or maybe, the arangers are producing the great sounds and the owners are tagging along for the ride.

I'm all for anything that gets a kid interrested in playing music, but the scales, and arpeggios, theory etc .... it's paramount to actually PLAYING music. Using arrangers is more like a "pint by numbers" approach to art. It's not a bad thing, but it doesn't really develope chops at all.

Yes, the pro market is small, as it is with most professions ... if it was easy - everyone would do it. The tool is not the most important element here, but the right one sure helps the cause.

Please don't take this as a negitive comment about home users. it's NOT. I am mearly stating that the playing technic is being ignored at the early stages, these days, and that's not going to produce more players ... just more owners.