She's a trained and accomplished organist (which is quite different than a pianist). The fingering is impeccable. Nothing fake about it.
Note the left foot operating the bass pedals, as well.
Some of the effects and percussion are sequenced (tracked), but she's playing all the notes herself.

Now, Stevie Wonder playing the piano at the MJ service -- that wasn't real.

I'm not a keyboard/piano player so cant say whether its fake or not but as to whats possible, this video made me think of Qi Zhang's performance on Ted.com which is not a fake and simply amazing.

Organ virtuoso Qi Zhang

- Ray
Underground Planet

Absolutely 100% real. No doubt whatsoever. The percussion is sequenced as are the synthesizer patch changes, otherwise she is playing the entire thing.

Apparently, from one comment here and a few on the linked page, some people think it's faked. These are probably the same people that think the moon landing was also faked. In both cases, it was easier to actually do it than go to the trouble of faking it.

John,
Be easy. The doubters are people who have no musical training and really don't care.
The locals in Austria told me the moon mission in 1969 was fake too, and wondered why I insisted on watching it on the hotel TV when Bonanza was on. Same analogy.

Wow!

She is doing some mighty fine playing but there is definitely some sequencing going on. Is using sequencing considered "real"? I don't know. The line gets very blurry. She is definitely not playing everything and who knows how much the organ is helping her out (we've all seen those organs where you press one note and it plays the Cha Cha or Bosanova). ;-)

~jr

Reminds me of when I saw a video on Youtube of someone shattering a wine glass with their voice and the big debate in the comments section about how it "must have really been done since that's not possible" (not an exact quote, but an adequate summary). Note to the skeptics: Just because you (Or I, for that matter) can't do something doesn't mean it can't be done. (Shouldn't need to be said, but I guess it does.)

Rob

I believe it is 100% real. Many years ago when I worked for Big Blue a VP was so impressed by a young talent named Michael Iceberg that he gave him all expense paid trip to perform at a senior professionals meeting. We had no idea who Michael Iceberg was. What an amazing fellow. Not only did he perform but he put his whole system together. Needless to say he got a standing ovation.



Ed

Is using sequencing considered "real"? I don't know.

As a commonly accepted live performance technique by professional musicians, the answer is Yes, for the last twenty-five years or more. As a substitute for playing the notes, the answer is still No.

This is really where the line gets blurry. The acid test is, "Is the artist performing the music or not?" For instance, if a solo keyboardist sets up in a coffee shop and sequences some percussion and bass, no one will bat an eye. If that same person sets up in an entertainment lounge and has sequenced drums, bass, rhythm guitar, woodwinds, strings, a horn section, and leads, he probably won't work there again. Enhancing a solo or duet act is one thing; sequencing rather than paying sidemen or actually performing the music is quite another. Knowledgeable club owners (esp. those that hire union) are well aware of this, and would probably rather pay a DJ instead. One-man bands belong where they came from -- streetcorners.

There is a close parallel between sequencing and the arguments that surrounded the use of synthesizers in the late 60s - early 70s. Remember, they were disallowed in many professional live and recording circles for some time -- same argument, it was thought they would put "real" musicians out of work. It was not until Moogs were legitimized as unique solo instruments by ELP and others in the late sixties that the stigma eventually lifted.

Certainly instrumental and vocal backing tracks have been used in almost every live commercial performance in the last couple of decades. Solo instrumentalists in this day and age should not be held to some inexplicable "higher standard."

When I accompany vocal groups, I sometimes have percussion and a little bass sequenced to sweeten the mix. If I actually sequenced the lead piano and just pretended to play it, I would fully expect to be strung up by the garbanzos. Kind of like Brittany lip-syncing a concert and blaming the "backing track" when it got messed up.

That all being said, the performer linked to in the first post is a brilliant organist and artist -- take the sequences away and it would still stand as an outstanding performance. She is playing the solo lines with the right hand on the upper manual, the accompaniment and rhythm with the left hand on the lower manual, and the bass line with her left foot while riding the gain pedal with her right. Try that while chewing gum! It is also easy to forget that it takes considerable talent just to assemble good backing sequences . . .

As for Stevie Wonder (mentioned above), I was sorely disappointed by the deception.

>>...We had no idea who Michael Iceberg was. ...

He was a regular performer at Disney World in the 1970's. I remember seeing him perform in the space themed part of the park.

I think I heard recently that he was still performing today.

His stuff was waaaaay cutting edge in the 1970's. Very cool.

Hi,

in need of fast playing AND multiple keyboards?

See . One of my favourite keyboarders...

Cheers

darkframe