Wow...it looks like I opened a Pandora's box here!

I don’t have the time to post much anymore, but I couldn’t stand by here without commenting once again.

Interesting, controversial, unconventional, educational, informative, rebellious, confrontational, provocative, stimulating, challenging, etc are some of the words I would use to describe Chas’s postings in this thread. I definitely would not throw in the words pompous, demeaning, insulting, etc.

Chas was making a point that I feel a few of you missed, particularly DMAC. I went back and read his comments here word by word 2x, and found nothing that he wrote was out of line. What WAS out of line was misinterpretation of what he was actually saying by some of the readers. And definitely a lack of appreciation for his candidness and “out of the box” thinking. The kind of thinking that great inventors, great scientists, great writers, great artists and great MUSICIANS have used to advance civilization and society over the years to greater levels.

As I see it, he was addressing the lack of desire of players to improve themselves and the delusional self-image of those who choose to stay in Arranger Keyboard Heaven. He didn’t condemn anyone for it. He didn’t chastise anyone. He simply brought it to the attention of those who refuse to face reality. That there are arranger players who fool themselves into thinking they are the best thing since sliced bread and refuse to recognize, for one thing, that, for lack of better words they are ½ a musician. And that by staying in “arranger land” they don’t have to come out of that mode and put in the effort a pianist does in becoming a more complete musician.

Now I’m not talking about the real pro’s who play professional piano but use arrangers by choice. And I’m not talking about those who prefer an arranger for the full orchestra/band sound it puts out over a piano.

I’m meaning arranger players who make their “full productions” by depending on auto-playing to do most of the background work, while they....SING. Have not any of you noticed there are very few these days who can play a whole song as an instrumentalist only? In fact, there are very few who can even play 16 bars of melody in between their vocals. Even fewer who remember to use their “break” option. It’s....let the machine just run by itself while I sing to it!

I was listening to the organ part of Santana’s Oye Como Va in the supermarket the other day and the butcher and I both commented you’ll never hear playing like that again in those pre-arranger days. You’ll never hear talent like that again, because, as I’ve already said….the machines do it all for us now. No need any longer to study your craft. Just set the gimmicks and gadgets running, turn your video camera on yourself, and bingo!....you’re ready to go on Youtube for your 15 minutes of fame!


As for Nigel’s “elimination” of Chas’s rebuttal post to DMAC (I happened to catch it before it “disappeared”) I agree Nigel did the right thing. It was extremely disruptive to the somewhat even flow of the thread. But...while the anger WAS upsetting, to me it was understandable. Let’s face it, we’re musicians. We’re emotional people or we wouldn’t be playing music...”emotion” being one of the main requirements.

Now, I felt DMAC missed the actual message Chas was spelling out in his post and “disrespected” him and talked down to him. For the record, I consider Chas to be a very wise person (from his writings). So Chas did a “knee-jerk” reaction and wrote back what he did. Now, I feel he should have “cooled off” before writing back, and definitely he should have been more refined in his response, but I refer back to what I said previously: some people just ask to be told off! DMAC challenged Chas, spoke down to a much wiser person (in my opinion), and that was the result.


Russ wrote: “In my opinion, there have been a few posts here recently that were plain AWFUL! What's the right thing to do, in light of the request by the poster to comment?"

Mark is thinking....let the poster make decisions like that easier for us. When you post a song, you also post one of the following:

1) ALL comments are appreciated, both good or bad. I am sincerely looking to improve my playing
2) NO comments please, either good or bad. I’m too thin-skinned to take the chance on negative reviews.
3) I’m just looking to share what I’m doing...don’t care much about improving, so...no comments needed, and....thanks for listening.

There’s a saying in psychology and religious circles: Loathe the sin but love the sinner. Bringing that philosophy to groups like this, it means: What’s the big deal about thinking or saying something like: "that song you did was really awful,but that doesn’t mean you’re not a great person in my book. It just means....”that song you did was really awful!”

BTW....the best part of this whole thread was Ian’s response with the “minion” eating the popcorn. Now THAT'S what I call “out of the box” thinking! (Mark uses the "overused "hand clap!" Chas…..you have a long way to go to top that one!

Whewwww! I was full of energy when I started this post. Now I'm out of breath and am going to sleep for the next 7 days....maybe even a week!

Mark