Originally posted by Diki:
I'm sorry to argue with the stated case against arrangers by the 'public', but I would have to say from experience that 99% of 'the public' have absolutely no clue about one kind of keyboard from another. It's got lights and buttons, and black and white keys. And that's all they know or care. 
They couldn't tell an arranger from a WS, from a stage piano, from a Hammond clone.
All they know is whether what you DO on it makes them enjoy themselves or not...
I don't honestly know where any of this alleged bias against arrangers comes from. I have, in my entire career, never had ONE single person come up (public OR another musician) and deride me by going 'Oh, you're playing one of those ARRANGERS... 
' To be honest, have any of you? Really? Or are you just saying something, that someone said to someone else (that they heard about from someone else)?
I have a sneaky suspicion that the bias comes from the PLAYER, and not the device. Plenty of bad arranger players out there! But there are just as many bad players of WS's as there are arrangers (OK, maybe a BIT less!), but somehow you don't hear WS players whine about the so-called 'bias' against WS's.
Do we really have that big a chip on our shoulders, or is it just the tendency of the poor craftsman to blame his tool? EXACTLY..Its not a public bias.....The bar owners could not care less, the patrons could not care less. It's the PLAYERS who don't want to show up on a gig with Speakered keyboards....or pay $3000+ for a 61 or 76 note unweighted keyboard when most of their playing lives have been on RD700s and workstations at far less cost. My wife says she would rather br free to play OVER a track with two hands not worrying if the arranger is going catch the proper chords if she is tad late or all the fongers don't get down quite the same time. She DOES use the Arranger to MAKE the tracks she uses though. For her its freedom not to be tired to an Arranger that depends on correct chord reconition on the spot everytime. ME I would play out in a heartbeat using an Arranger. Im in my opinion considering my playing abilities, an arranger can ADD to the overall sound. Fools them everytime.
Most pros around here are not the left hand chord organ players of the past. They play with a technisque that does not lend it self well to many arrangers chord recognition capailities across the board.
Thats why I believe Yamaha markets them to HOME users, does not make a 76 key Tyros , and sells them out of that division. Some "home users" play some gigs at non-traditional gigs like Lodges and Nursing homes, maybe a wedding if they are a relative....
Clearly a player's bias...Also we sell arrangers to mostly retired people for what its worth.
[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 01-29-2009).]
[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 01-29-2009).]
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