The brotha is no Herbie Hencock but I personaly love his fender rhodes' playing(esp in the late 70's intrumentals). Whenever I hear TRC I think of these instrumentals.

So, do u guys find him a solid Fender Rhodes player or just decent? Talk 2 me, now!

He's prety much a badass at it after not making it his concentration (like Dangelo did an d Prince could probably still blow his ass out the water)...can play with the best of 'em if he really wanted.

rdhull said:

Its intersting that you mentioned D'Angelo,,,I always think 2 myself whether if he touched a sensitive nerve or not(When it comes 2 Prince). Its even funnier how people look at his effort as "tribute 2 Prince" while Prince look at it as "challange 2 him".

Harlepolis said:

Sorry for mentioning Doangelo to some because I kkow Dangelo is not the be all to end all as keyboardists etc..but Keith Jaret doe s keys and not the fender as far as I know etc ( and Prince didn a Jarrett on Condition..not as experienced bt it shows that ifd he concentrated on said instrument he could be "just about" on par or at least adequate and nice as with others on their instruments etc..)

Prince took Dangelos "tribute" a s a challenge because he has an ego and he's a badass period...he is making sure folk s recognize especially since Dangelo came at him th e way he did..not exactly a tribute but some woul d say a "cop"..come on now..in the 90's folks were always beat jackin and taking styles ( as has always went on--everyone is derivastive f someone or something ultimately) but to do that early in your career opr in one or two releases coping a style etc...Prince simply did a slight pimp slap to say "make your own and do your own before u try to ..tribute and benefit form such a ...tribute" imho.

I've been playing keys for about 15 years now...Keys are keys. Fender Rhodes, Juno-6, grand piano. Now one ever says "who's a better Telecaster player ? Keith Richards? Or Muddy Waters?"

neronava---

Yes and No...

Different keyboards are different instruments... U generally play a Fender Rhodes (or a Wurlitzer) differently than you'd play a piano or synth. The clavinet is a good example as a keyboard played a particular way.

I don't believe in rules in music, but certain keys "ask" to be played a certain way.

I play guitar, bass, and keys, and it's the same with guitar... I'll tend 2 play funk and some blues on my tele, and I still would on my Epiphone Sheraton, but I might start playing more jazzy stuff. I have another guitar (which will remain nameless) solid body double cutaway, dual humbuckers... I usually kick in the distortion alot with this one.

Peace,

G.

neronava said:

Well, I'm a keyboardist too and you do think that all ppl play on ONE degree just cause keys are keys?

If so then music would neva evolve.

Harlepolis said:

I agree absolutely. You have to play it "how it sounds" or you just sound hamfisted: that goes for playing synth sounds too - you can tell when someone's playing a sound while not listening to it. The good ol' Fender Rhodes has a very different feel to a grand piano too, and unlike grand piano thrashing the hell out of a Rhodes just sounds a mess.

After the random-sounding instrumentation of Rave, it sounds like Prince plonked himself down at a Rhodes and all these great mellow (literally!) vibey tunes came out. There's so much of the first half of TRC seems to stem from the Rhodes: you can't imagine the album without it.

So how is Prince on the keyboard itself ? Great, actually - you don't have to fiddle on it for it to sound good. Some of Prince's piano doodling on One Nite Alone (the vox/pno cd) verges on unnecessary, whereas every note of his Rhodes playing 'works' on TRC and Xpectation. More Rhodes, please.

As I said...

"Different keyboards are different instruments... U generally play a Fender Rhodes (or a Wurlitzer) differently than you'd play a piano or synth. The clavinet is a good example as a keyboard played a particular way.

I don't believe in rules in music, but certain keys "ask" to be played a certain way.

I play guitar, bass, and keys, and it's the same with guitar... I'll tend 2 play funk and some blues on my tele, and I still would on my Epiphone Sheraton, but I might start playing more jazzy stuff. I have another guitar (which will remain nameless) solid body double cutaway, dual humbuckers... I usually kick in the distortion alot with this one."

I'm personally amped over the fact that P is playin' the Rhodes again, and yes... he knows how 2 rock the mutha' It's probably the same rhodes we've seen him play in the past...

Giovanni.

Ok, I love the Fhender sound of "Xpectacion", for me Prince is a master with all kind of keys.
Are Rhodes and an acoustic piano different instruments? Well, more or less, it's like if we talk about classic guitar and electric guitar. It's doubtless someone who plays one can plays the other, but if this person wants to play one properly must learn a technique.
It's difficult to answer that.
To sum up, Prince is the best with keys.

yes, different sounds/feels of instruments make you play differently.BUT: a instrument is still a instrument, keys are still keys etc. It always just comes down to the musician.

Let's not talk 4 the sake of talk.


Nero

Harlepolis said:

he's pretty good on fender rhodes. comparing piano players
is the same as comparing guitarists.

d'angelo's alright. i dig him organ a lot.

p's good. without trying to be.

It does take a different technique than an acoustic (obviously), or a synthesizer. Because they're all made differently, and made to sound different than the others. Your attack has to be different because of the different feel, your technique has to be different. But it's not as if you have to constantly bog your mind down thinking about it while you're doing it. Technique can be overrated and over-stated. But it's unique to each individual player. Everybody has one.

the instrument is extremely sexy. And with all the music out there that's full of studio trickery-

I say let the man sit behind the Rhodes & jam out licks &
Look cool as FUK. So i can get wet from the sound of the
brilliant vintage Rhodes & some falsetto.

&

pianoman said:

Those things sound like toys.
Can't imagine anybody using them today, plus now I have trouble listening to old fusion trax. Makes me shudder. Sounds really outdated

Now talk to me about a Hammond B3 organ!!


MMM that's the shit!!!
LOVE that deep resonating sound.
like going to church!!


[This message was edited Thu Oct 9 11:08:54 PDT 2003 by PFunkjazz]

PFunkjazz said:

Are you still talking about the Rhodes???
They are my favorite set of keys.
But to answer Harle's question:
Prince`s cool on them. Technically he's no Herbie, as you have already pointed out correctly, but he puts a lot of soul in it. He should use them more often, I like it better than his piano-playing which sounds more like Beethoven on Acid.

PFunkjazz said:

What!!! I live and breathe off B3's and Fender Rhodes. (And in that order) But you can't go insulting one of the crown jewels of my studio equipment. I think its been over used in music, but I love that sound that only a rhodes can bring. Listen to "Headhunters" By Mr. Herbie Hencock and if you don't get goosebumps, you aint among the living.