Great Keyboard Playing - Recommendations Wanted

[Kanthos]

This is cross-posted from my blog, since I don't have a ton of people who read it but would like a ton of opinions.

As a developing keyboard player, I’m realizing I haven’t had enough exposure to great examples of how to play. I’ve developed my own piano style, but am trying to figure out how to fit into a rock/pop/gospel/funk/reggae setting (our music at church is typically rock/pop with the odd song played in one of the other styles), and don’t have nearly enough exposure to B3 and Farfisa organ, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and synth music.

I’m looking for recommendations of music in any of those styles. I’m not at all interested in jazz at this point: I have a pretty good handle on what jazz pianists, organists, and keyboard players are doing, and most of it is far beyond my skill. Ideally, song titles are best, since I don’t have the budget to buy a large number of albums (and my iPod is relatively close to being full). I’m not necessarily looking for blazingly fast solos (although those are good too), but more for groove and background parts and examples of innovative sounds. I’m open to suggestions from any genre, although the stuff I’ll use most at the moment will likely come from rock, prog rock, and pop. For organ, rhodes, and wurlitzer music, I’m especially interested in songs that use the instruments in less conventional ways or use effects, as I already have good examples of those instruments played clean or, for the organ, with heavy distortion.

As a secondary goal, music that best captures the band as a whole is good too (for example, Smoke on the Water shows off Jon Lord’s organ playing somewhat but is also Deep Purple’s best-known title).

Let me know what I should listen to!

[titan993]

Well, just on this site, you can look up The Wingless' "All the World in One Girl" and Jormungand's "Dark Star Scherzo" mixes... both are really good examples of piano and keyboards...

Another place to look for piano stuff, orchestral and Christian style would be to look up Mark Schultz and Michael W. Smith...

Michael W. Smith's "Freedom" cd is incredible! It's more orchestral, but it has good piano riffs in it, and it's really good music...

Mark Schultz' "Letters from War" is a really good song to listen to also...

[Kanthos]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have those remixes downloaded. I should mention that I'm specifically *not* looking for remixes, both because I have a ton from this site and because the uses of synthesizers in particular tends to be less from the perspective of a keyboard player in a rock band. And also, songs need not be Christian. I play outside of church too, and an example of good playing is an example of good playing, lyrical content aside.

[Bleck]

Go listen to Muse.

[Dhsu]

I was gonna suggest "Love Hurts" but then you said no remixes so I dunno. :/

[Tensei]

First really obvious one I can think of is Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess. As for organists, I really can only think of Nobuo Uematsu's stuff with the Black Mages. That said, there's a decent amount of Classic Rock/ Progressive bands who employ organists/keyboardists (Yes's Rick Wakeman comes to mind as well as the guy from Blue Oyster Cult), so it might be worth checking those out.

Fake Edit:

HOW COULD I FORGET JANNE WARMAN. (Solo at 5:55)

[Lunahorum]

children of bodoms keyboard player is the best metal player I've heard. which tensei posted.

Sonata Arctica's is also good.

An incredible song by Sonata Arctica

Here's another good one

[Scaredsim]

First really obvious one I can think of is Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess.

Yeah Rudess is amazing. And Kevin Moore too.

[Bleck]

children of bodoms keyboard player is the best metal player I've heard. which tensei posted.

bodom

Ahahaha

[Kanthos]

All over the Black Mages; I have their first two albums and have heard the third. Haven't heard any Dream Theatre yet, but Jordan Rudess is on my radar (from an ad I saw on KVR, oddly enough). All other suggestions noted. Any specific songs you guys can recommend (other than the few youtube videos you've posted)?

[OceansAndrew]

The dude from Royal Hunt is pretty badass for keyboards, I've learned a lot about my own synth soloing from him. Seems to fit the style most people are listing (rock) but isn't quite as known.

http://www.myspace.com/royalhuntmusic

Also http://dod.vgmix.com/past/mar08/02tie-HopeFails-DariusTwin-Fish-DoD.mp3 :<

[djpretzel]

I saw Joey D live... some badass B3:

[Kanthos]

I saw Joey D live... some badass B3

Joey's a great example of how I'll never be able to play. I'm already keeping an eye out for him the next time he comes to Canada.

I also am condensing everyone's suggestions (I'm getting some from a few other sources as well) into a list on my blog.

[Sinewav]

http://dod.vgmix.com/past/mar08/02tie-HopeFails-DariusTwin-Fish-DoD.mp3 :<

Darius Twin was a great game. That's one of my favorite tunes from it too. Good remix.

[herograw]

Okay he deleted most of them, but the remaining videos are totally worth watching. Also, seconded on the Muse recommendation

[Kanthos]

Sam's great, and I've seen all the videos he currently has up, but it's not really what I'm looking for. My focus is more how to fit into a mainly rock band that occasionally travels into other genres, and while he obviously can play with others (his recently posted OCRemix being a great example), there's not a lot I can get from him that'll help me with what I need. Thanks though

[eternal Zero]

Along the lines of Dream Theater -> Liquid Tension Experiment has two great albums and some solid keyboarding. I've been trying to hunt down the second group of their's, Liquid Tension Trio, but Experiment is downright awesome.