3.12.2018

Looks can be deceiving, at first I was put off by this odd looking contraption but as soon as I read what the overall point of it was I was very intrigued.I'm a keen musician myself and with 6 and 4 year old kids I have been starting to encourage musicianship in a positive and non-heavy handed way. I remember when I was younger being forced into piano lessons and playing clarinet in wood wind orchestras and to be honest I'm not sure how I'm still so interested in music as it was all so prescribed and stuffy you would have thought it would have put me off for life.My approach has been to liberally sprinkle the kid's play room with various musical instruments and let them find their own way.I'm always in charity shops or selling sites looking for cheap/small versions of different things. I bought an 80s keyboard for next to nothing and it has been a real hit. When we got offered an old piano I jumped at the chance and that has also gone down well.What this product does wonderfully is start to introduce the idea of layers, rise and fall, timing. Thus far musical play has been a case of the kids hammering a toy drum kit, playing a single line on the piano in their own leisurely pace....which is all fine of course, they are young and there's plenty of time for things to get complex and structured as they develop.This toy is essentially an automated symphony orchestra, with pre-set songs that you can add instruments to and take them away. It creates endless fun as the kids absolutely love having control over which instruments are playing. It teaches them about different sounds and how things can be layered or removed to create a different feel.Everything is colour coded and with lovely lights that help with the timing and general fun. It's just a wonderful concept and if you've got kids who love their video games and have gotten used to the kind of games where you have different figurines that you put on a platform then this take this concept and applies it to the world of musical instruments.Another very important point is that whilst this is a game for kids it is also tremendous fun for adults. I've enjoyed playing it with them for hours but the really touching and special thing about this is the time my mother has spent with our kids playing it. My mum has Parkinsons and is generally struggling with a lot of things physically and mentally. She's a retired music teacher and the hours that she has spent with her grand kids playing through familiar songs and "conducting" the music is absolutely priceless. Thank you so much for such a wonderful product.A few other general points - it comes in a simple see through plastic covering so you can see everything in it's full glory before you even open it all up. Instructions are clear, simple and informative - it's pretty much a case of getting stuck in and you soon work out what does what. It's a nice sturdy unit with speakers on the underneath so all compact in one unit. I'd recommend keeping it on a flat table that's accessible to your young ones rather than letting them run around with it as it's heavy and liable to break if chucked around (bits of circuitboard that won't take kindly to being bashed).It needs 6 AA batteries which are provided and after several hours of play over the past couple of weeks it is still going strong.One final thing to note - I noticed on the packaging a little note saying that a proportion of each sale is donated to We.org - an international charity helping people to climb their way out of poverty.

10.11.2014

I bought this on a recommendation from a friend for my 3-year old musically-inclined little boy. Like other reviewers, I was having some issues finding something for Christmas that was likely to catch his interest, since he's only partially interested in cars/dinosaurs/toys marketed at boys. I will update this after Christmas once he's played with it, but here's a review of my impressions as a parent.The toy looks quite odd. It's like nothing else that we have, but the design is very engaging, with colourful pieces, lights, sounds and a very, very simple interface at the basic level of operation - pieces-pit, play-stop. There is a colour-match element and a shape sorting element as all the pieces have different shapes colours and matching slots on the toy.But this is a toy with layers, so don't stop there.The 15 songs with which it is pre-programmed can be played by any combination of from 1 up to 6 of the 13 orchestra pieces. There are buttons that light up the instruments that will play harmony or melody (this changes song by song) if selected by the child, so you can have pure harmony (karaoke!), pure melody or a combination. I presently have it playing Beethoven's 5th for piano and guitar.Then, once you have cracked the instrumental sounds and the harmonic and melodic interface, you can start playing with tempo and then it gets silly, which is probably the bit the kids will like the most.There's a volume control, although the lowest is still quite loud and the loudest is bedroom-disco loud (which again they will love).Finally, whilst the music plays, relatively subtle lights in the pit flash in time to the music, with a colour for each of the instruments you have selected.So, it's now playing B.I.N.G.O. for tuba and xylophone. Much improved by the addition of clarinet.There's a compartment in the back that the loose pieces fit into - so it can be packed away without much risk of loss or damage. The pieces are about the same size as standard chess pieces and are made of a nice tactile, flexible plastic. The item itself is surprisingly heavy - probably about 1.5 kg+. It has plastic table-protector pads underneath. There's a built-in carry handle, but it's unwieldy to use it to carry the items and I doubt that any small child would have the strength to carry it with the handle.Which brings me on to my only concern: durability. I am not convinced that this toy would survive being dropped. The plastic housing looks crack-able and the electronics are all on view, so you can see how much techno-wizardry has gone into this toy. The given age-range is 3-13, however, I suspect that the smaller children will find this heavy and difficult to carry. I would suggest keeping it on a low shelf or table. It has a notice on the back saying to keep it out of prolonged direct sunlight, so this is something that should probably be treated like a proper musical instrument - played with and put away with care.Overall, I love this toy and I think this will be a keeper (one for the grandparent box of toys we keep for the future). I will post an update on how we get on at Christmas.

25.11.2018

This B toys Symphony Orchestra set is one of the best toys I have seen for a while. It consists of 13 instruments on a plastic stand with a small orchestra pit in the middle. You can select up to 6 instruments and put them in the orchestra pit, then press play and one of 15 melodies will be played on the instruments you have selected. The included instruments are - guitar, sitar, violin, trumpet, flute, accordion, piano, drums, cymbals, clarinet, xylophone, koto and tuba. Some of the instruments play melody and some play accompaniment , so you can vary and change what the tune sounds like according to the instruments you choose.

1.12.2018

This is actually a fair bit of fun when you get into it, i had no idea what to make of it when it first arrived. We are not a musical family really, we never had a piano or listened to orchestra music.Its a large size heavy thing, its packaged in a see through moulded plastic case. The instruments do not fit tightly in their storage areas, one knock and half of them fall out so there is no way this is going to last with all instruments unless you keep an eye on them! Thankfully the case has a hatch at the back that slides up and you can store the instruments inside the box, hurrah! This is definitely a well thought out feature.The instructions are sparse but its probably the kind of thing

8.12.2018

This loses one star because it is not rechargeable, so on top of the initial expense, it will need SIX AA batteries at frequent intervals. Batteries are included though, so your child can get playing straight away. It also does not have it's own box, which makes the toy look cheaper and, being an unusual shape, makes it difficult to wrap in gift paper.A clear plastic stand holds 13 instruments: each one is a colourful representative of a musical instrument. The instruments are drums, piano, guitar, violin, sitar, koto, tuba, accordion, cymbals, clarinet, flute, trumpet and xylophone and each one has it's name clearly etched into the base for easier identification and learning.After switching on,

20.2.2019

This is a great musical toy which also helps younger children learn about shapes and colours in a fun way. It has entertained children between the ages of 2 and 10 so far.It has 13 different instruments which have been professionally recorded (Drums, Piano, Guitar, Violin, Sitar, Tuba, Guitar, Accordion, Cymbals, Clarinet, Flute, Trumpet or Xylophone) each with its own different shaped/coloured base on the podium (I do find that the spaces aren’t quite deep enough -the children are able to knock them out quite easily and I find they fall out if I move the toy to tidy it away). You act as the conductor and can choose between 1 and 6 instruments to place into the orchestra pit,

12.11.2018

Many toys claim to be educational: this one is big league.Fifteen different tunes (ranging from ‘Row, Row, Row The Boat’ and ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ to the opening of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony) can be played on any combination of up to six of the 13 instruments provided, giving a huge number of possibilities.You can vary the instruments as you go – giving the violin a turn in the lead, perhaps, then the flute … with or without percussion from the drums and/or cymbals … find out what the tuba has to offer … etc., etc., etc.!Then you can vary the tempo too (and Mum and Dad will be pleased to know there is a volume control).Not all the instruments are conventionally orchestral. Besides the drums and cymbals,

12.5.2020

B. Toys BX1120KC1Z Symphony in B, Orchestra, Nylon/AThis is a really interesting toy and unlike anything I've ever come across before (but then I'm not a musician or a music teacher). It enables children to explore creating their own orchestra and see what different musical instruments sound like in combination. It appeals to some children and not others - it just depends on the child and there's no predicting what they'll like. I'd say this is suited to a curious child who's happy to explore and play - though I'm not sure it would be of much interest to a child who already plays an instrument as the combinations are quite basic. I think out of everyone I am probably the one who likes the toy most and,

24.11.2018

Just wonderful. A lot of thought has gone into this and it will keep many children (and adults!) happy! The unit is well thought out with lights to help you along. The instruments will only fit into their own slot (colour-coded and shaped specifically). If you then want to know which instruments are woodwind or strings or percussion just press the relevant button and the appropriate instruments light up. If you want to change the tempo or volume there are buttons to do that. You can have a demo or you can cycle through the various music pieces. Just pop the instruments into the pit and they start to play. Remove them and they stop. It’s that simple. There’s a sliding door at the rear for storage and all the instruments fit in there.

3.11.2013

We were struggling to think of a good present for our son for his 3rd birthday. I am not sure why but he is absolutely obsessed with musical instruments and anything that makes music...no interest in dinosaurs or cars! Anyway, this seemed expensive but so perfect for him i had to buy it. Firstly i saw it for sale as a japanese import called 'magic orchestra' and it was way over £100 so that was a no, but after searching some more i discovered this - the european equivalent. Its a delightful little toy that both parents and kids love to play with. It lights up and plays some really good songs. There are 13 instruments and it when you put them on the stage it will play up to 6 concurrently.

13.12.2018

This is a really good idea. All children like music. Most of us are interested to some extent in how it is put together. This toy allows you to learn about this in a really easy and intuitive way.Their are a number of set pieces of music - most should be familiar. You then choose what instruments play the tunes and can change the tempo of the music. With a wide range of instruments - most very well known, others perhaps less so (the Koto?) - each tune can be created in an entirely different way, with a quite different sound.Some instruments play the melody, others provide accompaniment. Your child - or you - can learn about the ways that they combine to give us the overall sound.

1.12.2018

At first I was not sure what to think! There are coloured lights and there are tunes varying from Twinkle twinkle Little Star to Clair de Lune.There is an orchestra pit, you chose up to six different instruments, place them in the pit and the music will feature those choices.You have 13 different instruments to choose from.Most of the fun is in picking out different sounds by way of different instruments.There is an educational quality to this toy because the child can learn to know about the different parts of the orchestra. It makes a great first step into music.What I didn’t like was the limit of just 15 music choices you can be heartily sick of them very quickly.

27.11.2018

This is a stunning toy, which introduces children to the different sections of an orchestra – percussion, brass, woodwind, keyboards or strings. The toy is set out like a shape sorter and, indeed, there is elements of a colour/shape sorter built into this.The middle of the toy has an orchestra pit and, as the toy plays a tune (everything from Brahms Lullaby to the Wheels on the Bus) you can put up to six, from the thirteen instruments, into the pit to play along. You can choose from all sorts of instruments – from piano, violin and flute, to the more unusual guitar or sitar. You can also vary the tempo.Should you prefer rock music to classical, there is another set available – a Rockestra toy,

19.11.2018

This is one of the cleverest things aimed as a child's toy that I have seenYou receive a fairly heavy musical toy, which has two speakers underneath, there are fifteen pre- install songs, everything from twinkle little star, The wheels on the bus, Row Row Row the boat and even Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, the sound quality is excellent.There are 13 colourful instruments around the toy, you can pop one or a few in tot he orchestra pit and hear that instrument join the song, the more obscure the instrument the more you’ll notice it.There are lots of Lights which help the users Learn about the different families of instruments, the idea is the Lights teach the sections of an orchestra. Percussions,

28.12.2015

My 3.5yr old daughter received this for Xmas from her grandmother and it hasn't disappointed at all. On Xmas day it was played with by an 8.5 yo, 4.5 yo and 18mo as well as my daughter and all of them for something out of it. By sitting and playing with her she has started to understand the concept of tempo/accompaniment/melody and what the different parts of the orchestra are called eg strings, percussion, woodwind. When playing on her own she was able to do so independently with little input from adults and I have to say is absolutely delighted with her 'computer' as she calls it.I am a bit confused though as we have one with 13 instruments and some of the pictures shows only 7.

HCM 44132 - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail