I have just added to my site two new songs done with the Tyros. The first one is a remake of "Europa" (I called it "Europa 2"); the song begins like the old one, but then changes a bit... the old "Europa" is still there, for comparison's sake; I will appreciate if you will let me know which one you like more.
The second song is a ballad by Ivan Lins, called "Lembra de mim" (which means "Remember me"); the song is about a love story which is over, so the lyrics are very sad, but luckily in my rendition there are no lyrics, so maybe you will not cry (I hope).
Enjoy.
http://andrearotolo.tripod.com/dreamer/id1.html

Ciao Dreamer,

Formidable !!!!!
I'm just listening the new version of Europa

It's just the sound, its seems like Santana is playing, you have the touch ,the changing of sound is a very good choice..
I prefer this version (did'nt my ears not hear a little pitch ??? )
No I go to listening the second MP3
Amitiés,
JJ

So I listen to the second....

Con emozione....
The whistle is a good choice....I'm very jealous of your Tyros
I think i'll send you a mail to ask some questions about this arranger . I think they are the latest days of my 9000 Pro...RIP
Saluti,
JJ

Andrea.

Your home page is valorized with the addition of 2 excellent Ivan Lins songs : Setembro and Lembra de mim.
Nice melodies with intricated chord progressions.
Truly Andrea, you made a great rendition to Ivan, one of the best brasilian composers.
Bravo!!!

JJ,
many thanks for your nice words ; do you mind if I don't answer your question about the pitch bend wheel for the moment? I would like to take advantage of your remark to launch a mini-poll for our fellow Forum members:
"Do you think that on Europa 2 I am using the pitch bend wheel or not?"
I promise to answer the truth (and nothing else than the truth) only when more people will give their opinions.
Re. the Tyros, yes, you can email me when you like and I will give you my candid opinion about it.
Mercì!

Chico,
muito obrigado.
"Setembro" e "Lembra de mim" took more than one month and a half of study to be played properly; the first time I tried them the fingers of my left hand got all twisted (Lembra de mim was even worst than Setembro).
So, PLEASE, tell Daniel that for the "sauce" he will have to wait a bit more!



[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 08-15-2003).]

Another beautiful version! I like them both. No pitch bend wheel was used, but I like your technique.
DonM

Hello Dreamer,

Wow! You just keep 'em coming...Great, great renditions!

I'm ever-so-slightly leaning towards the first rendition of Europa because of the continuous smooth sounding jazz guitar but I could listen to either and enjoy them the same.

As far as pitch bend goes, I don't think I'm hearing pitch bend but I think I hear you using the modulation wheel. Here's a sample with 3 five second snippets. The first is from Europa2. Notice the wavering of the sustained guitar note. The second 5 second piece is from Europa1...Same progression, no wavering. And finally, the third 5 second piece is from the very end of Europa2. Hear that little trilling (I don't know, what do you call it) going on 11 seconds into it? Did you do that effect or did the keyboard do it? Is that what happens when you slur-over two notes with the distortion guitar? I like it, it's cool. I just don't remember hearing something like that out of my board.

http://genny.lib.umn.edu/sample.mp3

Fun stuff!

mike

Mike,
what have you done to my poor songs?
Wow: what an ear you've got!
Hmmm... I am afraid that for the moment I cannot answer your question.
I will tell only this: modulation? YES, but with what?

Hi: Dreamer
Well there's another 35 min. of my life I'll never get back that's
how long it took to download Europa 2.
But what the heck I got more time then money anyway, I hope or
maybe I better say good bye to all my SZ friends now.
Hey I'm only spoofin, it was worth every min.
Well I have to say both of your rendition's of Europa are "GREAT"
but for me the first one is my fav.
As for the pitch bend "POLL" I don't think you used it.
I could be wrong though, I thought I was wrong one time in my life
but, I was mistaken.
Denny

I enjoyed both your renditions of Europa, but prefer the 1st version because I think keeping the lead melody to just 'one instrument' provides a more powerful yet intimate 'single story teller' feel for a song of personal emotion & pathos as Europa.

I particularly enjoyed your thoughtful renditions of Ivan Lin's: "Lembra de min", as well as "Septembro". Lins is without a doubt the present day succesor to Jobim's title to the #1 Brazilian composer throne. Having had the opportunity of attending an intimate Lins concert myself (seated only 5-6 feet away from Mr Lins at the keyboard), I'd say you've captured the spirit of his music. Bravo !

A number of Yamaha Tyros' guitar sounds incorporate 'pitch bend' right in the sample itself depending on how long or hard your play the note. This is used to great advantage in the "Hawaiian Guitar". I suspect this is what's happening here (to a subtler degree) with the Guitar voice you used here as well, right?

Scott

Andrea

Debt repaid in full!!
I was knocked out by your first version of Europa and thought you might overdo things a bit trying to emulate the Santana version but am pleased to say that your latest version is every bit as good as the first.
I'm not a regular on this forum so I don't know if you play or played guitar also, but you have got all the nuances of a top guitarist spot on.

I've heard quite a few different Tyros songs from various sources and haven't been overly impressed with them but these recent songs from you make the voices (especially the guitars) sound so realistic I may just be tempted to upgrade.

As for the pitch bend question I think Scott is probably on the right track.

Its been a pleasure listening to your music and look forward to that George Benson number soon.

Will

Andrea,

Please put the song "Summertime In Venice" on your upcoming recording list.
I would love to hear your Tyros version of it.

carry on

Don,
I forgot to thank you: sorry!

Denny,
when I come to Grand Prairie I will bring you a CD with all my songs.

Scott, thank you and...very interesting theory!

Will, thank you and...yes, in my other life I used to be a guitar player (but haven't touched a guitar in years...)

Don, you make me feel ashamed: I am not sure I know this song... :-((

Dreamer, I listend to them and I listened again to the older version of Europa.

Here is my vote:

I liked Europa more the Europa2.

In fact, I liked Europa the best in all of the collection. It felt like a true guitarist is playing solo especially during filling between phrases. I enjoyed the nice chords and I do not mind learning them. I enjoyed the ballad style that was chosen.

Thanks for sharing

SK880,
thank you.

SK880 user,
sorry but I am not sure I have understood you correctly: would you like to know the chords of Europa, by any chance?
Basically it's always the same progression, which goes Fm7-Bb7-Ebmaj7-Abmaj7-Fm-G7-Cm
The third time the final Cm becomes a Cmaj.
So maybe the reason you like this song so much is because -basically- is in a minor tonality.

Oi Andrea.

Two more great, great renditions.

Bravo!!!
Parabéns.
Armando

Obrigado, amigo.

Dreamer, you are correct. I am obsessed with minor.

OK, I guess that enough replies came in, so it's time to answer the question: "Did I use the pitch bend wheel on Europa 2?"
The correct answer is "No, I didn't" (and I swear it!).
On this song, like in the other ones where I use a guitar sound, the only modulation I have applied is the aftertouch. On my now gone VA7 I used to route the aftertouch to control the pitch (but just a little, because if the effect is overdone tends to sound grotesque, like happens with too much modulation wheel); on the Tyros, however, I've found that the aftertouch adds by default a little vibrato (like Mike pointed out analyzing the two samples of jazz guitar, with and without vibrato: so the difference was in the aftertouch applied, Mike); it's also possible, like Scott pointed out, that depending on the lenght or strength with which you play the note, the Tyros sounds different, but I cannot confirm this, because haven't had enough time to analyze the keyboard so much in depth. So, I just did with the aftertouch what I deemed necessary to achieve a good sound, at least to my ears.
Other than that, I used two other techniques to emulate the sound of a guitar player: the use of "grace notes" (notes added before or after the one you want to play actually) and a technique that guitar players call "slide" or "slur". Musicians like Wes Montgomery or George Benson use this technique all the time: they play a note and then let the finger "slide down" a semitone. On a keyboard this can achieved only from a black key to a white one; for example, if you want to hit a B, you hit first a Bb and then let the finger "slide" down to the right, landing on the B.

Now, why didn't I use the modulation wheel?
Well, for different reasons: the first one is that if I am playing a song with many chord changes I just don't have the time to do that; this is not the case of a song like "Europa", but -still- if I am concentrated on playing a solo line, having to think of the modulation wheel as well tends to reduce my concentration and my playing tends to sound more mechanic. Moreover, like I said, with the modulation wheel it's very easy to overdo and I did not want to sound like an hawaiian guitar!
Finally, I think that I was able to achieve the desired sound with just the aftertouch and the other techniques mentioned, so I really didn't feel the need to use other devices.
I have used the modulation wheel extensively only once: to record a Deep Purple song called "Smoke on the water" and have to say that it worked great but....I doubt that you will ever see that song on my website!
That's all, folks!

Yes,yes ,

JJ