Introductions?

[SilverDragonSoun]

Welcome to the forum. Its a great place to talk shop!

[xbands.co.uk]

im baz from uk, im a guitar learner. hope to chat more with you all

[Last Man Standing]

Afternoon all, I'm Cliff form England. I've been playing Keyboards and Bass for the last several years. Looking forward to the odd chat with people on the latest gear.

 

My current Bass rig:

Wal Pro

Yamaha BBG5a

Warwick ProFet IV

Ashdown 4x10

 

My Current keyboard Rig:

Roland VK8

Roland X6

Warwick ProFet IV

Peavey 2x10

[Colonel Trouble]

I just noticed this thread!

Im Michael from Glasgow (yes , the one in scotland) , still at highschool age 17. Been playing piano for the last however many years which is quite a while. Only last week bought my first "proper" synthy keyboard with amazing sounds and top rate piano , otherwise known as the s90es and couldnt be happier with it.

I play classical but mainly because I have to but my flair is for Boogie and blues etc which dare I say it, I've become not bad at! Soon to be starting a (slightly) big band to play varied songs from Jools holland to tower of power and Stevie Wonder

 

Thus concludes my introduction!

[Bluzkeys]

Hello all. My name is Bill Zerbe and I am presently situated in Albuquerque, NM. I am 53 years old and have been playing the Hammond organ is some fashion or another since 1967 in San Diego.

 

I later moved to Kansas City, MO where I played the Hammond with several blues bands in the area.

In 1998 I moved back to California, to the Bay Area, where I performed with a blues group there.

 

Just recently swapped my C3 for an XK3. Playing it through a Leslie 142 and a Kurzweil SP76 for piano.

 

Great forum!!

 

-Bill

[DirtyRubberDuck]

Wow, it's been fascinating reading about all of you and your backgrounds. Guess I should do my part - There was one or two "introductions" threads in the past, but it's been a while.

 

My name is Mark Cuddihy and I live outside Detroit, MI. I am an engineering supervisor at a major automobile manufacture who shall remain unnamed but is currently going through some tough times.

 

I've been playing keyboards since grade 2, and I am now 43. I have managed to learn in spite of myself! I have a couple of independant CDs out, but nothing of commercial consequence. Lately I have been concentrating on playing out, since it is a LOT more fun than studio work, and I can actually earn enough money at it to justify the late nights to my wife. My main band now is Soul Provider, although I share keyboard duties with another excellent keyboard player, who was in the band before me so he is in all the promotional materials But he's a really cool guy and it's been working out well splitting those weekday 10pm - 2am gigs between us. Maybe that's another thread - how many people do or have split keyboard duties with someone else?

 

I am an anti-equipment junkie, (They made the White Album with an 8-track!!) but I have the basics I need:

 

Yamaha S80

Korg Triton

Roland JV-2080

Fender Rhodes

Hammond M100

Leslie 760 (stays in my studio)

Kawai baby grand

 

I also tinker with keyboard amps. Electrical engineering is totally different now than when I went to school. Ever try to debug an integrated circuit? I'm from the old analog school so I enjoy messing around with the old discrete electronics.

 

I really enjoy the forum and I have been around for some time now, although I am only a sporadic poster.

 

Keep up the good work, Dave. It's a cool place to be!

 

DRD

[The Real MC]

-HOW- did I miss this thread..?!?

 

I'm Michael Caloroso and I've been tickling the ivories since I was a wee brat. Today I'm 43 and I enjoy music as a hobby, especially pro audio and sound design. I love to gig in clubs but that is on hiatus due to career issues. I also am proficient on drums and bass guitar, and I play some rhythm guitar and kazoo.

 

I have never been on the cover of Keyboard magazine, have never surfed the NBA/NFL threads, have never met Elvis, but I have met Dave Bryce.

 

My weapons of mass compositions are primarily vintage Moog analog synths that I had acquired during the great analog dump of the 1980s. Also love playing Hammond organs. I have a large MIDI studio at home and enjoy creating original music and the occasional cover song MIDI sequence. I have zero softsynths, VAs, and plugins - while I appreciate the advantages of zero maintenance, hardware sounds better IMO.

 

Along with Dave, I was a member of the Alesis Andromeda beta test and sound design team (many of my patches are in the factory library). Very fun project. I occasionally visit NAMM shows and AHMW get togethers. We need a KC get together - oh wait, that's what NAMM is...

 

I have too much stuff and have been selling off things that I haven't used much. My kazoo is on ebay. While I might have an impressive collection, in the end you are more productive with a smaller setup. Limitations force you to be creative.

 

Nice to be here with so many people from around the world.

[Harvey K]

Hi, my name is Harvey, and I'm an alcoholic ... oops, wrong thread ...

 

Seriously, I joined this forum about three months ago seeking advice on purchasing a new amp, and feel extremely fortunate to find it!

 

I was born in the rural utopia of Brooklyn, New York where I spent my formative years receiving regular (and well-deserved) beatings from the neighborhood thugs. I survived long enough to escape to a posh Long Island suburb, then wasted four years of my father's hard-earned money partying my way through college. It was there I joined my first band and bought my first keyboard, a 1975 Fender Rhodes Mark II.

 

Upon graduation I embarked upon a duo of dubious careers: radio personality and musician. Radio eventually won out, much to the chagrin of my co-workers at FM99 WNOR in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach, VA area, where I've presided as program director since 1993. Prior to that I was an "air personality" in Albany, Buffalo, and Houston, and also served as Rock Editor for Radio & Records, an industry trade publication.

 

Since my last "real" band broke up in 1981 I've played sporadically. However, because of my radio connections I've had the opportunity of playing in front of many thousands of people. For example, I was part of an annual "all-star" jam session at Houston's Summit arena that included people like Mick Fleetwood and Steve Howe! I also put together a radio station band here which sold out several gigs, performing strictly song parodies. So it's been feast or famine.

 

Just last month I (finally) joined a fulltime band -- my first in 25 years. My current setup is very simple: an Alesis QS7 and a Crate amp (the aforementioned new purchase).

[SilverDragonSoun]

Good luck Big Bird with your new band and welcome to the forum!

[Harvey K]

Thanks, Silver ... and as a longtime radio guy I apologize if our glittering prizes and endless compromises have shattered the illusion of integrity.

[SilverDragonSoun]

Thanks, Silver ... and as a longtime radio guy I apologize if our glittering prizes and endless compromises have shattered the illusion of integrity.

 

YA! You made my day today!

[firenexx]

Hey, I'm Peter. I'm 17 and have been playing various keyboard instruments for about 10 years. I started out classical but then moved on to Jazz and now I play a lot of progressive rock as well. I can also play a little bass, but I don't often.

 

I play in a Pink Floyd tribute band, and I have my own band that's been doing stuff for around a year. I also play in a big band and a few other assorted jazz bands, and an orchestra.

 

Hmm let's see, my equipment:

-Keys

Hammond T-582; chopped, tubes added, modified so it doesn't sound like crap, etc...

Yamaha PSR-something-or-other(something I bought a few years ago; nothing great but it has a kick-ass piano sample.)

Getting an M-3 soon...

-Amps

AXL. Modified to my liking

Leslie (home-made with geniune parts)

Recording

A few random mixers...

-Effects

I have your typical effects modules, nothing special... phaser, wah, treble boost, spring reverb, and a few other odds and ends.

 

Sorry I'm not too specific... A lot of this stuff I got a while ago and don't remember much about it except that I have it and I use it. And, I'm sure I have a few more keyboards and things lying around somewhere... Hard to keep track of this stuff.

[Rog - Yorkshire Dales]

Wow! I feel suitably intimidated after reading all the above introductions.

 

My name is Roger and I'm from Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, UK. The reason I have registered on this site is because I love music and have questions to ask. I am 57 and retired - though most certainly not inactive.

 

My musical training was classical piano. Twenty years ago, a local Pantomime society asked if I would help them by playing the piano for them at their Summer Show and Winter Pantomime. We have progressed from the piano and now have a Yamaha PF1000. I have also contirbuted to the avaialble hardware and have listed this at the end of the letter. I like the electronics age in which we are now living, but its a huge learning curve...

 

I am looking for continual improvement of the sound I project at each show. (Audience numbers are not quite up to Albert Hall standards, varying between 100 and 150). The bottom line, though, is that I love providing the music and the audience are all locals from the village and it's a COMMUNITY SHOW. You can't get better. Do I get paid....? Nah. You don't do it for that. I get much more out of it! I always reckong that if I put 10 units (of whatever) into the show, I get 100 out.

 

My equipment:-

 

Beautiful Beckstein Model B

Yamaha PF 1000

Yamaha S90

Yamaha MU50 Midi module

Yamaha Rev 500

Yamaha Comp/Limiter GC2020B 11

Teac E3440 4 track tape recorder

Yamaha MG12/4 mixer

Fane, home built speakers. Awesome and too heavy to transport!

 

I have a question to ask, which, hopefully I will now be able to do on the main forum page - after doing a search, of course!

 

Best wishes to you all with you music making.

 

Rog

[Leberwurst]

G'day everyone!

 

Careful. Se Germans heff occupied se sred! Sey vill show no pitty for humen livve!

 

I am 18 year-old pupil from Germany (more exactly Aachen, a beautiful town directly near the borders to Belgium and the Netherlands) who in one and a half year wants to attend his professional unemployment education at the conservatory of Maastricht in composition and jazz piano.

I've been playing piano for 11 years now and also picked up the trombone, which is really the queen of all instruments, one year ago. I was a bit bored by pressing a key and hearing a sound so I chose la tromba and I'm perfectly happy playing it.

I've once played in a progressive metal band (!) and am currently member of the school big band (who is quite a bit over average quality) sing in a choir (bass) and do funky/bluesy/crappy jazz in a trio.

My musical idols are all the organ grinders (except Walter Wanderley) and the pianist Ahmad Jamal. Ah, by the way, my favourite CDs at the moment are "Ibrahim Abdullah - African Sun" and "Cannonball Adderley - Know What I mean", both etremly fine stuff.

My gear is a Yamaha P250, a Roland JV-1080 sound module (with the extension card "stupid sounds you never wanted to posess", at least it sounds like this) and a pretty old Yamaha Clavinova CVP3.

[SilverDragonSoun]

Firenexx, Rog - Yorkshire Dales & Leber_wurst

 

Welcome to the Forum!

[MaFunk]

Just noticed this thread for the first time as it has been bumped recently... thought i'd better introduce myself formally so when i spout rubbish at people you have a backround to my nonsense..

 

My names Matt Ball and i have been playing for around 20 yrs (im 33 now).

 

It all started for me playing brass - trumpet and french horn, leading to me getting accepted by Trinity college of music in London for a full time degree. It was here that i lost interest in classical and the jazz bug took over....

 

I now play Keys Guitar and Bass but specialise mostly on keys. I have played for a local band here in the UK for the last 6-7 yrs or so -- A kinda 50/50 covers and originals affair - i suppose we are quite lucky as we continue to get fairly frequent medium/high profile gigs playing the kind of stuff we love (Tower of Power covers, James Brown, Funk/soul based originals with a liberal sprinkling of Jazz).

 

We also have a jazz/cheese trio that plays out regularly to help subsidise our GAS..

 

My dayjob is a run of the mill IT thing for IBM - but at least it pays the bills and allows me to surf KC forum on a daily basis

 

You guys have become part of my everyday life here at KC - A constant source of entertainment whether it be educational, informative or just purely anecdotal.... keep it up

 

Respect from the UK

 

Matt

[SpaceNorman]

Oh boy - my turn to do the Keyboard Corner 12 Step! Here goes....

 

My name is Patrick and I'm from the Metro Detroit area - Madison Heights to be exact. I just celebrated my half century mark with such a damn good party that plans are in the works to make the one at my century mark even bigger and better! I picked up the nickname of SpaceNorman while working for my Uncle Sam in Ansbach, Germany back back in the 70's and haven't completely shaken it yet.

 

I've been trying to pass myself off as a keyboard player for nearly 30 years - and have worked with a long string of cover bands. I've got no formal training - although it's hard to kick around as long as I have without learning a little something. For me, playing is alot like bowling. It's a great excuse to get out and make a little noise with the boys! I don't write, I don't record and don't really have any strong feelings one way or the other any particular artists or genres. My enjoyment comes from playing with friends - and find that my greatest satisfaction comes from the execution of our rendition of whatever tune we're playing.

 

I'm an IT (Network) guy by day - and avoid doing anything that feels at all like programming on MY time (thank gawd for presets!). If I'm not playing music - you can find me off playing ice hockey (There's something about putting on the pads and hitting folks that's downright cathartic!)

 

My keyboard rig consists of the following:

 

Yamaha P200 Digital Piano

Yamaha Motif ES Rack Mount Unit

Roland RD700SX

Yamaha MG12/4FX Mixer

QSC 1450 Amp

DOD Graphic EQ

Pair of JBL JRX 12" Floor Wedges

 

My idled keyboard collection (they've long since been retired from my rig - but in the basement none-the-less)

 

Fender Rhodes 73 Key Stage Piano

Hohner D6 Clavinet

Yamaha DX7IIFD

Yamaha DX100

 

I recently stumbled into this forum - and have been a daily reader ever since. There's alot of good stuff in here that an old musical hack like myself is finding helpful!

 

Thanks for the 15 seconds!

 

The SpaceNorman

www.rhythm21band.com

[skykeys]

Hi all. I discovered and started posting on this forum a few months ago, but haven't gotten around to the introduction, until now. I love this forum. There are lots of interesting and helpful people.

 

I go by "skykeys" here, but my name is Lou. I'm 49, a widower, with two sons. I live in a nice town called Nether Providence, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. "E A G L E S - Eagles!" Actually, I'm more of a baseball/Philles fan, though I love football too, and most other sports.

 

I've been playing piano since I was 12. I started out playing drums; used to take my mother's basting brushes and wooden spoons and play drums on her pots and pans since I was a young as I can remember. My parents (mis)directed me into playing piano eventually, and I've always looked back. Actually, I'm very happy to play piano, but it's my parents fault I'm now mentally defective.

 

I used to be a computer programmer, though I'm in technical sales now. I've met many programmers and engineers who are musicians, and vice versa. It's a topic worthy of a thread or two some time.

 

Personally, I've had my share of tragedy. Not to bore anyone, but there is no denying that my wife's death from cancer two years ago is the elephant in the room for me. It had a gargantuanly intense emotional impact on my life and my boys lives. I'm moving on with my life now, and I'm okay (more or less), but the traumatic affect of her death will be with me always.

 

Besides that, 10 years ago, my best friend, who was the drummer in my old band, died from cancer. The "wisdoms" I've taken away from these events sound trite - but they have very deep meaning for me: Life is short, and it is precious. Don't sweat the small stuff - and it is almost all small stuff. You can't get time back. You usually regret later, what you don't do now.

 

Last year, I almost got laid off from IBM, and honestly, I didn't give a damn. So there you go!

 

. . . . anyway, here's my list of current and past keyboard equipment:

 

Current:

Just recently got a Yamaha S90ES - and I love it.

I have a Samick Baby Grand piano in my living room. It's no Steinway, but it sounds great.

 

Old:

Roland RD-700 (the older, non SX; a nice board)

Ensoniq E-prime (still a good board for piano)

Ensoniq VFX (was nice in its day, but now almost worthless)

Ensoniq DP1 (a very nice piano for an 8 bit sample)

Korg DW8000 (a decent board then; outdated now)

Mini-moog (wish I hadn't sold it)

Clavinet (great sound, but too one dimensional to lug around)

Wurlitzer EP (a classic, but sound is closely reproduceable with modern digital pianos)

Yamaha CP70 (great in it's day; impractical now)

ARP Omni (interesting then; totally worthless now)

Fender Rhoades (still a classic sound; most modern keyboards are very close, but still not quite there)

 

Amps: I currently use a Roland KC-500. It's not bad, but I'm not happy with the sound of the horn. I'm looking to upgrade at some point. I also have a Carvin bass cabinet/amp for when I play keyboard bass with my rock band, but I recently replaced it with a JBL JRX118SP subwoofer - which additionaly works well as a sub for the whole band.

 

I like all kinds of music. Rock, prog, jazz, classical. folk. Thought it depends on what mood I'm in, I usually say my favorite album of all time is Genesis "Selling England By The Pound".

 

I lament what might be the passing of the album format in today's MP3 download mix and match song world. SEBTP and albums like it might never have been created. Things are so fragmented now; and yet, I believe something interesting will evolve from it. It always does.

 

From an old poem: "Time flies, suns rise, shadows fall, but love is forever, overall".

 

Peace.

[ADino]

Wow, so many cats here...what no accordian players? Just kidding...I recently found the board, great place, lottsa nice people.

 

I hate to do this, but mabey I should.

Ok, here goes..

Armand DiGenova 56, Presently NE Ohio..

Freelance Piano/Synths/composer/gigs/sessions/BMI.

Was doing music for A/V productions, commercials,BG, closed that, built DAW past 6 months. Studio cost was killen me. arms-armand robert music service.

 

Some artists Ive worked with,

Jazz organist Richard Groove Holmnes, Larry Coreyell, Emily Rembler, Mary Wells, Roger Humpheys RH Factor, Kenny Blake, Hermans Hermits,

Vogues, Leon Cook, Gene Ludwig, Tommy Sala of Sala Brothers, too many to list, head hurts. Note, some of these great artists are no longer with us, they are all great artists and my time with them, short or long was truely a gift for me.

Ive learned something from all of them. Although Coryell always called me Vinnie, dont think he ever knew my name.

 

Roland RD700SX/Roland FP3/Ensoniq ASR10/ JV2080/Various moniters/Mac 2.5 dual/RME FF800/

LogicPro 7.2/Dynaudios/Ivory/Miroslav and a few others. Also a few Roland JV recorders around here somewhere.

 

Herbie Hancock/Kenny Kirkland, really great player/McCoy/Joey Calderaso/All Miles/Wynton/Tete Montilou/Flora Purim/Chick of course/I'll stop here, as there really are too many to list.

 

Can I throw a shameless plug in here? Please checkout, www.garageband.com The Kellys. Its my sons group, he's the guitarist, that groups 1st CD, and they are doing well, LP's in some Best Buys, did CeeBeeJeebees b4 they closed shop, got some MTV stuff coming up. Thanks.

 

Thank you all for allowing me to feel welcome.

Nice place, great people, and really some of the best musician jokes Ive ever read.

 

A.

 

Tip# 213: Never, under any circumstances, give the drummers girlfriend a ride home after the gig.

[Brinkley]

I could quite possibly be the youngest person on this forum. This is the first stop I've made, here, figuring that it was better to get this sort of thing over with before I immersed myself in any other part of the forums.

 

I'm fifteen years old--started taking piano lessons when I was six, I believe (possibly seven). I play a bit of violin as well, with four+ years of experience with school orchestras and related groups behind me, but I'm definitely more interested in keyboards.

 

I've reached a point in my life where I've come to realize how much music means to me, and how much enjoyment I get out of it. I'm looking to improve my skills, and to utilize them--a particular amibition of mine is to become proficient in songwriting and to play keyboards for a band. I realize how many people have that dream, and I'm not some teeny-bopper who thinks that I'm gonna' make it big. I just want to be able to have some fun, and if it went anywhere, then more power to me.

 

My "gear" includes:

-A fairly old Monarch baby grand piano

-Yamaha Motif ES-8

[Jim Alfredson]

I don't think I ever formally introduced myself and I've been a member since 2002. Crazy.

 

Well, I'm 29 and I've been playing all my life. My dad plays guitar and used to play locally. He had a B3 when I was a kid that he used to haul out to gigs so he could kick pedals and play guitar at the same time. Sometimes he would just play organ.

 

He sold that when I was four, but I remember the beauty. Had twin Yamaha "Leslies". When I was 8 he bought a Yamaha organ called the MR-1 that had these magnetic cards that you run through it and it would play tunes and "teach" you to play them by lighting up little L.E.D.s above the keys. Once I learned every tune it had, I started writing my own.

 

Then my dad got into synths and brought home a Yamaha DX7, a Fostex four track, and a Yamaha RX-7 drum machine. I really got into songwriting then, even using the old C64 as a sequencer. I think we even had an Ensoniq Mirage for a bit. That was a cool keyboard!

 

We upgraded when I was 14 or so to a Yamaha SY77. When I was 16 I wrote a concept album, being huge into Genesis at the time, complete with the obligatory 23-minute multi-part tune. I played synth, piano, drums, and sang the whole thing and recorded it on an old Tascam 4-track reel-to-reel (3440s I think?) I probably still have the original reel somewhere. I still have the Tascam, too.

 

I just handed the "record" to friends. After a few years I started getting into jazz. One day my dad, who had gotten back into guitar playing, handed me a Jimmy Smith record so I could make some back-up tracks for him to play with (he always said I was better at programming the drum machine than him). Well, I put that record on (a double-LP "Best of Jimmy Smith" on Blue Note) and it blew my frickin' mind. From that point on my only goal was to get a B3.

 

My dad found me an M3 and a 147. I learned how to play left-hand bass on that using my SY-77 on top with a simple organy bass sound. I eventually got a Hammond BCV from a church for $400 and started learning the pedals.

 

Long story short, I've spent the last 12 years of my life dedicated to the mighty beast. I actually just had back surgery (microdiscectomy) to repair a herniated disc that I hurt hauling my B3 around. I now own the Hammond XK System and I absolutely love it.

 

My jazz trio, organissimo, has released 2 CDs, mostly of original material, to very good reviews and attention. We'll be in the studio doing a third probably in April. We have a bunch of tunes ready to go. I'm excited to say we'll be playing the Tel-Aviv Jazz Festival in February and we're starting to get some more national and international attention (as opposed to just regional).

 

My other band, Root Doctor, released a highly regarded CD in March of 2006. We play soul/blues. Originals and covers. Fun band. We'll be going into the studio in February to do another round.

 

I've been playing professionally since I was 16. I started in a country band full of folks twice my age, playing beer tents in the rural community of Mason, MI where I grew up. In late high school / early college I had a trio with my dad on guitar, a drummer about the same age as him at the time (50s) and me playing organ. After college, I started organissimo in Nov. of 2000 and I've been in Root Doctor since 1999. I have a very supportive and understanding wife that lets me follow my dream and a beautiful 2 1/2 year old daughter that I take care of during the day.

 

Anyway, my equipment:

 

Home:

- Hammond B3, BCV, C2 and CV (all retired now! YAY!)

- Leslie 21H, two 31Hs, a 47, and a PR-40 Hammond cabinet

- Yamaha SY77 and EX7 synths

- Roland VK-7 (controller for NI's B4)

- Rhodes Mark I circa '73

- Wurli electric piano

- Cubase 4 on a PC

- 2 Presonus Firepods

- bunch of mics, some lame monitors, etc.

 

Live rig:

 

- Hammond XK System (love it)

- Leslie 147 modded to a 122

- Yamaha Motif ES rack

- Yorkville NS550 powered speaker (for the Motif)

 

Simple, effective!

 

So that's me. Recovering from back surgery, hoping to make RD's New Year's Eve gig on Sunday, and looking forward to organissimo's trip to Philly in January.

[NoahZark]

Much like many of the other recent posters in this thread, I, too, just realized that I have never taken the opportunity to formally introduce myself. So, here goes . . .

 

My name is Noah, and I live in suburban Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. I'm 38 years old, married with two great kids (boys, ages 6 and 8), and I live about 10 minutes from my original hometown of Rockville, Maryland. By day, I work in the project finance group of a hotel company. It's still a mystery to me how I ended up in the hospitality business, but it pays the bills and allows me to satisfy my more significant bouts of GAS.

 

I started playing piano at age 7 and took classical lessons for 9 years. I come from a relatively musical family, and it was simply a given that I would play an instrument when I was growing up. Both my parents are musicians -- my mother is a professional violinist/violist (and a well-respected violin teacher in the area) and my father is a cellist. I also have uncles, aunts, cousins, and (when they were alive) grandparents who all were classical musicians. I was actually a pretty good young pianist: I competed regularly in the Peabody Conservatory's annual youth competitions and I even placed in a couple of Maryland state piano concerto competitions in 9th and 10th grade. As I got further into high school, however, the demands of practice, lessons, etc. were just too much given my other interests, and I stopped lessons.

 

At the same time, however, I joined my first band: a hard rock cover band in which I was the lead singer. When the leader of the band decided that he wanted to play more "poppy" music, I bought my first synth: a Korg Poly-61. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world, since I could play things like the keyboard intro to Asia's "Only Time Will Tell" and make helicopter sounds! (No laughing, please.)

 

I left for college in 1986 and formed another band playing mostly 80s covers (U2, Cure, R.E.M., Replacements). As with my previous band, I doubled as keyboardist and lead singer. We mostly played parties around the school and occasionally hit to road to play a fraternity party or lawn party at a nearby college, but it was all small potatoes stuff. Generally, we were paid just enough to cover gas money and the cost of our sound guy. It sure was fun, though.

 

After college, I went to law school (in our esteemed moderator's hometown of Philadelphia) and then joined the real world of work, wife/family, etc. For several years, music sort of faded into the background for me. I always kept playing acoustic piano (mostly pop stuff like Elton John, Billy Joel, Ben Folds, show tunes, etc.), but I didn't touch an electronic instrument for about 15 years.

 

Then, last year, some buddies from work and I realized that we were all musicians (in the loosest sense of the word). Since between us we had drums, guitar, and keyboards covered, we recruited a bass player (a friend of the drummer), and we put together a casual band just to jam and have some fun. Man, did the memories come flooding back. I had totally forgotten how charged up you can get just playing music in a basement with other people!

 

Anyway, I rushed right out, bought a new keyboard (an S90ES that I love) and an amp and threw myself back into the music thing with a vengeance. It was also around that time that I found this place, and for that I am extraordinarily thankful (except for when the gear envy gets the best of me ). I totally dig hanging here with all you guys, given your vast experience and your incredible knowledge, and, if you don't mind, I think I'll hang for a while longer . . .

 

All the best,

Noah

[Moop]

Hey there! My name's Matt, 29 years old, and I'm living in Richmond, VA.

 

I've been playing guitar for 20 years but made bass my instrument of choice 10 years ago!

 

I play in a few different bands but most of my work is studio session bass.

 

Gear: Two USA Fender Jazz Deluxe basses (4-string fretless, 5-string fretted.)

Amp: Aguilar 500 sc.

Speakers: Epifani 110 UL, and an Aguilar GS 112. (I run these together).

 

Influences: Reed Mathis is a bassist that I'm really digging right now (The Jacob Fred Jazz Odysse). I'm definately influenced by just about every musician that I've ever heard, though. Everyone has something to teach!

 

-Matt

[Cygnus64]

Hi gang,

 

My name is David and I am 42 living in Cleveland. I recognize a few names here from other forums. I am a symphony and opera violinist and do a lot of backup work for pop and rock shows.

 

My gear is a megabucks violin, an electric violin, a Roland JV1010, some softsynths etc. I am looking to get another Keyboard next week, a mid priced 61 key.

 

My influences are Tomita and that genre and progressive rock. I have a split music personality of what I do at work and what I do at home in my project studio. I am making my second CD right now, its like Tomita with a nore acoustic sound and tons of overdubbed fiddles. Nice forum you have here, I have been looking around for several days. Your search function aint that great but its a good crowd and I look forward to participating.

 

Since I cant find info with the search, I am considering a Yamaha S03 and wondering if yall have opinions. I dont have much of a budget for the studio stuff right now.

[Strategery]

Hi guys,

 

My name is Randy S. and I'm from Georgia.

 

I'm 49 and have been playing guitar since 1974.

I started out in music playing clarinet in school, learned to read music, and did quite well.

I went from there to acoustic guitar and shortly there after to electric guitar and have been there ever since.

 

I learned banjo in the 80's and have since taken up bass and finally a year ago, I started on keys and bought the new Roland Juno-D.

 

I've since outgrown it but it was good for what it does and was a good price.

 

I'm really getting into keys and to be honest, in my brain it's far more logical and easier to play than guitar.

 

I'm getting ready to buy my first workstation and wanted to ask you guys advice.

 

After much online research and music store demoing, the new Korg M3-61 key that is coming out in June of this year seems to be the instrument of choice.

What do you guys think?

 

I've also considered the Roland Fantom X6 and the new Yamaha XS6.

 

I love composing and I'm mainly an in home, computer based studio musician.

I really like all kinds of music and having lived in Europe for a few years was a good "ear opener" for me musically.

I prefer Blues & Blues based Rock, but I really like anything with the exception of Rap. Sorry, no offense intended.

 

To close, having started on keys has really brought me out of my slump and opened a whole new world of music to me.

When I write a song and having a keyboard there, it was so cool to be able to add so many different sounds instead just guitar and bass.

 

Anyway, I'm glad to be here and look forward to hanging out on ocassion and to learn from you keyboard pros!!

 

Randy

 

Gear:

1989-Am. Strat Plus with S/D's.

2003-Am. Strat with Van Zandt Blues hand wound pups.

2006-Ibanez Bass.

1995-Goldtone Banjo-5 string.

2000-Alvarez Acousitic guitar.

2006-Gretsch Nashville

2006-First Act/VW Guitar. Free with VW Jetta Wolfsburg. haha

2002-Fender Concert Reverb W/410 Eminence Copperheads.

2006-Carvin Nomad with JJ's Blues Tubes.

2006-Roland Juno-D.

2004-Boss ME-50.

2004-Mbox with Pro-Tools software for computer recording.

[Legatoboy]

Tony (Legatoboy),

 

Age:53

 

1st instrument: Trumpet (1st grade - wanted to be Loui Armstrong or Al Hurt)

 

2nd instrument: Accordion (2nd grade) studied for aprox. 4 years

on the Palmer method! (Strived to be Dick Contino!!)

 

3rd instrument: My Aunt's and Cousin's piano downstairs (grade 3 - 8), just taking my accordion right hand and playing octave bass eventually! I liked jazz and contemporary music at this point!(just tried to play the damn thing!)

 

4th instrument(s): My brother became a drummer(a good one - he studied a made a living as a society drummer for quite some time mostly at weddings and 60's gogo clubs including strippers at the Metropole (1965-1977), so I play alittle drums too, also alittle Bass Guitar (self taught), Guitar (badly) and I would love to play sax (have a small Alto at home, no time though, rather play sax than guitar as a 2nd instrument)

 

Have read Keyboard Magazine since it's start in the 70's or there abouts!

 

Switched to organ in the 8th grade (68'), had an Italian off brand single manual (looked/sounded like a Vox) and a Black Face Fender Bassman with dual twin 12" bottom (the head all the guitars players want now). I was really into the Doors and Ray Manzarek (1967-68). Then the blues (my first LP was a John Mayall album 'Bare Wires'), then straight Rock pretty much, alot of Santana, 3 Dog Night, Doobie Brothers, Tull, Spirit, Early BeeGees, 10 years After, Airplane, Sam and Dave, Spooky Tooth, Cream, Deep Purple, James Gang, Beatles, Stones, Youngbloods and Creedance of course..... standard fair really - gigged 'often' from 15 - 21, didn't study piano (big mistake)! Gigs were High School Dances initially, then out of town on the road a bit (1968-1974)!

 

8-10 years of bred in the bone Rock and Roll with anything from a Hammond M3 and 145 Leslie to a CV with a 122, Minimoog and RMI electric piano, 200 watt Hi-Watts, roadies, truck and management - there were tons of clubs and people to listen back then - the hey days.

 

(My parents hated me about it, the feeling was mutual!)

 

3-4 years of piano study with my childhood friend Bob who had a Masters degree in composition and two Grammies for commercials with Tallman Music in New York. This was after collage and my Computer and Film/Media degrees while working in Manhatten in computers, he taught at the Jazz Workshop across the street from Lincoln Center, it was alot fun, and it was Manhatten!

 

Then 17 years with my current "Coach" with some Classical work (Bach,Beethovan,Chopan,Hayden,Debussey - mostly Bach) but mainly Improvisational Jazz piano, Be-Bop based (ala Tristano, Bud Powell, Bird etc.)!

 

Various numerous and sundry bands and outfits from Blues to Country Swing and Solo Jazz Piano gigs (a few) playing bars, concerts,weddings and cocktail hours! I'm Semi-Pro now, made a living at it full time for 2+ years when computers went south a few years ago - teaching and playing! Still have a few students!

Still think of leaving 9-5 in the dust!

 

I take a lesson once a week to keep me honest and talk to my friend(teacher)!

 

Tony (Legatoboy)

[NewImprov]

My name's Dave, I've been reading Keyboard on and off for more than 20 years, but just got around to checking out the forums. My main gig right now is playing bass/keys/laptop for the Eugene, OR, based avant jazz/funk/hip hop/afrobeat band Eleven Eyes, we tour a lot around the NW and occasionally into California and Colorado and elsewhere. You can check us out at eleveneyes.org or on Myspace.

 

I also run a small recording studio and record label, New & Improv Music New&Improv.com.

 

My background is in free improv and avant-garde jazz, and 11Eyes lets me get away with playing grooves while going out. People seem to dance to it as well.

 

My live rig with 11Eyes is pretty simple, an Ibanez 6-string bass, a bunch of effects, an Axiom 61 controller and a Thinkpad T60 running Ableton Live. All of my live keyboard stuff are softsynths now. At home, I have a room full of gear: Rhodes Mark 1, Hammond M3, Minimoog, ARP Oddyssey and Axxe, Nord Lead 1, Hohner Pianet, DX-7,and a 20-space MOTM/Blacet modular I (mostly) built myself. Plus a lot of stompboxes and wierd little electronics projects from 2 decades of screwing around. I got rid of most of my digital synths a few years ago when I went softsynth, but can't bear to part with the "real" stuff. I love the Rhodes, and if I could build a band around the Rhodes and Minimoog, I'd do it in a minute.

[Tamara15]

WHEW! I made it to the end!

 

Such a wonderful pleasure meeting all of you~

 

My name is Tamara and I am a new keyboard player. I have a tendency to make things more complicated than they can be so I joined this forum for advice from everyone willing to give their opinions. Any takers?

 

Peace and Blessings~

 

Tamara

[TheOtherPianoMan]

Hey i am new to this forum... duh. my name is keith i have been playing the boards for about 6 years and the piano for 16. i am currently in an alt funk band out of dc called dimestore dandelion.

 

i play on

~ Kurzweil PC88MX

~ Yamaha PSR 680

~ BBE 882

~ Roland JV-30

~ Shure in ear Moniter

~ CME 66 key controler

~ Korg Triton

~ Mackie CFX12

~ PRS and C.F. Martin Guitars

 

 

[deepwell67]

Hey all. I'm Shawn Caldwell from Pittsburgh. I'm 39 and I teach piano/organ lessons as well as play keyboards and bongos every Sunday at my church.

 

I've been playing since I was 3 when my grandfather bought me a chord organ from K-Mart. I grew up as an organist - I took lessons for 10 years. I never touched a piano until I was a senior in high school. I credit my choir teacher with getting me into keyboards. He often brought his Roland synth to class.

 

I discovered Keyboard Mag in '85 - the MIDI issue. I was hooked. My first synth was a Korg Poly-61. While in college I began writing songs and playing in bands. Post college I was a piano salesman, retail manager, etc. until I began teaching.

 

I recently released my first CD, "Mind Control" which is a 13 song instrumental CD. Check it out at my website.

 

PAST EQUIPMENT:

Korg Poly-61, Casio CZ-5000, Ensoniq EPS(stolen), Korg Wavestation(stolen), Atari 1040 ST running Hybrid Arts SMPTE Track, etc.

 

CURRENT SETUP:

Casio CZ-1(pretty much just taking up space), Korg X2, Novation NOVA, Yamaha MOTIF 8 (goes with me to church and on gigs), Alesis ADAT(looks cool in the rack), Mackie sr24-4 mixer, home-built Athlon 64 3000+ running SONAR 6.2 with Garriton Personal Orchestra, Stylus RMX, Vapor, and various other synths and fx.

 

As far as musical influences, it's tough to pin down. I like, YES, Royksopp, Neal Morse, Michael W. Smith, Kerry Livgren, anything with Terry Taylor (Lost Dogs, Daniel Amos, Swirling Eddies, solo - great songwriter, check him out!) and many others.

 

I'm beginning work on CD #2 while juggling work, recording demos for others, wife and kids(3), and church. Sometimes I wish I could just lock myself in my studio for a few weeks.