I think it boils down to, what can the audience SEE you doing?

For arranger players, it is your hands that make the visual connection between what they are hearing and what you are playing. For this reason, I prefer a single keyboard rig with no other gear in the way. Multiple keyboard stacked rigs are all well and good in a live band situation (where you generally set up facing inwards and the audience can once again see you playing) but in a solo setting, all that extra stuff hides your hands if you face the audience. For most of us that DON’T ‘cheat’ (that is, mime to prerecorded tracks) to be quite honest, the hard part is convincing the audience that you ARE playing the sax solo or the guitar lead if you get it to the point that it’s really accurate! If they can’t SEE you playing the solo, they have every right to assume that it’s as prerecorded as the drums, bass, rhythm guitar etc..

Obviously, they can’t see a drummer, the bassist or a guitarist, they aren’t likely to assume you’re actually playing every note they hear. But if you spend the time and effort to really nail solos on instruments other than piano or organ (which are what the audience is naturally going to assume you’re playing!) it’s a shame to have them not SEE you playing the sax solo or lead guitar…

How many tracks (whether arranger, SMF or audio) are too many? In my opinion, when you COULD actually play some, but don’t. And even worse, when you mime along with tracks you could play, but don’t. Then you are seriously into an area even worse than DJ-ing. At least DJ’s don’t pretend they are playing anything!

I have nothing against ‘entertainers’. Most of the time, they are pretty good singers, and great communicators with an audience, skills that often great ‘players’ struggle with. But the line for me is when they try to take credit for musical content they have nothing to do with, by faking playing it. But I’m pretty sure we don’t have any of those here! 🎹😎