(June, 2011) I live in Hampshire, UK with my wife. Our two sons have flown the nest, which gives me a spare room where I can play my keyboard and edit my photographs on the computer. I guess I was lucky and took early retirement when I had the chance at the age of 53. 

I was born in 1944 and learned the violin and recorder while at school and performed in the school orchestras where I was the youngest member. Unfortunately, I didn't keep up with the violin and gave it up at the age of 14. I couldn't face playing all that classical stuff and preferred to listen to those new chaps like Elvis, Buddy Holly, etc; it was the new age of music. I then made myself a guitar to be like them, but I could never play it properly.

I first met my wife Marilyn in a cycling club at the age of 16 and we have been married for 46 years. We bought a Casio mini keyboard for the eldest son when he was small so I naturally had to have a go on it. I guess I got the bug to play music again. I then acquired a Baldwin Fun Machine from our friends, who couldn't play it. That was eventually part exchanged for a Technics KN350, then a KN800, KN1500, and a KN6000 until Technics ceased making keyboards. I now have a Yamaha PSR S900, which I love.

I am what I call a one-finger player; I rely on one-finger auto chord and OTS. I can not play by ear so I have to rely on reading the music, that is, as long as I know the tune. I would like to upgrade to a Tyros 4 but what a price and I’m not really that good a player. All my recordings are in real time using the USB recording facility; they haven’t been edited so you hear them warts and all.

Note: in July, 2013, Peter moved up to the Tyros4.