its killing me....

The guitarist doesn't "make the music" ... he plays the guitar parts.

A bassist doesn't "fill up" he plays the bass part.

The keyboardist (or 'synthesist') is usually the most versatile musician in the band ... able to do percussion, bass, string & brass parts, weird ambient tones, acoustic and electric piano, organ, clavinet ... it goes on-and-on-and-on.

Different instrumentalists fill different roles ... this shouldn't be a difficult concept to grasp

the key person is usualy the only one that knows how to plug everything up.... :-p

Sam. Depends on how you look at it. In addition to the great answers already listed, we have miore opprotunity to "add spice" to what exists. We can play smooth, in and around, comp, or get funky, all with numerous voices that can be changed quickly. Plus the range we provide all at once is larger than the othre instruments listed. I play keys, trumpet, bass, guitar, percussion, and sing, but I appreciate the keyboards the most. Keyboardists are as vital as anyone else. Not always appreciated like the rocker guitarists, etc. but still vital. Use this as an opportunity to create new riffs, learn new voicings, and find other ways to excel in your gifts, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Tom

Tom

Do all for the glory of God

yeah sure. thnkx for the advice.

but the spotlight always falls on guitars. i am happy to be a synthest. but we do all the work and we are behind. they play the guitars 'while dancing' while we cant. we cant shake our heads and play guitar.

i think the fault is on the instrument itself. one cant carry a keyboard in his shoulders. thats what its all about. else we'll be recognised too...



alos tell me one thing. - the jingles in the TV ads - are they done by guitars or the keyz. this may sound silly. but the reason i am asking is - the guitars compose the tunes and for the rhtym and all the other stuff they hire someone to do it. is this the case??

Sambasevam.S

Maybe "the spotlight" ain't so great and it is better to be in the background...

I suppose that bands are great, but with synths and DAWs, you don't really need a band to make good music (Moby, Hartnolls/Orbital, Clarke/Erasure, Reznor/NIN, Lowe/PSB, etc.). After all, aren't modern-day workstation's touted as "music production studios"? Of course, I've never been in a (real) band, so I can't really say how great the band experience is.

I've heard tracks in countless commercials and tv themes that I'd swear were made with a single workstation or synth. Several years ago, I would recognize preset patches and loops from the XP/JV line often on TV ads.

And don't forget the great music that can be made with a single non-electronic instrument. I find Beethoven's piano sonatas every bit as appealing as his symphonies, and I'd rather listen to David Gray sing along with a lone acoustic guitar than listen to just about anything else (multitimbral).

There are a bunch of great keyboardists that some of which would roll over in their grave to hear your opinion here Sambasevam. I have played in rock bands, blues bands, country/western bands, and even originals bands. I have never had any problem getting all the "spotlight" I wanted. You might want to think about standing up while you play. You can dance and jig as much as any guitarist. Check out Floyd Cramer, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Seger, Liberace, Bruce Hornsby, Elton John, Rick Wakeman, and so many others that I could spend the night writing their names. It has been my experience in the last 20 years that the instrument you play does not determine where you stand out in a band. What you do with that instrument, will determine all. Plus it don't hurt to be nice to people, don't become one of them big-headed wannabees. JMIO

"Be careful who you listen to, it might make you think"©Pianodick

thnkz pianodick,

its nice to hear advice from a senior member. my age is not even ur experience age. so i'll really take ur opinion. as for the spotlight - sorry - i was being greedy. i still love my position as a keys player(i am not in any band here-gonna join one)

i am grateful for getting this talent and a beautiful synth too.

thnkz everyone...i wont open this topic hereafter..thankx again.

Sambasevam.S

Sambasevam, please don't take what I said as any sort of reprimand. I was only trying to enlighten your attitude a bit. I think the questions you pose around the forum are evidence of your determination and talent. You just keep on asking anything you like. I only wish I had started as young as you. I have great admiration for your inquisitive nature. Keep up the great works.

"Be careful who you listen to, it might make you think"©Pianodick

We all know Dr. Teeth and Raulf, and Animal, but whats that dude that plays the guitar called?

www.tankengine.net

"dont' become one of them big-headed wannabees"...I like that one PD.

Sam, learn to play your instrument as well as you can. Take every opportunity possible to make music. Experience as much depth and breadth as you can stand. The spotlight is only part of the experience, and a fleeting one at that. The satisfaction of making good music is something that is hard to replicate with any of life's other endeavors. And you never know when those moments will come.

Just last evening, I went to a contract call for not much money. It was a reading session for a young conductor who was making a videotape for a conducting fellowship application. It was a small orchestra, pulled together on the quick and cheap. The local contractor pulled together a pretty decent little group, and I got to play the harp and piano part to Copland's Appalachian Spring. It's a 22 minute piece, and my part only involved three major spots covering about 3 minutes of the music. But I cannot describe the joy and wonder I experienced when everything came together, and at the very end, as the strings were fading, the percussionist and I issued the 3 final bell tones, perfectly on cue, and after a final quiet moment, the evening was over.

One of those evenings when you pinch yourself for getting paid for doing this stuff. And not a flicker of a spotlight to be found. Go figure.

yes.... i shoulda go into the depth of this instrument.

i am relly looking forward for that. as for my inquisive nature...i cant stop it...i dunnoo...i just keeping asking questions and a lotta people toldthat i was being silly....and here are the guyz for actually encouraging me for it!! thank you.

and all the while i thought i had gone past the age when i should have have entered music...i thought i was pretty old...compared to the 8 year olds and the others...thankz again for showing the light.





Sambasevam.S