Hi Adam,
I think your topic is relevant for this forum. You're asking how to use the Genos "musically" versus "mechanically." It's refreshing to not have to address bugs, for a change
!
When you are providing background music for a vocalist or vocalists. Ask yourself, "What would I play if the solo content was a clarinet, guitar, or sax?" When someone else solos, I use the following techniques:
1 - Stay out of the soloist's musical range. If someone is singing high, play low on the piano register. You can perfrom brief embellishments an octave above their range as well. Note the word
brief.
2 - Play
less notes,
twice as long. That is, use half and whole notes to your advantage. There's nothing musical about someone who clutters up things, just because they feel they need to contribute to the song.
3 - Fill in the gaps. When someone takes a breath or a pause for even a half bar, there's your chance to insert a lick. You would be shocked at how long a half bar seems.
4 - Avoid full chords on the right hand. For example, if the person is singing the fifth of the scale, there's no need for you to play the same note, especially if you've crept into his or her range by mistake! I often play a passing note like a 6th or 9th, especially in a Jazz number. For a chord, I'll often use the third and octave notes only. The choice of notes depends on the musical genre. For Country, I'll throw in a Floyd Kramer type of lick during a singer's pause.
5 - Consider using an organ sound. I've always thought no matter what the musical genre, you can always play organ sounds using half and whole notes. Just because you played piano throughout the song, there's absolutely no reason you can't switch to an organ voice. Look how many pro players have two keyboards stacked on stage. A lot of the times, the lower is a weighted piano and the upper, a synth of some kind that has organ type keys. Musical hint about playing organ sounds as back-up: seldom play the third of the scale if you're also playing the root. It just clutters the organ sound
.
6 - Last but not least, this Golden Rule came from a local pro player with whom I talk often: "Three or four bars of rest for the piano, are considered as notes too. You just can't hear them."
That means, there is absolutely no reason you have to play Bar 1 to 144 in a 144 bar song. I believe a lot of players come from a soloist piano background and feel they have to do something in every bar. You're not playing a recital for your Grade 8 piano. You're only backing the soloist. It's not your turn! Sad to say, but most keyboard players reside very low in the pecking order
! The guitarists and singers are the stars.