Audition help - Pink Floyd (tribute band)

[stillplaying]

Looking for any help with speeding up learning/transcribing the material - in particular folio book recommendations that have the chords/structure correct (mostly). I know it usually won't be the actual keyboard part notated, just a piano arrangement.

 

Got the keyboard "Ultimate Playalong." Anything else on Amazon I should think about picking up (or anywhere else) - I can work it out by ear but it'll speed things up if I've rough structures and chords to go on (from folio books etc...).

 

Also any general advice from anyone already doing this? It's a Scottish based outfit so I doubt they're a threat to any of your gigs - unless you play in a Scottish Pink Floyd tribute band (I've been told there are two - hello to MacFloyd's keyboard player if you're on here and reading this).

 

Thanks in advance for any help/assistance.

[drawback]

If you must have something to use as a base, try http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/search.php?value=pink+floyd&search_type=title

 

Some of these are written in chords - some are better than others. Your ears should really be taking you from there.

 

 

 

 

[Bridog6996]

If you're so inclined, I'm pretty sure there are official songbooks for at least all the "major" albums (Dark Side, Animals, Wish You Were Here, The Wall) that have everything written out, including keyboard parts.

[Ian Benhamou]

Nevermind the charts!!!! Start programming ASAP!!!!

 

Seriously.

[stillplaying]

Thanks all.

 

@Bridog6996: Can't find anything like that, just piano folios arranged for two handed piano (melody in right hand). I see lots of guitar tab stuff. Can you post any links to the ones you've seen?

 

@Ian Benhamou: You have me worried. You are already doing this - I had planned to play the main keyboard lines live. Any hints, tips or advice very gratefully received - either as a post or a PM.

 

@drawback: thanks for the link.

[Sven Golly]

Ian's point is not about sequencing, it's about having accurate sounds. This is a tribute. The level of expectation is a fair bit higher than a cover band.

 

As for the parts, I have yet to see anything in print that won't lead you into playing the wrong parts. This is going to be all about your ears, I'm afraid.

 

Good luck.

 

[Ian Benhamou]

Ian's point is not about sequencing, it's about having accurate sounds. This is a tribute. The level of expectation is a fair bit higher than a cover band.

 

As for the parts, I have yet to see anything in print that won't lead you into playing the wrong parts. This is going to be all about your ears, I'm afraid.

 

Good luck.

 

^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^

 

I've scoured the earth looking for accurate transcriptions of Rick Wright's stuff. It doesn't exist, not in published form at least.

 

But that's nothing to worry about. Pink Floyd's music is very simple harmonically, rhythmically and technically. There's rarely complex chords, all the lead lines are slow, and you don't need big chops to play the stuff.

 

But like Sven said, you need authentic sounds. In fact, I'd say that you could transcribe every single keyboard part and nail them perfectly note for note, but if you don't have the right sounds for those parts, then forget it, it's not going to work.

 

Of course it depends on how serious you are about the project, the competence level of the musicians, and where you want to take the project.

 

 

 

 

[Sven Golly]

In fact, I'd say that you could transcribe every single keyboard part and nail them perfectly note for note, but if you don't have the right sounds for those parts, then forget it, it's not going to work.

 

^^^^ THIS x1000 ^^^^

 

[stillplaying]

Thanks Sven & Ian - you had me panicking Ian as I assumed you meant I'd need to run a load of sequences to nail the sound.

 

Technically I'll be fine. Programming sounds? - well I suppose I am about to find out how good I currently am.

 

Good a 90 minute folk set and three tango tunes to learn as well (not for the same bands/artists).

 

Ever wish you could sing really well and front something regular of your own (that pays the bills)?

 

Thanks for the support.

[Ian Benhamou]

You're welcome.

 

If you need help on specific songs, don't be afraid to ask.

 

That's what a place like this is for.

[stillplaying]

You're welcome.

 

If you need help on specific songs, don't be afraid to ask.

 

That's what a place like this is for.

 

Cheers. I'm doing Money, Time and Breathe right now. Long way to go.

[Tonysounds]

This stuff is really pretty easy, especially the 3 songs you're up against: the easiest to program, and the easiest to learn. Don't waste time looking for "aids", just put the disc on and start playing. I have a Floyd tribute too, and we do it as a 4 piece, so not only am I playing boards, but I'm also picking up spare guitar parts, sometimes playing 12 string guitar (on an actual guitar!), triggering sound FX (like the clocks intro on Time and the Money loop...previously painstakingly edited and played back on a minidisc recorder, now on a $75 used Boss SP202), and adding parts that weren't there either for my own edification or for more sonic impact (like Taurus pedal tones), but I'm also the lead vocalist. Trust me when I say that if I can do it, you'll have no problems.

 

As for the singing, start now. I started with this Floyd stuff (not that I was driven to play Pink Floyd, but I had a great bunch of players and no singer, and figured "how hard could this be?"), and now every band I play in expects me to front part of the time. You can do it dude!

[Ian Benhamou]

I'm doing Money, Time and Breathe right now. Long way to go.

 

Good place to start. Not that much crazy programming here.

 

Money and Time both have that classic Rick Wright Wurly with a touch of overdrive and a plate reverb. You'll need a wah efffect for Money as of the Sax solo til the end of the song.

 

Time also has Taurus bass pedals and a Solina string machine. For the intro and half-time sections.

 

Breathe has a nice bell rhodes with a fair amount of reverb and B3 on the second verse.

[MuzikTeechur]

One thing: you're not using an X-Stand, are you?

[stillplaying]

One thing: you're not using an X-Stand, are you?

 

Why?

[therealvicz]

An easy way is to pickup midi files for the tracks you are interested in and then checkout the score in your DAW or a notation program.

[Moonglow]

When I saw tonysounds with "Pink Freud" (love that name!) he used a cool synth patch for the sax solo on "Money." I recommend you do the same, unless you have a sax patch beyond the cheese fare offered in most romplers.

[DanS]

I used to trigger all the sound effects from Time off of my Fantom X7's pads, but it's been replaced by the Fantom Xr, so I had to come up with an easier way to do it.

What I did on my last gig was rip the intro off of the CD and dump it in Wavelab. I then looped the metronome sound, and recorded the file to a new Wavelab track, so that the loop would extend into the first verse or so. My S70xs has an audio playback feature and a USB port, so all I had to do was dump the file on a USB key and then press play at the beginning of the song. Worked like a charm.

[Sven Golly]

An easy way is to pickup midi files for the tracks you are interested in and then checkout the score in your DAW or a notation program.

 

Except that 99% of the MIDI files out there are complete shite.

 

[DanS]

When I saw tonysounds with "Pink Freud" (love that name!) he used a cool synth patch for the sax solo on "Money." I recommend you do the same, unless you have a sax patch beyond the cheese fare offered in most romplers.

 

Using a rompler sound & layering it with a synth patch usually works as well.

[Ian Benhamou]

Except that 99% of the MIDI files out there are complete shite.

 

Especially the Pink Floyd ones!!!!

 

What I did on my last gig was rip the intro off of the CD and dump it in Wavelab. I then looped the metronome sound, and recorded the file to a new Wavelab track, so that the loop would extend into the first verse or so.

 

This is exactly how I've been doing it since the beginning.

[stillplaying]

@Moonglow: thanks, good idea. They have a sax player - don't know if they're always available. I have a usuable sax in a VST from Native Instruments but hoping to avoid taking my laptop back on stage.

 

@DanS: advice taken and being acted on - ripping and looping right now. I gig with a Juno Stage and it also plays audio files from a USB memory stick.

 

Cheers again (all) for the help and responses.

 

@Ian: My French isn't up to translating your other web page - what's the story with the Cabaret show you are involved in? What is it? Is it a food plus themed music night?

[Ian Benhamou]

Ian: My French isn't up to translating your other web page - what's the story with the Cabaret show you are involved in? What is it? Is it a food plus themed music night?

 

That's Musical Theater type of gig. It's a venue set up like a night club of the 30's-40's. There's a live house band (6 musicians) that accompany a bunch of singers, dancers, tap dancers, circus acts, etc. It's all live and very spontaneous.

 

Every night is themed, so sometimes were doing Swing and paying tribute the great swing bands of WWII era. Other nights are Charleston, 50's Rock N Roll, 70's Disco, French Can Can, etc.

 

It's a very fun gig. Great musicians, and the MD is one of my close friends.

 

My role in that band, aside from the obvious piano work involved, is to fill out the brass to sound more full like a big band (there's only 1 sax and 1 trumpet) and cover a lot of the orchestral stuff like strings, woodwinds and orchestral brass.

 

That gig got my programming chops to jump quite a few notches. Every week a different show, with a bunch of new material, most of which I'd never even heard in my life, and having to replicate an orchestra half the time. Kurzweil PC3x to the rescue.

[stillplaying]

Ok - I'm in (thanks guys).

 

(O/T @ Ian - that music theatre thing sounds brilliant - I take it you are now very calm in a rehearsal crisis and well used to working with those highly talented but also high maintenance music theatre types).

 

Both Ian and tonysounds are in established outfits - is that the same for you DanS?

 

What are you all using to cover the parts? Ian (nearly all live), tonysounds (all live and you have a Muse Receptor?)?

 

I went all software - Kore with a few VSTs on a laptop - then changed back after a couple of crashes. I've been covering everything recently on a single stock 76 key Juno Stage - which I like.

 

The band sounds very rocky - they've great vocals and harmonies and their last guy had all the keyboard sounds nailed - which is exactly what you said (Ian). We did Time, Money and Breathe from Dark Side and the long Pigs one from Animals.

 

Sounds - they want to add new material (last guy wouldn't do) that I'd like to have my string and brass VSTs for - Gunner's Dream & Southhampton Dock (Final Cut). Does anyone do these live? They're also going to throw in See Emily Play and Have A Cigar (which I saw discussed on your pic thread Ian).

 

@tonysounds - you said listen and do by ear and I'm finding that was good advice - there's nothing I can't manage (other than covering it with two hands and one keyboard).

 

They do have a sax player.

 

I can't justify a Muse Receptor (it'll be a gig a month I think) - anyone running low CPU intensive VSTs for Strings/Horns/Synth?

 

At home (desktop) I've got the Sonivox Strings & Horns, the East West free one - and the stock library ones from the Kore library (and a few soundpacks). It crawls when I use anything running the Kontakt engine combined with a few other sounds - and the laptop I'd have on stage (DuoCore 1.6GHz 2Gig RAM) has trouble with the EWQL. It runs the Sonivox Strings ok.

 

Any sounds help/advice greatly appreciated - and thanks for helping me get into the "I'm In A Floyd Tribute Band" club.

 

(BTW - other than my home desktop VSTs and the Juno Stage - everything has been sold on other than a Roland A33 and a JV1010 - my little stashed in the van/car backup rig).

 

Colin