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Finding a keyboardist...


uk_lefty
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I've never come across one that can actually play their instrument or that I would allow near sharp objects... However I'm going to try and find a keyboardist for a new project. I want to start an 80's cover band. I love my band and my band mates but musically it's going further away from what I want to play. Dakota was suggested today/ ordered by the singer and to be fair to him he makes very few demands so he gets what he wants, plus he's an incredible singer. So that's making me get my finger out and set up my side project. 

So, tips on finding a keyboardist, please? 

I'm thinking I should be asking for YouTube and sound cloud clips of them playing live with a band, not in their bedroom, as a minimum. 

I then need to find a drummist too. 

Which sites to advertise for muso's have the least fantasist weirdos? I've never had much joy with Bandmix or Joinmyband but don't know of any others these days... 

Thanking you! 

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Keyboardists that are technically advanced are thin on the ground.  Very much like looking for hen's lips. 

Luckily we caught one in our massive shrimping net , and  we chain him up after rehearsals and gigs.

In all my days and years playing,  i've never managed to work with a keyboardist,  ever, not even a shyte one

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I've always found good ones quite tough to locate. 

There's a huge number of pianists calling themselves keyboard players, who'll vamp big heavy full-sounding two handed chords through everything because it sounds great in their house on their own. 

Good keys players who understand their instrument and how to get the right sounds out of it, and that sometimes they only need to play with one finger at a time are gold dust. If you find one, grab on tight!

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I thought for a moment that I may have been useful, as my playing often resembles les Dawson . 
I played a couple of my early gigs in the '90s with a keyboard player .The amount of plugs and wires everywhere  was  a serious breach of health and safety . 
Like drummers , keyboard players are gold dust . 
Having said all of that, if my keyboard friend was doing the set lists  we had back then , he told me he could do it all on a laptop . 
The last time I saw Edgar Froese at the Astoria , I noticed the virtual stuff on his Mac laptop  back in 2007 . 

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pain in the *rse as they always want to play big booming bass notes which conflict with what I'm playing.

Worked with a really good one doing a theatre project - he's also a bass player so kept right off the low-end and the sound was mint.

Hard to find and usually playing in a gazzillion bands/projects

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I’m obviously in the minority as I know two or  three really good keys players that I play with.
 

However, one of the problems is that they’re so good, pinning them down can be really difficult as they’re really busy!  
 

And no, you’re not getting their numbers! 😜

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Keys player in my Bon Jovi tribute is amazing.  He is a very accomplished player, can sing like an angel and probably the most musical mind I have met.  He kind of does the arrangements.  And the loveliest guy.  No wonder then that he is in enormous demand and plays in a lot of the better bands locally.  :) 

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22 hours ago, uk_lefty said:

I've never come across one that can actually play their instrument or that I would allow near sharp objects... However I'm going to try and find a keyboardist for a new project. I want to start an 80's cover band. I love my band and my band mates but musically it's going further away from what I want to play. Dakota was suggested today/ ordered by the singer and to be fair to him he makes very few demands so he gets what he wants, plus he's an incredible singer. So that's making me get my finger out and set up my side project. 

So, tips on finding a keyboardist, please? 

I'm thinking I should be asking for YouTube and sound cloud clips of them playing live with a band, not in their bedroom, as a minimum. 

I then need to find a drummist too. 

Which sites to advertise for muso's have the least fantasist weirdos? I've never had much joy with Bandmix or Joinmyband but don't know of any others these days... 

Thanking you! 

Where are you based?

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I'm available too.
My right hand will do melodies, improvised solos and chords, making one guitar player superfluous.
My left hand will do chords, melodies and solos. That does away with the other guitar player.
My feet will do the bass part. No chords and certainly no bass solos, so we don't need a bass player either.

Things are cheap with me in your band!
PM me for details.

PS 
My portable electronic organ does have an advanced rhythm box with programmable Feel, Groove and Swing...

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Good musicians of any description tend to be busy. On here we make fun of drummers, guitarists and keyboard players, but how many of us could be called to play ‘any’ gig at a moments notice?

If you’re going to advertise then keep away from Join my band, it seems to attract some very odd people.

Local Facebook groups can be good. They tend to weed out the guys who’re only capable in their own minds or bedrooms.

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On 05/03/2020 at 18:17, mike257 said:

There's a huge number of pianists calling themselves keyboard players, who'll vamp big heavy full-sounding two handed chords through everything because it sounds great in their house on their own. 

Good keys players who understand their instrument and how to get the right sounds out of it, and that sometimes they only need to play with one finger at a time are gold dust. If you find one, grab on tight!

I agree , but there also keyboardists who think they can play a piano!

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After years of playing in bands without a keys player I've now played with 3 very, very good ones in the last 4 years!

The soul band I currently play with have 2 of the 3 and those guys play the piano parts, string parts, organ parts and the horn section parts too! (We do have a horn section but money and space dictate how often they play!). 

I think we've been blessed but the set we play attracts the right kind of guys anyway, what self respecting keyboard player wouldn't want to play Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, James Brown, Lionel Rich Tea, etc. If you have a set of songs where they can show off, the good ones will come knocking 😊

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On 06/03/2020 at 19:17, BassTractor said:

I'm available too.
My right hand will do melodies, improvised solos and chords, making one guitar player superfluous.
My left hand will do chords, melodies and solos. That does away with the other guitar player.
My feet will do the bass part. No chords and certainly no bass solos, so we don't need a bass player either.

Things are cheap with me in your band!
PM me for details.

PS 
My portable electronic organ does have an advanced rhythm box with programmable Feel, Groove and Swing...

You are John Shuttleworth and I claim my prize!

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