Ah the "elitist" rears it's bitter head...It must really pain you that people who never opened a Hanon book or had a formal lesson in their life can make their living playing on arranger keyboards....People who cold not get a job playing piano in a mall can demand $200 for a few hours playing an Arranger keyboard.

Here's a clue...there is no difference between and entertainer and a keyboard player. By virtue of having an audience, EVERY player is an entertainer whether playing Clair de lune at Carnegie Hall or Just the Way you Are at Joe's Beach Bar.Since when are "musician" and "entertainer" mutually exclusive terms. Only to the elitist....

Arranger players ARE players...they cannot get the job without playing. No they don't have to have great chops, they don't have to be able to play Flight of the Bumble Bee. They don't even have to play only piano... All they have to do is play chords and some melody or sing the melody and another few hundred in the bank and some coin in the tip jar.....easy money..

Keyboard players for shows like Legends in Concert don't make as much as some Arranger players here.....$800 a week!!! for playing in a main room show in Las Vegas, Branson, Atlantic city.. and those guys are readers, some are Berkley Grads!!! An Arranger player invoicing $200 a night 6 nights a week makes far more for far less time invested. Who's the "entertainer" in that scenario?

Now if its personal accomplishment thats important, Thats an INDIVIDUAL matter. Some people's idea of personal accomplishment has nothing to do with being able to read a lead sheet or play for four hours on only an acoustic Piano. And especially not another's view of what should be considered accomplishment.

People get paid for what they DO today...not what they CAN DO were there is no market. Fortunately those who did not learn to play the keyboard under iron rule since the age of 2 can make a living given the technology available and public taste. That's a GOOD thing...

And the drummer is always sober and on time.....



[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 05-22-2009).]