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Anyway to get Keyboard sound without keys?

#21
To clarify - for me I'd like to do what Sheehan is doing at 8:40 in the video above. I wouldn't have a clue how to set that up though, even if I had the 12 step. I do run an iPad on stage just to adjust my IEM mix. Don't know much about iPad apps either.
 
#24
Electro Harmonix has come out with a number of analog pedals (or no midi tracking at least) recently that emulate classic keyboard sounds with guitar and bass. I got the impression that they're optimized for tracking in the range of guitar, but they've generated a lot of positive buzz online with their demo videos.
 
#25
mpm32 said:
Use backing tracks. The audience won't care if you use them.
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This... My band has several songs where keys and synths are needed (Jump... Don't Stop Believing). My drummer sequences all the parts beforehand and loads them into a sampler to trigger while playing. Comes off well, IMO. If you have no one that can play keys, then there are a few karaoke sites out there that let you custom mix your own tracks. This is the one I use the most as they seem to have a good selection and the samples are great quality Invalid Link Removed

I used that for our cover of Uptown Funk as there was just too much going on for the drummer to handle.
 
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#26
logicman69 said:
This... My band has several songs where keys and synths are needed (Jump... Don't Stop Believing). My drummer sequences all the parts beforehand and loads them into a sampler to trigger while playing. Comes off well, IMO. If you have no one that can play keys, then there are a few karaoke sites out there that let you custom mix your own tracks. This is the one I use the most as they seem to have a good selection and the samples are great quality Invalid Link Removed

I used that for our cover of Uptown Funk as there was just too much going on for the drummer to handle.
Click to expand...

That's cool but there is another way.

 
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#31
it's just a simple square wave mono synth line ..! just use a Kazoo ..! or a comb/ wax paper ... it would work fine and be fairly entertaining ...!!

and no , i'm not being a total Richard Cranium ... long ago ( late 70's/80's ) i saw a gtr player/singer doing the ' Baker's Street ' ... he did the Sax part with the comb/wax paper thing ... sounded great ..!! laughed my butt off for days ..! and still remember ( which is rare from the 70/80's drunken days )
 
#32
Geri O said:
As stated above, your only option is backing tracks. Ableton, Garage Band. MainStage, even a simple mp3 track played from an iPad will get the job done. Just need to hear a click or some other reference to the time of the track.
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Time keeping is important. I've played to a click with back tracks and I've tried to program tracks to play with the whole band. It's worked in some projects (where we had no live drums), and it's been a challenge in others (with live drums). Sometimes, the drummer isn't in the mindset to follow tempo from another source, since they frequently set the tempo. If the band isn't prepared to follow the track/click, then things can go off the rails.


Touchscreen devices offer several options. iPhone/pad and Android devices offer various applications which can trigger sound samples, or even give you a virtual keyboard. It's a few bucks, but I like Native Instruments iMaschine (I also love the desktop version of the program but it's a bunch of cash). The mobile version gives you the ability to have sample trigger pads and load in any samples you like. It also has virtual keyboards, but they might be small for playing live on stage.
 
#36
I would have the guitar do it as well, and something line the new Boss SY-300 could be the ticket. It doesn't need a special pickup in the guitar either, although, it is still a bit pricey. Heck, even just a guitar dist. lead with maybe some FX on it could be adequate.
 
#40
Jimmy4string said:
Really I am just looking for the Cars "Just what i needed" keyboard sound -but not really looking to pickup a keyboard player. Any ideas?
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This is going to sound a little crazy but works surprisingly well. We had a guitar player in one group back in the 70's who used to lug this Leslie speaker around with him. He would run it as an extension speaker through his amp; play his guitar through that; and it would sound amazingly like a Hammond B3 organ. Did some leads that sounded a lot like that but didn't have that synth edge to it. It's that spinning speaker plus the way he'd set his EQ on the guitar that did it.

Looks like you can get a rotary Leslie from Sweetwater for only $1,795...maybe you need a keys player after all ;)
 

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