I have played in all situations from rock/pop bands, big bands, tribute, jazz, solo, and as I always explain to people who view arranger keyboards as somehow cheating? (I use a PSR3000 a lot for functions)and explain that its the only real solution for replacing a full band, so its just a tool to meet a specific need. I point out when questioned about the arranger and how it works is that I play exactly the same chords, same notes, same solo's ect as if I was playing in a completely live band and in that situation I would follow the bass player and the drummer and that is precisely what I do with the arranger but the need for the other musicians has been replaced by digital electronics, in actuall fact I find its actually more mentally taxing playing an arranger out than playing in a totally live band, you can hide behind other musicians and turn down if we don't know the song to well.! (how many times have we done that guy's)....with an arranger it play's what YOU make it play and boy it sounds bad if you slip outa line...

I recently visited an area where nobody new me and dropped into a local music shop, asked to play a used Tyros on the shop floor, after about 5 minutes the salesman came up and said 'I've never heard it played like that before' and noticed straight away that I was not your usual ham fisted dabbler, so no matter what instrument you sit down and play..if your musical ability is good then it should not really matter what type of instrument you prefer to gig with.

quote: originally posted by ScottYee
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I've utilized various different arranger keyboard duo setups: from adding a female vocalist, guitarist, to horn (sax/flute)player, as well as percussionist. These setups have all worked nicely, but I believe the best duo arranger keyboard act would be to add a female singer-percussionist.
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Scott, adding a second performer of any
kind has its benefits, as we discussed,
but in particular a good percussionist
serves to "hide" the fact that we are
using canned rhythms-and elevates the
rhythm..we keep the rock-solid time..the
percussionist gives the rhythm a creative feel and unsurpassed variety--something a vocalist or horn can't do...you are still essentially OMB +1. I do my own singing, and occasional horn solo..most female vocalist-percussionists will play
a cocktail drum and/or shaker and not much else, partly because they have to stand and sing. a flashy percussionist
accomplishes a lot more to make it feel like a real duo and not just an OMB+1..
Miami Mo

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Donny...I really don't anticipate bands to ever capture the market share they once had. You and I have lived throught the virtual dissapearance of horn players in lounge acts, then bass players, then drummers. I take that as reality. The challenge is to adapt and evolve, as you have said. That's our reality. I know you and I agree, we owe it to ourselves to do the best we can and never stop learning.

For me, that's what it's all about. I enjoy the business as much today as I did when I started at 10 years old in 1956, all changes considered.

Let's keep on "pickin and grinnin".

Regards,

Russ

Russ ....
I hear ya, I agree totally! You gotta find your niche in the ever expanding world of musical performance & use all your experience & talent to maintain a personal gratification for your Audiences & for Yourself.

Stay well

Donny

One of the under-appreciated advantages of arrangers, that few salesmen EVER demonstrate, is that they are VERY capable all-around, general purpose keyboards, not just arrangers.

Usually, the first thing a salesman will start doing is use the arranger section, and unless the buyer is of an older generation, or the salesman is VERY careful to not play any ballroom styles, OFF go the lights, and it's 'show me the Motif, Triton, etc..'

If only they would demonstrate the fact that, without starting loops up or anything else automatic, here's a keyboard that sounds just as good as any workstation, is usually FAR easier to call voices up to splits and layers, and usually has a FAR better selection of 'meat and potato' sounds than most workstations. Add to that a good set of sliders to control everything, and it's a no-brainer for the gigging musician.

I've been using Roland arrangers almost exclusively for live gigging for the last 10-12 years or so (one stint on Bourbon St. for a year with a K2500, but that was a house gig, and the owner wanted my K2500!) and currently am using a G70.

The combination of excellent action (best in the biz IMHO), excellent grand piano (ditto), excellent Hammond emulation (ditto [for arranger]), excellent choice of other sounds (OK, some nod goes to Tyros2, which may have some better sounds, some worse!) and unparalleled ease of mixing and calling up the sounds and effects make it (once again, IMHO) the BEST gigging keyboard on the planet! I kid you not........ I've played ALL the top workstations, and I wouldn't dare go out on a call to a strange band or engagement with any of them!

If you've got time to set them up in advance, OK, but if you've got to dive in with no preparation, they are hell! I have done many gigs on my G70 where I had no idea what they were going to play until they called the tune, and it took only a few seconds to dial in the right sounds and volumes and away we go!. Literally one User Program with a split (usually at Middle C, but you can alter it quickly) and just call the sounds up on the fly......... can't do THAT with my K2500!

Afterwards, they always come up and go 'how did you know which sounds you were going to use in advance?' and I just smile.........

Arranger's only weakness in the music stores comes from something I've been complaining about for a long time...... way too few modern hiphop and rap and pop styles with a contemporary US feel. Motifs and Tritons fly off the shelves courtesy of a few combi patches that include basic hiphop loops and arpeggiations, something that is child's play for most arrangers, but too often either there are way too few modern, hiphop style sounds, or even when there are, there are way too few styles that sound as contemporary as the loops in the Motifs, etc..

In the US, hiphop, rap and techno based styles rule. The one way to GUARANTEE it won't sell well in MI stores is to have a button labeled 'Ballroom' or 'Latin Swing'..... Given how easy it is to completely customize most top of the line arrangers, I think they would sell better if there were FEWER labels on the ROM styles, and then all the style buttons just on a number basis. That way, the display can show the names of the styles, NOT have them silk-screened to the front panel.

NOW, a store who's clientele tend to be young, urban players can load in a Program and Style set that is ALL modern styles, with names like 'Snoop Dog 1' and 'Kanye 3', etc.. and there is no stigma in the eyes of the buyer from seeing 'Pasadoble 3' or 'Glen Miller 2'. If an old couple walk in the store and want to try out the SAME arranger, the salesman simply hits 'Load Oldies Global' and voila! it's now a ballroom only machine, and the old geezer doesn't get his Depends in a wad when he accidentally hits 'Snoop Dog 1'!!

Now THAT might finally get the arranger some respect......!

Hi Mo: Note that I actually INCLUDED a "percussionist" in my #1 recommendation, just as you did. Having the added ability for the percussionist to SING, plus on stage female attractiveness certainly adds to the mix.

You are then essentially OMB + 3 in one.

Scott

Ahhh ok, I get your point here. Perhaps depends on 'what kind' of flash (music or skin) your audiences appreciate most.

Scott