The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary

View Poll Results: Which keyborad sounds works best for Duo

Voters
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  • Digital Piano

    3 33.33%
  • Digital Piano with split Bass

    0 0%
  • Digital Rodes (split bass option)

    2 22.22%
  • Digital Hammond Organ

    3 33.33%
  • Vibraphones with split Bass

    1 11.11%
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Posts 1 to 24 of 24
  1. #1

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    I'm performing at a restaurant in a guitar and keyboard duo, standards a la Real Books. Which keyboard sound would you prefer playing with?

    1. Digital Piano
    2. Digital Piano with split Bass
    3. Digital "Rhodes" electric piano (with split Bass)
    4. Digital Hammond Organ
    5. Digital Vibraphone with split Bass
    Last edited by rintincop; 10-22-2019 at 06:59 PM.

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  3. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by rintincop
    I'm performing at a restaurant in a guitar and keyboard duo. Which keyboard sound would you prefer playing with?

    1. Digital Piano
    2. Digital Piano with split Bass
    3. Digital Rhodes (split bass option)
    4. Digital Hammond Organ
    5. Vibes with split Bass
    What kind of food? If it's a real English pub serving steak and kidney pudding, nothing goes with organ meats like Hammond. Otherwise, piano.

    John

  4. #3

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    Why stick to one? You could have all 5!

  5. #4

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    Vibes or Fender Rhodes with a chorus/modulation effect on. Maybe vibes the first set and Fender Rhodes the second?

  6. #5
    The keyboardist has two keyboards, but only brings one keyboard at a time. One keyboard does Piano, Rhodes or Vibes, all with split Bass option. The other keyboard is a digital Hammond Organ clone. I think the first keyboard with three options is the wisest.

  7. #6

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    Now I’m a bit curious, but which compositions or songs are you going to perform?

  8. #7

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    I love Hammond organ & guitar, but it makes my wife nauseous. She’d tolerate a few tunes with organ but not a whole set.

  9. #8
    Standards, such as in the Real Books.

    I vote best choices are:
    Digital "Rhodes" with split Bass
    and

    Digital Vibraphone with split Bass
    Last edited by rintincop; 10-22-2019 at 10:14 PM.

  10. #9

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    I do this often and find that a separate, "deep" bass sound (on any keyboard) is NOT needed. Gets in the way, difficult to control and
    distracts the pianist.... just the normal /classic Rhodes piano with a little delay and/or chorus thrown in on a couple of more modern tunes is my personal favorite.

  11. #10

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    I’m convinced it’ll be an awesome gig!

  12. #11

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    Fender Rhodes with chorus effect will be a heavenly experience for the audience, especially on ballads and soft tunes.

  13. #12

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    Just a keyboard that does grand piano is the best, no need for split bass.

  14. #13

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    Just be careful he doesn’t select the setting for split guitar and piano, otherwise you might be out of a job.

  15. #14

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    I voted straight piano, I just thought of Jim Hall and Bill Evans ‘Undercurrent’, what sounds better than that?

    But if you want to hear what guitar and Rhodes sounds like, check out the album Pat Martino did with Gil Goldstein:


  16. #15
    Bear in mind, That a digital piano does not sound or behave acoustically like an acoustic piano. The digital piano typically sounds thin, boxy, and brittle. Digital emulation of the Rhodes electric piano, Hammond organ, and vibraphone is far more successful. Split Bass is also very successfully simulated in the digital keyboard realm.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by rintincop
    Bear in mind, That a digital piano does not sound or behave acoustically like an acoustic piano. The digital piano typically sounds thin, boxy, and brittle. Digital emulation of the Rhodes electric piano, Hammond organ, and vibraphone is far more successful. Split Bass is also very successfully simulated in the digital keyboard realm.
    I own modest keyboards that sound great and play guitar in bands that use digital keys, and the grand piano voice sounds excellent through a worthy amp or PA, as do vibes and organ voices. Sorry your guy's electric piano isn't worthy.

  18. #17

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    I like to hear a bass line, so if the pianist is good at kicking bass, I prefer split kb. I like the sound of an acoustic piano for the right hand, so whatever patch is closest. Rhodes sounds too bassy or dull. Wurly sounds a little better to me. But nowadays the acoustic patch often sounds best of all. I play with a kbist who is good at that and we have gigged with a drummer, with him kicking bass.

  19. #18

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    The Dinner-Jazz gigs I usually play ask for a really low volume level since the band is there to create an athmosphere, not to play a concert. Consequently my main concern is hearing myself and my partner(s) and getting a good balance and we don't need large speakers for that. Thus too much bass from guitar or keyboard is rarely an issue at such low levels.
    YMMV

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by grahambop
    I voted straight piano, I just thought of Jim Hall and Bill Evans ‘Undercurrent’, what sounds better than that?

    But if you want to hear what guitar and Rhodes sounds like, check out the album Pat Martino did with Gil Goldstein:

    That is a great piece—what a nice sound and great playing by both musicians. Natural treasures they are.

    Love Martino’s tone—wonder what guitar he’s playing? Sounds fuller than a thin line, but I could be mistaken.

    I agree a good digital key with a good sound system will sound great and be fine for a gig—especially a dinner gig, where the ambient noise will drown out any subtleties. My friend plays a Roland through a Bose L1 (the one with the subwoofer), and I would challenge anyone to say that’s not a full-size baby grand. Acoustic bass sounds great through it as well.

    I would probably prefer acoustic piano ala Hall and Oates (JK...) Hall and Evans, but to mix it up throw in some Rhodes and Hammond for a couple of songs. While I love organ and guitar, some people have an irrational dislike of the organ, and you do have to play to expectations somewhat.

  21. #20

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    The album came out in 1976, so maybe he used the L-5S?

    Famous Jazz Guitarists and Their Guitar Gear

  22. #21

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    I gig regularly with a pianist in a duo setting. The pianist plays a Nord digital piano (with LOTS of additional voices--e.g., Hammond, Clavinet, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, etc.). Much of the time he uses the Nord's grand piano patch. It works well for us--we get a sort of Bill Evans/Jim Hall "Intermodulation" sound on the stage. At other times, however, the pianist employs a Wurly or Rhodes electric piano, and sometimes a Clavinet. Although the Hammond patches on the Nord sound quite good, the pianist stays away from the organ in our duo. (Too bad; I like doing the Wes/Jimmy thing.)

  23. #22

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    Depends on the style you guys play. Guitar and piano sounds very different from anything emulating a separate bass player, hammond organ is also very different from the others. If it is a recurrent gig, why not mix it, so you can keep it fresh for you and the audience as well?

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by grahambop
    ...check out the album Pat Martino did with Gil Goldstein:
    That's very nice indeed. Thanks for the tip.

  25. #24

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    Not much of a fan of split bass, I vote straight up piano or Rhodes. I am a big fan of Rhodes. If you go that way, you gotta do something off Pat Martino's "We'll Be Together Again." Maybe Lament?