Lucky,

Good topic/question. I've come to the conclusion long ago that many here spend more time posting than actually playing their keyboard, and admit that I too at one time, fell into this group. Ok, back to your question regarding practice.

I started out playing piano when I was 4, so spent many years practicing scales, classical repetoire, and then in high school/college, jazz repetoire and jazz scales, chord progressions, chord voicings, etc. Following that, developing and mastering a core repetoire of song material. Now, I admit I rarely practice for practice sake anymore, but instead get my practice by regularly adding new song material to my show (audience requests etc) to keep things fresh. I still run scales on the piano now and again, but for better (or worse) have lost whatever trad pianistic chops I had because of my laziness in that dept. On the other hand, I've improved other keyboard skills on the arranger by simply playing (on the job) including RH soloing improvisational abilities and mastering LH chord voice leading techniques combined with LH bass line playing uniquely applicable for arranger style playing (with vocals) providing a marketable skill strictly piano playing alone can't provide.

Everytime I learn a new song, I try to listen to as many DIFFERENT renditions of the song (by different artists) I can get my hands on, and apply some of these ideas to my arranger playing. ONE arranger kb standout is the opportunity it offers to become proficient playing in a VAST range of styles, and which allows you to easily try out new style approaches to standard popular repetoire to make a song uniquely your own. Ok. Look forward to hearing how others are practicing & expanding their musical chops with their arrangers now.

Scott