I am planning a big event. It will be THE most important musical event of my life, thus far. I am about to commit to a late summer date at a studio. Which will hold 100 people seated theatre style. As far as venues for songwriters go, this is as good as it gets. I've been to many concerts there.

This show will be for my originals. Like a going away party. I am going to Nashville in the fall. Might be there for couple of weeks to set things in motion. I might move there if I like what I see.

I have written dozens of songs about my hometown/area and characters I have known. In addition to a few of my best songs, I'd play mostly those songs. Sort of a homecoming for many people. I have even planned on projecting images (photos) of people/places as the songs play.

This has to be good. Real good. My problem is not only money (hiring musicians) but rehearsing. To pull these songs off with bandmates would require multiple rehearsals.

Some of the songs are guitar oriented songs, so, not so much a problem. Others that I have written or arranged on the psr2000... to have a band sound that good would require some doing.

So, I'm asking if you think the arranger could serve as the backbone and the bandmates play along to it.

I love bass/drums but I probably would forego that for this show. On some ballads, I think they would be gorgeous with me on guitar and a string quartet or at minimum, cello and violin.

Instruments I have considered:

another acoustic guitar / harmonica
another keyboard player (mostly for piano)
fiddle / banjo
cello or viola
electric guitar
steel guitar

I've considered just hiring the bandmates and not using an arranger at all but I honestly don't know if we could pull it off and sound great. Some songs, yes. But others, I don't know.

For instance, I have some bluegrassy numbers. I could mute the banjo and have a real banjo play. On country songs, I could mute the steel and have a real steel play. Etc.

I don't know about a drummer. Even though I *love* drums. I guess he'd have to wear headphones. I've never done that. Same for bass. But the basslines on even the lowly psr2000 sound fine to me.


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Bill
Yamaha PSR2000