Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Keyboards? Kazoos? Dulcimers? Alphorns? Aeolian harp? Here's the place to chat about your favourite instrument
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einstein magoo
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Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Post by einstein magoo »

I have had keyboards around me most of my life but never really practiced or got any kind of good at playing. I can read music (slowly) both clefs but have always just played by ear. I figure the answer will be just jump in and practice a lot but like everyone else, I just wanna sit down and play (conquer) the damned things.

My best efforts come from just playing octaves with my left hand and three / four note chords with the right. Maybe a little melody line here and there. Mostly I use an organ or string patch for pads but I like some single note piano runs here and there. I have "how to play piano, or keyboards" books laying around here, but don't have the discipline to dig in. Mom made my sister take piano lessons when we were very young, wish she had forced me also, but I was the youngest and did what I wanted, spoiled little shit!

I can pick out piano and keyboard parts by ear and play along with LPs and stuff, but I play MY versions of what I hear so not so much memorization.

I don't even know the real reason for this thread, guess I just wanted some encouragement, or mostly to hear how everyone else does it?

Any advice or similar stories?
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Greg_L
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Re: Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Post by Greg_L »

I have a full-size electric piano. It sounds great. It's literally the size of a piano. Huge. It was my grandpas and he was great at it. We used to jam Frank Sinatra and swing Christmas songs all the time. He'd bang the keys and sing, I'd walk some bass all around it. So much fun. When he passed, I just had to have it. But I can barely play it. I can use it for the very minimal piano work I'd ever want to do, but serious piano playing is way beyond me. The only way I'd be interested in piano is if I could play like Jerry Lee Lewis, and I can't just sit down and play like The Killer, so I don't ever play it.
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rayc
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Re: Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Post by rayc »

We have a parlour grand, an upright and a very nice electric piano. I also own a Rhodes but it out on loan.
I can only play clumping triads but my wife plays very nicely - she's the house muso - excellent ear and hands.
She can play along with almost anything and pick out melodies from recordings etc BUT also plays what her head says to play when it comes to chords or accompaniment - as in it fits perfectly but isn't a clone.
Cheers
rayc
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miroslav
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Re: Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Post by miroslav »

Greg_L wrote: Sun Jun 18, 2017 2:46 pm I have a full-size electric piano.
Rhodes...Wurly,...?

I've done the keyboard thing since I was 8-9, along with the guitar.
I played better 20 years ago than I do now, but then, I use to actually play a lot...and going back further, I use to play both keys and guitar in all the bands I was in (talk about dragging a huge fucking rig around). In my youth, I could sit and play classical off the written page. I can still read music, but not with the speed and proficiency I use to.

Sadly, my keyboard playing has been reduced to tracking needs...but then, I don't even just play guitar that much more, though lately I've been getting it back into a more regular routine, but unlike the keys, my guitar chops have actually improved the last 20 years mainly because I've always felt a greater love for thew guitar, and I've gained a greater understanding of my playing.

Not that I don't like keys...I'll often sit at the piano when I'm working out songs, and harmonies. The keyboard is the perfect tool for that.
It's more about taking the time to sit and practice, like anything. When I use to do that, I could do some decent Jerry Lee Lewis style of boogie and R&R on the piano. AFA classical...I think that's too far gone for me to reel back in, and as much as I love listening to classical...I never really loved playing it. I just did it.
I would always bug my teachers to do more popular music, and work on improvisation in more modern styles...but accept for one, the rest were all into that classical mode....so at one point I just stopped talking lessons, and I actually improved my Pop/Rock playing skills...but then after I stopped playing out, they faded away.

Right now I have a smaller console upright, it's a Wurlitzer...I also have a Hammond L-series organ that's been used a lot on recordings, and I have an old Roland D-70 synth which still plays fine, and a Kurzweil stage piano/organ/string keyboard, but the keys started to loose their touch connectivity, so it's kinda been put to rest.
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WhiskeyJack
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Re: Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Post by WhiskeyJack »

Playing keys is on my hitlist of things to learn. I can play basic whatevers as filler to accompany stuff i know how to play. But i coildnt just sit and entertain a room full of people!!
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itsnotkcearl
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Re: Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Post by itsnotkcearl »

I have fourteen synths at the moment...did piano lesson as a kid but never kept it up, always had a guitar though. Been getting into some old analogue recently. Once the kids are old enough not to ruin everything Ill get a decent piano for the downstairs.
Death, War, Discipline, weekends off.
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SweetDan
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Re: Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Post by SweetDan »

I think this guy does, but I doubt he's from around here - https://www.craigslist.org/about/best/s ... 25322.html
awesome youtube comment of the day
Lol it's still less satanic than whatever rituals Katie Perry and Taylor Swift do in their performances. 😂
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itsnotkcearl
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Re: Who Plays Keys Round Here?

Post by itsnotkcearl »

Thats a great deal on the nord, but it has touched his dick
Death, War, Discipline, weekends off.
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