Introductions?

[poly]

Howdy!

I am the keyboardist for the band "Sonic Music"-which is a progressive/rock band reminiscent of 70's era bands like Yes, Genesis, Gentle Giant,etc... I have been around longer than I care to remember.

I have backed up oldie artists such as The Platters, The Coasters, and The Angels.

I am a classically trained accordionists (hehe...no laughs, please-It got me great chops-at least for my right hand)

 

My current setup consists of:

Moog Sonic 6, Mini Moog, Prophet-5, Yamaha DX7, Yamaha CLP560, Yamaha P22, Korg O1Wfd, Fender Rhodes.

 

I have been a professional piano technician for over 25 years, and have taught private piano instruction since 1978.

 

Oh....and I married my HS sweetheart

 

Cheers!

 

Poly

[Dave Bryce]

Greetings, felicitations, and welcome!

 

dB

 

P.S. poly - what's a Yamaha P22?

[poly]

Thanks!

A Yamaha P22 is an acoustic studio piano. I still do my Hanons every day!

 

......and I love sports

 

 

Cheers!

Poly

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by poly:

A Yamaha P22 is an acoustic studio piano.

Ahhhhhh...the preferred axe of many forum members (including myself). My K. Kawai grand is my baby.

 

......and I love sports

Did I mention that we're glad to have you here?

 

NBA thread already in progress. NFL thread is floating around somewhere as well...

 

dB

[poly]

Did I mention that I love sports

 

Poly

[Frifno]

Hello,

 

I'm a 25-year old student from Stockholm, Sweden. I began playing acoustic piano at age 5 and took lessons until the age of 15. I've studied some music theory but am mostly self-taught. I play almost exclusively by ear, usually jazz or popular music. I'm by no means a virtuoso, nor will I ever be, but I know my way around a keyboard.

 

I like to listen to music that sounds good, regardless of genre. Even so, I tend to return to artists such as Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Stan Getz, Tom Jobim, Michel Legrand, Queen, Sting, Toots Thielemans, Sarah Vaughan, John Williams (the film composer), and Stevie Wonder, as well as some Swedish artists too obscure to mention.

 

My rig currently consists of the piano at my parents'. I've recently discovered the wonders of electric pianos such as the Rhodes and am saving up for a stage piano that will emulate these beasts well enough.

 

I also enjoy singing and do a bit of vocal arranging for smaller groups, both a cappella and with occasional accompaniment. For this task I mostly use Cakewalk and Sibelius. My hero in this field is Gene Puerling, arranger and member of Singers Unlimited.

 

I'm not a permanent member of any ensemble but I always seem to have a musical project going. I'm also a sucker for lounge music and boyband harmonies.

[Kritchtheman]

new here. Gospel, R & B, Hip Hop.

New keyboard player. been playing just six months. Got a great ear. I sort of hear things like mathematicians see numbers.

[Mr. Nightime]

I just noticed that I have not formally introduced myself.

Here goes. My name is Ronnie Wahl, but on stage I go by Mr. Nightime, from a song by Tinsley Ellis. I guess I'm one of the old farts. I'm 48 years old and have been playing for 42 years, the last 27 professionally.

I originally went on the road playing country in 1978 at the tender age of 21. That lasted for 8 years. We averaged 330 nights a year playing and 50,000 miles a year traveling. I went through an entire marriage on the road. That band eventually broke up after a gig in Anchorage AK. I decided to stay there for a while.

I got disgusted with the music business for a year, and did not even touch a keyboard. Then, one night I decided to go to a Blues Jam. There was a Yamaha cp80 and a B3 on the stage. I listened for a couple songs, then asked if I could sit in. They would not let me get down. I found my calling.

Since then I've had the pleasure of playing with some of the blues and rock legends, like William Clarke, Jimmie Rogers, Phillip Walker, The Tokens, The Platters, The Shirells, Mary Wells, Freddie Cannon, The Coasters, just to name a few.

In 1992 I moved to Tacoma Wa, where I was nominated by the Washington Blues Society as Keyboardist and Male Vocalist of the year.

I met my current wife at a gig, and we moved to our current home in Melbourne FL, about an hour ESE of Orlando. I'm now working as a computer technician for a major health care organization, playing primarily on weekends. I'm in one main bend, with several others that I fill in with.

 

My current rig consists of:

 

Korg SP200 Digital Piano

Korg N364 Synth

Hammond XB2 organ

 

Amp:

Mackie 1202VLZ mixer

Furman Power Conditioner

Behringer Virtualizer effects unit

Behringer Autocomp compressor

Crown XLS 402 Power amp

Pair Peavey 1-15 PA cabinets

Motion Sound Pro 3TM

 

It's a pleasure to make everyone's acquaintance.

[GuitarPlayerFL]

After receiving great advice here, I should introduce myself as well. I'm a transplant from north east Florida to California. I'm a guitar player who's played for 30 years but always desired to play piano since I was in elementary school and would receive Highlights magazine every month. (They would put a simple piano piece in every month.) Pianos were big and bulky and I don't think I could have convinced my parents to buy one so that idea was shelved.

 

Deep Purple was my motivation to learn guitar but I was also in awe of Jon Lord's playing. (He's still one of my favorite players to this day.)

 

Took jazz guitar lessons and wanted to get into the biz but as a hard rock guitarist. Moved to So Cal in '89 to break into the biz. Grunge came out and that was the end of that. No whiny crap for me.

 

Last played in a band in '89 and then headed back to college for a proper degree in '97. Now that I have recently graduated with a Finance degree, I am ready to seriously get back into music and learn piano. Just purchased the RD700sx for a graduation present and I think it's great...all I use (for now) is Supreme Grand. I can't stand plastic, skinny, wimpy synth keys now!!

 

Other keyboards I've had in the past (and now) include a free Wurlitzer (since given away), Korg Poly-61 (stolen from me!), a Casio CZ-1000, and Roland XP-10.

 

Music I enjoy includes 70s Prog and Hard Rock, Jazz influenced Pop such as Steely Dan, straight ahead jazz (Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum), and some instrumental Jazz-Pop (otherwise known as "Smooth" Jazz.)

 

Fave players: Jon Lord, Emerson, Wakeman, Corea, Hammer, O. Peterson, Tatum.

 

I'm still learning and enjoy the advice and comments from the veterans here.

 

Carl

[kayak347]

Just found the message boards recently after these issues of keyboard mag started showing up in my box. I'm 24 and have been playing since about 3 or 4 (who really remembers that early, anyway?), taking lessons and such. I quit after about 8 years and have kept playing as a hobby, when I think I actually learned more. I was drafted into a church musician position and taught myself organ (yes, it is a different instrument than the piano). I also played sax, drums, and oboe for a bit along the way. Lately, I'm trying to teach myself fiddle.

 

Over the past few years I've tried to organize a couple groups. Most recently, I've had a country band playing covers and some originals. I always thought going on the road and being the "country superstar" would be what I want to do, but can't justify giving up my job (which makes more money than tour musicians, I'm told).

 

KEYBOARDS:

-Yamaha Motif ES8 (studio only)

-Roland RD-600

-Alesis QS 7.1

-Roland AX-1 (don't knock it unless you've tried one)

 

OTHER GEAR:

-Peavey K/A-60 amp

-Yamaha WX-5

-Classic Organ Works MIDIJet wireless

 

WANTED GEAR:

-B3 w/ Leslie or Korg CX-3

[another mike jones]

Well, I just noticed there was an introductions board. So, i should probably sign it since im new here, right?

[MechanicalFuryX]

Hey I don't normally do these corny introduction but I would hate to go and post something and say something and then everyone is like, "Who the F@$* is this?" I dont even know if you guys allow curse words or not so I censored it just so I dont covered my language style and seem fake to everyone. Anyways, I don't always curse but every now and then. I'm a very professsional type of guy when it needs to be done... but lets push that all aside.

 

I'm a 23 year old software musician ex-bassist and I produce progressive experimental dark drum n bass intelligent industrial and trip hop. I recently developed a new sound and thats what I categorize it as.... I know people hate labels and all but I like to be exact. I just joined a metal industrial band which we haven't done anything yet but we're working on our first song and I do synths, drum programming, and sequencing I'm predicting we're going to sound like a industrial metal TOOL. I dunno best way yto describe it right now. I'm considering myself a beginner as a keyoardist because I just recently started playing keyboards THE RIGHT WAY. Fingers curved and fingers stayed lightly on the keys even if not pressed and I have been practicing a lot since then. Overall I played my midi keyboard by hitting random intervals and chords just to get a good pattern going LOL. I know it sounds pathetic but I'm not faking myself out. I'm still considering myself a newbie, but I've been playing pretty fast lately now and I'm actually getting good synthlines done that actually sound meaningful. IF anyone is interested in hearing my music just go below to my signature and listen to how I progressed. My lastest track is 2 in one and its called "Prevision/Fool's Paradise"

 

So if anyone wants to give me some feedback go on ahead. Other than that I would like to end my introduction and hope to get to know you all as well...

[steadyb]

MechanicalFuryX,

 

From Miami I see...

 

Well as long as you're not one of those blindly biased sports fans who thinks the Heat can do no wrong and goes on and on about how great Dwyane Wade and Shaq are.

 

Just so you're clear, this forum is all about music, and when we do talk about sports, we do so in an objective and civilized way.

 

Besides, it's mostly Laker fans around here anyway...

 

Welcome aboard.

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by steadyb:

Besides, it's mostly Laker fans around here anyway...

By "around here", he means in his head...

 

dB

[Bosendorphen]

Hello Dave and all!

 

I'm a 47-year-old keyboardist/vocalist that leans towards the proggy but enjoys classical, jazz and electronic as well.

 

Got started on piano at age 6 and took formal lessons for 12 years and after that starting playing in the usual bands acquiring an electronic piano (first a Univox Compac, then a nice Roland MP600 with weighted action!) and used synths (MiniKorg, Crumar Performer, Polysix). Got my first keyboard mag (Brian Auger) in 1977, then all the back issues and have subscribed ever since!

 

Still play live after 30 years most recently with my own prog/pop/rock band Aethellis and last year left my part-time fiscal job to do soundtrack work full time for various projects including my own (I was a film/video major).

 

I still have my beloved Polysix and had it MIDIed up. Spent more on than I should have, perhaps, but just love its simplicity! Besides, I sold it in 1988 after having it for 4 years and regretted that action. Miraculously I saw it in a local Guitar Center in 1999 and bought it. Only when I got it home did I realize it was the same one I had sold because my same custom patches were still there!

 

Along with the P6, I have a budget studio with Sonar 2.2, Alesis QS 8.1, Korg DW8000 (also from my past) and am started using softsynths.

 

Live I use a Rubbermaid, er, Studiologic TMK-88 controlling an old Emu Proformance module and QS 6.2. Plus the old Roland AX-1 for faux guitar (even though I do play real guitar a bit)! All light! But I am toying with changing my setup all the time (aren't we all?)

 

Great to meet everyone here!

[b3kys]

Hello my name is walter herrera. I'm a keyboard player based in the san diego/encinitas area. I am a pre med student/ musician. I spend my time between anatomy/calculus/chemistry classes, studio sessions and gigs. I'm 23 years old and have about been playing for about 18 years. I am a Jazz/Classical pianist but i make a living producing hip hop/jazz/funk/R&B/Gospel/etc.

 

Gear list

 

Roland A-90EX

 

Roland Fantom XR

Roland XV-5080 fully loaded (2)

Korg Triton-Rack fully loaded (2)

Korg TR-Rack (2)

Yamaha Motif Rack ES

Akai Z8 Studio D

 

Akai MPC-2000XL Studio Plus

Akai MPC-3000LE custom with FORAT Modifications

check out www.forat.com

 

Roland MKS-20 digital piano module (2)

Yamaha TX-816 midi rack

Yamaha SPX-90 digital multi effects unit (2)

 

Fender Rhodes Suitcase 73 Mark I electric piano

Rhodes Suitcase 88 Mark I electric piano

Wurlitzer EP-200A electronic piano

hohner D6 Clavinet

Hammond B-3 Organ with two Leslie 122 speaker cabinets

Hamburg Steinway & Sons D Grand Piano (a present on my 1st birthday from my great great grandfather.

 

Moog Minimoog

 

Mac G5 (2)

Apple 30" Cinmea Display (2)

Logic Pro 7, HD3 Accell, Apogee Converters etc.

neumann, AKG, Telefunken etc. microphones

you get the idea

 

I also have alot of other gear in the garage collecting dust

Roland JV-880 with the Bass and Drums Card

Roland XV-3080 fully loaded

yamaha DX-7S

Akai S-612 sampler with a 2 space floppy drive.

Yamaha TX-81Z

an old Fatar SL-2001 controller. one of the worst pieces of gear i've ever bought

a Peavey DPMC8

etc. there's alot more but i better stop.

[StillFightingIt]

Hi I'm Scott, Just signed up here.

I'm a 20yr old musician from Australia, started playing music at 8 I'm mainly a Pianist/Vocalist/Saxophonist, but also play Guitar, Drums, Bass, and Mandolin.

I love songwriting too, at the moment I'm working as a solo musician playing mainly covers in piano bars etc. (playing pop/rock and jazz mainly) but have just joined an original band as a keyboardist/vocalist/r.guitar.

 

My home studio is limited by finance (hey I'm a struggling musician and that's all I do!) but not creativity.

Gear:

Windows XP

Cubase SX

WaveLab

M-Audio Delta 44

Fender PX-2212D Mixer

Philips External Portable CD-RW Recorder (For Live Show Recording)

Technics SX-P30

Korg X5D

Behringer B2 - Large D Condenser

Shure SM58

Shure BG2.1

Senheiser EW100 series - wireless

Fender Stage Lead Amp

Aria Bass

Maton Acoustic G

Yamaha YAS-62 Alto Sax

Wesley Bluesmaster Custom Electric Guitar

Mandolin

Alesis SR16

TAMA Rockstar Kit

Kustom KPM4060 as monitors

a fair few other things that I've forgotten that don't really matter.

I'm trying to save for a Yamaha Motif, but meh still got a way to go.

 

I love playing though, so until I get to a stage where I have no choice but to find another job, I'll continue doing what I love.

 

My hobbies are video editing, (but had to sell my hardware recently to buy music stuff), graphic design, and collecting music memorabillia. Anyway, I'm sure I'm going to have a great time at this forum!

Scott.

[SilverDragonSoun]

I never introduced myself so.....

 

I am a lazy, good for nothing 37 year old couch potato, ( ok now my wife is gone) I mean keyboard player who is currently setting up a studio. I've done some personal projects and projects for and with friends. While I can't hear pitch perfectly I have the ability to hear something in my head ( which I can't play) and program it into my computer. Some people say this is a gift but I feel like it's cheating when I can't play it. Anyways I like most music, ( sorry I dislike most rap) and I feel like most of today's mainstream music is missing something. I have gear But I am in the process of doing some major changes. I like the way this forum is as people are more considerate and not out to put others down. I look forward to reading and posting in the future.

 

Does anyone know of a good ear training/pitch training program they could recommend?

[StillFightingIt]

EarMaster I believe it is called, I used to use it at school and the conservatorium. There's training in all the pitch/melody/harmony and rhythm stuff, and you can select what areas you want to work on. After a quick google search, here you go, http://www.earmaster.com/

I didn't look how much it costs or whether there is a demo etc. as I said I've only used it a school a few years ago, but i know it's very good.

[SilverDragonSoun]

Thansk for the reply. I'll check out EarMaster.

[Dave Bryce]

Ells, Chris, Scott and Walter -

 

Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourselves, and welcome to the KC!

 

dB

[StillFightingIt]

Thanks Dave for making us feel welcome, I'm sure I'll enjoy my time here, I've already had a great time going through the different threads and learnt a lot, so I really appreciate that this forum is available to everyone.

Cheers

Scott

[LoFi]

Hi all,

 

I'm Tom, 24 y.o. pianist/guitarist and sometime Oboeist living in the UK.

 

Started playing piano at 6, did the usual classical route, kept it on the back burner for a while (playing guitar in an indie band then keys in a ska band) but now getting back into it, and playing a lot of jazz and blues.

 

Recently bought a RD700SX, as it's a little bit more portable than my Clavinova and I want to start gigging again (I have an audition with a blues/soul band week after next) and I'm absolutely loving it. Also have an EMu PK6 (some great programming possibilities, but feels rather flimsy), but I'll probably be dumping that and the Clav, as the Roland renders them both rather obsolete.

 

Cheers.

[onebee]

Hello everybody,

I've been reading through old posts for a couple days and I've decided to sign up and join. (which coincidentally coincides with my new subscription to keyboard magazine)

 

I'm a multi-instrumentalist who is moving away from guitar to focus solely on keys and mandolin.

 

My setup is small and simple, but gives me everything I need right now.

Nord Electro 61

and Microkorg.

I either run them into our PA as an amp or into my tube guitar amp.

 

It's great to be a part of this forum.

[K K]

Hey, took me 140 posts to finally find this thread... Doh!

 

So hello all, I'm Martin from Québec, up north in Canada, where you get 100 F during the two-months summer and -40 F during the six-months winter.

 

I'm a 99% autodidact keyboardist and can play by ear as well as read conventional scores or Zeronyne alternative notation . I started in classical-progressive-rock tribute bands (ELP, King Crimson, Genesis, etc.) until the other players didn't want to help me anymore carry the C3, Mellotron and other refrigerators.

 

Then in order to get rid of different limitations linked to bands and continue to advance as a musician, I turned to composition and classical piano. So that's currently what's on my Web page, until something new happens. I also do rare solo appearances when a producer is crazy enough to hire me, the last one being some years ago, it was a tribute to Vangelis at night on a wide outside place (Plaines d'Abranham).

 

Who knows, maybe I'll find people here to work with and we'll create something interesting together.

[Trill]

Welcome Cydonia,

 

Nice of you to introduce yourself

 

I've traveled alot in Ontario, New Brunswick ,and Nova Scotia but I never have been in Quebec .

[K K]

Originally posted by Trill:

Welcome Cydonia,

 

Nice of you to introduce yourself

 

I've traveled alot in Ontario, New Brunswick ,and Nova Scotia but I never have been in Quebec .

My pleasure, Trill. Hey, next time don't miss to visit our little place, it's got unique architecture, the Château Frontenac, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré basilica... And of course, Québecoises.

[hawkan2580]

Hi Guys (and Girls),

My name is Hawkan Manderstedt, 35 and currently live in OZ but originate from Sweden. This is my first post here and thought it was apt for that to be in the intro thread. I started playing at 4 and got classical schooling until I was 14. By then I had discovered rock and funk and the like and went to uni studying contemporary music. Worked as a session musician from 88-98 in which time I toured with different artists and did recording gigs. After finishing a wold tour (last gig in Melbourne, OZ) that I got totally burnt out from, I decided to hang around in oz a little while.. and I am still here. I was so burnt out that I sold my gear and haven't played much since, but now I just bought some gear again and have taken up the playing. At this point, I haven't done any gigging yet.. need to get my chops back up.. the music is still in my head but it'll take a little while to get my fingers to do what the head tells them to.

 

During my career, I got most of the gigs for my hammond playing but played anyting with black and white keys. My rig back then consisted of a cut hammond c 3 that was run through 2 147 leslies and a couple of switchable pre-amps depending on how "hot" anything from Jimmy smith to Jon Lord sound). Master keyboard was a yamaha kx 88 hooked up to various sound modules depending on the gig + a yamaha sy 99 (back when it was cool) and a few emu samplers.

 

Now, I just bought a couple of things to get me going. A yamaha kx 76 (couldn't find a 88 and miss the action). An emu proteus 2000 and a roland jv 1080 with session expansion and a Roland D 70.

As I don't play much electronic music, that setup will do me fine for now. I learnt a long time ago that it is mainly how you play, not just the sound you play, and as long as I have a good piano sound, some clavs, some synth sounds and a good hammond sound, I'm set. The hammond sounds is next on the list to sort out...

 

as I plan to return to Sweden, I don't wanna get a big hammond and leslies at this point and thinking of a vk8m with motion sound gear for leslie but we'll see...

 

Anyway, that is me for now.. ex pro getting his chops back up to speed.

[K K]

Originally posted by hawkan2580:

Hi Guys (and Girls),

My name is Hawkan Manderstedt, 35 and currently live in OZ but originate from Sweden.

Welcome Hawkan,

 

Seems like we shared similar Hammond gear in those old days.

 

Don't tell anyone here, but one of my favorite bands in the 70s/80s was ABBA. I had a crush on Agnetha because she was so cute and sang so great.

 

Hope you enjoy the site with us.

[hawkan2580]

Thanks for the welcome Cydonia!

 

ABBA? LOL I worked a bit with Mickael B Tretow, the guy behind the Abba sound. A serious nuthead (in a postive way).. He had this strange idea of making a "leslie" speaker without moving parts..... his solution was to have 8 speakers angled inwards connected and put on one by one.. and a stereo mike in the middle..(this creating the amplitute shift in the sound and then paired with a pitch shifter for the doephler effect..) Didn't work out to great but I liked his concept thinking LOL

 

I couldn't resist for long and bought a vk8m and motionsound 145.. still waiting for the speakeasy preamp to arrive... I did some serious tweaking around with the vk8m before my purchase and realise its pros and cons.. and I believe the combination of gear will do me ok, still not going to compare to what I used to have in terms of organ sounds but is going to be close enough + manageable in terms of getting around with the gear. I am not a total purist so I can live with the short falls..