Chapter 344 344 Crossroads

Alfonso is a person with a musical dream. He was madly obsessed with learning the keyboard. He was willing to study classical piano music and the application of the keyboard as a musical instrument in modern pop music. He even fantasized that he could Become a keyboard player in a band and use your skills and abilities to contribute to beautiful melodies.

But the dream is beautiful, the reality is cruel. The use of keyboards in bands is terrifyingly low, especially in traditional American rock, where the strength of heavy metal makes it almost impossible for keyboards to find a place to live. In order to continue his dream, Alfonso had to start learning the guitar and become a melody guitarist. He is a person who is willing to study technology, so although his years of learning guitar are far inferior to keyboards, he still relies on his own excellence. The guitar tech joined a band.

Alfonso also once fantasized about his band standing in a stadium of 100,000 people, shocking everyone with his music, communicating with people who like music all over the world through the common language of music, and those who really love his music. Talking about making music all night long, arguing with people who hate their music with red faces…

Unfortunately, these dreams have come to nothing in the face of reality. The band failed to achieve any results, not even ranking in their high school. In desperation, Alfonso could only pack up his thirteen-year-long musical dream. In 1990, when he was twenty-five years old, At that time, he became a car salesman.

Three years have not wiped out Alfonso's passion for music. He still occasionally goes to the underground rock music party in Los Angeles, and occasionally continues to dream of his own band when he dreams back at midnight. One day gradually turned into a mechanical work life, which made Alfonso know how to hide his musical dreams.

He knows that dreams are beautiful, but many times, dreams without a realistic foundation are just castles in the air, and he has long passed the age where he can go forward with enthusiasm. Even if you are not satisfied with the destiny, you should not continue to rampage.

But what is surprising is that Hugo actually sent an invitation to Alfonso, which made Alfonso completely confused.

Although Alfonso told himself that he had never heard of the band Hugo was talking about, he would immediately say that Neil Anderson and Pedro Casa were all names he had heard of in the circle, and Hugo rose to prominence after that rock-and-roll night late last year.

Although Alfonso told himself that his current life is very stable and beautiful, maybe he will be able to get a promotion soon, and the nearly three years of perseverance will come to fruition; but then he will say, this is really true Is it the life he wants, has he really given up on his band dream?

Although Alfonso told himself that he had not touched a keyboard or guitar for five months, the skills he was proud of had long since become rusty, and the development of rock technology in three years has put him in an even more difficult position. A backward position; but then he would say, then why does he regularly clean his instruments and tune them regularly, even if he hasn't played for a long time.

Hugo's words completely disrupted Alfonso's life. He knew that if he really felt like water, he wouldn't hesitate at all, and he would simply refuse. There are dreams, so he struggles.

The night after Hugo's phone call, Alfonso stayed up all night. He took leave the next day, and then started talking about the keyboard again at home. The keyboard that made him so familiar, the deep-rooted enthusiasm ignited in an instant. All the expectations in his heart. But after three years of hard work, Alfonso's courage to fight when he was young was gradually smoothed out. This is the terrible thing about time.

Alfonso hesitated and struggled for a whole week. Later, Alfonso called Joseph and expressed his entanglement about the novelist. Joseph said a lot at that time, but Alfonso only remembered one sentence, "In the past year, One thing I've learned from Hugo is that if you're not willing, don't give up."

Youth is only once, and there is only one dream. If you miss it, you will never have it. So, Alfonso decided to give himself a chance, and Hugo them a chance, he would audition. If the audition doesn't pass, or if Hugo's band doesn't satisfy him, then all worries are gone; if the audition is successful... Alfonso hasn't made up his mind yet, but at least he's decided to take this step.

It was only one step, but it was the three-year step from 1993 back to 1990, which made Alfonso exhausted all his courage.

Alfonso walked into Hugo's house with the keyboard on his back, showed his enthusiasm as a car salesman, took the initiative to introduce himself, and quickly got to know each other with Neil and Pedro. Alfonso didn't have too many greetings. No matter how good his mouth was, there was no way he could make him a member of the band. The real competition was his hand skills, so he said neatly, "Since I have arrived, So let's get started, how, do you have any requirements for audition?"

Hugo, Neil, and Pedro looked at each other, and finally gave Hugo the right to speak. He raised his eyebrows, "You can perform a piece of your own choice. After the performance, what are your requirements? , we'll talk more."

"No problem." Alfonso quickly put the keyboard on the pool table behind the sofa, plugged it in, and started getting ready.

Looking at Alfonso's neat and tidy attitude, Hugo and others were impressed. They originally thought that "car salesmen" were people who worked by their mouths, and they would definitely make a lot of hype, but the reality was not the case. is a good start. Hugo also didn't know anything about Alfonso's strength, so he looked at Alfonso's slightly excited but skilled movements, and couldn't help but look forward to it.

Alfonso didn't prepare too much, and started playing soon.

When Hugo heard Alfonso's selection, he knew Alfonso's inner love for music. Alfonso chose "Pull. Me. Under" by Dream Theater Band (Dream. Theater), which is definitely a professional and difficult choice.

Dream Theater Band is a progressive metal band founded in Boston, USA in 1986. They are the most influential progressive metal band after the 1970s. The album "Images. And. Words" released last year made The huge success has opened up a new form of expression for the metal rock that is currently in the bottleneck stage. It is also regarded as the early representative of new metal music. However, the Dream Theater Band still has the characteristics of metal rock that emphasized technology before, and their technology is very high. Difficulty is impressive.

But in fact, the so-called "great success" here is also relative. The album "Imagination and Vocabulary" has been certified as a gold record in sales in the United States, that is, 500,000 copies, compared to Nirvana's global sales in 1991. In terms of album sales of 30 million, it can only be regarded as a drop in the bucket. In fact, the success of Dream Theater Band is more in the area of ​​professional fans, and has not really affected popular music. Even many practitioners of underground rock music do not necessarily know about this band.

In Dream Theater Band's "Imagination and Vocabulary" album, which is a classic among the classics, all songs are classics, and this "Drag Me Down" has become the band's national anthem, and it is also the band's highest broadcast rate on the radio. 's single, which can be said to be a condensed version of the Dream Theater Band's early style. The lyrics of this song use a lot of "Hamlet" content, which has a strong metaphorical effect, and the arrangement is more complicated and classic.

The biggest feature of the Dream Theater Band is that they have the best keyboard players in the world. The keyboard is a vital part of the band and a key complement to the band's music. If you make a list of the top ten best keyboard players in the world, the three keyboard players before and after the Dream Theater Band can be on the list, Kevin Moore, Derek Sherinian, Jordan -Jordan. Rudess are all absolute keyboard masters, their superb skills are definitely not inferior to the shock brought by superb guitar technology, and after Derek Sri year solo, he also held a personal global performance The concert tour shows their ability.

As the first keyboard player of the Dream Theater Band, Kevin Moore and his teammates created the brilliance of "Imagination and Vocabulary", and also opened the initial awakening of the new metal band. His profound playing strength has so far two juniors The keyboard player can't be surpassed, he represents half of the Dream Theater band. Therefore, when Kevin chose to leave the band, it directly caused the band to be decadent for a long time.

Dream Theater Band's superb skills are not inferior to any of the current mainstream rock bands. Under the premise of complex arrangement, they boldly increased the use of keyboards, making the rhythm of the melody changeable, the notes moving, and the fullness of every position. It shows the deep foundation of the band, among which the keyboard player Kevin is a master-level figure.

Alfonso actually chose the song "Drag Me Down", which is enough to show his courage and at the same time shows his skills to the greatest extent.

The song "Drag Me Down" is complicated and complicated, and the keyboard and guitar skills are even more dazzling, sometimes unrestrained, sometimes restrained and controlled. The great Kevin Moore, people have to admire.

Hugo doesn't know much about keyboard technology, but he has an excellent sense of music. He can distinguish the rhythm changes, dynamics, and emotional injection of the keyboard playing melody. He can feel that Alfonso's technology is still slightly Apparently unfamiliar, there are several notes in the middle that are not pressed firmly, especially in order to maintain the rhythm - there is no drum or bass at this time, the keyboard relies on personal musicality to maintain the rhythm - he has to give up a few. If you don't press the real note, you continue to play, which makes the whole melody incomplete.

But Hugo did not despise Alfonso, he still listened intently to the change of every note, because this is what Alfonso deserves.