Being The Keyboard Dude

[Synthoid]

Brings back memories (once again) of subbing with the worship band at another church 2 years ago. After being asked several times to join the group, I finally went to a practice session one evening after receiving several email links to new songs.

 

I knew their band had been without a keyboard player for some time, and this seemed like a refreshing change from what I was used to at my church--this new team had more energy, with a larger group of seriously committed musicians. The church also had their own keyboard (Korg TR88) which was convenient. Anyway, I had spent time at home learning various keyboard parts, and dug in right away.

 

However, after playing for a couple Sundays, it seemed their worship leader was really just interested in having someone stand on the stage behind the keyboard... like a piece of furniture. Musical "eye candy" perhaps. Not that I'm that attractive or anything.

 

Overall, it didn't seem to matter if I was playing piano sounds or pads... or nothing at all. I played for a couple more Sundays but knew this wasn't the place to be for the long haul. Oh well.

 

[Tusker]

Being the keyboard dude can be:

 

- Being the music director

- Being the guy other than the drummer who has to come in early to set up

- Being the sound guy (how do I plug into this mixer?)

 

but also ...

 

The guy who fields calls from people who want you more than you want them, at least for me. That's nice!

 

As to playing with guitar players, I have two observations:

- The better the player, the easier they are to work with (true for most musicians)

- Unlike horns, two is a crowd

[Synthoid]

As to playing with guitar players,

- The better the player, the easier they are to work with (true for most musicians)

 

Yes, and there's nothing worse than one who spends 30+ minutes setting up and fussing with pedals and effects.

[Danny Linguini]

Years ago I attempted to work with a 9-piece band that was looking to compete with one of the area's better known brass section bands. Bass, drums, two guitars, lead singer (who was also the band's organizer), keys, sax, trumpet and trombone. First rehearsal I made sure I was well-prepared, and I pretty well nailed my parts -- for the half of the songs that had keyboard parts. The lead guy ended the night blowing smoke up my ass about how important he thought keys were to the band. Second rehearsal was about the same. Third rehearsal, I schlep all my crap down there again to twiddle my thumbs while not one song they did the entire night had a keyboard part. Or brass, either, for that matter. Not even something I could fake/fill that would sound decent. Me being the impatient, short-fused type quickly abandoned that project.

 

A few years later I got together with four other guys, three of whom I had worked with before, and magic happened. It eventually went from five down to four, which somehow worked even better. Everybody just clicked off each other -- me on keys with the guitarist, me on vocals with the other singer, the other singer on bass with the drummer, everybody contributed and was an equally important part of the band, and everybody knew, respected, and appreciated that about everybody else. That guitar player passed away before we reached where we could have, but I've never found anything that rewarding before or since. The band folded. Now I'm solo, and responsible to only one person: me. But I'll always savor that magic.

[Baldwin Funster]

...that guitar player passed away before we reached where we could have, ......

 

My observation is way OT but this is where i thought of it, the 3 stages of life:

 

Kids- the band breaks up because someone got a girlfreind.

 

Mid life-the band breaks up because someone got married.

 

Later-the band breaks up because someone passes away.

 

Tie in to the topic: lets hope the first 2 are the keyboard dude. Lets hope the 3rd isnt.

[Outkaster]

Even if they are a good guitar player they are still a pain in the ass.

[stoken6]

You can't generalise. The guitarist I'm working with in a couple of projects is self-taught, has an amazing (as in Nile Rodgers-standard) sense of time and groove, but very little theory. He'll play upper structure partials, so on a G13 he'll play F-A-C-E and call the whole chord "F major 7th".

 

I showed him some rootless voicings and how altered chords can be embedded in a melodic minor scale, and he's hooked on theory now.

 

Doesn't know and doesn't want to know? Get lost.

Doesn't know but wants to learn? I'm cool with that.

 

Cheers, Mike.

[midinut]

Some of the best players (guitar or otherwise) I have played with were either alcoholics, had drug problems, had significant others or spouses that were not supportive, or had egos as big as a house. Once in awhile there can be exceptions ... a gem comes along ... and then there is magic. Maybe it's just my luck.

[Al Quinn]

Seems I've had a much better experience with guitarists than some others. I guess I'm lucky. So many I've played with are talented and have a love for keyboards. I've learned a lot about attitude, groove, and phrasing from the guitarists I've play with.

 

I've also run into some egotistical guitar owners who plug in, turn up, don't listen to what anyone else plays, and have no sense for dynamics or interaction. But those are all red flags to not play with them again. To my way of thinking they are not true musicians.

[Outkaster]

You can't generalise. The guitarist I'm working with in a couple of projects is self-taught, has an amazing (as in Nile Rodgers-standard) sense of time and groove, but very little theory. He'll play upper structure partials, so on a G13 he'll play F-A-C-E and call the whole chord "F major 7th".

 

I showed him some rootless voicings and how altered chords can be embedded in a melodic minor scale, and he's hooked on theory now.

 

Doesn't know and doesn't want to know? Get lost.

Doesn't know but wants to learn? I'm cool with that.

 

Cheers, Mike.

 

I can generalize and do because as I said most of them don't know dick about music or arrangements. It's the easiest to learn out of most instruments that's why everyone wanna be is attracted to it That said there good players here in there but most of the time they are a dime a dozen. I'd rather have a horn section or another keyboard player.

[thomsurf]

We sacked the bass player and turned the guitarist into a new bass player. Now it's the best band I've played in... Drums, bass and keys. And to top if off, everybody sings so our harmonies are like an extra instrument. I dig being the keyboard dude

[MathOfInsects]

Want to know how to make a guitar player turn down? Put sheet music in front of him.

 

 

[cphollis]

We sacked the bass player and turned the guitarist into a new bass player. Now it's the best band I've played in... Drums, bass and keys. And to top if off, everybody sings so our harmonies are like an extra instrument. I dig being the keyboard dude

 

Love it. Less is more. I would really, really dig playing in a band that didn't have a lead or rhythm guitarist. And yes, killer vocals would help. You're livin' the dream, dude.