Best Instrument for Solo Composition?
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Forum Name: Music and Musicians Exchange
Forum Description: Talk with and get feedback from other musicians on the site
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=33119
Printed Date: February 16 2025 at 19:07
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Topic: Best Instrument for Solo Composition?
Posted By: Tigerthink
Subject: Best Instrument for Solo Composition?
Date Posted: January 11 2007 at 22:52
| 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? |
Replies:
Posted By: Sublimación
Date Posted: January 11 2007 at 23:08
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i think that a musician that plays only one instrument is lost to play a lot of instrument can realy help you to have an open mind and to have a better composition play both  ------------- 
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Posted By: Jay440
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 00:01
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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! |
Posted By: ViolinCyndee
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 01:55
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I do all my composing on my violin, though, I have been playing for a VERY long time. But: really, for composition, the keyboard is probably the best... I am better at violin, so use my violin instead though.. ------------- http://cdbaby.com/cd/cyndeeleerule www.cyndeeleerule.com |
Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 07:50
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Eh, I suggest you keep the guitar AND get a keyboard next to it, or even better, a piano if you can afford it.
------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: toolis
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 07:54
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i'll go with piano too... ------------- -music is like pornography... sometimes amateurs turn us on, even more... -sometimes you are the pigeon and sometimes you are the statue... |
Posted By: Zitro
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 09:01
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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. |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 09:04
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Dustbin lids.
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 13:34
| 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. |
Posted By: MadcapLaughs84
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 13:38
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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. ------------- 
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Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 13:41
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. |
MadcapLaughs84 wrote:Posted By: MadcapLaughs84
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 13:43
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Also bass is an excellent instrument and very diverse if you know how to use it correctly. But, he's a guitarist so, let him try the keyboards and then advance with some other instrument. -------------
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Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 13:44
Thus spake Animal the Drum Muppet  ------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: Tigerthink
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 14:35
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? |
Posted By: Passionist
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 16:37
| 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. |
Posted By: red.sector_a
Date Posted: January 12 2007 at 18:26
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to answer the question in your thread title, it all depends on how good the player is. doesn't matter what instrument you play or not. just think, if you got good at both guitar and piano, you could write a piece on each, and use the other to compliment the first in each piece. a guitar driven song with a nice piano work, or vice versa. ------------- "...the only excuse for not knowing, is not wanting to know." |
Posted By: darren
Date Posted: January 13 2007 at 20:32
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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 |
Posted By: bluetailfly
Date Posted: January 13 2007 at 20:43
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Stick with the guitar, it's a much more compelling instrument to listen to. ------------- "The red polygon's only desire / is to get to the blue triangle." |
Posted By: MarkOne
Date Posted: January 17 2007 at 11:54
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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Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: January 17 2007 at 12:25
That's subjective I guess. For me the piano works better specifically because of the weighted keys (the challenge of doing something that requires you to balance speed and technique), and it saves you from the temptation to make it sound like something else - there are no buttons to do that  .------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: laplace
Date Posted: January 17 2007 at 12:33
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i'm not a good enough keyboard player to follow the above discussion, using it mostly as a rhythm instrument, but as a good singer I can tell you that being able to accompany yourself with a sung melody is worth its weight in compositional gold and to me more important than the instrument you're using. unless it's woodwind, I suppose it's a bitch to sing along there ------------- FREEDOM OF SPEECH GO TO HELL |
Posted By: Marcos
Date Posted: February 15 2007 at 20:14
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I think all instruments are good and enough for solos, but it depends of musician's skills ------------- www.postmortemweb.com.ar |
Posted By: randyhiatt
Date Posted: June 06 2007 at 16:51
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Get a Mac and use their free Garage Band.
Get a midi controller for your guitar and/or a midi keyboard, poof you are ready to compose by recording audio/midi and using loops and grooves.
Cut n paste the parts, moving them stretching them, key shifting them.
so fast and easy to arrainge with. ------------- Randy |
Posted By: Terra Australis
Date Posted: June 10 2007 at 07:58
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I have a GR30 synthesizer that I use with my guitar. The only problem is I am spoilt for choice. It comes with great samples. If, for example, you want to play sax then bending notes on the guitar gives you the authentic bends that acoustic driven instruments can best provide. You can even play lead guitar to the chords of the synthesizer. Even still it is worth getting a keyboard to play as well... ------------- Allomerus. Music with progressive intent. http://allomerus.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - http://allomerus.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: purplepiper
Date Posted: June 19 2007 at 21:25
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I like to use acoustic guitar, as like piano, it is a very visual instrument. I don't play piano at all though, so I naturally choose guitar. I think acoustic guitar and piano are the best for composition, whichever fits you best. ------------- for those about to prog, we salute you. |