I do see your side of it, Chas...really.

The arranger requires a different set of skills than the piano, and vice versa.

No pitch/mod/aftertouch on a piano, only one basic voice with it's set of many, many rules..it's vastness, it's limitations...no accompaniment to help out (but, also not get in the way).

The arranger, to be played properly and to make the most of it, requires good timing, the ability to play "off" time (no rigidness), the aural and fingering skills (and imagination, I suppose) to emulate different instruments, each one requiring a decent knowledge of how it is phrased, voiced, range of notes, vibrato and pitch bending skills (and where to use them).

You have to be able to switch smoothly between arranger sounds, and change skills/technique to utilize that particular voice so that it sounds relatively authentic (notice I said "relatively").

Consider playing guitar licks in one part, and the Hammond B-3 style phrasing in the next (with proper Leslie control)...not to mention orchestral strings and the ability to play them with the proper voicing (very few 3rds, lots of 5th and 4ths)...proper use of Swell Pedal for organ and then a tad differently for Brass and Strings.

And yes, if you are a duffer, the piano will expose every thing you don't know, and there's something about playing solo piano that is very intimate and personal, and it's a very lovely feeling of satisfaction being able to play without any "doo dads"...same for Hammond B-3 and bass pedals.

I came from the Yamaha Electone School ( I was a graduate, and eventually taught it) so I was sort of "eased" into arranger playing as the Electone had a drum machine (some were programmable) and a very primitive arranger/accompaniment section, although with the latter, you did get some neat arpeggios for certain genres, like Philip Glass, or Jarre.

Yes, piano playing is an art. As Bach said, "There's nothing to it. You just have to press the right keys with the right force at the right time, and the instrument will produce the nicest music all by itself."

Making an arranger really "do it's thing" is also an art, in my opinion.

Playing either without the proper skills can be a bit of a letdown, although I'd say both are unforgiving, but in a different way.

Don't get me wrong...I LOVE PLAYING THE PIANO!!

But, I also love playing my Tyros4, but for different reasons. It's rather like being the conductor (and lead player) in an orchestra entirely of your own design, and limited only by the amount of creativity you possess. You can be in a small jazz band, a symphony orchestra, a twangy Country band, or a jazz organ trio. You can turn parts off to thin out the band.

I still play the piano, only now it's a digital one...I don't ever want to lose those skills, however, I like developing new and different keyboard skills, hence the arranger and prior to that, the Electone and various synthesizers.

What one would I take to a desert island (with electricity, okay?) .

Probably the piano, although it would be a tough choice, now that I enjoy the arranger so much too.

What would you take on a desert island, given a choice between a piano (you'd have to tune it), a Hammond B-3 with bass pedals (and Leslie 122), or Fran's G-70?

Ian

Sorry for the long winded post...I got a bit carried away...I'm not getting out much lately.