sergio

Never mind.... Here it is... Samba - Directions #1.mp3

m10538, I was thinking about the "solo" playing issue, and I added a page to my website called "Archive", and I posted audio files of a couple of the songs that I eventually arranged with the auto-accompaniment. I agree with you that I have to work on this... Anyway, one song, "Samba #1" is really an OLD clip from the 70s, when I had fire in my belly.... I could NEVER play like that again, but I tried to do it as much justice as possible when I added the rhythm.

Thanks, Jokeyman123! I was soooo pleased with the accordion sound from the keyboard that I'm thinking of either writing something in that mood or maybe arrange "La Vie en Rose", which is a personal favorite...

Believe me, I struggle with that... And I appreciate the comment. I'm not a pianist, or at least I don't think I play "solo" as good as I'd like to... It's hard for me to figure out to create the rhythm "solo" with the left hand, since I use the right for the melody and harmony. Some of my early songs I play solo, but my technique was not very good, I think. The rhythm, whichever I pick, I find that it "inspires" a melody... I just play chords and notes and sometimes I find a "riff" (?) that I like and eventually it grows into a whole piece. And it helps me with the left hand issue... I know I should do better, but the rhythm accompaniment is kind of a very helpful tool for me with my priorities (I like composing). I'll keep trying, though, because I agree with your suggestion.

Yeah, the accordion. I really like the sound... It really sounds like those Parisian accordionists (I had that in mind), and it's fun to work with it, so I may do more experimentation. I still like the clean sound of the piano, perhaps a bit of strings on top, but not much. Regarding the rhythm, I plead ignorance. It takes me a while to sync the melody in my head with the mechanical rhythm of the keyboard, and I sometimes fall behind or ahead. Also, there's a "rhythm editor" in my PX780, which allows me to change the various components of the accompaniment, from bass to percussion. I play with that a bit if (once I'm pretty good with the song in its totality), by listening to the various recordings, I decide to lower the volume of some drum or whatever. But I'm not very good at this and I sure could use some help with that stuff. You can even select various patterns and stuff and I just haven't played with it enough. Priorities. And no, I haven't pursued the rhythm problem... There's already so much in the keyboard that I really should try other rhythms from what's there already.

OK. I added a new "thing" to this one (m10538 suggestion), so let me know what you think. Boy, I tossed this song around a LOT, but I like the final product.

Beautiful!

Oh, yeah! BUT as a child of less than 12, I loved them! And they always ended in a catastrophe that you KNEW the main characters had died, and then they were saved by some "miracle" the next day... Those were more innocent days, I'm afraid. The Flash Gordon ones were my favorites. Buster Crabbe was the hero but there were so many "kingdoms" and planets and stuff and I couldn't get enough of it.

Well, lucky you! But you missed the serials, and they were so much fun... I'll never forget Emperor Ming in the Flash Gordon serials. I'm working on another song, but I don't like the beginning and I"m stuck. I didn't say it was easy...

I don't remember his name, but I remember the character.... Do you remember the serials? I used to eat them up as a child... The good ol' days!

That was the best! You may be old, but I remember the cartoon character... I used to watch him, Betty Boop, and so many others as a child in Havana. Our TV had many US programs, cartoons, serials (remember those?), etc. Very nice sync with the action... If silent movies ever come back, well, you have a talent.... 😀

"As smooth as"??? Oh, man, that's too much responsibility!! 😀 I like this one better than #1... more variety of sounds and I like the wave sound (that was real, right?). Right from the archives?? BTW, I'm trying to experiment with a different voice (you suggested vibes once and I was playing with the Vibraphone sound, nice). I'm still playing around because I really like the piano sound, and that's what I've been focusing on, but I found that I can change the sound without interrupting the auto rhythm, so it can change seamlessly... possible feature to use, but I have to play with it.

It's a browser issue, because I was able to listen to it using Chrome... Anyway, that was very nice!!! Very interesting sound... I'm not too familiar with the Beach Boys (was never a fan), so I'm not familiar with the tune. I looked it up in Amazon to hear the orig version. Congrats! I think that tech is just a tool, like a brush with camel hair for painting as well as pixels on a display screen... Same with sound. Whatever your objective is...

I'm having the same problem with the link that goes nowhere, and using Video Downloader gave me essentially an empty file. I don't know what the problem is... I use Firefox and I've been able to hear other recordings. On another topic, I empathize with your suggestion that using tech to improve a sound is akin to "cheating", but when I think about it more, I don't agree, depending on what your objective is. If your objective is to create a recording that sounds as good as it gets, to be enjoyed while listening, I don't see that using tools, whether it's a regular piano, a keyboard, a MIDI whatever, is "cheating"... If your objective is to capture a, say, live recording of some performance, then I would agree... I don't know, because I don't know enough about the advanced features of my keyboard to do much with them, but I'd like to learn more and play with those features.

We all have sad stories to tell, m10538.... Remember, I'm 72.5 yrs old, so I've had my share of "unfortunate events" along the way. But I've always believed that the only time that matters is the now and the yet to come; the past is to learn from. (I found that in a Chinese cookie) 😀 But it's true.

😁😁😁 If it's not too personal, why did you give it up? You seem to be musically addicted like me... 😂

It's nice, but my only suggestion is that you add more (different) chords to make it more interesting...

I'm using Firefox, but the links usually work... I have no idea...

Awesome! I love what you did!!! Keep it up, my friend. Sergio

For some reason nothing happens when I click on the file... I was able to download the file using Video Downloader, but the link didn't work.

Thanks! I bought my PX-780 5 yrs ago and I'm still learning how to use it... It's an awesome instrument and I know I have a lot to learn, specially if I hooked it up to a PC. I tried very early on when I bought it, but I haven't done it again or explored what to do with it. I just focus on improving my piano techniques and I enjoy composing songs. It's a hobby for an old man, and I get enormous pleasure from doing all of it. And... it keeps me off the streets too!!! 😀 😀 I looked up some of the other keyboards, like the one Tsquare used, and they seem so incredibly awesome! I just don't know if I have the patience now to learn a whole new electronic gadget... Let me know how you like the 3000.

Terrific sound! Good luck with the keyboard!

Thanks for the comments, vbdx66. My keyboard is PX-780 and I like it a lot. I'm just a retired man and this is my hobby. I started the whole thing of getting my music to the web and YouTube was the vehicle I found at the time. I'm used to it, and the video actually (I think) adds a bit to the music, since I TRY to carefully pick the images in Google and synchronize them to the tune. It's a tedious process and not one that thrills me, but I like the end product, and I think I"ve got better over time.

Thanks, m10538!!! You know my problem with the rhythm thing... I did post the question in the tech forum but I haven't got a reply. Anyway, the first thing that I play around with to come up with a melody is to pick a rhythm, and I've explained how the keyboard has so many of them, but many are almost the same and others are too weird for me. So I keep cycling through the choices, and then I experiment with chord changes. Once I fix on the rhythm it pretty much stays, but I may adjust it a bit, now that I know how to do that. So it's not that I didn't take your advice... This song was almost done and I just needed to practice (hard and frustrating).

Well, I HAD to come up with a title, and "Y" is a great joke, but I don't have a powerful enough motivation to do that... So, a city visit instead.... I hope it's OK. I don't particularly like this part of the job because it's not music (making the darn video and choosing the images), but it's done.