Alfonso is a man with musical dreams, he was once crazy obsessed with learning the keyboard, he was willing to study classical piano music, and he was willing to delve into the use of the keyboard as an instrument in modern pop music, and he even fantasized that he could become a keyboardist in an orchestra and contribute to beautiful melodies with his skills and abilities.

But dreams are beautiful, reality is cruel. Keyboards are frighteningly used in bands, especially in traditional American rock, where heavy metal makes it almost impossible for keyboards to find a place to stay. In order to continue his dream, Alfonso had to start learning guitar and become a melodic guitarist, he was a man who was willing to delve into his technique, so although he learned guitar for a long time less than the keyboard, he still relied on his guitar skills to join a band.

Alfonso also fantasized that his band would stand in a stadium of 100,000 people, shock everyone with his music, 'mingle' with the common language of guò music, discuss music creation with those who really love it, and argue with those who hate it......

Unfortunately, these dreams have come to naught in the face of reality. The band failed to achieve anything, not even in high school, and in desperation, Alfonso had to pick up his thirteen-year musical dream and became a car salesman in 1990 at the age of twenty-five.

Three years have not worn out Alfonso's passion for music, he occasionally goes to the Los Angeles underground rock music party, and occasionally continues to dream of his band when he dreams back at midnight, but the slightly 'straightened' lower abdomen, day after day gradually becomes a mechanical work life, so that Alfonso knows 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 move forward with enthusiasm. Even if you are not satisfied with the destiny of heaven, you should not continue to go on a rampage.

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

Although Alfonso told sù himself, he had never heard the orchestra that Hugo was talking about; But then he would say that Neil Anderson and Pedro Casa were all names that had been heard of in the circle, and that Hugo had risen to fame after that rock night late last year.

Although Alfonso told himself that his current life is very stable and beautiful, and perhaps he will be promoted soon, the time of harvest after nearly three years of perseverance is about to be reached; But then he would say, is this really the life he wants, is he really dead set on his dream of a band?

Although Alfonso told himself that he hadn't touched a keyboard or guitar for five months, the techniques he was proud of had long since become rusty, and the development of rock and roll technology in three years had left him behind; But then he would say why he would wipe down his instrument regularly, tune it regularly, even if he didn't play it for a long time.

Hugo's words completely disrupted Alfonso's life, he knew that if he really had a heart like water, then he would not hesitate at all, and he would refuse directly, precisely because he was unwilling, he still had dreams, so he was entangled.

Alfonso stayed up all night after Hugo's phone call, took a leave of absence the next day, and then resumed talking about the keyboard at home, the familiar keyboard, the passion that went deep into his bones, and instantly ignited all the expectations in his heart. But three years of grinding in reality have gradually smoothed out Alfonso's youthful courage to collide, which is the horror of time.

Alfonso hesitated and struggled for a whole week, and then Alfonso called Joseph and expressed his entanglement with him, Joseph said a lot at that time, but Alfonso only remembered one sentence, "In the past year, I have learned one thing from Hugo, that is, if you are not reconciled, don't give up." ”

There is only one spring, and there is only one dream, and if you miss it, you will never be there. So, Alfonso decided to give himself a chance, and also Hugo and them, and he would go to the audition. If the audition didn't pass through guò, or if Hugo's band didn't satisfy him, then there was no more to worry about; If the audition was successful...... Alfonso hadn't thought about it yet, but at least, he decided to take the leap.

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

Alfonso walked into Hugo's house with the keyboard on his back, showed the enthusiasm of his car salesman, took the initiative to introduce himself, and quickly met Neil and Pedro. Alfonso didn't have too much hustle and bustle, no matter how good his mouth was, there was no way to make him a member of the band, the real competition was his hands, so he said neatly, "Now that I'm here, let's get started, how about it, do you have any requirements for auditions?"

Hugo, Neil and Pedro looked at each other, and finally the right to speak was 'handed over' to Hugo, he raised his eyebrows, "You can perform a piece of your own choosing, and after the performance, if there are any requirements, we will talk about it." ”

"No problem." Alfonso put the keyboard on the pool table behind the couch, plugged it in, and began to prepare.

Looking at Alfonso's crisp and neat attitude, it made Hugo and others impressed, originally thought that the "car salesman" was a person who worked by his mouth, and he would definitely render it all over the place, but the reality was not so, this is a good start. Hugo didn't know anything about Alfonso's strength, so he couldn't help but look forward to Alfonso's slightly 'excited' but skillful movements.

Alfonso didn't prepare too much and soon began playing.

When Hugo heard Alfonso's songs, he knew Alfonso's love for music. Alfonso chose the Dream Theater Band (dream. theatre) of "Drag Me Down (. "It's definitely a professional and difficult choice.

Dream Theatre is an avant-garde metal band founded in l986 in the United States, they are the most influential avant-garde metal band since the seventies. and。 words)" has been a huge success, opening up a new form of expression for metal rock that is currently in the bottleneck stage, and can be regarded as the early representative of new metal music, but the Dream Theater Band still has the characteristics of the previous metal rock emphasizing technology, and their technique is very difficult and eye-catching.

But in fact, the so-called "huge success" here is also relative, and the sales of the album "Imagination and Vocabulary" in the United States have been certified by Golden Records, that is, 500,000 copies, compared to the 30 million albums sold by Nirvana in 1991. In fact, the success of Dream Theatre Band is more in the professional 'fan' area, and it has not really affected pop music, even many people who practice underground rock music do not necessarily know about this band.

In Dream Theater Band's "Imagination and Vocabulary", which can be called a classic album among classics, all songs are classics, and this "Drag Me Down" has become the band's national anthem, and it is also the band's most played single on the radio, which can be said to be a condensation 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 complex and classic.

The best feature of Dream Theatre is that they have the best keyboardists in the world, and the keyboard is a vital part of the band and a key addition to the band's music. If you make a list of the top 10 best keyboardists in the world, the three keyboardists before and after Dream Theater can be on the list, Kevin Moore (Kevioore) and Derek - Derek (Derek). Sherinian), Jordan and Ruddan (Jordan. Rudess are absolute keyboard masters, their amazing skills are definitely not inferior to the shock brought by superb guitar technology, and after Derek Yi Srui flew solo in the later period, he also held a solo global performance tour, which shows their ability.

As the first keyboardist of the Dream Theater Band, Kevin Moore and his teammates created the glory of "imagination and vocabulary" together, and also opened the initial awakening of the new metal band. Therefore, when Kevin chose to leave the band, he directly led the band to decadence for a long time.

Dream Theatre Band is as skilled as any major rock band at the moment, and they boldly increase the use of keyboards under the premise of complex arrangements, so that the melodies are varied and the notes are moving, and the band's deep skills are fully demonstrated in every position, and the keyboardist Kevin is a master.

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

The song "Drag Me Down" has a complicated arrangement, and the keyboard and guitar techniques are even more dazzling and "chaotic", sometimes unrestrained and unrestrained, and sometimes convergent and controllable, which is by no means easy for the technical requirements of the performers, not to mention that Alfonsuo wants to challenge the great Kevin Moore, which makes people have to admire.

Hugo doesn't know much about keyboard technology, but his musicality is very 'outstanding', he can distinguish the rhythm changes of the keyboard playing melody, the strength of the dynamics, and the details of the emotional xù injection, he can feel that Alfonso's technique is still a little rusty, and there are several notes in the middle that are not realistic, especially Alfonso in order to maintain the rhythm - there is no drum beat and no bass at this time, and the keyboard needs to maintain the rhythm depends on his personal musicality - he has to give up a few notes that are not pressed and continue to play, This makes the whole melody incomplete.

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