Keyboard Player likes to jack with volume knob.

Posted on

No Commercial Appeal.
Member Since: Jan 09, 2003

I am trying to record this "improvisational space rock" band. It all sounds good, but the thing is, the guy on keys CONSTANTLY turns his volume up and down dramatically. He says it's for effect, but since we are running him straight into the sound card, it sounds like crap and I end up having to change everything or normalize it (which doesn't always fix the problem). He even has pressure sensitve keys so he really shouldn't have to do that type of thing. I'm not a keyboard player, so maybe that's just the way it goes, but trying to record it at a decent level is frustrating.

I was thinking of telling him to just turn it all the way up and leave it there, but he's kind of an ego-maniac type. Any suggestions?

[ Back to Top ]


Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Aug 04, 2005 01:26 pm

1. let him listen to the crappy track =)

2. get a few other respected people's opinions, that may help.

3. bust the volume knob on 5 =)

ok, so not very helpful on 1 and 3, but #2 might help.

Member
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Aug 04, 2005 01:56 pm

Tell him to get a velocity sensitive keyboard. That way he can play lightly on quiet parts, and really hammer on the keys at the hard parts and not have to touch the volume knob.

nevermind i saw your part on the "pressure sensitive keyboard". Looks like you just need to have a talk w/ him then.

jimmie neutron
Member
Since: Feb 14, 2005


Aug 04, 2005 04:42 pm

In a reply I did a few months ago, I joked about never, ever letting the keyboard player have a volume control on stage... If he insists on playing with his "knob", let him. Just be sure to adjust your recording input for the keys full level. That way, he can't cause you grief that way with digital distortion. *Then* let him (and the band) listen to both pjk's #1 & my methods to compare. (Maybe he'll want to be involved in the mixdown mess that he's helping create?) The only problem we had when we did that to our keyboard player, was he also fed thru the PA (live gigs) and we'd get bleed from that... What you really need is someone he respects (sometimes hard to find...) to "consult" with him.

Dub head
Member
Since: May 03, 2004


Aug 04, 2005 04:47 pm

I know when I play a Hammond Organ I like to use the swell petal for effect. However, I've dealt with a very loud, annoying, slamming on the keys keyboard player before. My suggestion is to tie him to the keyboard and drag him and the keyboard behind your car on the expressway. That'll solve your problems.

Related Forum Topics:



If you would like to participate in the forum discussions, feel free to register for your free membership.