Gary, the last posts by you and Diki are two of the best I've read on SynthZone. They both explain the value of both musicianship and the ability to entertain. Sometimes the two are combined and sometimes, not so much. As others, such as Capt. Russ who is more musician-leaning, have said many times before, I have nothing but the utmost respect for those who are able to entertain at a high level, and from what I can gather, you are one of the very best at it. And though you may say differently, I'm sure your musical skills are more than adequate to produce the professional product you offer to entertainment venues. If it's good enough to put you into a 47' sailboat, it can't be that bad .

I live in a town of about 70,000 with maybe 100+ venues that regularly offer live entertainment. I can play in about 3-4 of them; you could probably play in about 80 of them. That's the difference in being a 'niche' musician and a pro-level musical entertainer. My only 'entertainment value' is that I tend to make involuntary facial expressions when I play (which is embarrassing to me, by the way). Sorta' like BB King. It's because I really 'feel' (at the molecular level) blues 'licks' and exotic chords and tend to play in a blues/soul oriented way (I play a lot of minor key standards - i.e. Funny Valentine, Angel Eyes, etc.).

I DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT, LOOK DOWN on entertainers that use arranger keyboards (AS arranger keyboards) in their acts. In my view, music is merely the vehicle they chose to use to entertain. The music, though important, is secondary to the overall goal of ENTERTAINING. The 'music for music's sake', such as found in jazz clubs, is another matter. Different skill set (sometimes), different audience, different atmosphere, different world. Both have a place (and often even meet) in the overall entity we call the entertainment business. Anyone who thinks one is superior or has more value than the other is either an idiot or has way too much ego.

I still hold that (IMO) a young person with 'pro musician' aspirations, would benefit more from (initial) traditional training on a traditional instrument, rather than an arranger keyboard. This DOES NOT make me a hater of arranger keyboards OR the people that use them. It also does not make me a purist or an elitist. I hope this clears up my position.

chas