Tips for Using Keyboards as Backing Instruments

Series Summary

Because of its creative uses of verbal and written communication, music is one of the most interesting forms of expression that exists in the world today. Whether the rhythmic arranging of tones and melodies developed in conjunction with spoken language is still unknown; nonetheless, music is unique in that it facilitates a special conversation between the musician and the audience that exceeds mere words. Music creates a connection between people that is not limited by time, distance, or relationship; a song can speak to anyone, anywhere. That’s why music continually changes and grows, is still loved and still proliferates. Music is a living language.

Now that you know the power of the music, in this free video series, learn how to play a synthesizer. Analog synthesizers are synthesizers that use analog circuits and computer techniques to produce an electronic sound that is often heard in music composition. The first analog synthesizers (or synths) were derived from analog computers and involved other electronic modules such as oscillators, filters, amplifiers and generators that were connected by patch cables. Later, all-in-one synthesizers simplified the set-up and made synthesizers more portable and easier to use. Analog synthesizers were slowly replaced by digital components, but in the 1990’s, a revival of the analog synths prevailed.

In this free video tutorial you'll get tips on how to use synth keyboards as backing instruments in a band, including how to use synth pads, how to harmonize vocals, instruments and keyboards, how to replicate various instruments, and how to find the right keyboard sound to accompany the other sounds in your music.

Video Transcript

"BEN ANDERSON: Hi. I'm Ben Anderson with Expert Village and I'm here today to talk to you about the role of keyboard as a backing or support instrument. Keyboard is mostly used in contemporary music today as more of a support instrument other than anything else. Keyboard is mostly used to help fill out the sound that would normally not be there. In the contemporary rock band, for example, most rock bands will have one or two electric guitarist, a bass guitarist, and a drummer. In a lot of time, that leaves a lot of empty space, so a keyboard's role for that example then would be to help fill out any of those empty spaces that would normally be there without a keyboard. There are many different types of sounds that you can use to help fill out that sound. Pad sounds, for example, are one of those important sounds that help fill out the space that would normally be left empty without a keyboard. There are other circumstances where a keyboard might not be more of a supporting instrument but in most cases, I mostly play keyboards for backing and support and it really helps to give the song a more fuller sound that wouldn't normally be there. And oftentimes I've been told with my band before I started playing with the band that there was something missing and then when I started playing, a lot of people had told us that the song sounded much more fuller and they seemed to make more sense to the listener's ear now that keyboards are there to help support the already existing instruments and the existing sounds that were in that song."