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#393836 - 09/26/14 12:09 PM
Show you're playing live....
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Senior Member
Registered: 01/02/04
Posts: 7287
Loc: Lexington, Ky, USA
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i have rarely been questioned whether I'm playing live or "it's recorded"; even when I'm playing arranger. I think I've figured out why.
First, I always have a classical guitar, which I use to play unaccompanied ballads and other types of solos.
Then, even on the one hour jobs (thankfully, I don't do many of these), I use a smaller 2nd keyboard over the arranger. People see me playing solos and intros with my right hand and making the switch between the two instruments.
For the 2nd board, I choose a light board with multiple sounds, always including a manual bass. Sometimes, a simple keyboard bass "walk up", coordinated with the auto feature "1" is reached is the ideal intro.
Other times, changing the lead voice and making a big deal of the lead line, when played, makes it obvious that at least a serious part of what is being heard is being played live.
This sort of speaks to the "entertainer" question here.
A 2nd keyboard is a little more work, but the adders, in terms of showmanship and versatility are well worth the effort.
That is, IF you have an empty PA channel!
R.
Edited by captain Russ (09/26/14 12:23 PM)
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#393844 - 09/26/14 01:42 PM
Re: Show you're playing live....
[Re: captain Russ]
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Senior Member
Registered: 07/27/05
Posts: 10606
Loc: Cape Breton Island, Canada
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I did the foot pedal bass (with B-3 and Yamaha organs and also digital and Rhodes pianos) and also played left hand bass for quite a few years, both solo and in groups, but laziness (mainly) and the huge improvement in arranger accompaniment (especially bass lines) soon had me putting both former methods to rest and I've never looked back.
Jim Ailing said something on another topic that I can identify with, in that I play all instrumentals and do not sing, so it's important to set the arranger up in a way that my hands are visible to some extent to my listeners...they can at least see I'm actually playing the keys, as well as pressing buttons and footswitches.
Keyboard players have always had this problem, as we are anchored to one spot, and even though playing while standing is a bit more showy, it's also hard on the legs (using pedals especially) and wrists, and you're still essentially in one spot.
Unless we get a Keytar and go prancing around the stage with it slung around our necks, we may as well accept the fact that we aren't ever going to be that mobile or showy as those guitarists or bassists.
At least the drummer can sympathize with us. Ha ha!
Ian
_________________________
Yamaha Tyros4, Yamaha MS-60S Powered Monitors(2), Yamaha CS-01, Yamaha TQ-5, Yamaha PSR-S775.
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#393911 - 09/28/14 10:17 PM
Re: Show you're playing live....
[Re: Nigel]
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Senior Member
Registered: 07/27/05
Posts: 10606
Loc: Cape Breton Island, Canada
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I ran the keyboards through two modified Fender Twins (I initially used them for the Rhodes). Two Fender Twins would make a great keyboard setup with 4 x 12 speakers and 2 x 100 watt tube amplifiers. How were they modified? There were actually three of these amps made, and I had two of them. A friend of mine, Gerard, who was the technician at the music store where I worked, did the custom work. He's one of those naturally gifted and talented people who just knows how to get the most out of gear. He's also a wicked Country guitar player...the best in my area for sure. He swapped out the stock speakers (Jensen if I remember correctly) and put in two Celestion full range (12's). He then added two very small horn like tweeters in between the two main speakers, one at the top and one at the bottom. He then made up a custom crossover so that the signals were split up, lows to the 12's and highs to the tweeters, kept the spring reverb and added a balanced line out (to go to PA). I don't know if he changed any tubes around. They were quite loud and clean, but it was the warmth as well as the nice detail that made them so unique. They would sound awesome on electric/acoustic guitar, and they sounded incredible on the Rhodes in Stereo. The setup I used in the photo also sounded pretty nice as well. For a while, I used them on a DX7IIFD digital FM synth and they warmed it right up, but still kept the edge. The DX had an incredible electric guitar patch that was programmed by one of the Yamaha clinicians at the time, and it really sounded splendid through those Twins as did the B-3 and electric piano patches. He built the three (we nicknamed them "Tweeter Twins") and made no more afterwards, at least based on Fender amps. He also refused to give away any exact details about how he modded them. I believe they are all still working and being used to this day ( I sold mine to a guy that uses them with an old Roland E-70), unlike Gerard and I who are both now retired from the retail end of the business, anyway. Ian PS...Jeez, Nigel, they were HEAVY (and awkward). I wouldn't want to have to gig with them today.
_________________________
Yamaha Tyros4, Yamaha MS-60S Powered Monitors(2), Yamaha CS-01, Yamaha TQ-5, Yamaha PSR-S775.
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