Lineups of multiple keyboard players... |
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fudgenuts64
Forum Senior Member Joined: January 17 2013 Location: NY Status: Offline Points: 470 |
Topic: Lineups of multiple keyboard players... Posted: September 02 2015 at 22:45 |
I want to bring up a specific example of an album I love, but most of the time have no idea who's playing what. Tangerine Dream's Tangram in this case. Lineup is Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke, and Johannes Schmoelling. Problem is, they're all credited with keyboards. Being dominated with the synthesizers obviously, I can never be like "man, Edgar is killing it. Or Johannes really is making good effect with that synth patch there"
Is it possible to identify in these situations? Or should I just listen to the music and say "it's Tangerine Dream"
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verslibre
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 15007 |
Posted: September 03 2015 at 00:28 |
The best way to go about this, especially with Edgar and Johannes, who are hands down the players with the most distinctive styles in TD, is to listen to their solo albums. Then you'll pinpoint the kind of melodies that come from Edgar, and the more classically flavored lines that are obviously Johannes.' Sequences was Chris' forte.
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Replayer
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 04 2013 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 356 |
Posted: October 12 2015 at 01:30 |
Another, more difficult way is to look at the instrument credit lists, as some instruments have a distinctive sound, like a Moog synthesizer, Hammond organ, Mellotron, etc. For example, on Phaedra, only Froese plays Mellotron. Similarly, on Stratosfear, only Franke is listed on harpsichord, which is featured on The Big Sleep in Search of Hades.
Another thing that helps is watching video recordings, such as this live recording of Logos Blue. It can get somewhat tricky because the sequencer tracks are prerecorded and there's no guarantee each player is playing his own contribution. In this case, Schmoelling is playing the organ-like chords (he was previously a professional church organist), Froese handles the solo, and Franke is twiddling with the Moog. Edited by Replayer - October 13 2015 at 00:57 |
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cstack3
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: July 20 2009 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Status: Offline Points: 6754 |
Posted: October 12 2015 at 23:34 |
A good Facebook friend in New Zealand recently sang the praises of Todd Rundgren's band "Utopia," which featured several excellent keyboardists & Moog synth programmers:
For a short period of time (1973–74) Todd Rundgren's Utopia consisted of Rundgren plus Hunt and Tony Sales together with Dave Mason and Jean-Yves Labat (who at first played rhythm guitars). However the lineup had changed by the time the band recorded its first release. The first two albums - Todd Rundgren's Utopia (1974) and Another Live (1975) - featured lengthy, complex and highly arranged progressive rock pieces, performed by a six-piece multi-instrumentalist ensemble. It was originally composed of Rundgren (guitar and vocals), Kevin Ellman (drums and percussion), Mark "Moogy" Klingman (keyboards), Jean-Yves "M. Frog" Labat (now on synthesizers), Ralph Schuckett (keyboards), and John Siegler (bass and cello). ----- I saw this band on tour in the mid 1970s, they were excellent! Todd does not get the credit he is due for his guitar skills. |
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RockHound
Forum Senior Member Joined: March 03 2013 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 520 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 08:11 |
Todd Rundgren's Utopia is a stellar album. It makes me think Todd is something of a wizard - perhaps even a true star.
Regarding bands with multiple keyboardists: There was the classic Kraftwerk duo of Ralf and Florian.
Kansas had 1.5 keyboard players in Steve Walsh and Kerry Livgren, and the same could be said about Styx with Dennis DeYoung and James Young. What was it about those radio-friendly US proggy bands? And more recently, Spock's Beard had 1.5 players in Ryo Okumoto and Neil Morse. |
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Evolver
Special Collaborator Crossover & JR/F/Canterbury Teams Joined: October 22 2005 Location: The Idiocracy Status: Offline Points: 5482 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 09:42 |
Frank Zappa often toured with 2 (or more) keyboardists.
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Trust me. I know what I'm doing.
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Flight123
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 01 2010 Location: Sohar, Oman Status: Offline Points: 1399 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 10:49 |
The same happened with Camel in the late 70s, first touring with Dave Sinclair and Jan Schelaas, and then recording with Kit Watkins and Schelaas. Even when I saw the band live I couldn't figure out who did what in the keyboard department!
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Flight123
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 01 2010 Location: Sohar, Oman Status: Offline Points: 1399 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 10:53 |
Not forgetting the National Health duo of Alan Gowen and Dave Stewart - evident on the first album and 'Missing Pieces'. The tone of Stewart's fuzz organ helps to spot some of the difference...
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Flight123
Forum Senior Member Joined: September 01 2010 Location: Sohar, Oman Status: Offline Points: 1399 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 10:56 |
...er, it's all coming out now. Soft Machine - whereby first Elton Dean and then Karl Jenkins augmented Mike Ratledge. Similarly, Wigwam when Jim Pembroke's electric piano first supplemented Jukka Gustavson and then Hessu Hietanen.
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CosmicVibration
Forum Senior Member Joined: February 26 2014 Location: Milky Way Status: Offline Points: 1327 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 12:14 |
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cstack3
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: July 20 2009 Location: Tucson, AZ USA Status: Offline Points: 6754 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 13:00 |
I saw King Crimson on April 20, 1973 at the late/great Kinetic Playground in Chicago! At one point, both Bob Fripp and David Cross were playing dueling Mellotrons, it was great!
For his latest KC incarnations, Bob has a keyboard near his position in the stage, and at least two of his drummers play Mellotron patches on i-Pads using an app from i-Tunes. I have the app, it is great fun! |
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Mascodagama
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 30 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5111 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 13:54 |
^ So jealous of everyone who saw that version of Crimson playing live. Awesome. Though I was only five, and may not have really appreciated it. I believe my record collection at that time consisted of a 7" single of Puff The Magic Dragon and a couple of Wombles bootlegs.
Edited by Mascodagama - October 13 2015 at 13:56 |
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Mascodagama
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: December 30 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5111 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 13:59 |
There was a good project made by guys from Landberk and Anekdoten some years back, Morte Macabre, where everyone in the band played Mellotron (four of them). I don't know if they ever played live, but it would have been something to see if they did.
The album, Symphonic Holocaust, is Italian horror soundtrack covers and orginals in a similar vein, very worthwhile if you're into that kind of thing. Edited by Mascodagama - October 13 2015 at 14:05 |
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Cosmiclawnmower
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 09 2010 Location: West Country,UK Status: Offline Points: 3041 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 14:05 |
Rare Bird had David Kaffinetti on piano and keyboards and Graham field on Organ and Keyboards. I think back in 1970/71 the players were seperated by their position when listening in stereo.. a bit like Wishbone Ash with guitars - i'm sure some lps even stated on which side of the stereo image the particular players would appear though i'd need to have a rifle about in my collection to back that up.
Procul Harum had Gary Brooker on Piano and Matthew Fisher on Organ.. Wigwam (as already noted) were another excellent example of Electric Piano/ Organ Dual players.. listen to 'Losing Hold' on 'Fairyport!! |
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Smurph
Forum Senior Member Joined: January 11 2012 Location: Columbus&NYC Status: Offline Points: 3167 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 14:50 |
Banco... oh gosh. The band was the best when both keyboard brothers were in the band!
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AreYouHuman
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 12 2013 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 470 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 21:30 |
Happy the Man, in their classic 70s lineup, had both Kit Watkins and Frank Wyatt on keyboards, FW doubling on sax and woodwinds. |
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Caption: We tend to take ourselves a little too seriously.
Silly human race! Yes is for everybody! |
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Replayer
Forum Senior Member Joined: November 04 2013 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 356 |
Posted: October 13 2015 at 21:35 |
Don't forget Toto |
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The Dark Elf
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: February 01 2011 Location: Michigan Status: Offline Points: 12701 |
Posted: October 17 2015 at 20:10 |
Jethro Tull with John Evan and David Palmer together on Songs from the Wood, Heavy Horses and Storm Watch. Their interplay was marvelous.
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...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
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verslibre
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 01 2004 Location: CA Status: Offline Points: 15007 |
Posted: October 18 2015 at 11:43 |
Not coincidentally...my three favorite Tull albums.
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Enchant X
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 31 2014 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 867 |
Posted: October 27 2015 at 00:23 |
If you knew Kansas and really knew prog you would know they weren't radio friendly in the 70's all but a few songs ... check out the pinnacle on youtube sounds like they have 2 very good keyboard players who unlike other prog bands did other things exceptionally well as well. Never put Kansas in the same bracket as ToTo or Styx thats like spitting in the face of God ... My Goodness !
Edited by Enchant X - October 27 2015 at 00:30 |
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