To use a car analogy, if a my car has a cigarette lighter, does that mean I MUST be a smoker?

They put one finger chords onto TOTL arrangers for the convenience of the few that buy them for their status, when a MUCH less expensive arranger would do.

But who do they stick samplers on for? Or style creation software? Or full sequencers? Or the other hundreds of esoteric functions? SURELY not 'one-finger' players...? No, they put these on for the arranger's INTENDED user.

The reason you don't see arrangers much on major shows is that they already have full bands...! And the players that play such gigs NEVER (OK, mostly never, chas!) need automatic backing for pro gigs.

OTOH, pros are a LOT more uncaring about WHAT you play, and a lot more concerned with HOW (unlike most here!). I have been bringing arrangers to 'pro' gigs and some sessions for a long time, and NO-ONE has ever called me out for it. I guess, once I start PLAYING, and they start listening, there goes the issue. Now, maybe if I sucked, I might get the benefit of the doubt and they might go 'you need to get a more 'pro' keyboard', but I doubt it. They will probably think (quite rightly!) that it is ME sucking!

What is it that makes these keyboards you see on the TV 'pro'? Is it that they are bought primarily by 'professionals'. WRONG! The majority of WSs are bought by players no more professional than most arranger players. Is it that they have NO automatic accompaniment? WRONG! Most modern WSs have all kinds of loop players and arpeggiated 'grooves'. Is it that they are PLAYED by professionals? It MUST be, because I can't think of any other reason these keyboards are so designated.

There is only one other thing that all 'pro' keyboards have in common... They are built to take abuse from the road, and from the player. MOST pros play fairly muscularly (most having learned on pianos) and expect a fair degree of touch and response from what they play. But this does NOT rule out arrangers. PLENTY of arrangers built to these standards (and some that aren't).

So, in the end, it is the PLAYER that determines whether a keyboard is 'pro' or not.

So, Ian... you go home and play your 'home' keyboard. I am off to my gig to play my 'pro' arranger!

Cigarette lighter? Don't smoke, don't need it...