Two Keyboard players

[Rachaud]

I have seen some churches with two Keyboard players. One of them were playing the song itself. But the other (which caught my attention) was playing some nice pretty chords, kinda backing him up. How do I do this? What exactly was he doing. I think it was neat because my brother and me are ministers of music. And when he is playing I usually just sit there and play nothing. Can someone help me?

[under13]

You should be playing strings, horns, Guitar patches (if there is no guitar player) synth leads etc. You learn this by listening specifically to those parts in a song and not just paying attention to main keyboard line, but also listening for fills and passing chords. Most of these songs have 5 different tracks of different keyboard sounds, so there is a ton of things you can play.

I hope this helps

[docjohn]

What skill level ,type of music,type of keys;and as 13 said-from there it's up to you! Church I used to play at,MOM was a good guitar +keys player;most of time when he played piano parts,I would comp organ,strings,a little EP ,sometimes horns.Your imagination and skill is the limitation-practice,try + pray!

[T-Block]

How do I do this?

What exactly was he doing.

Can someone help me?

1. Like U14 suggested, listen to some songs and ignore the main keyboard parts. Those other instrument parts are what's being played. Those parts are their to enhance the main keyboard parts and make the song come alive more. As you listen to these various parts, try to imitate them. Then, experiment and come up with your own stuff.

2. Most of the time, it's really just scales, melody lines, and other chords. It takes time to learn this style of playing, even moreso than learning the main keyboard part. This style of playing is all about improvisation and getting creative. I still struggle with it myself so don't feel bad if you can't do it yet.

3. I'm sure there are people here who can help. My advice is to get good at scales and making up your own melody lines to accompany a song. Use any keyboard voice/patch except piano (or it's equivalents) and start experimenting. String, guitar, panflute, warm pad, and organ patches are a good place to start.

[docjohn]

pan flute? you wanna sound like that guy Zamfir playing the seashell????? ha ha

[Rachaud]

1. Like U14 suggested, listen to some songs and ignore the main keyboard parts. Those other instrument parts are what's being played. Those parts are their to enhance the main keyboard parts and make the song come alive more. As you listen to these various parts, try to imitate them. Then, experiment and come up with your own stuff.

2. Most of the time, it's really just scales, melody lines, and other chords. It takes time to learn this style of playing, even moreso than learning the main keyboard part. This style of playing is all about improvisation and getting creative. I still struggle with it myself so don't feel bad if you can't do it yet.

3. I'm sure there are people here who can help. My advice is to get good at scales and making up your own melody lines to accompany a song. Use any keyboard voice/patch except piano (or it's equivalents) and start experimenting. String, guitar, panflute, warm pad, and organ patches are a good place to start.

Okay so for an example if my partner is playing a slow worship song in the key of Eb for an example. I should be playing Eb scale, Eb blues scale, Eb major chords, etc

[under13]

Okay so for an example if my partner is playing a slow worship song in the key of Eb for an example. I should be playing Eb scale, Eb blues scale, Eb major chords, etc

What you should play is not just determined by the key signature, but also the chord. Even if he is in Eb, he might be doing an Ab chord, so maybe you can do a riff based on the notes in that Ab chord.

[T-Block]

What you should play is not just determined by the key signature, but also the chord. Even if he is in Eb, he might be doing an Ab chord, so maybe you can do a riff based on the notes in that Ab chord.

BINGO!!!

Feed off the lead keys player. Whever he goes, you follow along enhancing what he/she is playing.

[Rachaud]

BINGO!!!

Feed off the lead keys player. Whever he goes, you follow along enhancing what he/she is playing.

Okay I see what you are saying!! Thanks 

[THE WOLFMAN]

think like an orchestrator, and know what your keyboard can do.

example, he's playing slow worship in Eb using a piano/string patch, you can accent little melodies using a flute or a glockenspiel, or perhaps arpeggios with a harp.

I've learned you dont have to play a fistful of chords all the time or grab a lead synth and try to sound like Jan Hammer.

[2tight]

i agree wit what everybody saying.try 2 find the sounds on your keyboard that the cd has. on slow songs u can use strings or sot synth leads. on fast songs u can use horns