Jump to content


Please subscribe to MPN’s YouTube Channel!

BluesKeys

Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    4,082

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by BluesKeys

    Semi - OT: Weird Band Dilemma

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    MY philosophy here is everyone is entitled to their own ridiculous opinions! I have several musicians that I work with that are clearly not on my thought/belief path. I like making music with them, but will not discuss certain things with them. They are not going to change their minds nor will I so that is where I disengage. Music is about music, I just agree to disagree on the other stuff and tune it out!!! Music is fun, when it gets to a point it is not fun, adios amigo!

    Post your worst keyboard load in stories

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I've had some doozies! Cruise Ships are a pain in the arse to get loaded on and they usually put you in a room on the opposite end of the ship.

     

    Played at several Carolina Hurricanes games. you arrive at 3:30 load in through the lobby, into an elevator (several trips). Into a staging room and then you wait! at 7pm you move equipment from storage room to dinning room and play. End of the game you get to pack up about 11-11:30pm LONG DAY!

     

    WORST: BALD HEAD Island. ONE you unload the truck onto little trams.Trams take equipment to the dock. TWO load equipment from tram onto carts that fit the ferry boat. Once on the island THREE Load equipment from carts onto Trams again and the take you to the gig location. Unload and set up!!! END OF THE NIGHT REPEAT!!!

    Famous E-electric piano

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I don't think I have heard a better sounding sampled or live Rhodes!!! I know my old Mark I was muddy in the lower midrange. It makes me wonder how it would feel playing those samples on a modern controller. Part of the Rhodes experience was the mushy slow keyboard that made me play it differently from a piano.

     

    On another subject I seem to remember an interview with Joe Sample where he said most players turned the Rhodes volume wide open, but he prefered half volume on the Rhodes and turning up the amp. I never had an amp powerful enough to do that back in the day!

    OT-Moving Grand piano to Install wood floor

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Just tackled this exact same event 3 years ago; we installed hardwoods in my living room replacing the wall-to-wall carpet. My son and I moved the 122 and B3 ourselves. I left the piano in tack, cut the carpet at the tripod legs of the piano, removing that carpet. The little bit that was left under the piano legs we simply lifted the piano and pulled the carpet from under the 3 legs. When the installer came and put in the hardwoods when he got to the point where we had to move the piano we put down some plywood and gently pushed the piano on the plywood. the plywood extended from the legs of the piano to about 5 feet onto the hardwoods so the piano never came in contact with the hardwoods. He finished the hardwood in the room then we pushed the piano back rolling it again on plywood and moved the piano back to the original spot. I think we put a moving blanket in between the hardwood and the plywood so that the hardwoods wouldn't get damaged. Not a scratch was created. He said he's done that trick dozens of times.

     

    Dave, that is my plan as well. My house is only 750sqft so moving to another room is not an option. I sold pianos for a couple years and learned how to use a grand slide. I moved it into this house with the help of several friends. I was just curious how someone else had tackled this delema. I will cut the carpet around the piano and use plywood to roll it into place after I install the hardwood.

    Roland RD-88

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Thanks... now for what might be a dumb question about the FC7 & other volume pedals.

    Since one is RTS, and the other is TRS, can they be re-wired?

     

    If you don't want to go to the trouble to make an adapter, our own Markeyboard may have a few left. He was selling them for the cost of components if I recall correctly! I have been using one from him for several years!

    Regret and/or mistake in not joining a band

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    BEEN there done that Tony!!! Stuck it out for about four years! It opened me up to a new group of musicians that were not aware of my abilities, but it turned into drudgery!!! It helped me but I felt at times I was selling my soul to do it!!! I did eventually land a job with the top band in the local genre and though it only lasted a few years, it put me in a great spot of being the first call for bands in need and a slot with the best Part Time band. I recently turned down another top Full time band on the circuit for other reasons. Until 2020 I averaged 170 show a year.

    Considering a career change

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I see a trend in the comments hear so I will add my 2c worth! I was laid off a corp job in 1994. I bought a flooring store and when 9-11 hit that dried up and I shut it down owing just south of $100,000. Worked in sales freelance for the next 4-5 years, and somehow paid off my debts and was able to buy a small house. I have made my living since mostly playing music. My suggestion to you would be keep your expenses as low as possible. My expenses are a little less that $1000 a month and have been since then. Squirrel away money when you can, in case of lean times (like COVID-19) because they will come. I made it through and now with Social Security I don't worry so much when the music business goes south!

    Bookings are coming in!

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I have been LOSING bookings for the past several weeks. The NC Governor has decided not to go to phase 3 (not opening Bars, Gyms etc) which also keeps restaurants at 50% capacity. Now Face masks are mandatory state wide for at least another 3 weeks. I have lost 7 shows for he first two weeks of July and several shows in August are cancelled! This is awful for small businesses, Bars particularly. I would guess many will never recover. But the big box nationwide retailers are still racking up the money!!!
×
×
  • Create New...