Anyone here do DUELING PIANO Gigs?

Looks like fun

Only the most talented should attempt to work dueling piano gigs....We use to have a club here (Philly) that had rotating players....meaning different partners..

You have to be able to hold your own as piano playing entertainers...and also support your dueling partner...Nowhere as easy as you think..

Fran how about dueling arrangers?...lol

We have the crazy pianos overhere in Scheveningen (the hague) Holland, that is a bar with dual piano players tat play requests all night long... Allways ends with party time..

Its my favourite allrime bar, those pianists play everything from bach to house, and me and the fammily try to visit it atleast twice a year..

Hate to contradict Fran but it CAN BE a lot simpliler than it looks. I sat in with a guy who did that and he got me up to speed in a few minutes. Its really one player holding down the fort and the other doing embeliishments or adding to the basic rhythm, or trading leads.

And like everything else, the audience to focused on the vocals.

I'm sure there are duos with complex intertwining arrangments but I bet they are few and far. To spend a multitude of time to do Sweet Caroline in a bar gig seems kind of silly.

We ain't talkin Ferrante and Ticheser. ( Anyone remember them ? ) They were fantastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22qKRkjOWpI

Bill, you can disagree with me...just once though

There are two ways to do the dueling pianos...the wrong way and the right way..

You described the wrong way

Trading turns to do your own thing..is not what I call dueling pianos..
The real dueling pianos, are spontaneous interaction between the dueling players..un rehearsed interaction, that builds both interest and a musical climax..

I have had friends that were of both types..All good players, but taking turns to perform there style, doesn't measure up to the "right" way that I described..Then it is a treat to be present at the dueling piano performance..

It is not just piano skills but the comedic interaction that sets the good guys (gals)apart..

All the dueling piano players that I have seen have my complete respect. The best ones I've seen where New Orleans. They had mad piano skills, great vocals, take all requests, and interact with the audience. Yeah, I'm sure they get a lot of the stock requests for stuff like Sweet Caroline but still, one needs some serious skills to really pull that kind of gig off on a high level.

OK Fran I offically withdraw my disagreement and will save it for another time. LOL!

Fran is right. I was asked to work one of these jobs, but went home with my tail between my legs when I heard the guy I was asked to replace.

Again, I'm NOT an entertainer!


R.

(Not a real piano player, either).

Now, both players were also great entertainers who obviously, could read and handle a crowd of drunks at a bar. Great video, Donny,

Gary

Bill If you found playing a 'Dueling Pianos' gig easy, I commend you ... Anytime I've seen an act like that, each guy had to share an equal part of the load, musically and vocally ... I find it amazing how these acts can answer SO many requests - I am sure that the ones they don't know are just put aside but I haven't seen that many put aside ...

And yes, I remember Ferrante and Teicher ...

Paul... I agree ... the BEST dueling pianos I've ever seen was at Pat O'Brien's in NO LA ...

I've seen them make thousands of dollars in tips in college towns. One side would give them a hundred to play the fight song for their school; the other side would give them a hundred to stop playing it and play theirs, and vice versa. Soon one would be playing one song and the other playing the opposite song at the same time, and they made it sound good!

Thanx Gary...awesome show...these guys are terrific in every aspect, ...no Arranger KB needed ....just sayin'
Would love to see them perform!!

I did that routine for 3 months - its was awful. Four players rotated in 1 hour shifts and all night long the SAME songs, NO, the same PARTS of songs played. Yes, the tips were almost obscene, but you never got to finish a stinking song! The original concept came from a place in Baltimore, I believe called "Little Ditties" ... it was a low point in my career and I hated every second of it. It's loud, rude, raunchy and crowd driven. Not my cup of tea. I've seen it dumbed down on a Disney cruise and it was "better" but still a horrid act if you like music .... or singers ... or piano music.
It's all about that drink. Not my scene.

Bill If you found playing a 'Dueling Pianos' gig easy, I commend you ... Anytime I've seen an act like that, each guy had to share an equal part of the load, musically and vocally ... I find it amazing how these acts can answer SO many requests - I am sure that the ones they don't know are just put aside but I haven't seen that many put aside ...

My post was misleading. I went to a new place that was going to feature piano players and talked to the guy who was doing the Happy Hour. Just a few customers there so he invited me on stage and gave me a rundown on how to work together as a piano duo. There were two EP's on stage in real piano cases. I would play the basic rhythm of chords and bass and he would do the melody and fills. Again vocals are the focus. I don't remember what we did but it was real simple a fell together quick. I certainly didn't do a whole gig and I'm amazed as to how those guys do all those requests. There has to be a trick to it where you can use some basic stock progresssions and sort of fake the lead or vocal.

If anyone has any thoughts on this I'd love to hear them.

BTW within a few months the place turned into a Latin Disco, had numerous police calls and shut down.

Bill

"Dueling anything" is fun to watch!!