An arranger keyboard is still a keyboard 😳. Why would a pro not use a keyboard of any kind ? If I sat in a concert with other live musicians as I often do playing the keyboard parts or supplementing the horns or playing sine wave lead or synth pads , do you think anyone knows including the other musicians I am playing with that my keyboard is an arranger ?

It has been said over and over that an arranger keyboard is a multipurpose instrument and it’s versatility is its greatest strength but unfortunately least known strength because of a basic prejudice that still persists that somehow the automation is essential when playing an arranger keyboard . It simply is not . But it’s great to have it when you do t have a band in situ and you need to sketch out a musical idea , as well as produce partial or complete tracks or surprise surprise just sit and play keyboards .