Hi Sapphire,

I'm not an agressive type. A 26-year military career taught me the futility of waging battles. So the battle will not commence with me.

My feelings regarding reading the dots vs. playing by ear are that both methods produce great music. So, it doesn't matter whether you are an ear player or a reader. Just play and enjoy. I read the dots, can play by ear a little and do improvisations. In all three cases, I ACQUIRED those skills, meaning anyone can learn to read, to improvise, or play by ear. I don't play by ear much because I have so much written music upon which to draw for pleasure and inspiration.

If I had to choose between being a reader or an ear player, I would much rather be a reader. The wealth of music in print gives a reader untold resources. An ear player has to hear something first. I can scan through 15 or 20 books (hundreds of songs) and pick those I want to play. An ear player can't do that. He/she has to hear the music before playing it and cannot, therefore, draw upon the huge library of printed music. That, to me, seems to be a severe limitation.

Just my thoughts.

My Very Best Wishes to All of You,

Chuck

[This message has been edited by Chuck Piper (edited 10-14-2004).]

It may have already been suggested. It's so easy to enter your location in your profile.

Ear players vs. Readers....

I agree that both/either make beautiful music!

Like many of you, I also came from a long line of very musical people...My eldest daughter is what I call the "consumate musician"....She plays any instrument, either by ear or reads....She sings gloriously, & is gifted with exact pitch...Two of her 3 children are musically talented as well...one sings & the other is a carbon copy of his Mom talent wise....

Probably the most interesting musician in the family was an Aunt...a couple of greats back, was a famous Vaudville Whistler....Off hand I don't recall her name. My Dad had his own high school band..."The Kansas City Footstompers" (or footwarmers)... He was the drummer/leader...My only sibling my bro, plays bagpipes & guitar now that he is a "seasoned citizen"....(He is older than me)!

My first KB was purchased only 12 years ago...a Yamaha toy...A new friend played a KN1000...the sound differences were very very noticable....I found a KN1000 soon thereafter in a pawn shop....Wow! Did I fall in love or what! My new friend was so helpful to my learning process....AND let me copy as much of her music as I wanted!

As a 10 year old I had taught myself to read the treble clef on a church piano with some John Thompson's beginners books...I had no interest in learning the bass clef as all I wanted to do was have the melody to sing to!

Performing in School & church singing groups as well as acting groups very... enjoyable too! I had tap/acrobat lessons, ballroom dancing as a young teen with my bro...Went to Hollywood to radio shows that big bands/singers did way back in the big band era...learned lots of music just listening to them...Memorised more than I realized until I started playing!...I have all the wonderful rhythms & words in my head!

During these 12 years of music in my life...I have owned one more sophisticated Yamaha (A psr640 I think) & the KN3K, the 5K, the 6K, & the AWESOME 7K...My talented daughter has the 5K....I still have the 6K & the 7K...

My daughter & I want her to have a 7K...I will help her make the purchase...She desearves to have one! But I won't give her mine!

While I am totally self-taught & not a seasoned or very talented player, I do enjoy playing for myself, with others, & for others...Every Sat I play at a local Nursing Home for 2.5 hours....All of us enjoy the music....It fills my soul to see these elders get up & dance as best they can, sing along with me, make requests, recognise the tunes....They tell me they have never heard my make a mistake even though several of them were successful professional musicians! I know I make mistakes frequently.....I also know they are lying!

To conclude this rather lengthly post....For me the most important part of playing music...being involved in music at any level....is that we each enjoy our own participation.

I know I do....Hope you all do too!

ELIZABETH...

Elizabeth,
I don't recall hearing any of your songs yet. We all share with each other. How about sending some songs over to share with out lists and members.
Thanks
Bebop

Hi All,

It seems this has gone from where you live to how you play but I'll join in.

I'm an ear/ez music player.

My father played piano in bars when I was young and he read the music. Then my oldest brother took accordian and started playing at home with my dad until one day may dad asked him to read the music for him. My brother couldn't read it, he was playing by ear.

The my brother started playing the cords on the piano and singing the melody. He did this every day. He played songs by Jerry Lee and Elvis. So I would stand next to the piano and watch him.

Soon I was playing and singing the same songs he was. It would drive my mom crazy becasue first he would play the songs then when he was finished I would play the songs.

When I was in High School I hung out with a "Beatles Want to Be" band who all played by ear. So I would often end up playing the keyboard along with them. I had a portable Baldwin Organ/Piano then. I still only played chords but I learned I could take a piece of sheet music that had guitar chords on it and play the song while I sang.

One summer I was in a production of a variety show and one of the singers brought in their sheet music for the "concert" pianist that was in the show. But he couldn't play it so I was asked if I could. When I saw it had the guitar chords I said yes. I chorded and he sang.

Anyway once I left home I wanted something nicer than the Baldwin so I bought a Lowery Genie Organ, my first of may "keyboards" to come.

It was not the same as playing the piano and it couldn't really sing so I started learning to play one finger melodies instead of singing. I knew the basic chords and I knew the letters of the notes. I just could not ready them on the staff. But the Genie came with that wonderfully simple music Big Note Easy Play.

My day was made. I could now "read" music. I played the chords and read the letters inside the notes. That's still how I play today when I use the music.

Like Alan, I will ofen sit down and just start playing. Sometime I play just in piano mode and sometimes I'll look through the styles and start one playing but I'll make up a song to go along with it.

I also played guitar when I was around the band and I think that helped me to learn about Chord Progressions. It's really the heart of being able to play by ear.

There are so many songs that can be played using no more than 3 or 4 chords especially the old stuff and 50s and 60s rock.

There is a guy on Public TV here that is teaching people to play the piano within a week or two. If you get a chance to see it, it's basically how I play by ear.

My biggest problem playing is that I have somewhat short fingers and I can just barely play octives by moving my hand to the end of the keys instead of over them.
Plus I still have trouble sometimes fingering the "sharp and flat" chords.


So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. LOL

Great Playing to All

------------------
Heather- Leesburg, FL PR54

[This message has been edited by shcox (edited 10-15-2004).]

My name is Derek.I own a KN7000 and I live in Devon near Barnstaple.
I have had two Technics organs first U50 then a U90,but as things started to go wrong
I traded it in for a Solton keyboard, which in turn was traded in for the 7000 which I intend to keep for as long as I am able to play it.
I play by music (simple one line and chord symbols) also by memory and ear.
I used to play accordions having had quite a number and the accordion sounds on the 7000 are fantastic.

Derek

BEPOP.....Maybe when I feel more confident in playing to the sequencer & know how to send music from my KB through the computer to wherever.

My attempts to record in the sequencer are not perfect enough for me yet!

I do appreciate your encouragement!

For those who want to stick to the "Where are you located?" topic....

My only home for a bit more than 20 years has been a Motor Home.....For the past 3 years my MoHo has been a very nice 32' Allegro Bay diesel pusher. (diesel engine in the rear) For four years I have been a leaseholder in a Co_Op for RV'rs....Our Co-Op is in extreme south east New Mexico, U.S.A.....23 miles north of Carlsbad where the world known? Carlsbad Caverens attract visitors from everywhere....We are 60 miles south of Roswell...famous for alien visitors from outer space (?) ..... Our place is in the middle of a cattle ranch & very quiet!

My location is in my profile.....

Hi Everyone, i'm a newby to this site and live in Bristol uk.
I recently purchased a kn7000 and after playing many cheap types of keyboards I think this instrument has it all.
I cant read music but if i get a tune in my head i just sit down and play it.
Since my youth i think i have been able to pick up most instruments and after a bit of tinkering been able to play a tune.
I find the kn7000 manual hard to follow but look forward to using all the keyboards features after weeks of trial and error.

Regards Gerry.

Hi everyone,

I'm Colin Leaney IThe Leans), and I live in Birmingham, U.K.

I'm a very young 73yrs old, play by ear, can't play or read a note of music, but thoroughly enjoy making multi-track recordings. For my sins I have K7000, and my other major hobby is golf. Not quite as good as music-making, but almost.

Cheers, Colin.

Hi All,
My name is Roy and live in S.Wales[uk for those who have'nt heard of wales], Iam 62 yrs old and have been keen on music all my life, I had a few piano lessons when I was 14.but it was;nt quick enough for me as I was in a church choir & could read music[the top line]
My familly could'nt afford a piano,but I had permission to use the piano at the church,it was scary going there on a cold winters night, opening a creaky door into darkness then I would start whistling while putting lights on. I enjoyed myself on the piano,hasmonium and the huge three tier organ,it must have sounded wierd to people going by hearing boogie coming from the chuch.
Many years a friend introduced me to the guitar,this one I could afford,over the years learned some nice chords and found I could strum along toall those songs I'd loved.
10yrs ago a myself and a few players decided to meet once a week for a jam, ended up with eight players, then we were asked to do a gig in a retirement home,we did it and enjoyed it, did many more over the next few years. It was quite hard singing without amplification, so we clubbed together and got an amp.about that time,a keyboard player joined us,and that was the start of something special for me, he owned a Tyros, it is a super thing somany sounds, Iwent to my local music shop, they had a KN901 and bought it. Iam really enjoying playing it,and want to upgrade as soon as I can. I have 'nt tried the sequencer yet,I don't know what to do with it,I've d/loaded the manual, it's not very clear[photo copies]and as clear as mud instructions,that's why people like you are important for tips ect,
Roy