Donnie, great topic.

I know that you guys who perform night after night get comfortable with probably less than 100 good styles, all designed to support your well rshearsed repertoire of popular songs in several genres. You've probably a dozen ways to access them in configurations (arrangements) that fit certain type songs your audience often requests. Each audience is different and you must be able to configure your musical gig to satisfy their unique needs.

Some songs are seemingly ageless and are requested again and again across the spectrum of audiences. Lyrics for the songs you don't practice enough to be confident about must also be pre-set in your specific keyboard or tablet/laptop setup for quick recall and ease of access.

As a songwriter, I constantly search through my collection of styles to see how I can tweak them to keep my songs from all sounding alike. In certain genres, it's good to have a recognizeable backing sound... sorta like a trademark performing style. In other genres, all bets are off an I must "wing it" to discover what sounds best. Multi-pads enhance many of my songs to a degree I never expected, mostly due to my lack of playing ability.

Quick access is not one of my needs but cataloging the setup and instruments plus their individual volumes along with companion multi-pads are crucial to me.

Advancing from the PSR-2000 to the PSR-S910 was a leap that sounds so much more authentic. The available choir-based vocal "instruments" are light years ahead of what was previously available for the 2000.

The big difference is that my songs are usually recorded and never performed again (unless I determine a different style sounds much better... or decide to move it into a different genre... often retaining the original version.) I can't own too many good multi-pads or "voices"/instruments in "today" sounding styles. In songwriting, the need to sound "retro" is often also important. Very few "concrete" rules apply to songswriters as opposed to gig artists.

We are so alike in so many ways... and so different in so many other ways. Thank Heaven for Arranger Keyboards.

My songs must be cataloged, documented regarding precise set-ups, copyrighted and then, if worthy, registered with ASCAP so I can more easily be plugged into the money stream. I don't perform except to an "audience of one"... ME! If I had to appear on stage, I'd probably keel over or fade into the woodwork. I'm very much like a fisherman, attempting to keep as much bait in the water as possible, hoping to land the big one... a well known singer who has a following willing to buy just about anything he or she records.

One thing is for certain, I admire what you gigging artists do very much. It takes a special person to master the art of satisfying a crowd's differing musical tastes. Kudos to you all.

Dave Rice