I haven't had too much time to post news about my musical activites, but here are some to share with my SynthZone friends.

1. Pics. I know you like them, so check them out. They are from a wedding (my typical musical act), last year, and they were kindly offered to me by the photographer (very recently). As you can see, I'm very tolerant with the audiences' participation in certain moments! In this kind of parties I feel that I should welcome this kind of things. It makes people happy and I don't worry too much about how it affects my reputation as a musician. As long as I feel people are having fun, it's ok. Keep focused in the music stuff and don't lose your concentration with the bride's leg! http://vega.estig.ipb.pt/pics/

2. New Gear.

- Roland AX-7. Great little "guitar-like" controller and nice looking on stage. I use it as a small controller that I can move around at home, and to play live, either bass lines or melodies/solos with other musicians (with my X4 module). I can also use it as a typical arranger controller, though, as it has split mode (2 parts for left/right hand).

- Yamaha DGX 300. You might be surprised that I bought such an unsophisticated arranger, but here are my reasons: easy to move around, very light weight arranger with a wonderful piano sample (very important for me) - actually much better than the piano sample that I'm used to in my Ketron X4 - with acceptable basic styles, lots of synth sounds (XG) [some average ones and others very good]and floppy drive to load/play styles/midi files. It can be operated with batteries and has decent speakers. It lacks a lot of features that I'm used to, but nevertheless I find this entry class arranger a great value for money, and carry it frequently in the trunk of my car. I never used it in solo acts (although I feel I could, in some of my informal non-paid gigs), only in jam sessions with my friends, as an acoustic piano (great sound!) or as a background trio (bass/drums/piano) when I play with a saxophone player or an harmonica player only. Only negative point: I don't like the way midi files sound (the same that sound good on the Ketron), and I don't understand the reason for this, as the styles sound, as I said, acceptable.

- Motion Sound KP-200S. I was primarily influenced by The Pro but also by others to get this keyboard amp. So far I have used it live twice, in dance situations, in rooms with 100/120 people, and I didn't miss my heavier HK Lucas PA at all. I'm quite enthousiastic with the flexibility and portability - not losing quality - that this choice brought to my world. It took me some days contacting Motion Sound USA to find the best way to get the unit in Europe, but both Motion Sound USA and the official european dealer were a pleasure to deal with.

3. New Experiences

This is not new for many of you, but I'm having a great NEW time playing with other musicians. It's nothing very serious or organized but we join together from time to time in a club in town and jam without previous rehersal, for our pleasure and for the pleasure of the people sitting in (I hope!). I play piano most of the time, but as I said before, sometimes I use simple acoustic arrangement patterns (Yamaha DGX 300) to back another solo instrument (saxophone, harmonica...). We never plan anything, just choose the key and the basic chord progression, and there we go! Of course, this would never be acceptable in a professional circuit, but for a small bar in a small town, and as long as it's fun for us and for the people, we keep showing up spontaneously.

Apart from this, I'm planing to buy a new high-end arranger. I'm not in a hurry, my X4 still delivers and fulfills my job needs. This time I'll go for a keyboard, not a module, and probably won't be a Ketron again. I'm a little disappointed with Ketron's silence about the X-series OS upgrade (although I understand things like commercial strategies) and I would like to try another user friendlier OS, better chord recognition, better styles in groups not very well covered by Ketron.

If anybody feels like making comments, by all means jump in!

-- José.

matias, the pics are excellent! It looks like you are all having a very good time. Your setup looks very professional indeed. Also the DGX 300's Acoustic Grand Piano Voice is called the Live Grand Piano for those in the group that don't know it. I suppose it is the same Grand Piano Sample on the PSR 2100 but I am not sure about that. I have played the DGX 300 and I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of the Piano sound. It is very good for such an affordable Keyboard. In fact I was just trying to talk a friend in to getting one the other day. He played Keyboard years ago and he is thinking of taking it up again. The DGX 300 would be an excellent Keyboard for either starters or for seasoned users alike. It would be great for doodling and getting ideas of a song together. And at such a low price it doesn't put much of a dent in the ol' pocketbook either.

Thanks for sharing your memorable pics with us matias.

Best regards,
Mike

Jose' : Thanks for keeping us updated with the lastest in your music world, as well as posting the great wedding shots. You all look like you were having a wonderful time. Thrilled to hear that you're playing 'live' with other musicians in addition to solo arranger keyboard playing. It's important that as arranger keyboard players, that we don't lose site of the added pleasure and greater rewards that playing with other musicians offers. Performing with other musicians provides an opportunity for musical growth in ways that you just can't attain when performing alone so I do cherish every opportunity of performing with REAL musicians.

Congratulations on both your new Motion Sound KP-200S and Yamaha AX-7. I've been intrigued over getting an AX-7 myself because of the mobility it offers to allow you to move freely about on stage as well as get out into the audience. I was curious to find out if it's possible to go 'cord less' with the AX-7 to allow even freer mobility without wires.
The AX-7 comes in either black or red, right? I'm curious which color you have . How many octaves does the AX-7 include? As the AX-7 is held in typical guitar playing position with the left hand holding the neck, how does one play in split mode and activate the chord changes as well as melody, with only one hand available to play the keyboard? Jose': It would be great to see a pic of you performing on your beautiful new AX-7 axe.

In response to your interest in purchasing another high end arranger, I can only add my 2 cents and say that I think the Tyros or 9000pro (if you have to have 76 keys) would be excellent choice choices.

I trust things are going well with your jazz keyboard studies as well. Look forward to hearing your latest music (songs) as well.

Regards,

Scott

Josè, congratulations for your performance, your setup and also your looks: you look great indeed! (Que legal!)
Did you loose a few kilos? You REALLY look like a boy!
Uma vez mais, meus parabens...e parabens tambem a esposa para as pernas!

[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 07-01-2003).]

Mike, Scott and Andrea: Thanks for your comments! Thanks also for the private e-mail of MC, a portuguese living in the USA.

Mike:
I read in some site that the DGX 300 !Live Grand Piano sample is the same found in the 9000 Pro. I don't know if this is true, but Simon (svpworld) made once a comparison of several pianos on different arrangers, and the DGX 500 (=DGX 300) did amazingly well compared with all the high end instruments.

Scott:

My evolution through jazz is going really slowly, I have trouble finding time to dedicate to this. But I'll keep on, in my own pace. Thanks for your encouragement!

Regarding the AX-7, the color is pearly white. The colors you mention were the ones for the AX-7 predecessor, the AX-1. The AX-7 brings some new features, including the D-Beam present in Roland arrangers. There are 45 keys, which is quite limited, and adequate for solos. It can, of course, be used to control an arranger, but you will have to economize the keys available! Also, the playing position with both hands is difficult, but possible, with the keyboard in a perpendicular position to the body of the player. In solos, the position is much more natural, with your left hand controling pitch bar, modulation bar and sustain button - I love these controls, they're very expressive. Yes, one can play it "wire free", if you go wireless in what concerns midi. I remember that at the time I bought it, I found some wireless midi solutions that could be applied to the controller. You might like to check the User Reviews for the AX-1 in Harmony Central archives. I'll try to post one or two pictures but I promise nothing for now.

Andrea:
I *AM* a big boy, except in my age

-- José.

Hello José.

I loved your pics.
I am sure that your performance was perfect.
Once more, my congrats!!!
Did you sing my fovorite song: A morte de um Príncipe ?
A respeito de Andrea, você tem notado nêle um certo ar braslieiro nos comentários?

Chico


Chico

Hi Chico, thanks for the nice words.

No, I rarely play "A Morte do Principe" in parties. Too calm for that atmosphere. I leave this song for other types of audiences.

About Andrea: yes, it's obvious that Brazil left a mark on his soul His portuguese is really not bad for such a young portuguese student. Whenever there is motivation...

-- Jose'.

(...puxa vida! Esta è a primeira vez que alguem me chama "young portuguese student"...)

Matias,
weddings and private parties always end with people singing at your mic.

Sometimes it happens that people will like to play too, and you get your ..."money for nothing.... and chicks for free" like mr Knoplfer sings...

Anyway, nice pics and very nice gear... I think I'll like to have that Kurzweil in my keyboard "harem"...


[This message has been edited by RicFreak (edited 07-04-2003).]

Jose,
Looks to me like it was a hardy party and had a killer of a wedding to remember with your help.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

Andrea,
What I meant (but the choice of words was very bad!) was that your portuguese is already quite good for somebody that started learning portuguese recently. A "baby" growing up fast!...

RicFreak,
It happens often that when people are tired of dancing, by the end of the party, they come to me and ask to sing a couple of songs. I do my best to enhance their performance You may think that it's a good way for not working too much, but people really like to come to the "stage" and be the artist: this has a positive effect in the party atmosphere. If this happens with singing, it doesn't with playing the keyboard. During these last 6 years I had only once a german guy asking me to play my keyboard. And he played very well, btw.
About the Kurzweil controller. It's not very up to date gear, but I love it's quality and feel. It has 32 internal sounds and an award winning piano sound (at the time it hit the market).

Terry,
Remember I'm not not american. Please explain to me what's a "hardy party"!
These four pictures were an unexpected gift from the photographer last week, I didn't select them. They're from the final part of the party, when everybody surrounded me as you see in the pics. During the most part of the event, it's me alone playing for the listeners/dancers.

-- Jose'.

Josè, a minha era uma brincadeira: vocé è um verdadeiro amigo, que eu sempre tengo no meu coracao

José.

Andrea make driblings better than Ronaldinho

Chico

Jose,
The real saying in this country is party hardy meaning to have a REAL good time.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html