Hello

I did my first gig with my new Tyros. Everything really went well. I had a lot of people dropping their jaws, they couldn't believe what they were hearing. It turns out I've been asked back for another date in January.

One thing that helped me was my first use of MIDI files. I used it during my break and also for a few requests I don't do like Macerena , Amazed and Electric Slide. I made it appear I was playing (hehehe) and I know nobody knew that. There was no doubt that I was not a DJ (oh, the thought of it).

Anyway, I started thinking. I already have a LOT of MIDI songs and I thought perhaps it would be worthwhile to list those tunes one will not want to be without in todays world. For a quite a while I have been doing mostly concert work on the Lowrey organs and most of our customers are aged 55 to deceased as we say. Its a bit different playing dance music. The songs change as does the tempos.

Also, I was thinking it might be a good idea to swap the important MIDI files, whether it be through email or snail mail. I think this could save us as a group a lot of work.

Watcha think?

Best
Scott

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 11-10-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Scott Langholff (edited 11-10-2003).]

Pretending you are playing?? What's next? Not showing up and just expect to get paid ?...I'll just pretend I didn't read this

Well that’s an interesting point because I know many really good musicians who are excellent players and they use midi files. Why ?…. Simply because they can’t get the bookings anymore because the guys who don’t know how to play keyboards are using midi files, and sounding a million times better than the guys really playing arranger keyboards.

Yes, it’s a sad fact and there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s just the way of the world.
I actually know two guys how have been gigging for over 7 years pretending to play. No kidding, but these guys really don’t even know how to play the Scale of C. They pretend to play the keyboards while a Mini Disk player plays back Karaoke recording.


Regards.
James.

In reality...isnt playing an aranger Kb a form of "faking it" so to speak? If your playing a SMF song, play or sing along with it if you can other wise just let it play by it self your not fooling anyone. People hear a whole band but see only one musician....either Arranger Kb or Midi Songs, Mp3's, etc, its all the same.
There is no shame in being a Good "ENTERTAINER" cause when you roll it all up That is the bottom line, no no matter HOW YOU DO IT. Its an electronic world out there like it or not.
If your audience is happy,your getting repeat bookings, and your making money your a success. If you want to remain "PURE" then just play Acoustic Piano, or play KB in a band.



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 11-10-2003).]

I use mostly midi files on stage, BUT I and the rest of the band play along. The files are very good, but never as good as a real person. Don't fake it. A day will come when you'll have forgotten (or don't know) most of your own play list.
I certainly hope we don't get into a discussion of the honesty or validity of midi files. Those who use them, use them; those who don't, don't.

DNJ, yeah, playing an arranger can be a little like 'faking' it. I know I sometimes feel a little silly playing a two or three finger chord and getting a full arrangement, but just like midi files, it's how you use them that really matters.

Use the midis, arrangers, drum machines, etc., BUT PLAY! I'm sure most of us would all love to play with a full, live band, but in today's music world that's not always possible or optimal. Let's keep our music going as best we can.

Sermon over.

That's show biz folks! We're entertainers first and foremost--not musicians. We entertain other people and they pay us to do so. Midi, MP3, karaoke and other forms of musical interface devices are just tools of the trade. If you can't keep them happy, and or, on the dance floor, you're not doing what you were paid to do--entertain. At the end of the night, when the person that hires you hands you a check, plus another $50 and says I'll call you tomorrow for some more open dates, then you're on your way to making a living in SHOW BIZ!

I Love This Job,

Gary

Gary....Now we're talkin baby!!!
It's all in the Mix!




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www.donnypesce.com

showbussiness ain,t it funny,all of the arts whether its learning to play an instrument after many many years or juggle or magic,fire eating etc,etc you get someone come along with aCD even backing tracks sings a couple of songs not only makes a lot of money but gets lots of applause,weird aint it,mike

Its like paying a guy to clean up your yard of leaves,

You can do it with a rake, and you might do a great job,

Or you can pay someone who has the correct tools for the job and know how to work them.

Unfortanetly I have seen acts like Madonna, In-Sync, who had DAT playbacks of background vocals or actually lead singing tracks.

So when you are "faking" a playback of a midi track, don't sweat it.

Brittney Spears is supposed to be a great singer and she hardly does live singing, but everybody goes to see her right?

Hey

I'm just getting ready for work so I don't have too much time to respond right now, but Frankieve has made an interesting point.

Everyone remember the great success of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass? Herb was not a very good trumpet player. When they recorded he played both parts so that the phrasing and vibrato etc was perfect. But, when they played live, knowing his limitiations, it was the "2nd" trumpet player who played lead and Herb played the harmony all night long.

I am a trumpet player and studied with one of Herbs' teachers. This is verifiable.

Scott

Aw Frankie .... C'mon - Britney is hardly an ADEQUATE singer. No one buys her music for the music...not even the kids. It's the package that sells her.

I think it's a little different here. Those 'artists' have already made the music and are just recreating it, maybe faking it. We, on the other hand, are covering their music. We need to impress the audience with our musicianship. I go back to my original thought. Use the midis, mp3, arrangers, etc, BUT PLAY! This ain't no karakoe forum.

Scott...

Two points about playing with a SMF. First, there is a difference between SMFs and SMFs! If you have any doubt, go to:
http://www.manythings.org/midi/search.html

and type in a song title. In most cases, you'll find several midis of the same song. After downloading and auditioning a few, you'll see what I mean. Better yet, check out some professionally made SMFs, like from Styles & Music:
http://styles-music.com/default.asp

and you'll hear a marked improvement. So if you're playing with SMfs, use the good ones.

Secondly, a big advantage to playing with midis, is that you can concentrate on playing the full keyboard. Check out some mp3s by Esh... I believe that's what he's doing and it sounds great.

Furthermore, with a free left hand, you can continually work the the pitch and mod wheels when playing sax (and certain other instruments, like blues guitar), which IMO is the only way to sound like a sax. Between playing full piano and sax (which I love doing on the SD1) this works great. And you're definitely not faking it!

Glenn

I use sequences so as to play my sax. I probably play my sax as well as anybody here can play their keyboard and maybe better. Does that make me a cheat. Some may be surprised to see me play the keyboard and say wow! You're a Sax man!

I have about 7 great Ray Charles midi files that sound just like the record and I enjoy singing Ray Charles more than any other entertainer, so I use them. However, I do play the keyboard along with them and play an improvised solo on most everything I do whether it's the Sax or the Keyboard.

Look at all the folks on TV making a fortune faking strumming a guitar. And many that can strum can only do it in the key of E. Ha! Ha!

If you're just doing Karoake then you're a fake musician. If you play live most of the stuff you're doing yourself and use a super midi file here and there, I see nothing wrong with that.

Probably the ones that are most insulting in this respect are the worst players. I'll put my sax playing against any body here with their keyboard playing. With the exception of Mycoy Tyner, Wynton Kelly, Oscar Petersen, Bill Evans a hand full of others if any of you guys are on this site. They don't count in this challenge.

So shut up! and go make a living like these good people on this forum entertaining with their equipment.

How much money a year are you complainers making doing musical entertaining??? Not anywhere near what Uncle Dave, Donny, DonM, Scott and others are making. I know for a fact that DonM has made hundreds of dollars and I can't count as high as the amount of money Dave pulls in and he can't even carry a tune in a bucket. Got em' again. I love ya Dave.

Some can play, some can't and out of the ones that can play, some can swing and some can't. Some have it and some don't. We all have a good idea of where we fit in. So, other than the ones that can't play at all and are faking it 100%, let's keep putting up with one another and learning to improve ourselves and quit sounding jealous.

Like I said I'm not jealous of Dave and he makes 5 times the money that I do and he can't carry a tune in a bucket, but he sure can sing.

I bet Dave, Donny, Scott, and DonM could just stand in front sing and not play any instrument and make a living.

Boy! I need to quit here. I am getting jealous, envious and suffering strife as I write. Guess I'm just another weak human. Boy I hate when I get like this.

I can also lay more brick than all of you guys here on the forum put together. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. I also challenge any one here on the forum to nine ball anytime anyplace. Now ya'll have something else to think about. Oh and the loser pays for my round trip ticket to anyplace you want to meet to play some nine ball. Boy my feathers are up. I'll be OK in an hour or so friends. I'm going to get my Prozac now.

CD-R's work well in my case. Arrange the tunes on an arranger keyboard, or Band In A Box, bounce to a 16-track recorder. Add appropriate overdubs---strings, choral oohs and aahs, extra percussion, etc.. Burn to CD and presto, personalized backing tracks for solo guitar/vocals. Works great if you're careful about your bookings. Obviously, it's tough to play requests if they're not on the CD.

Boo,

Forget the Prozac--Kickapoo Joy Juice, a glass of which I just happen to have in my hand, tastes better, goes down smoother and after a glass or two, has the same effect. Besides, it's a lot cheaper. I'll have to send you a bottle so you can test it out.

Gary

Hmmmm, Requests? here is where the tricky part comes into play.....Its called "Playing Live" besides the other tools.. and definitly is a MUST HAVE part of the overal musical arsenal when you got hundreds of people out on the floor or in the audience!

carry on..

PS.. Easy There Boo..

Donny,

Some of the comments on this post reminds me of the guys on TV and in the press box that can't throw a football 10 yards or have any idea of what a pair of shoulder pads smell like and comment about how they would have run this and that play.

Some folks probably can't make a nickle doing a one man band so they have to find something to bad mouth the ones who are a "one man band".

Boo, having a bad day? I missed where this comment came from. Even though we've digressed from from Scott's original question, I think the thread has been lively and helpful. Smile.

Glen, good post. Lots of useful info in that post.

[This message has been edited by cassp (edited 11-11-2003).]