My latest kit: 88 up - 3 down - black wrap

Andy

Andy

Honorary Member
Ok, I've taken the plunge into contributing song / arrangement ideas for my band. After a number of years bashing out covers, the Fired Up boys are slowly introducing originals, & as a drummer, I had no way of transporting my ideas.

I can't play piano, but I can wing it a bit on chords, so I need to significantly improve my skill level on this instrument. I'm really happy with the sound quality & playing feel of this entry level piano though.

For the keys / gear guys here: Roland FP30 + Rode NT-USB.

I've no idea where this will take me, but at 57, I find that exciting!

Tips from keys / vocals songwriting drummers much appreciated.
 

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Are you going to write songs from scratch with melody and harmonies and sing as well?
 
blinky said:
Are you going to write songs from scratch with melody and harmonies and sing as well?
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That's the aim - yes. The band is already working on two originals submitted by other band members in a semi finished arrangement form. I aim to do the same - essentially, keys for chord structure / arrangement / bass line - acoustic drums - layered vocal scratch tracks.

The band then take that initial submission & work it through the band "machine", with each player interpreting the initial guide in their own way, then collectively deciding on final overall form.
 
Very cool Andy!! Didn't know you played keys as well. What other instruments do you play?
 
Dang. I really expected to see somthing Bozzioesque here.
 
Very cool Andy

Always great to add more colours to your palette as a musician. Good luck with the writing.

The next Neil Peart!
 
konaboy said:
Didn't know you played keys as well.
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I don't, but I can string a few chords together. Improvement needed.

Odd-Arne Oseberg said:
Dang. I really expected to see somthing Bozzioesque here.
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I hold my hands up to thread title deceit ;)

Juniper said:
Very cool Andy

Always great to add more colours to your palette as a musician. Good luck with the writing.

The next Neil Peart!
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Thanks Jon, but I don't have a head for hats, so the Peart angle is out :)
 
I studied piano in college and did a few recitals (wow - that was over 30 years ago now) so it’s always a good investment to know how to work the keys. Congratulations on getting started!
 
Bo Eder said:
I studied piano in college and did a few recitals (wow - that was over 30 years ago now) so it’s always a good investment to know how to work the keys. Congratulations on getting started!
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What was your major? Mine was percussion performance, which worked out, since I’m a technician with the phone company.
 
Good on you, Andy. Roland FP30 is a real nice unit, for the money.
​
I too, dabble with keys. Got a "old school" RMI 368x,
an Alesis Micron, and an Alesis Timbre Wolf.​
 
Those who play multiple instruments are annoying! LOL

That's cool Andy. Should be a ton of fun.
 
Weird. I just came into the same situation. Saw a craigslist for a nice full featured workstation keyboard with a stand for it, a really nice music stand and even a good mic stand.

60 dollars total. Obviously I wasn't going to pass that up. The music stand alone was worth more than a hundred. It's almost too fancy to me.

Anyway, I'll be joining you on your drummer turned keys player adventure. Though your equipment appears to be a fair deal nicer!

So far, I'm having trouble generating the same "drive" to practice this as I get when I see a drum kit. Hope that will change as I get more adept.
 
A great way to improve your drumming and overall musicianship, terrific idea, way to go! I find it so difficult to bite the bullet and pick up something besides drums. Respect, just wish that new kit was a classy natural, stain finish. I assume the keys are made from exotic mabooku wood from the Zandor rainforest.
 
Push pull stroke said:
What was your major? Mine was percussion performance, which worked out, since I’m a technician with the phone company.
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I did my level best NOT to major in music and got my degree in paralrgalism and did a stint at UCLA working in an English degree because I was gonna transfer to law school.

I ended up at Disney as a musician for 15 years and an audio engineer for 17 now. With the last few years being a rodent featured on a drum set in a parade named after the rodent. Go figure.
 
My tip would be to use a midi keyboard along with a recording program. That way you don't have to play your parts perfectly. Just get it close and fix them. You don't even have to play the whole song or progression. I can play the hell out of any midi instrument.....one measure at a time :)

I suffered the same fate for decades, not being able to get my thought across on an instrument. Now it is extremely easy to play exactly what I'm trying to convey.
 
Right on Andy! Good for you.


.
 
I wish I could offer some advice.

My writing:
Hear something in my head.
Roll tape.
Reproduce a facsimile on guitar
Click the loop pedal.
Run to the bass.
Run to the drums.
Run back to my other guitar.

And BLAMO ---- Crap in a can.

At that point, you move on to the next song, and the next song. When you do get together with the guys, you have two dozen 16-bar-fart-songs lined up. Like tinder, they can simply swipe right or left. Nods get developed, Nays get regurgitated into something else down the road.


So I guess my advice is... Get your ideas recorded, even if it's just the hook, even if it's just a facsimile that captures the feel and concept of the song. Don't waste a lot of time developing things early on... Just enough to make it presentable. My other advice is... 80% of what we write is crap. You're going to have to figure out how to cope with disappointment.
 
Bo Eder said:
I did my level best NOT to major in music and got my degree in paralrgalism and did a stint at UCLA working in an English degree because I was gonna transfer to law school.

I ended up at Disney as a musician for 15 years and an audio engineer for 17 now. With the last few years being a rodent featured on a drum set in a parade named after the rodent. Go figure.
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But how are the rodent’s paradiddles?
 
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