Combo Blasters Take 3!: Keyboard/Synthesizer Book

This collection gives you genuine flexibility. Fifteen recognizable titles that students actually want to play, arranged so your ensemble sounds full and energetic whether you field four players or forty. López writes with keyboard players in mind, so the part never feels like an afterthought; the synthesizer sits intelligently in the texture, contributing real harmonic and rhythmic weight to every chart.

Pop, funk, and standards with swagger. These arrangements sparkle with energy and groove. Familiar melodies sit comfortably alongside sharp rhythmic figures that keep the ensemble locked and driving. The overall feel is celebratory and fun, whether you're swinging through "Dragnet" or bouncing through "The Hey Song."

Marching bands and small jazz combos that need flexible, audience-friendly repertoire. Whether you're running a four-player combo for indoor winter competition or a full outdoor program, this book lets you scale arrangements to your personnel without sacrificing musicality or sound.

• Use the keyboard's range expressively. In ballads like "Jeepers Creepers," let sustained chords breathe. In uptempo numbers like "Conga," drive the rhythm section with crisp, articulated voicings.
• Lock the kick drum and bass lines together on groove-based charts. "Jungle Boogie" and "Margaritaville" depend on this partnership for pocket and energy.
• Adjust registration and volume to match ensemble size. A small combo needs a brighter, more prominent synth tone. Full band arrangements benefit from fuller pads that sit behind the horns rather than competing with them.
• Treat the synthesizer as a rhythm instrument in uptempo numbers and as a harmonic anchor in slower pieces. Your role shifts between driving the groove and supporting it.

Build a modern opening number around one of the uptempo funk or pop charts, or use a slower standard as a second-half feature that showcases ensemble balance. This collection works equally well in pep band, concert band adapted for marching context, or small combo formats. Mix and match throughout the season to keep students engaged with varied styles.

• Reading synthesizer voicings and identifying harmonic function within chord charts
• Adapting touch and articulation between groove-based and ballad contexts
• Balancing keyboard independence with ensemble cohesion in scaled arrangements
• Playing with flexible dynamics to serve different ensemble sizes and textures