- Vadim Pruzhanov
Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Vadim Pruzhanov
Background = KhakiImg_capt = Vadim Pruzhanov
Birth_name = Vadim Pruzhanov
Born = Birth date and age|1982|6|18|
Origin =Ukraine
Death =
Genre =Power metal
Occupation =Musician ,Songwriter
Years_active = 2001-present
Instrument = KeyboardsPiano VocalsGuitar
First_album =Sonic Firestorm
Latest_album =Inhuman Rampage
Notable_albums =
Notable songs = *Dawn Over A New World
*Body Breakdown
*Lost Souls In Endless Time
Label =Sanctuary ,Noise ,Roadrunner Records
Associated_acts =DragonForce ,Protest the Hero
URL = [http://dragonforce.com/ dragonforce.com]Vadim Pruzhanov (Ukrainian: Вадим Пружанов) (born
June 18 ,1982 inUkraine ,Soviet Union ) is thekeyboardist of UKpower metal band,DragonForce .Musical Style
Pruzhanov is well known amongst the DragonForce fan community for his frantic head-banging and extremely fast
techno /video game inspired keyboard solos, and has been known to play the keyboard with his tongue. Some people think he plays with his forehead, but he states, "Some people think I play with my face, but I really don't. They just have to be observant!" Often, he will entertain the crowd at a DragonForce concert with a high-speed keyboard performance utilizing the ideal of show stopping spectacle over skill, often incorporating melodic elements from popular TV tunes such asThe Simpsons or Countdown. During these he will play his Roland keytar (as seen on the "Operation Ground and Pound" video), and he is often accompanied byHerman Li or another member of the band as the intermission progresses.During the guitar-driven DragonForce songs, Pruzhanov often only plays string or synth-string backing, but occasionally solos alongside the guitars - for example, in
Soldiers of the Wasteland .Pruzhanov's keyboarding can also be heard in a solo on the latest
Protest The Hero track, "Limb from Limb." The solo consists of a wide variety of technical sounds sounding similar to oldAtari age video game music. But Pruzhanov's recognizable keyboarding style can be heard in most DragonForce songs, like the popular song "Through the Fire and Flames."Biography
He was born in
Ukraine ,Soviet Union and later moved toLondon ,England . He first started playing piano at the age of 8. Vadim then studied at a music school until he eventually got bored and quit three years later, and carried on as a self-taught player instead. It was at that time that Vadim discovered rock music and decided to pursue it as a career. He got a Yamaha PSS-51 keyboard and started to create his own music at the age of 12 and has carried on since. Apart from playing the keyboard, Vadim is also a capable guitar player, and owns anIbanez guitar. He takes influence from artists such asYngwie Malmsteen ,Strapping Young Lad ,Steve Vai ,Pantera ,Judas Priest ,Symphony X , andDream Theater .Vadim studied at
Cardinal Wiseman RC High School inGreenford , Middlesex (London). He continued on as a member of the 6th Form.Stage Equipment
Vadim often stands behind a deck consisting of a Korg Triton Extreme and
Korg X50 (previously aKorg N264 ). He has recently switched to playing a customizedRoland AX-7 keytar for increased maneuverability on stage, letting him match the lively performance given bySam Totman ,Herman Li andFrédéric Leclercq . He has also recently included aTheremin into his equipment. In addition to that he also hasMIDIjet Pro , andSennheiser IEM G2 External links
* [http://www.myspace.com/vadoforce Vadim Pruzhanov on MySpace]
* [http://www.dragonforce.com Official DragonForce homepage]
* [http://www.pyromusic.net/index.php?p=interviews_interview&id=27 PyroMusic.net interview with Vadim]
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