Arrange Your Band…With the Piano!

You can use the piano to arrange your band…and make sure that everyone has their correct place.  Have you ever wondered why you can’t hear people sometimes??  Just maybe it is not the sound guy’s fault.

-Wade

Video Summary

The piano has a wide range of notes, from low to high, which helps arrange your band. Start with a little drum beat in the background. Since your bass is typically is down around the bottom of the keyboard, come up with a simple bass line in that area.

Add in a middle part, but don’t go too low, typically around little C. Come up with a rhythm that goes with the bass line and drum beat without muddling it up too much. You don’t want everyone playing in the middle section of the keyboard because it muddies up the sound. This middle sound should be played by the piano and a guitarist.

An electric guitar should go higher to give a different sound, spreading out the sounds. Add a flute part up even higher on the keyboard. That will give more variety.

The key to a great arrangement is to spread out the sounds. If there’s nothing to add or you have nothing to play, then don’t play. A mature musician knows when to hold back and not make things so complicated with sound.

Hopefully, that clears up some of the confusion around arranging your band with the piano!

Please leave your comments below and add to the conversation!

18 Comments on “Arrange Your Band…With the Piano!”

  1. Great to know this Wade! you should post it on Facebook so we can share 🙂 JK
    Happy Father’s Day!

  2. Nice job, can you show me something on dynamics in play how to build up the speed and sound more dramatic

  3. so cool!!!! Just realized this like two weeks ago, at my church, thats what the piano guy (Andrey) does and it sounds awesome. Have tried it before in worship and its great. by the way can you please do a tutorial for “Through Christ “. It’s really cool and inspirational.

    God bless you wade 🙂

  4. Question about playing with a real live band. I get what you are saying about laying the instruments out on the piano, but in a live band, how does the piano and guitar play together? Who plays the melodies and who plays the chords? Now, if someone only plays chord piano and guitar players play chords, unless they are flamingo or classical players, how will you play in a band. Most guitar players can throw a few melodies in their song but their strength is chords. How does this work?

    1. Miriam. The main thing you need to keep in mind is to make sure that you stay out of each others way. Listen to the group. Both instruments can be playing chords at the same time…but you need to make it all work together. As far as melody…that is something the band members need to decide who does what. Space it out over the range of the piano and everybody will be heard just fine.

      1. Thank you so much for the answer to my question. I get it now! I am a soloist and rarely played with other instrumentalists.
        Another question: I have heard musicians say that a guitar player plays in a different key when playing with a pianist. Did I misunderstand that? How can I play my keyboard in C major and a guitar player play in D major or D minor? Unless there is harmony, I don’t see how? Miriam

        1. Hey Miriam! The guitar player is probably using something called a “capo”. They can clamp it on the guitar neck to transpose the guitar to a better playable key. Typically you will only see acoustic players do this. It’s kind of like using the transpose button on the keyboard. -wade

  5. Literally everything on this site is amazing. It’s everything and exactly what I needed!!! I can never hear myself when we’re playing and it makes me timid!!! This video just solved that in under a minute!!! Thank you!!

    1. Thanks, Michelle!
      That’s what I want the site to be…lots of “light bulb” moments. If you ever think of a topic that is not covered please let me know!
      -Wade

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