Just curious if there are many of us that play manual bass on their arranger for their live acts.

I personally cannot play any other way. I would be seriously handicapped if using the automatic arranger chords and backing.

I only need 4 or 5 drum rythms and the rest is done with my fingers.

Any of you guys play manual bass ? I only know UD and myself so far that play this way.

I've found a balance between live and canned. When ever I get the chance, I play the bass, but there are some patterns that need more of my attention, or more parts than I can do. That's when I resort to the auto guys.

The idea behing playing your own bass lines is so simple - it allows you to have the band "kick" together whenever YOU feel like it. A little rhythmic line that features a bass line attached to a chord progression is a very effective tool. I especially like to play manual bass when the setting is more intimate. It sounds more like a real band, with real emotion and dynamics to me. If it's a loud dance .... then anything goes - all they need is noise and a beat.

My favorite setup from days ago was the Fender Rhodes Suitcase with a Moog on top for bass lines. I also had the synth du jour
(I had the best sound when I used the Alessis SR16 drum machine and the D70 synth(Roland) on a third tier running through 2 Peavey KB300's and a third amp just for bass)(Peavey TNT130). Talk about heavy, and bulky !
This was the setup I had in the 80's and I never moved it more than once a month ... usually once every THREE or FOUR months.

I enjoy 'mixing it up' and play in manual bass mode on occasion. Sometimes I even play with only the drum accompaniment, or just solo keyboard & singing. Providing variety is a key to a succesful show set.

Hi lukitoh,

I play several years with my manual basspedals. (i have first study organ) and i can without this manual bass.
When i play some gigs for dinerparty's(background music) it's better to play with bass and make your voicings with the left hand on a keyboard live!! You can also make a good basline that you like .
My most favourite playing is on the piano with the use of the manual bass, i let play the rythmsection (only the drums!!) and i have "live" piano trio.
When after a dinner party they want to dance i use mostly accompagment styles or i play for some numbers live over a midifile.
(I use only midifile when the song is not possible to play all the voices that you must hear are important)

regards,
notlos.

www.mp3.com/dirkbaert




------------------

notlos,
Great mp3's !!

I can see having the feet playing manual bass, left hand with rythms (guitar) and right hand on the pianos/sax while rythm drums playing is awesome.

You have an extra instrument where as my setup only has the drums, manual bass (left hand) and pianos (right hand).

One of these days, I will post my mp3's when I got around to making it.

I really think that manual bass is a must. I don't see how a person can get away with it. After a while, the songs become very repetitive. With manual bass you can add powerful accents without hitting the fills.

Thks for sharing UD and Scottyee. I am catching up to your level of playing soon !

I play more and more tunes with manual bass, with or without drums. No drums, bass on the left hand and piano or piano+strings(secondvoice) are a frequent setup for many of the songs I play, mostly ballads. I wish I could have the bassist feature on my Ketron (auto accompaniement but with manual bass)!

-- José.

Hi Matias,
you have that function on the ketron x1/sd1!!
i can play "live" left/right hand voicings or take a style and play the bas on the pedal while the accompagment is running the chords (without the bass).
so i can play with the accompagment ex. D7/C
I take the "c" on my basspedal and with the lefthand the chord of "d" (only chords and drums are playing than.)
Regards,
Notlos




------------------

Dirk,

I agree with you: on the X1/SD1 the bassist feature (manual bass + auto accomp.) is available IF we use a basspedal. I learned how to play organ in one of the those old (?) Yamaha Electone organs with two keyboards and the pedal for the bass line. It was difficult to coordinate both hands plus the foot job at the begining.

But on the new XD series, the bassist feature is achieved WITHOUT the use of a pedal. You play your chord with your left hand and then are free to play individual notes that make the bass line. On the X series (and SD1 ?) this possibility is not there. Am I right?

Thanks for your explanation,

-- José.

Can't all the Ketron arrangers trigger the auto-stuff from the right hand? If yes, then all you need to do is set the arranger to "right hand" and turn OFF the auto bass part. Set the left hand part of the kb split to a bass voice, and WHAM ! You have the "bassist" feature.

Save that setting to a registration and you can just switch rhythm patterns on the fly. The PA80 does this as well. Also Roland, I think. Fran?

Dave,

I've been away for some days and didn't notice your answer. Thanks for it!

I don't know if it's possible to trigger chords from the right part of the keyboard, but that would be a great idea to leave the left part of the keyboard free to play the bass line. Does anyone know if this is possible on the X series?

Thanks,

-- José.