Intros & Endings

What do you use for intros and endings when playing live... you keyboards or your own? And if using keyboard intros & ends, do you play along or "take a break"?

Glenn,

It totally depends on the song and the style. Fortunately, with the PSR-2000 you have three of both to select from, which makes life a lot easier.

Cheers,

Gary

GlennT: I make it a point to play LIVE 'throughout' a song, and this includes during the intros and endings as well. If you don't, it can give the audience the false impression that you're merely playing along with a karaoke or midi backing track, and as an arranger keyboard style musician, this is 'not' the impression I want to give my audiences. I'm not knocking others who utilize midi file backing tracks, but imho the HUGE advantage to 'arranger keyboard' style playing is the LIVE 'spontaneous control' you have that you can't get when playing along with pre sequenced midi tracks. With midi or karoake files, you're merely playing (and/or singing) along with it, while in arranger keyboard mode playing, YOU are the conductor of the orchestra, able to change the song's course at will anytime, throwing in chord substitutions, taking additional choruses, and improvizing when and how the ending will take place.

On most songs, I typically utilize a pre-arranged style ending, but not the style intros. I prefer to play my own intros (utilizing style vari 1) playing variations of standard chord progressions with improvised melodies to lead into the song.

It's well acknowledged in show biz that the first few seconds of a performance (song) make a crucially important initial yet lasting impression to the audience of what you have to offer, so it's important (for me) from the 'get go' to let the audience know that I'm not a karaoke style singer, but both a competent keyboard musician & vocalist, giving them a 100% LIVE show.

There are times when utilizing a pre-arranged style intro may be called for, specifically for tunes which feature a signature recognizable & expected hook intro. In these cases, I always play LIVE, doubling or harmonizing the intro melody line, but playing a different instrument (voice) than the one used in the pre-arranged intro melody. An alternate live playing approach I like to use for endings is to play a counter melody to the line played in the intro/ending.

Scott

I do it much like Scott.
DonM

Well said Scott! It seems no matter what you do occasionally someone will come up and say "I think I'll get one of those, they do everything for you". You just smile and offer them a chance to play.

rp

Gary... I agree, my SD1 also has 3 intro/endings, which is very helpful. However, my point of curiosity was how many actually USE them... and if so, play along with them.

Scott... I agree with your preference of playing live as much as possible... and for the reasons you stated. Altho I'm not playing out yet, I will be soon and this is one of the many "technicalities" I'm trying to nail down (along with equipment, songlists, setting up registrations, etc.) before going out.

My plan is to play live ~ 75% of the time and with midis ~ 25%. But IMHO, the way to do midis is to remove and/or tone down some of the tracks and then play in full keyboard/pianist mode over the midi. Most comm'l midis are too busy even without playing over them.

You have to mix it up.....play KB intros, create your own intros/endings, fade outs, jump from style to style on the fly, use Midi songs and play along or just sing, play mp3's backing tracks, play along, or just be a DJ.....what ever it takes ....remember if you play for people you are an "Entertainer First" NO MATTER HOW YOU DO IT. If the audience is happy with your performance you have done your job!

good luck

Dnj ... I'm right with you... I've never really promoted myself as a pianist or even a keyboard player, but more as an entertainer...
Glenn ... I use a technics kn6000 and will occasionally use the on board intros or endings, usually playing along with them ... especially the 'blues style' ... One feature missing from the kn6 is a 'ritard' ending ..
I also agree with you on midis... many have too much going on, and I delete a lot of the tracks, or change the voice to something more subtle ... I just don't want it to sound too 'canned' ...
t.