Workstations or Arrangers ... (again?)

Not sure if this was ever posted (it's pretty old), but it's a pretty solid comparison for newbies. We talk about this a lot, so here's a good reference video.

https://youtu.be/UGANVTsDKH4

Dave, thanks for sharing this. As we all get older...many of us aren’t playing out as much, but still want to create music. Squeak seems to like creating from scratch. Donny likes to create with assistance of elements of styles. That is the category I put myself into. Creating music with a little assistance from an arranger Is nirvana for me. Plus...if you just feel like sitting down and jamming, an arranger provides a enjoyable experience for that. MHO
Mitch

Ita just marketing talk...

The pa4x is just as much workstation as arranger

- workstation is a concept..
- auto accompaniment is a feature
- arranger is any keyboard with auto accompaniment on board..

Its just a thin line..
In general its better to just compare features between keyboards
The labeling them in cattegories?

All arranger have the Casio home organ stigma curse attach to it.. That's all the public relates to..

I'm the public, and I say no.

that's why it is kept separate on the market also..
arranger vs synth workstation....pro player vs home amateur player
big box store buying vs music store
its plain to see

Donny, you need to get out more. When Carol and I went to Mexico, we stayed at Riu Palace Las Americas and we saw several shows a night, and every one of them featured someone on an arranger keyboard. The same was true when my son and his wife went to Playa Del Carmen. I think this is more YOUR perception than the general public's. Almost every restaurant in Baltimore's Little Italy has an arranger keyboard player and no one looks at them as Casio toys or home organs.

Keep in mind there are hundreds of thousands of arranger keyboard players working in other parts of the world, and very few of them even bother to spend time on the Synthzone. Arranger keyboard players are very popular throughout Europe and Asia. No one there looks at them as home organ players. One of our members, Abby Pianoman, works nearly every night of the week at various restaurants on the Mediterranean Island of Ibiza, but frequently travels to other countries to perform using his Genos and Electric piano. I seriously doubt that he is considered a home organ player and is in high demand everywhere he goes.

I can only think of one time when an elderly lady came up to me and said "My grandson has one of those." When I asked where he plays, she said "Oh, he doesn't play anywhere other than home." I just smiled and kept the dance floor filled to capacity.

Gary

gary....let's just agree to disagree shall we...


look on most major musical act stages not an arranger kb in sight, there is a reason for that...most pro keyboard players won't be seen with one on a national touring band stage...Hmmmmm?


look in Bj's, sams club, Costco etc..wheat do you see there?..
casios, medeli, and who knows what stacked up high for all the home players to have fun with or grand kids..


we are a very small percentage of people that know the score on arrangers and play them in a suedo professional way, ....
but that is a small piece of the puzzle compared to the rest of the worlds audiences.

that's all i have to say.

I think the following sentiment has been expressed many times here;
"Who gives a sh*t".

Perhaps we could discuss something more meaningful, like "why is the sky blue?".

chas

Thats more a US thing..

Overhere in the EU the stigma is more atached to certain types of music..
Which in general shows trough the onboard styles..

Great points. It is interesting to note how often we are influenced and "conditioned" to think in a certain way by marketing and for that matter anything else.

But do they use arrangers because they want to, or is it because clubs and pubs are no longer prepared to pay for a live band, and an arranger is the only way that musicians can earn money for something they enjoy.
Given the choice would you go and see a live band or an arranger player, for me it would be a live band, as while an arranger is a jack of all trades, it is a master of none.

Bill

Tony wow... So glad to hear that you are doing well and enjoyed your trip..
sounds amazing!

Why I started using arrangers:
1. Easy choice to go from huge organs to light weight arrangers.
2. Price. I get a keyboard, a "band", a vocal processor, a backup singer, a mixer, a harmony machine, multiple effects, a nice display for lyrics/text, a sequencer, a karaoke machine, a digital recorder, much more...all in one inexpensive package!
3. I get to keep all the money.
4. I don't have to teach the other members of the band any new songs.
5. I don't have to worry whether the drummer runs off with the guitar player's wife
6. I don't have to check with anyone before accepting or rejecting a job.
7. Arrangers don't drink on the job. And they always show up on time. And they never bring a drunk girlfriend with them. And I don't have to worry about how they are dressed.
They gladly work on their birthday, holidays, overtime, anniversaries.
8. If I play a wrong chord change, the band follows me. Good or bad?
9. They let me belong to a very small, elite club of like-minded, good-hearted, semi-sober ARRANGER PLAYERS! HEE HEE!

Yeah, but that leaves almost no stories to tell your grandkids.



chas

I have lots of them, but my grandkids are not old enough to hear many of them!

Dave thanks, good video. You’re always thinking, nice!
My take, a bit different because I live on another planet --- I want to learn everything that my present keyboard has to offer. Each keyboard has been designed by a team of experts, much smarter than me, I want every bit of it.

I do understand those who spend a short time, and end up deciding the keyboard is not or me, and have come to their decision because there are things, they want that are not in the keyboard. Fine, it is their direction. But, in the short time with the keyboard they never discovered the potential of the keyboard. I admire Tony and his Pa900, the keyboard must be like his pal.

My history: Many, many years with Technics -- 1 ½ years with the Ty3 --- about three years with Korg, and now back to Yamaha to learn the rest of the story.

My advice years ago to new buyers ---- don’t buy a keyboard you can learn to use in a month; if you do you will be bored.
John C.

PS, WOW, this post can also be applied to wives. (smile)(aaaaah)