My feeling is there are more accordion players in Europe than the USA. Many Accordion players find it easy to play an arranger keyboard. Most arranger customers in the USA that I had when I was in retail, all started with the accordion as a kid. I am talking about an age group of 60 to 80 years old. So this age group was playing accordion in the 50's or 60's.

In Europe the accordion is a much more acceptable instrument. Ketron in particular has made products to be used by accordion players since the company began.

Theyeven made a arranger with accordion buttons.

Since europe has more accordion players, they in turn have more arranger players.

Just my opinion.

When I started selling arranger keyboards back in 1986, in was piano stores that carried the product, not music stores. Music stores had the dx7 & korg m1.

Piano stores sold the 1 finger play, to home organ customers who had lowery or kimball or baldwin organs with easy play features.

The divide started with piano stores carrying psr-60,70,80 & 90's and selling them for $600 to $900 bucks. Where as music stores had the dx - juno and korg synths/workstations.

Many organ players where accordion players.

Get where I am going ?

i understand.

Although in England we have a similar taste to the US and the accordion is not so popular.

There is an old joke here that goes like this:

Whats the definition of perfect pitch?
When an accordion is thrown down a toilet without touching the sides.

disclaimer. this joke does not necesarily represent the opinion of TWD. hehe

TWD

[This message has been edited by Tonewheeldude (edited 03-12-2010).]

sorry...can't help myself:


Q. What's the difference between an accordion and a macaw?
A. One is loud, obnoxious and noisy; the other is a bird.

Q. Why did the chicken cross the road?
A. To get away from the accordion recital.

Q. What is the best thing to play on an accordion ?
A. A flame thrower.

Q. What's the difference between an accordion and a trampoline?
A. You should take your shoes off before jumping on a trampoline.

Q. What's the difference between an accordion and an onion?
A. People cry when you chop up an onion.

Q. What do you get when you toss an accordion off a tall building?
A. Applause.

Q. Why do some people have an instant aversion to accordion players?
A. It saves time in the long run.

Q. When does a accordion player sound the best?
A. When the tune is over.

Q. What's the definition of a gentleman?
A. Someone who knows how to play the accordion and doesn't.

Sorry that was un-called for...after all there is only one Accordion Joke...the rest are true stories

I don't mind them really!

I better get some sleep before they come knocking at my door armed with banjos! Night!

Sorry, TWD, but have you heard ANYTHING like this music coming out of the US for the last twenty years or more? Didn't think so... (BTW, listened to on my Mackie HR824's)

And sorry, Dan, but I believe that European music itself is one of the reasons the arranger and accordion survive. On the charts, at least, here in the States, you won't find songs that have anything LIKE the chordal simplicity and rhythmic simplicity that is so easy to do on arrangers and accordions. Far more of the ethnic music heritage has been preserved and appreciated, even by younger players (especially continental Europe) than exists here in America. But try to do MODERN hiphop, pop, R&B, rap, alternative on an arranger, and you are hopelessly lost getting even CLOSE to the record, let alone nailing it.

Young players are the majority of buyers of keyboards in general. And until arranger manufacturers make arrangers that CAN easily play today's American music (and let's not forget, the rest of the world is buying and listening to our music in droves, and letting it influence THEIR music, just like Rock & Roll and Soul and R&B did in your day), they will remain niche products. But if they DO, there's absolutely nothing stopping them being popular again. I mean, who WOULDN'T want a keyboard 10X's easier to use than a modern WS to make modern music?

I tell you, first one out the blocks to make a modern equivalent of the DJX (they are so cheap nowadays because their styles have become dated - same process but magnified applies to OUR arrangers) is going to make a FORTUNE...

Sad thing is, guys, substitute 'arranger' for 'accordion' in most of those jokes, and you have the EXACT attitude most youngsters have to them..

With reason..!

Appologies- I should have quoted you....I posted the files, not to prove that an arranger does American music but in response to this:




I'm glad you listened to the samples though. Thankfully it doesn't have any Mantovani, Glen Miller or Reginald Dixon presets.


[This message has been edited by Tonewheeldude (edited 03-13-2010).]

"On the charts, at least, here in the States, you won't find songs that have anything LIKE the chordal simplicity and rhythmic simplicity that is so easy to do on arrangers and accordions"

So you are saying that there have not been any songs on the charts that have only 3 or 4 chords ?


My point is not what is musically correct. It was more of a statement on who the target market was when arranger keyboards 1st hit the scene in the mid to late 80's.

Arrangers have never been perceived as a professional product because of the target customer from the beginning. Just my opinion.


[This message has been edited by DanO1 (edited 03-13-2010).]

Diki I think you referenced DAN instead of me in your post.
Everyone has referenced Europe and the USA. What about Japan and China??? Last I checked there a "Few" people who live there

Yeah..let's bring China and Japan in the mix.
How 'bout India too !