Quote:
Originally posted by Diki:
Donny, I am afraid that arranger players aren't generally any better (or worse) that WS players, on the whole...

All this shows is just how difficult it is to make an entire piece of music on keyboards, and make it sound like real players (if that's what you are after). Sad truth is, most players that CAN make a good demo on an arranger, if you stripped out the arranger parts, would sound no better... The arranger IS what is making us sound good, not us!

But for me, the main thing this shows is how unprepared, ill-equipped and unskilled most arranger players (OK, WS players too!) are at making styles. Anyone who lightly tosses off the excuse for a poorly styled arranger of 'You are supposed to make your own' is living in a fantasy world. Without great styles we are at the mercy of whatever our main musical skills are. For most keyboard players, that is playing the piano part and little else (OK, the organ part too!).

Few of us are great drummers, or imitators of great drummers. Few know how to phrase and voice brass parts well. Few can lay down a great bassline (especially one that works for an arranger). And so on and so forth. But style making involves all those skills.

What primarily amazes me is that those few arrangers that expect the user to make the styles can't even find ONE good styler maker to voice their own product. For good money, no less. Why they expect the users to be able to do something they can't even get a professional to do beats me



Diki ....

Great post!! I have to agree with you 100%.....you absolutely have nailed this topic with a spot on assessment. I also think too many players take way too much credit for their playing when the "ARRANGER" is actually the BIG STAR of the show if they utilize it correctly, although many won't admit that due to ego.
As you say every penny you pay for one of these wonderful arrangers or workstations is miniscule compared to what goes into the R&D of them...yes many need improvement in the future hopefully we'll get that someday, but mucho appreciation & respect is what I feel inside every night on stage when i'm playing an arranger kb.