i play arranger 50% of the time at home and about 60 % at church for rehearsals and performances.

Just give me a decent piano.

Or a B3.

Old School.

I've never used an auto-accompaniment keyboard at a live gig, but do use Band in a Box and have used several different auto-accompaniment keyboards in the studio to create backing tracks and the like for commercials, jingles and industrial musics. That's only because it is difficult to find - and sometimes PAY - good studio musicians around here, though.

I actually find it more difficult to get accustomed to "only" using the LH to punch a triad or extension chord. Have to keep that in the mind as the song unfolds or I'm likely to revert to one of the LH devices or rhythms only to discover awkwardly that the auto-accompaniment 'board don't like that (grin).

In my view, there is nothing like the sound of a good unaccompanied pianist or organist.

I do caution those who view the modern auto-accompaniment keyboard as a crutch to avoid the kind of practice it takes to be able to play a standard keyboard, but doubt that most actually heed that advice. But I'm convinced that someone who works out on the piano daily will be able to bring a lot more to the table on the gig, auto-accompaniment or not.


--Mac

Hello guys, been out for a while. But I thought I'd get back on the forum thing again

I play anything with keys, guitar, bass, uke, sax and I started to learn the drums and harmonica.

My gigs consist of mainly playing for drunken maniacs at pianobars, but also weddings, parties, concerts, session work and I'm currently working on two albums.

For pianobars I use any digital piano on site - or my trusty DGX-305, a Boss DR-3 drum machine and my voice.

For weddings and parties I use an arranger. I have a pretty beat up PSR-3000 that may need replacing soon

I play synth in a jamband, I just use the PSR there aswell, I know it is not a synth per say... but it gets the job done.

I play lead guitar in my partyband, we do dirty songs and play at parties.

I play acoustic guitar in pubs as a trubadour, usually with my DR-3 drum machine

I also play bass, electrics and acoustics, and piano in the studio for different projects.

On my solo album (nothing fancy, I got a scholarship to make one - so don't expect me to be a pop star any time soon..) I play all instruments except drums.

I guess when you're making a living off of music, you just do whatever you need to do to get the gig.

Currently, it's 100% arranger keyboard. Years ago, when I first got out of the U.S. Navy, I was a skinny kid with a 6-string guitar that played and sang in smoke-filled bars. Switched to a 12-string later while playing with a 5-piece band. I tried playing a friend's 12-string about a month ago--tore my fingers to shreds. Man was that dumb!

Cheers,

Gary

Brian..."music whore"..."gear slut"...we'd get along GREAT (LOL)! Do I see a new "dirty duo" forming?

Be well,

Russ

I only use a PSR-550 for practicing at home. I play in a rock band so auto accompaniment is unecessary which is why I haven't upgraded the PRS-550. In the band I just use a Motif 6 ( with the synth modeling expansion ) and play guitar.

I guess I didn't answer them all...

* Arranger only for live (with above noted exceptions)
* Play anything they pay me for (and tons they don't!)
* Been in a five piece for most of the last couple of years
* Play T'bone as well as kbds.
* Play pretty regularly in studios, and do my own production work, too. Primarily albums and backing tracks.
* Play my G70 live with any combo from duo to big band...