It Can Drive You 'Nuts'

Information contributed by - Ken Belton

I am sure many 'Ear' and 'Memory' players can sympathise with me at the utter frustration of not being able to get a new tune to stick in our heads, and then when we think we have it we can't transfer it to the keyboard for some reason or another!!!

Just such a tune entered my head after watching many episodes of  the TV programme 'Midsomer Murders'.  I thought, I wonder if I can play that tune, and scuttled off to the organ to have a go.

To my horror, as I tried to fathom it out, I find its in a minor key, Ugh!! not familiar with these beasties at all!!?  However I kept practising the first part which is also repeated after the middle section until I had just about got it. The middle section of the tune was not familiar to me at all,  so I went searching for the theme tune on 'YouTube'. Success there it was, so it was  immediately downloaded and I started to try and memorise that elusive middle section. This took a very long time as whenever I thought I had got it, and rushed to the organ to try it out, I could not get it to follow on from the first section.  Basically I think, because I was not too familiar with that 'haunting' minor key sound as most of my music is played in the 'happy' major keys. However, persistence has paid off and I can now play something that is a close resemblance to the original theme tune plus or minus a few wrong chords and notes along the way!!

Not only does this method of leaning drive yourself 'nuts', everyone else who has the misfortune to be in the vicinity and is unable to escape is also driven 'nuts' by the continuous  attempts to get the tune right!! (I am of course referring to my poor wife) 

It is at times like this that being taught music from an early age, and properly, really must come into its own, as I am sure that most of you who play by music, providing the manuscript is available, would have been able to play it straight away.  However, its a little late for me to master new tricks such as that now, I am just grateful to be able to get there one way or the other eventually!!

I have made an attempt at making a 'MP3 File' for this tune which can be downloaded (if you dare) from the square on the right, please do not 'laugh' too loudly. The main reason I inflict this potential 'masterpiece' on you is not for my expertise at playing (in fact the word 'duffer' might be a more appropriate description of that) no, the reason is that I incorporate a feature in the preset that I use most of the time and believe it to be unique to Wersi Instruments, the expression 'Crossfade' feature. A tremendous amount of variation can be achieved in one single 'Total Preset' using this feature that on most other instruments would probably require two or maybe even three presets to achieve and even then possibly would not have the same effect.  So it is this feature you need to listen out for, remember its just one preset.

Trying to learn this tune has also become a bit of an education for me as well.  On searching  'YouTube' for the theme tune, I also found out what the solo lead instrument was. It was an instrument called a 'Theremin'.  Although it appears this instrument dates back to the 1920s and was apparently the first electronic instrument to be invented by a Russian gentleman by the name of 'Leon Theremin', I had never heard of it before.  There is a video on 'YouTube' of a lady playing the 'Midsomer Murder' theme on this instrument  which you may be interested in taking a look at.

The question was then, is there any such beast on the Wersi organ?  Well, yes there is. We have a very good 'Theremin',  you will find it in the 'Lead Synth' sound section.

More information about this tune appeared in the June 2010 edition of the 'Ogan & Keyboard Cavalcade' publication on Penny Weedon's page.  Apparently the Midsomer theme tune is an adaptation from the music of the 'Second Waltz'  by  Dimitri Shostakovich.

All this extra knowledge gained!!  I only wanted to play the 'tune'!!?

Ken

 

MP3   Midsomer Murders Theme Tune Arranged and played by Ken Belton on the Wersi Abacus Duo-Pro

To download the MP3 file, right click on the title, then 'save target as'

This preset arrangement uses my favourite  Wersi feature, the expression 'Crossfade'  

All the variations in the sounds you hear are basically  from the upper manual using just one preset only in conjunction with  the expression 'Crossfade'  feature.

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Two related  Videos that may be of interest.

Midsomer Murders Theme Tune

Celia Sheen playing Midsomer Murders theme on the 'Theremin

Hello Ken, thanks for your interest - You wouldn't believe it!
I have spoken to Paul through a contact with Daniel.  Pauls suggestion was to temporarily transfer a board from my old portable Arcus to the home model. No Go. Then swap the Mains Board. No Go. Replace the originals in both organs, Neither of them work Now.  Meanwhile the computer packs in ( it didn't really - it was the mouse playing up )

It is now time for my hospital admission so I'm there for three days. I come home to find the TV doesn't work, and I'm not allowed to lift anything for 2 weeks so I can't get to the old organ to try the latest idea from Paul which is to swap one of the boards from the cage.  So in the meantime I can't play the organ to pass the time profitably.
If you think this is hilarious - share it with the other members. ( ps, the TV works now...

Cheers John

I am sure we all hope Johns 'lot' soon improves and he is able to get playing again.  Perhaps we will get more news from the 'Valleys' shortly!!
 

Chris Hopkins at the Tower

Joe has kindly sent us information of an interesting website for obtaining printed music in PDF format, for that 'song you have always been looking for. You can transpose it to a key of your choice,  Listen to a audio file to hear how it sounds, 

Fantastic site. Click on the link below to access.

sheet

Rare Wersi Ikarus

watch-v=C_JCpkl_ueY

Manfred - Rag Mop 

Best of Accordions

While searching for information for my review on the types of Accordions sampled in the 'Best of Accordions' sound package I came across a fellow that played the German 'Weltmeister' Accordion (one of the types sampled) 

I think anyone that appreciates the acoustic Accordion may agree with me that this guy is brilliant.

Take a listen to these two videos

Tico Tico                Polka Dziadek

Chord Finder

A very good site for finding chords.

Just click on the root note on the left side of the panel and this will display a very easily readable chart that displays of all the chords for the note.

Keyboard Chords