I got a last minute call on Monday to cover a few dates for a guy that plays a piano job in Nj, and it's straight piano. Even the vocals were an option. (but not for me !)
I tell ya .... after so much time on these plastic beat boxes, it was a pleasure to pound on real wooden keys again. I just brought a smal powered monitor to set on top of the lid and played and sang my heart out. There is a definate "groove" that returns to my playing when the proper resistance is there. The loud notes are brighter, the soft ones seem to "whisper" ..... the fine touches and octave shifts are really pronounced without all the backing tracks.

My point for this post is not to discourage the use of arrangers, but rather to remind us all that the arrangers are here to ACCOMPANY the player. They need to be the accessory, and not the leader. It was so refreshing to be able to spank little "hits" and accents that punched up the vocal arrangement in real time. The energy level was up 200% over a typical show with a digital instrument.

I know in my case, when I use a drum machine of any kind, my rhythm slacks off a bit, because the drums carry the beat. With NO drums, I find myself playing more of a rhythm within the arranmgement. It was a total blast for two days. No buttons, no transposes, no lists, no click, click, click to start the tunes .... just a man and his music. It was a treat, and I recommend it to all of you to try once in a while to keep you "honest" about your abilities. It's amazing how you make up for whats missing when it's just not there ! I sing differently, and I play MUCH stronger when it's all up to me to make the groove happen.
Now tomorrow, it's back to the Korg .... I'll probably break it from pounding so hard after getting used to the baby grand. My pinkies are the most tired ! The extra pressure needed to make the dynamics really takes atoll on the little fingers ! And glissandos ....... fagettabouttit ! You'll tear up your hands if you're used to a synth action on cheap plastic keys. It's a different mindset, for sure - but I had a blast !

Hi Dave

your post was very refreshing to me.

I often long for the last piano I ever owned and remember the wonderful times we had together (sounds like a love song!)(well it was a great love of mine).

I often wander in to my local Music Dealer with the intention of spending some free time om the Tyros on show there .
But you can can bet your life that before I leave the shop I have also spent a little time on the wonderful range of pianos, mostly Yamaha but also Kemble,Challen,Steinway(?)Bosendorfer.

THanks for the memories!

cheers
Eddie Johnson

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Eddie from Rotherham
www.yamahakeyboards.info
all mail from this url is virus-free thanks to Norton Antivirus2002

I know the feeling though I only have to go across to my piano to enjoy the experience. I think there's a case for both pianos and arrangers. I play both and use both as a solo instrument. Nobody wants to hear my voice. It used to be angelic when I sang in the church choir as a child but it's gone way downhill since then.

Bryan

I use Ketron XD3 with an hammer action keyboard just becouse I've been playing piano and I cannot go back to synth keys anymore.
With respect, Flavi.

Dave,
As much as I love arranger keyboards, nothing will ever beat the real thing.. There's just that feel and sound of an acoustic that a digital will never replace.

Squeak

I know what you mean. Some things just flow better because of the increased resistance. We all get "used" to the light action of the synths, but if you're true to your feelings, you have to admit that the dynamics are easier to reproduce with a wooden hammer action key.
Of course, this applies mostly to rhythm players, like myself. I grew up playing the bass lines on a synth and the chords/rhythm on a piano/rhodes type action. It's much different than just playing melodies and triggering chords. My entire approach to arranger keyboards is one of "rhythm first". I need to play the entire "feel" with my right hand, sing the melody, and let the machine just fill in the gingerbread. Sometimes, I Play the bass, sometimes I let the machine play it, but I ALWAYS play the chord structure and primary rhthmic groove with MY hands. The arranger machine is just the icing .... if I use it at all.

As a singer, I need to establish the communication between the rhythm section and the vocals as priority #1. The rest is all fluff. If the "band" follows along and accents the singer with interactive play, then the result is very nice. If the machine just runs on auto pilot and I sing over the top of the arrangment, then I get Sooooo bored Sooooo fast ..... it just looses the entire feel I was going for.

In short - The rhythm is the "thing". Shakespere paraphrased that, I think - but the general meaning is the same. It's the ensemble that sells the act. Each part needs to act & REact together ... like a conversation. When all the pieces fit - it's a thing of beauty !

It all starts with the beat, wether it comes from a voice or an instrument. Take Ravel's Bolero (featured in the movie "10" with Dudley Moore) it's all the SAME theme, but each time it's played .... the energy increases. They keep adding instruments one, by one, by one, till the exciting climax (?) at the end. No wonder they chose that music for the sex scene!

Gloria said it best:

"The ryhthm is gonna GET ya !"

As much as I appreciate the convenience and features of electronic arranger keyboards (with sound coming out from speakers, even with fully weighted keys, this still can't even compare with the way sound (music) emunates into the room from an acoustic grand's soundboard, after pressing a key, triggering with the hammer to hit a string. I've said this before, but I'll NEVER ever give up my Steinway B Grand, not even for ALL the electronic arranger keyboards in the world.

On the subject of weighted/non-weighted action preferences. When playing acoustic piano sounds in full keyboard mode (traditional piano playing style), I definitely prefer the weighted feel, but for synth playing, and emulating other orchestral instruments, I prefer the lighter synth touch. For the sake of transportable gig convenience (and my back), I've adapted to using synth feel keys for all my arranger KB playing.

I too enjoy playing gigs on a decent sounding REAL acoustic piano, but only 'if' the house piano is BOTH 'in tune' and keys properly (evenly) regulated. Nothings worse than a piano out of tune or one with some keys broken, or where some keys take 10x the amount of force to play than the others.

Scott

...and so, the best keyboards, synths, or arrangers ar the ones that have the closest "sounding" to the real thing. Amen!

..rb

Ironicly, the Bb an octave below Middle C was out. Silent! NOTHING ! Made me nuts sometimes. It felt ok, but made no sound at all. Really made me loose some concentration devising workarounds. Still ...... I had a ball.

I've been there too, UD. I played at a concert in my youth and as they moved the piano from the hall floor up on to the stage, the pedals bcame disconnected. Imagine playing Clair de Lune with no pedals. Another time I had to play a pipe organ which had a cipher on my favourite stops. No fun there either.

Bryan