ksoper

The SX is a 23 year old instrument and it was worlds better than the RD-700, though I liked the finger/ear connection on both. Lots of ways to adjust the feel. Given a choice I'd also go for the GX. A leap in sound quality. Real-time controls are obvious and there are "one-touch" buttons that will bring up an AP or EP. Simple.

I bought an XP-30 not for its sounds, though it had a ton, but as a midi controller to replace the fragile and generally frustrating Studiologic SL-161. I can't say I was a huge fan of the sounds on the 30. Grainy, gauzey. But it could do splits which is what I needed. Built like a tank and very affordable. It made an enormous difference in my rig.

Point taken. My bad.

Where was Beato in 1991 that he hadn't heard the #1 song (for 2 weeks) on the Billboard Hot 100? Amy Grant's "Baby Baby" was enormous.

"Bury me beneath the willow, Under the weeping willow tree. So she may know where I am sleeping, And perhaps she'll weep for me." But seriously, my boards have nail scratches from enthusiastic glissandi but I've never encountered anything like that short of blunt force trauma. No help here.

Moog One and done.

Much of the "New Age" noodling we heard in the 80s sounded, to my ear, like it was machine generated. This isn't any worse.

Not bad at all! Alicia's Keys was my go-to for quite a while when it first came out. I ought to revisit it.

Not to derail the thread, but I've always felt that Robin Scott (M) should've sued Huey Lewis for ripping off "Pop Muzik." They're as close as Ghostbusters is to I Want A New Drug. Unfortunately it was widely known that IWAND was the temp song and Reitman et. al. told Parker to "copy" it.

I love how Ronald Mael (Sparks) turned the "Roland" on his JP-8 to "Ronald."

Beatles: Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

I've got a project that I need to finish and then...nothing. I'm terrified that I have nothing left to say and that from here on out it'll be mindless noodling. Historically most of my creative process is done away from the studio and primarily in the car or while doing yard work. But I'm just not hearing anything lately. It'll be ok, though. I love what modern film and commercial composers are doing and even snippets of those kinds of things set me off in new directions. But again, I chase rabbits in my head away from the keyboard. When I did commissioned tracks and needed to do 4-5 in a two day period I was able to accomplish that. I work well with a deadline. However that work has fallen off and my new deadline is an actual dead line. Without getting too morbid it's clear that the hourglass is getting bottom heavy. I'm opening myself up to anything that can be used as inspiration--the sounds of nature, industry, conversation, etc. It's all music. But if I don't have an impetus the gear doesn't get turned on. And that's ok. I'll get back to it. Interestingly enough over the last 20 years I had the foresight to run red anytime I felt the urge to noodle. Going back through ancient files I've found a few things that could be fleshed out. Deep breath. It'll be ok.

My favorite, but ABSOLUTELY NOT SAFE FOR WORK. NSFW!!! DO NOT PLAY THIS AT WORK. In high school my friends were all band kids who'd get together at parties, get trashed, and sing filthy songs, many of which were original, penned by myself. One evening a guy who wasn't ever really part of our group quietly spoke up and said, "I've got a song." This was it.

Same lenses, pretty much identical experience. Our package included a YAG laser procedure that removes scar tissue. Well worth the upcharge. The price was stunning, Like, phasers set on stun. Down you go and you shit yourself. But like the famed "pennies a day" sales close, the longer I own them the cheaper they get. And it's one less damn thing I have to worry about in the next 20 or so years.

While not a keyboardist per se, Jo-El was the undisputed master of the button accordion. He was the first major artist to hire me when I was new to Nashville. His rehearsals were legendary. He came to my house and the two of us sat in my little studio working out the show for eight straight hours. Later I found out that everyone in the band had been subjected to this same method. But it worked and the band was tight. Jo-El's show was probably the hardest show I played during my touring years in Nashville. Such a mixed bag; the obvious Cajun material, some rock, and the incredibly beautiful Randy Newman song, "Louisiana 1927." The show also involved far more synthesizer than I would've imagined. I loved every minute of it. Jo-El gave everything he had during a performance. And I mean everything. After a show he was totally exhausted and had to sit for about an hour in the dressing room to collect himself. And he seem genuinely moved that the audience would respond in such a positive manner. He'd break down in tears after the last song before the encore. His very last show he played "Tear Stained Letter" and went back into the dressing room to rest for a moment before going back out fore the encore. He complained of being exceptionally tired. He did the encore, went to the dressing room and coded. He was Lifeflighted to the nearest hospital but they were unable to revive him. My heart goes out to his wife Bobbye who was not only is partner in life, but in business. She really loved him and took care of him. I'm proud to say that I played on his Grammy-nominated album "Cajun Blood." Thanks, Jo-El, for everything. Here's a great version of "Tear Stained Letter" performed on David Sanborn's show.