I play a lot for government functions in the state capitol.
Most jobs are 1 hour...a gathering time before a meeting. Occasionally, it'll be a standard 4 hour gig with bass and drums plus a horn.
I have been using the house piano; a 10 year old Yamaha grand, when possible, but taking equipment up to Frankfort breaking down and making another job in Lexington an hour later is nearly impossible.
I am splitting the cost (my participation is a price concession of $50.00 per job until 1/2 the equipment is paid for) of a small electronic piano (self-contained stand; hopefully, with wheels)and a small arranger good for left hand bass and easy to manipulate without pedals.
I have been using a 13 note Ketron pedal set-up for years, so the change will be dramatic.
For size and portability (jobs are all over the place in the building I work), I'd like the piano to be 76 notes.
For tones, I'm a standards/ jazz player, so the presets on the arranger need to be fairly hip.
From a practical standpoint, the arranger would be mostly used for left-hand bass and drums,and then only for every 10th job or so. I would also use a small mixer to play everything thru the piano amplifier and speakers. This works at another house job I have. The piano there is an 88 note Yamaha, which is sometimes difficult to move quickly.
Most of the music is background, so the set-up thru the piano for vocal and occasional guitar is OK. For larger jobs or for guitar only (1/3 of my jobs are just instrumental guitar), I bring in appropriate amplifiers and/or PA.
Small, easy to access and pro sound are more important than price.
Suggestions?
Russ