I'll be there are a lot of working arranger users like me who started off working as a guitar player.

I was wondering:

1. Do you still play guitar on your single jobs?

2. How do you incorporate guitar (or instruments other than arranger keyboard(s) into your act?

3. Did your knowledge of guitar make the transition to keyboard easier?

I played guitar for 20 years before I began playing organ. By that time, the security and money was in solo acts. Now, I keep a nylon string Goden on the bandstand. Especially early in the evening, I play 4-5 instrumental solos per set. No sequences, just nylon string. I also play a big jazz guitar in a fusion group.


What about you?

Russ

I started playing guitar several years after the piano. To be honest I thought guitar was easier to play. When I used to perform I did a combo of both (actually several). I play bass guitar, and drums too. My band was one of those where everyone could play more than one instrument so we switched up a lot... People do take note when a band does that too

Squeak

I played quitar for a long time but stopped playing some time ago because it was lonesome playing by myself. I took up keyboard about a year ago and I'm loving it. I can now play with with my own little onboard keyboard combo and it's a lot more fun than playing solo guitar. I think that playing the guitar helped the transition to playing the keyboard though. I've only learned to play in a couple of keys yet. I rely too much on the transpose fuction, kind of like the capo with a guitar. I could play in any key on the guitar. I can't "think" in keyboard yet like I could with the guitar but I'm getting there. With the keyboard, no more "blisters on my fingers", broken strings(my guitar in the corner has two right now), tuning(seems like I was always tuning the guitar), and almost as portable.
Chuck
ps BTW, I went to the movies the other night and there was a trailer for a movie called Ray. It's the story of Ray Charles. I'd love to see that. Also, Michael McDonald was on PBS the other night playing a Yamaha. Great concert with a couple of Doobie Brother walk ons.

I started guitar at age 6, and didn't even touch the piano till my sisters lost interest in the (mandatory) lessons they recieved.
Today, I use some guitar along with the rhythm machine or a sequence or totally solo, depending on the venue.

I love doing the soft rock of the 60s and 70s on my acoustic. Stuff like:
James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Logins & Messina, Beatles, Eagles, Fogleberg, CSNY etc ..... the crowd usually eats it up unless it's a dance room or a dining room.

For listening ..... it's a rare treat for me to just have one guitar and one voice. Soothes the soul.

When I use sequences, I try to play chords in an upper register, and in a thin tone - it blends better than my 1st position, full chords that I use as a soloist. I have Parker Fly that I use at work with the acoustic pickup as the main sourse and the humbuckers blended in very subtly. It sounds kinda like a jazz box with real bright strings on it.

Originally posted by captain Russ:

1. Do you still play guitar on your single jobs?
...Yes
2. How do you incorporate guitar (or instruments other than arranger keyboard(s) into your act?
...Yes
3. Did your knowledge of guitar make the transition to keyboard easier?
...Yes
I'm currently doing both in our band(s).I use an Ibanez Musician series and a Danelectro 12, in addition to my Ovation Balladeer 12. When I head out for a gig...my truck is full.
Like squeak stated..."People take note when your capable of playing more than one instrument.


Originally posted by U.D.:
"...I love doing the soft rock of the 60s and 70s on my acoustic. Stuff like:
James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Logins & Messina, Beatles, Eagles, Fogleberg, CSNY etc ..... the crowd usually eats it up unless it's a dance room or a dining room."
Dave...you & I have got to get together and jam!!
If you're ever taking a trip up to Canada, let me know....(and dress warm!!)
------------------
...L


[This message has been edited by shboom (edited 09-15-2004).]

Yea, Dave...I'm a BIG Parker Fly fan! When I use mine, I put the acoustic pick-up directly into a PA channel, put the magnetics throught a tube shper champ and then line out into a second channel. Great sound. Locking tuners help on outside jobs.

How do you amplify yours on the job?

Russ

Played the piano at age 5, switched to guitar at age 12--and as Squeak said, the guitar was easier. After picking up my first keyboard, I found it increasingly difficult to sit down and play the guitar. I have a pair of beautiful accustics that I'm probably going to put on Ebay.

Gary

Does 2 guitar lessons count??? ...
Then the accordion player in the band my parents new convinced them to have me switch to accordion ... who knows I could been better than ELVIS !!!
t.

I started on bass as a kid in 1974, went to college with a major in music only to jump to keys 15 years ago. Interesting enough that when I work on one instrument and forget about the other for extended periods of time I seem to approach it differenty often much improved or at least from a different perspective when I come back. Bass is always my 1st love but I can never turn my back on my keyboards either...

Tony...Have you seen the Pepsi ad about a young Jimi Hendrix? You may have a point there!



------------------
...L

Played guitar and lead vocal with my own group for many years. Played in some of the best places in New York. Play Boy Culb -- Terrace in the park -- Tavern on the Green --ect.
In 1985 I moved to Florida. They reconized a guitar player as a seventh instrument in a group -- very little work --- so one-man-band

My guitar had a midi attachment, I used it to drive the keyboard. It was as if my left hand was fingering the chords, but I could not use the set-up to play solos. As I improved on the keyboard the guitar was not used as often.

I sold my three D'Aquesto guitars and bought a good rock guitar,A steel string taylor guitar, and a nylon classic guitar.

There is nothing like the sound of a real accoustic instrument -- Guitar is still my favorite, although I do not play it as often.
Maybe as I get older, I just turned 73. Amen

John C.

While I can't answer any of Russ's questions because I don't play in a One-Man-Band situation, but I am primarily a guitar player who got into keyboards back in the 80s when MIDI provided a way to create backing tracks at home to play guitar over. I was finally able to create drum and backing tracks to play guitar over without having a band in my home. And yes I think having a good chord knowledge on guitar provided a good base for constructing chords and harmonizing on a keyboard. I never claim to be a keyboard player but I can get around a keyboard well enough to play basic keyboard parts and the occasional organ solo in a live cover band ( http://www.redrhythm.com )

I started playing guitar, bass, drums and organ all about the same time.
I still play all of them, but now I only use the keyboard to play them.
I originally started on trumpet, and started playing the other instruments in college.
Haven't played guitar on stage in maybe 15 years.
DonM

started gtr at 15.2yr later switch to piano and gone thru classical piano training for 3 yrs.played KB as a pro in bands and solo.and for last 12 yrs playing both(as a solo/band KBdist and blues-rock-hard rock lead guitar player)and .yes GTR knowledge help you play KB and also KB playing and music theory will help you and make you a better guitarist.BTW once you are a guitarist-always a guitarist.there is nothing like giving the vibrato and bending with your bare hands.
and ofcourse in a live band situation GTR player got the babes but KB player got the money and most solo gigs.
that's why Keith (Emerson)said "after choosing the KB I had to go on.people still cheer lead guitar player running around with his 5lb instrument where I would be stuck in a corner(even after those roland AX and yam KX were in the market,real pros won't use them much).later I got rid of the volume hungry guitarists"(KB meg-mid 90's).

. that ad cracked me up !!! ...
t.

Yea - me too. I started on guitar at 12 and was in my first band at 15. They wanted a keyboard player and I was voted to be it as I only played rythmn and sang at the time. So they bought me something called a Vox Jaguar to play. You know, all chrome legs and covered in PVC.

I bought me a play in a day book (hahaha) and never looked back. In the late 60s and early 70s there were trillions of guitarists but not many of us organists and by that time I hade a split Hammond L100 with a 145 leslie so if you wanted the "sound" you needed me or someone like me. In time I learned to read rather than just play handfulls of chords but then learnt by ear and mainly play that way today until I get the odd song that really bugs be 'cos I can't find that elusive chord so I hunt down the music.

I pick up the guitar every now and again (I have a cheepie Yamaha accoustic) and play a few of the old stones, beatles, hollies, who and Kinks stuff etc I used to do on the guitar. but I do it so infrequently that my fingers hurt real bad after just a few songs.

Ah - those were the days.

KFingers

John What great instruments you had and now have. Looks like you were very successful in a tough NY market, so you must have been "cookin".

Looks like there are a good number of us "former pickers" who made the transition to keyboards/arrangers.

Switching primarily to keyboards kept me working in a very competitive environment. Here in Kentucky, ther are hundreds of single guitarists competing for 1/3 that number of jobs.

Music and the requirements for doing it professionally constantly change. I really like my keyboards, but there's something special about a good quality wooden instrument.


It's all good...thanks for sharing!


Russ

I started playing the guitar five years after playing the keyboards. I love playing the guitar especially an acoustic.


All the bands I have played with always needed/wanted a keyboard player. So I rarely play the guitar, but when I do, it is the most refreshing experience.

Check out Elvis on accordion! http://www.stevemeisner.com/didyouknow.htm

Quote from the site:
"Elvis really did try and learn how to play the accordion in his early years!
He later loved to play the piano, never was much of a guitar player though. Can you imagine if Elvis would have taken the accordion scene by storm instead of Rock and Roll?"

Imagine if he took the RnR scene by storm playing the ACCORDION ?!?!?
t.