Gentle Giant - Free Hand (Keyboard Part - Live Version)

This video was lovingly done for all those looking to learn how to play the live version of Free Hand. Recorded with vintage instruments as Kerry Minnear used back in the day, I hope to have done some justice to this great tune and band. (Video's audio best enjoyed in stereo, btw.)
I took a few improvisational liberties during the guitar solo and the ending to add a couple of additional parts, just for the fun of it.
There is one obvious mistake at 1:55. Left hand played D#-A#-D#, but should have been F#-C#-F#. I've left it in as it was just too difficult for me to re-record the entire section error-free. It's good for my humility, besides. :-)
Some concessions were made by editing pieces together that I recorded separately due to the keyboards being too far apart from each other to cleanly play so that the notes could be seen fairly clearly. With this exercise, one can't help but respect Mr. Minnear's playing ability. The whole band, really, was just so marvelously talented and tight, and the Giant recordings we have (live & studio) are a goldmine for rhythmic, harmonic & melodic complexity that continue to bring satisfaction decade after decade.
For those curious, here's a short list of the gear used:
Instruments:
- Hohner Clavinet Model C (modified with a Vibanet preamp from Vintage Vibe - thanks Chris Carroll & team!)
- Wurlitzer 200A Electric Piano
- 1953 Hammond C3 (chopped) w/ 145 Leslie
Stomp Box Effects:
- Mutron Phasor II (on Clavinet)
- Ibanez Tube Screamer (on Clavinet)
Special thanks & love to my brother Henry for turning me on to GG (age 7-ish!), and for his first transcriptions (from the studio version) so many years ago - helping me learn them, and for the jamming we did on this tune way back in my early teens (there is audio cassette proof, lol!). Without his initial help, this vid would not be possible AT ALL.
Also, the most heartfelt thanks to Mr. Dan Bornemark for his gracious assistance and recent consultation on the isolated keyboard parts (w/ Kerry's OK) from Gentle Giant's live in Paris (1976) performance, which helped me finalize the sections I had trouble hearing in the various live recordings and/or video.
And of course, finally --- thanks to Kerry Minnear and the all of members of GG....for the wonderful music!!
I hope you enjoy, and thanks for watching.
Feel free to comment, subscribe and explore any of my other uploads.
For original music inspired by, and in the spirit of Gentle Giant, please check out our band Advent:
www.adventmusic.net/
I do not own or make any claims to own the rights to this Gentle Giant music or Gentle Giant images.

[@GentleGiantOfficial]

Excellent!

[@lanfrancojelo145]

The Genius of Kerry Minnear shine through your "free hands"! Amazing job bro! ❤

[@Esrom_music]

fuck yes my dude. woo!

[@user-co6df7oj7r]

Nice to see how complex the keyboard part is. Thanx for the insight.

[@mccypr]

Psycho Genius keyboard! Amazing! Thanks! 🙂😎

[@jodrogo6993]

Bravo. Grazié 1000.

[@mauroocchionero9253]

straordinario!

[@brizsty]

Sooo perfect, friend! Congratulations for your amazing technique and instruments!!! Long live Kerry Minnear and GG!!

[@dougmphilly]

always loved free hand, but now i adore it

[@slobberkissintl3548]

Sounds like something my 5yo would play.

[@wotireckon]

Absolutely fantastic - so good to hear it isolated so we can appreciate Kerry's virtuosity even more!

[@basshorseman998]

From a GG mega-fan and musician since the early '70s, you've done an excellent job of working those parts out...Thanks

[@johnfreund4456]

What an incredible job of transcription, performance, and realization!! I mean, you even have a white clavinet!

[@davidnollmeyer]

Very cool!!!

[@richardmcnichols4228]

Long term fan of GG. This is a Great and Faithful Rendition of something I always thought was impossible for any other human to play besides Kerry. So there are two of you keyboard Giants in the world.

[@PongLightdrop]

Thank You! That was encouraging.

[@wagohowardmusic]

MAHALO!!!

[@user-yo3dt5uf8c]

SuPerb!!! BRAvo!!!!! Kerry would be smiling...

[@martinbirkhauser3751]

Danke, Mark, das ist wirklich großartig, wie Du das spielt und das Du Dir das überhaupt draufgeschafft hast!

[@stephenv6054]

Where do you play live?