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Joined: May 2024
What keyboard model(s) do you have ?: Yamaha Genos 2, KORG PA5X, KETRON EVM, Crumar Mojo Suitcase, Genelec Speakers with sub woofer, King KORG and MK3 61 MIDI Keyboard.
Location: London
Bio: My name is James (alias James Tyros, I adopted as a username on some of my performances when I discovered Yamaha Tyros).
I was born in 1960 in a North East Coastal Town called Hartlepool (don’t mention the monkey!). I moved to London in 1992. In 1971 my parents were given an old upright piano from an elderly friend. My sisters took no interest but I was fascinated by it and kept hammering away at the ivory's almost daily. My school teacher, at the time, told me that I had an ear for music and a hidden talent. I was always listening to music, be it on the radio or record player at home. Often falling asleep with the radio plugged into my ears at night!
The first notes I started to pick out was identified from Beautiful Dreamer, which was constantly being played on the record player at home. I followed it repeatedly and with practice, trial and error, that became my first piece which I picked up by ear. Over the years I found I was able to listen to most music a few times and pick it up on the piano. I couldn't quite get the left hand too well without 'vamping' too much! I was then treated me to my first electronic organ. Actually it was a table top Bontempi in bright red with chord push buttons on the left. Bought from the Co-op with stamps, so you can imagine it. Small, plastic and tin box sound but to me was a joy! The rest is history but needless to say I adapted to the organ far better than the piano. I'd never consider myself a pianist, although I have hammered out some old time sing-a-longs at various charity events. But the organ became my foundation and still is today. I never learned to play off music. I don't consider myself a perfect keyboard player but am told otherwise.
To me playing by ear holds many advantages, ability just to listen to music and pick it up on the keys. But it’s not just playing by memory. I know what a key should sound like before I play it. Of course I would have loved to be able to study and read music but never had the opportunity. It's also a joy to improvise with various pieces and to create my own renditions.
I am now the proud owner of Yamaha Genos 2 and KORG PA5X and in 2025 recent purchase of a KETRON EVM Module with Touchscreen. Previously, Yamaha Tyros 3, 4, 5 and various electronic organs such as Orla, Yamaha PSR-540 and Yamaha Electone FE-40. I have had the pleasure of playing Hammond and Yamaha with Leslie speakers in club bookings. I had regular venues in North East pubs and clubs in the early years. Nowadays I play more as a personal hobby at home. I still enjoy composing my own compositions. Amongst my previous performances, I play pieces from the late great and inspirational Klaus Wunderlich on Tyros 3. The tracks are picked from what I think was Klaus Wunderlich best album 'Dream Concerto'.
I enjoy listening and reading about other performers, amateur or otherwise, in order to learn from each other. I particularly like to hear from other performers who play by ear.
Gender: Male
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