Just reviewing recordings from Saturday night.
This snippet illustrates some "adjustments" made during the performance.
First of all, it was a laid-back night, crowded but fairly quiet.
I had a request for "Hound Dog", but didn't feel like really belting it out, so transposed down a couple of steps.
Immediately after I finished it, the person who requested came up to say thanks and make a small contribution. There was a lapse between songs as he told me how great I am. It distracted me and I forgot to turn the recorder off.
For whatever I reason I next did Waylon's Good Hearted Woman. Immediately realized it didn't have enough "energy" as it was a couple of steps low, I was played in D but it came out in C, so after the first verse I raised it and started playing it in E. It seems I do this sort of thing a lot, I suppose because I'm getting old, but really experienced! What you DON'T hear is the next song which started a couple of steps high, because I still hadn't remembered to reset the transpose to zero. All part of the show folks!
Thought it might be interesting.
Hound Dog Good Hearted Mess Up

Don ... You're not alone in this ... And it's bad enough when it's just you playing, but I've had it happen while playing with a sax player or guitar player ...
Recently, playing a gig with a sax player, a song that I normally do in the key of D, I used the transpose button to bring it down to C to make it easier for him ... I then did 'Blue Bayou' and told him the key of C ... after we finished the song he said "you know you did that in Bb, right?" ...

ha ha ha, your messed up and you still sound real good my friend. Talented pros handle mess ups very well.

John C.

I am still amazed at the great guitar comping as well as the "personalized" vocal rendition.

My inspiration is to become as good as Don Mason doing mistakes!

Loved the guitar licks, but it sounded as if you were stretching your vocal range a tiny bit. Overall, sounded great!

Gary

Might have been stretching them on the lower end. I can do both those songs two keys higher without straining. Neither of them has a lot of separation in low and high notes.
I have had to drop a number of songs though, like Crying, Can't Help Falling in Love, Almost Like a Song, Unchained Melody...that have high notes at the end. Either that or don't try to hit the high notes at the end.

I have the same problem with a few. Elvis Trilogy comes to mind.

Good stuff! Sounds good ...

YEah, we (my duo) have gradually been taking certain songs down 2 or 3 semitones, to keep them in a 'workable' vocal range. Tunes we recently decided to do "down a bit": Unchained Melody (in 'A' instead of 'C'), and "Build Me Up, Buttercup" (down a few semitones). We were going to do "Can't Buy Me Love", and decided to do that down a couple of steps too. For the Duo, I only sing harmony (on some songs), the other 1/2 of the duo has the lead lines and I'm 59 and he's 63 or so ... we don't sing like we did in our '20s! :-)

Jim

Great job Don.....changes on stage live are common and should be adaptable to any situation without blinking for a live working Pro....btw EA7 or Pa4x?

That was the Korg.

doesn't matter what arranger keyboard you use today
mostly ALL do a great job as a accompaniment to your singing....
the talent & vocals make all the difference,....
either you got it or your don't simple as that ........
rock on brother give em' hell!

Doesn’t matter what keyboard you play Don...you make them all sound great!

jingleman

Well, it’s sounds real good to me! But, sometimes we can be over critical of yourselves. As far as the transpose botton, I’m trying to wean myself off of using it for I’ve had to many mishaps such as the one you’ve described!

As far as the transpose button I have learned the most important reason to have one. GIRL SINGERS. I have had several and it never fails. You hear can you take it down a little bit? I'm not trying to bash girl singers but I wonder how they would get along in a full band if they
pulled that. I've had male singers that have done that also but not to the extent of females.
MEL