Name: Breaking me only keyboard by Todd L Cluff
Duration: 5 min 6 s
Description: Breaking Me (Topic and A7S) with some enhancements

Playing with the new keyboard. this one explores horns and voices. Playing off the music/chords by Hans Zimmer from Inception

Wave w horns and voices mp3

Exploring the keyboard with some EDM fun. This tune came from the eulogy I wrote for my dad after his passing. I added a melody :

Have you seen Tarry?

Have you seen Tarry, the boy from the dairy,
	Who laughs with family and friends?
Ice cream by quarts, or stats about sports,	
	He’s engaged in odds and ends.

Have you seen Tarry, the man from the dairy,
	Who moved to the small town of Brush?
A brand-new start, three kids filled his heart,
	And soon he pursued his crush.

Have you seen Tarry, with Connie he married,
	The ones now known as The Cluffs?
On Custer Street, expect something sweet,
	And stories of all sorts of stuff!

When you see Tarry, with the one that he married,
	Adventure is sure to be found.
Santa and wife, sharing their life,
	Care and love would abound.

When you see Tarry, the topics will vary,
	You’ll learn all sorts of things.
Beetdiggers, for one, his pups and their fun,
	Love, and the laughter it brings.

When you see Tarry, with the love that he carries,
	You’ll find him helping somewhere.
Lions and chains, shoveling some lanes,
	His life was to give and to care.

Could we see Tarry, in the heavenly dairy,
	I’m certain we’d laugh at his joy.
Hearing once more, his pups on the floor,
	With energy he had as a boy.
	
Since we love Tarry, the boy from the dairy,
	 We join together today.
He’d tell us to smile, at his life lived worthwhile,
	And know we’ll see him one day.



Have you seen Tarry - dance version

Using the song Bad Dream from Keane to explore the EDM side of the keyboard.

Bad dream dance  mp3

Exploring Tomorrow Never Comes (Zac Brown Band)...with the benefit of EDM enhancements

Tomorrow never comes dance from slow mp3

Breaking Me (Topic and A7S) with some enhancements

Breaking me only keyboard

I have decided to start use this part of the Track Info to journal things for better background.

Technical Yamaha detail - Started playing around with the MotorCity rhythm on the Yamaha while working to swap off/on between Left/Main/Layer with the different sounds I programed, like MovieStrings....for some reason I just love MovieStrings!

Personal reflection - When I recorded this I was practicing a chord structure with some new sounds. Great flow. I was being energized in the same way as being on a morning stroll just before sunrise when it isn't miserably hot out and things just start to expand and come alive. 

It was fueling to me.

Practice Tip - Don't Practice. 

I don't read or write music. And, I'm okay when it is noticed that I don't practice details :) 

I just want to enjoy getting energy from the time I am with an instrument. 

I find for me it is helpful when I practice with repetitive chord cycles...and, yes, I still use a capo with my guitar for variety. Again, I don't get too worried with details when my goal is to have fun, learn, and create.

Repetition helps keep one hyper part of my brain active with some automaticity and engagement. It opens up for me an ability to engage another part of my brain for intentional practice while getting energy from the dance.

It also helps  that my goal in creating music is expression. I like to try to use it as an attempt to capture the moment in sound.

It's more ways for my life's background track to keep leaking out at times.

A keyboard stroll

Technical Yamaha Details - 

This one started on the Yamaha with a slow, ambient feel. 
	•	Main: Vibraphone
	•	Left: Movie Strings
	•	Layer: GothicVox

Chords: Just Am, G, and F, repeated and explored. I played with gradually adding the voices — building and removing layers like shifting curtains. 

I add the Electronica rhythm later, but leave off the accompaniment (ACMT) at first and add it later and back it out before ending just with the beat.



Personal Reflection –
This one felt like a soundflow with some bounces — starting in stillness and gradually finding a pulse. I played most of it with my eyes closed, but noticed my right thumb liked to lead the way.  I caught myself physically bouncing at times — drumming the rhythm into the keys with my body. 

I also found that I tend to hold a sound through a chord change, letting the other digits find their moments. It's a good way to let  the moment feel more 'flow'.

Practice Tip –
Don’t practice. Or at least not in the way that chases perfection. But learn what sounds good to you and what doesn't. Go to the energy.

Yamaha DGX-670 practice tip - The occasional surprise cymbal hit? That’s the rhythm bank responding when I strike too many keys with a little too much passion. It’s a fun trick when I remember it’s there...annoying when I forget. :)

Have fun.

Breaking me only keyboard

Todd L Cluff

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