General Music Chat

As a keyboard player in Kentucky, I am reporting there seems to be a heavy concentration of Neanderthals still living among us in my area of the state.
Most of the the reason I now, must work as a "solo" act is because of these music illiterates.
I'm not angry. Just extremely amazed. I never get angry toward people that are less fortunate than me. I only have dislike toward deliberate assholes.
I would like to list some of my encounters, while talking to some of the bands / musicians in my area.
1. We don't need a keyboard player, 'cause the music that we play is mostly; country, rock, and southern rock !
2. A keyboard wouldn't benefit us at all. We play, country and rock. But, we sure would like to have a good steel guitarist.

And this one, is my favorite:
3. Well, I'm the bass player for the band. Anything you can do on a keyboard, I can also do on bass.

Not dissing the south but you need to move to a major city where your talents would be appreciated. I guarantee you would be in two or three bands here in Detroit.

Wow. That sucks, man. I guess all I can say is, like a lot of us on here, you are in the wrong area. I'm playing with two keyboardists right now (in different bands)-one quit for several years and just getting his chops back, and the other is just getting started (although he has several years of experience on different instruments). I live playing w/ keys and would kill to have an experienced, talented musician to work with.
Geography sucks.

Grove-in,

I've been in a couple of bands with another keyboarder.

I've been in a band that the guitar player was a better keyboardist then me!

Ive been in bands with no guitar. (I much prefer to play with a guitar player, but they have to be able to play guitar better then me!)

I bet there are some intelligent ol' boys in ol'Kentuck - you just haven't come across them yet.

Hell, there are even some decent players in Kilgore Texas!

Keep lookin' up,
Howlin'

I"ve played with keyboardists who overpowered the rest of the band. Right now we play with a keyboardist who I consider a musical genius of sorts. He doesn"t get in the way of the other members and almost intuitively adds the right mode (piano, organ, accordian, horn section, etc.) to each song or plays the harmonica on other tunes. You keyboardists have so many different modes you can throw into the mix, DON"T OVERDO IT. I absolutely love a tastey keyboardist, it makes each song sound unique. When somebody says they don"t need a keyboardist I don"t understand. It can give a band so much variety and so much flexibility. But be subtle about it. Flavor it. DON"T DOMINATE IT. I think some musicians are intimidated by so much potential coming into their mix. Later...

It's funny, but I haven't had lot of luck w/keys. They either play way too loud with horrible casiotone sounds, or they are way too quiet & no one hears them but them. One guy I worked with was an accordian player at heart, & played everything that way...not good for a rock act.

There's only been one guy locally I was on stage with who was truly a great player, & he can't work cuzza his wife, dammit.

Hey, last time I worked with a really good keyboardist,the AKAI 80 had just came out..(first digital sampler..86 ).Man, LEX used to be a happenin town with great musicianship??When gas was 1.10 a gal, I hungout alot around your area.This EEEFFFFIN gas situation is kiilin our networking guys.It used to be nothing to drive 3 hrs to audition.Yeah, Its about the same dead ass scene here in Wet Vagina.I ve blown ALL my $$$ ,now I cant get out ..Yeah , I remember the days when you guys RULED. One keybaord player with 4 keyboards all MIDI together and alotta you Cats kicked Bass with the LH during the "Carribean Queen" days.. . Yeah , workin solo does suck..I played a flea market today 4 hrs with my backing tracks...At least its work?? Be thankful your playin I guess is the best way to look at it.Hey were empathizin with ya Bro..
I gotta figure out how pull a set of drums on a bicycle...

John

well I'm in Kentucky, and I have to agree w/u.....
not about the musical illiterate part, but just that they mostly seem to be both ignorant and stubborn. I just cant deal with both in one package!
and I just fired my totally litterate keyboardist be cause his ego and mouth did more work than his fingers!

www.myspace.com/blunderingeye

2. A keyboard wouldn't benefit us at all. We play, country and rock. But, we sure would like to have a good steel guitarist.

I don't know, this sounds pretty intelligent to me!
Actually, closed minded bands are very common, people seem to have pre-conceived ideas about music, and it's difficult for them to accept other options. Good luck with your music.

Bill

Keys are damn near impossible to find in this area. Move to the city, Philly, LA, NY, Detriot to name a few.

Good keys are hard to find here in Detroit area. I've had a working band here that I front and play gtr for the last 10 yrs and and have only had keys for abt 2 of those years. I'm always looking for keys. The problem I run into in my area is economics. I can book a 3 piece so much easier than I can a full band. Unfortunately the music gets sacrificed that way. I would much prefer a 5,6 or 7 piece band of good players. We just can't afford it in this area.

I've played with keyb guys on occasion - but as F-bob put it - they tend to dominate. Adding a keyb is a big thing - not like picking up a second guitar or a sax player.

It's not cretinism to not want a keyb player. I do not want one just now myself. And worse, I'm a southerner. But's it's not because I hate keybs - I don't

Wouldn't fit. Just the way it is. Some people don't want me because of how I play stylistically. No problem. Saves time. Bands can't be talked into wanting any specific instrumentation - they typically form knowing what they want to sound like. Later on they may consider a change - it's unlikely they will consider a change if the idea doesn't come from them internally though.

If I had the time and the money I'd like to try a symphonic metal project and then I'd worship a keyb player. Or if I could every find my old pal Jeff Stivers. He could fit in any kind of situation.

I think your problem is proving that like my pal, you can fit in any kind of situation. If you are like that, you will find work believe me.

Talbot

I hate working with keyboard players that don't know when to shut up. A good many of them put in a bunch of cheesy passing chords in every song that clash with the rest of the musicians. And they never can hear it themselves.
Some of the worst are church soloists who play their own accompaniment without any other instrumental support. Of course I feel the same about rhythm guitar players most of the time.

When somebody says they don"t need a keyboardist I don"t understand. It can give a band so much variety and so much flexibility. But be subtle about it. Flavor it. DON"T DOMINATE IT. I think some musicians are intimidated by so much potential coming into their mix. Later...

Couldn't agree more
Peps are intimidated because many Keys guys actually can read music and usually have a great command of music theory.
Unlike most guitar players who just pick it up and play.
Guitar solos all night can be boring ; mix it up with some keys !

Last night , I had a dream that I played a grand Piano in my pajamas. How that piano got into my pajamas, I'll never know....