Finding the right sounds for melodies when playing styles

[rattley]

Greetings Friends,

Something I always have struggled with is choosing the right instruments to play the melody of a song using a style. Instrumentals are never a problem.  When many songs are performed there are no instruments doing the melody........It is all done by the singer.  The band just backs the singers melody.

I remember being fascinated watching and listening to Gary Diamond play my Tyros live in my home several years ago. He has a great voice and really knew how to get the most out of the Tyros backing him up.  I don't sing.  When I play a song that has lyrics and I have to substitute an instrument for the singing part....  I want the melody to be prominent but not be overpowering.  I always seem to get the latter.  The SA voices go a long way to keep things sounding more realistic but I often feel the voices I choose would never be the instruments that would really be used in that song. 

I have recorded MIDI songs and later play them back changing the melody voices.  But many of the SA voices don't always respond properly to the initial recorded velocity and key play of the original voice.  So my method is just trial and error.  Every melody can't start as a piano voice........or can it ??

Best wishes.  -charley

[mikf]

I don't think that there can ever be  a formula for this, nor is there any right or wrong, you just have to do what sounds good to your ears. I think a much more important thing is how you play it, rather than the instrument you choose. The touch and phrasing should sound smooth and natural and be right for that instrument. Phrasing in particular is huge, you should try to hear the song in your head as if its being sung, rather than slavishly following the notes and their timing on the staff. good players never sound like they are in a rush to get the notes in, they let it flow.
Mike