First..a non stressful lifestyle...I own it..
I do what I want..day or night...Play gigs because I want to.....not because I have to..
Like Ian, I do not have to be concerned with mortgage payments...still have a wife ..so alimony doesn't exist..
Kids are grown and doing well...Grand-kids are spoiled at my wife's expense...
Secondly...using all the tools available to us..is a smart thing..
When I work with the band (trio)..we use mostly MP3 backing tracks (our own)...and SMF's , also recorded as MP3's..
I seldom use the arranger mode in the trio..
For breaks, I play MP3 cover tunes...
When I work as a solo..I use a lot of straight up keyboard...bass(left hand), drums and piano...not a lot of arranger mode..I rely on SMF's(I do depend on lyrics shown)..and depending on the venue (sometimes replacing a DJ)..I use MP3's...and you bet your bippy, I take request..
My arsenal, besides my G70....a laptop that has around 150,000 SMF's..yes 150,000...and my MP3 library of around 15,000 tunes...
I use Copernic desktop as a quick search and play...when I am a pseudo DJ...
WinAmp is my choice of audio/MP3 player and VanBasco my Midi Player...
I couldn't be any more comfortable than I am today....now if I can figure out a way to cut my driving time to the shore...it could be "perfect"...