DNJ has touched on some real problems on arranger availability and sales in stores.

But I think that the arranger manufacturers are to blame for this.

Most times they release a new keyboard, it is usually just some small changes made to an older one. Then they charge unreasonably high prices.

The consumer, probably because they don’t get what they want on the new release, look for the cheapest price where ever they can find it (over the internet, out of state and so on). This hurts the local dealer. And as such, the local dealer does not stock the high-end arrangers because they are unreasonably priced and not enough persons buy from them to justify having on display.

Is this right, should it be like this? Absolutely not!!

Consumers should be able to walk in to their local music shop, see and demo their desired arranger and buy it from that local dealer at a reasonable price.


This would be good for all involved because the manufacturer would get their product displayed and bought so that they can fund R and D, the local dealer would get sales and customers to stay in business and the consumer would get a reasonably price high-end arranger and local support.

For this to happen, high-end arranger manufacturers must realize the change in times and adapt their business strategy as it relates to arranger product development, marketing and pricing.

Whether we like it or not, we are getting in to a more software based environment. Arranger manufacturers are competing in this environment. As such, new arrangers must be able to take software upgrades that can take new sounds and styles whether from the manufacturer or third parties. Interaction between the hardware arranger and a computer is critical for today’s musician.

Manufacturers must put some time and money in to marketing. That is not just to arranger players, but other keyboard players and musicians as well. Market an arranger the same or even a better way you would a workstation or new music software. That means you must have the hippest sounds and some styles on the keyboard itself. That’s not to say that you must eliminate the traditional arranger styles, but have some banks of sounds and styles catering to today’s sounding music.

The next thing is price. For at lease one arranger product, market penetration should be a strategy. Charge the same or even a lower price you would a workstation. Making a distinction between arrangers and workstations as it relates to price saying that arrangers have to cost more because of the intellectual property of styles and the technology is pointless. There is just as much intellectual property and technology issues as it relates to workstations and arpeggios as there is with arrangers and styles.

Remember when a keyboardist sees a new keyboard for the first time, they don’t see arranger or workstation they mostly see something to play that has great sounds and rhythms to make music with.


So to get arranger displayed in more stores, 1. it starts with a great sounding and user friendly product
2. and a marketing campaign to penetrate the market
3. and reasonable prices.