Africa (Instructional keyboard cover)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2024
- This is my instructional keyboard cover of Toto's "Africa", which I am publishing under the "fair use" doctrine. This cover is just me playing keyboard along to a MIDI drum track. It is meant to show how the song might be played in a live environment with a band.
I love the fat-sounding synth sound in this song (the original, that is). I have tried to approximate it in the left-most zone of the Fantom X7. I decided to play these chords with my left hand, so that I can play the kalimba patch with the right hand. You will notice that the first phrase of the first verse uses different inversions of the main chords. I'm pretty sure it's like that on the original track. I really enjoy focusing on little details like that. :-)
The kalimba "patch" is a multisampled patch, containing sampled harmonies, along with the main ditty. Obviously, I only have two hands, so it would have been impossible for me to have played the harmonized kalimba part, ALONG with the synth chords. So, I just sampled each note (with accompanying harmony) of the kalimba part.
The right zone is a "flutey" synth patch, which is used in the synth solo. Unfortunately, I muffed the solo, but you can get an idea of how it sounds. Actually, the synth solo is a two-handed solo, but I don't have the skills to pull it off (yet!). I hope to be able to play it with both hands, someday.
This is THE BEST tutorial of 'Africa' that I've found! TIP: I have found a great way to help learn with this and all video tutorials. On TH-cam you can slow down or increase the speed of most any video. Click on the 'mechanical gear-looking' icon and you will see options to speed up and slow down the video speed. VERY cool. Unfortunately ... it seems as though TH-cam has not yet made it possible to access this function on an Android phone like my Samsung. The feature works beautifully on my laptop and desktop computers! Thanks again for this excellent tutorial!
Wow...thanks, Stephen! Much appreciated. :-)
Bruh tthis guy doesn't need a whole band to play the song he got it on him so good keep up the good job some verified music maker take him in .
That is absoulutely amazing... well done, deserve more views
Thank you very much! I appreciate it. :-)
Thanks for sharing this. Well done and an absolute inspiration.
Thank you very much! :-)
You are the best, out of the pretty good other people attempting the Toto song in it’s entirety.
Wow...thank you very much! :) Others do the solo better, though...lol
YOU ARE CONGRATULATING, I AM BRAZILIAN AND HERE I DON'T HAVE THESE VIDEO CLASSES SO SO CLEAR OF INTERNATIONAL MUSIC, MY DREAM TO PLAY THIS MUSIC, I WILL TRY TO LEARN THE MAXIMUM FROM THIS WORK
Wow ...
Wow! Absolutely amazing, totally blown away!!
Thanks! Much appreciated. :-)
Very nice! I have a Yamaha PSR-185, good for some songs, not so much for others
This is excellent. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to give it a try.
Thank you very much! Good luck! :-)
Superb! Thanks a lot for this, will help me a lot. Been looking around for a good tutorial specially for the adlib part. Hope you'll make another one for Rossana!
Thank you very much! :-) I’m don’t have the necessary chops to pull off “Rosanna” but, if I ever do, I’ll be sure to post it.
You’re good at what you’re doing! Very good job, Bro! Wish you the best, the very best. Semi-skilled guitar player from Jeff Lux’s part of town, I am. Kyrie lei
Thanks! Much appreciated! :-)
Aloha, Bravissimo! Very beautiful. Cheers. Best regards from Munich, Hannes ️🌺🎹🎼✨🔝🎷👍🏻️🌺
Thank you, Hannes! I appreciate your kind comments. :-)
Excellent!
Thank you! :-)
gracias ha usted esta melodía acaricia mi alma le deseo lo mejor en su vida dios le bendiga
I miss my Fantom X8! Well done.
Thank you very much! :D
Congrats, man!!! Very good work... perfect :)
Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. :-)
I own that exact synth. Which sound are you using for the chords?
I am using a customized version of "PR-C:039 Silk Brs Pad" for the chords. I'm guessing the modifications are related to attack, release, and cutoff/brightness (I saved the patch without documenting the changes). For the kalimba, I am using two patches of "PR-E 066:Nice Kalimba" (within performance mode), the lower one being a fourth (-5 steps) down. The lead patch I am using is "XP-B 296:2voiceLd SRX", which comes from the SRX-07 "Ultimate Keys" expansion card (around $260 on eBay and well worth the cost). :-)
goatghost ah...I think that is pretty close to what I was playing around with...thanks!!!
Perfect video doesn’t exi...
Noice 👌✨
Thanks! :-)
Great job Tom and big thanx for the Urgent sounds:). I saw another video when you used a Numa compact 2x. What are you opinions about it? How do you like the sounds? Especially the organs? /Take care // peter
Thanks, Peter! :-) To be honest, I mainly bought the Numa Compact 2X for use as an 88-key, semi-weighted MIDI controller with aftertouch (a rare beast!). I listened to the organs when I first took it out of the box and, to my untrained organ ears, found them to be really good (a LOT better than my mid-2000s Fantom X7 organs). The basses and piano are actually pretty good, as well. One thing that I found limiting (and, which is limiting on most 88-key boards) is that it can only be split into two zones. But, with a MIDI Solutions Router, I am able to chop up its MIDI output into however many zones I want, when feeding it into my X7.. :-)
Excellent
Thank you very much! :-)
Nice cover i tink the keyboardist of toto use this synth!😉😉😯😯😯😯😯
Thank you very much! :-)
Excellent 👍👍🎶🎶🎶🎶
Thanks, Paul! :-)
Very cool love it
Thanks! Much appreciated. :-)
Great video
Thanks, Tyler! :-)
Sensacional 👏😎🇧🇷
Abrigado!
Nice!
Thanks! :-)
Awesome job!!
Thank you very much! :-)
I have Yamaha Keyboards. Any idea what voices I could use to come close to those brass and synth sounds? Thank you.
If your keyboard has a "synth brass" patch, that would probably work. If your keyboard is programmable (i.e. a true "synthesizer"), I would start out with two slightly detuned (to one another) "sawtooth" waves and adjust the envelope on the VCA ("voltage controlled amplifier") and the envelope on the VCF ("voltage controlled filter") to get a slight "wah" sound. :-)
very nice
Thank you very much! :-)
I’m struggling to play the chorus. I know what do do with the thumb and index finger but I can’t see what to play with the other three. Can someone help me?
The notes, from left to right, for each chord in the chorus are: Chord #1 (C#, F#, A) / Chord #2 (D, F#, A) / Chord #3 (C#, E, A) / Chord #4 (B, E, G#...thumb moves up to A and back down to G#). This repeats 3-5 times (depending on the part of the song). The two chords which end the chorus are (A, C#, F#) and, briefly, (G#, B, E). Hope that helps! :-)
goatghost Thank you! This video was extremely helpful. Great channel!
just a FYI load a MIDI piano up when playing you'll notice it sounds more like it when you play
Hmm...I thought I had a piano patch doubling the synth part, but I'll have to verify. Thanks for the suggestion! :-)
anyone still needs the names of notes the chords are built with? just in case you have trouble finding them by watching what he's playin?
I could write down main verse and refrain if you need
Awesome!!! Can I use it for a split screen cover? Cheers!!!!
Thanks! Use it however you need to. :-)
Lovely
wow nice!
Thanks! :-)
Can I know all of your keyboard models? Really interested on having one
Sure thing. My "main" keyboard is a Roland Fantom X7 (it's the one making most of the sounds). The Fantom X7 has some great built-in sounds, and it also has the ability for you to sample your own sounds. The one above it is a Roland JV-90. I don't have it configured to make any sound; it is used to "play" sounds on the Fantom X7. The one sitting on top of the JV-90 is a CME Xkey37 USB. I was going to use it strictly to play sounds on a computer, but it only has 37 keys and I don't really care for the feel of it, so I am going to be selling it. Above that is my Roland JD-Xi. I really only use it for one song..."Mr. Roboto", so I might be reworking things so that I can play that song with the other equipment I have.
The Roland Fantom X7 goes for around $1399, used, on eBay. The Roland JV-90 goes for around $350, used. The CME Xkey37 USB goes for $199, new. The Roland JD-Xi goes for $499, new. If you're looking for something inexpensive, the JV-90 is a good balance between price and sounds, even though I don't use it for its sounds.
Good luck!
Are you playing simulated chords?
Each individual note of "kalimba" part (in the right hand) was sampled along with an accompanying harmony. This allows me to play the kalimba part, including harmonies, with only one hand. There are no simulated chords other than these notes. :-)
So the chords sound slightly empty on purpose?
Or is that the mic?
Ahh...it probably sounds empty for a few reasons...
First, there might not be enough reverb on the synth part. Second, there are other instruments missing, since it is meant to be played with a band. And, third...there is no bass being played (since I don't have three hands and, if this arrangement was played in a band, a bass player would be handling that part). :-)
Maybe some hints about the actual notes you're playing would be useful... You know, for us poor suckers who can't figure it out by just watching your fingers flying across the keyboard.
You are totally correct! Unfortunately, it would be a huge undertaking to transcribe what I'm playing. My best advice would be to use the pause and rewind functions frequently, to see where my fingers are at the beginning of each phrase. It's even harder to figure out when you only have the original music to listen to, without being able to see the different chord inversions. I don't believe my rendition is totally accurate. :-)
FYI...the marimba riff is F#, E, C#, B, C#, F#, E, C#, B, C#, F#, E, C#, B, C#, F#, E. ;-)
That's super helpful - if you have the chance to put up the harmony notes too that'd be incredible!
I have a many toto songs written down www.finessi.se/tot.zip
Thanks! I will have to check out your link.
la melodía es cálida
Gracias!
@@goatghost que agradable sujeto ☺👍
Muchas gracias! :-)
You ever play the Roland Fandom G7?
No, I haven't tried the Fantom G7. At the time I bought my used Fantom X7, the G7 was a LOT more money.
Granted, the G7 has the Supernatural soundsets and, I'm sure, sounds better. But, since the Fantom X7 supports SRX expansion cards (and, there are plenty of them), I don't think it would be possible for the Fantom G7 to have as wide a range of sound possibilities (plus, again, it was a LOT more money...LOL).
A lot people say that the Yamaha Motif sounds better than the Roland Fantom.
A lot of people are wrong. I've been using the Fantom X8 in my set up for over 10 years, and my sounds are just as good or better than other keyboardists I know who use the Motif. If you're good at what you do, it doesn't matter which board you're using.
"a lot oof people are wrong" hahahaha! I only use the Roland synths because it's really easy to set up the sounds. I really like the sounds of yamaha, but I don't really understand how to use it.
Ahhh the age old battle continues ... Roland ... Yamaha ... Roland ... Yamaha. I used to sell both back in the early 80s at a major music retailer in St. Louis. Which is better? Of course it depends on the player, his/her 'ear', and timbre preferences. Both brands are excellent--always have been. One thing is certain and continues to this day ... once a player makes their decision on which keyboard to go with ... most are passionate that their choice is THE BEST choice ... and they would be correct with the keyboard that is most pleasing to them. My solution ... purchase one of each! It's possible with the lower prices of keyboards these days. Not to mention the mindblowingly-cool technology and sounds. Great time to play keys!
Nice!!
could you send me the audio without the keyboards?? thank you very much!!
Hey Isac...unfortunately, I don't have audio for this particular song. It is a MIDI sequence, so no audio was recorded. You should be able to find the MIDI sequence on the Internet and strip out anything you don't need using a DAW. Thanks!
Hey man, it sounds great. Do you think you can go up "Black" from Pearl Jam. Please :)
Félicitations
Excuse me, Sir . I'm a cover guitar wants to collaborate with Toto Africa songs with you, let me use your video.
my channel is Yyz Channel.
Você é foda man
Muito obrigado! :-)
where is the bass ?
As mentioned in the notes, this version is meant to be played with a band (where a bass player would play the bass part). If I was to play they keyboard part with both hands, I would not be able to play the kalimba part with my right hand (because I would be playing a chord). :-)
oh dear...
I hear the drums playing on the moon, rattlesnakes are biting me and I'm singing Christmas songs, She's coming in 12:30 flight, frogs jumping like lollipops and shouting obscenities at cats on mountain tops, the wolf looked at me as if to say, moon pie kid it's waiting there for you 🌕🌙🏃🏃🏃🚚🌛👽🚀🏡🐍🐍🐍🐸🐸🐸🐸🐸