My journey begins when I was 6. I desperatly wanted to play piano. My parents where not rich so got an electric organ with 22 keys.

So two years passed and I was still playing that same organ every day. One day my dad came home and brought me Yamaha PSR-500.(probably my parents had to work their ass off for this) And what a heaven it was to have 100 tones and 16 styles...

When I was 14 I got my first job(Part time). Started to save money to get better KB. Well it didn´t go as I planned...

When turned 15 I got my first full time job and after few months saving I finally got the money to buy a new KB. There I made a BIG mistake. Went to first store tried out one KB for 2 minutes and carried home Casio CTK-550. And as started to play it at home I soon found out, that it was not even nearly what I wanted. But didn´t have guts to return it...

Two years later, when worked even all my summer vacations, I got even more money to buy a new KB. This time I called my friends father to help as he played KB once in a while. And after two weeks waiting, got Roland E-68. And heaven again

But then everything went up side down when I lost my job, girlfriend, credit, car and most of my friends because of 14 hour days 6 days a week. Got my self a real alcohol problem and finally sold my Roland to by booze...

Year later I shaped up, started to work again, paid all my bills and once again saved money to buy new KB. After one year of extremely hard working and saving, PSR-740. It was a real dream come true at that time.

But... Two years ago I hear me say "Do I really need to play", and guess what, sold it away.

About a year after that I have never been more sorry about anything and AGAIN started to save money and about a month ago I bought PSR2000!!

Not a story I would recommend to anyone.. But now going real strong, happily married, 8 months old boy, a real dream job for me and of course, PSR2K. Made the same mistake few times, NEVER AGAIN!! And God help if I do...

Never have and probably never will take any lessons. Don´t need to because I´m playing only for my own joy. And sometimes to my family..

Lets keep playing!!!!

YamBox

[This message has been edited by YamBox (edited 08-21-2003).]

Yambox,
Your story is painfully familiar. Just imagine, as I have, where you would be (musically) if you just stuck with it.
Where you're passionate is, there lies your talent.
Star

A volume pedal and expression pedal are not quite the same thing, which is why they have separate midi commands for each. The idea is that you set the volume of a patch at a preset level using the volume control (or CC #7) and then use the expression pedal (CC#11) in order to vary the volume within that volume range without exceeding it. It's especially used by organists but it's also useful with brass patches for doing fade-in horn stabs.

I understand the limits of each, but in practice ... you move the pedal up to get more volume...move it back to get less. You can get the same effect from either. Brass swells too. It's one of those redundancy issues. 6 of one, half dozen of the other.
Fact is - they both control volume changes.

Hi: Donny
Was learning, playing, working, the KB difficult, You ask ?
Hey I can't walk & chew gum at the same time,
Soooooo what do you think ?
Have a good one my Friend.
Denny

PS: I'm not even sure if what I do on the KB would be classified
as "playing the KB" maybe just making noise.
But it's fun.

dlstarry,


the first and formost thing is to make yourself happy when you play. It's the cure all
"MAGIC MEDICINE" and has been for me since I was 7 yrs old. To spread the "Magic" comes with practice and the love for music. In any event it's a Win..Win situation !!
Play Music every day!!!