Celebrating Keyboard Wizards of the Past
Jul 16, 2021
First there was the harpsichord, then came the piano, and eventually technology evolved to the point where the keyboard could make electronic sounds limited only by the imagination. Keyboard players became synth players, tapping into a whole new level of creativity.
Let’s take a look at some of the keyboard wizards of the past and celebrate some of the greatest synth players of all time.
Rick Wakeman
It’s impossible to have a discussion about keyboard players (especially about the greatest synth players of all time) and not mention Rick Wakeman. The Yes keyboard master is a polarizing figure—you either love his playing or you can’t stand it—but there’s no denying that he opened the door for synth players around the world to explore their wildest sonic dreams and use all the musical chops at their disposal. His solo albums, including the popular Journey to the Centre of the Earth, are undeniable landmarks in progressive synth music.
Joe Zawinul
The musician’s musician, Joe Zawinul was a mainstay of the progressive jazz/rock fusion collective, Weather Report. His musical knowledge seemed unsurpassed, and he sounded comfortable in every style one could throw at him. And throw they did—improvisation was the name of Weather Report’s game, and Zawinul held his own with some of the best musicians ever to manipulate pitch and rhythm like Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter and Peter Erskine. It helps that Zawinul played with Miles Davis before Weather Report. He passed away in 2007.
Vangelis
The mononymous keyboard player known as Vangelis (his full name is Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, but maybe you can understand why he chose just the one name for his professional moniker) is a different kind of synth master. His strength lay in film scores, and his music helped create some of the most iconic and memorable moments in cinematic history. His score for Chariots of Fire not only garnered an Academy Award for the Greek composer but also cracked the Billboard Hot 100. His brooding, dark score for the original Blade Runner film helped make it a cult classic that inspired a sequel 35 years after the original was released.
Bernie Worrell
The funkiest synth player ever to descend from the Mothership has to be Parliament-Funkadelic founding member Bernie Worrell. He wrote his first piano concerto at age eight and trained at Juilliard as a kid. He then went on to play with the Talking Heads and founded the funkiest music group in history—a group whose music still clogs the dance floor every time it’s played. Whether he’s putting his voice on the Moog synth or acting as an arranger or producer on one of the hundreds of projects he’s been a part of in his illustrious career, his influence runs deeper than anyone can fathom.
Whether you’re looking to build your own synth or beef up your keytar to become an even greater keyboard wizard, visit Devine’s Electronics Authorized Radio Shack Dealer today for all the parts and expert advice you need.
The upside of being a guitarist is that there’s always some new gadget you can buy to make your playing experience more enjoyable or easier, or just make your music sound better. The downside of being a guitarist is that these devices are typically pretty expensive! However, that doesn’t have to be the case when you shop at Devine’s Electronics Authorized Radio Shack Dealer. In addition to having musical instruments for sale in Woodward, OK, we carry an array of products that are both helpful and affordable. Continue reading to learn about the year’s top products that are under $20: Smartphone headstock mount: If you’re like most people, you always have your smartphone on you. A smartphone headstock mount makes it easy to watch guitar lesson videos or play sheet music right from your phone. But don’t worry—the mount won’t affect your tuning or tone. Guitar pick holder : Dropping your pick while playing a gig can turn into a disaster. Prevent that from happening by buying a guitar pick holder. This plastic device can stick to your guitar, amp or music stand, so you’ll always have a pick handy. Microfiber cleaning tool: We don’t have to tell you that strings and hardware get dirty pretty quickly. An all-in-one microfiber cleaning tool cleans and dusts the strings, neck and body without scratching it or affecting the tone. String lubricant: Now that the strings are clean, it’s time to lubricate them! Properly lubricated strings last longer, sound better, reduce finger noise and allow for faster finger speed. Guitar string peg winder: Winding the pegs to tune your guitar isn’t necessarily difficult, but it can be a little tedious. A crank peg winder makes the process much faster, so you can start playing in no time. The rubber lining ensures the tool is slip-free and doesn’t damage the pegs. Tripod guitar stand: While browsing for musical instruments for sale in Woodward, OK, be sure to pick up a guitar stand. A metal tripod stand with padded rubber end caps offers slippage protection without breaking the bank. Clip-on tuner: An improperly tuned guitar can ruin practically any song. If you’re not in the habit of tuning your guitar by ear, purchase a clip-on digital tuner. A fast processing chip and an easy-to-read screen make the process seamless. Hardwood wall hanger: If you thought a nice-looking wall hanger had to be expensive, think again! Hangers made of all-natural hardwood give your studio or music room an elegant look without costing a fortune. Best of all, a deep cradle design keeps your guitar or bass safe and sound. New strap locks: New strap locks can save your guitar from a sudden fall without costing a bundle. Look for one-piece locks without anything mechanical that could break or wear out. Come shop with us today! Whether you want to browse for musical instruments for sale in Woodward, OK or are hoping to find a specific item, be sure to shop at Devine’s Electronics Authorized Radio Shack Dealer. If we don’t have just what you’re looking for, we can put in a special order for you.
With all of the information we have stored on our computers, backing up data and files is more important than ever. Thankfully, you have two great options for backing up your information: cloud storage and external hard drives. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of each storage solution. Hard drive benefits External hard drives are the older of your two storage options. Here are the perks of continuing to use an external hard drive for your storage: It’s offline: Cloud services are only available when you’re connected to the internet, so if your internet goes down, you won’t have access to any of your files. That’s not the case with an external hard drive because it’s offline only, so you’ll always have access to your files. Safety : When you rely on a cloud storage service, you’re putting your data in the hands of a corporation like Google, Microsoft, Apple or Dropbox. While everything is password-protected, you could be the victim of a hacker. Since an external hard drive is always by your side, it’s safe from cyber criminals. Ample storage: A cloud storage service gives you a few free gigabytes of storage before you have to pay for it. External hard drives are measured in terabytes (TB), which is 1,000 gigabytes (GB). If you have tons of movies and music you want to back up, an external hard drive is your best bet. Affordable: External hard drives are becoming less and less expensive each year. You can get a 1-TB hard drive these days for as little as $50—that should be enough storage to store all of your important files. Cloud storage benefits Consider cloud backup for the most modern storage solutions. These are a few reasons users prefer cloud storage over an external hard drive: Anywhere access: There’s no need to tote your external hard drive everywhere you go if all of your files are stored in the cloud. You can access them from any computer, smartphone or tablet that’s connected to the internet. Easy sharing: Sharing large files, photos or videos with friends and coworkers can be a hassle using email; you can streamline the process by storing your files in the cloud. Simply upload your file to your cloud service, and share a link to allow your friends and colleagues to access your file. The price is right: As we touched on above, cloud storage companies give users a few gigabytes of storage for free. After that, you pay a monthly fee for the amount of storage you need. Several pricing and storage tiers are available to meet your needs. How can we help? Whether you’re interested in purchasing a new external hard drive or you’d like to learn more about cloud backup, reach out or pay a visit to Devine’s Electronics Authorized Radio Shack Dealer. We have an extensive selection of personal electronics to meet all of your needs, and our friendly staff members are here to answer all of your computer-related questions.
It can feel like you’re living in the Stone Age any time you’re in an area with poor cell phone service. Instead of walking around trying to find a spot where you get some service, we recommend installing a signal booster in your home, office, vehicle or anywhere else where you typically have spotty coverage. Because there are so many models on the market, choosing a booster isn’t the easiest process in the world. Continue reading to learn how to choose the best cell phone signal booster for your needs. Midsize homes and offices If you live in a midsize home or work in a medium-sized office and have a strong signal outside but a weak signal inside, we recommend the weBoost Home MultiRoom. This booster covers up to 5,000 square feet if outdoor service is perfect. The model is sleek and easy to install yourself, and the powerful antenna can reach faraway cell phone towers with ease. Small homes The SureCall Fusion4Home is the best cell phone signal booster if you live in a smaller home and only need spot coverage. This is another system that’s easy to install yourself and provides plenty of indoor coverage if you get a strong signal outside of your house. Large homes and offices A larger building will need a more powerful booster, especially if the signal is weak outdoors. For those customers, we recommend the weBoost Installed Home Complete, which is designed to cover up to 7,000 square feet. This cell phone signal booster must be professionally installed, which does add to the cost, but you can rest easy knowing it’ll be the only signal booster you ever need. An option for the DIY-ers out there is the Cel-Fi GO X. It’s the most powerful booster on the market, but it does have its limitations. This model is a single-carrier booster, meaning it can only boost the signal for one carrier at a time. Commercial buildings For coverage across a large warehouse or commercial facility, your best bet is the WilsonPro Enterprise 4300. This industrial-strength booster covers up to 100,000 square feet and can cover multiple carriers. The unit has four outdoor antenna ports, providing the maximum boost for everyone in the building. Vehicles Consistent, reliable service is also required outside of the home and office. For cars, trucks, SUVs and even boats, take a look at the SureCall N-Range 2.0. This signal booster has a cradle to hold your phone and is twice as powerful as its competition. RVs If you’re going on a family camping trip in your RV and want complete cell signal throughout your trip, consider the weBoost Destination RV. As the name implies, it’s designed specifically for campers and RVs. The only downside is that it cannot be used while driving. Let us install your cell phone booster Regardless of which cell phone signal booster you choose, hire us to install it for you. Our pros at Devine’s Electronics Authorized Radio Shack Dealer have years of experience installing boosters, so you can rest easy knowing yours will work perfectly.
