From cthomas@inversemedia.com Mon Jul 11 07:02:29 2005
Subject:Learning via MIDI vs. reading

Hi all,

Wondering if you have some links or suggestions for great keyboard riffs in MIDI format?
Anyone interested in exploring publishing some for a sideline business venture?
Anyone care to post some MIDI tracks to the groups forum?

Please let me explain:
I've been an amateur player for a long time, and always relied more on ear and feel more
than reading. I always felt a disconnect playing transcribed solos versus listening and
"seeing" the spatial patterns and relationships of the keys/notes/pitches. I've taken
lessons over the years but the time and cost were not effective for my schedule.

Back around early 80's when MIDI came out, a friend and I built a MIDI lightbar which sat
on top of a keybed, received MIDI data and converted the stream to LED lights over the
notes. The idea came from another friend who had a business repairing player pianos and
showed me a Fats Waller roll, from which I quickly learned some bass/lead riffs from
watching the keys and listening.

What we found back then was the light strip was good at showing relative positions, but
one could not learn long phrases. So blinking lights are not the answer. For me reading
was not the answer either. I've also used audio and video slow downers which can take a
piece and slow it down in time, without affecting pitch, to transcribe solos. This too is time
consuming. A recent example was transcribing a Brian Auger solo off his excellent DVD.

Of course many of you are probably saying "Listening, practicing and hard work are the
answer" but with those of us who are amateurs with limited practice time or perhaps are
not musically proficient in transcribing solos, I've continued searching for an easier/
quicker way to learn tunes and solos.

My adhoc learning rig consists of a $100 Yamaha EZ-150 (lightup keys via MIDI) sitting on
my piano's rack or above my electro, driven by a computer midi rig. A good approach to
learning via MIDI can be found at www.adgproductions.com. By printing the score,
watching (and slowing down) the MIDI notes, and listening to the feel of the piece
(computer playing internal MIDI or driving the Yamaha) I've come across a great system
that utilizes the best of all methods. I find this approach helps my reading, listening , and
analytical/spatial/visualzation skills.

The problem now is the lack of content, professionally created MIDI tracks of intermediate
and advanced material in Blues, Rock and Jazz. Any suggestions/ideas
for creating such tracks/courseware? Not sure of the marketing potential for selling
these tracks online, but the distribution costs are neglible, ADG productions has the right
approach.

Thanks for your interest, please respond either on or off list. Constructive criticism of this
learning approach is welcome for discussion as well.

Chris Thomas
cthomas@inversemedia.com