A few months ago I upgraded to a Triton Extreme (76 key version) from a Triton Classic (61 keys). That has made a major dent in my blending time since then, but in such a good way
So here’s a song, an outpouring really, about releasing the energy and potential deep within us until we have given everything we have back into the universe, like a star going supernova…
It’s a very “live” song too in that it is definitely imperfect and impromptu, for better or worse, recorded as played on the keyboard as a wave file and then transferred, normalized, and converted into an MP3 file on the computer.
The sound used for this was “Frequency Lead” from the MOSS sound expansion board.
The joystick was used quite a bit to alter pitch and modulation while playing. The expression pedal was also slightly used. On board effects (reverb, delay) are such great production tools to work with, completely modular and alterable even during playback.
The sound chosen for this is one of those cool monophonic lead sounds that allows you to play rapid passages, very similar to hammer-ons and pull-offs on a guitar string, a great sound just to get wild and unpredictable with.
Anyway, it was a fun and musically liberating experience
Well, that was interesting to listen to…but I won’t be playing this repeatedly
The parts like the ones around 0:35-0:55 and 1:51-2:00 make me feel a bit dizzy when I listen to them a couple of times or more, but right after those it definitely reminds me of the background music for an outer space-related documentary (or old movie, because present [space] films are all about the impact full music).
Friday13: Haha, thanks for listening! Definitely not a loopable song I think
LarryPhillips: Thanks for responding! There was a recent big price drop over the past few months on the Triton line, so the price should be lower. Yes, 88 keys would be the ultimate. For me, the difference in the piano patches was worth the trade-in/upgrade alone. The Triton Classic had what I felt was a usable but rather synthetic sounding piano, whereas the Extreme has internally incorporated the Piano expansion board with superior samples. I thought first it was because I was using headphones (I only play with headphones due to living arrangements), but then listening to Classic-based recordings in the car I knew it wasn’t just that. Another thing, the MOSS EXB was free offer via Korg at the time, so that was a huge incentive to move up. That, and the USB storage and USB-to-PC capability, which is awesome, because you can record directly on the Extreme (using RAM/CompactFlash module) and export it as waves with zero line noise. It’s like a universe of potential sound in a box with keys. Setting it free is definitely the fun part
It is an impressive machine for sure. The piano sounds is what hooked me too (even tho I’m more a synth and organ type guy). You should hear it through a big sound system. My buddies have to drag me off of it when we’re out looking at guitars (my true love).
It’s difficult to critique a work like this; elements of music are hard to isolate in writing, especially for a keyboard solo.
What can I say? Could’ve used more rhythm. The melodies in some parts were especially nice. The very end was a little jarring. Perhaps you might take some of your favorite riffs in this song and work them into another, more cohesive song.
Overall, the piece was refreshing to listen to. I like the way your brain works. Keep it up.
You have one pro keyboard why do you play with it like a non-pro ?
Some parts are not on tone the start is ok i like the “guitar” ptch up part
The instrument is a “lead” played it like it whas an organ or antic piano without the guitar feell only in the start…
That why i prefer stantard instruments they sound clean this is harsh to my ear!
Sorry but some parts sound like you fell depresed…
LarryPhillips: I know the feeling. Guitar is my main instrument of choice, but keyboard has always been right there. Both gives us endless expressive capabilities.
Rocketman: I really appreciate your response to this because that’s exactly what I was going for. There are some slight echoes of classical in there from my earlier studies many years ago, but the descent/ascent into noise and flirting with atonal/microtonality, especially at the end, is the fun part that takes me to the other end of the musical spectrum. I’ve gone further than that in other pieces, sometimes more towards the Steve Roach/Robert Rich area of the musical universe, and beyond. It’s fun just to see where it goes, where we can take it or where it takes us, if anywhere, if even for an instant, almost like riding a wave that can deposit you in a new galaxy.
OneMan: LOL, this wasn’t conceived as a showcase of virtuosity or pro-ness in any way, just a disruption of silence through amplitude and frequencies modulating in concordance with some cosmic background rhythm that happened to pass through me right at the time I sat before the keyboard I used the sustain pedal at certain point, which might contribute to the organesque aspect of the piece. I play in many different styles, as some people here can tell you. I think these workstations need to be worked out and played in strange new ways. I often like to try out odd ideas on the keyboard, like swapping out the drum program in the 10th MIDI channel for something like a harmonica, or a portamento type sound and letting the arpeggiator go nutty on that. It sometimes makes for a good laugh. I wouldn’t mind hearing more music makers get experimental, break out of their orthodox memorized tonalities/modalities, song structures, and general expectations. So much musical expression remaining to be found out there, as some others discovered (e.g. BT, Enigma, Eno, Steve Roach, Satriani/Vai, Vernon Reid, Debussy, Stravinsky…), but much of that will always be unhappy random untrained noise to some ears Thankfully, though, music is so diverse and expansive that everyone could find some joy in it somewhere and even add to it.
rule to the rule :)))