Learning to play in a band

[xire]

Does anyone has some advice for this?


For your information: I'm a self teaching student, who doesn't know much about musical theory. Well, now I've been asked for a band, cause someone heard my solo Piano playing and was excited about my playing, so he asked me to join his band. Of course, this is really a compliment for me and I really want to do it, but I don't have any experience with playing in a band.

I don't really know what to do. I can play the Piano for hours when I'm soloing... Just do the things I want, but the situation is totally different while being in a band. I can't really read notes, but I kinda have absolute pitch, so that'll help me out a little to play along with the band. Still, I don't really know what to do. They probably expect that I can play all the things they want me to play.

I opened this topic to gain some advice about playing in a band. Maybe someone can give me some advice to start with playing in a band.


Any advice is welcome. Thanks in advance!

[jpianoflorida]

do you  know all your chords, scales , etc? if not, get a book on chords or check them out on the internet..tell me what kinds of music you are planning to do in the band...I'll try to give you some help..

jay

[xire]

Thanks for your reply.


No, I don't really know any specific chords/scales, so I guess I should start learning them. Do you know any website who can help me out?


Well, the music we're gonna play in the band is just "pop" music I guess (I don't really know how to name it). I uploaded one of the songs we're playing, so you can get an idea:

https://rapidshare.com/files/5432088/youare.mp3.html


I only got the guitar tabs for this song and I tried to improvise a bit on the piano, while listening to this song. I didn't really get more out of it than "one note" stuff, so that's not really a good start. I won't have any trouble with playing the Piano in the band, in a technical way, because the songs we're gonna play aren't really technical demanding.


If you, or someone else has any advice; everything is welcome!

[timothy42b]

I think this is probably not too hard if you mostly play one style and you have some lead sheets.  Caveat:  I haven't played in a band myself.  Well, I have, but not on piano. 

Last time I saw a band perform with a keyboard I wandered behind and watched.  All he was playing was closed position right hand chords, mostly using his left hand to adjust knobs and play an occasional bass note. 

Also, most bands play in a very few keys, you don't need your chords in all 12.  If it is a guitar band, there may only be 3 chords to learn, and all songs may be in G or D.  I work with a church group like that. 

You need to evolve a strategy.  Probably it will be something very simple like root, octave, 5th above, 3rd, octave, repeat with left hand, and close position chords with the right hand.  Don't make it too complicated because you have to keep it up for 4 hours. 

[xire]

I think this is probably not too hard if you mostly play one style and you have some lead sheets.  Caveat:  I haven't played in a band myself.  Well, I have, but not on piano. 

Last time I saw a band perform with a keyboard I wandered behind and watched.  All he was playing was closed position right hand chords, mostly using his left hand to adjust knobs and play an occasional bass note. 

Also, most bands play in a very few keys, you don't need your chords in all 12.  If it is a guitar band, there may only be 3 chords to learn, and all songs may be in G or D.  I work with a church group like that. 

You need to evolve a strategy.  Probably it will be something very simple like root, octave, 5th above, 3rd, octave, repeat with left hand, and close position chords with the right hand.  Don't make it too complicated because you have to keep it up for 4 hours. 

Thanks for your reply!


Yeah, I'm playing in a guitar band. We're with 1 drums, 1 bass, 2 guitars and a singer (and yes, it's a church group!).

Well, I do think I'm trying to play too complicated stuff for the band, after reading your reply. I think because I'm so used to play solo Piano. I started playing slow arpeggios with the left hand, in combination with lead notes with the right hand. I guess I should try to play something more simple.

[jpianoflorida]

sounds like you just need to know chords to fill in on the keyboard.    I use lead sheets sometimes, here is a link to learn the chords...i couldn't get the link you posted to play...    try learning all your chords that you need for each song, then play the chord on the right hand, and on the left hand hold down octaves(or just one note) that is the chord name.          so if you are doing c chord on the right hand, hold down c or 2 c's on the left hand....see if that helps.

https://www.pianoworld.com/fun/vpc/piano_chords.htm

[overscore]

Thanks for your reply.


No, I don't really know any specific chords/scales, so I guess I should start learning them.  I didn't really get more out of it than "one note" stuff, so that's not really a good start. I won't have any trouble with playing the Piano in the band, in a technical way, because the songs we're gonna play aren't really technical demanding.

It sounds like you should be playing chords - in other words, what the rhythm guitarist usually does.

Get them to write down the chord progressions for each song and then learn the root, first inversion and second inversion for each chord. You can get a good full sound out of straight major and minor chords, and then learn to add extra notes later to get major 7ths, dominant 7ths, and 'add 9's... all poppy chords.

With your left hand, hit the bottom note of the chord on the downbeat and then the other two notes on the upbeat - that's a basic drum pattern which sounds appropriate for pop keyboard. Because it sounds choppy and dull though, you have to do some interesting rhythms with the right hand, keeping the chords close to one another by using suitable inversions. Don't go all over the keyboard or it'll just sound overbearing, and (a cardinal rule here) don't solo or spiral while the vocalist is singing. Wait for your solo before doing anything fancy, or you'll quickly piss everybody off. Try and keep it rhythmic, like a combination of drums and strummed guitar.

If they won't give you the chords, then use the bass guitar line to work them out. 99% of the time the bass plays the root note at the start of every bar; so if you hear a G it's either a Gmajor or Gminor chord. Easy.

Hope this helps!

[xire]

It sounds like you should be playing chords - in other words, what the rhythm guitarist usually does.

Get them to write down the chord progressions for each song and then learn the root, first inversion and second inversion for each chord. You can get a good full sound out of straight major and minor chords, and then learn to add extra notes later to get major 7ths, dominant 7ths, and 'add 9's... all poppy chords.

With your left hand, hit the bottom note of the chord on the downbeat and then the other two notes on the upbeat - that's a basic drum pattern which sounds appropriate for pop keyboard. Because it sounds choppy and dull though, you have to do some interesting rhythms with the right hand, keeping the chords close to one another by using suitable inversions. Don't go all over the keyboard or it'll just sound overbearing, and (a cardinal rule here) don't solo or spiral while the vocalist is singing. Wait for your solo before doing anything fancy, or you'll quickly piss everybody off. Try and keep it rhythmic, like a combination of drums and strummed guitar.

If they won't give you the chords, then use the bass guitar line to work them out. 99% of the time the bass plays the root note at the start of every bar; so if you hear a G it's either a Gmajor or Gminor chord. Easy.

Hope this helps!

Thanks a lot for this reply!... I'm sure this helps.


 

[lau]

Yeah, I'm playing in a guitar band. We're with 1 drums, 1 bass, 2 guitars and a singer (and yes, it's a church group!).

! i'm in a church band with 1 drums, 1 bass, 2 guitars, and a singer! and i'm not sure what to do...i just improvise whatever as long as it's in the same key.