FerroTV Shows
Presently and for the past thirty years David Rosenthal has been the music director and keyboard wizard in the Billy Joel Band. But this is only part of the story. Throughout his career he has been a musician, composer, synthesizer programmer, music producer, orchestrator and touring professional. He has shared those talents with names like, Richie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Little Steven, Cindi Lauper, Robert Palmer, Steve Vai and so many more.
If you’re looking to be inspired to reach higher and need a road map to the keys to success then this extraordinary interview with this extraordinary talent will reveal both.
Key Takeaways:
- Dave Rosenthal’s career success comes from being both a strong musician and a technical problem-solver (music director, keyboardist, programmer, producer, orchestrator, etc.).
- Versatility and a broad skill set are emphasized as essential for staying employable in the music industry.
- Understanding signal flow is presented as a foundational concept that applies across live rigs, studio work, and music production.
- Preparation and performing well under pressure helped Dave land major gigs (e.g., impressing Rainbow by showing up ready and delivering immediately).
- Networking and relationships matter: connections and friendships helped push him toward new opportunities and technologies.
- With Billy Joel, attention to detail—especially accurately recreating album sounds—was a key factor in earning and keeping the role.
- His keyboard rig evolved with technology, moving from hardware/MIDI module setups to software-based systems (like MainStage).
- Reliability on tour is critical: he built real-time redundancy (two identical MainStage systems) to prevent show-stopping failures.
