keyboards and guitar

[u/Sudden_Prior_4868]

Didn´t really found any other group to write so i write here.

Do you guys feel that it is easy as a keyboard player to discuss with guitar player that who plays what (and how), mabey vice versa. To me it has been hard and i think there is lots of bands who suffer the same. And i think it is not possible with all level keybards and guitarist player. It will require some skills to play less, play "weighter" chords, just the important voices of chords. It sometimes feel that a guitar player is overplaying/overcrowding the song. The result may be quite bad if both do that but if don´t do that, i believe i can play less, there is soon nothing to play if guitarist play too much so we should need to discuss it.

[u/Dannylazarus]

If either party isn't open to discussing this, you're either going to end up with a messy sound or an unhappy hand dynamic.

At the end of the day both should be aiming to serve the song.

[u/PerspectiveFair5156]

Yeah, talk to them.

Arranging songs is a good idea. 

[u/EbolaFred]

Arrangement is important, but so is thinking about frequencies. Default keys can take up the entire spectrum, and similar for default guitar. Spend some time thinking about your patches, the guitarist's patches, and figuring out where you can can cut EQ so you each have some space.

[u/flashgordian]

Think about and discuss contrasts. If the guitar is playing big chonky chords with a lot of low end content, try filling in at a higher register and let the bass player deal with the guitarist. If the guitar is doing chucka-chucka stuff, consider pads and arpeggios. Unless there is a good reason to be doubling the guitar in pitch and rhythm, don't. I played guitar in one band where another guitarist was often strumming cowboy chords so I used voicings an octave higher and a contrasting rhythmic motif. There are also adjustments in equalization that can define boundaries between instruments so they each have a defined terrain to occupy. If you look closer, it's probably not just a keys versus guitar issue, but ultimately something important to everyone in the group and worth discussing with them, since everyone should be willing to concede that the whole group can sound better through cooperation. Think vertically through the harmonic spectrum and not just horizontally on a timeline.

[u/Disastrous-Ear-5856]

Talk in a music friendly way. Most guitarists I work with play by ear, cannot read music, and know little about music theory.

[u/NoWork1400]

Yes. This is being a mature musician that understands how to play in an ensemble.

[u/Vexxedtruth101]

I regularly record with a guitarist, as a keyboardist im composing the entire track (mixing/mastering too) and guitar is the focus mainly, so there's never really any conflict. Ill do some keyboard leads, but its a 'lead' so its apparent that it will stand out over the guitar.

Communication is the strongest factor in these situations, clear consice communication about the direction of the track. My buddy doesnt care, he just likes playing guitar with me, says im fun and easy to jam with.

[u/MattManSD]

was pretty easy for me, and the majority of the discussions revolve around where we will be sitting in the mix EQ wise. Work your parts and EQs around each other so you occupy different spaces

[u/randy_rick]

I’m surprised it hasn’t been said…bring it up during practice with the whole band listening. “Does this part sound too crowded? Maybe (guitar) could play the high notes while I take this area. What do you think?”
Give your singer a chance to sound smart and they’ll take it.

[u/LiddleShidder]

Been playing in a band where I (guitar) and the keyboard player write all of the tunes, and we get pretty busy, but it seems to be just fine! It's a creative process, so there's not really a meta for what works and doesn't work. You just gotta feel out what the other is playing cand compliment it, not matter how busy or laid off you want to be.

[u/jjspkd2]

Good luck. Most every guitar players over play. Some of the best ever are the ones that figure out how not to do that. But you need to have a conversation.

[u/Western_Mix_4473]

To make the conversation less abstract, I’d pick eight bars and try three versions: both playing the current parts, guitar simplifying while keys keep their part, then keys simplifying while guitar keeps theirs. Record them with everyone’s agreement and listen back together, especially to how clearly the vocal comes through.

Then agree on roles for that section rather than deciding one person must always play less. The verse might need guitar movement and held keys; the chorus could swap those jobs. “Which version makes this section work?” is a more useful starting point than “you’re overplaying.”