Hi,
In this topic i want you to learn some practical tips of keyboardtechnique.
What's the different of keyboardplayers?...
"Imagination"... Here are some example's of playing keyboard in a other way, that's make playing and listening different of other players. Some musicians don't believe it's possible to play with two hands only !!!

first, when i talk about "left section" it is only the accompagment and lower-voices i program on the keyboard. The right section is the "solo" section (sometimes with layer voicing)

The first example is a short demo of "the girl from ipanema"(jobim): I start here with no use of a intro but play my intro live on the left section of the keyboard(lower is a choirvoice: uuhh type). Between the accent's playing on the left section (both hands) i go with the right hand to the right section and play the "tenorsax". In this song i go several time's with my right hand to the left sections to give attack's with the voicing i played on my left hand. After the first thema i play other voices(only on the left site of the keyboard with left and right hand playing) sometime's i go back with r-hand to right section.

second example is "spanish eyes" simply on two chords(also lower sound is choirvoice) but i play the tensions of the chord like 6th and M7. And on the the second chord i play the 9th also in the left section. That's make the arrangement different, You don't play the root chords now !!! Also no use in this song of intro's and endings of the factory.

Thirt example is "laura" (david Raksin. Here i use another technique like the first voice on the right section is "oboe" with a carpet of strings on the background (= 2-voice) but the second voice is in harmony-mode, i change the voice to a programed brass in the second part( also harmony)

fourth example is "moonlight serenade". Here i play on the right the lead clarinet and 2-voice sax (in harmony-mode) Like the real "miller sound". On the left-section i set lower1 to slide trombone and lower2 to muted trumpet. I give some attack's with the left-section while playing the "millersound" on the right section.

Fifth example is "masquerade"(carpenters) Here i make my own intro also like the other demo's and take on the lowers rhodes and string-ensemble playing the chords: minor,m+5, m6,m7 and minor M7. On the right section i use the flute unisono with vibes.

Sixt example is "perfidia" Here i use more action in the right section, i play most of the time the lead and below the sixt, i use sometimes three and four-note voicings on the right section to have more power on the right-section. The ending of this i take the factory-ending but play live chords and notes while the ending is playing.

conclusion:
1. when playing the keyboard use all the imagination you have: when you not play with you right hand make fill's on the left section together with the left hand.
2.play much reharmonisation on chords use tensions like 7th, 6th, 9th,etc....
3.Use and listen to all voice's of the keyboard (also voice you don't like can be usable for some song's e.g. oboe on laura)
4.choose good lower voicings for good mixing balance with right section playing.
5.combination like "miller sound"(clarinet and saxes) are good voice's to play.
(i also use sometimes the "shearing-voice"= piano in blockvoice and vibe on top(lead) doubling with guitar one octave lower).
6.Playing over endings of keyboards give's that ending another life.
I hope i give you good information about playing keyboard in another way.
Greetings Notlos.

Short examples of this demo's are on: http://www.greatcanada.com
acces to this site only for members/juniormembers of this site.(password only by email on dirk.baert1@pandora.be )



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Notlos (Dirk)-
Your ‘Summer Class’ songs sound superb (as usual). I particularly like your detailed description on ‘how’ you arranged and played each of the songs on your Solton X1 arranger keyboard. Your topic thread here is exactly the direction I was hoping this discussion board would eventually move towards . . .

I 100% agree with you that it is better NOT to use the keyboard’s "pre-arranged" intros and endings as they tend to end up sounding like a ‘canned’ formula. As you have demonstrated so well, there are many ways to come up with original intros and endings. One is by vamping on 2 chords for 4 or 8 bars, another is to improvise an intro melody over the last four bars (chord changes) of the song and use turnaround chords (II-V7 or IV-V7 or II – bII7)) to bring you to the beginning (I chord) of the tune. There are many other possibilities as well: chromatic chord progression, tri tone substitutions, chord tensions (9, 11, 13th) and alterations (b9, #11) etc.

Kirk, I really like how you play in split mode and use the right hand to play in the right section and then jump briefly to the left section to play an attack using the left section sound. Great effect. I look forward to trying it. I am curious though if doing this changes the left section 'chord recognition' briefly because of these added notes played briefly by the right hand?

Notlos, On Spanish Eyes, I like how you include the 9th; But I’m curious when you say you say you don’t play the root chords. Are you saying you are not including the root note in your chord voicings or? Please clarify.

I really enjoy the flute played in unison with the vibes on Masquerade. Very nice sound.

Playing lead with 6th harmony below (on Perfidia) sounds great. Your live playing during the factory ending demonstrates very well how important it is to play both chords & notes. Without you playing LIVE here, the ending might have sounded canned.

Dirk, thanks again for sharing your excellent song arrangement tips and arranger style playing advice. I hope this opens up our forum to include MORE discussion of the actual ‘playing aspect’ of arranger keyboards, and not just comparing the latest keyboards. Arranger keyboard “playing” is a unique skill which includess the potential for many different styles of playing. I hope we can expand our discussion here to include not only sharing our arranger keyboard produced songs with each other, but also discussing ‘how’ we create our songs. I plan to add another song to my website soon and will include some words on how I arranged/played that as well. I hope other forum members will also come forward to share and exchange playing ideas.
- Scott http://scottyee.com

Hi Scottyee,
Your question about "spanish eyes" (don't play the rootchord). I play this fifth-grade (including the root-note) but not in root-position. (think i explain this wrong!)
Greetings Dirk.

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[This message has been edited by notlos (edited 08-07-2001).]

Notlos....excellent info!! To echo Scott's feelings, this is the type of topics we should have more of. Thanks!

Hello to summer class,
When I demo the Sd1 I will isolate guitar strums with style 16 beat 1 and 8 beat 4 .
These guitar strums are perfect for Crosby,Stills and NAsh stype songs . I use 16beat1 for " Behind Blue Eyes" by the Who . I gradually bring additonal parts in, all in real time . I use vocal setting 03 for left hand . Very nice ......Dano

Thanks Dan for your tips on SD1...

Henry