If I were to consider getting my skills in order to try and get into a band playing keyboards, what kind of things should I be learning it brushing up on?
I know that sounds like a bizarre question, but it is sort of on a similar basis to how playing guitar in a band you need to brush up on certain techniques and play different things to if you are just noodling about at home.
I've previously done grade 8 classical and have also played in various solo jazz scenarios, also done a fair bit of accompanying so I've got the basic skills, but they never seem to be all that necessary in a band compared to day having a good ear for simplicity and knowing when to start or stop.
What current examples might there also be of keys players in bands?
I enjoy the Doors and can already play a fair number of theirs, but keyboard playing in bands is different now to that kind of thing (I think).
I do have a Microkorg synth but I'm not very up on synthesis, my fear is that this is what is going to be suggested!
Bands I enjoy that include keys are:
The Doors
Stevie Wonder
The Dead Weather
I always like the simplicity of Lennon's piano playing
Jamie Cullum but I don't particularly want to play in a jazz band as such
Cheers guys, any suggestions, thoughts or tips are very welcome
Comments
But then I see guys who do modern covers, where there's a lot of detail to work out to make it as compelling as the original production. Like this guy on the Kronos.
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
A surprisingly common thing with keyboardists is playing the 'home' version when playing in a band rather than something closer to the record and it always sounds a bit rubbish, clashing with the bassist,etc.
IMHO your also better off ( assuming roughly some kind of covers band)sorting basic sounds ( piano, Hammond, electric piano) rather than trying to use loads of ( cheesey)sounds unless you have amazing gear. I'd say much the same to guitarists.
Our keyboard player complains about having to do too much simple stuff in our band ( ska and reggae). True to some extent although people like Jerry Dammers in The Specials played outside the genre clichés. When I used to listen to a lot of rock ( what has become classic rock) my favourite keyboardist was Colin Towns with Gillan, again someone who played outside the clichés ( he went on to become a successful film composer).
Whenever I look at places like joinmyband or Facebook ( west midlands bands and musicians group) keyboard players seem to be the thing they most struggle to find so the world's yer oyster. The biggest problem for you will be putting up with guitarists who know no theory...
And for anyone trying to be in a band don't be the band arsehole, BVs are an advantage, try to be clear about expectations at the start and you're auditioning them as well as them auditioning you.
Are there any examples of good keys players that don't look like total dweebs and sound decent that I should check out folks?
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
Have a look at this (just because it is awesome).
They have a couple of keys players here, as well as Stevie.
And a full brass section, BV's, drums, percussion, guitar etc.
It would be pretty easy to hide in a band like that (not that anyone is).
If you are going to be the sole keyboardist playing this sort of music then you'd need to be on it.
If you are playing Dandy Warhols one fingered bass lines then you don't have to be as skilful.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Most workstations now allow audio recording and you can record samples of vocals, guitar chords, or kinds of stuff to trigger during a song rather than playing a specific keys part. A good keys player is often cheating great backing vocals
It's not a showmans instrument, well not unless your Liberace or something, the best keys playing in most songs goes unnoticed but it gives the rest of the band so much space, a wonderful thing to have in a band and an area where most bands are weak in pub \ club level
For piano I play 2 handed, but 'less' left hand than I would if playing solo. Try to keep out of the bass freq territory, work with the lead guitarist to try and avoid us both playing too much too often...
Whilst I did say I like Stevie Wonder it's more the playing technique he has rather than his music as such, I've no wish to play that kind of music though!
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
Sadly mostly seems to be mono single note synth lines on the more modern things I've heard with keys, which wouldn't be all that fun
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
@thecolourbox It sounds like you want to be in a band because you like being in a band. Nothing wrong with that, obviously. Now I'm not a keyboard player at all, but looking at my mates who are and the way they fit into their bands, I'd say they are mainly supportive of the music rather than dominating it. Lots of "pad" sounds in the background, with large amounts of single note melodies pretending to be a cello or a flute. The overall band sound is led by vocals or guitar. As musicians, they stay out of the bass players way and play a lot of triads with the right hand.
The problem I foresee is that bands playing music led by interesting-to-play keyboard parts already have keyboards (if you see what I mean...). The band leader IS the keyboards player and there won't be a vacancy for you.
Start your own, perhaps?
That way you could potentially get in to an otherwise 1 guitar band who might need 2 guitars on some songs but keys and a guitar on others. It can work quite well and allow the band to cover a lot more ground stylistically.
It all radically depends on what type of bank you play in.
If its more guitary then check out Wolf Parade, great blend of synth and guitar stuff.
@horse you are right re the give and take bit, that would take some getting used to! That's probably I've never really been in a band much as I like it my own way too much do have to stick to solo!
@thebigdipper you too make a good point - the kind of band that needs prominent keys would probably either have it already or I'd find it too steep a learning curve to replace what they had lost. I did think about starting it myself but I'm not very organised, and it'd just turn into another solo idea instead
@guitarfishbay yeah could do but my guitar isn't really up to scratch in any useful way unfortunately, think my vocals are stronger and that's saying something!
@winnie_pooh I will give them a listen on my commute tomorrow. I did chance upon a few Christine and the Queens songs this evening which have promise though they are sorry of synth based, mostly the sounds seem like synthy organs which would be achievable
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic
I played keys in a band for a while, bought myself a Nord Electro and played mainly funky Hammond style.
It was an original blues band but not 12 bar, some songs had a lot of chords in which I had to learn but most were jamming style songs. I think the main thing I learned was that in a way compared to a real keyboard player I had an advantage in that I'm shit with my left hand, so with the Hammond style I would just staccato hit the bass notes now and again, whilst hitting a beat on the basic chords / pentatonic scales with he RH. The problem with a lot of keyboard players is good as they are, they take up far too much sonic space in a band mix.
So just keep it simple, especially with the left hand that tends to compete with the bass player, unless like the Doors, you will be the bass player (which could be really good!)
Conversely, being in a band with a good guitarist helps, somebody who themselves is sympathetic to the sonic space.
- Indie type music seems to rely on really simple (to play) synth lines that seem to rely more on how to create wooshy noises than actual playing keys which is the opposite of what I'm good at. It sounds good in context don't get me wrong but I don't think I'd find that fun. It is strange how chord bashing to rhythm on a guitar is totally find but on a piano it just feels so dull There is also the flipside of this problem, that being...
- Music with fun or interesting parts to play on keys (and on recognisable standard sounds) seem to be jazz or funk based, which I've no real interest in playing as I've done it before. I don't really know what I was expecting to find between the two but I was hoping there would be something, which I've not found unfortunately. I think it's a case of pie in the sky and liking the idea of something more than actually having to do anything about it.
- Somebody mentioned starting my own and making it keys centric with other instruments as support. I see what you mean and yes, if a band is already keys-centric they'll have a keys player already. However if I were doing that I'd probably feel much more comfortable just doing it myself in full, ie not needing a band as the music I like to try and come up with uses more robotic electric drums, and it'd just be easier to have the full reigns myself.
I couldn't do the guitar & keys idea either, my guitar playing is really not up to playing in public alongside other people.
I will keep listening around though just in case, if anybody has any experiences to share please do
Thanks
soundcloud.com/thecolourbox-1
youtube.com/@TheColourboxMusic