I bring this one up every now and again, possibly time for a new go-round...

Have any of you got ideas for arranger features that ARE NOT on any current arranger (to your knowledge)?

I have a few...

I would like to see a 3/4 - 4/4 equivalency button, for going from jazz waltzes to jazz swings in the same bar timebase. In other words, 4/4 in the time of 3/4 and back.

I would like to see an expanded range for the LH chord recognition area, so that, if you play a chord in higher inversions, the style can take some of the parts (selectable) and use the same voice leading, or go higher on a virtual guitar neck.

Which is tied in, I guess, with better voice leading on arranger parts, to avoid the sudden jumps that often occur changing chords. Have piano parts, and the like follow the voice leading of the actual chord played.

I'd like to see EVERY SINGLE PARAMETER on an arranger be part of the Registration structure, not the current 'some are, some aren't' which is so arbitrary.

I'd like any 'Easy Piano' 'Easy ARR' and so forth one button quick setups to be completely programmable, to allow for individual chord recognition types, split points, modes and anything else a normal Registration can have, otherwise, for many power users, they are just a waste of panel space.

I'd like to see any unused MIDI channels for the RH section of an arranger tasked to a separate keyboard input MIDI channel, and all normal keyboard functions (sounds, split points, controller assignments, effects etc.) for it stored in the Registration. Instant PROPER two manual home organ (or anything else you can think of for it!). Just use a 'dumb' one MIDI channel second keyboard, and have the arranger take care of its layout.

I'd like to see a standard mike mount thread on the top panel or back of all arrangers, so you can quickly mount a boom right on the arranger, rather than having to haul a whole mike stand.

I'd like to see styles with a separate fill for EACH destination. On a four variation arranger. that's sixteen fills. MUCH smoother transitions, no repeated fills!

I'd like the headphone/monitor output to be able to have more RH in it without it being reflected in the main outs. We always want to hear ourselves a little louder than is good for a FOH mix!

OK... that's enough for right now! Please let us know what YOU would like that current arrangers DON'T have (just arranger features, please), or point out any current arrangers that DO do any particular feature.

You did say to point out ones that already do stuff ... well the PA series does exactly this (well, err that..)

The other points you rasied it doesn't but I concur with all of them

Dennis

So there are NO 'Global' parameters on a Korg arranger? Cool!

Years ago, Farfisa G7 had this feature - it was great, but it also allowed a little vibration to enter the mic stream ... you could hear hands on keys, and some louder sounds made the speakers buzz a tad once in a while .... I use a boom attached to my KB stand ... also has a try mounted for my mixer, so I never have to turn around or reach behind or to the side for anything during a show. There's a pic on my f/b page:
facebook.com/boydsongs

I'd probably use a shock-mount mike holder if that was an issue...

I'm pretty sure Yamaha has different fills for every style part, up down and fill-to-self. I like all your suggestions.
I would like to see more totally programmable buttons. Ketron is close with the row of 16 on some models, and the User buttons below the screen, but I would like a row of four or five that will do anything you want them to do, and be able to save them to registration.
DonM

Yamaha have only six fills, I believe. A full compliment is sixteen, including fill to self.

You see, the fill that goes from the busiest Var to the next less is different from the fill needed to go from the busiest to the simplest, And vice versa.

Some say this would complicate style production, but I disagree. At the moment, making a fill that does SEVERAL things well is harder than making several fills that only have to do ONE well, IMO.

If I understand your parameter saving suggestion, then the Wersi OAS instruments have had it for years, in that a pre-set saves sections, and depending on the selection you choose to store in a pre-set it will save all these selections, however if you don’t choose to save any particular section then this will revert to the global settings. (Each parameter can also be left at a standard setting before saving if required)

Some of the more advanced features you requested (Multiple fills for example) while ideal for Pros, would confuse most home players completely, (About 95% of arrangers are sold into the home market, which is what manufactures have always designed them for) so while it could be done, sales wise it is probably not in the manufactures interest. (A module on the other hand is a completely different kettle of fish)

Bill