I agree with EVERYTHING Alex points out here.

I've STILL not figured out how guys like Don Mason are able to trigger the pitch bend wheel, while simutaneously playing chord changes with the left hand, and playing melody (steel guitar) with the right hand. Pitch bend notes typically occur 'right at' the chord changes, so how is this even 'humanly' possible to achieve?

Anyway, I'm glad that the manufacters have chosen to now integrate instrument pitch bend & vibrato into the actual sound sample (some including up to 20 unique multisamples per sound) itself, triggered by note playing velocity, which, in my opinion, offers the arranger player the ability to more easily bring out an instruments many subtle nuances depending on 'the way' you play the actual note instead of having to constantly struggle with attempting to play chord changes while at the same time reaching for the pitch bend or vibrato wheel concurrently.