I'm heading in a completely different direction.
(forced by the lack of what I need)
I am back to playing mostly bass and piano arrangements for requests, and using sequences and audio files (custom-made at home with arrangers and harmonizers)for tunes that need the "bulk" . I play more two handed piano parts, now that I CAN, and I have had MORE positive response this week, than I have had in a while.
I think I was kidding myself into trying to MAKE the 2000 fit my needs. It just can't. Not in it's current state, and I'm sure there will be no hardware upgrades on a piece at this price point.
Funny, how things go around in circles. I started using a Rhodes, a synth bass and a drum machine .... now I'm basically back to the same setup. The biggest change is the pc with all the sequenced stuff and audio files.
I think I'm going to hold out till someone REALLY gets it right. The G7 has a good enough mic input for my nursing home jobs, and I'm getting spoiled with the TC harmonizer at work, so I really don't miss much. There are advantages in the sounds on the newer models, but for a rhythm instrument - this keyboard is great. Wonderful piano, bass, drums, organ, & guitar. These are my staples, and all I really need to accompany my voice. I was never much of a melody player because I needed to play the chords with my right hand while I did the bass line, so I sing a lot. Maybe too much. 60 songs a night minimum, I'd guess. I don't drag them out too much, because I hate playing solos. Just little fills and licks .... between and around my vocal parts - that's all the "fluff" I need.
So, that's that ! Back to basics. More "playing" and less "playing around". It's really been a valuable lesson for me. I was getting bored listening to the auto stuff slowly taking over the show. NEVER AGAIN ! I AM FREE ! HALLELULIA !
Just give me a good solid drum beat, a nice round bass tone, and almost ANY chord sound and I can make it work. I miss some of the better, more expressive solo sounds that I've come to like(saxes, in particular), but I will start to record these at home, and just play piano and organ at the job.... like I was the piano player in a band.
HEY, what a concept!
If you have to remember which footpedal to push to change 8 registrations, and which sequence of buttons to push to set up the song, and which vocal setting you need, and which left hand sound ... and which this and that and which blah, blah, blah .......
TOO MUCH !
Sequence the damn thing, and PLAY the piano part. I'm not selling out - I still rather play the parts all by myself (WITHOUT the arranger) but when the crowd needs higher energy, a sequence is every bit as effective as an auto generated arrangement, and in most cases ....... I think it's even better. It's so much more convincing when the drums and bass are right, and not a generic pattern that ..."sorta" works.
I'm rambling again, I know. I do that, but here it is - almost summer and I'm headed into a very busy season with an antique set up .... and I'm excited about it ! I can't wait to feature more solo piano and solo guitar arrangements in my night. It's refreshing, and stimulating at the same time. I will use the arranger at home to produce the tracks I need, WHEN I need them -the rest of the time ...... I am the bass player again ! YIPPIE !
(Oh yeah, I'll be the piano player too....... but only because I HAVE to
)