I’m a little late to the party but my 2 cents anyway:
We have been staying this winter in a place called The Villages. There are 3 town squares where dance music is played 7 nights per week with a different band playing Some bands rotate at which town squares they play at. For the most part it’s all bands playing, but once a week you’ll see a DJ at one of the town squares. Then there are restaurants that seem to have singers working with backing tracks. To date I’ve seen one guy using a Korg Pa3x, but while we were at the restaurant I never saw him touch the Pa3x, he was actually working with backing tracks and singing using some type of DJ rig I did not recognize. There’s another restaurant and we hope to get there some Friday night since the one promo photo I saw shows the guy playing a Tyros not sure which model.
Right now the most enjoyment I’m getting with music is playing a 1 hour weekly piano solo gig in the lobby of an upscale medical center that specializes in cancer treatment. It’s great they have a $695 Yamaha Portable Grand all I do is show up and start playing do my hour and leave. When I took the gig I expected it to be low key wallpaper music and on the somber side because of the nature of the facility. It’s not one of those gigs you expect a lot of audience reaction but have to say have had some very positive response. Only problem as we know these type gigs are few and far between at least for me.
Ed made a good point with what he wrote:
Mp3 and Midi aside, audience members here a trumpet, and know I am not playing a trumpet. They hear Vibes, but no Vibes in sight. They hear a full orchestra or country combo and see only me and my arranger. It's a tool to compliment your talent and people do appreciate the command you have over your instrument.
E