One more thing,

in Europe it is vastly more accepted to have a OMB at a wedding or special occasion than a band, even though you'll see that too.
But you do expect a hell of a lot from them: playing the latest music of the pop charts, telling jokes and doing animation/games with the audience, especially at a wedding.

Bands perform more in large clubs, more as a concert kind of venue.

I guess different things are expected from musicians in Europe vs the US.

Eric

in US it's all about LIVE.OK 3 piece combos bands will fill any bar than top arranger giggers.
also the major popularity is AMERICAN
music,country to jazz and blues,audience expects sax player/or slide gtr etc players.Blues/jazz is a major LIVE music that people expects(in malls,any special occations etc ),not pop.if you are 4 piece band(drums,bass,keys or gtr and a horn player it's easy to find band gigs including weddings etc).

another important fact-full band LIVE BAND music also is relatively easier to do (compare to EU)because the demand and self transportation is relatively easier(gas prices to cheaper cars,do you know that in most EU countries ,1 gal of gas is $7).most band memebers have own transportation so lugging you acoustic kit, tube amp,4 x 10 and 88 keys and PA and driving 40 miles everyday is not a big deal here.

Do we really know that arrangers in Europe are primarily used by amateurs?

From reading this and other forums and by manufacturer�s behavior, it would appear that arrangers in Europe are used substantially by professional musicians (musicians that play in public whether full time or part time).

Most of the arranger sales are in Europe (or at least they start in Europe) and arrangers are increasingly coming with more �professional� features i.e. sampling.

One example how manufacturers probably think that there are more professional arranger players in Europe than in the U.S is the Gem release of the Genesys xp module. Originally, that arranger module was not going to be released in the U.S. Modules are usually for gigging musicians who want a lighter set-up. By not originally wanting to release the Genesys xp module in the U.S it would be safe to assume that they believe that arrangers are used more professionally in other places than the U.S.

While there is a sizable market for the home user, I think that is more so in the U.S rather than in Europe. This is so I think because in the U.S the lower-end arrangers (with low quality sounds and styles) have been mass marketed to the home user. The advance features were not demonstrated a lot.

Also, the �professional� musician in the U.S has always looked down on arrangers. One of the reasons that a keyboard player told me is that if it is easy to use, then it is not a �real� keyboard for �professional� use.
Mark you this was around 5 or 6 years ago when some keyboard players enjoyed the fact that the workstations were very intricate and sometimes archaic and not as user friendly as they are today. They enjoyed the fact that workstations were hard to use because they needed to justify to the live instrument playing musicians (guitarist, saxophone players and so on) that it is not just button pushing, but there is an art to electronic keyboards. So if arrangers were looking too easy to use, they would look down on it.

And the cycle continues between marketing arrangers to everyday gigging musicians and the use of arrangers by everyday gigging musicians; which one comes first in the U.S.


While there is a sizable home market for arrangers in Europe, there is probably a big enough market in Europe for the full or part-time musician.

To the genesys:

"Do we really know that arrangers in Europe are primarily used by amateurs?
From reading this and other forums and by manufacturer�s behavior, it would appear that arrangers in Europe are used substantially by professional musicians (musicians that play in public whether full time or part time). "

Yes we do.
I was brought up in Germany and sold technics keyboards for a while.
So I know who came into the store and bought what.

If you read my earlier post you would see why this is: "A lot of americans look for fast and instant gratification. That's why we have Mc Donalds and SO many other fast food places.

Europeans (used to) know that a good meal takes time to prepare and cook and it's worth the wait.
So is learning an Instrument."

What I was trying to say is that Europeans demand much more and higher quality.
Even for the home user.

We can discuss all we want, but as I say unless you have lived over in Europe you'll never understand the mentallity which is so different than here.

But you're right too (which I did mention).
There are a lot of Pro's as well using high end arrangers.

Eric