Actually, Jerry, in all the years I've been using an Arranger Keyboard, I have never been called a "Karaoke player" either...not even once.

One thing for certain...being able to adapt my playing style to the arranger Keyboard really added to the work I was already getting as a sideman and/or a solo piano player, not to mention the instrument's incredible usefulness as a studio tool.

Someone playing a simple melody lines over commercial SMF for the duration of their gig, might be construed as a "karaoke player", but not a player who is playing full piano parts over a midi file (especially of their own making) or, a performer using a well chosen and appropriate accompaniment Style (and the proper chord changes) and playing melody lines that make good use of the Arranger's many instrument emulations.

When you think of it, an Arranger performer playing chords with the left hand and soloing and/or adding embellishments over the changes with the RH isn't much different than what the keyboardist in a band is doing throughout a gig.

We just give the drummer, bass player, guitarist, and string and horn players the night off.

Ian