:/

[klothos]

looks like Im going to have to switch to keyboards in the showband Im in


Not overly happy about it


Sorry about making a personal "vent" thread......

[trurl]

Boohoo.

[Reginod]

Maybe not all is lost, man. As I understand it, that killer bass riff in "Flashlight" was played on a synth . . . . . . . ?

[Plasmatopia]

Switching away from bass is never good.

[iguana]

geddy didn't mind at all

[Plasmatopia]

What would Geddy know about it?

[GuitarGeek]

Maybe not all is lost, man. As I understand it, that killer bass riff in "Flashlight" was played on a synth . . . . . . . ?

lots of great bass lines were played on analog synths.

[klothos]

Boohoo.

I knew you would say that

Maybe not all is lost, man. As I understand it, that killer bass riff in "Flashlight" was played on a synth . . . . . . . ?

The problem is we cant find a keyboard player with a decent rig, right attitiude, not-a-drunk, and the right frame of mind for the style of band we are.....OTOH, there are a few bass players that could do the job (and one wants it if available) so I wont be playing bass........

[Plasmatopia]

I just picked up a bass gig in June...and realized how psyched I am to be "required" to play bass again!

[BobM]

Get a cape - you'll feel better about yourself and get all the girls.

[klothos]

Maybe not all is lost, man. As I understand it, that killer bass riff in "Flashlight" was played on a synth . . . . . . . ?

lots of great bass lines were played on analog synths.

I forgot to mention: One of the reasons why nobody wants to pull me off bass is because I also play synth bass -- Bass Players that also play synth bass in Corporate Showbands are extremely rare and odd considering how much bass synth is out there....I use an old Yamaha SY-35 for synth bass as it can do the analog basses heard in classics and current music (such as "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5, "Pokerface" by Lady GaGa, or "Timber" by Ke$ha, which we do) but its also has those DX Basses that were common in the 80s (like "What Have You Done For Me Lately" by Janet Jackson)..I put my Carvin on my back when not playing bass guitar and play the SY as needed

[Staun]

Get a cape - you'll feel better about yourself and get all the girls.

I'm a keyboard player and I don't want to be taken off anything. I do however, want a cape. Wonder what grandma is doing.

[trurl]

Just sequence the keyboards and hire a guy to mime on a bunch of Casios or whatever's lying around. Problem solved.

[No Pride]

If current trends in pop music remain, we're all going to end up being synth players... or out of work.

For what it's worth, my buddy who was my roommate in the early '80s was Madonna's bass player for her first world tour, "The Virgin Tour." He would've never gotten that gig if he wasn't a halfway decent keyboard player. As it was, he played synth bass more often than he played bass guitar on that gig because that's the way her music was... and is. I don't think he's played synth bass on another gig since. Of course, now his big thing is traditional Bulgarian music. Yes, he's an odd meter fanatic.

[Plasmatopia]

Nice transition...from Madonna to Bulgarian traditional.

[No Pride]

Nice transition...from Madonna to Bulgarian traditional.

He's quite an eccentric. For a couple of years (and this is after Madonna), he quit playing music entirely and became the editor of a dirt biking magazine. And that's just the tip of the iceberg...

[Plasmatopia]

He's quite an eccentric. For a couple of years (and this is after Madonna), he quit playing music entirely and became the editor of a dirt biking magazine. And that's just the tip of the iceberg...

Such eclectic types are often some of my favorite people. I have a brother who is all over the map in his interests and talents.

[JKL2000]

What is a show band?

[klothos]

What is a show band?

Although the group occasionally does pubs and clubs, a "show band" is a band designed for large events, such as Corporate Parties or weddings, with the focus on dance music and crowd interaction (dependent on the type of function). Show bands tend to make a lot more money than typical pub/club groups. Really top-notch show bands do exactly that : put on a show including choreography and 100% smiling faces -- Unfortunately, we don't do all of that, although we could easily do Cruise Ships or Disney for that matter in our current state - I consider us an intermediate showband but we do have two beautiful female vocalists up front (although both are good looking, one is an exceptionally excellent vocalist while the other is truly a knockout!) as our show.

[JKL2000]

Although the group occasionally does pubs and clubs, a "show band" is a band designed for large events, such as Corporate Parties or weddings, with the focus on dance music and crowd interaction (dependent on the type of function). Show bands tend to make a lot more money than typical pub/club groups. Really top-notch show bands do exactly that : put on a show including choreography and 100% smiling faces -- Unfortunately, we don't do all of that, although we could easily do Cruise Ships or Disney for that matter in our current state - I consider us an intermediate showband but we do have two beautiful female vocalists up front (although both are good looking, one is an exceptionally excellent vocalist while the other is truly a knockout!) as our show.

How about some photos?

[jkelman]

How about some photos?

How cone I knew this was next...and that youre not looking fore photos of his keyboard, um, rack?

Poor taste...sorry folks, but the inner CP in me could not resist.

[Plasmatopia]

So a show band is like the Ken Arlen Orchestra for which Leslie Hunt of District 97 sings (along with two other very attractive ladies)?

[Shadow]

looks like Im going to have to switch to keyboards in the show band I'm in

At least you will have a place to set your drink.

[No Pride]

Although the group occasionally does pubs and clubs, a "show band" is a band designed for large events, such as Corporate Parties or weddings, with the focus on dance music and crowd interaction (dependent on the type of function). Show bands tend to make a lot more money than typical pub/club groups.

Klothos and I are in the same faction of the music biz and this kind of work has been the bulk of my income for the past 35 years (although I've always tried to stay involved with more creative and enjoyable musical endeavors on the side, for the sake of my sanity). Interestingly, wedding/corporate party bands have a different name depending on which region of the country they're in. I've never heard them called "show bands" until now and maybe it's a Southeastern thing; I don't know. In the upper East coast, they're called "club dates," on the West coast (or at least in California) they're called "casuals" and here in the Midwest (at least in Chicago), they're called "jobbing dates." I think ours is the most accurate.

Plasmatopia, I'm surprised you know of the Ken Arlen Orchestra, although I suppose if you're a Distrct 97 fan, it's not such a stretch to find that Leslie Hunt works with them. Over the years, Arlen has become the "jobbing kingpin" around here; while many of the jobbing bands have gone the way of prehistoric creatures in the tar pits, his business continues to thrive and he often has 3 or 4 bands out working for him on a given night. I've subbed in his band once, but that was long before Leslie got into this business. I actually played with Ken Arlen in a big band once or twice, before he was a band leader. I never would've guessed he'd someday become Mr. Jobbing Kingpin at the time, but being a band leader is one of the few ways to make a rather decent living in live music and he's not the first musician sideman I've seen make the transition (though he is the most successful around here). IMO, you have to be a desperate breadwinning family man to want to do it. There was a time when I considered being a jobbing band leader, but luckily I came to my senses, as it would've surely driven me to madness. Besides, if I'm to be honest, I've got no business chops.

[Plasmatopia]

Plasmatopia, I'm surprised you know of the Ken Arlen Orchestra, although I suppose if you're a Distrct 97 fan, it's not such a stretch to find that Leslie Hunt works with them. Over the years, Arlen has become the "jobbing kingpin" around here; while many of the jobbing bands have gone the way of prehistoric creatures in the tar pits, his business continues to thrive and he often has 3 or 4 bands out working for him on a given night. I've subbed in his band once, but that was long before Leslie got into this business. I actually played with Ken Arlen in a big band once or twice, before he was a band leader. I never would've guessed he'd someday become Mr. Jobbing Kingpin at the time, but being a band leader is one of the few ways to make a rather decent living in live music and he's not the first musician sideman I've seen make the transition (though he is the most successful around here). IMO, you have to be a desperate breadwinning family man to want to do it. There was a time when I considered being a jobbing band leader, but luckily I came to my senses, as it would've surely driven me to madness. Besides, if I'm to be honest, I've got no business chops.

You can find out a lot on Facebook. I think Leslie recently moved into more of a leadership role (forget the term she used) in one of his bands. They get some amazing gigs and I think entire bands have been flown to various parts of the country to play weddings, etc. These days I think it would be pretty hard for professional musicians to turn their noses up at work like that, should the opportunity present itself.