The question was asked about how much joy or pleasure the arranger gives you... an interesting thread, I thought.

Now it would be interesting to hear how much pleasure or joy you can get just playing a piano, or keyboard, or turn off ALL the auto stuff.

Just you, and a keyboard... and no help

Every Sunday, I get to church early just to play the Baldwin L Grand Piano we have.. I play strictly piano for 2 songs every Sunday service.One of my favorite songs is "Potters Hand" & "Above all" ...

I really enjoy playing a nice piano... nothing like it

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I rather play the organ than an arranger keyboard.

Organs are just more versatile and a good player will make it sound better then any arranger. Sounds, styles and technology alone don't make anyone sound good. The end product will always be a reflection of the talent and skill of the player. IMHO

Styles: I tend not to use them all the time. I probably play 60% without styles as I prefer ad lib.

Accompaniment: I rarely use it.

I would get bored rather quickly listening to arranger players utilizing the same accompaniments.

(I'm old-school and glad that I am)

So, in short, I get the most joy/bliss by playing an organ. It's after all the "Queen of Instruments'. Arrangers are second...but a distant second.

Taike

I know you people over there don't give a hoot about my opinions, but I will post it anyway.


I get equal pleasure playing just solo piano. In fact sometimes it is even better, because it IS just you and your instrument.

Dennis

When it comes to non arranger keyboard play..or with the accomp turned off..accept drums...I find it comfortable for me..I like to play left hand bass and piano...as we did in the "old " days..

I like to sit at the piano...but basically for my own enjoyment...voicing different chords to standards...I can sit and play piano for a couple hours, but after that I am ready to move on..I am not comfortable gigging piano...and the same with the accordion..maybe a couple hours..same situation with B3 organ..

Though still an arranger, My favorite playing choice is left hand bass with drums..with piano and color sound with the expression pedal...just like we did with SH101, JX10 and TR707...

The variety that a great arranger gives me..is unsurpassed...just turn off some bells and whistles once in a while..

Amen to that, Fran.

Just walked in the door from a trio gig, violin, double bass, and me on guitar. Gypsy jazz. I'll never have as much fun on any arranger as I have doing music with other ace players. To listen to someone else take a solo and then try to come up with the appropriate accompaniment is almost as fun as being the one taking the solo.

It's all fun and games to talk about drunk drummers and too loud guitarists, but one thing you can't do with an arranger is spontaneously react to someone else's leads.

Even when I'm playing keyboard, I use styles just for fun occasionally. Most times it is either solo, with other players, or with custom-built sequences that I did myself. So for me, immense joy comes from not playing the arranger.

If it's playing live with other good players, then that's 100% better than playing arranger or SMF.

If playing alone or solo, I prefer a piano to an organ keyboard. A full-size organ is something I only see or play in church any more. I'd love to play a set or two on a B3 or even an M3, that's where I came from. But usually I'll just muddle around with a digital piano at home or church. I love playing big major and minor 7th and 9th chords. And to break up the monotony of choir practices, I'll sometimes reset the tempo or rhythm of a song to a polka or rhumba.

Playing my XK-1 alone/solo is not much fun at all, even though it's my favorite board. I need some backing sound. Otherwise I play "Lonely Too Long," "Groovin" and half of the Rascals old songs over and over.

I can't play the guitar anymore because I no longer have the chops and the fingers are shot to hell. Lost the chops on the mandolin and piano years ago, so they're out. There are times when I play the arranger that I turn off everything other than the bass and drums, which is quite appropriate for lots of songs. So, I guess my answer to "How much joy playing do you get without your aranger?" is NONE!

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

I'm in the Rory camp. I would much rather play any way other than using an arranger. But, that's because of the pure pleasure of "trading fours", responding to innovative lead lines played "on the fly", etc. Of course, that free form sytle of playing works only at limited venues; mostly in a jazz setting (at least for me).

The most satisfying thing I do is play piano and guitar in a trio format with my son on bass(electric upright and bass guitar) and my grandson on drums. Next is C-1 or B-3 with drums and as many other superior players as the gig can justify (read money). Next is playing as a sideman on guitar, bass or keyboards. Then (and this is still enjoyable) is using an arranger with added players (guitar, horn(s), percussion, etc.). Last is a solo gig with or without an arranger. Really don't enjoy that much. Playing with other players is what it's all about for me.


Russ