I was saying a few years ago that arrangers and workstations would "meld" into one beast and in fact we see this happening to a "small" degree with some workstations currently on the market. For instance, the Motif ES/XS/XF utilizes "arpeggio's" that follow chord'ing so in effect you have a "rhythm" based accompaniment on a Workstation keyboard, albeit, not fully functional like you would experience on a middle or top of the line arranger keyboard of course.

The main problem and hindrance to this "melding", in my opinion, is the fact that traditional workstation keyboardists aren't really thrilled when you talk about "arranger" functions because in the past arranger keyboards denoted "toys" and NOT for serious musicians - nor their features of auto-accompaniment, etc., and also because of their "lack" of professional features.

Changing the mindset of traditional workstation keyboardists is like pulling teeth, in my opinion, and it may be many more years before we see a complete "melding" of the two, if indeed we see it at all. Another reason is the fact that keyboard manufacturers see two distinct keyboard markets with two distinct type of players i.e. professional and home hobbyists and because of these differences keyboard manufacturers e.g. Yamaha, Roland, Korg, etc., profit financially to a greater degree by serving both groups separately as opposed to selling a workstation/arranger keyboard to everybody, where one group may not want arranger functions on a workstation keyboard, or vice versa, and because of it overall sales could suffer on the manufacturer's end if everything was melded into one keyboard.

If the personal discrepancies between the two groups were ever reconciled and resolved then perhaps Yammie and the others might see an economic benefit in making a fully blown professional "workstation arranger" in every sense of the word. But as long as the two distinct market groups remain 'divided' Yammie and others will continue to market to those two groups separately, in my opinion, and with different keyboards according to their individual (group) needs i.e. arranger functions for arranger players and workstation functions for professional players. Even though there are many many arranger keyboardists who do indeed play in a professional capacity. Although that doesn't seem to sway Yamaha and the others very much apparently.

The Big Three still charge much more money for top of the line arrangers vs. workstations even though many professional workstation features are, in many cases, absent from the top of the line arrangers. In my opinion, they literally sucker retirees into spending more for "less" and laugh all the way to the bank - knowing full well they are getting away with highway robbery, in my opinion, even at the expense of older people's gullibility. Not all older people of course. With age comes wisdom (or so goes the theory anyway), albeit, with more excess 'money' comes a tendency to spend it in a more leisurely and bountiful manner - just what Yamaha, Korg, and Roland, hope too. Retiree's and older people, in many cases, have scads more money to throw around indiscriminately so "easy come, easy go" might be the guideline, with many of them not seeming to mind that much, if at all. You know... people like Fran and DonM (who are filthy rich) and don't have a problem tipping waitresses with hundred dollar bills... even when the service is bad. Now THAT'S rich! lol ha ha ha.

All the best,
Mike

PS: Just kidding you two.

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 08-10-2010).]