how to play piano | The Musicians blog

Basic Music Theory

Hey fellow musicians… Ron Greene here,

There are a lot of decent basic music theory books, tapes etc. on the market these days, and many of them provide good technical content. However, most of the information in them seems to lack specific details that otherwise, really never get you to the point of playing your instrument.

For example, this free music theory publication does a good job of explaining Key Signatures and the history of music, yet, this subject might not interest you as much as getting your instrument out and actually getting down to the matter at hand… playing it! Continue reading Basic Music Theory →

Keith Emerson of, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Died…

For those among us musicians that loves the keyboard player in the band… I for one, have always appreciated the great sound and jams that, Emerson, Lake and Palmer laid-down. Unfortunately, Keith has passed… yet, he has left us with a great legacy for our reference of his wonderful keyboard rock style.

As noted on ELP’s Wiki, regarding Keith… “Keith Emerson was the co-founder of one of the most popular and commercially successful progressive rock bands in the 1970s!… ”

“Their musical sound included adaptations of classical music with jazz and symphonic rock elements and was dominated by Emerson’s flamboyant use of the Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, and piano.”

Let the Keyboard player in the band live forever!
Jam On!
-Ron

Michael Putland, Getty Images

(By Nick DeRiso – via UltimateClassicRock.com)
As this article notes: “Keith Emerson, the outsized co-founding keyboardist in Emerson Lake and Palmer has died. Long-time bandmate Carl Palmer said he passed last night (March 10) in Santa Monica, Calif. ELP later confirmed the news. No cause of death has been mentioned; Emerson was 71.”

“Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come,” Palmer said. “He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz.”

Learn and read more about Keith’s death, here ->
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/keith-emerson-dies/

In Memory of the Passing of Musicians in 2013

The passing of musicians in 2013…

NPR just released a nice montage and dedication of the passage of this planet’s wonderful musicians, departed this past year…
Jam On!
-Ron

NPR Music remembers the musicians, composers, producers and other visionaries whom we lost in 2013. Explore their musical legacies…

See the dedication here -> https://apps.npr.org/music-memoriam-2013/

The history of the Hammond Organ…

the Hammond Organ

The history of the Hammond Organ goes beyond the iconic double level keyboard… Hammond patented over 100 product ideas, including… (in 1922) 3D movies and a few years later he was first to market the electric clock!

Ironically, the syncronistic motor in the clock contributed to his insights in the development of the Hammond Organ (in the 1930s). An interesting note is the fact that Lawrence Hammond was never a musician and never thought a musical instrument was in his future.

Of course, the B3-Hammond went on to become the most classic ‘jam Organ’ of all times with the help of Jimmy Smith’s Jazz electric keyboard intro… Then rock opened the doors even further.

And… the history of Hammond, well… here’s the ‘History!’

I especially love the part about how Hammond was able to use the word ‘Organ’, whereby before, the word was reserved for pipe organ manufacurers only. Also includes the first lady of the Hammond and the most interesting, early conflicts with Hammonds important counterpart, the Leslie speaker enclosure… Wow!
Ron-

Further citations for your reference…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammond_organ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_speaker

Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord, The Trondheim Experiment…

A previously unreleased concert performance by former Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord is available online, courtesy of his family and friends.

Called ‘The Trondheim Experiment,’ the show features Lord working with a chamber orchestra at Nidaros Cathedral in Norway on May 24, 2010.

Noted as “a celebration of good friends and music” at a venue that Lord credited with changing his life, the recordings are now being offered as his tribute.

A celebration of a very special concert that offers fans a chance to hear an experiment of new arrangements, new musicians, and songs rarely played.

Lord himself passed away in July 2012, making ‘The Trondheim Experiment’ a sweet tribute to an artist who remained restlessly creative until his final days.

Check out the website — which also includes behind-the-scenes bonuses and an interview with Lord…
— here->
https://trondheimexperiment.com/intro.html
Ron-