Springtime, poll-time!
What are the features you would like to see added to an arranger keyboard to make that you ideal arranger?
(The sky's the limit!)

Dreamer, here is my Arranger Keyboard Wishlist. You said the sky's the limit, right? Even so, I think most of the below requests are realisticly feasible:

1) "user customizable" auto accompaniment chord voicing recognition table

2) lightweight keyboard (under 30 lbs) with more reponsive semi-weighted action keys such as the Roland A33 keyboard controller has

3) improved 'style pattern' & 'sequencer' "timing resolution" (note quantization) support. Preferably at least 480 ppq (parts per quarter note) or greater for more realistic & dynamic sounding styles and accurately reproduced sequencer songs. The Yamaha QY70/QY100 support a 480 ppq timing resolution so there is no reason why arranger keyboard sequencers can't support this as well. Unfortunately most of the current arranger boards only support a maxiumum of 96 - 120 ppq which is shamefully pathetic and directly limits how realistic the style will sound and/or sequence will sound (canned vs. realistic & human).

4) Ability to load HIGH quality samples of ANY size/sample length.

5) Display Screen which will allow you to display lead sheet notes/chords/lyrics eliminating need for fakebooks or music books.

6) Implementing a mic stand slot (hole) in the keyboard case, so mic stand and boom can be inserted directly into the keyboard.

7) Ability to record both digital audio (vocals) with midi all within the arranger keyboard.

8) arranger keyboard "digital outputs": for direct transfer of digital music audio directly from the arranger kb to a computer staying in the digital domain.

9) Include a music light built into the keyboard (such as Yamaha 9000pro currently supports).

10) Arranger keyboard which will mix drinks and can come up with one liners. Hey, I didn't want to have to stop at nine.

- Scott
http://scottyee.com

[This message has been edited by Scottyee (edited 03-21-2001).]

What to add depends on what you start from. Starting from a Yamaha 9000Pro or Solton SD1:
1) add Karma functionality, expecially real-time control over style parameters.
2) Voice prism functionality, with full user interface, and phantom-powered XLR input.
3) Polyphonic aftertouch.
4) Better ethnic sounds, scales, and styles.

By the way, since the only limit is the sky, I guess one could add an internal, non-polluting, source of energy for those californian black-outs...

The perfect arranger already exists!
1)It has unlimited memory for repertoire
2)It does not need electricity to operate
3)It can learn and remember any music style
4)It has a database that recognizes thousands of customers and their favotite songs
5)The cost is free
6)The upkeep is inexpensive (coffee & candy)
7)It supports the principle of "joy" through expression
8)It comes in all colors and sizes
9)It is never too heavy to transport, and still have both hands available
10)It is constantly upgrade-able through study and practice.......

You got it - it's a M*U*S*I*C*I*A*N !
(couldn't resist - the keyboard isn't the arranger, it's just the tool.)Peace.

I would like many many styles, plus the ability to convert easily from other keyboards. Another feature that I think would be really cool would be an arpeggiator strip. Basically, whatever chord you are playing on the left hand, you could run your finger along this strip with the right hand and it would play a perfect arpeggio.

Hi Beakybird

The Karma has the arpeggio feature, except it does not come with a ribbon controller. You can use the joystick to operate the arpeggio or, if you prefer the ribbon, add one. Of course, it would be nice if other keyboards could do it too.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE "PERFECT" ARRANGER:

Sooner or later, someone will figure out a way to drop a dollar in it to make it play all night by itself, and nobody will need us!

Perhaps imperfect equipment and talented musicians are preferable to perfect equipment and no need for musicians. Man, there's too much karoake now.

In addition to digital outputs, how about 8 analog outputs where each track plays out from one output. SK880 has 4 outputs. 8 outputs would be nice.

I wish there were more fill-ins per style; just one basic-to-variation and anotherone variation-to-basic isn't enough; I don't think it would be so difficult to program half a dozen fills per style (the drum parts could even be shared by different styles of the same family); it would be nice if you could assign to every fill a "probability" value, just like Band in a Box does, so every time you press the "fill" button you would be sure that the fill is chosen among those you like most.
(Boy, am I bright!)

After what i have heard about the Solton SD1 I'd say that it almost fits the profile por the perfect arranger; I wish that it just had more RAM memory for samples (16 Mb is ridicolous) and excellent sounds (just like the styles are).

Well I don't own an arranger..... but I do use a drum machine a lot. Which IMHO is almost like an arranger (Don't flame me please!! Obviously it's missing a lot of instrumentation [rhythm guitar, horns, bass, piano, strings, etc.], but the basic function is the same) If I were to design the perfect arranger keyboard it would have the following: (some of these things may already exist BTW)

1) A full 88-key semi-weighted keyboard (being a piano-player, I really would need the 88-keys; semi-weighted so it doesn't weigh 60+ lbs.)

2) NO ONBOARD SOUND SYSTEM!!!! (I might get flamed here too! ) But most of us keyboard players have amps already...... and I would much rather have that much less weight to lug around (seeing as I already added a lot more with the 88-keys)

3) Tons of pre-programmed styles (around 300 or so......) with many different styles (but not just 1 or 2 of each style.... around 5-10 of each style)............ with a "style-category" button that would let you easily flip through different kinds of styles (Soft, Rock, Jazz, Ethnic, etc, etc.....) Maybe even another level beneath those broad categorys. (Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Heavy Metal, etc, etc)

4) Very easy to program (but still very good quality) user styles.......... and lots of room to store them!

5) A good expansion library for more patches (and styles!); These expansion boards would be designed for specific styles of music (rock boards, soft rock/slow boards, piano based music boards, etc, etc) similar in size to the Roland SR-JV series library. These boards would include approximately 150 or so styles in the genre of the board.

6) A very, VERY good vocal harmonizer built-in...... with the ability to change your voice's gender and pitch (soprano voice, alto voice, etc, etc........ country style voice, hard rock voice, etc, etc) These voice set-ups could be assigned to each style... also each style would have a second set-up that would by-pass the gender and pitch change, but would still add effects such as reverb.

7) Along the same line as the vocal harmonizer...... an input for an external mic, guitar, another keyboard, etc. This input would be able to add effects that are suitable for whatever you plugged in (reverb for mics, distortion/chorus/etc for guitars, etc etc etc for any other instrument you could want to plug in) You could then mute this part in the style and have someone else play along with you. (Actually thinking about it now.... make it about 5 instrument-specific inputs, so you can have a whole band play with you if you wanted!)

8) At LEAST two different fills for each variation of a style (one to go back to the same style [going from one verse right into another one] and the other for going into the next part [into the chorus]) And AT LEAST three different variations (Verse, Chorus and BRIDGE!!!!!!) I don't think I've seen a drum machine yet that has three different variations...... almost all bridges sound completely different from the verse or chorus. Also endings and intros, of course.

9) An input for a specially designed pedalboard that has pedals that go to any of the different parts of the style (one pedal to go to variation A, one for B, one for C.... two pedals above "variation A" pedal, one for fill A (that would go back to variation A) and one to do fill B which would go on to the next part (the chorus). Actually I'd have three fill pedals per variation.... so you could go to any of the the three variations. (Verse, Chorus, Bridge) And then a couple other pedals to do things such as style changes, patch changes, and an expression pedal tossed in for fun!

10) And last but not least..... all the basic specification things: LOTS of polyphony, LOTS of waveform memory, LOTS of onboard controllers (pitch bend, mod., ribbons, knobs, etc, etc). A nice sturdy metal chassis. You get the picture!

That's about it....... I probably left out all kinds of stuff..... but oh well.

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Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Keyboard freak,
congratulations: you've really got a vivid imagination...that's the right spirit!

I left out one thing......... although this is more like dreaming than imagining!! Make it around $2500-3000 or so!!! PLEASE! Yeah right, like that'll ever happen. Well...... you never know!

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Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For my PSR-740 or my next one:

1. TAKE AWAY THE SILLY VOICES OF DOG BARKS, AIRPLANES, ETC.

2. Give me a SILENT VOICE so I can control an external module VOICE, while still RAISE THE VOLUME with the arranger pedal.

3. Give me a button that is SILENT MIDI out so I can silence the external module voice just by pushing it. (silent MIDI or no midi out).

I know now that I have a low end arranger. So it has no direct way of playing acc and play a remote unit's voice without sounding ONE OF ITS OWN INTERNAL VOICES. Then I want just to do the opposite. Silence the remote, keep auto acc. and play local piano voice.

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BESIDES THE WISH LIST, my real wish is TO KNOW HOW HIGHER END ARANGERS HANDLE THIS SITUATION. FOR ME IT WAS THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO DO AND, AS WITH MANY GADGETS, I FIND THATS EXACTLY WHAT IT DOES NOT DO. I AM SURE I HAVE IGNORANCE ALSO on top of an infinite number of wishes, and very limitted time, SO HELP IF ANY ONE GIVES WILL BE WELCOME. With help problem 1 was solved by using FLUTE voices and lowering all pipes to zero (ITS THE ONLY VOICE WITH INDEPENDENT VOLUME) and when I move the foot pedal no local sound goes up but remote sound works nice up and down. The second problem I stil have no solution or help.

THANKS.