I suppose it depends on how you view an arranger keyboard, Chas.

To me, (and perhaps to you) and the several pro players using one here on SZ, it is just another tool in the box.

For me, I have "arranger" gigs, and then "solo piano" gigs, and sometimes I just go to the studio and play what is needed for the recording.

If there are those who "look down" on the use of an arranger for professional purposes, it is usually those who are a tad narrow minded in regards to music production.

A friend (guitarist) of mine and I do song demos for a third party songwriter/vocalist, and for 90% of the recording, we use an arranger keyboard...mainly for bass and drums, and a few sweetening tracks.

We can do several songs in a session, and the client spends less, we make a very nice profit, and the people that listen to his demos are more than impressed with the quality.

That's only one use.

I'm sure we (meaning you, I and other SZ'ers) can think of many more, without having to say it's "just a very controllable glorified CD/MP3 player that deludes a lot of untrained, untalented people into thinking that they're musicians".

The late Oscar Peterson bought a 9000 Pro and a CVP-109 at one of Yamaha's seminars, and I was lucky enough to spend most of the day with him, showing him how they worked, although, Oscar, being a real gadget freak, had no trouble whatsoever in getting comfortable with both instruments...and yes, he used the accompaniments...in fact we had a great time making custom styles, some of which I believe I still have here on a floppy disk.

He did not look down on arrangers...he embraced new technology...maybe he was one of a few that did, but I'm glad it was someone of his caliber, as it made me more comfortable with them as well.

Ian