Greetings all,
My names Barry. Ive enjoyed your advice since joining the forum about this time last year, and I've posted a few of my own opinions and comments (some of which may have even been helpful ). I own a Yamaha S90, Samson Resolv 80a active studio monitors, and Audio Technica ATHM40fs headphones, all purchased new in mid-2004. Love that rig!
Although I enjoy piano, electric piano, organ and some synth, I chose the 88keys4me moniker to highlight my preference for piano. At 52, Im only slightly younger than dirt (but, good dirt. ) Im an Internet Security Product Manager whose job demands a lot of my time, and what spare time remains is happily shared with my wife, son and daughter. That leaves only about ten hours a week (+/-) for keyboarding, but after a twenty-year absence (due to work and family), its fantastic to be back, even in an abbreviated sort of way.
I began studying classical literature at 8. I soon realized I had naturally good relative pitch, and began to play everything I heard, without benefit of sheet music. This approach didnt help to build my classical repertoire, but over the years it did enable me to start playing show tunes, standards, popular music, and rock music.
I joined a neighborhood rock band at 11. We played anywhere there was a piano (as long as people would tolerate us since we were not too good!). The next year, I bought my first organ, a Farfisa Combo Compact, and started playing seriously with a better band. We played a variety of tunes, especially a lot of The Doors, who were really popular then. I could play Ray Manzareks stuff note for note, including Light My Fire and When the Musics Over, among others.
Around that time, I heard of Keith Emerson, who was then playing with The Nice. Man, I was positively captivated by his virtuosity and creativity!! He was the most inspiring keyboard player I ever heard! I followed his work as he joined up with Greg Lake and Carl Palmer, and was determined to learn as much of their music as possible. I wore out three copies of the first ELP vinyl album, plus Tarkus and Trilogy!
While in college, I returned to my classical roots and studied seriously for two years with an excellent teacher in New York. She was a Julliard graduate and an outspoken proponent of the Russian school of technique, which emphasizes playing from the shoulder for precise legato and staccato without fatigue. We worked on Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy and Rachmaninoff (and privately, ELP, as I was finally able to actually start playing some of their stuff).
Then I studied theory and composition for two years with a jazz pianist who, before graduating Manhattan School of Music in the 1960s, had studied briefly with Bill Evans. We worked progressively, starting with be-bop and then moving onto fusion. But I wanted to play club dates and cocktail music, so he taught me to play show tunes and standards, and ballads with complex melodic structures, which remain my favorite to this day.
He also introduced me to the Hammond. In addition to (thinking I was) playing Emo, I listened to lots of Jimmy Smith and Brian Auger, putting down as many of their riffs as I could. Soon I was the proud owner of a B3 and 122 Leslie. But I sold them after a few years (which I always regretted) since they were too much trouble to drag around to gigs.
Nowadays, Im focused on rebuilding my repertoire (twenty years absence will do that to ya). I play an occasional jazz set with friends on guitar, bass and drums. I really want to play some solo gigs, cocktail type stuff. But Im still game for rock, blues, and if I can get up for it, some ELP!
This is the best keyboard forum Ive seen, by far. Im glad to have made all your acquaintances and look forward to keeping up the chat!
Barry
