5 comments about Baby Einstein - Meet the Orchestra - First Instruments.

1. SWIFT RECEIPT OF PRODUCT THAT WAS EXACTLY AS DESCIRBED BY SELLER. GOOD SALE - THIS SELLER IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.



2. I am a professional composer with a Ph.D. in composition and have taught orchestration for many years at the college level. Not that any of this necessarily means anything, but I do take music-related DVDs that are supposed to educate my child very seriously.
   
   You would think that a DVD entitled "Baby Einstein - Meet the Orchestra," would introduce REAL instruments to our children, right? WRONG. This is entirely (or almost entirely) synthesized and FAKE from beginning to end, and the sounds are 1980s quality (i.e., primitive), at best. This is not only infuriating and insulting to classical musicians and orchestras, but is also insulting to our collective intelligence. It sends the message that Disney and Buena Vista are lazy companies and their corporate bottom line is more important than our children's education. The composers they quote badly (Mozart, Bach, et al) and even Einstein himself (who played a real violin in his free time, by the way) would roll in their graves if they heard this.
   
   Here are some of the flaws I find most annoying, in no particular order:
   
   - When they show live instruments being played by real people, you hear synthesizers, not the people actually playing the instruments. They even do this at the beginning with an entire orchestra! Was this really necessary? They couldn't find young musicians who could play fairly well and tape them live? There are probably loads of kids who would have done it for free, or very little, not that Disney needs to skimp, which is all the more insulting.
   
   - As mentioned by others, the animation is absolutely awful. The puppets are also utterly simplistic, like hand puppets I remember making in grade school. Maybe that's the point, I'm not sure. Jim Henson's Muppets, they are not. Even the puppets in Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem from the Muppet Show look more realistic than this.
   
   - They introduce the woodwind section with a saxophone. What's up with that? Saxophones are not standard in most orchestras. They also show a drumset right at the beginning of the DVD. Is that to make the orchestra look cool?
   
   - They include a recorder, another instrument almost NEVER found in orchestras, and follow the artificial recorder recording with a hurdy-gurdy sounding synth track that sounds nothing like recorders. And why is there no oboe? Very strange. Maybe they figure they'll leave out the oboe since that's a difficult instrument for young players to master. Great--teach our children to not strive to do something difficult and to settle for the easy route. Einstein would not be proud.
   
   - Their representation of the percussion section is a joke. At one point, they show a cartoon playing a single timpani drum, but you hear two. To illustrate a tambourine, they show a RhythmTech, half-moon, headless tambourine, like the ones you see rock group back-up vocalists use. Sorry, but orchestral percussionists just don't use those. Many times, they show an Orff instrument as the xylophone, with one row of keys. And you also hear synth bells in the recording. The do finally show a marimba player, to their credit, albeit with what I think are extremely carefully synchronized synthesized marimba sounds (maybe the kid hit too many wrong notes?).
   
   - I won't even go into how poorly they represent strings and how bad they sound. It's just plain awful. I'll leave that to the other reviewers here.
   
   - As pointed out in other reviews, most of the performers are using poor technique. Surely, Disney could have teamed up with one of the many schools in this country with excellent music programs and found kids that could actually play well, so that our own children could have good role models.
   
   As parents, you have to ask yourself: is it OK to teach your children to recognize the sounds of an orchestra by playing them artificial sounds, synchronized so they look like they are being played by real people? This is like teaching your child that a strawberry-flavored Jolly Rancher candy is a real strawberry.
   
   As an aside, my wife is a professional violinist who plays on Broadway, and producers are always looking for ways to cut costs so they are gradually replacing live musicians with synthesizers (while charging the same or more for tickets, by the way). This may sound paranoid, but since many musicals and films are by Disney these days, I think this DVD is one of many efforts by Disney--whether overtly intentional or not--to brainwash our children into accepting artificial sounds as real, so that when they grow up, they won't know the difference, and so that children will also learn to like the Baby Einstein recordings that are synthesized. In one word, yuck!
   
   To my mind, the only redeeming quality is the bright colors, which are very attractive to young children. Even with the bright colors and copious corporate branding, my two-year-old son, who normally sits through live classical performances and loves them, was bored after a few minutes and left the room to go read a book! I think that just about says it all right there.
   
   If you love your children and want to give them the best education possible, stay away from this DVD. It is an insult to parents, children and classical musicians.



3. The name "Baby Einstein" lulls parents into thinking it's okay for their babies to watch t.v., but according to the American Academy of Pediatrics babies should NOT be exposed to television AT ALL before they're 2 years old! According to Time Magazine and Boston Globe's 8/8/07 article,
   
   "...every hour spent daily watching programs such as 'Brainy Baby' or 'Baby Einstein' translated into six to eight fewer words in their vocabularies as compared with other children their age."
   
   Brain wave activity in babies is actually slower when watching television than when SLEEPING!, and another study shows that for every hour of television a baby watches a day, their chances of an attention deficit disorder increases 10%. (Example, 5 hours a day = 50% greater chance of ADHD). I like William Sears' advice that "relationships, not things, make babies smarter".
   
   The easiest way to make babies smarter? Just carry them around in a sling (you don't have to do anything else), because it is PROVEN to make them much smarter since they are relating to you physically, emotionally, verbally, and visually. If you're at all interested in what I have to say or don't know what a "sling" is or how to use one, see my Listmania list "Natural Parenting for Baby's First Year". If you don't want to hear it from me, just google "television and baby studies"!



4. I like these videos -- they don't have a bunch of useless chatter, just soothing music and simple video pics.



5. Synthesized junk from start to finish. Most of the time the music doesn't match what you see being played, and the sounds are laughable. Even when the music matches what the musicians are playing (like the piano section) they over-dub a synthesized version... like kids prefer electric sounds to real instruments! Truly awful. I'm really mad. They had such an opportunity to be educational and PURPOSLY SCREWED IT UP!!! Save your money and go hear a REAL orchestra.

5 comments about Sing-Along Songs - The Bare Necessities.

1. My husband and his siblings wore out two of these DVD's as children, and still know the entire songs of Cinderelli and Ugly Bug Ball. Now, my daughter is 4 and since we got it two weeks ago, it's already her favorite. Well worth buying, and buying again, if need be. Talk about a classic! I didn't experience this as a child, but even in my old age (I'm twenty something) this is enjoyable for me to watch, and who doesn't want their kid to have movies that won't drive 'em nuts?



2. the sing along songs are the best. all kids should have a few, its a door to music they will possess forever. if my kid is watching the same dvd over and over again, id rather it be songs from old disney classics then some of the stuff we're put through these days.. they are entertained by it from a young age, so being exposed to the words on the bottom of the screen is a great way to help get them interested in reading.



3. Austrians beware. This product is not compatible with you DVD player as it does not use PAL!



4. Wonderful DVD! Our 2-month-old daughter already loves it! And the English lyrics are just fine (we know how to work the audio button on our DVD remote). The only knock is it's a little short for the price. But, that's Disney.



5. I purchased this video for an autistic child who loves sing along videos. When we played it, the lyrics were in French. We went to the menu to change the language and selected English. The only thing that changed was that the spoken words (not the music lyrics) were then in English.
   This was a total waste of money and very disappointing. Guess I learned a valuable and expensive lesson as I purchased a total of 4 sing along videos and they were all French.

3 comments about Rhyming Circus.

1. That was my oldest daughter announcing Ralph's Worlds latest - Our kids love Ralph's World, and thankfully, he does not make my ears bleed like so many others out there!
   
   On this release you'll find that Ralph sticks to his formula of creating great music for kids that adults enjoy too. And you'll see that he keeps you guessing as to where he's taking you next. There are evident artistic influences from the Beatles to Johnny Cash and many others, along with laughable lyrics, like those on Happy Not My Birthday, and my favorite, Folsom Daycare Blues.
   
   Ralph swings for the fences, and hits another home run on this one! Pick it up, your kids will love it, and you will too! Looking forward to seeing him live again in the near future! Do yourself a favor and see his live show if it comes to you...



2. My kids love Ralph, and this is another great collection of tunes from a wonderful songwriter. We can't wait to see him perform these songs live at the Disney Block Party concert later this summer!! We've seen Ralph many times live, and he gives a fabulous show.



3. Ralph Covert's Rhyming Circus is another success for Ralph's World. These new songs are catchy and enjoyable by both of our young boys, 4 and 2 years old. We listen to the album all the time in the car and the boys sing along. Rhyming Circus, Abby's Alphabet Soup and Edward the Tap Dancing Elephant are favorites.

5 comments about Walt Disney Treasures - The Mickey Mouse Club Featuring the Hardy Boys.

1. if you get the chance, always buy disney treasures, they are rare, and worth getting your hands on a few, cause they will be worth money in a few years



2. As I watched these Hardy Boys serial episodes, my mind found me firming planted on the floor behind the living room coffee table, patiently waiting for my Mother and the arrival of my favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a cold glass of milk and hopefully, several delightful Oreo cookies.
   This was my after-school ritual while I waited in anticipation for the next suspenseful Hardy Boys edition.
   After 50+ years without, I was as entertained today as I was back then! Walt Disney is to be commended for the quality and timeless efforts featured in this mini-series. A must see for all generations!!!



3. Everything I hoped for and then some. Brought back
   many good memories. I wish there were more of these.



4. The reason I purchased so I could revert to a 12 year old for a short time... I can so vividly remember rushing home to catch this seriel on the MMC... I was really srprised at the great quality of the DVD picture for such an aged telecast..Its nice to reminice those good years..oh well.



5. I loved seeing the old serial again. I wish Disney had included more than just one Mickey Mouse Club episode. I loved the interview with Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk!

5 comments about Disney's Sing Along Songs - Beach Party at Walt Disney World.

1. This is the third copy we have purchased. The others wore out from use. The kids (5 year old twins) have watched it over and over, both before we went to WDW (I want to do that!) and after (I did that!). It's fun, with catchy tunes and live action depicting various sites at WDW - not the usual cartoons. They only wish it were longer.



2. But not bad. I prefer Sing Along Songs: Disneyland Fun (Volume 7) and Disney's Sing-Along Songs - Happy Haunting. This one was just not as enjoyable. The songs were not as fun. There was more kids and less characters. It was just less all around.



3. hi if your kids dont like this you are just crazy evan my chorus teacher loved this one i used it for the kids in her class that was grting ready for a trip to walt disney world mrs c was likeing this she rememberd that her daugther ema loved this intermaterinfact ema said lets go se christian when mts cacilio told her the goof news



4. All five of my granddaughters, ages 18 months to 6-1/2 years, love this video. They dance and sing along with it and never get tired of watching it! Age appropriate...unlike Highschool Musical!!



5. This is my favorite of the Disney sing-along videos. Nothing fancy on the DVD version, no extras. Unfortunately the video quality is poor....it looks like it was cut from a VHS master. Oh well, the kids don't really care.

5 comments about Bear in the Big Blue House: Shapes, Sounds & Colors With Bear!.

1. We have a few of the "Bear" DVD's and I think this one is the best. I really like the songs and the subjects. My son also likes this one the best as well. If you want to try out this series or add one to you collection this is the excellent choice.



2. I bought this DVD because my toddler loves Bear in the Big Blue House, but it is no longer played on the Disney Channel. He sits throught the entire DVD with a smile on his face & laughing...especially when Bear "sniffs" him. After watching this DVD for the first time, my toddler started pointing out triangles & circles during other activities. A great buy!



3. Bear does it again teaching children the shapes, sounds, & colors while entertaining at the same time. This is a good way to keep you child busy while they learn. Bear teaches values and helpful information such as seasons, shapes, colors, potty training, brushing teeth, bathing, sharing, friendship, and alot more.



4. I bought this for my son because he just loves Bear in the Big Blue House. Since he is so fascinated with Bear, I bought this video to help him learn his shapes and colors. He is only 1 1/2 but learns quick. Great DVD to help children learn.



5. My son, Daniel, saw Bear for the first time when he was 13 months and we took a trip to Disney World (Playhouse Disney at Disney / MGM). Instantly, he was in love. We started recording Bear in the Big Blue House on our TiVo as soon as we got home and, once we realized he really loved the show, bought a couple of DVDs (since we were getting tired of watching the same 4 episodes over and over again). This is a GREAT series that, while explaining things to kids isn't talking down to them so parents aren't sickened by the sweetness quality. My husband and I enjoy watching these almost as much as Daniel.
   
   Thank you Henson Productions for bringing yet another family-friendly series into our lives!

5 comments about Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings.

1. I can't wait for my wedding, this will be the music playing while everyone is eating at the reception which is non-other than a Cinderella theme! This was the perfect selection.



2. This is a great CD and is also the instrumental acoustic guitar music played at Camp Mickey Minnie at Disney World's Animal Kingdom. The guitarist is Jack Jezzro and the album was previously released as "Disney's Instrumental Impressions" which is now out of print.



3. I bought this CD for my wedding and reception. We played several songs throughout the wedding (including my walk down the aisle to "So This Is Love"!) and during dinner. Family who knew my love for Disney gushed about how great the CD was.



4. I played this CD during dinner at my recent wedding. It was the perfect romantic music, and many people commented on it afterwards. It is instrumental so the "Disney aspect" is subtle. So glad I bought this CD.



5. What happened to once upon a dream. I wanted that for my wedding walce. oh well thats why only 4 but brilliant.

No comments about Children's Favorites, Vol. 1.

5 comments about Pirates of the Caribbean: Swashbuckling Sea Songs.

1. I have a retail store in San Diego. When playing this CD in my store the customers either dance or sing the lyrics to this CD. I hear it all day long and still enjoy it as my favorite. Well done...



2. Our little boys are fans of the pirate theme. They always loved the "Yo ho, yo ho" song from Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland. So, we discovered that this CD contained the full version of this song as heard on the ride. We sampled the other songs, found them to be interesting and so grabbed this CD for our boys.
   
   The songs on here are performed and written by a number of different people. If every song on here were from the team that did the first 5 tracks and the second-to-last track, I'd give the CD 5 stars. Randy Crenshaw and team do a great job on these tracks and they are easily the most enjoyable. This batch of favorites is hearty, well-performed, and full of the romanticized pirate theme so many of us have come to enjoy. I think "Away, Away, Away" is probably our family favorite.
   
   The production on this CD is great because that's how Disney does it. There is a good selection of songs. There are only a couple I never listen to. The pirate king song is lame, so we always leave that off of the playlist. While the rest of my family likes the rest of the CD, I shy away from about 3-4 tracks because of personal taste - but I'm a musician and I'm very picky.
   
   If you want good pirate music that you can sing along to - definitely get a copy of this CD. It is well worth it. This is professional work - no slop in terms of production. This CD has been played in the house and the car over and over ever since we purchased it.



3. I ordered this CD for my son's third birthday party which is a pirate themed party. He loves Captain Jack Sparrow and everything to do with pirates. We have been listening to this CD in the van and the whole family loves it! All the songs are really great! We have only had it for maybe two weeks and my son already knows some of the words. Some of the songs are very cleverly written and are actually really funny. I love the First Mate is a Monkey song and my son's favorite I would say would have to be the Yo Ho song from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney! It is well worth the money and I can't wait to play it next week at my son's birthday party!



4. This entire CD was perfect for our Pirate themed carnival! So many songs we knew and could sing alone to! Would definately say BUY IT if you are looking for pirate themed tunes.



5. The selection of songs on this CD was pretty good, but I'm afraid the singers' voices left me flat. There wasn't much depth to most of them. I don't think I'm all that picky when it comes to vocalists...but these were...boring.

2 comments about Country Sings Disney.

1. This CD is very good and suprise how good. We enjoy country music and
   enjoyed it very much.



2. This CD is amazing! it's like Disney mania, but in a country version... All the hot country singers are on this record... except maybe, yeah, you know who... Carrie Underwood!
   There's a little bit of Contemporary Country, and Traditional Country (A little bit for everyone!)
   So like I said, it's like Disney mania, this is the songs from the Disney movies, but, specially the "country" movies like Home On The Range, Bambi, The Fox And The Hound, Cars...
   For those who likes country, you're gonna like it... but for those who likes country AND Disney, you're gonna absolutely LOVE it!
   (I Specially liked "Can you feel the love tonight" and "Wherever the trail may lead")
   So buy it! you won't regret it!