Moog Music Forum

Questions:


1. Are there any fusion/ 70's progrock Synth transcriptions out there.
i.e. Yes, ELP Jan Hammer, Genesis, Pink Floyd etc etc?

2. Are there books besides the generic piano scale books.
Like a rock guitarist would dive into
guitarist would use- basically fingering rules for getting through
long and winding runs etc? Not static fingerings.

Me:

1. I can transcribe the CD's no problem- I'm a guitarist.

2. I'm a Prof. of Guitar at Monmouth University. Studied
classical guitar at Manhattan School of Music. Jazz guitar w/
jazz legend Tal Farlow. I also
publish 3 of my own guitar methods. I understand
theory from top to bottom etc.

3. I'm not interested in playing piano (had a couple of years at
Manhattan School of Music. ) I want to be a "lead Synth player"

4. I know how to improvise. Read etc.

5. I need to learn how to devise fingerings that break out of the
2-3 octave fingerings that all beginning pianists learn. I've noticed
they do
not fit into what synth do -at least sometimes. I can figure
out fingerings but they my not even be the best way to get
across the board. Guitar is like this.

Why:

1. I'm the type that would buy a Voyager and never really
play it well.

2. I can express my self on the guitar with no problem.
And I start to just try to take guitar riffs to the keys.
The lack of real skill will make owning a voyager just another toy.


3. I have a Nord lead III- good enough for me to work with.

4. I'll buy one when I'm going to be able to play at a reaonable level.

5. I want to learn old school synthesis from the ground up-playing to


I need to know what reasoning Emerson, Wakeman use. I have some
Wakeman stuff ready to but my fingerings need major help.

Don't let me down guys I know organists, pianists and harpsichord
players are not the same playing wise.

I really don't want to hook a midi guitar system to play a keyboard!

Thanks

Aaron

www.FunkyDogMusic.com

As I was reading your post, the first thing that came to mind was "use a MIDI guitar", until I read your closing statement. I myself have much more skill on guitar than keyboard, so I've delved into guitar-to-MIDI technology. I bought the latest Roland converter and was quite disappointed with the tracking. I used to have an old Casio MIDI guitar (the kind Stanley Jordan used) and it tracked much better than the Roland device. On a side note, the synth-like Roland VG-8/88 devices track perfectly and give you synth-like sounds (along with many other).

You might consider investigating either a good guitar-to-MIDI converter like the Axon, or you might consider a guitar-like controller like those made by Starr Labs which provides many of the features of a keyboard on an interface similar to a guitar. Too bad the SynthAxe never made it big because it seems to be the best MIDI guitar ever released.

In regards to transcriptions of classic prog-rock synth parts, I've searched for the same myself and it doesn't seem any exist.

Mark

Oh great another guitar player to hog the spotlight.

JUST KIDDING!!!!

Anyway - I have to say Aaron that you guitar players are spoiled with all the tabs and transcriptions out there - no such equivalent exists for the keyboard world. We get our licks from listening. But learning licks from Wakeman or Emerson requires a background in scales and technique, there isn't any shortcut around that. Fingering technique has a big emphasis in prog rock licks.

It's bad enough that we have to learn the licks - and we have to decipher the sound they're using too!!!

Not to discourage you but wanted to give you a heads up.

<< I'll buy one (Voyager) when I'm going to be able to play at a reaonable level. >>

Aaron,

What is meant by 'play at a reasonable level'? As an accomplished guitartist , I'm sure you put in many, many hours honing your skills to get where you are today. The same will have to take place with the synthesizer. Besides having to master basic keyboard technique (piano & organ), you will also have to come to grips with performance gestures (pitch and mod wheels, aftertouch, etc.), and have a solid grasp of synthesis principles and sound design.

If you're really lucky, you might find a private teacher willing to help you on those things you're looking to pick up. Unfortunately for me, I've never found that person, which is why I'm self-taught.

As for the Voyager, I think it would be a very good synth to learn on as it has a solid heritage (going back thirty years) and will likely be around for a long time to come. This is in sharp contrast to 'flavor of the month' synths that may not be long for this world. Guitar technology has changed quite a bit in the last 50 years, but a guitar is still a guitar. By comparison, synths change so often that if you're going to invest time, money and energy in learning an instrument, I can think of no better choice than a Moog Voyager.

Guitarists (electric) have their Strats, Les Pauls and Telecasters.
Synthesists have their Moogs.

Greg

Forgot to mention a reference book for you:

"Power Tools for Synthesizer Programming" by Jim Aiken.

If you're looking to learn 'old school' synth techniques, this is the book for you.

Greg