From time to time this discussion (midi files versus style playing) arises and I really don't understand the slight & permanent animosity that surrounds conversation about the subject.

My favourite way of making music is playing with others. I sometimes just comp with a piano, other times use other sounds, sometimes my left hand is the bassist... I have no doubts: this is the best way of learning and of having deep satisfaction from music. But we do know it's not always easy to practice with other musicians, to match schedules and personalities, etc...

In entertaining a crowd alone, I have absolutely no problem in using all tools available. In my modest level of playing, I know how to play in a band, I know the chords (and not only three major chords ), but if I judge adequate, I use SMFs as well, singing and playing along. I never pretend I am playing and never had problems in explaining to my audiences how I'm working. In certain situations I even spend 5/10 minutes in a little demonstration/explanation of the kind of things we can do with an arranger keyboard. Simple piano playing, left hand bass, styles, SMFs and the role fo each track. I guess this is my teacher side I've done gigs with styles only, mixed midi/styles, accompaning the crowds with just chords, and I've had fun in every imaginable way one can use an arranger keyboard. I really can't see the reason to tend to devalue a certain way of entertaining, except perhaps in the extreme case of a professional musician losing his jobs to a low quality entertainer pretending playing his keyboard...

-- José.


[This message has been edited by Route 66 (edited 11-18-2005).]