Years ago, when I was in primary school, my parents gave me a toy keyboard. I digged it out a few days ago, and recalled a lot of memories. Its colour turned a bit yellowish after 20 years, and it is not working anymore.

My parents did not sent me to music lessons, but let me played with the keyboard myself. When I was in primary 3, I can play the melody of songs that I had heard from TV or radio.  Until now, I can only play the melody using right hand but not the part with the  left hand.

I know the reason why I can’t play using left hand, it is because this toy keyboard was designed to play only one key at a time, I cannot press 2 keys simultanouesly.  :p  Hmm…  I should not blame the keyboard, the actual reason is I didn’t learn it.  Anyway, I thank my parents a lot for giving me this toy keyboard.

-  Its size is quite small compared to an actual keyboard or electronic organ, but it was more than enough for me.  The only song that I cannot play was FeiYuChing’s “YiJianMei”, because of the range of the picth is limited.

When I first played with this toy, I can only use the black key to play a proper melody. :p  Slowly, I discovered how to use the white keys.  My mother showed me how to play as well.  I still remember the moment she pressed the key.  May be I will show her this toy keyboard this evening.

-This keyboard allowed me to record a limited numbers key pressed that is enough for a song’s melody.  In Play mode I can play back the recorded melody in different tempo.

-  There are 7 different types of musical instrument sound can be produced.  (Piano, organ, violin, flute, horn, fantasy and mellow).  I like the fantasy the most and dislike the flute many years ago, when this keyboard is still alive.  If this keyboard can be repaired and get alive again, I wonder if I still have the same preference now.

-This is the part where the chord can be played.  I know the effect, but I’m not sure what dim, sus4, m6, 6, maj7, m7, m, 7 are.  Can someone tell me?

-The tunning screw is at the bottom of the keyboard.  I like to turn it when I was a kid, no wonder I had shorterned its life.

I wished I had learned piano.  I have a virtual keyboard in my computer which I used to create a midi.  The rhythm part took me hours.  If I learned piano, I may have done it in minutes.  Click on the play button below to play.

I feel that something is missing on the music above, but I don’t now what is missing. Please comment.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Congratulation to SiewPeng’s sister because she has just passed her Grade 8 piano exam with distinction.