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Post by Panagiotis on Jan 5, 2006 22:32:04 GMT -5
What kinds of keyboards are anyone using for Greek music and why. Any decent sounds in particular?
Pete
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Post by rembetis on Jan 6, 2006 10:10:18 GMT -5
I use a Dell keyboard.
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Post by rembetis on Jan 6, 2006 10:13:38 GMT -5
sorry Peter, I couldn't resist. I only play bouzouki as a hobby and in general I don't care for keyboard in greek music. I prefer the traditional (which of course included accordion) stringed instruments exclusively.
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Post by Taki on Jan 6, 2006 11:46:42 GMT -5
Panagioti,
I have many keyboards that I have acquired throughout my musical career that I have used in Greek music...
Korg Sigma KP-30 Roland RD-700XP Roland RD-500 Roland D-50 Ketron Oriental GEM (the original one) Roland XP-80 Ensoniq TS-12 Ensoniq VFX SOund modules from Roland and Peavey for bass and other effects that I MIDI Kurzweil K2000
I have used other keyboards too, but have resold them for certain reasons....
Anyway, I hope this list gets some people primmed to ask questions...
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ousak
New Member
Posts: 25
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Post by ousak on Jan 6, 2006 12:34:34 GMT -5
Which of the good keyboards allow you to set moria (quarter tones)... I'm sure the ones that are called "Oriental" do.
I love Tsigganiki mousiki, which is similar to Turkish and perhaps Arabic too.
With the keyboard you can play taximia and solos all day...
Also which ones come with built-in drum machine with most of the greek and middle-eastern rhythms ??
I'm thinking of buying one in the future, just for a hobby... Might help my musical knowledge, when you see things from a different perspective (bouzouki fretboard versus a keyboard).
Awesome toy ! Santa m' akous ti thelw?
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Post by Taki on Jan 6, 2006 12:53:35 GMT -5
Ousak,
The question you have is a very loaded question....
First off, any keyboard can have quarter tones mouria... in other words, I have external programable MIDI quarter box that I can MIDI to any keyboard and get quarter tones....
Nowadays, any good programmable keyboard can create the quarter tone scale as part of the patch/sound, thus no need for an external box....
As for what you want from Santa, drum patterns, quarter tones, arabic sounds, etc. your best bet is just to buy a workstation that has all of that put together... the two companies that come to mind is Ketron and GEM (General Music) and make sure you get the Oriental series...
Likewise, I know Roland and Yamaha make arabic versions, but I do not know where to find those other than if you travel to the Middle East....
Good luck...
Taki
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Post by Panagiotis on Jan 6, 2006 15:33:04 GMT -5
Panagioti, I have many keyboards that I have acquired throughout my musical career that I have used in Greek music... Korg Sigma KP-30 Roland RD-700XP Roland RD-500 Roland D-50 Ketron Oriental GEM (the original one) Roland XP-80 Ensoniq TS-12 Ensoniq VFX SOund modules from Roland and Peavey for bass and other effects that I MIDI Kurzweil K2000 I have used other keyboards too, but have resold them for certain reasons.... Anyway, I hope this list gets some people primmed to ask questions... Nice array of boards! I currently use a GEM WK-4 oriental module, a Kurzweil K2VX, and a Yamaha PSR-3000 (which I aquired through my programming work with Yamaha). I also have a great old Minimoog which mostly stays in the studio. Pete
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Post by Panagiotis on Jan 6, 2006 15:43:03 GMT -5
Panagioti, I have many keyboards that I have acquired throughout my musical career that I have used in Greek music... Korg Sigma KP-30 Roland RD-700XP Roland RD-500 Roland D-50 Ketron Oriental GEM (the original one) Roland XP-80 Ensoniq TS-12 Ensoniq VFX SOund modules from Roland and Peavey for bass and other effects that I MIDI Kurzweil K2000 I have used other keyboards too, but have resold them for certain reasons.... Anyway, I hope this list gets some people primmed to ask questions... Nice array of boards! I currently use a GEM WK-4 oriental module, a Kurzweil K2VX, and a Yamaha PSR-3000 (which I aquired through my programming work with Yamaha). I also have a great old Minimoog which mostly stays in the studio. Pete Yes, I agree that GEM tends to make the best all around board for Greek and mid-eastern music. It has some great sounds and very easily utilized 1/4 tones....they're right on the fromt panel. Plus the arabic drum kits are really nice. The rhythm programming is top notch as well...for those who don't do their own programming. Of course, the sounds don't do anyone any good unless the musician knows how to play them with the proper feel. For instance, one wouldn't want to approach a zurna sound like a piano! Pete
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Post by Panagiotis on Jan 6, 2006 17:31:05 GMT -5
Posted by rembetis on Today at 7:10am I use a Dell keyboard. Posted by rembetis on Today at 7:13am sorry Peter, I couldn't resist. I only play bouzouki as a hobby and in general I don't care for keyboard in greek music. I prefer the traditional (which of course included accordion) stringed instruments exclusively. So, then your answer would be the accordion! Valid opinion. Would you not consider the acoustic piano to be acceptable in Greek music? It was quite extensively used...and much older than the bouzouki, actually! Plus, it has strings. Pete
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chris
New Member
Posts: 5
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Post by chris on Jan 10, 2006 8:53:45 GMT -5
Here is my small army of keyboards:
Fantom X6 Triton XP-60 O1-W M1
Taki, you are one of the best, if not the best Greek keyboardists I have ever heard in this country. Also, your band is awesome. NO BS! How is the cd coming along?
by the way, what do we all use to perform live?
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Post by taki on Jan 10, 2006 9:38:55 GMT -5
Giasou Chris... Xronia Polla!
Euxaristo gia to megalo complimento... alla, den mporo na to kano accept...
There are many excellent Greek keyboardists throughout the US, some that I am just getting to know through these blogs and websites... this includes yourself...
Your musical talent and effort has raised the professionalism of bands throughout the US... For those of you that do not know Chris and his band, they are the Levendes out of the Detroit MI area...
I am glad to see you on this forum Chris.... I hope with the lieks of myself, yourself, and Panagioti, we attract more musicians and keyboardists to this website...
As for what I use live, I have to state, as you have known me for a while, I always overdue it with equipment...
due to playing with a bands that did not have a bass player or a guitar player, and to ensure appropriate sounding leads are used per each style of music, I bring many keyboards to the job...
Live I use:
1) RDB-700XP - main use is for piano, electric piano, etc. for comping and piano leads.
2) 2 Octave MIDI board that I extract bass sounds from an older Peavey MIDI bass module.. forgot the model number...
3) Kurzweil KV2X - I get many leads out of this sampler keyboard mostly used for aravika and rebetika...
4) GEM WS! - standard Greek sounds like accordians, Strings, Mizmar, etc. also get's quarter tones...
5) Korg Sigma - this old monophonic piece from 1979 is used for leads that allows me to play sounds that mimc a clarinet or violin amongst other jazz style of monophonic leads... also, there is a different style of playing you need to incur to get quarter tones and bending while playing with only the right hand...
That is my main getup when I play with a full band without a bass player...
When I play as a one or two piece, of course, come out the more arranger type of keyboards and multiple drum machines that I have....
Taki
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chris
New Member
Posts: 5
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Post by chris on Jan 11, 2006 7:33:38 GMT -5
Taki, with all those keyboards, doesn't your back hurt? Just kidding. Wait until you reach my age. Anyways, I wanted to ask you what keyboard you uses for the araviko solo on your website and what scale tuning was it?
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Post by taki on Jan 11, 2006 9:22:36 GMT -5
Chris,
I have two non-rythmic solos on the website...
Now, the one that has the kanonaki sound...
...the scale is one that is played for songs that are in Hitzaz... I really do not know the names of the actual arabic scales, but this is the quarter tone tuning. The b is flated by 1/4 (50 cents) and the F is raised by 1/8 (20-25 cents)... of course, you need a keyboard or quarter tone box that is versitile enough to do both up and down 'cents' manuevering...
Now, the one with the analog synth lead.....
...the scale is again in a major scale, but uses quarter tones from what you would use in an Ousak minor scale. So, I am playing an exact notwise D major scale, but the quarter tone notes are F# and C# where each not is brought down by 50 cents. Thus, with the same two quarter tone designations, you can play two different scales: Ousak in E minor and D Major solo....
But of course, playing quarter tones, especially in Greek music is dangerous, due to not clashing with other fellow musicians, and not putting too many notes that may alter the personality of the song.... SO, even though quarter tones sound cool, be careful not to abuse the scales with the standard Greek scales. In other words, use these arabic scales to enhance the song, not turn it into a total arabic song.
Taki
Taki
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Post by taki on Jan 11, 2006 9:25:07 GMT -5
...likewise, the keyboards used are... the Roloand XP80 using an external quarter box for the kanounaki sound, and the Kurzweil KV2X for the synth sound.... I want to emphasize, that these sounds have been tweeked/programmed by myself to get the sound and touch and feel I desire....
lol
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Post by hijazz on May 22, 2006 21:14:33 GMT -5
taki you should check out the yamaha motif ES 6/7/8 , yamaha mexri tora itane mapa se thema synth, ala afto einai to kati alo, kai an thelis fones gia to motif tha se fero se epafi me ton armonista apo ti doulia mou, tha sou dosi oti exei kai den exei.
p.s. o stathis eimai re...
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