rock keyboarding...

[ianboy]

hi to all SOFT keyboardists...

i was wondering if u guys could share some ideas or methods in keyboard accompaniment for alternative/progressive rock?
i'm currently a new recruit in a band (more like an 'extra', or 'there's-no-one-on-d-synth-so-u-can-have-em' kinda thing), n d band plays mostly alt/prog rock..n because i'm a total newbie in improvisation, i could only play arppegios n broken chords for accompaniment!

maybe there are better styles that suit those kinda songs more?i know improvisation is all about creativity,n the most suitable accompaniment we've come up with would suffice,but i'm kinda running out of styles to play with...maybe some insight from the keyboarding pros here can help me?

oh i almost forgot to mention,by keyboard i mean d piano.n d accompaniment i play isnt d preset/automatic styles in the keyboard itself,its the manual one.just to make the band 'fuller' in sound.

thx in advance!

 

[ianboy]

sorry for the double post...my internet was excruciatingly slow..i hit d refresh button when it didnt load my post properly..sorry again..

 

[benjaminang]

playing rock keyboard

Hi I used to play for 4 years in a rock cover band that played covers of Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Bad Company, Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1980s Bon Jovi, Journey - very pub-music. This is what I observed:

(1) Deep Purple - Play Hammond B3 or C3 organ. The keyboard is a rhythmic instrument, like a 2nd rhythm guitar. For choruses, smear the keyboard and hold down the chords to add to the wall of sound. Take some time to learn the solos on tracks like Highway Star (used as the advertisement for the Rock Band game), feels really shiok

(2) Whitesnake - Play heavy pads

(3) Bad Company, CCR - Play rock organ, or piano, as a rhythmic instrument, pounding chords

(4) Bon Jovi - Does anyone play Living on a Prayer anymore?

(5) Journey - Layer piano with pads, play block chords

Fundamental Principles:

1. Listen carefully to the songs to see what the original keyboardist did
2. LESS is MORE - play only when you can contribute something, not just to show you can play

I hope this helps

 

[yoruka19]

glad some1 started dis thread...ok apart frm the opinions given by benjaminang is there anyone that can like teach more specifically into details on rock keyboarding like maybe when to do what n when not to do what and how to do n stuff? really appreciate if there r ppl willing to teach here

 

[tangcw00]

this is very informative

 

[noinimod]

glad some1 started dis thread...ok apart frm the opinions given by benjaminang is there anyone that can like teach more specifically into details on rock keyboarding like maybe when to do what n when not to do what and how to do n stuff? really appreciate if there r ppl willing to teach here

which bands are you referring to here? If it's like, dream theatre stuff then uh, you need to have some chops first.

But for what it's worth, in most mainstream rock music, the keyboard is not used that extensively. At least in most bands i see, it usually takes the backseat with the strings/pads sound and just providing that overall atmospheric backing to the song.

Apart from getting the original lead sheets published by the band, the next best thing, or rather the only thing, is to hear and mimic what they're playing. Or you could find the chords off some guitar website and go from there; just note the original key of the song and transpose accordingly. I don't think it's really necessary to have LH patterns and what not since it's in a band setting, with the bass player doing most of the work on the lower registers.