First off Merry Christmas all.

Since I got my Casio PX560, I've been trying to learn 88 weighted key(Very Basic) piano. This has allowed me to learn some basic left hand bass/accompaniment.

Thing is, even if I learn something fairly well, my left hand 88 key accompaniment is thin...lacking what styles provide.

But there is more to this story.

I'd love to use my PX560 in a gig(weighted keys) and I could use a console such as the Ketron SD90.

Thing is, as near as I can tell, I'd be right back to an arranger set up using my left hand for chords...as arrangers work.

I couldn't hope to employ any left hand bass work unless I recorded(and then played over) a midi-file.

Right?

Or, right hand chord and manual bass

A suggestion:
Lot’s of scales and arpeggios with both hands, it’s the best way for your hands to become comfortable on the piano. First play with one hand then both. Follow up with right hand chord inversions. A month or two and you will be plesantly surprised.

John C.

Ketron SD90 module is the easiest arranger module to setup to practice piano, bass, and drums only arrangement with its built-in styles.

With the "Chord" slider on the left completely pulled down at its lowest, only the right hand voice (piano), bass, and drums of the selected style will sound. With the "Pianist" button pressed (and lit), you can extend the right hand voice (piano) to the entire keyboard. You can also combine the "Lowest" button with the "Pianist" button to keep the lowest bass note of your left hand playing.

If you want to practice walking / running bass on the left hand, you can press the "Manual" button. The "Manual" button can combine with the "Lowest" button. The "Pianist" and "Manual" buttons are mutually exclusive.

tx.

Good info.

All good suggestions for sure, including your idea of playing over a track. But may I kindly suggest that you challenge yourself and try to set a goal of playing at least one song every performance with no styles or tracks. Just you and the keyboard/piano. Maybe a vocal number with an instrumental chorus or two. You say that your your piano accompaniment sounds thin. Don’t worry too much about that for now. Just try to get your accompaniment rock solid. A good vocal and a simple and solid accompaniment can go a long way. Think of someone like John Lennon for example. By all accounts he was no piano virtuoso but he could accompany himself very effectively on piano.

I wish you the best with your musical endeavors,

Paul

Tx Paul,

Good suggestion. And I will try to do that.

A couple of years back, I went to a Paul McCartney concert...actually got pretty close so I could see what he was doing.

He accompanied himself on piano...pretty simple stuff I think. But it did sound good.

Hey Guitpic,

What I suggested to you is sort of a New Years resolution that I’ve made for myself, which I be trying out today. I’ll be doing Georgia On My Mind with just a a piano sound and vocal, no track or styles. The event is a happy hour I do every Friday at a senior apartment complex. Nice older folks that are pretty easy to please....

Yes, Paul McCartney is an an excellent example of someone that does that does
simple, solid yet effective piano accompaniment. In my mind the Beatles invented that quarter note pulse , rock ballad piano accompaniment style. With good voice leading, solid pulse, over a good vocal it works just fine!

Variety is COOL. On a 4 hour restaurant job, I do nylon string
instrumentals, acoustic guitar with vocals, large jazz guitar instrumentals, plain piano solos, just piano/vocals, arranger and XB-2 Hammond with left-handed bass. Sometimes, I even bring a double-neck end play a few solos with it.

Just keys is a really nice break or way to start a set.


GO FOR IT!


R.

You have to be versatile in this business. Plain and simple. If you're not, well, you won't be in this business very long, or worse yet, you will get the lowest pay rate.

Good luck,

Gary