Don Its amazing and your right on with that. As I said I was watching and he was playing. Ha!

Bill,
Melodies are important but in the type of job you mentioned I feel the beat (drums and bass) are what sells. More drums (a lot more) and a little more bass and the tunes you play now will do the job

John C.

John, a good point....I use a trick on my Roland (G70)...when I need to get things going..I use the "cover" feature....by selecting the "house" drum kit or "hiphop" kit with a synth bass...done with a touch on the screen....the style or sequence comes alive....and if I have a big sound system...the mastering tools have another great punch in the EQ and compression..

The point...bass and drums are the important "dance" ingredient...melody and vocals are not the driving force...at all...

PS: this does not work well in nursing homes...

Funny that you mention that John, as right now I'm gettinig ready to play a pool party and I'm tweaking my registration (bringing up the drums and bass) That's a cool feature on your G70 Fran. I wish my Tyros could do that

I had neglected to add that the 'Top 40' stuff - which I have not seen performed very well by a OMB using an arranger - could be added through the use of an iPOD/iPAD/Smart phone/ whatever ...
And Donny, I do believe all of the songs mentioned were from this CENTURY ...

We have an area in Providence, Rhode Island - Federal Hill - which has historically been known for its Italian heritage and fine restaurants ... The 'prime' location is "DePasquale Square" which features about 6 restaurants - 3 of which are under one ownership -
http://www.google.com/search?q=DePasqual...280&bih=828
This area has become a major summer venue for entertainers, featuring live music outdoors every night ... however, I have been there on several occasions and have yet to see even ONE person playing a musical instrument ... it is all done with backing tracks ... Last Saturday after dinner we passed by with some friends from out of town ... there was a duo, male and female in about their mid to late 50's, singing to tracks, the square was mobbed, and there were lots of people dancing on cobblestone ...Last night after I finished my gig - at a restaurant "on D'Hill" - I drove through the main street ... many of the restaurants have fronts that open to the sidewalk and still had 'streetside' tables set up ... I heard music coming from one as I passed and I could see a HUGE karaoke screen showing lyrics ... there was a great amount of activity for 11 PM on a Thursday night ...
WHATEVER WORKS!!!

Tony no surprise there .....like I always said go with the changing tide and adapt.....or drown!!! Backing tracks vocals and dj'ing is the wave of the future embrace it....or sit home.

Paul, You can do something quite similar with your Tyros. It's a bit more involved than the process Fran was talking about, but believe me, it can be done, and you can save the changes to a registration that can be recalled and modified at any time.

Fran is right about the Nursing Homes, though.

Gary

Donny, I always thought your approach was right on target for entertainers.

But, I can tell you that it is certainly possible to make a $quarter mil, plus annually in the music business with no DJ work, no arranger, no sequences, no tracks, no harmonizer, and sometimes, NO AUDIENCE...live audience, that is.

It's a "chicken hat" or not situation. I choose "NOT", but wish I had the entertainment skills to need a whole wardrobe of "chicken hats".

I don't (I'm a TERRIBLE entertainer), so I have adapted in different ways...different projects....different clients.

The takeaway, here, is it is possible to "survive and thrive" in the music/entertainment business.

You just have to figure out a way that get's the results you want, financially and personally.

I just got back from a trip overseas that, for two weeks, paid what most people would make in a year. I do 6 trips a year.

Yesterday, I spent 14 hours playing tracks for spots for a well known restaurant chain...they have been clients for over 30 years. With average residuals, that job will pay over $5,000. Next week, I'm doing a film score for a film I'm producing for a national dental organization. The score will bill out at $19,000.00 and the film will bill out at over $109,000.00. My share, after costs, will be $50,000.00.

I don't like writing scripts about oral health care (it IS, however, an important issue) or writing music about chicken strips.

Doing this, however, is part of the compromise. To a degree, I've "sold out". But that's better than starvation, and it keeps me in the "BIZ"!

Did I enjoy these two gigs? HELL NO, but the monthly jazz/B-3 night I do at a country club pays $500.00 for a trio, and I probably couldn't book more than 4 a month in this area if I tried. I LOVE THOSE GIGS!

Still, I'm not ready to give those jobs and the single guitar instrumental jobs up to operate DJ equipment (actually, my son runs a DJ operation we own and WE do quite well).

The majority of my "live" gigs consist of playing quiet enough not to interfere with dinner conversation...wouldn't want anyone to choke on that ham sandwich LOL.

Everyone needs to find a place that satisfies their needs and puts enough food on the table...gets them laid often enough...whatever.

Good luck to all finding your place in this fascinating, frustrating thing we call the music business.


Russ (stubborn ole dude) Lay

(Man, I'm old enough to have seen Steve Allen do his "chicken man"...LIVE...fabulous)!