Best Instrument for Solo Composition? - Progressive Rock Music Forum

I am trying to decide between continuing on the guitar and switching to keyboard. I have been playing guitar for about a year. The keyboard has more polyphony and seems more intuitive to someone like me who is familiar with music theory. I'm not currently part of a band, but I would like to mix together solo recordings of myself. Any thoughts?

Play everything you can get your hands on!

It will never hurt, only help, and by being familiar with the advantages and limitations of each instrument, as well as the different techniques involved, that will make your Musicianship in total so much better!

Eh, I suggest you keep the guitar AND get a keyboard next to it, or even better, a piano if you can afford it.

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I play solo with just a keyboard. Due to multitracking (keyboard feature) and many different sounds, I can substitute drums (not very recommended), bass, and guitar and write full songs by doing that by just pressing play on what I recorded on the keyboard, hold up the mic and record.

I recommend keyboards, but don't be afraid to pick up another instrument. For prog, guitar and flute could be very useful.

Edited by Zitro - January 12 2007 at 09:02

Go with both instruments. Being able to play more than one will help you with your solo stuff since you don't need to rely on anyone for that instrument.

MadcapLaughs84 wrote:

I think that the keyboards are a real help for music theory, in my opinion is the most complete instrument. So, if you can with both instruments go ahead, or you can use one of them only as a support for composition.

I agree. Keyboards are a big help for music theory. I would expand to other music instruments. I play bass as well and that could be a better choice for a support to keyboards than the guitar.

Snow Dog wrote:

Dustbin lids.

Thus spake Animal the Drum Muppet LOL

ISKC Rock Radio
I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected]

Eh, people forgot to mention the most important. And that is, what kind of music are you going to do? I personally compose all my solo songs with my guitar, but am getting a keyboard too because I want to make some music that is a bit different. These two are completely different instruments, and say, you can't really compose a piano-song with a guitar or the other way around. At least it's difficult.

I agree with red sector. Sometimes an instrument will inspire you. If you have a guitar and keys handy, sometimes you'll want to play one, sometimes the other.

A piano can be great but a guitar is much more portable.

"they locked up a man who wanted to rule the world.
the fools
they locked up the wrong man."
- Leonard Cohen

Tigerthink wrote:

Angelo wrote:

Eh, I suggest you keep the guitar AND get a keyboard next to it, or even better, a piano if you can afford it.

It seems like it would be easier to play fast with nonweighted keys. And I can make the keyboard sound like almost anything I want. What advantages does the piano have, aside from an authentic live sound?

Well as a lifelong pianist, I just feel at home with a weighted keyboard. I have weighted and non-weighted boards and both have their place. My little Korg Prophecy is light and fast for those ripping solos, the Alesis weighted board is fantastic for expression, and not just for piano sounds but also for lush pads and highly synthetic sounds too. And of course you have 88 keys and don't (very often) find yourself running out of notes

My 5 octave EMU is great for Organ, being fast and semi-weighted. - It also has a killer Keith Emerson C3 type sound with the right amount of "haze" and "spit"

I would love to learn another instrument, but being an old fart, I just wouldn't have the patience now. Keys will just have to do me.

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