I started Piano Accordion lessons at 7, went through to 14. Studied not only the "normal" accordion, or Stradella, but I also concurrently studied the, at the time new, Classical Accordion. And of course, ugghh!! Theory...Every Saturday afternoon, two hours of theory lessons....LOL, most of which I cannot remember now. Same as all that maths S@#t at school

This is where the bottom three rows of the chord buttons were transformed to single notes, allowing the playing of classical style music. It was in this form I won the Australian title when I was 13.

I gave up music for about 7-8 years, before being talked into joining a three piece combo, BUT I had to play "normal" keyboards. So I bought a Rhodes Flat-Top mk II with the Dyno-My-Piano kit installed. Adding a Roland JX-3P a few months later, which started my involvement with electronic keyboards. This led me into the world of piano keyboards, and I progressed as most do, through many different models and brands after that.

I then played in a few bands over the next 23 or so years, arriving to a point where I had given up bands, but I still wanted to play music. So I looked around for solutions to how this could be achieved.

It was at that time I discovered the Roland RA-50, and IT was the start of my arranger career. Coupled it with the A-33 controller.

When I look back at that start I realise just how far arranger keyboards have come. And really, in my view, the difference between them all now is so close, we can have the luxury of allowing "personal taste" to sway our decisions.

I am still looking for my "nirvana" in an arranger keyboard, one that does everything in one box, but that day is still to come

Dennis


[This message has been edited by miden (edited 11-23-2010).]