This is a very interesting thread.

I agree with most of the factors other posters have mentioned, including...

1. top model not stocked in stores
2. no knowledgable salesmen
3. limited styles market (however, you can some ethnic styles CDs for ebay)

In my opinion, the reason the professional musicians (who use workstations), do not like arrangers, is NOT because it has autoaccompainants. It's the very true reason that the top arrangers are not really professional workstations+arrangers. If you look at all of the top arrangers, you will see that not ALL features of workstations are available on arrangers. I think the arranger functionality has to complementry. It should be something added on top of the top-workstation. The top arrangers cost more than workstations anyway.

They have to start with the workstation, and build arranger on top of that. This way all of the features and possibilities of workstation are available on the arragner.

For example, check the YAMAHA arrangers. No professional musician will use it's sequencer. It's a pathetic sequencer. Forces the musician to record with styles. ( I know, I know, it has that song recorder, but as I have debated a long time ago, it's not good at all) Why didn't they just put MOTIF sequencer?

Same issues with KORG, ROLAND....

I think this is the main reason the workstation users will not consider an arranger at this point of time.

[This message has been edited by Shakil (edited 02-11-2006).]