When you purchase a new or used keyboard how much time do you spend tweaking it ? In terms of sounds, styles, Eq and other features.

Hi ,

I personally think its an ongoing thing, as you learn more and more about your chosen keyboard you end up experimenting
with the voices and the sound to get them to the way you want them , at least I do

Brian007

Hi
Personally, very little, as I am self taught and have only been playing a few years I spend most of my time learning to read, play and setting myself music challenges to ensure continuous improvement.
I will add reverb to some of the onboard keyboard voices but mostly rely on the good will of others sharing or the purchasing option.

If I find a voice that I like whether one on the keyboard or a purchased one will store it in a folder “Good Voices” which makes it easy to recall if I need it for another song.

Les

Hi Les,

Thats where keyboard forums come in handy you can learn off other people by sharing ideas and voices, registrations etc,
some of the best voice I had on my previous keyboard came from someone else's registrations

All the best, Brian

You are certainly right Brian.

Hi James,

I go along with what Brian has said. You can learn a lot from Registrations others have used. For example, I really like the idea of using a 'percussive' instrument like a 'piano' or 'vibraphone' along with a 'continuous sound' like 'strings' or a 'choir'. Pete Walker has done this in his recording of "Love Me With All Your Heart". Click the below to hear his combination of voices:

Do a right-click to open this up in a New Tab
Pete Walker - Love Me With All Your Heart DEMO

Pete says:

I played the chords and right hand on multi tracks one and two live and played the counter string section on track three, then played them together.

To answer your original question, I always have in my head the sort of sound I am trying to get for a particular song so will spend quite a bit of time setting something up. And sometimes I don't actually know what I want until I find it. Also, on my AR I am unlikely to find an existing Style I am happy with, so spend time 'tweaking' styles and adding 'PARTS'. So I spend more time 'tweaking' sounds and styles than I do actually playing, which would horrify most people who play a keyboard. But I enjoy doing it, and get a great deal of satisfaction when I get what I am looking for.

Here's an example of a 'percussive' sound together with a 'continuous' sound; in this case piano with 'organ flutes' playing quietly in the background (no Style involved here).

I'll Walk Alone / Mistakes / Nice To Know You Care / Dream
Do a right-click to open this up in a New Tab
https://app.box.com/s/2xm3qbsjonw6emrzhexmtn3zmo22vix9

And here's an example of where I have 'tweaked' the Style to get what I wanted. I have DELETED the original Bass PART and put in one of my own; and put in the 'Ooh, Ooh - AAh, Aah' PART you can hear in the background.

Good Luck Charm
Do a right-click to open this up in a New Tab
https://app.box.com/s/1ljbsof816bxitumjq4n2d7hkyh37quk

Everything I play has had something 'tweaked', and as I said, I probably spend too much of my time doing this sort of thing. (And too much of my time on this Forum!)

Hugh