I don't feel the need to defend arrangers. They have kept me from having to get a real job for 30 years.
I used organs and peripherals for arrangers before they were invented.
Last night I had two world-class musicians join me. One is a super-talented guitar player, the other a harmonica player, just moved back here from Nashville. Both have been pros for many years. Both were overjoyed for me to pay them $100. each for four hours work.
We sounded great and it was a privilege to work with them. However, the bottom line is I didn't really need them. It didn't put another dollar in the cash register or the jar.
I'd forgotten how much more work it is to set up for a "band". Bigger mixer, extra cables, extra mics, stands, etc. Had to reposition speakers, announce songs and keys. . .sorta like a bachelor getting married, you have make a few changes!
Both brought their own small amps. I tried to patch them through the main board so I could record, but if I got the signal loud enough in the mix there, they were too loud for the audience, which of course is the primary consideration. So I didn't get good recordings. Too bad, I would love to have recordings of it.
Getting off topic, I guess, so I'll shut up and eat breakfast.

Henni, nothing personal, I assure you, but there is so much about what you just said that I disagree with (in both your music AND aviation analogy), I don't even know where to start. Note that I didn't say you were wrong, just that I disagreed with it. I'll have to elaborate in a future post as my wife is patiently waiting for me to go with her to the store. And BTW, stay out of high-performance jet aircraft. You may THINK you're a pilot but if you haven't been thoroughly trained in one, I guarantee that it'll give "situational awareness" a whole new meaning for you .

chas

Never expected you to agree for a moment chas. "Nothing personal" , but you do not like my way of doing things, neither am I impressed by any of yours (yawn). We are all different. That's what makes life so stunning...

As much as I cannot fly a fighter aircraft, even though I am good at flying other things, just as little chance does a good guitar player for instance have of "flying" an arranger without experience, regardless of how good he is on his instrument. Arranger playing takes the art of making music to a whole new level!

And no, perfect timing is not all there is to it & neither does the results of it (perfect timing) make for music to be to every ones liking... I find many perfectly timed tunes rather boring if there is no WOW in it. Just like you, I also have much to say on this topic alone, so let's not go there. You posted something with fancy timing not too long ago that made absolutely no impression on me & neither will it impress the crowd that we play to. To each his own...

In any case, enjoy your shopping.

I am not a performing player, and might be whats comsidered the typicall home arranger player that wants to improve his skills continously...

Arrangers are perfect for just sit and play, choose your style and play your mellody, relax while playing, choose different styles or voices with the same song, eddit your sounds and settings till it sounds like you want and save as a registration.. For me its fun and relaxing.. I enjoy myself this way atleast an hour a day..

Next to that there is the other part of me, that tries to continously improve his skills, recently started taking piano lessons agains and excersis for atleast an hour each day behind the piano..

And then one night a week i teach my neffews, not as much as a musicteacher, but more about how to use their arranger.. And what can be done with it.. I leave the music teaching to a real keyboard teacher..

There is also the part of my that will soon start rehearsing with a few old friends for a gig with a newly formed cover band... And they needed a keyboard player on top of their piano player...


But when it comes to arrangers and keyboards in general, i am allways looking for new creative tools, not to improve my skills with, not even because i want to sound better, but mostlly because i am looking for new toys to be creative with.. A good example is Karma on the Kronos, its so easy to get lost in tome with that for hours and hours...

My keyboards are my toys, and just like any other kid, i fantasise amd dream about new toys to explore..

At this point, my main considerations are things that make my job easier, because they all sound good.
Things like weight, size, features, ease of operation, display, setup time needed, peripherals...
I still learn new songs occasionally, but spend my free time fishing, playing golf, hanging with grandson, and playing "Chase each other 'round the room tonight" with my wife.
My skills in all these endeavors are more likely to decline than increase at this stage.

Whew! You have no idea how relieved I am. In the past you have posted some of what YOU thought sounded good and timing aside, it probably wouldn't go over very well with my audiences either. But hey, different strokes for different folks, right? BTW, I don't think there's any such thing as "fancy timing". You either have rhythm or you don't. If you do, you don't even think about it, if you don't you probably aren't going to learn it. BTW, I love NATIVE African rhythms. They tend to be very complex and definitely require that all the musicians rhythmically be on the same planet. So I'm guessing this isn't the "crowd you play to".

Anyhow, I'm glad 'righteous' people don't hold grudges. Just keep those 18" subs pumping. If the bass is loud enough, you can't hear the music anyway. Oh, and I'd stay out of those Experimental Class deathtraps, too. They tend to be very unforgiving and account for over half of all aviation accidents. Just friendly advice.

chas

Funny topic as all of you guys do is talk about how amazing arranger keyboards are. Except Chas, of course. Be real, you laud horrible performances but berate (at least some of you) voices/styles just because you own a different brand. Whenever the postings get scarce you blame it on not having a new arranger coming out soon enough. Why doesn't the OP lead the way? What are the OP's needs? We never get to know...

1,2,cha cha cha

Oh, can't handle the truth?

Be honest, your post is just another example of self-promotion. Some people actually do read between the lines, you know.

I've enjoyed over the years when a real musician says ,'Man what was that chord you played just before the 3 chord." what was that progression or turn around you used before the bridge to change from Eb to Gb so on and so forth. Not, Oh! that keyboard has a great piano sound, or man that's the best sax sound I've ever heard on an electronic instrument. Think about it!!!