Some years ago, maybe in 2001, I found this forum and read some topics, but found it to be too "pro" for me so I stopped reading it.
Today, after posts like the above, I realise it still is a "pro" forum .

I was always facsinated by music, and everything that could make a sound in general, since I was 3-4 years old. No one in the family had an insrument to borrow or anything, and instruments were (and are) expensive here in Greece, also add that my mother used to say that musicians are all hungry and steered me away every time I expressed an interest in music (and me the bozo didn't argue).

Anyway, I borrowed a guitar when I was about 16, and tried to play some 1 string tunes. Around the same time I got a computer (one of those ancient types that had a cassete) and "composed" some covers in BASIC, 3 "notes" (square waves) ployphony and all (sounded Nintendo NES if you have heard its sound). Took an effort.

I have a girl friend that was studying the piano for 10 years at that time and I liked what I heard from her, classical pieces, but discovered 2 things: The damn piano keys were difficult to play, they needed force , and that I could pick up tunes by ear and remember them, WAY easier than her.

Around 20 years old I bought a toy keyboard, 4 octaves with small keys, it had some sort of accompaniment, after maybe 2 years I borrowed a 4 octave regular keys Lowrey Micro Genie or something from my boss, and learned to play some fingered chords holding down my left hand, instead of using 2 fingers for simplified chords.

A complication with my obligatory military draft when I was 23, made me attend a music school (stayed for 1 1/2 year, mostly joking withmy teacher), and the incentive was there for me to buy a "decent" Keyboard, since I didn't have anything to "study" with at home. I bought the "high end" Casio arranger of the era (year 1994) for about 2x my monthly salary, which I still have (the Casio, not the salry, thank God) . A GEM WS1 was better sounding but also considerably more expensive, Yamaha PSR 500 was in the same league as the Casio, but pricier. I was amazed with the sounds. I was also amazed on how easy I could sound good, due to all the accompaniments playing along with my right hand. [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/smile.gif[/img] [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/smile.gif[/img]

Anyway, I still can't read notes, and I still play by ear. I wish I could read notes but I also found out another thing in music school: Music requires some discipline, and I was too undisciplined/too old to "glue my butt" on the desk and study. Maybe someday I will.

In the meantime, SZ has renewed my interest in arrnagers, and soft synths are "freshening" my ancient arranger sounds, but I 'll probably have to buy something new.

sorry for the length of the message,
Theodore

[This message has been edited by trident (edited 01-16-2006).]