Playing a piano "lead"

[Fingeringman]

HI folks,

I play in a band.I would like to play a keyboard "lead" like the guitar player.I'm not real good at it though.Have any suggestions or ideas on the web for hints,etc? Is it called a "lead" on the keyboard?I can't find anything on the net in a search.ANY help would REALLY be appreciated.I'm used to playing for myself and haven't really figured out the Lead or solo thing in a band.PLEASE HELP ME!

[kanker.]

What style of music are you playing?

[harmonizer]

I am assuming you are talking about pop / rock-and-roll style of music, and that you have basic competence to know chords and play them, for the songs your band plays. Keyboard and guitar solos (or melody lines) tend to be different, so for getting started I would look to emulate melodies played by keyboard players, not those of guitarists.

 

For a start, think about for which songs you like to hear the keyboard solo or melody. You could you try to copy those keyboard melodies, note for note, and then begin to experiment with making small changes to them. To help you figure out how you can make up your own melodies, notice how the notes of these melody lines fit in with the chords in the progression.

 

Others may provide some introductions on how to improvize melodies (Stepay has posted a nice intro to this in the past). Learning (enough) music theory and practicing are very important.

 

But above all, remember that it's about melody and making your playing fit in with the song. If you are using some sophisticated technique, it won't matter if it does not sound nice, or if it does not fit. Be willing to experiment, and thus to fail, but just remember where these experiments are trying to get you.

[b3_john]

When working this up, first try SINGING the lead you want to play, then learn to play what you sang. That will expand your playing immensely, and it'll prevent your leads from being locked into to whatever technique you currently have at the keyboard. I can't recommend this highly enough.

 

It doesn't hurt to work on technique specific stuff either. Arpeggios are great to lead into a solo or transition between two leads. Break it up, try stuff that's not just 1-3-2-4-3-5, etc. Your guitarist is almost certainly using penatonics if this is a blues/rock band, don't shy away from that.

 

OTOH, if what you want to do is play guitar leads, my personal advice is to take up guitar and play both. :grin:

 

John

[Trill]

Great advice about singing or scatting and then playing it.

 

Here are some other good basic

 

Know your scales,the more the better. The pentonic scales are very reliable for basic leads .The more advanced you get,you may start to play ,diminished,or altered scales .

 

Look for target notes. If your playing a lead know what chords you are soloing over,you can look for target notes in the next chord . You can look for the third or fifth or seventh or maybe the root

 

Think about rythym, what is the feel of the song. Straight eighths? Sixteenths? do you swing the eighths ? do you swing the sixteenths?

 

Start practicing your scales with a metronome, then start moving all around the scales notes while keeping in time, then start alternating time values of the notes. Start making up your leads with the metronome. If you have a certain song you want to play lead on. Count how many bars you want to work with, get your chords,get your scale or scales,turn on the metronome and start making up a lead. Go over it until it is easy you are really comfortable with it and it fits nicely with the timing of the song . That is one of the things that makes a good lead solo

 

I have made many mistakes and rushing and getting off the beat is one that happens when your in fear and excited and you don't relax. The better you know it the more relaxed you are

 

Start off with some nice pick up notes leading up to your first chord . You may want to make a little run to introduce the solo and first chord . It may only be three notes but it can make a difference.You may want to think of it as a story , A beginning , a middle and an ending

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jazz+]

I love the way a new guy with 1 post can ask an almost impossible question to anwer in words and it will inspire lengthy free lessons.

[Dave Horne]

I think we need to clarify something - are you looking for a particular sound on your electric keyboard which will cut through and make you presence known, or are you talking about a style of playing where you are assertive, taking charge?

 

Are you studying with someone (other than Trill)? What is your level of playing? What keyboard do you use? What kind of music do you play? What is your musical history?

 

Welcome to the forum by the way. There are thousands of threads here and just about anything you can think of has already been asked. Check out the Search function.

 

 

[Trill]

I love the way a new guy with 1 post can ask an almost impossible question to anwer in words and it will inspire lengthy free lessons.

 

 

Are you studying with someone (other than Trill)?

 

Yeah ,I spent to much time on that one. but it was a Sunday afternoon and I was stuck at work and bored. :grin:

[stepay]

Until he answers what style he plays, all answers are just theoretical. Can give more specific advice if we know the music he's playing.