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WHAT IS BANDOKE
Bandoke is a concept that allows you to choose from different mixes that have different instrumentation. If you're a singer, you pick the regular karaoke-mix, which only lacks the lead vocals. If you want to play bass, there is a mix of every song with drums, guitars and vocals but without bass. On the screen you can read the lyrics and chords. If a song starts with your instrument, you hear a click telling you when to start.
-WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT
When we started to produce Heavy Metal for karaoke, we wanted to bring the whole thing to a new level,
to record the songs more professionally and give the singers and the audience something more than the average karaoke backing where sometimes the original song is hardly recognizable. Because we are musicians and/or music lovers we wanted our karaoke records to sound professionally made also in the ears of other music lovers.
The next step, of course, was to create something for musicians as well. Backgrounds for solistic instruments have been produced for some time already, but for some reason no one has thought of adding the chords on the screen. First we had to create a way to do this. After that we had to choose
the right music for the very first Bandoke-DVD in the world ever. What could beat the songs of Iron Maiden, songs that millions of people love to listen to, sing along with, play air guitar or table drums to, or jam along with the records and learn how to play them for real? Nothing. That's what we thought too. The "Hits of Iron Maiden" DVD was so succesful that we had the chance to make the next Bandoke DVD from original tracks from Spinefarm label artists. "Hits from Spinefarm" has 15 songs from 11 different groups, such as Nightwish, Children of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, etc. Every track has the original drums, backing vocals and some possible orchestration. There rest of the instruments are for you to choose. Would you like to try how it feels to play guitar with Ensiferum? Now it's possible! Our third Bandoke release is also a metal guitarists dream come true - "Hits of Pantera". If you still wonder how Bandoke works, watch the promotion video.
-ON DOING THE CHORDS
An interesting part of the work was to produce the chords on screen. We went through every single
bar of every song and had to choose whether we would mark the chords as barre (E5--C5--D5--) or whole chords (Em--C--D--). In case the major/minor difference is essential and can be heard, we used
the whole chords, otherwise they're marked as barre-chords. Sometimes we had to divide the bass
notes with a regular Am/F-marking, and the riffs that are based on bare-chords, are written all through.
Usually riffs were impossible to write without tabulatures, which would then again have been impossible
to read on the screen. In these cases we presumed it would be easier to learn the riff from the recording
and just follow the chord-markings on the screen.
Some examples on chord-marking:
Am(RIFF)---------D5--E5--
The basic feeling is first A-minor, but the guitar plays a riff (with A-minor notes). Then the chords
are D5 and E5.
RIFF(E5)-----(C5)----(D5)----
The whole line is a guitar-riff, and the tonality is of the chords in brackets, usually played at least with bass.
C----G----Am----RIFF--
The chords are C-major, G-major and A-minor. After these chords there is a riff played both on guitars and bass.
On the top of the screen we placed information notes about the part of the song
that is playing, for example:
1ST SOLO 16 MEASURES or 1ST & 2ND LEAD 24 MEASURES.
We've had lots of fun making these DVD's, and we hope you will have fun with them as well!
Bandoke can be used home, in rehearsal rooms, schools or on stage, just for fun or for practise.
NOTE: Any unauthorised copying, editing or broadcasting (tv or internet) of our products is
strictly prohibited: Spread the word, not the content!
For more information contact luca@hevikaraoke.fi. Any feedback is also welcome!
-WHO WE ARE
KSF Ltd is a Finnish company that imports karaoke equipment and discs and produces Heavy Karaoke
and Bandoke. We are all singers, musicians and producers and perform in bands as well as on Heavy Karaoke nights. |
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