How does a creatively challenged person learn what notes to add and what sounds to layer for a better sounding result. Are there books with lots of examples, DVD's etc? General rules don't help me much. I'm a copy cat person, not creative. Telmo and The Solitaire have their sounds.
I would like to modify current voicing and musical notes for a song for a change of pace for my own satisfaction. I play at home on a Tyros.
regards, chuck

Come on guys....
This is the kind of topic that will help us less creative players.

You could show us a lot....Just pick something and you-tube it for us...so we can learn to be better players.

Chuck,

The easiest way to do this is to download a good midi file of the song you wish to modify. Then, using the keyboard's onboard Song Creator program in combination with the Mixing Console, you can change anything you wish in the song, save the changes, and change them again if you wish.

For changing individual voices, the keyboard's onboard Voice Creator program is a very powerful tool when used in conjunction with the Mixing Console. The modified voices can then be saved to a User area where they can be instantly recalled.

You can find lots of detailed instructions on performing these tasks at www.psrtutorial.com by clicking on the Lessons tab.

Gary

Chuck, I recommend "Arranging Techniques For Synthesists"., by Eric Turkel.




Though it's been out for a VERY LONG time (circa 1988), it's theories, techniques and examples are still as applicable today as back when it was used for my sound synthesis class back in college. It comes with a CD which includes lots of examples. The book is currently out of print but available used here.

Thanks Scott, I ordered the book.
regards, chuck

My advice would be to experiment with different styles, voices, layers, etc. Record yourself with various setups, then play back and LISTEN. Does it sound good? Does it sound REAL?
DonM

It's really a VERY deep question, because not only does it pertain to the patches themselves, and how you play them, but it also pertains to orchestration, and how you use that (and play it!)...

It's basically a 'How do I play music?' kind of question. Without much info on how do you play WHAT?

I suggest you break this down into smaller bites. 'How do I get a better piano/string layer?' or 'How do I use brass patches?' or 'How do you easily voice extensions?' and so on. As it's worded, I wouldn't know how to even START to answer your question...

Diki, those things you mentioned are actually covered in Turkel's book:

Click on this amazon.com book contents link.
Then click on "Look Inside", and then on 'table of contents'.

you are basically asking about how to be a capable painter by buying a few more brushes. There's a lot more to music than equipment, sounds, layers and styles.
You won't get 'better sounding' with these tools.
You don't 'modify musical notes' with that. I am selling some dvds about modulations and how to arrange intros and endings, in the buy and sell section.
With my total surprise, no one here cares about these topics.

Great, but don't complain if you get drown in mediocrity....because what's in these dvds is what separates the men from the boys. I am not saying that to sell my dvds...whether or not I sell them, is no big deal to me.

The question is: do you want to be someone who plays a keyboard for a little fun, or do you want to be something more? You have to put in 70 per cent to get out 30 per cent, make no mistake...

What I am saying is, if you want to be a better player, learn about music and technique. You can pretty much ignore all the rest, which is largely very relative.

There were two questions. Voice layering and notes to add. I like the "beauty" of the resulting sound when some combinations of two or more patches/voices are layered. Will not check out every combination on my keyboard to experiment. Looking for some general rules/examples of combinations that work.
As far as notes added, I know there are several little things, unknown to me, that can be done to dress up a very simple melody.

I am, in this question, not trying to become a better player. I want to enjoy the sounds that I make on the keyboard. I am 77 and not going to improve my technique or repertoire much at this point. I want to enjoy myself at the keyboard.
regards, chuck