I am curious to hear the opinion of all the pros and veterans here:

Listening to Peter Baartman's demo on T2 I would have to say yes, he is a good player, and yes the T2 has an impressive sound (at least the guitar in my opinion).

Now- My question is: Since the keyboard technology is getting better and better these days, would it jeopardize our performance in a sense that the audience would think "Wow, what kind of keyboard that can make that kind of sound?" instead of "Wow he/she is a good performer"?

Last time I performed was with KN800 so the technology was far from what we have now- What people heard was pure playing technique.

I am sure the Pros here can give their .02 cents having been in the music industry for many years you've heard many comments either about your keyboard or your performance.

Thought/Comments?

I'm not so sure that the general audience is cognisant of the technology. I think they see a keyboard and a player, and if the keyboard is upgraded I would have doubts whether they would attribute any increased enjoyment to coming from the machine.
But like everything to do with sounds, it is an individual perception.
Better add - I'm not a "Pro".
Regards
Keith

Yep, gotta agree with you there, KeithB.

The biggest hurdle which still seems to haunt arrangers is that people go to the mall on a Saturday and hear the main riff of In The Mood being hacked out by some salesperson (and I'm not alluding to the serious sales reps./dealers/musicians who are well-known and respected on this board who can knock the spots off the type of store and sales personnel I'm talking about).

The general impression thus left in the mind of the casual passer-by is that your average chimpanzee can churn out a tune, no skill required.

Of course, there's no substitute for talent/skill on any given instrument, but I think arranger players have the above-mentioned hurdle in front of them all the time.

Just my 2 cents.....
I am a Pro keyboardist (for the last 38 years), I have play from the non-automatic Hammond B-3s, X-66, Electones D2B, E10R, FX1, Hs6, EL90, Ketron X1HD, SD1, to my latest PSR3000 and soon to became a T2 and the Korg PA60to became a PA1X, also I work as keyboard specialist at a music store in Phoenix Az, I have hear people at the store make the T2 & PA1X sound bad......non intentionally, so, I agree, with KeithB and renig....
The player has not just play, but know how to use the keyboard features into an arrangement, so it sounds like a CD but in real time.

If you've got a good right hand when the arranger plays styles, there are no problems. Or if you have a great voice to sing over the styles, good as well. But, if all you do is play styles without either a right hand or a proper voice in tune, then a DJ is the thing for you unless you begin taking lessons.

not really sure if his is answering the question as i really dont think it matters what the audience think. Just ask yourself why so many people here are considering buying the T2. or why they bought he T1 ? Wasnt it because they heard these amazing demos by great demonstrators and thought the key board would enhance their sound too ? But the truth is that if Petter Baartmen and his colleagues were to demo the korg i3 or the roland em2000 or the yammy psr1000 they could convince us to by those older keyboards all over again !! The point i am making is that subconsciously we all believe that it is the keyboard that is making them sound so good and hat if we purchase hat keyboard we will sound better. Thr truth is that it is and always will be the player that makes the great music.But it is inevitable that if a great player plays an instrument then we the listeners will place disproportionately relevance to the instrument instead of its player. Thats exactly why the big manufacturers get great demonstrators to demonstrate their instruments. Its basic psychology. We are not immune to it so it as musicians so why should our audience be ?

not really sure if his is answering the question as i really dont think it matters what the audience think. Just ask yourself why so many people here are considering buying the T2. or why they bought the T1 ? Wasnt it because they heard these amazing demos by great demonstrators and thought the key board would enhance their sound too ? But the truth is that if Petter Baartmen and his colleagues were to demo the korg i3 or the roland em2000 or the yammy psr1000 they could convince us to by those older keyboards all over again !! The point i am making is that subconsciously we all believe that it is the keyboard that is making them sound so good and that if we purchase that keyboard we will sound better. The truth is that it is and always will be the player that makes the great music.But it is inevitable that if a great player plays an instrument then we the listeners will place disproportionately relevance to the instrument instead of its player. Thats exactly why the big manufacturers get great demonstrators to demonstrate their instruments. Its basic psychology. We are not immune to it as musicians so why should our audience be ?

I will relate a personal anecdote.
Many years ago I was in a music shop where a friend of mine worked and he was demoing a keyboard for a customer. I noticed that while he played he kept his face and his body dead still, without showing any emotions, like he was thinking of something else, so (when the client walked away) I asked him: "Why is it that you never show emotions while you play? Why dont't you ever close your eyes or move your head or your body?"
His reply: "Because the customer has to think that what I am doing is easy and he will be able to do the same things at home, once he buys the keyboard".

Kudos to your friend, Andrea.

Being strictly a non-pro player (not that I could be a pro even if I tried) I want to say that a better keyboard will definitely make ME sound better, and I believe will make a good player sound EVEN better/believable.

Technique is one thing, but to convince the audience that something serious is going on, you have to have the sounds as well. When you play a sax, it has to sound like a sax, not like a drunk mosquito, or people will say it sucks. (Here's a rhyme for you). Of course sounds alone will not make a fingerless/brainless man play, but at least can help him save the day (another rhyme).

I realised that, after playing with Hypercanvas and HQ Orchestra for a while. Just hearing the same old styles of my keyboard through the Hypercanvas sound engine, I was blown off, it made me/encouraged me to actually play better, because I could milk more expression out of the Hypercanvas sounds, and sound more like "the record". I even uploaded a song for Synthzoners to hear, I was that happy. Same with the HQ Orchestra Concert piano. I never realised I could sound like that. Experienced musicians would instantly recognise an amateur with no left hand, but I could convince my friends (the actual crowd).

Ok, Peter Baartmans is a good player but if he plays a toy instrument, people will recognise, (in their subconcious at least) that a good player is playing a toy instrument.

All said and done, I believe customers will not give a damn, if you can just make them happy. In the end they won't be able to remember if it was the Roland XP-80 piano, or the P-60, or the Tyros, they will remember that the "guy playing the keyboard" offered them a good time. But I also believe that it has to be a decent arranger of a decent standard, Korg i3 and upwards, maybe a Casio WK, but not a Casio lighted keyboard.
Theodore

There is always a musician in the audience, and if he or she sees that all you do is left hand and sing out of tune, well then chances are you won't get hired again because he/she'll let the party now. Even if you tell a good joke.
Great rhymes Theodore!