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Sounds That Work Well With Piano?

PostPosted: 18 Jan 2020 22:51
by NativeAngels
Sounds That Work Well With Grand Piano Sounds ?

Re: Sounds That Work Well With Piano?

PostPosted: 18 Jan 2020 23:23
by dentyr
Hello, Any woodwinds or strings. Regards, Den.

Next one: Try this. Piano, Strings and tenor sax. with English Waltz.
Stereo; Piano on left 30, strings in middle, Sax right 20.

Do a right-click to open this up in a New Tab
https://app.box.com/s/3hq47cfvrsges6iqhik7uqdzb8u5ssr8

Regards, Den.

Re: Sounds That Work Well With Piano?

PostPosted: 19 Jan 2020 07:48
by Rev Tony Newnham
Hi

Obviously, it depends on what you're playing, but on digital piano I often layer the piano sound with strings, sometimes (especially at church) pipe organ or a Hammond-type sound. I've also used Accordion & Steel Drums (used that for "Calypso Carol" over Christmas) each layered with piano. In all cases, the piano sound is dominant, with the layered sound at reduced level.

Every Blessing

Tony

Re: Sounds That Work Well With Piano?

PostPosted: 20 Jan 2020 11:13
by Hugh-AR
A few comments from me on 'Piano with Strings'.

The piano is a 'percussive' instrument, so when you play a note you hear the 'hammer' hitting and sounding the note .. and then the note fades away .. irrespective of whether you keep the note pressed down or not. Then there are other instruments that 'continuously sound' as you keep that note pressed down, like Strings or Horn or Organ voices. So what goes well with piano is a 'continuously sounding voice' .. so long as you adjust your 'playing technique' and hold the notes down a little longer than you would when just playing a piano. Then the 'continuous' sound will come to the fore. You wouldn't want another 'percussive' voice, like a vibraphone, as you wouldn't hear them as separate instruments.

Another thing that helps you to hear each instrument when they are playing 'together' is to PAN them; one to the left and one to the right. You will then hear them as separate instruments.

It is also important to 'balance' your instruments by adjusting their volumes so that one instrument is the predominant one and the other is sounding in the background.

And finally, it often helps if your two voices are at different 'octaves' eg. piano at 8' and strings at 4'. I have been listening to some YouTube videos where they have chosen several different instruments playing together, and haven't bothered to pan them or change the octave. All the sound comes from the middle and you'd have a job identifying what instruments are playing. Frankly, it sounds a mess!

So, a lot to think about when playing two instruments together.

Listening to Den's DEMO above of Piano, Strings and Tenor Sax together. For starters, he has panned the piano to the left; the tenor sax to the right; and the strings are in the middle. And then the icing on the cake is that he has got the Harmony switched on so the piano is playing multiple notes. But the tenor sax, coming from the right, is just a single note, and this emphasises the melody. What a great combination of sound! Thanks for posting this, Den! Your idea of having the Harmony on so the piano is playing multiple notes is just brilliant!

Hugh

Re: Sounds That Work Well With Piano?

PostPosted: 20 Jan 2020 11:39
by Hugh-AR
Now it just so happens that JohnT has posted a piece in the January Challenge where he has Piano and Strings together .. and he has done exactly the same with the Piano, using the Harmony function so it plays multiple notes. This is where the notes you are playing in your left hand are 'added' into the mix and sound with the melody. On my AR organ this is called Melody on Chord (MOC); and on the Lowrey organ it's called AOC (Automatic Orchestra Control/Automatic Chord Computer .. Den calls it Any Old Chord!).

Listen to the below to hear how JohnT has done this. In particular take note of how he has 'held the notes down' so the strings keep sounding .. while the piano sound fades away. This is what I meant by 'adjusting your playing technique'.

Click on the LINK below, then click the back-button after to get back to this page.
DEMO by JohnT .. Piano & Strings playing together, with piano playing multiple notes

Hugh

Re: Sounds That Work Well With Piano?

PostPosted: 20 Jan 2020 12:20
by Hugh-AR
Rev Tony Newnham mentioned earlier that he sometimes puts a 'pipe organ' with a piano, and that makes a good combination.

I have an example here of a piano being played with Cinema Organ. Both are at the same footage. The Cinema Organ is quieter than the piano, so just makes a 'background' to the piece. The piano is centre stage; and the Cinema Organ has been panned to the right. This was played by a friend of mine, Paul Dolman, who sadly is no longer with us.

Click the LINK below to listen; then click the back-button after to get back to this page.
What I Did For Love .. Paul Dolman playing Piano & Cinema Organ

Hugh

Re: Sounds That Work Well With Piano?

PostPosted: 20 Jan 2020 13:05
by JohnT
Hi Hugh. Thanks for posting this. I only played the tune. All the credit must go to Jon D for providing the excellent sounds which is much appreciated. John