What do you play in guitar focused songs?

[snowbird12]

I've recently joined a cover band as a keyboard player. I'm really a guitar player and have never played keyboard in a band, but I'm giving it a shot and loving it.

I'm struggling with what to play during guitar focused songs like "My Own Worst Enemy" by Lit and "I'm the only one" by Melissa Etheridge. I play organ on "Hit me with your Best Shot" and I play Cello on "If it Makes You Happy".

What do keyboard players do when there is no keyboard in the song?

 

[happyrat1]

Harmonize dude...

 

[Wes]

What do you do? You make one up!

I usually think about covering rhythm guitar parts when there is only one guitar. Otherwise, let the creative juices flow! My favourite instrument in this regard is the Hammond Organ with a Leslie speaker because it allows a lot of expressiveness with very few notes. Getting an organ really opened up the possibilities for keys in a cover band. Hell, I play keys on songs like "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Rock And Roll All Nite"!

Anything rockabilly you can play bright piano on. Listen to the piano part on "Takin' Care of Business" (Bachmann-Turner Overdrive) and "Sunspot Baby" (Bob Seger) for good examples of the idiom. And when I say bright piano, I mean it! Bright piano patches sound like crap solo but cut through a rock band mix like a knife.

Remember - do NOT muddy up the mix! Do not play too many notes! Stay away from the sonic registers used by the other instruments, in particular the bass player! Bass notes are not your job.

Oh, and, BTW there is no rule that says you have to play every second of every song!

Wes