Arranger saved the day!

For the last 6 months, my arranger "play for pay" has been nil.

All my jobs have been either guitar instrumentals, with my guitar/bass/drum trio, on B-3 or a combination of some of these.

Almost all sessions have been on guitar and piano.


That's the way I like it, but yesterday, my trusty SD-5 came thru, big-time! I was called by a potential new client, who manufactures a new kind of solar panel. The job was to create training materials to educate sub-contractors about specifying and installing the equipment. Part of the program is a series of videos involving the "spec to install" sequence.

The president of the company was trying to describe the idea he had for the film(s), complete with some "dramatic, green" music he was visualizing.

I ran to the car and got my SD-5, set it up, and began to play various pieces to get the "feel" he was thinking about.


In about 15 minutes, we had a direction. He was much more impressed than if I had simply used a piano or guitar for an on site rough.

From a billing standpoint, total revenue for the finished three films will be about 50 times the cost of a "fully loaded" SD-5.

For lower end scores, I sometimes just use the arranger for an entire production.

So, while I'm sort of gravitating away from performances on an arranger, they really pay their way as production/ demo tools.


Russ

Excellent news, Russ.

I have been approached by a retired psychologist who is doing audio books of his writings (prose and poetry), and he want me to use the Tyros4 as a way of making accompanying music.

I haven't been doing much gigging with the Tyros4, other than clinics and demos for Yamaha, but hopefully there will be some in the near future.

Glad to hear your good ole SD-5 saved the day.

Ian

It is amazing that the "production" side of the arranger keyboard is not talked about all that much. I submitted an original tune I did on my SD1. 99% of the submitted songs were done on workstations.I must say, the ability of using an arranger is 100 times better then what was submitted with workstations.

..and to continue this theme, I often just sit at the keyboard and run my fingers over the keys together with "arranger" buttons and surprisingly come up with some pretty music...sometimes of course I get nothing to inspire me but when I do , I really enjoy the session.
Unfortunately, the inspired music just disappears into thin air and is lost for ever!
That is why I am in the process of buying a T2 or similar to be able to switch on a "record" button at the beginning of one of these inspired moments....

My kn-6000 has been 'instrumental' (pun intended :)) in the music project I have been working on with a songwriter friend of mine ...

Eddie - you could also purchase a ZOOM digital recorder and capture those moments with your current equipment ...
http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h4n/

Yes, thanks for your suggestion.I had already considered the Zoom types but decided I would like a Tyros anyway!
cheers

further to my last mail, I just missed out on a great deal for a T2! so I have begun a search for Zoom H4N. Unfortunately there are no dealers in UK for this item . Those which originate from US carry certain annoying conditions like no after service, no returns and 'grey import' duty etc.
As a long shot and probably not likely is there a uk member of this forum who can assist with a uk dealer?