Right-Click to Download    While I use my Yamaha arranger keyboard for mostly pop music, it can also duplicate orchestral sounds… and what better time to trot out an orchestra than at Christmas.

I heard the New York Philharmonic’s version of this song and thought I’d see if I could duplicate each instrument on a keyboard.  The Yamaha has great digital renderings of almost every instrument that sound so incredibly real.  Back in the day, when string synthesizers were first introduced, I bought one and lugged that 90 pound sucker around for years.  It sat on top of my Fender Rhodes piano that weighed 130 pounds (needless to say I was in way better shape back then), but it could only “kinda-sorta” sound like violins.  It was really pretty pathetic.

It’s not just strings anymore, and my Yamaha weighs just 22 pounds (whew).  Through digital sampling, now any instrument can be duplicated.  If you can play a piano, you have an entire orchestra at your fingertips…. or a rock band… or even bluegrass (a banjo is the most difficult to mimic – but who would want to anyway?).  You are the conductor or band leader…  and what a power trip that is.

Nobody’s gonna sing this arrangement, I know.  I’m just throwing this out there to show off my keyboard.  Karen thinks I should be sleeping with it, but that’s another story…