In today's music, I just love to be able to play the old music I Love, my way, not the way some young music producer thinks it will sell records. I do it primarily to please myself, and if by chance there is someone in the audience that likes what I am doing( and there's always someone), well, that's great! Meanwhile, here in the east coast DJs are making the big bucks, without even knowing what the chord C is made of; so I don't feel guilty about using an arranger. My forte is not necesarily my arranger but my music and the way I play it which helps me create the right background for my singing. Arrangers are wonderful tools that allow you to do it your way, all by yourself w/o the tribulations that go along with playing in a band(the pay is better too). The other great advantage of the arranger is the ability guitar(and other musicians)players have to make a transition from their instrument to the Keyboards; I played the guitar for 35 years professionally and It took me less than a year to play the K/B well enough to go out and gig with it. I developed Carpal Tunel Syndrom in my left hand from playing the guitar all this years and was forced to make the transition to survive in music, thanks to the arranger I am still able to make a living in this wonderful field.
Reagards, Mario

Oh! I forgot to mention; the irony of the whole thing is, after 2 years of playing keyboards and making the transition from the guitar, 99% of my fans hardly noticed the change in instruments. This only shows that people are far more interested in "you" than your instrument. So you guys out there worried about what people think, do not lose sleep over it.
Mario

Mario...
While I am no longer the right guy to entertain at a wedding for 20 year olds, I am amazed at the prices DeeJays can and do charge. My nephew got married in Orlando in September and the DeeJay got $800 for the 4 hr gig. I don't know about the rest of you, but, except for NY eve, I never see that kind of money.

Anyone have ideas of what DeeJays are charging in your area?
Eddie

DJ's ? ......don't get me started!

but if you must know what the're up to....
http://www.djchat.com/

Hi there.
From what I know of, arrangers aren't too popular in the UK, and one-man keyboard musicians are rare. It seems that people generally prefer people in bands. If you want live-music, you hire a band not an entertainer - that's generally how it goes here.

In all honesty, I've never been able to understand styles (I'm famous in this forum for this opinion!) despite listening to a lot of sound samples of many people in this forum performing. I never actually realised professional musicians used 'accompaniments' until I came into this forum. I'm not going to go into any more detail or I'll be public enemy number one again. However to answer your question, I'll just say arrangers are not popular in the UK

I totally agree with you James.

On my travels from pubs and clubs, you rarely see arrangers at all. In Pubs/Pensioners homes, Lounges perhaps, but Clubs?? - giz a break! a "PSR" (or whatever)entertaining 10,000 clubbers on a Saturday night at Hooters? - it'll never happen. Deejays dominate in these areas.

Arrangers have there place...so too do Professional bands.

O8




[This message has been edited by Octave8 (edited 01-20-2002).]

After all it's the same here; arrangers are not too popular 'as an image' here. But once they hear it and it sounds good to them, then they start to like it. And everyone is giving notion of that.. you see hands moving, feet moving.. just like the don't know

Sander

Maybe it's just because the majority of arrangers are manufactured in Italy, but people here are accustomed to them. It's very common to walk into a dancing hall or even a restaurant and see someone singing and playing an arranger or simply singing and using the arranger just to play midifiles. Musicians usually have nothing against them and are very competent (they can tell the difference in sounds and other features between -say- Roland and Ketron or Korg and Yamaha) and as far as the audience goes, every time I perform in public there is someone who comes to me and says "How much is that one? I wish I could buy one" or "Look at that screen: it's almost like a TV set!"

O8 - I agree with your statement, but need to add a "footnote". Solo acts would never have gotten a chance if it weren't for the loud, rude, behavior of many bands over the years. I've had bands too, and it was always tough to find players that thought like me, or had my work ethics.
I was forced into solo work, and I still am in copetition with 5 piece bands and larger. I play weddings for $600 - $100 as a solo and I regualrly work clubs that feature loud, rock and blues bands.
It's NOT the gear at all. It's the profession .... and the professional. Doesn't make a bit of difference how many hunks are on stage .... most of the time.
( there is a certain "look" that some head counters need, but for the most part - it's quality, and NOT quantity. )

Just have those people listen to me playing my arranger board. With all the mistakes I make I assure you, they never say the word DJ again.