Covering all those studio sounds live...or not?

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Kingy75
Posts: 104
Joined: 10:16, 31 January 2009
Location: Sydney, Australia
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Covering all those studio sounds live...or not?

Post by Kingy75 »

Hi all,

I play in a cover/corporate function/wedding band and I'm constantly faced with deciding whether to try to cover every line I can hear on the recording (using multiple splits & layers) or to keep it simple and just use one or 2 patches (or perhaps one split) and not attempt to cover absolutely everything I hear but just try to capture the essence of the song/sound, if that makes sense.

What does everyone else do in this situation?

I'm used to attempting to cover everything (and in the right situation that's fine) but I know not all keys players do that so I'm looking for hints/suggestions on how I might make things simpler.

I only use one synth live, a Roland Fantom X6.

Thanks!
ensho
Posts: 9
Joined: 21:53, 18 August 2015

Re: Covering all those studio sounds live...or not?

Post by ensho »

Hello Kingy 75,

the only answer to your question that I am sure about is that there is no one single right answer.

You can discuss this question on many different levels, which starts on a much broader level than just the decisions you make as a keyboarder. All of those questions have a broad spectrum of possible answers.

What is the musical aim of your band? (Do you want to copy the studio recording? Or 'just' play the song so that the audience recognizes it? Do you want to copy the energy more than the actual notes? etc...)

Does everyone in the band share this aim? (Are you all up to doing your homework towards the same goal?)

How close does everyone in the band come to replicate the song? (For example: it's not easy replicating the sound of dance or modern pop tunes if the drummer is not into triggers, drum pads, loops, and is taking care of that stuff.)

Are you even able to replicate the songs you want to play, considering that they probably consist of more tracks than you are capable of playing? Are you using backing tracks in that case? Are you "interpreting more freely" in that case?

(Lots of other questions to ask which I'll skip here.)

About your keyboard chores:

What makes the band sound the strongest? Perfect copy of the original or not? (If the rest doesn't sound like the Lady Gaga tune, your perfect sounds may sound more corny and displaced than a good general sound that creates a more consistent band sound.)

Are you even capable of copying everything perfectly if you wanted to?
It's problematic to have only one keyboard if you try to cover everything. The X6 is limited in the amount of octaves, as well. Lots of splits and multiple sound switches, even on an average Michael Jackson tune. Having to do that for every tune means a LOT of logistics and programming. I would not try this approach with only one board at hand.

Oh my. I realize that I have rattled on for quite a bit. And I'm nowhere finished on my thoughts. I guess it's obvious by now that I'm playing in cover bands myself and have come across the same question many many times throughout the years. Did I mention that there is not one right answer?!..

All for now.

Cheers,
ensho
zombietactics
Posts: 251
Joined: 21:51, 12 July 2016

Re: Covering all those studio sounds live...or not?

Post by zombietactics »

Short answer:

You have to capture everything "iconic" and "signature" to the song, but not necessarily every single keyboard part on the original recording.

Example #1, Tom Sawyer by Rush:
You absolutely need the filter-sweep part. You need the high string drone line. You need the "weedle-weedle-weedle" lead line. That's about what Geddy Lee himself does live, despite the fact that there is other stuff on the record. He stomps on the bass pedals live as well, but that really isn't central to the sound of the song, and your bass player has hands free to keep the bottom end going while you muck about on the keyboard parts, lol.
gcoudert67
Posts: 195
Joined: 12:58, 19 August 2014
Location: Dunstable, UK

Re: Covering all those studio sounds live...or not?

Post by gcoudert67 »

Example #2: 'Africa' by Toto

I have layered a brass patch with a piano sound on the left (even though they don't play exactly the same thing). In the middle, I have a layer of tuned percussion for the intro riff and, on the right, the fluty solo sound layered with kalimbas.

I have left out the recorders on the 2nd verse and found that the congas make the sound too muddy so I've only kept them on the intro and outro (we're a vox-guitar-keys band so I sequence all drums and bass).

At a high volume, nobody's going to notice the more subtle elements of the song anyway.

I use an X8, incidentally.
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Andy Keys
Posts: 1843
Joined: 13:44, 7 August 2007
Location: UK

Re: Covering all those studio sounds live...or not?

Post by Andy Keys »

I learn the chords & riffs first, with as close as i can get to the appropriate patches.
Over time i'll tweak those sounds and slowly add more sounds to play the less signature/iconic parts (good way of putting zombietactics!)

It's the law of diminishing returns: the more specific you get, the fewer people at a gig will notice. You have to get it to the lowest level that you feel fulfilled with.

Oh, I play with Nord Stage and Fantom X7 in 3 bands.
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