Three piece bands Drums/bass/keys?

Bass-desires · #1 08-28-2011, 09:43 AM

Hey Ya'll I've been trying to put together a Drums and bass group together but I am realising the inherent challenges with keeping the sonic space intresting(read:awesome). We are really looking for a unique sound so getting a guitarist is out. Keys/synth have been considered. Anyone try this or know of other bands that do it well?

I saw on VH1 years ago where a band was playing with only a piano/drums/bass but don't remember the name or even the song played.

dave64o · #2 08-28-2011, 10:12 AM

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer? Keith Emerson on keys, Greg Lake on bass (though he did play some guitar as well), and Carl Palmer on drums.

Amazing band.

NoiseNinja · #3 08-28-2011, 10:26 AM

Medeski, Martin & Wood.

Kwin Smith · #4 08-28-2011, 10:27 AM

Niacin? Billy Sheehan, Dennis Chambers, and the guy, whose name I can never remember. Darn.

dcr · #5 08-28-2011, 10:31 AM

Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble.....

Jimi Hendrix Experience.....

Cream....

dcr

Kwin Smith · #6 08-28-2011, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcr

Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble.....

Jimi Hendrix Experience.....

Cream....

dcr

Just bass, drums, and keys?

pondscum29 · #7 08-28-2011, 10:34 AM

Check out Brian Auger's Oblivion Express. Yeah, the singer makes it a four piece, but instrumentally, it's keys/organ, drums, and bass (TB-er, Derek Frank BTW. Great bass work.). I tried putting something like this together, but keys, not to mention an organ player, are extremely hard to find - at least in Sacramento.

thunderider · #8 08-28-2011, 10:37 AM

kraftwerk had keys/guitar/drums, think van der graff generator were too? the enid used to swap between baas and guitar...atomic rooster (carl palmer!) i think if u look theres quite a few early prog bands that had bass/keys/drums,as for sonic space fill it with over driven organ like john lord,or fill with flute/sax depending on what kinda music ur pl.......im in a band with no drummer...2 guitars/bass/electribe/midi......we called ELECTRIC CAKE SALAD we have an intresting sound....we call our selves space metal/chemical metal...we kinda blow people away!!!

dcr · #9 08-28-2011, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwin Smith

Just bass, drums, and keys?

Well, DOH!

Guess I didn't read the OP very well. But they are still just three-piece, with even more sonic space issues.

I'm in a 3-piece now (bass, drums, guit) and yep, that's just as hard to keep interesting. But it is possible.

dcr

Melik · #10 08-28-2011, 11:56 AM

Drums, bass and keys... now THAT'S original!!

avvie · #11 08-28-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

I saw on VH1 years ago where a band was playing with only a piano/drums/bass but don't remember the name or even the song played.

BEN FOLDS FIVE!
Check out their song "Army" on Youtube or Grooveshark.

Another option: Violin.

OR a la Morphine: sax.

Bass-desires · #12 08-28-2011, 03:48 PM

Haha well no not really original but less common than standard three piece Drums/bass/guitar.

Morphine are part of the reason I got into bass, the Sandman was amazing.

I'll check these guys out thanks, any other ideas? Anyone done this?

Richland123 · #13 08-28-2011, 08:47 PM

Here are two bands that fit your description.

Triumvirat was a German progressive rock trio that formed in 1969 in Cologne, Germany. The founding members were: keyboardist/composer Hans-Jürgen, Fritz, drummer/lyricist Hans Bathelt, and bassist Werner Frangenberg.

Ben Folds Five is an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprises Ben Folds (vocals, piano, and principal songwriting), Robert Sledge (bass guitar, synthesizers, and backing vocals), and Darren Jessee (drums, backing vocals and co-writer for some songs).

Stumbo · #14 08-29-2011, 12:24 PM

The Doors...drums,keys and guitar....oh,... never mind.

And, there are about a million jazz/pop trios with keys/bass/drums.

Make sure your keys player sings lead as well.

avvie · #15 08-29-2011, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richland123

Ben Folds Five is an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Okay PET PEEVE ALERT!

Why do musicians not have the honesty to admit where they're from?

Ben Folds was a resident of Winston-Salem, NC; Robert Sledge of Greensboro; Darren Jessee of Raleigh, I think. But there's more bars in Chapel Hill and it's near Carrboro which was home of the then-newly-formed Mammoth Records which had a couple or three widely-recognized acts on it's roster, so yeah, we're from Chapel Hill

Ben Folds Five was formed in Greensboro (and practiced in Winston-Salem) in the wake of the fairly-popular Greensboro band Bus Stop, who is fronted by Sony recording artist Evan Olson... Chuck Folds- Ben's brother- is the bassist for Bus Stop, who displayed his absolutely pathetic lack of decency by naming his own rock trio Chuck Folds Five even though he doesn't sing or write any of the material and refused to change the name even though his friends and colleagues refused to patronize his shows.

BFF probably played Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill a few times, just like they did The Blind Tiger in Greensboro... but they're not "from Chapel Hill" by any stretch.