I come from an organ background, but don't do running bass lines. I have always put strings, organ,guitars,piano, or some suitable sound for my left hand. I use it for movement, modulation, or added rhythm.

I have been watching other keyboard players and it seems most just use the left hand to define chords with no sound. I expect that many home players would do this as a rudimentary way of playing, but I see pros doing this also.

In the latter case, I begin to wonder if my style is an overkill. In other words, is more better or not. As a caveat, I have been playing for over fifty years, but that doesn't make it right, but is it necessary.

Bernie

Good question

In general it depends on the style if having strings or organ chords on the left hand adds anything.. or just adds to much..

I don't use any left Hand sound on split kb....

It depends upon the style used, and the song itself.

Gary

Bernie
like you I use my left sounds. For me less of the style and more of my left hand; adding the left hand adds more to live playing and gives both hands the opportunity to work against each other. Closer to live playing.

Good post Bernie, John C.

Donny
A very simple example of what John means is a D7 resolving to a G chord using D9,D-9,D7,G to provide movement in a sustaining passage.

The downside in a faster piece is the left is tied up and can't reach for a keyboard change.

Bernie, this is a great topic.

I rarely use a sound in the left hand anymore...the exception would be a swing style, where I would put a piano sound in my left hand.

I found that a lot of the sustaining type sounds, such as strings (actually, especially strings) were a bit dense sounding and muddy, unless I was voicing my chords openly (notes far apart), which isn't always convenient.

Most times, all that is needed is to raise the volume of the pad voice in the factory style, as that style part is usually voiced properly for that kind of use...generally using one to three notes that sustain or are held. To try and play those notes in the left hand using a LH voice quite often interferes with how the instrument reads the chord.

Most, if not all, of the styles I use are edited versions done by me...and, they are assembled with the intention that I don't require the use of a left hand sound. They usually have new Pad parts and sometimes new Phrase parts...I have a small but very useful selection of donor styles I take parts from.

So, ultimately my answer to your question would be mostly no, with the exception as stated above.

Ian

Bernie I understand but it's not my playing style to use
LH voicings, we all play differently there are no rules in arranger KB playing, that's why we have so many options...and thank you for the explanation.

On ballads I sometimes use vocal oohs and aahs on the left hand. Usually nothing, except in songs such as Last Date, where I use piano sound on LH.