Karokee, CD’s?, Not Hardly!

All the music used for backup was created and layered together with a sequencer type keyboard. A synthesizer is capable of creating a palate of sounds that emulate a variety of different instruments. Each one of these different instrument sounds can be placed on a soundtrack. The different tracks are layered to play simultaneously, each emulating a different sound. Hence, one track may be playing the bass drum sound, another track playing the snare drum, another playing bass guitar...keyboard, fiddle, steel guitar, and so on. Each instrument part has to be learned and played on the keyboard; then, each part is recorded into a sequencer track. Learning each instrument’s part individually, recording it, and making all the individual parts play simultaneously, is the key to creating what sounds like a band. Hence, I call this my “Invisible Band.”

The work doesn’t stop there. After getting all the parts recorded and playing properly, then comes the work of programming harmonies for the vocals. I use a Digitech VHM5 Vocalmaster. This machine essentially is a computer which analyzes the vocal part being sung, and then creates the harmonies to blend. In order to do this, it has to be told the proper key and chord being played. This is where the sequencer again plays a crucial role. One sequencer track is dedicated to sending out all the chord changes in the song via MIDI (Musical instrument digital interface). This track has to be recorded also. This is a silent track, sent out only to the VHM5.

Done? Nope!

In order for the harmonies to kick in and out, the machine has to be told the proper harmony that you want it to perform, and also when to be silent. If you visualize an essay that must be split into paragraphs, similarly the sequence that makes up a song on the synthesizer, must be split into smaller sequences, each one in turn sending out a different MIDI command to the VHM5, and then linked to play in the proper order, thus creating the song.

It takes approximately 20 hours on the average to program a song. I have spent as much as 40 hours on one song. So, after 8 years and approximately 7000 hours of programming, I’m ready to perform for you. -Oh! I almost forgot to mention learning the guitar parts and the vocals.

Why use an invisible band? Believe me when I say that I have played with live bands for many years. I look back on those times as the best years of my life. I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything in the world. I learned a lot from working with many talented musicians and friends throughout the years. People meet lovers and have other obligations that eventually take them away from life on the road. Let’s face it, unless you’re famous, you don’t get rich being a musician. It’s hard to raise a family and have a home life; and still play music full time. People I’ve worked with, eventually all went their separate ways, as I did myself. My love for music is a passion that I just could not give up on a permanent basis. I decided to experiment on playing single gigs, but I missed the sounds created by the other instruments.

Once I commented to someone about creating a one man band that would actually sound like a band. I was told it would never work; but, guess what:

It did work!

I hope you enjoy listening and dancing to the ‘Invisible Band” as much as I enjoyed the creative challenges involved in making it happen.