Unsigned Entertainment

The man behind ‘Magician’, Ian is 49 years old and has been playing keyboards now for many years. He began plonking out a tune at the age of 10 on the family piano; inspired by his father who often played sheet music of the latest ‘popular tunes’. He got his first keyboards at the age of 13 and although unable to read music, played by ear all his favourite tunes to entertain his family and friends. 

During his teenage years he was inspired by such artists as Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre and Pink Floyd. His love of electronic music mirrored his love of electronics and he even made his own keyboard at one time. Although music was not in his choice of subjects at school he continued to entertain and amaze his friends and family by his ability to ‘play by ear’ almost any tune they could mention. He formed a good understanding of music and what sounds made a memorable song. 

In his late teenage years he progressed onto bigger and better keyboards, eventually enrolling on keyboard lessons and attaining a grade 7 in organ music. His love of music continued throughout his 20s and 30s and always had the secret desire to write his own music. Because of work commitments and family life he never realised this until some years later. This combined with advances in technology meant he could write music for the first time on his computer. Using a basic sound card and MIDI he produced his first piece of music in the early 90s.

His first real masterpiece came along in 1996 when inspired by the likes of JMJs ‘Oxygene’, he began to write ‘Orbits’. Although the equipment used was still very basic he managed to link up his Yamaha keyboards to his PC and produce a reasonable level of sound quality using a basic editing suite and basic soundcard. It was around this time too that he made his first CD which he proudly circulated amongst his family and friends. In 1999 he successfully completed ‘Orbits’ which he would later go onto re-master to the quality you hear today. 

He could now begin to write his collection of albums, adding new features all the time. Using an evolution USB keyboard he could now play directly into his music editing software. Over time he acquired a better soundcard giving him true 24 bit digital sound and with the addition of Cakewalk Sonar software was able to produce the music we hear today. Over a period of 10 years he has gone onto produce 36 albums, averaging 4 per year, with music as diverse as classical to pop tune covers. His latest project is very close to his heart, as it is a 10th anniversary remix of his very first album, 'Orbits' - aptly named 'Orbits 10 Years On'.

Equipment Used

 

Yamaha PSR175 keyboard

Evolution USB keys with pitch bend control

Anvil Music Studio

Cakewalk Sonar Producers Edition version 6

Creative Sound-blaster Audigy Platinum 24 bit soundcard

Creative Wave editor

 

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