I looked at one of those "keytar" MIDI controller things. Interesting. However, I see some issues with it if someone wanted to use one for bass passages. Sure, I know, just make the MIDI play a lower octave, but that's not what I'm getting at.
When I play keyboard bass/bass notes on a regular keyboard, I am most often using the left hand for the bass register as that fits the layout of the keyboard and the way that people are oriented to standard keyboard instruments. Also, I am often doing some comping with the right hand. This works fine for a regular unit.
But then there are these keytar/MIDI controllers.
They are set up like a right-handed guitar in so that you have the pitch bend in the right hand, as you would like if you bent a string on a guitar or bass, but have all the keys best and most accessable by the right hand. Fine for comping and solos. NOT good if you want to play bass lines. Why? You have to take the bass lines from a std. keyboard which you were playing with your left hand, and move those patterns to your right hand so that it fits the layout and physiology best suited to the keytar/MIDI controller.
Typical keytar use with treble lines played by the right hand, per traditional keyboard techniques:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNsYyv152do
or you have to do this "hand over" type method which looks none too comfortable in terms of wrapping your left hand around the strap and also your wrist is at a strange angle and odd approach to the keys compared to the more normal angles of the right hand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdK8ICCZ5rc
So... ...Anyone see a keytar which is oriented for someone who is lefthanded so that bass lines can be played on one in a way that is comfortable and natural for the left hand, and so that the bass parts learned on traditional keyboards don't have to be relearned specifically for right hand ketar use?
Thanks.
