Oops, hit SEND by mistake.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PlA6r-Ex3U&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfhwyLMfRGw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XsYuHbXZUk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGg6LIMNUZM


And apart from all that young talent, I'm happy that the organ market is still going strong in Asia.

Regards

Taike



[This message has been edited by Taike (edited 09-22-2009).]

double post

[This message has been edited by Taike (edited 09-22-2009).]

Great links, Taike. I was an Electone instructor for some years, and a couple of my students from the school went to Japan to the Electone Festival/Competition, and were astounded by the level of talent.

A good friend of mine (since passed away) and one of my trainers/educators in Electone (especially in doing registrations) was a guy from Quebec named Claude Dupras...he came first in one of the divisions in the Electone Festival/Competition in Japan....a great guy, and a very talented yet humble individual.

These video clips also show the skill with which these kids set up their own registrations, as well as their exceptional keyboard prowess.

Thanks.

Ian

BTW...one of my students came second in his division...he was pretty darn good too, but the competition was fierce...and yes, organ playing is still alive and kickin' in Asia.

[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 09-23-2009).]

Hi Ian,

You may be surprised (or not) but I've heard of Claude Dupras as I keep a close watch on the Yamaha Music Festival. In fact, here are some excerpts of him playing the Electone HX-1 and Electone EX-42 in London, Ontario, in May 1987:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_th6mF4_XI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwbctDEuLaA&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErmSOORFFtY&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb_Oa2Ajh10&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMrCM-YHdaE&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65pf2KprsO8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CN_FMeJwFo&feature=related

...and some of his Yamaha synthesizer (FX-1 ??)demos...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmtMvU6AjW8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adhCr3kvHCI&feature=related

It seems that the Technics Annual Organ Competition is no longer. Too bad as there was some real talent as well. Roland and Kawai had their own organ competitions but I can't recall whether these were local or international events. Any idea?

Here you'll find a pic of Kawai's top model, the Dreamatone DT9. As you notice, it comes with real drawbars. Kawai always had great organ voices. Actually, a Thai acquaintance of mine has the DT9 but he's back in Thailand now. That calls for a further investigation on my part...I wish! Price on the website is 17,258.72 USD.
http://www.yourhobby.nl/portal/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=753&fullsize=1
http://shop.kawai.co.jp/mshiroshima/images/20070318_01.jpg

By the way, did you get my email message which I sent today?

Regards

Taike



[This message has been edited by Taike (edited 09-23-2009).]

Hi Taike,

Thanks again for the great links...I have several Claude Dupras albums (on vinyl, no less) that feature Electone instruments.

In fact, I often play "Nightbirds" in my demos, in memory of Claude...I play it with a Brazilian Samba beat mostly.

I did not receive your email...I did get one some time ago (back in June), which I was rather late responding to, because of work...I replied on 8/12/2009.

Yes, I agree with Kawai having great organ sounds...always did...we sold them alongside Electone when I was working at a large store in Newfoundland, Canada.

I'll have a look at Kawai's latest,and greatest DT9...did you intend to put up a link?

Claude's passing was a great loss to Yamaha, as well as his family...he left two little girls and a lovely wife...he was a perfectionist, and even after he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, he continued to work with Electone and Electone Schools almost till the end...he was a great inspiration to me, and a really cool guy.

I played the EX-42,and FX-1 as well as HX-1...I owned several Electones...a three manual D-85 (with two additional Yamaha Leslie type cabinets) as well as an E-70 Electone, with full pedalboard...my last was an HX-1.

Kind of off topic, but I recently sold a Yamaha GS-1 Synthesizer (looks like a little piano...wood cabinet...weighted 88 keybed...sold it to a collector; I picked it up at an estate sale pretty cheap. Grandaddy of the DX line...8 operator FM (as opposed to DX-7's six op)...mint condition, hardly ever played.

Some of this technology was shared with the Electones...I didn't like them at first, preferring the older analog sound (PASS:Pulse Analog Synthesizer System)...but they eventually managed to warm it up nicely.

Good to see you back posting on SZ.

Ian

Hi Ian,

Glad to have you back to posting as well.

Not much info on the Kawai Dreamatone DT9 unless you can find the Japanese websites.

By the way, here's Kawai's ("cute" in Japanese) answer to Yamaha's D85:
http://www.keyboardexchange.com/inventory.html (second pic from the bottom up)

I used to play it a lot during my first two years in Taiwan (1980 ~ 1982). At the time you could go to just about any music shop that had private classrooms and play. One hour cost about 80 cents (US currency).

When I first arrived in Taiwan (1980) I saw this beast, the Kawai T50, in a Kawai shop:
http://organforum.com/photos/andy_gs_pix/picture30444.aspx

Of course, I had to have a go at it. I felt like a midget. This thing is huge. One year later I had the pleasure of seeing the great Argentine virtuose Hector Oliviera perform on this monster. What a sound! Way ahead of its time.

Regards

Taike

[This message has been edited by Taike (edited 09-23-2009).]

Yep...this is about the most complex instrument I've ever seen...the Kawai T50.



Kawai's T50, built in 1977, for the company's 50th birthday.

There are four standard manuals and an AGO pedalboard, then 4 short manuals at the right (Orchestral Synthesizers), then there is an arpeggiator manual and a glissando manual to the right of the drawbars. Guess that makes it ten manuals! Originally ran through 32 speakers of various sizes (all big) producing around 16,000 watts of oomph.

First organ to feature a true choir sound, and has the most realistic analogue strings ever. Even has a classical pipe organ division.

You'd be a busy guy with that monster.

Makes the PSR-S900 (and Tyros) look like a flea on an elephant's behind.

[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 09-23-2009).]

Thanks for putting up the pic, Ian.

Now picture Hector at the console. He's only a bit over 5ft.

Regards

Taike

Ian,

Here's the man responsible for creating the T50: Masato Akiyama
http://www.organist.net/organist.swf

He's one of Japan's superstars at the console.

Regards

Taike

------------------
Bo pen nyang.