While I do use a few midi files in my performances, the vast majority of what I play is dependent on styles and registration changes. Once in awhile I am asked to provide additional players. From experience, I have learned to go for sax and trumpet players first.

Live drummers hate the uncompromising accuracy of tempos in styles. Guitar players often play chords in conflict with the chords and passing chords I use in my arrangements.

I had a bass player once who also had problems with bass lines required of some styles.

A live band situation is fun, but I would only want to do it if I can turn the arranger accmp off.

A couple of summers ago I worked with a 60's to 90's R&R 7-piece which consisted of guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and 3 vocalists. No problem. My role was to provide piano, strings and horns.

Oh yeah...another big plus: I didn't have to provide the sound system. The downside was, it didn't pay as well as doing singles. But, it was summertime in Florida and not much other work was available.

Eddie

Eddie,

How right you are! Live drummers hate arrangers. I have a trio that I book sometimes. Usually it is me, a trumpet player, and a sax player. If the right trumpet player is available he also doubles on guitar. I don't care how good a live drummer is, they are not as steady as a rhythm unit. Also the problem with live drummers playing along with an arranger is that they play so loud they don't hear the arranger drums. The result of all this is that real drummers just screw up the song are a pain in the rear and I won't use them for an arranger gig.

Tom

I use a live drummer on occasions, along with backing tracks. This is often to appease employers to make it look more like a "band". In this case, the drummer is tasteful (mostly brushes) and has a monitor speaker close by to keep him honest.

a slightly differnt take on this. At my church we often have concerts with live musicians includimg drummers. What i have noticed is that often the drummer will play with headphones connected up to a click track or preprogrammed drum track. This is used to keep him "true" to the timing especially if there are sequenced bits that are dropped in and out of the performance.

This has been the most effective way that i have seen where live drummers have worked well with sequenced peices.

The heck with drummers... what you really want is a percussionist. With arrangers or SMF's providing the basic beats it's relatively easy to hire someone to add some tasty congo or other Latin percussion flavors... as long as they are professional and know how to blend in.

I had a gig once that required a four-piece band even though at the time I was doing all the music/backing on my keys and had two vocalists. The client was firm about having four people, so I hired a percussionist to play a set of MIDI drum pads plugged into my arranger for congo drums and other minor percussion instruments. This worked great since I could control the volume of the added parts.

Haven't had any success using a drummer WITH auto drums. If you get a really good drummer, he can easily replace the kb drums, but then you have to either play lh bass or hire a bass player. Then you are "reduced" to being a frontman or sideman.
When a job requires more pieces, I add a fiddle, steel guitar or guitar player if it's country. I add a sax or guitar player if some other type of music is dominant. I'm very fortunate to have several world-class guitar players to choose from. They can play anything and play it great!
Last year I did one job with a sax, guitar player and piano player. I had trouble finding something for ME to play with my right hand! Had to sit on it some to keep it out of trouble.
Later,
DonM

Don - Why? Can't you just kill the drums and keep the bass and other auto accomp?
t.

As an arranger player If you need other pieces although I dont know why....ALWAY get some one to play something that is played by you "within the arranger music".....
If needed Only have others that can compliment what YOUR "NOT" PLAYING, especially not a drummer, Esh & Don have it right & I agree with them....

Well I guess you should hear from a drummer on this topic.

I LOVE playing to tracks/styles. It's like a night off. I don't have to work so hard to keep things together.

The band I'm in has players that can't keep a beat too well and they always blame me for lagging behind. I have video taped and recorded our performances many times and the proof is in the pudding, as they say; I am dead on in the pocket and they are all over the place.

A lot of times, the folks in the band can't hear the beats of the track or style because my strokes cancel the other track so they end up having to listen to me! ;-)

I have started playing with a Drum sampler; the Roland SPD-S which allows me to sample all kinds of drum samples then play them back along with my acoustic kit. This allows me to go from playing a dance beat to a latin beat quickly with authentic sounds.




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Al Giordano
www.al-giordano.com

Tyros 2, Yamaha P-250, Korg Triton Extreme 76, Roland VK8-M, DW Collectors Series Drums

Esh, I really like to use a percussionist to "sweeten" the sound. A tasteful one really adds
a lot!

Russ

I hear ya kbrkr!

It's funny how other musos tend (I'm generalising here) to blame the drummer, when the drummer (usually) has a MUCH better idea where "1" is than they do!

I get many comments from people (musos and non-musos) about how perfectly timed my keyboard playing is!

"Most keyboard players seem to be too fast or slow" they say.

I haven't the heart to tell 'em I was a formally trained Drummer since the age of 9!!

It makes a difference!

i like working with a percussionist so much i have formed a steady duo: "MO & MADAFO Jazzy World Music Duo" Madafo loves to play bongos and hand percussion along w/the arranger, he finds it liberating, not restricting. I tried a conga player once when Madafo was unavailable, an excellent musician- but i found that the bongos work much better w/the arranger, the congas don't blend as well. we can add a female vocalist, trumpet, guitar if called for. most musicians hate playing along w/arrangers at first because it requires them to keep better time than they possess. you hear all kinds of crap from them about "human" time being preferable. it's just them covering up for their deficiencies. since i started playing arrangers 6 years ago, i feel my sax playing on sax-sideman gigs has improved remarkably in terms of time, due to my body
and ears absorbing the perfect time of the kb..
Miami Mo

i like working with a percussionist so much i have formed a steady duo: "MO & MADAFO Jazzy World Music Duo" Madafo loves to play bongos and hand percussion along w/the arranger, he finds it liberating, not restricting. I tried a conga player once when Madafo was unavailable, an excellent musician- but i found that the bongos work much better w/the arranger, the congas don't blend as well. we can add a female vocalist, trumpet, guitar if called for. most musicians hate playing along w/arrangers at first because it requires them to keep better time than they possess. you hear all kinds of crap from them about "human" time being preferable. it's just them covering up for their deficiencies. since i started playing arrangers 6 years ago, i feel my sax playing on sax-sideman gigs has improved remarkably in terms of time, due to my body
and ears absorbing the perfect time of the kb..
Miami Mo

I am just getting started with a guitar duo working nursing homes. I have two jobs in December and one in January so far and I want to thank the members here for their great advice! My wife is helping with the booking and she is doing a great job too.