Strip away the technology layer by layer until all you have is a solo piano, organ, accordion or whatever and then see how many people come to see you. I wonder...

Even though many of us would argue we could handle a real solo gig, how many of us would want to? The technology is there because we like it, some need, most just want it there. For musicians, technology builds our sound. A SMF makes me sound much more realistic than a style or arrangement in many case. I like it, the audiencee likes it. It's reality. Take away the technology and I'd still be playing most of the same songs, but I'd be working harder to get a smaller sound. Why?

Right ON!! Great suggestion!! If you want to see the difference between pure performance and enhanced performance w/arrangers and MIDI, the next time you are playing a gig and folks are swaying or dancing to your music, do this: Turn off the (midi or arranger or beat box) drums. Turn off the (midi or arranger) bass. Turn off the (midi or arranger) congas…Turn off the (midi or arranger) strings. That’s it - turn EVERYTHING off until it’s just what YOU are doing with your hands. I bet the swaying stops. Cause then you are playing cocktail music. Then, many of the folks who came to hear the “music” will wonder where the "music" went.

I have nothing against “performers” wanting to make sure everyone recognizes their skill. But the minute any one of us uses an automated tool, we need to come from behind the shroud of “it’s all me and nothing else but me making this music”. You can’t really have it both ways folks, if you use any kind of automation whatsoever, you are part of the “using a tool to sound bigger than I am” mindset. Because even if you skinny it down to just you and the drum machine, you can bet $100 there will always be that guy in the crowd that says “Look – there’s no drummer and I hear drums – it’s KARAOKE!”… So my advice to you is either go totally acoustic, or you should accept the fact that you are using automation to enhance your sound. And get over it.

R/I

Cool post, RI, very well said.

Ian

that's it! the phrase "enhanced performance"- that's what an arranger gives us..it is presumed in the phrase that we know how to perform. If we don't know how to perform, and use the backgrounds as the presentation, then we are not really musicians. But if we know how to make music on our own, then the arranger enhances what we do--that's the art of arranger playing. but that presumes there is an audience that appreciates the difference

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Miami Mo

Sorry, RI, but that is exactly what my duo does! Maybe a quarter of our repertoire, I play LH bass and keys, he plays acoustic guitar, and we entertain the crowd doing some popular folk rock numbers, bluegrass, ballads. No machines, no mp3's, we just play. To be honest, sometimes the audience reaction is BETTER than some of the sequenced stuff..!

Maybe, if you can't get a crowd to like your act without the machines, either find a different crowd, play something appropriate that the crowd DOES like with no machines, or shed a little more so you can...

Trust me, it CAN be done...

I do 30 jobs a year on B-3 and Rhodes with drummer...80 plus jobs on just guitar...100 on only piano and 60 or so with a band or with an arranger.

I guess the point is, you have to locate a market for what you do and how you want to do it.

I get top money for the area and a bank account to be proud of. Been doing it for 50 years in the best venues...no "animal" clubs, nursing homes or assisted living facilities.
(nothing against them...just don't do it).

Everyone should find what works and what they can live with. Either entertain, play or do a combination that you're comfortable with. Find your place in the spectrum.

But, DO IT! Use technology as a tool, but never as a crutch. This area is full of horn players, guitar players and keyboard players who couldn't beg a non-paying job without using sequences, mp-3's or other tools. Those are the folks that really piss me off.

UD, Tony, Chas, Diki, Fran, DonM and others (me, included) use tools (the degree of use varies between players; usually as a function of whether they are primarily entertainers or musicians), but they can really play. That's fine. They're successful and they've earned their success.

It's the "posers" (and believe me, they're everywhere) that makes it hard for those who do it right.

R.

Remember this simple rule “Technology is a Very Good Servant, but a Very Bad Master” and you will be fine.

Bill

I play an arranger keyboard for all of my gigs.

My audience comes to hear ME.

Am I cheating them?

Nope.

I make MY own styles, write out MY own arrangements of cover tunes(of all genres)and manage to achieve MY own distinctive sound on an arranger.

Are they hearing ME?

Of course they are.

Ian

Diki et al: Whoa! I’m not the one complaining! I like what arrangers do for me. I’m quite satisfied with the sound of my ‘board and as long as the crowd likes my (automation enhanced) sound and I keep getting callbacks, I see no need to change my style. My message remains that whatever works for you…. Work to perfect your abilities and go for it. The theme of my post ALSO REMAINS that automation, i.e., MIDI and the tools that are associated with MIDI CAN serve us. Our challenge (if we elect to!) is to tastefully employ that automation to enhance our sound.

Also remember that first and foremost, the majority of us obviously love music or we would not be chasing this rainbow in the first place. There is certainly plenty of room for all of us and our performing or entertaining styles. Some of us want to be technicians so we can play blistering solos, and others of us just want to create great sounding music. With today’s keyboards and arranger technology, every one of us who aspires to make music and a salary at it to boot has an avenue to do so. The rest, of course, is purely up to each one of us. And I am quite confident that (with and without automation), the cream will continue to float to the top.

One final thought….. I am beginning to wonder if maybe WE aren’t our own WORST enemy. People on this forum are continually musing “why aren’t arrangers as big in the U.S. as they are in Europe”? Based on the posts herein, maybe it’s because of the reluctance of some of the guys on this very forum to just acknowledge their true benefits?

R/I

Answer this...

Is playing a keyboard in a live band with a bass player, drummer, guitarist, sax, trumpet etc considered cheating too? The only difference I see is that the musicians recorded there parts when the arranger keyboard was assembled and you just call upon them in digital form !o produce the fullness of a live band.

You still have to know all the song key's and structure, key changes etc exactly as you would in a live band situation...if you don't how to play a
Song using all the chords and melody lines of the song etc then an arranger keyboard is pretty much 'dead in the water'

The only cheaters I have seen are the ones who play pre-recorded orchestrations (Midi FIles) and mime to them...now that's cheating!!!

Playing arrangers is a skill in itself, don't be ashamed of using them if you actually know how to play, its just another performing tool for gods sake.

NJ