I think sokratis has overlooked something when it comes to extolling how real drums and real guitars and basses cannot be equaled with an arranger that uses MIDI…

You only have to look at computer VST’s like BFD or Superior Drums and the like to realize that MIDI drums can be as utterly convincing as a real drummer. It boils down to the performance of the player of the file, and how well the electronic kit is set up, and how well edited the capture is. Same with percussion. 99% of the realism comes from a real percussionist playing the MIDI parts, idiomatically correctly.

The same applies to rhythm guitar and bass parts. There are many VST’s for bass and guitar rhythm work that are utterly indistinguishable from audio. But they are, to all intents and purposes, doing EXACTLY what an arranger does. Just with a better soundset, and arguably better performances.

But what these give you over audio loops is that element of customization. Need a push in a spot in the rhythm that isn’t there on the audio? Piece of cake to edit the control track. Prefer a Strat to a Les Paul, a Marshall amp rather than a Fender? Piece of cake. Want a chord inversion not included in the audio loops? Most guitar VST’s allow you to select where on the neck the guitar is being played. Want the part played lighter? Done. Want to use an acoustic instead of an electric? Easy peasy!

Few of us have the skill to create an utterly convincing part from scratch. But most of us, in our antiquated conventional arrangers, can easily change the sound of a track and create something VERY different to the original. Not so the audio. It’s a Strat through a Fender, and forget trying to change it. And forget about hiring a studio guy to come in and do it with a Les Paul and a Marshall! Who’s got that kind of money?!

Basically, you either LOVE the audio style, or you’re screwed. Ten minutes on my Roland, I can turn a hard rock style into a gentle folk style. Brush drums, acoustic bass, acoustic guitars, acoustic piano. Done. Let me know how well that works on an Event!

As to pre-canned intros, the solution is, don’t use them! If they define the tune you have to follow them with, they only have one song you can play. The Roland has four intros. One yes, possibly derived from the song the style is in the vein of. One with changes but no defining solo. One shorter one that follows your chords. And a simple one bar count-in. That two to three that aren’t going to define the song. Hitting Intro1 and sitting on your hands while the arranger shows you up by playing better than you is so lazy!

Take away that defining intro, and you’d be surprised at how many songstyles can be used on other songs as long as they aren’t TOO locked into the original. Same with endings. And fills, if too song defining, aren’t THAT difficult to go into the style and change around a bit. Far easier than doing the entire drums from scratch…

Personally, I think that audio arrangers are a dead end. A temporary solution while VST equivalent features get added to MIDI arrangers. We’re already at the point of some arrangers’ guitar modes being quite good, good enough to fool the ear. Drums could benefit from a few more velocity levels and some room mic options, but that’s well within current technology to add.

I think a lot of sokratis’ enthusiasm for the potential expansion of audio styles created by the user is theoretical. I’d really like to hear how much time and possibly expense it took to change a factory style radically, or create one from scratch from a real user. I know how little time it takes on a MIDI arranger.

Very little.