Offical Live Playing keyboardist thread.(pub/gigs?)

[aireydon]

noticed that recently there seems to be more and more live bands popping up at pubs and such...and more bands are adding keyboards to their set up.

any one wana share their experience/opinions of live keyboardists? dun see much discussion about live playing here hor....while we are a rare no. and always hidden behind our walls of sonic power doesnt mean we cant stand out !

1. How the pros and giggers play live. ( lazy or massive patchwork? sequencing or no sequencing? amazing technique?)

2.Stage presence (is this term even applicable to us.? visually? or sonically? )


I'm lucky to be amazed by some cool ivory/plastic tinklers@ pubs...these are my personal favourite top 5. do check them out!

1. LONG BAR( raffles hotel,local )

genre:Wiiiide!!..the band's playing for more than 10 years...from 70s to top 40s.

Motiff ,a roland synth and (i cant see) maybe a digital piano.

This guy is not lazy with his patch work....from organ solos to TOTO african bells to van halen synths to brass..got it all...even got the occasional sequencing with sound effects and stuff..

alota home work done! no PC sequencing.!.WORKSTATION and hardware seq is the way to go for this guy! and he sounds better than the rest below!

2.Notty girl( Next Step band,our dear frends frm the phillipines..). cool guy who sings both lead and backup, does occasional sequencing, both intros(non clicks) and full song clicked sequencings...knows when to push and pull his chops and punches...(knows when to destroy the guitarist and when to support the 6-stringer basking in self obsessed limelight...)

Korg micro X, roland Juno G, some hidden digital piano again i cant see sequencing tirgged with Mac

3.Clarke Quay :Luna (Chinese top 40,local, taiwan?..occasional english songs?)

super la....but he seldom use all..got two ultimate tower stands 3 stacks each.

triton classic,M3, m1(??),(extreme?) cant see the digital piano. 6-7 in all! cant reali see leh.

love it when he chut his clavinet chops at super speed.. nice bells and EPS..occasional jazzy solo?

smapling and sequencing seem to be trigged by drummer.

4. Dragon Fly (queen band) Chinese POp Rock.

love the image of the band as a whole...nice chinese typcia . EPs, piano and strings done very nicely.. super team player...very disciplined and gets job done ....sometimes the DJ helps with the sequencing? also saw the guitarist triggering the intros sometimes.??

5.CHijmes (Le Baroque:Shaggies) Top 40.

lao jiao white hair guy. come cool organs and synths..the last time i heard them i recalled liking the way his patches alway cut thu in the band mix..yet without being too overwhelimg and still leaves spaces for the vocals etc..patch work generally sounds old school.no PC nor workstation sequencing i tink ..and once i hear him use automated arppegios for a MUSe song.?? without clicks for drummers..?? omg...i could be wrong..

shifted to chijmes La Baroque from O.T's balibago i tink...cant reali see his gear at la baroque.

NO. 6-99? cant recall the rest or not worth mentioning...leaving out the other genres and jazzy stuff cos tat too chim for me and up to u guys/gals to fill up...

So far never see any visually outstanding keyboaridist maybe cept for the keyboardist of luna's previous band . uses occasional keytar .heard the previous band went china liao? sma guy for superband season 1's Jade i tink.

i used to like douglas O's keyboardist but not sure where his band playing now leh since they left bar-none and then left la-baroque..


GIGs..

i still newbie..nevr see much keys at gigs...type so much liao cant tink liao..lol
.guys and gals pls share yr gig experience..wat u do> ?wat u saw.? wat pisses u.? any bright ideas?

 

[lostindestars]

hello aireydon!
looks like you've been to many many places!
hahah. =)

im playing at Dragonfly, every Sunday w the Velvet Band.
still a NEW & still-learning keyboardist too.
previously only play self taught Piano and nothing else..
only moved on to keyboards like since June this year.

okie, so lets talk bout the St James Powerstation, Dragonfly!

the 4 keyboards they use there are a,
ROLAND RD 700GX
YAMAHA Motif ES7
KORG Triton Extreme
KORG 01/WFD,

but when my band plays on sunday,
for both sets, i'll replace the 01/WFD w my Korg X50,
my very first and affordable lightweight keyboard. =x

apparently, you havent seen the other Dragonfly band yet,
which is Puzzle Band.
when you've seen the puzzle band's keyboardist,
you'll be awestruck by what he can do.
hahaha.

he's a classically trained keyboardist.
transcribe songs without trying, as he has perfect pitch.
and he really knows his patches very well,
so well that he doesnt need to try,
and he knows which patch will suit whichever song.

Queen Band's keyboardist, Jaacent,
is super super good at improvisation,
not just piano, even when playing patches like strings,
he fills up all gaps on playing string melodies.
and... the most amazing thing about him,
is that, he's almost like a walking library.
he memorises most of his songs and chord charts,
everything is in his head.
He's also teaching at Music Clef @ Suntec.

Puzzle Band's keyboardist, Steven.
like i mentioned above.. their band never rehearses at all.
only at most 3 times a year. even when learning new songs!
they're so professional that they dont need to rehearse.

classically trained, really knows all his patches very well.
may not improvise as well as Queen Band's Jaacent,
but his plus plus point is his perfect pitch in transcribing songs,
and then plays by sightreading everything he has written.
and he plays alot more patches.

Both bands are really tight and really strong,
coming from a point of someone who's really into Mandopop.
because Asia composers are more keyboard-based,
as compared to American composers who're usually guitarists.

jpop, kpop, mpop, cpop, are much HARDER to cover,
as compared to Indie music, because arrangers, composers,
are all very keyboard-based..

so i know how hard it is for a keyboardist to play Mandopop,
especially at Dragonfly.

but.... then again,
you really should check out Puzzle Band when you've the time.
and... of course,
not forgetting my band, the Velvet Band.
we're not as good as them,
because we're all still young and learning...

but... do give us some support alright! =De
every sunday night @ St James Powerstation, Dragonfly! =)
8.30pm-9.30pm & 1.45am - 2.45am.

OH YES!
if you're into Spanish/Latin music,
u DEFINITELY have to check out the band @ Movida.
right beside dragonfly! they're... hardcore. haha!

 

[piano_ex]

woots!!! ahahaha

now i know who is lostindestars =P hey bro, hows holiday?

I just want to put in,

Aya Sekine!!! Rocking at AyaSchool in BlueJazz Cafe every saturday nite 9.30-1am
Her gear there is Nord Electro & Moog Rogue and some effects pedal

they're blasting the place every saturday .... hehehe

 

[bongman]

wow!

wow! this is incredible ! unbelievable !

 

[lostindestars]

Aya Sekine is fabulous too..
saw her once at blu jazz cafe..
she's very into experimental jazz. =)

whats fantastic bongman?