Instead of being an alternative to other non-automated instruments, I have come to think of arrangers as alternatives which allow for more flexibility, meaning more opportunities for work and income.

While a full 70% of my work is either studio or traditional instruments, I do use arrangers for film score roughs and other project "shells" and for the occasional job that requires a little more than a guitar or piano.

That means that, if you add a little for the contribution of the arranger in the process of writing, playing and producing film scores and other audio, arrangers are used in over 50% of my work.

This week, for instance, while I'll use an arranger for only 2 "almost live" performances, I worked on 5 different recording roughs. the final projects will not incorporate the use of an arranger, but the process would have been much more tedious and time consuming without one.

Other work included jazz guitar as a single (4 jobs), solo piano, B-3 with a drummer, mandolin and tenor banjo on a recording (if you tell anybody about that, I'll deny it), and controllers with a whole bank of samples for recording. For sentimental reasons, my work on upright with Jazz arts type groups and philharmonics is very personal to me (and very hard on my fingers LOL.

I would NEVER want to use an arranger exclusively, but I sure do use them and will continue to do so.

Wish there was a way to make a great living playing jazz on traditional jazz instruments. There is, but it takes TALENT!

OH WELL,

Happy holidays, everyone!


Russ

My thoughts on arrangers are the complete reverse of yours, Russ.

My primary instrument is the arranger and I think of other instruments such as the Acoustic Piano and Hammond B-3 (and Fender Rhodes) as additions to the main body of work I do with the Tyros4.

The Tyros4, and my previous arrangers, have been veritable Swiss Army Knives and literally the basic instruments from which I work.

Many years ago, I might have looked at it the way you do, with the arranger the more "occasional" instrument, especially when I was doing a lot of band and recording work using the various keyboards I had in my kit back then.

I still think the best thing about having an arranger here at my apartment is being able to sit down and just play...and, play in any genre I wish, with as much background instrumentation as I choose...AND, at MY convenience, meaning the band is always up for a tune...even at 3:00 AM.

And yes, HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and everyone else here on SZ...this is the time of year when that special event happened that made Christmas so very special to kids young and old alike...the birth of Santa Claus.

Ian

I come from accordion background. Being from former Yugoslavia (Bosnia & Herzegovina), accordion is a big part of our heritage. I am talking about folk music here. I donèt even consider myself as a musician, because I stopped playing long ago. Even though I still play more than I can handle, because of my other job. Even that job has nothing to do with what I finished in University, but is another story.

Back to arrangers. I will never play my arranger the way I play my accordion. I will never feel it the same, or even think the same while I play one or the other.When I play with others I always play accordion. It is an acoustic instrument and I really feel it. Even when I play guitar and I am not a guitar players, but sometimes we do need one and I can play chords pretty good .At least I know all the songs that I need for this kind of music.
Point is, my T5 is just a tool, like my digital mixer. And my accordion and guitar are my instruments .

Ian, I think we're saying the same thing from just a slightly different perspective.

I do go to an arranger for composition and just "noodling" around.

I mostly play jazz guitars, vibes, acoustic bases, etc. because for recording and performance, that's what people pay me to do.

Playing without automation is also my preference, and that is opposite you preference.

Nothing at all wrong with that. There's no right or wrong here.

I don't like Yamaha electrical instruments and the planned obsolescence I detect in their lines.

So what?

I like and respect you and acknowledge that only good musicians work in the industry you spent so many years in.

Ho, Ho, Ho, all!


Russ

Hey Russ,

"Noodling around" on my arranger has not only been very enjoyable, but has kept me very busy in the business.

I suppose it depends on the length and sustainability of one's noodle.

Ian