Originally posted by Diki:
No offense to anyone here (not that they won't take it anyway!) but can you see the arrogance in gloating that you 'need to know how to play' to use an arranger..?
What makes you think that all the professionals that use WS's can't play..? Or that YOUR chops could cut it on a modern rock track or hiphop mix?
No offense, once again, but I've heard the attempts to make contemporary sounding music on an arranger posted here. Pretty laughable, mostly. Good enough if you have no idea what genre you are even trying to sound like, I suppose, but let's face it. No-one is making modern hits on an arranger not because they don't have the chops! They don't make hits on arrangers, because arrangers don't have the sounds and styles needed.
Most young players that ARE playing keyboards these days professionally DO have chops. OK, they might not be YOUR chops, but on the other hand, they aren't making music for YOUR audience, either. You don't have THEIR chops, either!
No, sorry, but it must be said. The only ones around here without chops are a large percentage of arranger users! The 'Simon Cowell Effect' doesn't come out of nowhere..! 
Try this... next time you are in a store with some kids looking at keyboards, demo an arranger for them (play something from their century 
). Try not to get mad when they laugh their asses off!
But kidding yourself that the kids use WS's because they don't have the chops to play arrangers is absurd. It is the ARRANGERS that don't have the chops to play THEIR music..."Chops" are overrated at OMB Beach bars, Dance clubs, and the like. There are OMBs playing for a living all over the country without chops. Arrangers do make it easier. Put someone with just a piano out there and see how far his/here "chops" take them.
If one plays for pay classical ,chops are important, If one plays for pay, Oscar Peterson and other fast jazz, chops are important, If one plays a baby Grand in Nordstrums at the Mall chops are "somewhat" inomrtant.
HOWEVER If is playing Margaritaville, Sweet Caroline, How Sweet it Is, or practically any other "boss bound single hit" song on a typical playlist for a bar or dance, Vocals are far more important than Chops. There are many self taught players making a living in music. Especially playing songs made famous written by other self taught musicians!!!
Unless you play like Keith Emerson with a lot of keyboard calisthenics like is popular with contemporary female singers, The wow factor is pretty much not there. Regualar folks want to hear familiar songs by mediocre (thank goodness for many who never took piano lessons since 4 years of age) hit makers.
People are more impressed with your set list then technical prowess in the regular OMB bar and club scene. At Carnegie Hall maybe the expectations are higher...but then again as any one has the White " Chicagp Live at Carnegie Hall" CD even there one does not have to be all that.
Doesn't take chops to loops create hip hop . Just a sequencer and an imagination. Had a guy in the store two days ago who is genuinely surprised people are paying him $100- $200 for a CD of loops he creates in a Roland Fantom. Takes him a couple hours.
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