Maybe your overlooking the obvious. You can put a huge goblet on the piano (for tips, with money already in the goblet, so they get the hint). When they walk over to the piano and drop money in the goblet, others see them do this. You can't put a goblet on a keyboard.
Star

Nothing's wrong with utilizing midi files for 'karaoke style' entertainment venues. Though I've used pre recorded backing sequences in the past, I no longer utilize them for my shows. I find playing (and/or singing) along with pre-sequenced backing tracks often leads to a rather repeatedly predictable sounding performance.

I prefer having the 'onstage' artistic license to spontaneously (on the fly) change the way my songs progress (throwing in chord substitutions, adding an extra chorus, etc). Only playing in 'arranger mode' will allow this. A big part of the creative energy that happens on stage with 100% live musicians is the spontaneous musical interplay between band members. As solo musician-entertainers without other musicians to play off of, the ability to optionally perform a song differently (on the fly) each time, becomes of even greater importance, helping to ensure that your performance sounds FRESH night after night.

Scott

Scott,
No disrespect, but arranger gerenric patterns will never sound "fresh" night after night - no matter how you alter the format or chords. The overall package will always be a canned imitation of what you really want to hear. I find that the exact drum beat from a recognizable song will induce more dance support than any "creative" liscence we may force on our crowds.

I originally got into arrangers because of the built in drum machine...never even using the patters. When the quality level was raised to something I actually liked - I started using the styles. I even thought as you do, that the "originality and spontinaety" was key to a great performance.

Sadly, in todays saturated and thinning market - the masses respond to familiarity rather than creativity. In a dance situation - the sequences always give me a better response than canned backgrounds.

In a background situation, or a dining room....it's another ball game. My refernces here are directed to dancefloors.

It's a shame, but I doubt that you'll be able to do this for a living when you hit my age. I think it will be long gone by then. I hope I make it to retirement without killing some drunken "K" singer trying to grab my mic.

I'm still in love with my job, but it gets harder every year. I hate the direction it's headed.

Donny,

nothing wrong with singing to a pre-recorded back-up. I am merely recognizing the fact that in Japanese form of entertainment is called "Karaoke". This "art form" has been much derided by many seasoned pros in this forum, all the while many of them engage in the same practice themselves.

As a live performer, I have never used sequences in my shows. On the other hand, some may argue that since I play mostly with the arranger turned on, I am not that far removed from the Karaoke myself. Well, I think there is some difference, but let's leave this for another post.

I think that it is fine to make money entertaining people with whatever talens G=d has given us. The guy in Houston, who I was writing about in my previous post, calls himself a pianist. Indeed, he is a pianist, being able to showcase his talent and technique despite the pre-recorded accompaniment tracks. It is fine with me if one has to sing to a pre-recorded track, as long as he calls himself a singer or a Karaoke artist. I even have no problem if the entertainer plays everything pre-recorded, and calls themselves a DJ. Incidentally, in my area the DJ charges about three times as much as I do.

What I don't like is when one pretends to be playing while in actuality spinning pre-recorded tracks in the sequencer or an audio player. In my book that is cheating, and that is wrong.

Uncle Dave, a thought on your original post: could be that there was no tips the third night because they've had enough music?

Regards,
Alex

Alex: I disagree with the way you are using "pre-recorded" as a blanket term. I agree that performers who buy karaoke music are certainly karaoke performers, and there isn't much difference with performers who buy midi files for backing either. But it's possible to create your own arrangements and song executions from start to finish, with backing instruments hand-sequenced and mixed to work in conjunction with the live melodic content. The result is a completely unique musical concept, which is different IMHO from someone just performing the missing parts of a store-bought file or tape. When performers go the extra mile to present their personal interpretation of a song, they deserve a little more credit than karaoke singers do.

I have to dissagree with you Alex,Then in a way all arranger KB players are Cheaters, because they don't play without some kind of auto rythym/styles etc ? I hope I dont get caught by the cheater police! In this day and age there are so many ways to make music and entertain its not funny. How you do it I odn't care but whatever you do put your heart into it and do the best that you can to make your audience enjoy the performance, most dont know cheating from reality. But I'll tell ya this ....you put your heart and soul in your music and baby I'll put some bucks in your tip cup for sure!!

Jim,

I agree that a person creating their own sequences deserves more credit than someone who buys pre-recorded backing tracks. I have no problem with someone benefitting (financially or otherwise) from playing back their own sequences. This is as fair as the case when a musician makes money selling his own CDs.

But I think the originality is only part of the story. I felt cheated, as I hope many others in this forum did, when Milli Vanilli turned out to be lip-syncing, even though their songs sounded good and were original. I agree with Scott, that a true live performer is able to connect his music with the mood of the audience, and change spontaneously to adjust to the situation in the room. I think this is missing from the pre-recorded music, but can be accomplished with the arranger keyboard.

I am not saying that playing back one's own mysic is wrong - it is not. But lip-syncing (or play-syncing) in my book constitutes cheating of the audience.

I think that it is possible to demonstrate ample showmanship and talent, even while utilizing the pre-recorded backup tracks. But if you read this thread over, you come across people lamenting about being replaced by the Karaoke performers, while they themselves do the same thing.

Donny, I do not pretend to be cheater police. I recognize that using the arranger accompaniments constitutes relying on help from electronics, although we could argue about the degree of this reliance. I am happy that so many talented members on this forum are making a living utilizing their gifts. I also agree that when you pour your soul into your music, the audience can usually feel it. Whichever way you can do it is fine with me.

But you must agree that lip-syncing is fraud. In the same vain, when one pretends to play while a midi or MP3 is all that is really playing, this is the same thing (as opposed to playing something audible while using a midi or MP3 file as a backing track).

To make a long story short, IMHO in a live show it is perfectly acceptable to use MIDIs or MP3s (or other audio files) when you are either playing something over top of them, or singing (while not pretending to play), or when you go on a break. Another acceptable use (in my book) is if you play it after giving full credit to the author (even to yourself).

Regards,
Alex

Uncle Dave. No disrespect taken. I'll agree that generic patterns are just that. But, in spite of this, though the auto accompaniment rhythm section certainly doesn't sound as good as the real live thing, the overall effect can still sound impressive when you supply plenty of live creative keyboard playing, including adding fresh harmonic textures (chord substitutions), interesting instrumental fills, as well as drum fills thrown in at just the right places thru a song. Short of this, to keep a song sounding fresh, I'll also occasionally select (rotate) another style for a particular song. The key thing when utilizing auto accompaniment is not to let it dominate or compete with your live playing & singing. I feel that this approach helps to keep my material sounding "fresh' night after night.



When providing music specifically intended for 'dance club' situations, I'll agree with you. My performance niche though is more as a lounge piano-singer style entertainer, so my gigs aren't specifically 'dance floor' oriented, but more a intimate lounge-concert setting, where the audience specifically comes to hear me perform. Even so, if space permits, I typically encourage dancing, and they more often than not, fill the dance area. As far as getting the correct danceable drum beats to a specific recognizable popular song, I find there are plenty of song specific auto-accompaniment styles available to fill the bill for these without having to rely on pre-sequenced midi tracks. The advantage of performing in arranger mode, even with dancefloor oriented songs, is that you gain the ability to add an extra chorus, modulate, etc, whereas with a midi file you're locked into strictly following the pre determined sequence without regard to the audience's dance energy, mood, or interest.



Yes, a sad reality for sure. This is is why I made a conscious decision to forego specifically appealing to the 'masses' . Luckily I live in large uban area where creative license is encouraged, and where there are enough people who don't expect or want to hear me perform a song 'exactly' as it was heard on the hit single CD. People thankfully come to hear me peform familiar tunes, but often with a fresh twist, and which meets with enthusiasm as well.



How long I'll be able to continue earining a living at this is anyone's guess, but I'm going to enjoy it 'while it lasts'. Performing music has been a lifelong drive & passion since I was a young child. I just feel lucky to make $ doing what I love. No matter what tomorrow brings, I promise you that until I'm dead (hopefully a long time from now), I'm going to continue performing and making music for at least someone out there. My goal is to keep the classic american standards alive by passing them on to the next generation. Though I realize that the masses may not care for the music, there are enough others who do, and they are my target audience.

Scott

Well said Scott and Dave both, and also others.
It's a deep subject and very thought-provoking. I find myself having to change with the times to work steadily. Ironically, I can make as much or more money doing a DJ job with my laptop as playing live. But it ain't no fun.
DonM

Amen...brother Don.
I want the fun too.