Not too many years ago, I used to fire up the keyboard using a third-party style, pick up a wireless, hand-held mic, hit a Cm key and walk among the bar crowd singing Fever to the ladies. They absolutely loved it! It was the only time I left the keyboard, and I told them in advance I was putting the keyboard on Auto-Pilot just to do this special song for the ladies. This was at the Havre de Grace, Maryland American Legion, a smoke-filled bar room where nearly everyone was blasted by 10 p.m.. I've since sold the wireless system to a friend who loves it. I could probably get away with this in some of the retirement communities I perform at, but the ladies would be groping me--UGH! I havn't been groped in nearly a half-century, and I'm not sure if I could still handle it. Might be fun, though......

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Wouldn't matter if you set yourself on fire and had someone put you out with a hammer...you'd still be away from the keys...and the music would still be playing with no one at the controls.

Diki is fortunate to be in a duo...at least there is someone else moving and playing when he plays his trombone....I don't think it would have the same effect in a solo situation.

If you stared the evening by not playing at all, and only sang along with the instrument, then they'd have nothing to compare it to....and it probably wouldn't matter.

AND, there are several players on this forum who entertain their audiences quite well without ever leaving the keys...they don't seem to be putting anybody asleep...do they?

But, obviously, it is not a peeve of yours.


Ian

Donny, that approach is evidently fine for some people here...entertainers where the show is the main thing, I suspect.

I'd get run out of the room if I pulled something like that. Of course, I have a narrow area of specialization and a small but very loyal following. Mine are music hardliners who would immediately catch a fumbled change or a wrong lyric. And I'd be fired at the first sight of a chicken hat.

Thank goodness they're around!

You and I (and many others here, actually) have 180 degree differences in every aspect of how we work...from equipment, to material to presentation. I'm glad things work out....for BOTH of us. I wouldn't know how to, and would have no interest in doing it your way. And, you'd probably hate the way I do things.

It's cool that people with such drastically different approaches can still share information and experiences where the only "right" answer is the way it works for each individual.

R.

Correctomundo, Russ...it is truly an "each to his own" forum, but we can still enjoy and learn from (and poke fun at) the different musical approaches shared on this site.

Ian

Russ the music world would be a very boring place if all we had were hardliners out in the audience...each audience is different & each venue calls for a different approach.....all of them are correct if you read them right and perform to your best ability...again If the situation calls for it I will jump off the stage and put a chicken hat on the most "macho guy" in the Circle of Dancers & stick him in the middle to do the Chix Dance if it means making them happy, and 99.9% of the time it results in extra bookings, tips, & a very good time had by all involved especially the kids. Do I do it every show?... of course not, its just another tool in my bag of tricks to make my gig a success amongst many other things. Sure we can discuss various approaches, but I would never say I "hate" what you do or any other musician, in fact I got bashed by many here for having the balls to even ask for the most important thing that we do ....."HEAR SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE PLAY SOME MUSIC" of any kind....why? because I love to listen and learn from others no matter what they play at any level but somehow thats TABOO. Being a well rounded all acceptable player makes for a good recipe in my book always has & always will be.
I was so disappointed not to be able to make the Jam in Shreevport for that very reason...to hear others play their style of music and learn from each other. Russ its worked for me 40+ years I dont intend to stop doing what I do but I will always add to it to make it better. Good luck with your music & I hope to be in the audience someday with those hardliners sipping a Tequila and listening to some of your great Jazz licks for sure..

carry On

Dp



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-23-2008).]

Donny,

It pains me to agree with you on something:

“I got bashed by many here for having the balls to even ask for the most important thing that we do ....."HEAR SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE PLAY SOME MUSIC" of any kind....why? because I love to listen and learn from others no matter what they play at any level but somehow thats TABOO.”

WHY is this taboo? I’ve seen this phenomenon on every music site I’ve visited on the Web (save the Roland group). I mean…no one “trades” music ideas. And, I find, very few even have any original music ideas to begin with (but I hope I’m wrong on this one….maybe I’m shopping in the wrong stores?).

But the lack of music ideas! Is it selfishness, self-absorption, ego, jealousy, insecurity, fear of someone usurping you?

I can’t remember the last time I heard a piece like Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Every theme in that song could have been used to make another complete song and yet they threw them all together. Why not? They and every other 70’s group were brimming with ideas for their next gem.

Even in the 50’s….the great music they came up with having only 3 and 4 chords to work with in the whole tune.

So I ask the question again. How come no one talks music talk? Example: Save The Last Dance For Me: after playing the original “strings” line in the release and BEFORE coming back in again with vocals, I like to improvise alternating between Eb and Bb7 on the steel drums using trills. Then somewhere in the song I’ll bring in a cowbell pattern from an external drum machine synched to my arranger and play it through a separate speaker off to the side of the main ones for an added dimension. Well…..to be honest, I used to do that (the cowbell part) but not nowadays.

So….can I hear some of YOUR ideas for playing music? Like Donny said….on ANY level!

Lucky

There's only ONE reason anyone ever refuses to post an example of what they are talking about... INSECURITY.

Whether you feel you won't get a fair shake from the forum, or whether you just feel, once you actually bother to record yourself and realize, well, perhaps there's a way to go, insecurity lies at the heart of this.

Lot's of people 'talk the talk', but let's face it. This IS a musician's forum. What good is the 'talk' without the 'walk'..? We connect, we UNDERSTAND what each other is trying to say by musical example. A monkey could type a lot of these posts! But he couldn't play an example.

Talking about music is like dancing about mathematics...

It's the wrong medium to illustrate your point.

Maybe even a recording is not enough..? Some of the 'entertainers' here really need to be seen on video before some of their views become apparent. Me, I'd pay good money to see that chicken hat routine

No, Diki...there are TWO reasons...insecurity is one, no doubt, but there are others who are SECURE enough not to need or want to post.

Given some of the long term animosity shown on this forum between certain members, there probably is a third reason...COMMON SENSE.

Usually, the ones(not all, mind you) that are yammering away about posting are singing over someone else's SMF anyway...so what's the point...they aren't really "playing" anything...it provides nothing but a peek into how well (or not so well) they can sing.

If someone is kind enough to be interested in what I play...I send them an MP3...or a MIDI if they wish.

The "chicken hat" thing sounds like it borders on animal abuse to me(look where it has to sit )...but I suppose it's better than a gorilla suit.

Here's an idea? Maybe Nigel can create a SONG POSTING ONLY Forum on SZ so that the people who want to post can do so & people can discuss musical styles no matter what level, or the way its performed, SMF, Mp3, Video, Singing or whatever they play. I see on the PSR Tutorial people post songs all the time with great results. After all it would be nice to actually hear all the so called "Talkers" music as Diki said above so we can learn from what they are all talking about.

Lucky2Bhere, your post makes a lot of sense also.

I'm a SINGER/SONGWRITER (acoustic guitar/keys)and I've written close to 50 songs using basically only all the major/minor chords sprinkled with a 7th here and there....Physically it is impossible for me with my limited finger dexterity to do the others....And you know what ????? I got a couple of really special tunes...

I SAY WE MAKE THE MOST OF THE TALENTS WE'VE BEEN GIVEN AND LET THE AUDIENCE DECIDE...

BTW....I do not own an ARRANGER but to get to the original theme on the thread I personally would play the full chord....But if someone wishes to use these boards to their advantage I see no problem with it....Are one finger chords cheesy???Probably....Does it help them musically ????Probably not....Does it get the job done on these boards???? Apparently....And I think thats why people get mad....they look at that as not real musicianship...

I know rappers who know absolutely nothing about music but use WS for their beats....Does it bother me??? Probably....is it cheating???? Yeah...

Is it todays technological reality ?????? ABSOLUTELY
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Steve A
http://www.soundclick.com/stevealtonian



[This message has been edited by Steve A (edited 04-24-2008).]