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Starting a no-guitars rock band - tips, experiences?


To B3

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If you're looking for some keys-only/keys-heavy acts for inspiration...

 

The Roots have a few albums with no guitars (others with minimal guitars) that are quite good. Even if you're not a hip hop fan, the rhodes-centric vibe might give you some cool ideas. The Roots Come Alive album is especially cool.

 

Also, be sure to check out anything/everything by Moog Cookbook on youtube.

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I did a lineup with no guitar in the early 80s. Keyboards, drums, and a female vocalist who played bass guitar on about 1/2 the songs.

 

My tips:

 

Funk songs may be better with this line up... clav, synthesized bass, brass, etc.

 

An audience focuses on vocals (sorry but this is true) so if you have a great female vocalist that is excellent. Try to get all band members singing either lead or at least harmonies to fill things out. Duets will also entertain audiences.

 

Since you have a female vocalist, tunes from the likes of Chaka Khan, etc. are good. A lot of electric piano, strings, synthesizer.

 

Ok to use a gritty organ sound or piano with distortion effects to fill in, but do this sparingly. It is still not a guitar.

 

I used a melodica on a couple of tunes and people loved it. Good for horn/harmonica solos (again.... use sparingly).

 

80s tunes may be better material (Aha, Jeopardy by Greg Kihn, etc.). Pick ballads that are piano based with strings, etc.

 

Band mates need to be brutally honest. If a tune is not working due to the instrumentation then fix it or dump it.

 

Good luck! May the force of Gary Wright be with you!!!!

 

Korg CX-3 (vintage), Casio Privia PX-5S, Lester K, Behringer Powerplay P2, Shure 215s

http://www.hackjammers.com

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  • 3 weeks later...

Update:

 

First rehearsal will be this friday, me, the wifey singing, a bassist with a bass big muff and no fear to use it and a drummer... Looking forward to it... Six songs to test the lineup: Feeling allright (wah-clavi-fied Joe Cocker version), Footstomping Music by Grand Funk Railroad (hammond all the way), Superstition by Stevie Wonder (dirtying up the clav to match the trio approach of the Beck-Boggert_Appice version, with a little B3 to make up for the brass) , Come Together (based on the meters version), Honky Tonk Woman (based on the funky Elton John trio version of the 70´s, but with a dirty wurly replacing the ac piano) and Going Down by Freddie King (yes, the "more guitar" song of the lot, but also a blues standard, good to see hif we manage to make things like that sound good). Well, I´ll keep you posted how it goes. :)

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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