1Tips For Being The Best Keyboardist

10Sep 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Preparing For A Gig (As a Keyboardist)

1Tips For Being The Best Keyboardist, Blog

When you are a keyboardist, preparing for a gig is way more than just learning your parts. In addition to this, it requires: Preparing the proper patchesHaving an idea of which parts you will be covering ( since a good part of them might not just be keyboard soundsLearning the partsChoosing the proper set up for a show. Perhaps there are more that I am leaving off here. But it's more than just "learning your part" when you have an ever-changing instrument, and ever-differing requirements. Often times, creative people aren't the most organized. At least that was the truth for me. If that's not you, that's amazing. Your preparation will set you above the rest. For the rest of us, how do we prepare for a live gig? Preparing For…

27Aug 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Easy Piano Worship Chord Voicing

1Tips For Being The Best Keyboardist, Blog, Uncategorized

Not only is this easy piano worship chord voicing super simple, but it also is the one that I use more than any other voicing when I am playing at a church. This one worship chord voicing could get you through 90% of worship songs being written right now. If you are thinking, "Most of the songs I play have more than one chord" to that I would reply, even still this chord voicing will most likely get you through it. (And it also sounds great too, so even if you aren't 100% sure what you are doing, no one else will know it). The Reveal There it is! If you are wondering why there are question marks in the bottom staff, then you are asking the right question Chameleon…

16Jul 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

4 Reasons Many Keyboardists Never Progress

1Tips For Being The Best Keyboardist, Blog

If you're feeling stuck in a rut, perhaps you've fallen into one of these common keyboardist traps. These aren't the only things that might be stopping your progress, but these 4 are the most common ones I've seen. Keep reading and get unstuck. You invest more in gear than in musicality I love an awesome piece of gear. And, just like many musicians, I love a good deal on VSTs, and sometimes drool over a new audio effect. HOWEVER These things are just tools. Next time you find yourself trying to “Improve your sound” with a new patch, instrument, or audio effect, count up the cost. Remember, tools were created for the musician, not musicians for the tools. Your sound will improve exponentially by taking that 60, 300, or 3000…

09Jul 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

Recipe For A Great Keyboardist

1Tips For Being The Best Keyboardist, Blog, Live Playback

While there is some room for opinion here, this is a question I have been reflecting upon for a while, and I think these thoughts will be helpful in becoming the best keyboardist you can be. Great Keyboardists Are Prepared Who doesn’t love it when someone you are working with shows up confident, ready to go, and well-rehearsed. No one. Be the person who "wows" people not with sheer talent, but with proper preparation. In a more concrete fashion, arrive at rehearsals and/or shows... Knowing every song thoroughly (memorized is always best, but no one can fault you for reading a chart if you need to, especially if it's not distracting)With proper patches of equal volume.With a live set up that works for you, so you can quickly make needed…

12Jun 2019 by Brett Pontecorvo

What Keyboard Players Can Learn From Live Sound Techs

1Tips For Being The Best Keyboardist, Blog, Sound Design

I spent the last week working on an end of year show for an elementary and middle school. In all honesty, I was geared up for another uneventful children's gig, but it turned out that I was about to have a few conversations with the live sound guy that was going to change how I thought about my role forever. Hey Malachi, from your perspective, what makes a keyboard patch easy to work with in a mix?-Brett He looked at me and said, "Well, that's a tough question, since nowadays people have cartoon sounds coming out of their keyboards and they make it work. "True", I said, "But what are some general rules? What makes your job the easiest". His eyes lit up, and he began to tell me some…

Category: 1Tips For Being The Best Keyboardist