Boy, I wish I had another arranger! After selling my Tyros and then recently giving my PSR 2000 to my nephew I really am getting antsy to get another arranger sometime soon. Although, the "next" totl arranger we'll see (that you don't have to take a second out on your house to get) will be the new Roland most likely. I think Roland is shooting for Winter NAMM '10 and I hope it's true.

Since Roland most notably releases any and all of their totl arrangers at the Winter NAMM events apparently, I guess Summer NAMM '09 looks like it will be a wash from them unfortunately. I can wait though. Especially since I have more time than money. Some people have more money than time and to them I give my sincerest condolences.

All the best,
Mike

PS: Good idea though Cassp. For me personally, my style of playing is left hand for Bass and comping chords and right hand is for melody and/or some chords as well, plus whatever grace notes or runs etc. I usually did all my VH in real time with my arranger recordings (as opposed to recording the vocals separately), especially when playing along with Styles.

Thanks everyone for you input. Some good ideas never come to fruition, like this one. I see so many obstacles, like overdubbing, recording ability and equipment, and so on. Maybe the Shreveport Jam or other such meeting is the answer. I'm out.

Personally, I don't see why you worry about those that DON'T want to do it... they've already made their decision. Why not be positive, and concentrate on those that DO...?

Even if it's a few of us, it's a start, maybe after one or two of them, and the sky doesn't fall, they might drop their negativity...

All that remains is simply to choose the piece, and set the rules. They ought to be simple, and evenhanded. NO commercial SMF's. NO singing (not everyone here is a singer, but everyone plays arranger ), and it doesn't HAVE to be done live, one take (unless we all agree).

Then all we need is somewhere to host the files...

I don't care if it is just the two of us. Maybe three, maybe four, who cares? It's NOT a competition. It's communication, musically. Something we ought to do more of here, instead of spouting specs at each other, IMO

Let's just pick the piece, set the deadline (maybe a month, as all of us have different schedules and demands on our time) and just see who is the positive ones on this forum, and who REALLY are the negative ones...

I'm in, cassp is in, who else wants in? (we already know who DOESN'T )

No prizes, no 'best of show', no giveaways. Just friends sharing music... doesn't sound so bad when you put it like that, does it?

My ears will join,as for my song,i think i'll get blown out of the water!

It isn't about being the best... it's about participating.

ANYONE can do that...

I'm in. I'll give it that Mikey Maestro twist.

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God Bless,
Mikey

www.mikeymaestro.com
www.myspace.com/kidconcert
www.balloonanimal.com
www.jokevid.com
www.youtube.com/kidconcert

No, I don't think Cass is in, Diki...

A few posts prior he stated clearly that his kb is support for his vocals, and therefore he was out...

Let's not chase away a fairly large % of this forum's singers. If this project is going to succeed, I don't think a group of us should be taken out of our comfort zone. I'm a singer first, then a kb player. I think several others are also...

If guys want to do this, let's keep it an ongoing project. Let's start with a song from the 1990's or newer...Call that the June song...you wanna sing, cool...just an instrumental, equally cool...

In July, we ask for renditions of a tune from the 80's...

In August, the 70's, in September, the 60's and so on till we hit the 20's and before. Perhaps start all over again and keep repeating. Who knows?

We'll cover a variety of different popular styles. What fits one person like a glove one month, won't the next...We'll all do stuff we feel great about...and some stuff that maybe isn't our favorite.

Pick a month for country...it merits its own...

Something like that...No "best of" awards or ratings systems, etc. Every poster does so with the knowledge that some will like it and some probably won't. Play nice...no cheap or personal shots, it could be fun.

We're not trying to split the atom, just share music amongst cyber acquaintances. For simplicity sake, I would say...since this is an arranger KB forum, the submissions should be arranger based, with no overdubbing. Once a tune is covered, no one else can submit that one. (That will avoid direct comparisons to keep it friendly...) This isn't a recording project, its something to see how guys approach a tune and utilize the tools they and their arranger have to perform it...

Thoughts?

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Bill in Dayton


[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 05-21-2009).]

[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 05-21-2009).]

I am hijacking this post with an observation..

I have noticed for many years, the need to use different tools as crutches...when making music..Some crutches can be over com-ed, others can not..

I see as an example here...Cass stated that he relies on his playing as a back up for his vocals, and suffers in his playing skills to "play" his best...Hopefully I didn't misunderstand you Cass..

If this is true, I know of many, that are the same...There are "strong" singers, that need the vocals as a crutch for their playing skills...

There are others that rely on their playing skills to make the best of their vocals..

There are many that rely on the written music to play..this can also be a crutch..

I think the "arranger" keyboard has become a crutch for so many...causing them to lose skills that they may have had before...and others do need the arranger to aid them because of lacking skills..

All of these scenarios are fine, but maybe we need to look at our own positions, and see if the "crutches " are holding us back , or causing us to deteriorate as players..

If you want to test yourself..turn off the arranger stuff, and turn off the mic....and play...see if you can hold your own..

Fran-Good topic by why wouldn't you start you own thread on this and merely refer to Cass' post?



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Bill in Dayton

I think that I agree to everything.

Actually started to write a post like "if you want to sing, then sing if you don't, then don't sing, just play the music"... then I realised you wrote the same thing.

And I agree with Diki, ANYONE can do it. Anyone that wants, that is.