Great write up! I have an issue of Keyboard Magazine from the early 90s that gave a lot of insight into Brent's rig. He didn't use the PC-88, but a Kurzweil Midiboard to drive a rack of equipment including 2 Roland MKS-20 piano modules and a Kurzweil K250 sound module. He would blend the Piano 3 patch from the MKS-20 with the Kurzweil K250 grand piano sound to get his distinct jangly sound as heard on Without a Net and Dozin' at the Knick.
I was in a Dead cover band for many years and once ran a rig where I had a PC-88 MIDI'd to an MKS-20 and P-330 (MKS-20 in a single rack unit) to approximate his sound and man, those Roland SA piano sounds could shatter rock when cranked. But damn that was some heavy equipment to cart around.
Thankfully, the same piano sound is now available on cards and makes getting that classic Brent sound much easier.
Excellent material -- thanks! I cannot tell a lie -- this is why I HATED the Brent years. It wasn't the man -- it was the keyboards he played. Oh if only he had an acoustic piano (or a keyboard that sounded like one). Instead it felt like a bunch of electric doorbells all strung together. More to the point, we got a constant wash of synthesizer sound all the time. Keith was sometimes criticized for seeming to sit-out some songs, but it broke my heart during the Brent years when EVERYONE decided to play ALL the time. Check out NFA from Skull and Roses -- a personal favorite. There's no keyboard on that song simply because one is not needed. Sigh.
I second or third the fact that Brent used a Kurzweil Midiboard and not a PC88. And the caption on the one photo saying there is a MKS20 behind him would be incorrect as that was a module and housed in a rack. Can’t tell you what the keyboard is though. Thanks for all the info!
With regard to playing a standup piano in 1971 - I was sure he was from listening to those shows. So if you put on, say, Dave's Picks 3 from October 22 + bonus tracks from the previous night. That doesn't sound like a Grand Piano to me. What accounts for that standup piano sound? Non-state-of-the-art pickups?
I found my way here because I've noticed over the years that after 1987 I really don't enjoy Brent's tone and I wanted to see where he changes instruments. It comes as a bit of a surprise that I don't mind the PC-88 in '87 but by '89 it's super annoying. The difference, to me, is that he begins exploring lots of synth sounds rather using piano/organ sounds. I'm thinking Fall Tour '89. HSF and Cassidy, to name just two have these washes of sound rather than distinct notes. The keys sound in Just a Little Light is tinkly and fake-sounding. Combine this with Bobby's increasingly distorted, overdriven sound and I don't find myself listening to many shows from post-'87, which is when, ironically, I began seeing shows.
Great write up! I have an issue of Keyboard Magazine from the early 90s that gave a lot of insight into Brent's rig. He didn't use the PC-88, but a Kurzweil Midiboard to drive a rack of equipment including 2 Roland MKS-20 piano modules and a Kurzweil K250 sound module. He would blend the Piano 3 patch from the MKS-20 with the Kurzweil K250 grand piano sound to get his distinct jangly sound as heard on Without a Net and Dozin' at the Knick.
I was in a Dead cover band for many years and once ran a rig where I had a PC-88 MIDI'd to an MKS-20 and P-330 (MKS-20 in a single rack unit) to approximate his sound and man, those Roland SA piano sounds could shatter rock when cranked. But damn that was some heavy equipment to cart around.
Thankfully, the same piano sound is now available on cards and makes getting that classic Brent sound much easier.
Keith's keyboard from '75 looks like a Roland SH-100 https://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/sh1000.php
Hi, that first black and white Brent shot is mine. Please credit Chris Stone gratefulphoto.com.
Excellent material -- thanks! I cannot tell a lie -- this is why I HATED the Brent years. It wasn't the man -- it was the keyboards he played. Oh if only he had an acoustic piano (or a keyboard that sounded like one). Instead it felt like a bunch of electric doorbells all strung together. More to the point, we got a constant wash of synthesizer sound all the time. Keith was sometimes criticized for seeming to sit-out some songs, but it broke my heart during the Brent years when EVERYONE decided to play ALL the time. Check out NFA from Skull and Roses -- a personal favorite. There's no keyboard on that song simply because one is not needed. Sigh.
Photo credit please, the "Brent in 1979 with his B3, Rhodes, Minimoog, and Prophet-5." shot is mine: Chris Stone gratefulphoto.com
You forgot TC!
I second or third the fact that Brent used a Kurzweil Midiboard and not a PC88. And the caption on the one photo saying there is a MKS20 behind him would be incorrect as that was a module and housed in a rack. Can’t tell you what the keyboard is though. Thanks for all the info!
With regard to playing a standup piano in 1971 - I was sure he was from listening to those shows. So if you put on, say, Dave's Picks 3 from October 22 + bonus tracks from the previous night. That doesn't sound like a Grand Piano to me. What accounts for that standup piano sound? Non-state-of-the-art pickups?
The Kurzweil Brent used was a Kurzweil Midiboard, NOT a PC88. The PC-88 wasn't even released until 1997.
The photo of Pigpen from 9/24/67 shows him playing a Kustom Kombo Organ (with the classic tuck-and-roll styling) - not a Wurlitzer.
I believe it was a rental, as were the Kustom amps used that day.
I found my way here because I've noticed over the years that after 1987 I really don't enjoy Brent's tone and I wanted to see where he changes instruments. It comes as a bit of a surprise that I don't mind the PC-88 in '87 but by '89 it's super annoying. The difference, to me, is that he begins exploring lots of synth sounds rather using piano/organ sounds. I'm thinking Fall Tour '89. HSF and Cassidy, to name just two have these washes of sound rather than distinct notes. The keys sound in Just a Little Light is tinkly and fake-sounding. Combine this with Bobby's increasingly distorted, overdriven sound and I don't find myself listening to many shows from post-'87, which is when, ironically, I began seeing shows.