As a followup to my last song: "Blue Bayou" , I thought I'd switch gears, and feature a big band lounge style tune this time.

This ones called: "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big", written by Steve Allen, and the theme song for his "Tonight Show" TV program (circa 1950's). I first heard this song on a Buddy Greco "greatest hits" CD, which I'd discovered at a local music store, and immediately knew I wanted to add it to my performance repertoire. It's become immensely popular with my audiences, and become my theme song of sorts. I like to end my sets with this one. As you'll hear, I took the liberty to personally update the lyrics for: "2006".

As with my previous recordings, I sang & played everything live on my Tyros2 keyboard, recording straight to the Tyros2 built-in HD recorder, and then simply converted the resulting WAV file to WMA (windows media audio) format, so what you hear is pretty much exactly what you'd hear if you came to my show.

I utilized the Tyros2's internal style: Big Band Fast1, and Tyros2's: "GRAND PIANO" voice for live playing throughout.

To listen, go to my website:
Scott Yee Entertainment
then:
Go to the: "Song Demos" Page.
Scroll down to the: "Big Band/Swing" Category.
Go to: "This Could Be The Start of Something BIG", then
Click on DSL/Cable (5.53MB) or 56K (1.05MB) version

Thanks in advance for listening to yet another live 'on the fly' Tyros2 performed tune. Hope you enjoy.

Scott

Scotty....I liked the new addition to your
repertoire...nice, clear, snappy good lyrics changes, good vocals but I would have preferred less vocal harmony, I think that it was a bit much, distracting from the true you vocals if you understand IMO, great tune for you....thanks for sharing...
TR

[This message has been edited by Tony Rome (edited 05-05-2006).]

Hi Tony, many thanks for listening to to my latest song, and glad you enjoyed it. I admit that I really have a lot of FUN performing it.



and fire my "backup singers", the Chipmunks!? No way! Interestingly enough, I purposely exaggerated(?!) the backup harmony settings to promote the 'campiness' of that tune.

Scott

Scott.......Great Stuff, Great Tune, one of my favorites!!

Keep em coming on the T2 Express!!!

Thanx

Yep, that is very good, Scott! Believe it or not, as much as I love rock and country, I love big band stuff. And a guy with a great keyboard cad do it! As always, I love your enthusiasm, Scott! As many others here do, keep it up, you've got it!

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Bill
Yamaha PSR2000

Scott,
this one was really good! I think that you are more at ease with this kind of tunes, compared with the country numbers, where maybe a less polished vocal emission is required (or a southern accent... what do I know anyway? )
This one was really great and conveyed a lot of enthusiasm; even the style you choose was right on.

[This message has been edited by Dreamer (edited 05-05-2006).]

Very nice song and rendition.
Well equilibrated, the vocals with the harmonizer is fine to me.

I loved it Scott. It was great fun, I liked the modern adaptation of the words, and actually I didn't think the harmonizer was too much, it sounded great - I could see those background singers bopping away...........

[This message has been edited by PraiseTheLord (edited 05-06-2006).]

Scott,

Thanks for sharing. I love Big Band stuff and really enjoyed your performance.

Cheers.
Armando

Nice one Scott, now this is more like the Scott Yee I know. In your face Big Band style, good playing and vocals and the harmony worked well - keep it up m8 enjoyed it, your voice is spot on for this style

Scott..Nice job...but you have to lose the harmonizer.

your sound sparkles and I loved your spin on the lyrics!
J

I think this is very well done. Your vocal is well suited to the song. If you make it your theme song, it suits you well there. You seems to be suited to this kind of tempo/style more so than the slow songs that I heard before.

I heard lots of instruments. All seems to be done with good taste and balanced. What instruments did you play manually ?
Pianos are great.

Hey Scott,
Nice personalized rendition of a big band favorite! I agree with the others who commented that this particular tune fits your style quite well.
Paul C.

hey Scott......maybe on your next tune could you possibly do somthing that features some of the great LEAD solo instrumentation of the T2 in a song,
I'd love to hear it..........meanwhile Im hoping to get some time myself to get the HD installed in the t2 and put up a few of my own T2 song demos using the Hd Recorder asap....

Keep em coming!!!

Scott...
This one highlights your strengths. Great arrangement and playing....crystal clear vocal where every word is can be heard. Your phrasing was right on! As for the VH, I think you used it well. While the harmony may not be everyone's cup of tea, I thought it was scaled back enough to add interest to the song.

Good job.
Eddie

Many thanks to all for listening, and thanks for all the words of support as well. - Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 05-06-2006).]

Hi Scott,

just listened to your great song.
It sounds like you had lots of fun with this one...
I really liked this song and I agree with the others that this song is one of your best tunes so far.

Thanks for sharing

Eric

Eric. Many Thanks for the nice words. It means a lot to me to hear that you enjoyed this song so much, particularly because I realize big band swing isn't perhaps your favorite music genre.

Ok guys (and gals), considering all the back & forth debate expressed over how anemic Yamaha drums sound; I've not heard comments from anyone on what my Tyros2 keyboard's drums sound like now. Have I been able to convince anyone (especially Ketron kb fans) that Tyros2 drums now sound impressively live, and on par with the Ketron's drums? You'll notice that I trigger spontaneous drum fills (providing rhythmic anticipation), via remote footpedal, at different points in the song as a real live drummer might, to add spice & variety, as well as provide rhythmic 'interaction' with my singing, as well as live keyboard (piano) played.

I hope I've been able to succesfully demonstrate (with this song) how live auto accompaniment style keyboard playing, along with live vocals, plus spontaneously triggered drum fills, provides the kind of "live spontaneous" interactive music making performance, that playing/singing along to a pre-sequenced midi backing track can't match.

Scott

Ok, I'm STILL waiting to hear what people think of Yamaha Tyros2's drums compared to Ketron SD1's 'audio' drum loops. Does anyone think the Tyros2 drums now sound every bit as realistic & punchy as the Ketron SD1's drums, or do Yamaha drum loops still pale(?) in comparison? Come on folks . . . let's have some input. - Scott

SCott.....what can I say owning both the Mj/T2......they are both Very good but in different ways in regards to their processing nuances....it still remains to my ears....MJ..= RAW Live as if you were listening to a drummer live without efx.....

T2....= although Very live sounding but in a compressed processed kind of way. There is no right or wrong, but a drum kit ALONE does not make a great sounding keyboard

To Scott and others: My NEW computer's sound device quit working so I haven't been able to listen to anything. They are sending a new one, so I'll catch up then.
DonM

Scott, from what I heard...Ketron still is king of the drums..
Scott, maybe you can answer this..The early PSR's and Tyros, had a poor drum map that played many drum instruments wrong...noticeably a hand clap instead of a brush snare...I notice the Tyros2 specs mention a GS drum map..Does this mean they finally fixed it?
This problem alone would keep me from ever wanting another Yamaha arranger.
Key size and range[need 76 keys that are sized right] is another issue that I do not want a Yamaha..
It seems like the vocalist is the same..I use to think Yamaha's vocalizer was ok, but after using a DisCover5 vocalizer...no way would the Yamaha make me content..

There lies the main issues for me..
Build the next generation Yamaha with 76 full size semi weighted keys..Fix the drums, and borrow a page from Roland's vocalizer....then I wouldn't care what brand name is on the board...it could keep company next to my G1000..

Scott,
I hooked up my laptop and listened to your song.
Sounds great. This is your "thing"!
DonM

Hey Scott

Another nice rendition! I can get the feel of your communicating with the audience on your recordings.

Nice balance on the recording also. I didn't get a chance to read all the other posts, so don't know if this was brought up, but I like the depth of your sound and the strong drum sound. Did you tweak the Tyros for that, and/or the recording itself.

Either way, a very good showing.

Now I see others are starting to post a BUNCH of songs. It looks like the forum is starting to jump again! I look forward to listening to everybody's efforts. I am starting to view SZ with renewed interest again.

Scott, thanx for your contiunued efforts in recording the great Tyros 2 and sharing that with everyone.

Best
Scott Langholff

Scott,

Finally, I got a chance to listen to this tune. I must admit it does sound better (with your tuning and adjustments) than it would on a T2 with "out of the box" settings.

As compared to a Ketron product though, it still has a long way to go ... remember Ketron uses Live audio files and loops! In this direction, "out of the box" is sounds great so imagine when a Ketron user tweeks thier keyboard? Besides the accoustic nausance captued by a live player can be captured best with a live recording as opposed to using any software in todays market to 'copy' such effects...

Either way, this was a job well done by you on your T2.

AJ

Scott,

I loved your rendition of that song, I love the updated Pop culture "especially Emeril's, He's from my neighborhood, I've done a ton of work with his brother and him as well when he comes to town"

I noticed you used Big Band Fast on the T2.

Someones post said you tweaked the settings as well.
What did you change in the settings?

Man, Everytime I hear someone plat the T2, I fall in love with mine a little more. I have my own style, but it's so refreshing to hear others play the same board I use.

I havent had a chance to utilize the harmony feature to work for me. It must take a little getting used to it. My experiments with that feature caused my wife to tell me I sound robotic.

I'd love some tips on making my songs sound better with it.

Keep up the great work Bud


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God Bless,
Mikey

www.mikeymaestro.com
www.balloonanimal.com
www.1000colorcards.com

Hey Scott! Great job! Your T2 is in prime form and you picked a perfect style for the upbeat delivery. It's obvious throughout the song that you have worked on it and gotten it "fine tuned", even including the neat, updated lyrics.

Keep up the great work and it's great to have so many folks posting stuff out here.

Great weekend to all!
Randy

Hey Mikey

Maybe you could try doing some Devo with that setting

I'm listening, and it sounds great. Lot of personality in your voice. Very impressive.

Beakybird

ScottYee, The best so far, You have the voice and band very well balanced. Your voice is on top and sounding good. Great Job.

Now the down side – not really, just a request. The song is long enough to have a solo somewhere in the middle. When I was in my prime I never wanted people to tire of my voice – I limited the singing so they would be looking for more. The solos are used to break the feeling and many times to prepare the vocalist for a key change,
Scotty, you have the fingers, let me hear them.

I give you a #9 –with an added solo you get a #10

IMHO, John C.

Wow, a surprise to see this thread resurrected over a year later. Thanks for the additional member feedback added since I orignally posted this.



For those that may have missed my other references to comtemporary pop culture in this song, here are a few others: Wolfgang Puck's Restaurant, downloading ipod tunes, RazR cell phone, internet cafe, electronic bill payment. Go back and listen and see if you can catch them all.

Mikey: I honestly had a "lot of fun" updating the lyrics to this one, but most classic standards (Gershwin, Porter, Kern, Mercer, etc) I not dare change. "This Could be Start Of Something Big" and "How About You", Burt Lane tune, have lyrics which refer to specific past era people, celebrities, and events that many now may not recognize or relate to, so can benefit from a lyric update, especially when targeting a younger listening audience.

Just in case anyone's interested, here's a link to the: original lyrics to Steve Allen's: "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big".



In a nutshell, I merely

1) Increased volume level of Drum tracks and re-balanced volumes of other auto accomp instruments
2) re-adjusted reverb/chorus levels of style accomp parts
3) Use Full Bit Compressor Setting
4) Tweaked the preset DUET VH setting
5) then: played and sang my heart out.

All the best,

Scott

thanks scott for the info on the settings, I'll play around with some settings on my T2 and see if I can get my stuff sounding ok.

Keep posting more stuff to listen too

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God Bless,
Mikey

www.mikeymaestro.com
www.balloonanimal.com
www.1000colorcards.com