Bosendorphen

This is a track from the newest Aethellis album, a sort of jazz fusion/prog instrumental, "RIP" (Recording In Progress). I co-wrote this with our guitarist, Mark Van Natta originally back in 1984 and this is the latest recording of it. For vintage synth lovers, there's quite a bit of Polysix on the track! https://www.n1m.com/aethellis/song/1144241-RIP

My first keyboard (apart from the acoustic piano I got at age 6) was a dual manual organ as well at age 14 in 1973 - a Yamaha Electone D3. I LOVED the built-in drum machine and bass pedals. I wanted to be a one-boy band and with this I was although it never left my bedroom. I still have it and it still works for the most part.

I never owned a DX7 but did play one in a friend's studio on a demo recording. Instead of the usual electric piano imitation I used it for (GASP) an acoustic piano type sound. It was okay except in the very lower registers. I bought a Korg DW8000 instead in 1985 as it could do those bell and tine like sounds as well but also very good at analog sounds. Plus it was easier to program and had a built-in digital delay. It did great brass and sax sounds as well.

I wanted and almost bought the CP30. But the keyboard salesman (very good guy) talked me out of it knowing my budget at the time (gigging while paying for college). Then he showed me the Roland MP600 with weighted action and built-in EQ. Loved that, especially through the MXR Chorus box which gave it a sound not unlike a CP70. At least to my ears.

Nice! Yeah, the Univox Tape Echo was the same one I used on the Mini-Korg. Until I got a Roland digital delay pedal in 1983.

Wow. We used to book with Starleigh back in the 70s and 80s when their main office here was in Towson MD.

Yeah, I wasn't super fond of it but I got it from our ex-guitarist as a deal. I used it for a few years before replacing it with the Polysix. Then again, I did try to use it as imaginatively as I could and got some interesting results with the modulation and resonance controls.

This was my rig from 1979 through 1981 - Our guitarist is updating a song list on my Roland MP600 electronic piano (which was quite new at the time with a weighted action!). I ran it through an MXR chorus box. To the right is a Farfisa Matador organ (through a Mutron phasor) with a Korg Mini-Korg on top (which I'd run through a tape echo). As the 80s wore on I'd acquire a Crumar Performer, Korg Polysix (which I still have), Korg DW-8000 and Ensoniq SDP-1 sampled piano. Then became a Kawai fan with the K1 and K4 (which I still have and used at recent gigs).

I'm 65 and I tend to do both depending on the song I'm performing. For some that I sing that are high energy, I prefer to stand, others I sit if they are more low-key or sedate.

Funny, I hadn't used my QS7 for a nunber of years and pulled it back into service as my only keyboard for our last gig. Worked great and sounded great. Very versatile and I used the mod wheel and sliders to bring layered sounds and effects in and out and it was all I needed for the 2 sets. Yeah for 8 MB, that piano sample is amazing.

Oh yeah. I was astounded when I got my KS32 back in 1992. I sold it 5 years later (loved it in the studio but so heavy to haul to gigs). I got a SQ1 Plus 5 years ago for $113 near mint just so I could play back my old KS32 sequences I'd backed up (I later got conversion software to change the sequences to GM). But the SQ1 Plus I believe is missing the additional 16 MB samples that the KS32 had. So a few patches don't quite work but it's only a handful. But the piano on it is still amazing for just 1 MB. As I recall, the original SQ1 only had 1 MB of 12-bit sample ROM and the Plus added the additional 16-bit 1 MB piano (as did the SQ2). Then the KS32 added yet another batch of 16 MB samples including Moog bass synth samples, among others.

QControl sounds great. I think I last used Soundbridge before I went to a 64 bit system about 4 years ago. So I haven't tried it with my newer computer and should see what happens. I still have an older machine in the basement I could set up if it didn't work in my studio.

Yep, great sounds in there and nice sequencer. Used mine for a variety of soundtrack work. Won't be selling it; besides I added two expansion cards (orchestra and strings) and maxxed out the RAM for samples.

I dunno. I've been playing piano for almost 60 years and all kinds of sampled pianos and the QS pianos (in all their variations) sound remarkably good for being just 8 MB and 26 or so years old. They can be warm or bright depending on the patch (or mod wheel setting) and cut through the band and sit in a mix quite well. I preferred the QS piano to my old Kurzweil SP76 (which I've sold to our guitarist). I recently bought a Roland FP30X which is terrific and of course the piano sounds are larger and more realistic. But I still enjoy the QS synth at rehearsal and gigs, not to mention all the other great sounds and SRAM card with Mellotron and CP-70 SampleCell samples I was able to get installed with Soundbridge. Old tech can sure be fun! AND reliable.

I wrote this originally in 1980 but did a more recent recording of it for my next classical album. The album isn't in release yet but this promo mix is a taste. Sort of proggy. https://www.n1m.com/ellsworthhall/song/1117229-Fanfare-for-the-Common-Toadstool

I love his book Keyfax Omnibus Edition. Great writing.

I did see 3 at Hammerjacks in Baltimore in March 1988 and sat just a few feet away from Keith. Spoke to him briefly as well. Great show and band. I've really enjoyed Robert Berry's 3.2 album as well. He's amazing, playing all the instruments and channeling Keith's playing as well. Keith was in on the composition of several of the songs on the 3.2 album. It's more prog than the first one and apparently that was the direction Robert wanted to go had they done the second album all those years ago.

Me neither. I went with the "budget" alternatives. I had a Mini-Korg instead of Minimoog. A Crumar Performer instead of ARP String Ensemble. A Korg Polysix instead of Prophet 5. A Korg DW8000 instead of a DX7. Kawai K1 instead of a D50. Kawai K4 instead of Korg M1 (with the Q-80 sequencer). I also had the Ensoniq KS-32 which was great. My only real regret was the Korg MS2000. I was a Korg fan before that but it was shoddily built and the synth started behaving weirdly about 2 years after I bought it. Changing patch parameters on its own, weird noises, etc. Took it to an authorized Korg repair place and the repair (new mainboard plus labor) would have been almost as much as I paid for it (on sale). I got rid of it soon after. Been happy with Alesis QS synths, use my Roland Fantom X7 for soundtrack work still, and even still have and enjoy the much maligned CME UF7 controller after 15 years.

I did my own version (abridged) of Burning Rope a few years ago. I adapted the whole piece years ago and should post that some time. I booked the piano for a limited time and had several other pieces I recorded there (UMBC Fine Arts building) hence the shorter version.

There are many excellent piano adaptations of Genesis tunes out there (I've done a few myself) and this is another fantastic one - the 24 minute Supper's Ready.

I would strongly disagree. Young people all over the internet are playing covers of prog classics. I can't tell you how many young people play the opening to Genesis' "Firth of Fifth" or all the homages to ELP and Keith's music. Prog is far from dead - it's metastasized throughout the world via YouTube and the like. And I for one am glad of it!

I have NO problem playing the occasional horn parts. We only have a handful of tunes that require them (including some originals). I enjoy the challenge although I play mostly piano parts over the course of a gig, along with some synth and organ parts. Our electric viola player plays horn parts as well and through his effects can pull off some convincing emulations (to my surprise when he first joined). When we play together it comes off quite well and the crowds love it. I've always enjoyed the challenge to playing other instrument sounds in the past 46 years I've been gigging. Back in the late 70s I'd emulated the string lines to "Nights In White Satin" on a MiniKorg!! It's all I had at the time synth-wise and it did a reasonable flute sound as well. I even played the sax parts to "Year of the Cat" with it. Perhaps laughable by today's standards, but as a teen with my only synth I did enjoy the challenge.

I've seen Steve Hackett live a few times and have watched Steve's DVDs of recent Genesis-themed concerts. I LIKE Rob Townsend's playing some of Tony's lines. His sax soloing in "I Know What I Like" gives it a freshness as well. Steve seems to be open to a bit of reorchestration at times which is fine by me. They are still faithful to the music and its vibe. The band has been wonderful and energetic whenever I've seen them and Nad Sylvan really can evoke Peter Gabriel and even Phil at times. I did see Genesis on the last tour (November 2021) and it was wonderfully done despite Phil's health issues. But a little too much emphasis on their 80s material for my taste (some of which I quite like) but understandable.

This is a recent live version of a funky tune I wrote for the Aethellis - Northumbria album, "Celui Qui Soit La Bosse." This is the newest 6-piece version of my band Aethellis. The previous post had a link that changed (I consulted with my Post-master). [video:youtube]

This is a recent live version of a funky tune I wrote for the Aethellis - Northumbria album, "Celui Qui Soit La Bosse." This is the newest 6-piece version of my band Aethellis. [video:youtube]https://youtu.be/bfwmYW_MqSA