Beyer Music's Blog

Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek died in Rosenheim  Germany Monday after a long fight with cancer.  He was 74 . Ray was a keyboard genius who was a founding member of the rock group The Doors. He had a remarkable ability to perform, create, innovate, and help produce.  His death brings us back to all that he was as a musician and as a Doors performer. For decades his organ and keyboard solos had us dazzled. How could something sound so unbelievably good?  His riffs brought Jim Morrison to heights and true immortality. Ray initially said to Jim Morrison( while sitting on a beach in LA Coast) that Jim’s lyrical writing was so powerful. It needed music. Jim could do the singing. Ray orchestrated it along with Robby Krieger(guitarist) and John Densmore(drummer). As they got gigs and were playing, the personality of the band evolved. Jim would put on shows that were wild. Ray played along with that organ that created “most all” the bass lines as in “Riders On The Storm”. Not enough can be said about a legend like Ray Manzarek. Ray continued to do a lot of playing in his later years. In 2002 he began touring with Robby Krieger.

I chose this YouTube video because it shows Ray in his later years.  More will be added about Ray and The Doors.

Mark Johnson and Emory Lestor at NAMM 2003

This year’s NAMM Show is the best.

Part of gearing up for the new year is the NAMM Convention in Anaheim CA.   Attracting retailers, musicians, and manufacturers from all over the world.  This is where deals are made!

Beethoven was the man. If he didn’t rock and roll then no one did. His bass lines made today’s top bass players look quite small. Only kidding. We don’t compare.
We just just have a few songs here including Fur Elise, other Bagatelles, and Ecossaises(wow a tough one to spell).

Fur Elise has always been popular with students. Sounds easy but not really. Students should wait til they fully understand dynamics, tempo,grace notes and the like.

Listen to Fur Elise which starts soft and goes all out in the middle. Believe me Beethoven didn’t need an amp.

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Songlist by Track
1. Fur Elise
2. Bagatelles, op. 126: 1 Andante Con Moto
3. Bagatelles, op. 126: 1I Allegro
4. Bagatelles, op. 126: 1II Andante
5. Ecosaisses, WoO 83: No. 1
6. Ecosaisses, WoO 83: No. 2

This is the 2012 Beyer Music Piano Recital Lots of talent shown here. Students did very well here at the Sullivan Senior Center. Students performed many music styles.

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Organ Wizard Ken Beyer tests out the Roland K-45. This organ is only sold locally by Beyer Music. Between now and October 31st Roland Atelier organs will be on sale at 25% off.

Have you seen these guys before? We are going back to the 70′s here during an era of fantastic music and experimentation. Funk was in full bloom. The Ohio Players and Parliament always had the capacity to blow the roof off the house. Man they got you psyched where ever you were. Bass players and keyboardist were ever so smart to listen and learn.

Yes The Ohio Players had the women and the slick and the cool. Just what it took to make great music. They were prolific in the amount of songs they produced. Over time they possesses a phenomenal variety in they music.

More coming!

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Here’s The Track Listing
1)Skin tight
2)Shady Lady
3)Fopp
4)Love Rollercoaster
5)Give Up The Funk(Parliament)
6)Flash Light
7)Wanna Testify(Parliament)
8)Everything Is On The One(Parliament)
9)Ride On(Parliament)

We offer piano lessons at Beyer Music in all styles!