Hello,

Before I'd seen details of the musicians who contributed to 3121, I'd stated that I thought the piano on 'Get On The Boat' was Renato. But seems it's actually Prince.

The solo (about 3:08 into the track) reminds me very much of Renato's style, and so I was wondering whether P might have had some lessons from Renato. Prince was always a decent piano player, but Renato was in a different class altogether. To me, it seems to suggest that even now he's looking to improve technically as a musician.

L
[Edited 3/22/06 5:20am]

Levi said:

I love Prince's piano playing on "the Boat at the 3:08 mark...brilliant

ps, FIRST

Of course Renato is in a different class, playing piano is ALL he does and has solely concentrated on it unlike Prince. If people wonder why Prince continually changes his band, there's a reason right there, so he can learn from gifted musicians. Saying that, John Blackwell is clearly a gifted drummer but even he admitted in an interview from Prince teaching him things.

At the end of the day, people go on about Prince being able to play dozens of instruments, but what it boils down to is guitar, bass, percussion, and keyboards/piano and Prince is still under-rated in all of those.

Levi said:

Prince was always a decent piano player? WTF does the man have to do to have his talent get the recognition that it so rightfully deserves? He's just now improving technically as a musician.

metalorange said:

Ya know MO, I was going to start a thread about the fact that 3121 was written, conceived and performed by Prince, unless otherwise noted. That fact just floors me. The amount of studio time recording the drum and bass track..then the guitars..then the vocals..then etc..etc...etc...he's a musician above and behind pretty much any other musician I can think of. Paul McCartney can play bass, guitar, drums, piano...and compose..but I'm not sure Paul's abilities are as good as Princes. Who else..Who else can play so many different instruments so well...

SexyBeautifulOne said:

Levi didn't say that he's just now improving, he said even now. I took this to mean that even after all this time he's still looking to improve, when he could quite easily rest on his laurels.

TheEnglishGent said:

Thanks TEG ... that's exactly what I was saying.

Geez ... you pay the man a compliment, and you STILL get a hard time


L

Levi said:

That was a compliment? Sorry I missed it, considering I've known for more than 20 years he's always been well beyond decent at the piano.

SexyBeautifulOne said:

That's just it though, nobody said he wasn't more than decent.

PurpleRein said:

Actually, Pauls piano skills exceed Princes by a country mile... as far as guitar.. Prince gets that vote.. he is a much better skilled guitarist..

but to me, that doesn't make him a better musician..

Its not about musicianship with me..
[Edited 3/23/06 9:50am]

Levi said:

funny. i've been lsitening to 'get on the boat' too (my fav on the album) and when i read the liner notes i was flabbergasted that it's prince playing on this one. he sounds like herbie hancock

Sdldawn said:

I would argue that Prince is a better piano player. Different styles, Prince has the ability to play more styles of piano then Sir Paul

PurpleRein said:

and what styles would those be? brotha runs up and down the scale and hits major chords... He is good at taggin along with the keyboard.. he is no piano whiz..

I'm not sayin paul is.. I just have a lot of his home piano tapes.. and he is very good.. VERY good..

I also have all of those demo's of prince.. he is good..


this is all my opinion.. of course.

bein a pianist.. I love both their styles
[Edited 3/23/06 10:05am]

this is very off topic.. but Ben Folds could smoke paul and prince in a pipe combined with his piano talents...



[Edited 3/23/06 10:09am]

Levi said:

Its a good little solo.. but its nothing he couldn't do in the past.. in fact, if your anything of a pianist.. that is no hard task to play.. at all..

not dissin the solo.. its just not that technical.. Renado has hit many different combinations that would make that look like a cake walk.

Prince's home demo's make a better argument than that solo..
[Edited 3/23/06 10:12am]

Sdldawn said:

Hello Sdldawn.

Yes, on reflection, my choice of the word 'technically' was slightly misleading. 'Technically', it's not a particularly difficult solo. It's hard to describe, but most of Ps piano work (whilst sometimes 'technically' pretty impressive) lacks cohesion and direction. In other posts, I've described his fills as a bit 'crushed' which is about the only word I can think of for it. The GOTB solo is tighter, and whilst it makes liberal use of the octave spacing technique which isn't too challenging, it just sounds polished, and does sound like some of Renato's work.

So, while it's maybe not a 'technical' improvement, it is a different style, which I (for one) am glad he's developed.

L

I love P's guitar playing. It's what got me to listen to guitar music in the first place and remains the standard to which I aspire.

But P didn't impress me as a *musician* (as opposed to a performer) until I saw him play the piano.

Y'all can't hang with pianists. They are no joke...

LOL. One day...one day...

Levi said:

Agreed. And I hope he continues his use with a piano.. His style is unique.. I like his agressive behavior on it.