I see the points on both sides, to a degree, but when I see a DJ, I think what advantages he may have.
1. He probably has most any tune and knows how to keep things moving.
2. More than likely, he can talk it up and provide all kinds of scratch noises and effects.
He is good as an entertainer that can provide music for any occasion.

OOH
Maybe it is wishful thinking, but I think people appreciates the talent it takes to play an instrument in a creative sense. I think it takes more talent than putting on a disk and dancing around, at least I would. I know, that is a bit sarcastic.

Most of the time I play guitar lead sounds, or piano. Audiences can relate to my being able to produce those sounds on a keyboard. Most of them are used to seeing guitar players with at least drum and bass tracks.
I will occasionally play a song from youtube if the situation merits, but I make sure to stand up so they know I'm not representing that I'm playing it.
As far as justifying arrangers; I don't feel a need to do that; they have kept me from having to get a "real job" for many years.

"The ground beneath you is shifting, and either you get sucked in by holding on to old ways,
or you take a giant step forward by taking some risks and seeing what happens."

-Bonnie Hammer

If the ground shifts from under me, and they quit asking me to play music, I'll fish more.

For me, I am quite comfortable playing a guitar in front of an audience and singing through a quality mic and sound system, something I did regularly when I was much younger.

However, the arranger keyboard offered me far more versatility than I could have ever dreamed of with a guitar. It allows me to confidently perform country, big band, jazz, rock, and even some classical music and smoothly transition from one song to the next, leaving minimal dead time between songs and keeping the dance floors packed. The styles provided me with high quality, professional sounds that made it easy to provide my audiences with songs they were familiar with, and also those they requested from time to time. If I was familiar with the requested song, it only took a couple seconds to call up a suitable style, complete with a good intro, and a variety of right hand instruments that sounded very realistic. Granted, the audiences were aware I was not playing a guitar, sax, fiddle, etc..., but in reality, they didn't really care - they were just having fun and enjoying the musical entertainment that I, and my arranger keyboard, provided at the time.

Now, would they have enjoyed it just as much if I were doing Karaoke and DJing? I don't think so. But this just my assessment of the audiences at the time. And, as stated above by our illustrious host, the arranger allows me the ability to either cut a song short when I see the audience is not responding the way I wish, or extend it if they are late getting on the dance floor. Can't do that with an midi file or MP3. This is the kind of flexibility that an arranger offers in so many ways and I, for one, have utilized this ability hundreds of time.

OK Chas, we've show you ours, now show us yours. Why do YOU play an arranger keyboard?

All the best,

Gary

But will you fish from a dinghy or an ocean liner? ...and will those eating your catch give a damn?

chas

Exactly,......let's face it we've all been around playing for a long time yes it's hard to let go and pass the torch but eventually it will happen to all of us one way or another,.......remember the good times and be happy to wake up in the morning.

I will fish from my bass boat, 19-foot with 150 hp engine. If it were new, it would cost about $40,000. I bought it used six years ago, for $10,000.; it's a '99 model. Everything works great, so no need to update. Just like arrangers!
New boats might have more sophisticated fish finders, get a little better gas mileage, and be a trifle shinier. They might go a little faster, but 50 mph is fast enough for me and I seldom go that fast. To me a new boat is not worth the money and won't catch more fish! And all those areas can be addressed, much like arrangers.

Well first of all, I don't play an arranger keyboard; I play WITH arranger keyboards. I have had quite a few arrangers starting with the Roland G800, but I have never played one on a gig. I FREELY ADMIT that I have never thought of them in the same way as my other keyboards, be they synths, pianos, organs, clavs, or Rhodes. The seperation/dividing line for me was always the auto-accompaniment feature. The other reason I never used one on a gig is that it would have been heresy in the venues I played in. Not only would I have been the laughing stock of the other musicians but the (mostly jazz) audiences we played to wouldn't have accepted it either. Now the reason I have had so many is that I'm a geek by nature, training, and education, and I always thought Arrangers were great for stimulating fresh ideas about new ways to approach a song. I also knew that they would be a really handy tool for songwriters as a musical scratchpad. I just never saw them as producing an 'END PRODUCT'. Despite all the advances in arranger technology, I STILL feel that way. I don't think any arranger will ever create an arrangement EXACTLY as you would want it, or would have done it 'manually'.

One thing to keep in mind; whatever I think about arrangers has NOTHING to do with the business end of music, as I can understand the potential financial benefits of using one in a OMB situation that is substituting for a real band (or not having to put up with psycho drummers or constantly tuning guitar players - geez, get a damn guitar that stays in tune for more than 1 song). For the record though, I haven't touched any of my arrangers for at least 6 months (and I play every day), the exception being my BK7m which I use as a drum machine (yeah, I know, that's 'auto-accompaniment too), and the reason is BOREDOM. I've played organ for 50 years and I still get the same kick out of it that I did the first time I sat down to a B3. For ME, THAT'S the difference. One is me, the other is someone else. Not defending or justifying; just explaining (and trying to answer Gary's question). I could go on but now I'm starting to bore myself .

chas

Chas, maybe you just own the wrong arranger keyboards

Or you are stuck on the stigma of arranger keyboards

Fact is the arranger keyboard is a tool with different features for different types of players..

My "instrument" choice is the Roland G70 for many reasons... I will try to explain why.

First the quality of the sounds equal the dedicated instruments you mentioned or own..
The piano is as good as they get,,, I have decent Rhodes . . and a decent drawbar organ.. Thus the G70 replacing all those instruments..

I do not rely on "styles", yet the G70 is perfect for my playing interest..

I can split and layer my sounds as I want... and easily saved..

I have what many consider the best key feel.. and 76 notes to play on..

What ever I would need a "workstation" for... I can use the G70 .. primarily the sequencer and effects..

I can mute enough of my styles to give me a better foundation for a project..

The G70 makes a great drum machine..

A very nice mic input with effects and harmonizer .. if and when I want one..

All from one instrument.... this is why I like and use arrangers... not for auto play.. but all my needs..

Yes I do like and use SMF play... when I want... actually prefer SMF over style.. But I don't have to rely on it..


I have a radio in my car, but
I don't have to listen to "rap".... I can listen to oldies instead... You get my point..

Just because they are called arrangers doesn't mean you can't use them as go to instruments..