Went out last night to see a good Duo "Ross2" . A husband and wife team. He playa a BK5 layered with another sound module and his wife Plays Flute and a Keytar. Both sing. She does an amazing job of putting in the guitar licks and at one point did such a good violin emulation I had to look closly to see if it was her actually doing it.
Got me wondering why more OMBs don't use one. Much more enteraining that sitting behind a keyboard. I considered it briefly years ago but I'm not a stand up front man type. I can entertain hiding behind my BK9 where I'm comforable. I could see using one with Backing Tracks or arrnager Styles to great effect.
Check out this video- guy is doing a great job on Santana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncY5eo0UiTo

SZer....Jerry Trecroce uses one all time talk with him.

Don't know Jerry but if he's a member her I'd love to hear how he utilizes it.
The more I think about it one of those with a BK7m could be a great lightweight setup.

Time to revive Belinda.

Jerryghr

Interesting. Kind of Flight of the Bumblebee but not what I was thinking of LOL!
Anyone use one while singing as they would with an Arranger? The appeal would be like the millions of guitarists, people have something to watch that shows the musician really playing.

Funny you said that - Tonight I had a pretty good night - nothing unusual, but towards the end, I grabbed the wireless and walked around a bit, and left my "post" at the keyboard. The reaction was very positive! I try not to do too much that lets people hear just a programmed track (without my life embellishments over top), but for some reason - the crowd really ate it up. People came in from the dining room to "watch" WTH??? Just an old man singing ... geeze.
Anyway - I ended with "Stars" from Les Miz, and the GM recorded it on his phone to send to the big boss. Funny, funny business.

Audiences are getting too used to performers using backing tracks ... DAMMIT !!!

I know I am guilty of it also ...

I don't mind the use of tracks - I used to play in a band, and had no control over what everyone else was playing then, either, but to just front with a mic .... It's new territory, but "give 'em what they want" right?

Good job Dave sing sing sing...

I started working with a female vocalist a number of months ago and all we use are backing tracks ... it took some getting used to and I still prefer using the keyboard in front of me, but working with tracks is certainly easier ... and it's all her gear so I just walk in with my mic ...

It's a tradeoff - when I come out front, I interact more, use more eye contact, and more body language. When I play the keys, I add more nuances, keep things fresher, and trigger the harmonizer more often. Chocolate and Vanilla.

Here is another great one:

Bill......I remembered Diki posted this a few years ago. It's quite good, if he's the person playing it.

I initially got a little excited about your mention of the Keytar. Then I realized you HAVE to use MIDI files as there is no way to change chords. Still, it's a great centerpiece to include in a performance for one or two songs. As Donny always says, no matter what you have to do to entertain......you know the rest.

Mark

Keytar Jeff

Demo

YouTube Channel

Enjoy

Bill

There other ways to skin a cat ...

I don't know a thing about them except seeing this duo use one to great effect but is it was midied to an arranger , something like BK7m , couldn't the keyboard be split so the right hand is doing leads and fills the the left hand could alternate between chording and articulations .???
Backing tracks controlled by a foot switch are another option.
Doesn't seem like the Keytar was ever taken too seriously, kinda like Arrangers.

Not true.
If you have your chord recognition set to trigger with 3 notes, all you have to do is hit the chord, then wildly solo over top, until you need the next chord. As long as you don't play 3 notes simultaneously, the chord will not change until you're ready.

so Dave is this your next performance phase wireless Keytar/Headset Mic Out Front singing?

NEVER! I can't see me ever doing that. I'll go out front with a guitar, sax, or wireless mic - but the keys need to stay put, for me. Just not the look I'm going for.

Dave I understand.... and agree.....

Dave......this is true if you want to change your playing style. I'm coming from this direction (and you're a pianist also so you know). Every time I switch from piano to OMB on arranger, I have to re-learn how to play.....how to lay down the left hand chords. You already know your left hand doesn't "voice" the same on both instruments.

I've stayed away from any kind of backing tracks so far. The way I see it is it detracts from your creativity. You're stuck to that "track." You can manipulate it to a degree, but you're still "stuck to that track."

When I'm playing I never know what I'm going to do next. I play it as I feel it ("to a degree"),play the first 8 bars over and over (though I wouldn't suggest that), compose a new spontaneous ending, come in and go out when I want, mix up the songs...do a medley. Can't do anything fresh if you're busy following the backing track.

The same holds true for pitch-change gizmos (you should be able to change keys yourself), and pitch-correction machines (you should be able to sing on key well enough not to depend on "the machines."

But that all comes down to: do you want to entertain an audience or do you want to get better. Another way of saying "do you want to earn a paycheck or live in mediocrity for the rest of your career?" There's something to be said for both schools of thought.

Right on......the thing that helped me the most to interact with an audience was my days as a disc jockey, about 15 years. I was not locked into a keyboard situation then.

Early on, playing keyboard, I got so bored, by necessity I started talking to my audience more. Then when DJ time came, the same thing. I got so bored with just standing there spinning discs, I started again interacting with my audience. Only this time, I could "leave my post" and go right out on the floor and mix with the dancers and folks who were seated. It wasn't easy, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Interesting how detaching yourself from a keyboard also broadens your approach to playing and entertainment and music in general.

To be honest, I love getting in front of an audience and talking and playing......often bordering on doing a lecture. It's the power and the feeling that you're in control and that you're a somebody for 60 minutes that energizes you. Of course, after the performance you go back to being an unknown soul only useful for taking up space on the planet and using up valuable resources.

I'm really impressed watching these clips that everyone posted.....particularly how you can emulate a guitar....particulary the "Greatest Keytarist Ever" clip.

Maybe it's not so bad....learning new keyboard instruments again....learning new ways of playing....new ways of performing. Maybe I'm getting bored again and the new technology has its advantages! And maybe......I'll forget it all and become a florist (which I would do for nothing).

Yup - and in my case, I played bass before I played piano, so my left hand is more comfortable playing single lines than chords. I'm a singer/bassist who pounds out chords to accompany my melodies. (not "really" a piano player, in the true sense) I play more like Billy Joel - lots of fat octaves in the LH, and chords with no melody in the right - my voice is the third component in the trio I sell. (Voice - Bass - chords) in that order (with drums thrown in the mix)

I am at the point in my 'career' that I am playing mostly one hour senior gigs - NH/AL/Sr. lunches, etc. ... the audiences are looking for 'entertainment' and more and more my competition is made up of entertainers much younger than myself, doing "Neil Diamond" "Patsy Cline" or others 'stars' impersonation/tribute shows, "Dancing With the Stars" routines etc., etc., etc., the more 'flash' the better ... Unfortunately these gigs do not lend themselves to much musical creativity, unlike when I was working restaurants and country clubs ... Most of my 'creativity' comes in trying to create 'backing tracks' of my own, or learning to perform a song in a different style than as originally recorded ...
When I perform with the female vocalist, it is ALL backing tracks, and my satisfaction has to come from the smiles on the audiences faces, and the movement of their lips as they are 'singing' along with me ...

DITTO Tony I learned that a long time ago we are entertainers and should be flexible to do that in Many Many ways,...
you cant build a house with one tool.