Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
I have been holding off on this one, mostly because I am not a competent enough keys player or composer to have a style in which anyone could recognise an influence. But MarkOne has just pushed me close to the edge (see what I did there) with his comment. Rick Wakeman’s work on Fragile, the musical and compositional interplay between all the band members, is just so good and, Yes (see what i did there), Roundabout is an absolute stand-out track. The gentle Hammond arpeggios in the quiet central section, before the explosive solos, driven along by the best rhythm section ever...
I referred to this song in a previous post (“In and around the lake, mountains come out of the sky and they stand there....”) This is one of my life-long happy tunes. If there is any discernible keyboard influence, I guess it was just part of an awakening sense of how fabulous electronic keyboards could be. Unfortunately it also showed me how fabulous bass and electric guitar can be too, so I have spent my musical life as more of a magpie seeking shiny musical things and less of a musician dedicated to honing his craft on one instrument.
I guess, in a peculiar way, that has influenced my style, or lack of it!
I referred to this song in a previous post (“In and around the lake, mountains come out of the sky and they stand there....”) This is one of my life-long happy tunes. If there is any discernible keyboard influence, I guess it was just part of an awakening sense of how fabulous electronic keyboards could be. Unfortunately it also showed me how fabulous bass and electric guitar can be too, so I have spent my musical life as more of a magpie seeking shiny musical things and less of a musician dedicated to honing his craft on one instrument.
I guess, in a peculiar way, that has influenced my style, or lack of it!
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
As a spotty teen, one of musical dreams was to wear a Cape as Rick, play at Stonehenge, surrounded by Synths.
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
.
In my mind, something I did sounds influenced by....
Anyone listening would laugh facepalm pull a face
That's because my bucket hands playing is no where near those that influenced me.
Also because as with most musicians, something personal goes into it, that makes it a mashup of us and our influences.
.
I get this.
For this reason I like a bit of
Chas N Dave
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BliAPzEsao0
BillB wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:13 am If there is any discernible keyboard influence, I guess it was just part of an awakening sense of how fabulous electronic keyboards could be. Unfortunately it also showed me how fabulous bass and electric guitar can be too, so I have spent my musical life as more of a magpie seeking shiny musical things and less of a musician dedicated to honing his craft on one instrument.
I guess, in a peculiar way, that has influenced my style, or lack of it!
I would say various guitarists have also influenced the way I sometimes try to play when writing a guitar track on Keyboards.
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
MarkOne wrote: ↑Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:26 pm Rick Wakeman's work on Fragile was a huge influence on me in my early teens.
The standout track and moment is of course Roundabout, and the hammond solo.
But while Keith, and Rick's work was liberally sprinkled with a large dose of showmanship, Tony B as others have said plays in a beautiful and often understated way. (No gratuitous widdley-widdleyness!) - He's also an incredibly deep and accomplished songwriter.
BillB wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:13 am Rick Wakeman’s work on Fragile, the musical and compositional interplay between all the band members, is just so good and, Yes (see what i did there), Roundabout is an absolute stand-out track. The gentle Hammond arpeggios in the quiet central section, before the explosive solos, driven along by the best rhythm section ever...
For me Yes is Fusion. English Fusion.
Alongside early Genesis, Mike Oldfield.
Fusion as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Shakti, Weather Report.
I actually don't think Yes, early Genesis, Mike is ProgRock.
There are some elements of Rock strewn about.
Amon Duul, Camel (except Rain Dances), Cansas, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd, Queen, Rush, Zappa and The Mothers, are Progressive Rock for me.
(I'm sure this been debated discussed plenty and I'm wrong).
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
This may seem snide or mocking but I promise you it's not.
As a non-keyboard player who occasionally tried to add keys to songs I was always over-doing things. So in terms of what's actually influenced my style, listening to the piano part in Johnny Cash's version of Hurt showed me how I could simplify things immensely but still have impact.
As a non-keyboard player who occasionally tried to add keys to songs I was always over-doing things. So in terms of what's actually influenced my style, listening to the piano part in Johnny Cash's version of Hurt showed me how I could simplify things immensely but still have impact.
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
That makes complete sense, Drew. I have sometimes heard guitar solos or fills to great songs and thought ‘I could play that!’. No Steve Morse ‘Tumeni Notes’ (which I love but couldn’t play in a lifetime)... No, just the right notes, well chosen and simply played. Very inspiring.
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
For me, Cinema Show too, especially the live version on ‘Seconds Out’. Apart from the amazing beauty of the main instrumental theme, it has a fantastic sense of ‘architecture’ so that all the sections fit together beautifully and lead somewhere.
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
blinddrew wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:14 pm This may seem snide or mocking but I promise you it's not.
As a non-keyboard player who occasionally tried to add keys to songs I was always over-doing things. So in terms of what's actually influenced my style, listening to the piano part in Johnny Cash's version of Hurt showed me how I could simplify things immensely but still have impact.
I'd go along with this. It's not snide nor mocking at all.
Johnny Cash version of Hurt, I first heard in 2003, became one of the soundtracks for my life for a while.
I've only ever made two Piano pieces that hurt me. They were done around 2009. I don't do more because I can't handle it. One of those Piano pieces I can't listen to it.
Most of my keys stuff since then is airy summery Max Middleton influenced.
A fair amount of my recent stuff can be easily played one handed and with one finger.
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
Dawned on me, and I don't know why it didnt before. Every now and then require others to nudge open a realisation as on this thread.
I hear Tony Banks composing playing as lightness of touch, jaunty, uplifting, because I hear it as Fairground music.
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
Can't be be sure how many times I pressed rewind on Jon Lords intro to Speed King , many many hundreds of passes I'm sure - I'm a lousy KB player but if I have any influencers at all I'd pick that.
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
I listened to this four times with your views WD in my mind.
There is an out there ness to it in my mind.
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
Yes , I guess so - was a teenager at the time and discovering the classic rock acts , plus we had an old Victorian bellow organ at home so could play my not vey good version to my hearts content - for me synths are wonderful things but a classic organ sound still gives me goosebumps.
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
Yes , I guess so - was a teenager at the time and discovering the classic rock acts , plus we had an old Victorian bellow organ at home so could play my not vey good version to my hearts content - for me synths are wonderful things but a classic organ sound still gives me goosebumps.
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
BillB wrote: ↑Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:59 pm That makes complete sense, Drew. I have sometimes heard guitar solos or fills to great songs and thought ‘I could play that!’. No Steve Morse ‘Tumeni Notes’ (which I love but couldn’t play in a lifetime)... No, just the right notes, well chosen and simply played. Very inspiring.
Yes, you could play the notes, but you’re not whoever that happens to be, the notes won’t be loaded, with the same feelings, and emotions.
I said what you just said, to a great old friend "I can play that" my friend said "you can’t, you’re not him" that has always stuck with me.
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
You're right Tony, but the point was not to play those notes. The point was to learn that a great instrumental contribution to a song or tune need not be complex or difficult, it can be simple and 'right', and as such, is within reach of less technically competent players.
Having said that, you are still probably correct because a competent player who can do complex can probably also imbue more feeling (timing, tonal nuances) into a simple phrase. Still, it is good to believe that one can make valid music without necessarily struggling to get to Grade 8.
Having said that, you are still probably correct because a competent player who can do complex can probably also imbue more feeling (timing, tonal nuances) into a simple phrase. Still, it is good to believe that one can make valid music without necessarily struggling to get to Grade 8.
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
I concur. Virtuosity is great, but let's not fetishize it. There is no talent, just hard work, something you want to say, and a fair dose of natural ability (which can be overcome with hard work).
Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
I really like playing really simply, Organs with Pedal Boards, they are the ultimate ambient keyboard for me.
Church Organ, there's no keyboard on Earth, that shivers me timbers as a Church Organ.
Although I've never played a CS80 or Tonto's humungous hallsize synth : I would be hopeless at playing them.
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Re: Name one Keyboard track that influenced your Keys composition style the most
My ever so kind elderly Violin teacher when I was 12, realising I had no aptitude in the Violin, gently suggested I sit at the Grand Piano in his front room.
That was the last time I took any formal lessons.
I still think tenderly of him.
His family home is still the same house even though he left this Earth.
That gentle kind suggestion from him altered my musical life.
He would smile realising I'm hopeless academically at Piano.
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