarhide's band instrument department is nearing an end! We still have clarinets, alto saxophones, trumpets, trombones and drum kits. Call today or visit our store, the remaining instruments are on display in the main showroom near our sales counter.

November Gallery Night Entertainment Schedule

2011-11-16T10:20:00.000-08:00

Downtown Pensacola Gallery Night is just around the corner! On Friday, November 18th, come downtown and stroll through the charming brick walkways of Downtown Pensacola to experience an eclectic array of music, art and cuisine. Explore galleries and businesses featuring the works of dozens of local artists. Soak up the sounds of local musicians and the aromas of local cuisine as the energy of the evening carries you from venue to venue.

Dollarhide's will be open for Gallery Night this Friday, and we have a great lineup of music!

5:00PM - 6:00PM - Teacher's studio recital
6:00PM - 6:30PM - Featuring the keyboard artistry of local teacher and musician Christine Dodd
6:30PM - 7:15PM - Our own Danny Lyons will be playing solo handbells! This is always a very popular set.
7:15PM - 7:30PM - Piano Duets, featuring local teachers Ed Varela and Camille Cartaya
7:30PM - until... - Piano Quartets, featuring more of our area's talented teachers

Stop by and see us! We look forward to seeing you there!

Give the gift of music AND technology!

2011-11-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

Store Event: A Program of Piano Pieces

2011-10-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Selections from the Library of a Curious Piano Teacher: a Program of Piano Pieces

When: Friday, November 4th

Time: 6:00PM

Where: Dollarhide's Music Center

Join us as local piano teacher Stephanie Womble plays a program of piano music from composers such as C.P.E. Bach, Haydn, MacDowell and Debussy. This performance is free and open to the public.

Bring your piano student! This is a great, free opportunity for your young pianist to experience unique repertoire played by an excellent performer.

Alfred's Self Teaching Piano Course

2011-07-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

(click the title to see samples)

Alfred's Self-Teaching Adult Piano Course - The new, easy and fun way to teach yourself - Book with DVD & CD - Alfred# 37230 - $24.99 - Continuing the incredible popularity of Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course, this book adapts the same friendly and informative style for adults who wish to teach themselves, but now includes a DVD.

With the study guide pages that have been added to introduce the music, it’s almost like having a piano teacher beside you as you learn the skills needed to perform popular and familiar music.

Included is a CD containing the piano part and an engaging arrangement for each of the 65 musical examples. The accompanying DVD includes an introduction to all the pages in the book and performances of the pieces by well-known teacher, Gayle Kowalchyk.

Also available: Book and CD (no DVD), Alfred# 30115 - $19.95

Organ/Piano Duo Concert

2011-07-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

We're Having An
Organ & Piano Duo Concert @ Dollarhide's Music Center

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

7:00 PM

Free Admission

Featuring: Sharon White, organist and Marcia De Graaf, pianist

These fine players will present a varied program with something for

Allen Q370 Quantum Organ

everyone. There will be everything from "Panis Angelicus" to "The Roll Is Called Up Yonder" and a stirring set of patriotic numbers including "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

The concert setting will be "up close and personal". The audience will be able to experience more than just the great sounds of accomplished players performing on amazing instruments, but to be able to watch closely as different sounds are selected on the organ and good technique is incorporated on the piano. There will be a "meet and greet" after the concert.

Yamaha C7 Grand Piano

Church musicians will want to attend to hear these fine published organ/piano duet arrangements to see which ones they would like to use in their own church.

We hope to see you there and that you will tell your friends about this great evening of music.
You can view the performer's biographical information here.

The instruments:

Allen Quantum Organ

3 Manuals, 58 Stops, model Q370

Yamaha C7 Concert Grand Piano

7'6" Polished Ebony

We hope to see you there!

Steinway model B tagged as clearance item

2011-07-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

These pictures are of a Steinway model B grand piano in our store at Dollarhide's Music. The company has tagged this and several other quality pianos and organs as clearance items.

It has served the dual purpose of being a showroom demonstrator and being loaned to churches, colleges and auditoriums to promote the Steinway brand. It is not the biggest Steinway but it is the next one to it at 7 feet from end to end. It is technically a new piano for warranty purposes.

It is referred to by many as the "Perfect piano." It's suggested retail price is $84,900. The company's clearance price is too low to put on the Internet so you will have to call, visit or email for price.

It has a few signs of use, primarily finish marks and light scratches, but it is being put in like new condition for the new owner. The piano includes artist bench as shown and delivery to a wide area around Pensacola including FL, GA, AL & MS.

If you have been considering a fine piano for your home, church, school or college this is a good opportunity to get the best for a great price. Trades will be allowed and will further reduce the price by the valuation of your trade. Call 850 494-9898 or toll-free 800 330-9897 and ask for the piano department.

Just for Fun: Music your piano student will enjoy

2011-07-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Whether your child is taking lessons over the summer or taking a break, it's always encouraging for them to find and play music that they enjoy. It might not always be the most pedagogically sound, but if they want to play it, then they should! One caveat here: they might want to show the music to their teacher. The teacher might want to help them fine tune the music, or they might want to let your child know that they can certainly play this music, as long as they complete their lesson assignments as well.

So what's popular right now, you might ask?

The Lord of the Rings - Music from the Motion Pictures Arranged for Solo Piano, By Howard Shore
Previously available only in three separate books, Howard Shore's award-winning music for The Lord of the Rings trilogy is now available as a deluxe single volume of solo piano sheet music. Adorned with gorgeous color stills from the motion pictures, this is the ultimate musical tour of Middle-earth.

Available for:

Late Elementary (Big Note) Pianists - Alfred# 33474 - $14.95

Easy Piano - Early Intermediate Pianists - Alfred# AFM0408 - $12.95

Intermediate and Advanced pianists - Alfred# 32034 - $21.95

Star Wars®: A Musical Journey (Music from Episodes I - VI) - By John Williams

For the first time, this piano sheet music collection encompasses the entire Star Wars saga! Set amid stunning imagery from the films, these piano arrangements bring the magic of Star Wars to life as they masterfully invoke the grand romanticism of John Williams's epic, award-winning scores. The most definitive and memorable pieces from each of the six Star Wars episodes are included.

Available for:

Elementary (5 Finger) Piano - Alfred# 34451 - $15.99

Late Elementary (Big Note) Piano - Alfred# 34382 - $15.99

Early Intermediate (Easy Piano) - Alfred# 28304 - $16.95

Intermediate (Piano Solo) - Alfred# 28303 - $19.95

Pop Piano Solos - Various Artists - Hal Leonard# HL00311275 - $14.95 - 26 hit songs arranged for piano, including: Breathe (Faith Hill) • Don't Know Why (Norah Jones) • (Everything I Do) I Do It for You (Bryan Adams) • Fallin' (Alicia Keys) • I Believe I Can Fly (R. Kelly) • I'll Be (Edwin McCain) • Listen to Your Heart (D.H.T.) • A Thousand Miles (Vanessa Carlton) • Walking in Memphis (Marc Cohn) • You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban) • and more.

Glee - Music from the FOX Television Show - Intermediate Piano Solos - Hal Leonard# HL00296834 - $10.99 - Jennifer Linn provides intermediate-level solo arrangments of seven favorites from Glee: Don't Stop Believin' • Endless Love • Imagine • Jump • Lean on Me • Proud Mary • True Colors.

Contemporary Pop Hits - Late Elementary - Hal Leonard# HL00296836 - $8.99 - Arranger: Wendy Stevens - Seven top hits your students will love to learn! Includes: All the Right Moves (OneRepublic) • Baby (Justin Bieber) • Breakout (Miley Cyrus) • Hey, Soul Sister (Train) • Love Story (Taylor Swift) • Lovebug (Jonas Brothers) • When I Look at You (Miley Cyrus).

This is just a small sampling of what is available in the realm of popular music arranged for piano. What if you didn't see anything your piano student would enjoy here? There's much more available! Call us and allow us to help you. There's much more than pop music, as well! If your piano player would prefer hymns, or jazz, we can help you find that as well.

How can we help you and your piano student today?

Happy July 4th!

2011-07-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of BHG.com

From everyone at Dollarhide's to all of our friends, wishing you a safe and happy 4th of July! Thanks to all those who have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice for our freedom - our thoughts and prayers are with you!

(If you would like to try your hand at making the wreath above, instructions are here)

Band and Orchestra Department Closeout!

2011-07-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

We are closing our Band and Orchestra Department, and our liquidation sale begins today!

150+ band instruments including flutes, clarinets alto saxes, trumpets, trombones, drum kits and bell kits, and 50+ strings including violins, violas, cellos and basses will be on sale for 50% off the retail price!

Sheet music and accessories for band and string students will be marked down 30%.

The sale will include in-stock items only, no special orders. Our band shop will be open for the duration of the liquidation sale, but not afterwards, so maintenance and/or replacement coverage will not be available for purchase on these instruments.

We look forward to continuing to serve your piano and organ needs. If you have any questions, please contact the store (information below):

850-494-9898 or 800-330-9897

Sacred Vocal Music

2011-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

A local voice teacher introduced us to these beautiful volumes, and we have started carrying them in the store. These are beautiful editions and feature gorgeous sacred selections:

Sing Solo Sacred - Editor: Jenkins, Neil - Oxford University Press (Distributed C.F. Peters)

Available in High Voice (9780193457843)($25.75) and Low Voice (9780193457850)($25.75)

Details: All the most popular sacred solos together in one volume. If you need to sing a solo at church this collection is all you need. Many of the pieces have been specially arranged for this book, and well-loved items traditionally viewed as only for higher voices are now available in the low voice volume in suitable keys.

Contents: Adams: The Holy City * Allitsen: The Lord is my Light * Bach: Christians, on this day of gladness * Bach: Flocks in pastures green * Bach: If thou art near * Bach: Jesu, joy of man's desiring * Bach: May the father's boundless love * Bach: Up, up my heart with gladness * Bach/Gounod: Ave Maria * Bennard: The Old Rugged Cross * Bizet: Agnus Dei * Elgar: Ave verum * Fauré: Pie Jesu * Franck: Ave Maria * Franck: Panis Angelicus * Handel: Come unto him * Handel: I know that my redeemer liveth * Handel: Let the bright seraphim * Handel: Lowly they kneel * Handel: Merciful God * Head: The Lord's Prayer * Liddle: Abide with me * Liddle: The Lord is my shepherd * MacBeth Bain: Brother James Air * Mendelssohn: O for the wings of a dove * Mozart: Agnus Dei * Mozart: Alleluia * Mozart: Ave verum * Mozart: Laudate Dominum * Purcell: Hark, the echoing air * Schubert: Ave Maria * Schubert: Litany * Schubert: God shall wipe away all tears * Schubert: Refrain thy voice from weeping * Schubert: The Lost Chord * Vaughan Williams: He that is down * Walford Davies: God be in my head

Now available here at Dollarhide's Music Center!

Resources for potential piano students in the area

2011-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you are in Pensacola or the surrounding areas and are looking for a piano teacher for your child or yourself, give us a call! We maintain a list of piano teachers from all over the area, from Mississippi to Panama City!

If your child (or yourself!) is interested in piano and might like to learn more about the instrument and lessons, you're a perfect fit for our Piano Festival (click for more info)! You can stay on top of Piano Festival information at our Piano Festival Blog.

If you have a student who is taking lessons (or who might start), you might be interested in our Piano Parenting blog. There's information and advice about starting lessons, and tips on how to be the best piano parent you can be!

How can we help you and your piano student today?

Product of the Week 6/27: Yamaha Clavinova 320

2011-06-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

$1,495 sale price off of $2,199 retail is a great deal!

The CLP-320 combines the pleasant playability of the GH keyboard with the expressive power of Pure CF Sampling and 3-level Dynamic Stereo Sampling. With 128-note polyphony and three foot pedals that include the damper half pedal effect, the instrument delivers the full nuance of an acoustic instrument. The CLP-320 is an introductory model with meticulous attention to piano fundamentals.

Great Features:

Dark Rosewood / Cherry / Mahogany / Polished Ebony
88-key GH (Graded Hammer) keyboard
Pure CF Sampling
3-step AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) Dynamic Stereo Sampling tone generation
10 Voices
128-note polyphony
Dual
Digital Effects (Reverb)
1-track recording
Internal Flash ROM for song memory
7 temperaments
Amplifier 20W x 2
Speaker System - (Oval (4 3/4" x 2 3/8") x 2
Metronome
Three foot pedals
MIDI IN / OUT
Sliding key cover
Dual headphone jacks
Headphone hanger
50 built-in demonstration piano songs with sheet music

YamahaMusician.com said about this product "We would highly recommend the CLP 320 to anyone who wants a superb and beautiful digital piano for the home!" See their entire review here.

Come and try out this beautiful instrument today!

Piano Recital: Mark Markham

2011-06-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

The Pensacola Music Teacher's Association presents a performance from Steinway artist Mark Markham on Monday, July 25th, at 7:30PM, at beautiful Saint Paul Catholic Church.

PROGRAM:
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 5
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11
Harmonies du soir (Transcendental Etude no. 11)
Waltz from Gounod's Faust
Sonata in B Minor
* all selections are by Franz Liszt *

There is no admission fee, but donations will be accepted at the door to benefit the PMTA Scholarship Fund in memory of Robert Sherwood.

See the event on Facebook here.

Dollarhide's Music Center announces Piano Festival 2011!

2011-05-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

WHEN: Saturday, August 13th, 2011 - WHERE: Dollarhide's Music Center

TIME: 10:00AM to 2:00PM

Come and "Discover the Piano" at Dollarhide's Music Center Piano Festival!

Allow us to be your guide to the exciting world of making music at the piano! See how an acoustic piano works, learn a little about music and rhythm, and explore the technology available at your fingertips with digital pianos and software! We will use exciting visuals and hands-on games to help potential students discover the joy of piano.

This event is free and perfect for families! You can "Discover the Piano" at any time during the course of the day, presentations and activities will be available for the entire event.

Teachers will be on-hand to answer questions, and we will gladly provide you with names and numbers of teachers in your area. Free gift available for those who complete our musical circuit!

Stay for our PIANOthon! Local piano students of all ages and abilities will be playing piano for the entirety of our business hours that day (10:00AM to 2:00PM) for donations. This is a great opportunity for your potential piano student to see other students their age playing, and for a good cause! All donations will go to the Alzheimer’s Association. Make sure to stop and listen, and donate if you can!

Follow the event on Facebook for more information, or you can send an email to vbernardo@dollarhide.com to be kept informed via email.

Store Event: Piano Recital

2011-05-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

Dollarhide's Music is pleased to be hosting Cynthia and Stephanie Bova as they present a free piano recital on Thursday, May 12th at 5:30 pm. They will be playing selections from their recent recitals at Indiana University.
Cynthia received her Masters of Music degree this month and Stephanie completed her Junior year in the Bachelors of Music degree program. We would love to see you there!

To repeat the details: *5:30 pm* on Thursday, *May 12th* at Dollarhide's Music Center.

Now available online: Used piano listings!

2011-04-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

Now you can browse our selection of used pianos from our homepage!

Simply navigate to http://www.dollarhide.com/pianoused.htm and see if there is anything there you can't live without. Check back regularly, too - our stock is always changing!

We currently have some great pianos available, including a couple of digital pianos, a Steinway, and a professional upright, among others.

New product: Roland RG-1F Digital Grand!

2011-04-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Contemporary Mini-Grand Goes SuperNATURAL Piano!

Inheriting the stylish contemporary look and space-saving footprint of its RG-1 predecessor, the RG-1F goes upscale with the new SuperNATURAL Piano engine and flagship PHA III Ivory Feel Keyboard. The chic style and attractive Satin Black finish blend elegantly into any environment, while the built-in speaker system provides rich, stereo sound. The RG-1F’s bonus features — including its USB media features and skill-building functions — give this instrument more depth than meets the eye.

Advanced SuperNATURAL Piano engine provides a new level of authenticity and sophistication
Piano Designer feature allows customization of sounds (resonance, hammer noise, etc.)
PHA III Ivory Feel Keyboard with Escapement
Streamlined mini-grand body with a lid that can be opened and closed (73cm depth, 75kg weight)
High-impact Satin Black finish with gold-cuffed legs
Traditionally styled pedals with progressive damper action and half-pedal recognition
Internal stereo speaker system with rich, natural sound
Clear operation panel that’s easy to use
Lightweight, fall-safe lid with lock mechanism

SuperNATURAL Piano
The RG-1F is enhanced with Roland’s breakthrough SuperNATURAL Piano technology. Three key elements are dramatically improved: velocity response, note decay, and key-range behavior. Where previous sample-based technology created coarse “stair-step” gaps in velocity and key range, and unnatural looping in note decay, SuperNATURAL bridges the gaps with perfectly smooth and natural three-dimensional sound and response.

Streamlined Design
At just 73cm deep, the RG-1F boasts a streamlined mini-grand shape with a classy lid that can be opened and closed. Its front panel is cleanly designed and inviting to use. The gorgeous Satin Black finish blends beautifully with any room.

PHA III Ivory Feel Keyboard with Escapement
The PHA III Keyboard with Escapement offers maximum comfort, playability, and response. PHA III improves key repetition and perfectly conveys dynamic, velocity-based tonal changes. The escapement mechanism recreates the authentic “click feel” of a grand-piano keyboard, which particularly enhances expression when playing pianissimo. The keyboard also features Roland’s acclaimed Ivory Feel — a comfortable and realistic moisture-absorbent material that prevents slipping from perspiration during performance. The authentic coloration of grand-piano keys can also been seen on the sides of the white keys.

Progressive Damper-Action Pedal
The RG-1F features Roland’s new Progressive Damper Action pedal mechanism, which closely replicates the pedal response of acoustic pianos. When you first start to depress the damper pedal it offers lighter resistance, but as you depress it further, the resistance increases just as it would on an acoustic piano when the dampers start to move up from the strings. This new design also enables more accurate “half-pedaling” response, where the depth of the damper pedal allows subtle control of the decay of the tone. Thus, the Progressive Damper Action Pedal offers the sensitive and expressive pedaling response required by the most demanding pianists.

USB Media Features
Play along with your favorite songs by simply inserting an industry-standard USB key or optional USB CD drive. The RG-1F’s flexible file compatibility enables playback of WAV files and Standard MIDI Files through the built-in stereo speaker system.

Fall-Safe Lid
The RG-1F’s lightweight lid is easy to open and close. It’s equipped a lid lock to protect to the lid from closing accidentally.

Come to Dollarhide's today to experience the Roland RG-1F in the area's only Roland Foresta shopping area! Select your digital in a quiet and comfortable space designed to make your shopping experience relaxing and allowing you to select the perfect piano for your needs.

Adult Piano Lessons

2011-04-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

Experience the fun and relaxation of learning to play the piano in these stress-free classes for adults being taught at Dollarhide's!

The classes are one hour each week and begin with the assumption that you you are a beginning piano student who knows little or nothing about how to play piano.
The maximum class size is 10 people.
Each person is seated at their own digital piano throughout each class and headphones are provided at each piano.
You will learn this new hobby in an encouraging, stress-free environment where you gain new friends who share the same interest.

This class is right for you if - -

You've never played the piano nor taken lessons.
You took piano lessons for a limited time as a child but remember little.
You play another musical instrument but not piano.
You've some experience with piano and would like to join a class as a refresher.

Tuition:

Tuition is $20 per one hour class. Semesters are eight weeks.
Students may pay tuition by the month at $80 each or by the semester at $160.
The initial instruction book is $20 and there is an annual administration fee of $25.

Classes are being formed now! Contact us today for more information and to place your name on the roster.

If you are looking for lessons for a child, or are an adult looking for one-on-one instruction, please contact us at the store! There are many fine teachers in the area and we will be happy to refer you to one of them.