Hi from Houston, TX

[big jilm]

Hi, everybody!

I have enjoyed reading here! I have just started playing synth in my coverband, so i am a total newbie on keys. I sing, play acoustic and electric guitar, harmonica, and some mandolin in my band as well. I've played guitar, bass, and harmonica for almost 30 years.

We play about 6 or 8 songs that need synth stuff, so I bought a Microkorg on Craigslist and just dove in. A few Floyd tunes, some 80's stuff. As you can see from my avatar, I have been cheating by writing the notes on the keys and have no idea what I am doing - but I've been pulling it off live.

Anyway, I am really enjoying playing synth and I am thinking of looking for something with full size keys and better organ sounds, strings, etc.

Thanks for all the good reading!

big jilm

 

[Becky]

Hello and welcome aboard!

 

[Fred Coulter]

Welcome on board. Have you considered taking lessons?

 

[big jilm]

Welcome on board. Have you considered taking lessons?

Hi there! No, I really don't have the time. I'll just peck away at it. I am just padding, anyway - chords are coming along. If I really want to get decent, I will need to, though!

 

[happyrat1]

Greetings!!

We're a fun and friendly bunch.

With your history with other instruments you shouldn't have too much trouble making the adjustment to keys.

An octave is still an octave and if you have trouble memorizing which key is which just learn where to find A, C and F to begin with. The other notes will fill in with practice.

Gary

 

[Oriane Lima]

Hello big Jill, welcome. This is a fair place. There are no idiosyncrasies around here. Everyone is friendly and ready to criticize, to help each other, I, for example, have grown a lot since I started attending this site. Besides the music itself, the guys here are very knowledgeable in technical aspects, related to digital keyboards and their overall function.

 

[Rayblewit]

Its a huge welcome from me too Jim.
"Howdy y'all!

 

[big jilm]

Thanks very much, y'all! Band practice went great today, as I unveiled my new sound and part for Floyd's 'Hey You'. I am currently looking at used keyboards to use that have full size keys, and there is a Roland Juno Gi for sale that might fit the bill - I hear it has decent organ sounds, so I may grab it when the budget allows if it is still available.

I am having fun in this band switching between 12 string acoustic, 6 string electric, harmonica, mandolin, bass (when the bass player is singing), and now synth. Now I am working up the flute solo to Jethro Tull's 'Teacher' - I may be able to pull it off.

Thanks for the warm welcome!

 

[CowboyNQ]

Hey Big Jilm, welcome. If you want any tips on Floyd stuff, whether it be the sounds or the playing thereof, please feel free to ask.

 

[big jilm]

Hey Big Jilm, welcome. If you want any tips on Floyd stuff, whether it be the sounds or the playing thereof, please feel free to ask.

Thanks!

Floyd is my favorite band, and their music just stays with me. I'm a guitar player for the most part, and a singer - but I am the guy who plays the synth for the Floyd songs we do. I am looking to pick up something used that works well for Floyd in a bar-band context. Nothing perfect, just something that will do a better job than my MicroKorg. There are a couple of used Korg MicroStations around me, and those seem like they might work for pads, organ, and strings and stuff, and I don't mind the small keys really as I don't do much intricate stuff. Just chords padding the tunes.

 

[CowboyNQ]

You mentioned that you do Hey You. This is us doing it. If you want to compare notes on any of the keyboard sounds, feel free to send me a note.

https://soundcloud.com/user-412825325/hey-you-live

 

[big jilm]

You mentioned that you do Hey You. This is us doing it. If you want to compare notes on any of the keyboard sounds, feel free to send me a note.

https://soundcloud.com/user-412825325/hey-you-live

Man, that sounds great! Thanks for sharing. Love the tones you are getting there. I'm actually getting something serviceable from my MicroKorg on this song - it's not exact for sure, but it sounds pretty good. I cannot get any organ tones from the thing that are worth a crap at all, though - it's just not made for it. I kinda bought it on a lark off Craigslist, and took it to practice and we ended up really liking it. Good for some of the 80's stuff we do (I Ran by Flock of Seagulls, Shout by Tears For Fears and a few others) but no nice piano or organ sounds. I am on a super tight budget, so I am hoping that the MicroStation will be a decent bar-band piece of gear to get some organs and strings and stuff.

Love that clip, man - you guys sound great!

 

[CowboyNQ]

Thanks BJ, very kind.

I'm not really familiar with the MicroStation but it looks to me like it's quite versatile and so it should suit your needs just fine.