From hudakjm@mcmaster.ca Tue Nov 15 11:40:01 2005
Subject:Re: Hammond vs. Korg vs. Roland vs. ...

Hi Lou:

For what it's worth I play the Korg BX-3, but as I'm sure you will see,
other folks have their own preferences. At the time I bought my BX-3
it was the best sounding keyboard for what I wanted, and for what was
available in my local music stores. Even so, having had it for just
about a year now I do hear some shortcomings now. All keyboards will
have their shortcomings and their good points. You appreciate the good
ones and learn to live with the bad ones, or do something about them.

Like you I am also new to playing keyboards. I've played guitar and
bass all my life (I'm 54 now) but just last year I decided to take up
keyboards. I absolutely love the sound of the Hammond B-3 (who
doesn't?!!!) and as there was little chance that I would ever be able
to buy one, let alone get it into my house I decided on a clone. One
thing I liked about the BX-3 was that it had two manuals. At the time
I bought it I wasn't sure how much of a good or bad point this was,
being as it were I was a rank beginner. Just the same, in my newbie
ignorance I reasoned that if the B-3 had two manuals then the clone I
bought shouls also have two manuals. For some reason in the back of my
mind this business of splitting a single keyboard, or buying a second
keyboard just didn't sit well with me. Once again, being an ingnorant
beginner I couldn't give a rational reason why, but it's just the way I
thought I should go. After a year now I am very glad I got a keyboard
with two manuals. Still not sure I can explain why but for me it just
works better.

One other thing I did was to take piano lessons. I asked around about
who I should study with and got the usual answers about the
"conservatory" and places like that. It just so happened that one of
our local "working" jazz musicians moved into my neighbourhood last
year and he was taking students. I signed up with him and I've never
regretted it. Not only am I learning to play keyboards I'm also
learning a lot about music. I think because he is a professional
musician out there gigging he brings a different perspective to my
lessons. Is learning at a music conservatory not as good? I don't
know. I just know that with this teacher I am learning to play a wide
variety of music, classical, jazz, pop, etc. Every couple of weeks he
throws another piece of music at me and I never know what it's going to
be. My last one was by Bach. Before that it was Duke Ellington. For
me I'm glad I went with him as a teacher. I don't think the grade
system at the local conservatory would sit well with me, although my
teacher says I am playing pieces that are taught at the grade 3 level.
Of course that's me, and others may not feel the same way.

Get what you like and can afford in a keyboard. Also I highly
recommend taking lessons. Yes, you can plink around on the keyboard
and figure things out. A good teacher will however impart knowledge to
you that you probably won't be able to figure out on your own, or find
in any books.

Good luck and have fun with the keyboards.

John