When adding some organ backing chords to a song, do you guys generally play in the same octave as guitar, or shift the keyboard up an octave so it has its own space? What octave would the keyboard usually play in? (Guitars are tuned to Eb or D standard.)
Synth Parts
- Thread starter 53Crëw
- Start date
dan weapon
Planet Smasher
This all depends on a number of factors:
a) do you want the synths to be prominent like an additional instrument, or to add another dimension/chordal flavour?
If so I would use synths in a higher octave than a guitar, and you can get away with using notes that don't exist in the guitar parts without it sounding overly clustered. I like to use synth parts with tight intervals that perhaps play a lot of 2nds, 7ths or 3rd in the chords - where the guitar parts would perhaps only be constructed using root notes and fifth.
b) Do you want the synth parts to be subtle and perhaps just fill out the sound?
If so you can get away with using parts in the same octave as the guitar parts, but I wouldn't stray too far away from the guitar parts in terms of the notes in the chord, other wise the music can sound too ambiguous/unclear in direction.
I don't think synth parts going LOWER than the rhythm guitars are very necessary, as they have to be quite loud for them to be heard properly, and it can muddy up the sound a little.
Personally, I like to layer about 6 layers of synths using different (but similar sounding) synth voices in a combination of both the above techniques... But then I'm more into creating a slightly ambiguous ambience, rather than big pompous and obvious synth parts.
Ultimately it's about context and what you're trying to achieve musically.
a) do you want the synths to be prominent like an additional instrument, or to add another dimension/chordal flavour?
If so I would use synths in a higher octave than a guitar, and you can get away with using notes that don't exist in the guitar parts without it sounding overly clustered. I like to use synth parts with tight intervals that perhaps play a lot of 2nds, 7ths or 3rd in the chords - where the guitar parts would perhaps only be constructed using root notes and fifth.
b) Do you want the synth parts to be subtle and perhaps just fill out the sound?
If so you can get away with using parts in the same octave as the guitar parts, but I wouldn't stray too far away from the guitar parts in terms of the notes in the chord, other wise the music can sound too ambiguous/unclear in direction.
I don't think synth parts going LOWER than the rhythm guitars are very necessary, as they have to be quite loud for them to be heard properly, and it can muddy up the sound a little.
Personally, I like to layer about 6 layers of synths using different (but similar sounding) synth voices in a combination of both the above techniques... But then I'm more into creating a slightly ambiguous ambience, rather than big pompous and obvious synth parts.
Ultimately it's about context and what you're trying to achieve musically.
vespiz
Mixing!
^ Yeah, pretty much what Dan Weapon said. Can't say a definitive answer, because it really is dependent on what the song/part requires and what you want to do (within the song).
vespiz
Mixing!
One thing that I'd like to point out which I learned in school about arranging is the fact that the higher you go in scales, the denser/clustered your chords/intervals can be. Be extra careful when doing intervals less than 5ths when playing at or near bass register (ie. know what you're doing down low. oo-er! 
)
Why bring this up here? Because it's usually up to me as a keyboardist to fill in while the guitarists and bass-player are playing chugga-chugga in A. I have to know that if I go down there, it has to be for a good reason; what is the effect that I'm hoping to get?
But on the higher registers (read: higher than what the guitar is playing), I can pretty much play all kinds of sus/9ths/clusterfuckswhatever if I'm in the right key and it doesn't clash with any lead part going. That is, of course, if it's anything even remotely interesting..
There must be more to it, but I'm not that schooled in the subject. (also very tired, thoughts .. random.. fire bad, tree pretty..)
* Edit: Oops, I guess I said the same thing in a different way than Dan... there you go, time to sleep
)Why bring this up here? Because it's usually up to me as a keyboardist to fill in while the guitarists and bass-player are playing chugga-chugga in A. I have to know that if I go down there, it has to be for a good reason; what is the effect that I'm hoping to get?
But on the higher registers (read: higher than what the guitar is playing), I can pretty much play all kinds of sus/9ths/clusterfuckswhatever if I'm in the right key and it doesn't clash with any lead part going. That is, of course, if it's anything even remotely interesting..
There must be more to it, but I'm not that schooled in the subject. (also very tired, thoughts .. random.. fire bad, tree pretty..)
* Edit: Oops, I guess I said the same thing in a different way than Dan... there you go, time to sleep
jrt12
Member
wow, thanks Dan and Vespiz.... those are some really good pointers to keep in mind. i'm currently working on adding ambience and layers to some of my tracks adn this will be a big help in my approach to it. huge kudos for giving solid pointers to such an open question that could easily have just spawned a dozen "it depends on what the song needs" answers. this board totally roxers my soxers. (i still have no idea how that saying came about)
vespiz
Mixing!
dan weapon
Planet Smasher
No problem dude... to take it one level further in creating great ambience;
Find a good free sample sharing site and download loads of random samples, of everything from people talking, to restaurant background noises, to the sound of boats coming into the harbour, to sections of choirs or musical scores.
Then detune/pitchshift/reverse/etc etc, EQ and add delay/reverb to the samples, and subtley blend them in as you see fit. It takes a lot of time and experimentation but sounds great.
Think Ocean Machine by Devin Townsend, or check it out if you've never heard it!
Erkan
mr-walker.bandcamp
Hell yea, great tips Dan!
Definately something I'll be experimenting with... once time allows... *whiiiiiiiine whine whine*
Definately something I'll be experimenting with... once time allows... *whiiiiiiiine whine whine*
