Piano

I Love this Keyboard

The Korg SV-1 Vintage I aquired this summer is not only beautiful, but it also have provided me with versatility and extended possibilities to what I can do on stage and in the studio. It’s my go-to keboard for piano, rhodes, wurly, and other retro sounds I might need.

The weighted keys increase the emotion I can put into the notes and chords. I do not use this keyboard for my organ tones. I use a NORD electro 2 for my organ replication if a Hammond B3 is not available. It’s light and fits to my liking above the Korg … plus, the double-red look is sexy.

The biggest downside is that it is HEAVY! Lugging it around from gig to gig is made easier by the rolling case I have. Although it’s quick to set up, sometimes I feel like, “Finally, I get to play it after all that!”

-Brendan

Stage Presence

In this picture, I was throwing beads out to the crowd and tried to get one deep into the crowd. Instead, I got some wrapped up in the stage support beams. Oops.

One of the harder parts of putting together an exciting, live performance, is having the right stage presence. Getting planted behind a few keyboards can make this extra difficult.

Playing keyboards on stage restricts the amount of freedom the player has. Because of this, I have found that standing brings a little extra oomph to the impact I can have on the stage while playing organ or piano. I can jump, groove, and occasionally throw out my finest dance moves.

Although, the role a keyboard player holds in a band is important. If the player is a supporting role in the group, perhaps sitting and staying in the background is more suitable. Just make sure you talk it over with the boss of the group before trying anything too bold.

Most importantly, performing is just like public speaking — eye contact is key. No matter what your role in a band, connecting with the crowd should be important to you. It’s what separates a live performance from an iPod.

Know your style, be confident, and have fun.

-Brendan