What to Play on Pick Up The Pieces With No Guitar Player

[Paul Harrison]

I did a version of Pick Up the Pieces with a guitar/keys/drums trio a few years ago. I did the sax and bass parts on a Kurzweil SP4-7, and the second guitar part (and comping under the guitar solo) on a Hammond. Here's a recording from a rehearsal where we were working up the arrangement (and trying to get it tight! ).

 

https://soundcloud.com/ozmusicman88/pick-up-the-pieces

[allan_evett]

Sounds like a fun gig!

 

For the A section, a two-handed clavinet part that weaves and pokes - and references the signature guitar riff - would go a long way toward covering the two-guitar groove (along with the tasty stuff the bass player will certainly do). A well-shaped tonewheel organ registration with percussion could probably do something similar, though I favor the plucked 'stringiness' of the clav. For the intro, sustained LH TW organ with the RH covering the guitar riff with the clav tone would be my choice; then you could bring back a modified version of that for the B section - with the organ sustaining the 7#9 chord at the end of it. I suspect that this gig's rhythm section will set a solid and tasty groove for you to play within.

[Bobadohshe]

....And I just found out there's a guitar player now. Right when I had the whole thing figured out.

[ProfD]

....And I just found out there's a guitar player now. Right when I had the whole thing figured out.

Guitar player...that is a bummer.

 

Seriously, it should still be a fun gig. Have a blast.

[Reezekeys]

....And I just found out there's a guitar player now. Right when I had the whole thing figured out.

 

I would be extremely relieved to find this out! I'm sure it's a drag to have spent time working out a keys-centric way to play these tunes, but imo there's definitely a major weight off you. You can always apply what you worked on at a future gig somewhere.

 

I would check with the guitarist to get clear on which parts he or she will do - since both Pieces and Schoolboy have two guitars with prominent parts.

 

Have fun!!

[harmonizer]

I would hope that the single guitarist will do the chord part (which is heard prominently in the intro).

[Reezekeys]

Oh yea, that seems obvious. Actually any big chording stuff should be done by the real thing, imo. The single-note lines can be more easily adapted to organ or clav.

[ProfD]

Whatever Bobby's band chooses to do with those tunes, I'm sure it will be funkier than that Candy Dulfer sh8t.

 

There's a reason that audience appeared to be stuck in mud and unable to move.

[roygBiv]

Oh yea, that seems obvious. Actually any big chording stuff should be done by the real thing, imo. The single-note lines can be more easily adapted to organ or clav.

 

I obviously defer to Reezekeys on this, but whatever you guys do Bobby, make sure the single-note funk line is there - to me, it is the unique, old-school key signature part of that tune that brings the funk, and moves it into James Brown territory (it plays kind of a call-response thing with the key horn hooks, and I really noticed its absence in the Candy version cited above, which may be why it falls a little short).

 

That funky single-note groove sets the tone for the whole tune - without it, it is just another funk song with horns (maybe just my bias as a former bass player).

 

Side note - I wasted some time trying the keyboard-only approach - for me, the funkiest combo was leslie-organ for the guitar chord stabs, while playing the single note funk pattern on a slightly distorted electronic piano (rhodes) patch (as was previously suggested by TommyRude).

 

Clav was ok, but sounded like it was trying to hard, and organ was too mushy in the lower register.

 

Anyway, having said that, I'm just a hack. Probably why I found it hard to play the single note part funky and loose, 'cause of the asymmetric chromatic run up and down through white and black keys - tricky to finger with the kind of confidence to set the funk of the tune.

[Bobadohshe]

Schoolboy without guitars? Wow, crazy. That tune has never had any kind of keyboards in it - just those two guitar parts. Like Pieces, a chunky strumming part and a single-note part.

 

Am I crazy in that I hear a lot of clav on the original recording?

[Bobadohshe]

That funky single-note groove sets the tone for the whole tune - without it, it is just another funk song with horns (maybe just my bias as a former bass player).

 

I agree I'm gonna cop that for sure.

[Reezekeys]

Schoolboy without guitars? Wow, crazy. That tune has never had any kind of keyboards in it - just those two guitar parts. Like Pieces, a chunky strumming part and a single-note part.

 

Am I crazy in that I hear a lot of clav on the original recording?

 

Yes there is clav and your post had me laughing since I had to be reminded of it. I'm playing bass on that tune, and Freddie V (the tenor player) plays the clav part since he has a Motif over on his side of the stage for aux keys parts. The thing is, his Motif is barely in my ears, which is why it took your post to remind me that there is indeed clav on Schoolboy - I had forgotten! I just went back to the original recording and it's very much audible through most of the song, but it's kind of a background part â imo a little bit of "spice" that's tasty but not essential to getting the song over, like the guitar parts.

 

I know this might sound strange (or not), but when we're not playing, we don't listen to our own stuff! Once I learned my basic parts after joining the band 7 1/2 years ago, I rarely revisited the original recordings. Why would I? I'm playing these tunes 40 - 60 times a year! (Well, up until 2020 I was!).

[Bobadohshe]

I know this might sound strange (or not), but when we're not playing, we don't listen to our own stuff! Once I learned my basic parts after joining the band 7 1/2 years ago, I rarely revisited the original recordings. Why would I? I'm playing these tunes 40 - 60 times a year! (Well, up until 2020 I was!).

 

Oh I get that! I have done the same things with many tunes in my top 40 band. End up playing them 100 times a year and after 3 years you go back and listen to the original and sometimes it's a shocker.

 

Man you guys are all so crazy just switching instruments like that.

[Reezekeys]

Only myself and Alan do any actual switching. Freddie just has the keyboard for some simple parts like that clav thing and an occasional string line â and sometime plays his sax at the same time as the keyboard. Cliff (the other sax player) does a few things on keys too.

 

I found this on youtube - a phone recording of a gig we did in Atlanta, with almost-decent stereo audio from right in front of the stage. You can't really hear the clav but Onnie's guitar part is very much out front!

 

Is Steve bringing the sleigh bells? Sometimes Fred plays a sample on his Motif, you better be ready!

 

[edit - actually I think Freddie is playing the sleigh bells sample when the full drum groove starts â and maybe some of the clav part later on, it's hard to tell]

 

[video:youtube]

[Bobadohshe]

Everybody sounds great in that vid. Just a single board for you huh? Man I was wondering about the sleigh bells! I don't know if he's bringing em! I'm not bringing a ROMpler I decided. I am bringing my Hammond SK2 and my Yamaha CP4 to play rhodes on 'I Wish'. I really like the clav on the SK2 and can do Clav on the bottom and organ on the top manual.

[Reezekeys]

Yes a single 61-key guy. The AWB sound is guitars mostly, keys are definitely the extra sauce. It's mostly bread & butter stuff like rhodes, clav, and organ. I double some horn stuff and do the single-note guitar in Pieces and Person To Person, so there are a few tunes with some interesting splits, but I make it all fit into 61 keys. I get to play my own keyboard on the road so it saves on a rental, though I know its lifespan is being shortened somewhat.

 

You should be more than fine with your SK2 and CP4. Have a great gig!

[Bobadohshe]

I get to play my own keyboard on the road so it saves on a rental, though I know its lifespan is being shortened somewhat.

 

Do you fly with it then?

[Reezekeys]

Yea, it"s 10 lbs, not much more in the SKB case. We all have (had?) status on United so were able to fly all our gear without any baggage charges.

[stoken6]

I am bringing my Hammond SK2 and my Yamaha CP4 to play rhodes on 'I Wish'. I really like the clav on the SK2 and can do Clav on the bottom and organ on the top manual.

Tasty rig. Yeah, the SK clavs have a lot of character.

 

Are you able to tell us the manufacturer of the electronic kit Ferrone is showcasing? (I presume it's not Yamaha or Roland, who might be upset by the Hammond logo?)

 

Cheers, Mike.

[MathOfInsects]

I am bringing my Hammond SK2 and my Yamaha CP4 to play rhodes on 'I Wish'. I really like the clav on the SK2 and can do Clav on the bottom and organ on the top manual.

Tasty rig. Yeah, the SK clavs have a lot of character.

 

Are you able to tell us the manufacturer of the electronic kit Ferrone is showcasing? (I presume it's not Yamaha or Roland, who might be upset by the Hammond logo?)

 

Cheers, Mike.

 

According to the announcement on my feed (meaning, it's not a secret reveal), it's for EFNOTE 5 eDrums.

[Reezekeys]

Nice job Bobby - too bad they didn't feature you more, but I got a good taste on the last song! Steve is quite the "raconteur." Those drums sound pretty good too - but calling them "electronic" is a bit of a misnomer since 99% of the time he was clearly using them to emulate acoustic drums. When I hear "electronic drums" I expect to hear old Simmons kits or mangled hip-hoppy sampled stuff.

[Bobadohshe]

Ah you tuned in. Thanks! Yes the clinic was never supposed to be about the band. For me to get to sit and watch him tell stories and play these grooves was one of the great thrills of my career. That and trying to settle myself into that monstrous pocket playing guitar parts on a keyboard. I wish I could have another crack at it to be honest. But that's okay.

[DaveMcM]

Whatever Bobby's band chooses to do with those tunes, I'm sure it will be funkier than that Candy Dulfer sh8t.

 

Geez! Way to make another opinion feel welcome. Didn't say it was funkier, just that I liked the version. Not better, just different.

[ProfD]

Whatever Bobby's band chooses to do with those tunes, I'm sure it will be funkier than that Candy Dulfer sh8t.

 

Geez! Way to make another opinion feel welcome. Didn't say it was funkier, just that I liked the version. Not better, just different.

Brotha Dave, no offense to your opinion/taste was intended by my comment.

[DaveMcM]

Whatever Bobby's band chooses to do with those tunes, I'm sure it will be funkier than that Candy Dulfer sh8t.

 

Geez! Way to make another opinion feel welcome. Didn't say it was funkier, just that I liked the version. Not better, just different.

Brotha Dave, no offense to your opinion/taste was intended by my comment.

 

 

I didn't really think so. But now I realize my response tilted a bit to the snarky side, sorry. I did include a smiley face though.

[Reezekeys]

Ah you tuned in. Thanks! Yes the clinic was never supposed to be about the band. For me to get to sit and watch him tell stories and play these grooves was one of the great thrills of my career. That and trying to settle myself into that monstrous pocket playing guitar parts on a keyboard. I wish I could have another crack at it to be honest. But that's okay.

 

You did fine. These situations are always a little hairy with no rehearsals and playing tunes with specific arrangements or parts. There are many times I wish I could have another crack at things that are unfortunately (for me) immortalized on a CD or on a you-tube that might stay up for a long, long time. It's great to have that pocket to sit in though!

 

As far as Candy's version... well I'm not gonna criticize, the band is slamming and she can certainly play. I can't help noticing the bass line and the guitar parts are entirely different - "generic funky", actually. And the tempo is very fast. That makes me scratch my head a little. I think she's catering to a different audience though; no hard-core old school funk aficionados there, so I guess she's found what works for her shows. I look out at our audiences and see mostly grandparents!