How To Play A One Octave MIDI Pedal Board

Arranger keyboards such as the Yamaha Tyros 2 and the Korg PA800 are becoming extremely popular since the massive decline in electric organ sales. These arranger keyboards provide automatic bass lines, which is fine if you are playing basic triad and seventh chords. With a MIDI pedal board you can divert the bass note in the auto chord system to the bass pedal note you want and still keep the rhythmic effect or you can play your own bass line with no auto features added at all.

All exercises in this article should be practised on a one octave pedal board and you should be sat down at a keyboard with the MIDI pedal board placed directly underneath the keyboard. The pedal board should be placed so that top C on the pedal board is level with Middle C on the keyboard. Depending on the length of your legs, you can make small adjustment to the placement of the pedal board to suit. You should be able to play bottom C and top C with out any discomfort.

So here are the five top tips to help you to play the bass pedals.

1 Line your left leg up with G on the pedal board. You can then use your leg below the knee to swing to the left of G and play bottom C then swing all the way back up to play Top C. Try to keep the top part of your leg, above the knee, still.

2 When playing the bass pedal with your left foot, keep your leg still and use your ankle to make the pressing motion.

3 Play slowly, on the pedal board, C major scale, C minor scale and a chromatic scale starting with bottom C. Play these scales up and down and repeat ten times.

4 Play this sequence of notes on the pedal board starting with bottom C. C, D, E, F, D, E, F, G, E, F, G, A, F, G, A, B, G, A, B, G, C. Repeat ten times.

5 Play a chromatic scale on the pedal board with left hand chords. Starting with bottom C, play chromatically up to top C and back down again. Repeat ten times.

The important thing to remember when practising the above bass pedal exercises is to play the bass pedals slowly and stay acurate. If you play to fast to start with, you will learn to play the bass pedals wrong. If you start slow and accurate, speed will come later but you must be patient.

If you practice the above exercises every day for six months, you will be playing the bass pedals like a pro.

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About Mike Shaw

Michael Shaw is an organ and keyboard teacher and sells sheet music and tutor books at his websites http://www.keyboardsheetmusic.co.uk and http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk


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What To Check Out When You Apply For A Payday Loan

Are you thinking of going in for a payday loan to meet an unexpected expense? If yes, look into these seven things before you finalize one. This checklist can help you make smarter choices. You might even end up saving some serious cash!

First thing to consider -- do you really need that cash advance? Sure, you need cash right away, but have you looked at other options? The fact is, a payday loan is an extremely expensive source of funds, with Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) ranging from 300% to 1000%. So before you take one, see if you can arrange money by taking an advance from your employer or from your credit union.

You could also consider borrowing money from friends or family. Depending on your situation, credit card funding might be an option too, because it's usually cheaper than a payday loan. Be careful with this alternative, though.

Ask yourself how much you can really repay when the next payday rolls around. Work out an exact number you can commit to. Take a cash advance only for the amount you can repay, including all charges that apply. Obtain funds from other sources for any additional requirements you may have.

Here's why. If you choose to roll over all or part of the payday loan, you end up paying much more -- additional charges, late fees, etc. Your APRs start climbing rapidly and you may even find yourself trapped in a vicious cycle of payday loan debt. Stay clear of this trap.

Apply only for one payday loan at a time. Your application gets reported to a consumer tracking database used by payday lenders and banks. If you apply for multiple loans, the lenders may see the multiple applications and you might end up being rejected by all of them.

Go through the lender's approval criteria very carefully. Apply only to one where you can qualify. If you apply to a company that has stringent criteria and get rejected, that can actually hurt your chances of getting approved by another company with more relaxed criteria.

If you're applying online, ask yourself if the lender's website seems professional and well-organized. Do they have clear information and guidelines on the site? A comprehensive FAQ?

If you need clarifications on anything, call up and ask. In fact, it's a good idea to ask a few questions to each loan provider you're considering. That way you get a feel for their responsiveness and get additional information to base your decision on.

Most important -- do they have an SSL certificate on the application page? This indicates data is being transmitted securely. Secure pages have web addresses that begin with "https:" instead of "http:" and in addition, you'll see a lock symbol displayed in your browser. If a lender is using a non-secure page to collect information about you, find another lender!

See this page for 10 things to check out before you finalize a payday loan: http://www.payday-cashadvances.net

Acting on the above points will help you make better choices about payday loans. The best solution is, of course, to get your personal finances into excellent shape so that you never need to borrow in an emergency.

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About Prakash Menon

Prakash Menon is a financial expert and writer specializing in managing personal debt and providing wealth building solutions. He has written on cash advances, personal debt management and other topics. See http://www.payday-cashadvances.net for the 10 things you must look into before you take a payday loan.