I used to think a footswitch was essential for an arranger, but that was because I was so used to holding keys down when playing chords for solo piano.

When you develop the "arranger" technique, whereby divorcing your left hand from holding keys and simply activating them, the need for a pedal mostly disappears, I found.

All of a sudden I had a free hand to change buttons etc...And on any beat too,all it needs is just a smidge of mental pre-planning, and practicing the move, then even time critical changes are pretty straight-forward..

Just my 2c

Dennis

PS: as for the original thread, the actual cost of a keybed only adds around $300 for a 76 non-weighted and around $450 for a fully weighted, so all the additional manufacturing costs against the less than stellar profits would be one very good reason there are not mroe arranger modules.

PLUS they are a P.I.T.A. as Ian pointed out, to actually use live.