Piano?

[Mamos]

I have just watched J Aebersold's "Anyone can improvise DVD" and I would recommend it for anyone no matter what instrument you play.

Most of the exercises are demonstrated at the piano and I came away with not only a greater confidence that i will be able to learn to improvise well on my sax but that I could also learn to improvise on the piano.

The way he teaches is amazing.

So, How many of you guy also play the piano?

mamos

 

[Pete Thomas]

I don't "play" the piano, but do use it a lot for working stuff out, understanding harmony and composing.

 

[Pete C]

piano

essential I would say to tinker at the piano for hearing and "seeing" harmony, for composing and arranging, and for demonstrating harmonic ideas. I have two pianos, can't really play but love trying and the best thing is that playing the piano is so relaxing compared to sax.

 

[Mamos]

OK

What I would like is a small keyboard but with full size keys.

I wan it small enough so I can grab it whenever the inspiration hits and play it on my lap on the sofa.

Would 25 keys be enough for exploring scales and chords etc

I would like it to be midi so I can use it as a controller but it need to have at least a piano voice built in so I don't have to boot up the laptop everytimg I want to have a play.

All of the small midi controller type keyboards I have seen so far rely on the computer for their voices and so are useless without

Also, I don't want it to cost the same as a new sax because I would rather buy a new sax

Any ideas?

mamos

 

[thehunt]

I taught myself to read music and play the piano, albeit not very good, however since starting the sax a year ago and having lessons from day one it has improved my sight reading skills. I do prefer to play the tenor sax though.
Phil

 

[losaavedra]

My keyboard playing generally is a bit restricted. I've got a reasonably modern upright that used to belong to my Mum, and three old Casio keyboards ... a CT-670 with normal sized keys, an MT-640 with mini keys and a battery operated SA-1, a two and a half octave tiddler. All the Casios have numerous built-in sounds and I use them in different ways depending on what I'm trying to do. The two larger ones have MIDI connects IN and OUT with a THRU also on the CT-670. I prefer some of the tones on the MT-640 over those on the CT-670 ('piano' for example) but a length of MIDI cable connected means that the sounds of the former can be played while keying the latter (and vice versa) or both keyboard's sounds can be lumped together as a combined output with different instruments. The SA-1, which is only 15" long, I use solely for working out melodies. Its only 2-note polyphonic otherwise I could work out chords more easily on it too. The 'portability' of the SA-1 (the third I've owned) is what scores. The only output on it is to the internal speaker or to headphones. Its just so convenient, I frequently play it in bed when I'm working out things!!
Finally, I should say that I'm not really much of a piano 'player' at all. I only do keyboard tunes in three keys ... Eb for blues, C# for ballads (I just love dem black notes!) and a bit of Am for a few other odds and ends. It would help if I could find the time to read properly. Various attempts at learning tunes from the dots have taken me days to plough through in the past!