Bee all that you can Bee!
Steve Dorff and Jeff Vincent from CMT's The Singing Bee
Airing on CMT, The Singing Bee is hosted by comedic actress Melissa Peterman. In a karaoke-style singing competition, contestants are tested on their knowledge of lyrics to well-known songs, and those who fail to accurately sing the correct lyrics are eliminated from the competition. But unlike karaoke, The Singing Bee hosts an outstanding band – complete with singers – to provide the musical accompaniment. The band's musical agility is a staple in the show's popularity.
Steve Dorff is the Musical Director (MD) for the show, sitting behind the keyboards. Steve (not to be confused with actor/son Stephen Dorff) is a composer with an astounding array of accolades. He has written for top television shows, motions pictures, and live stage. He has written blockbuster songs for the likes of Kenny Rogers and Anne Murray, as well as amassing more than 40 BMI and 11 Billboard #1 awards.
Joining Steve in the "Bee Hive" band is keyboardist Jeff Vincent. Jeff also features a star-studded career, having worked with the likes of Madonna and Elmer Bernstein. His songs have been recorded by a diverse field of artists including Al Jarreau, Patti Austin and The Seekers.
In addition to their duties on The Singing Bee, both Steve Dorff and Jeff Vincent keep extremely active in their respective careers; we were very fortunate to have time to speak with both of these talented keyboard men about the show, their own musical journey, and their killer Korg keyboards!
KORG: Hello Steve, hi Jeff. Gentlemen, congratulations; The Singing Bee is a great show, airing weekly on CMT. What would you say is the biggest challenge you face as a musician on The Singing Bee?
Steve Dorff: The biggest challenge of playing keyboards on The Singing Bee is staying in sync with our six singers, as well as, the "Singing with the Enemy" sequences. They stop and start. Those are always difficult.
Jeff Vincent: The musical pieces come at us so fast, approximately 40 songs per show. Sometimes when we go into tiebreakers, we are playing a piece for the very first time! It has sharpened me as a musician – and the experience has been invaluable!
KORG: You both are pumping out a lot of sound, on demand, in the "Bee Hive" band. What keyboards are you using on the show?
SD: I'm using the Korg M50 and the Korg Triton Extreme on The Singing Bee.
JV: I am using the Korg M3. In season one, I had a MIDI controller in back of me, but barely used it because [The Korg M3] was able to create patches that could split three different sounds and play several sounds at once. I ditched it in seasons 2 and 3 for the M3 alone.
KORG: Now, you guys are no strangers to Korg keyboards from what I understand.
SD: I've been playing on Korg instruments for at least 15 years now. I think I had an M1 the week it came out.
JV: My very first synth was a Korg MS-20 [Analog semi-modular], dare I say about 20 years ago! Since then I have owned many like the 01WPro, Triton, TR-Rack to name a few! KORG has consistently been innovative in its technology and imaginative in its interface development. Karma is a perfect example of Korg's innovative brilliance! It has revolutionized the way we write and produce music.
KORG: That's long time for both of you to be playing Korg. When did you start playing? Or perhaps I should ask when did you know music was going to be "the thing" for you?
SD: At a very, very young age, I realized that I wanted to be in the music business. I guess I was about 16 when I started writing songs and figured out this was what I was going to do for a living.
JV: There was never any question to me – or anyone that knew me – that I was musical. I started playing by ear when I was 3 on our Lowrey organ. I love the Lowrey sound still! The Korg CX-3 I believe has a great patch that is like a Lowrey. The professional side of music found me at 19 and I've been very blessed since. [Editor's note: The new Korg SV-1 has a specific Lowrey Organ sound.]
KORG: Aside from The Singing Bee, when you are both busy pursuing your other musical endeavors, is Korg still a big part of your sound?
SD: I just finished a score for the upcoming feature film A Pure Country Gift and I used the M50 quite extensively. The Pan Suit EP1 is my favorite basic Rhodes sound.
JV: Absolutely!!! I have now made the M3 the "mother board" of my entire studio rig. I love the expressive string patches and the brass that comes with the EXP series. I've found that a little bit of KARMA pulsating behind the orchestra truly makes a scene move eloquently. I also do television music, and when I did all the music for The Tony Danza Show, I remember vividly recording a real horn player and not feeling it cut through enough. I mimicked his part with a Korg Triton and when I mixed it in, it sounded AMAZING! Similarly, the brass sections in the M3 are so authentic sounding (better than the Triton) when they are placed right in the mix.
KORG: Gentlemen, thank you both so much for your time. Before we go, can I ask each of you to sum up your Korg experience?
SD: My new Korg M50 provides me with some incredible sounds that I haven't been able to find on any other keyboard.
JV: The Korg M3 is the single most powerful piece of gear I've ever had. The serious choice for a pro.
Thanks again, and we will see you on The Singing Bee!