Microstation will get away with size and weight( since there is no competition - great practice/smf player/song recoder) as a second keyboard , but pa 50 sd ( year 2000 technology) will start to show yout it's limitations ( terrible keys/ 2 busy fills/not good enough 4/4 simple styles compared to Yamaha) and annoy you as a main arranger and you will want to get rid of it very quickly.
Most will spend $ 250 more and ger S700/710 for excellent style support.Even though Mictrostations limitations are obvious, you will still want to keep it because of it's over all versatility price/weight/size/SMF play/Seq/KB in a band. I hope the sales of Microstation will put Yamaha to make mini S700 for same price wilth full features/outs/2 wheels.

Brought in the New Year 2012 with the Micro Arranger!

Donny,

They are all dancing and no ones playing, how does the Korg do that? I have got to have one now!

Tony

Like I always said... you gotta mix it up playing, singing, Dj'ing ..it's all good.

Donny,

What's the pecentage of each, looks like some are on waltz and some on hip hop!

It's all organ stops out, now you are back Donny!

Tony

Hi Tony.....yes every job, every day, is different in today's gigging world, it's not like years ago, "pre DJ",.. you need a FULL tool box to accommodate the masses out there in every situation. No one wants to hear "Party Rock Anthem" on an arranger KB..lol.... I pretty much can do it all using my gear in various ways. Happy New Year across the pond!

I managed to do my New Year's gig with 100% use of the arranger, and, I play all instrumentals, so it was a real challenge.

But, that's where all the hard practice, style making/editing, and conjuring up interesting arrangements can make all the difference.

I managed to keep the dance floor full throughout the evening, even with instrumentals, so there was a lot of personal satisfaction in being able to accomplish something like that, without needing to resort to keyboard karaoke-using SMF or some other way.

I could have stuck a bunch of MP3's on a memory stick and had the Tyros4 play them, but there is absolutely no joy in DJ'ing for me.

The fun (and the objective) has, and always will, be in the playing.

Ian

Ian, as primarily an instrumentalist myself (most of my years I performed without my own vocals)..I understand the personal satisfaction you are talking about, although for me the satifaction comes from turning off the auto arranger (not much different from SMF play, no matter how much you argue the point )

I can only think how boring it could get (especially a NYE party) with just arranger play and NO vocals..Too much of any style without diversity could get boring or say less interesting...

As for playing "karaoke keyboard"... there are many other guys and gals here that sing and sing well..singing to a SMF is an ideal way to perform for them....and if they play keys too, playing over SMF's can be just as rewarding as just playing arranger mode...in fact I would say the talent level to play over SMF's can easily exceed the level of arranger play...not always, but it surely could...


Last nights gig we used a drummer (live kind), and I do like playing left hand bass with piano etc...
unfotunately my band members are use to (spoiled) the "karaoke keyboard" method...Using my Roland keyboard(G70) to perform this method is enjoyable because it allows better ways to mix the play with markers, and the best on the fly edibility...stil unmatched by any other brand...showing chords , lyrics and a view of all parts quickly....MP3 play of my recorded tunes is convenient (also allowing back ground vocals)..is a bit less flexible and I find it harder to play over them, especially a request we don't usually perform...

Thankfully I have the right keyboard for me....a board that allows me to change it up....and it also aids me with my limited vocal ability...using the smartest vocalizer that will follow style play, or SMF, with auto read ability...and the "vocoder" mode is tops of any other vocalizer , even the stand a lones...

I think a wider view of exceptance is in order....I think most folks here would agree that a mix of the tools makes a more enjoyable gig for our customers..

Well, I can only go by the comments I received during and after the gig, and, if I was to take stock in them (and I do), the performance was anything but boring.

Not having the luxury as you do of having a vocalist, I have to find other ways of making the playing interesting, and I do manage do be able to do quite well, at least so far...I get a lot of return requests.

I don't just sit there and play one tune after the other...I use a microphone and interact with the crowd. Many years of doing Yamaha clinics have helped me tremendously with working with an audience.

Fran, I do have a very wide view of "acceptance" for what other arranger players use to perform...my comments are/were restricted to my own needs, and in the case of playing, my own pleasures as well.

Use what works for you...I personally would find playing over a commercial SMF very boring indeed, and as far as DJ'ing, well...it would be about as exciting as mother's day in an orphanage.

DJ'ing isn't "playing"...it's "DJ'ing"...I cringe when I hear a DJ say he was "playing last night", or whatever...personally, it's no more "playing" than using a CD player at home...the only skill involved is "working" the crowd (certainly handy for anyone who performs), and a half-decent knowledge of what music will work for a certain age group, but, it most certainly is not "playing"!

Again, these are my personal opinions.

I play lots of times without the arranger on full...I often use LH bass (comes from many years of piano/organ playing), and fortunately, I have a really awesome sounding arranger in the Tyros4, so if it sounds bad, it is not the instrument's fault.

"Karaoke" keyboarding, such as singing over a commercial SMF, is only one step away from singing over an MP3 of a tune with the vocal track removed...at that point, it is just "singing" (or "performing vocally") and certainly not "keyboard playing" in any sense of the word.

I don't have a problem with how other arranger "players" perform. I do have a set of parameters that I work within, and they aren't for everybody, but, they do bring great personal satisfaction and pleasure to me.

Ian

I think that the fact we all can use our arrangers as we choose is the key element. I envy people who can play solo or use styles as seamlessly as having a live drummer. I use more SMFs than styles. I do a decent job with styles but I'm no virtuoso. My strength is in my vocals and personal styling. I don't play like Ian, Fran, Donny, Scott or anyone else, but I enjoy it and feel I do a better than average job. :):):)