No MP-3's, no sequences, and I make the top money in this area. Work more than I'd really like to. But, that's my choice. I LIKE to play left handed bass, and have a base of enough people to keep me working who choose my style and comment negatively about the "recorded" backgrounds they say is being promoted as "live" music.

If what you do works, good for you! I just choose to do it my way, and I "ain't missing any meals", even though I need to.

I intentionally don't use sequences or MP-3's because, to me, that's not really playing. But, I don't think that going that route is wrong...it's just not for me.

The one good thing about getting old is that
you can be as stubborn and hard headed as hell and theire not much anyone can do about it.

Of course, a lot depends upon whether the venue is a music or entertainment one.

I play in restaurants and for corporate events...usually quiet management atended affairs. I'm not an entertainer at all. If I were, I'd probably change my approach and use whatever tools are available.

Whatever floats your boat...

Russ

If you can play properly there's no need to use MP3 or other pre recorded backing.
I play in 2 top clubs and have been resident at both for 5 years now.
I appreciate that we should embrace technology and I do myself. I use Cubase etc for producing backing tracks for many singers and bands on the pro circuit but I will only use my backing to show off at the beginning and end of my nights playing.
I play live to singers who come up to me and give me any piece of music that they want to sing to. I don't know what they are giving me so I have to rely on the score which is often wrong but you can improvise if you don't know the song or if you do know it, you simply play and accompany them. I also transpose in my head which I find easy rather than using the transpose keys on my G1000 and SD1. I prefer quality styles and sounds anyday over all these fancy gadgets such as MP3 playback. I also refuse to play to any midi file at all. I have yet to hear one that sounds half decent by any manufacturer. Each to their own, it would be a boring music world if we all adopted the same styles of playing and taste lol - Keep it live as much as possible

To be honest....I saw some pretty unexpected replies in this thread.

Musicians that mainly use MIDI's and/or MP3's while performing or recording demosongs state 'styles are more playing then myself' ?

I'm sorry, but this is extremely hard to explain.

I myself NEVER used/will use SMF's or MP3's on stage because they make me feel 'stupid' (non musician but DJ).

Russ and Craig put it right.

To answer Dnj's topic :
Tyros2 styles in good hands (controlled by a musician) are not too fluffy/unbelievable to an audience. There is soo much room to show you are a musician.

Using MIDI-files and MP3's shows that the 'musician' cannot play that specific song(s), not even with an arranger

I have read the comments with interest.
I myself am not a keyboard player of any worth and would not be able to perform my vocals without my trusty PSR3000 using quite unashamably other accomplished musicians midi files which have not been copyrighted.
I am 71 year old carer of a 32 year old son who is wheelchair bound and find it difficult to get with others to reherse etc.
My efforts seem to be well received by the older generation.
My point is it depends on our circumstances,ability and drive on the way you chose perform.
True artists in my opinion are those whose efforts are appreciated by his audience and they show it.

Cousin Ken

I NEVER allow the arranger kb to 'cover for' or 'compete' with what I'm playing. This is the diffence between a karaoke entertainer and a musician-entertainer. Karaoke entertainment is usually FREE at most watering holes, but LIVE 'keyboard musician' entertainment requires a lot more, and audiences are eager & willing to pay for it.

Donny, as you know (and others here as well), I've been advocating less reliance on backing tracks & auto-accomp for years here. When I perform on my Tyros, I AWAYS keep the auto accomp arrangement at a bare minimum, allowing the stage FOCUS to remain on MY PLAYING & VOCALS. Anything else imo comes off canned . It's exactly THIS reason that I've DECIDED to upgrade to Tyros2.

Tyros2 allows you to sound even more convincingly realistic when playing the keyboard LIVE! with the 'new' Super Articulation Voices. As far as auto accomp goes, I've found not only Yamaha, but Ketron & Korg, ALL to be equally guilty including more auto accomp parts in their styles than always necessary, but I suppose it's easier to mute, or eliminate the extra parts, then for other people to add it because they think they need it to cover for their deficient playing.

Ok, I've now auditioned & played LIVE, just about every current top of line arranger out there (except Tyros2). Since I already own a Tyros1 and know that Tyros2 is not actually a totally brand new keyboard, but basically a Tyros1 with the added enhancement of 'Super Articulation' Voices and other beneficial new feature & enhancements, I believe I've got enough first hand information now to decide between the current leading arr boards: Ketron SD1, Tyros2, KorgPA1X/Pro, and Roland G70. I'm convinced that the Tyros2's styles & sounds are BEST suited for both my STYLE of music & performance style. Obviously, choosing a keyboard really all comes down to personal taste. Coming from a guy with 'discerning' taste Tyros1, & now Tyros2 REMAIN my arranger keyboard of choice.



I agree with Craig and take the same keyboarad performance approach & philosophy. Interestingly enough, I too tend to reserve songs most heavy with auto accomp arrangements, for my opening & closing numbers, and keep the rest of the show to showcasinh my vocals & keyboard playing, with a minimalist rhythm section approach . . . primarily bass, drums & one solo section instrument. The audience expects live musicianship (and rightly so). The auto accomp must only serve as window dressing.

I recommend LISTENING to the demos of fellow Synthzone Members & deciding which ones you find most satisfying muscially. I'm easily able to tell which ones soley rely on commercially sequenced MIDI backing tracks, and which one's include live keyboard playing. Commercial backing tracks (imo) remain a poor imitation of the original band on the record. Even though an auto accompaniment style may not sound exactly (or even close) to the same as the original record, it allows for a more spontaneous (exciting) keyboard performance, including artistic freedom, which (at least with my audiences), always brings the most applause. As arranger keyboard owners, we all have a keyboard (with KEYS) at our diposal onstage, so I encourage everyone to actually play them.

Scott

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 10-07-2005).]

I've had that feeling myself while playing my PSR 3k. I do know one thing and that's the 3k has opened doors to venues that just playing piano solo would have not opened.

I've grown to rely on the styles of the 3K and it makes playing easier than just piano solo. One thing an arranger will not do for me is let me play expressively like I can when playing piano solo.

I play mostly background at cocktail hours and one hour shows at retirement homes. I'm not playing dance venues where I absolutely have to have a full band sound, so that I can sound like the recording or close to it.

On a couple of recent gigs both cocktail hours at retirement homes I found some interesting things going on. At the first I set up my 3k and the plan was to alternate between the 3k and a nicely maintained Young Chang 6 foot grand. I opened with a couple of tunes on the 3K, but when I switched to the grand I noticed audience reaction was more positive, so much so that I finished the hour at the grand piano. After the performance I got more than the usual we enjoyed your playing. Seems as though the belivabiltiy factor played into the whole gig. It's probably one of the limited number of venues where this would work well.

Fast forward to late this afternoon at a retirment home that has a Suzuki Digital Mini Grand http://www.suzukipianos.com/gp-3/

This instrument imho sounds fair as an arranger. After playing a 3k on gigs and a CVP 307 at home the Suzuki didn't sound very pleasing to my ears, but it does sound more like

Bottom line was that at these 2 gigs less fluff was better, but I still prefer the 3k for gigging.



[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 10-07-2005).]

I wouldn't say that the way I do it is the best but since I play fulltime in a highly competitive market, and I just left a full room and a grateful employer behind about an hour and a half ago...

First, I think if you present yourself as a keyboard player and you want to establish yourself with an audience then you should stop all the gadgets now and then and just play something meaningful. The ultimate test of a keyboard player is the naked piano... turn off everything but the piano and nail something that eliminates any and all doubt in the room. Having proved the point to them and yourself, from there you can do whatever you want... and often the more farout the better. I make it a point to revisit the piano often.

Second, it is the greatest time ever to be a keyboardist... I got keyboarding freinds that didn't make into the 21st century. And in their memory, and for our mutual amusement, I find it necessary to be as modern a musician as humanly possible. MIDI files, MP3 files, loops, samples, softsynths, laptop computers, arrangers... I really don't see any reason (oh, I use that too) to limit myself from any technology I can utilize and afford. I can't imagine what the great composers and performers of the past wouldn't have given for a fraction of our potential.

Yeah I got freinds today that wouldn't touch a MIDI file with a ten foot pole... that's cool... better that they don't do a sloppy job of it and spoil the market.

Well, I can properly.... guitar.............
But the Tyros allows me to do sing-alongs and some backing. I also use the Onstage performer, and I play midi and wave files.
I get great response and have lot's of jobs. This is what I have learnt: Playing ability/Skill: 40%
Repertoire to suit the customer:40%
Professionalism/entertainer factor: 20%
My .02$ on an earlier beat up discussion.

Reading some thoughts here and getting the overall frowning/bravado/purists attitude about using other means available to us to produce music in public or at home, either with WAV, Mp3, SMF, Arranger Styles, PC programs, which BTW all to me are in the same family NO MATTER how YOU want to Twist it in words .....your talent is your talent, these are our tools of the trade, "you cannot build a house with only one tool" some can play great but cant sing, others can sing but cant play well, some can do neither but can entertaine an audience very well,. The layman & audiences cannot be expected to fully absorb a fast changing technological medium that they are unfamiliar with.....they hear the end result which is our music.........they either embrace it or disguard it........your audience will make you or break you no matter how YOU think of what YOUR doing is right or wrong......this is a people business, & they must always be satisfied 100%
Close your Eyes, "LISTEN", & the end result will determine whats right & unfortunatly whats wrong no matter HOW ITS ACCOMPLISHED

Who in their right mind would pay around £2500 for a new Tyros 2 or another top end arranger just to play MP3, WAV or Midi files? You'd have to be completely mad or you simply have money to burn.