I think it comes down to how long you have been using the arranger as your main instrument...many of us have started on arrangers with far less options, and grew with the instruments as additional features were added over the years.

Early arrangers were lucky to recognize several different chord types (Major, Minor, 7ths, Minor7ths) and over time, the technology, and the demand for more flexibility, grew to the point where any type chord or inversion would be recognized.

Styles have also evolved and cover just about any genre, and sound far better than the boom-ticky-ticky stuff on early instruments...plus, they are editable.

In the hands of an experienced user, an arranger performance can be very interesting to the listener, but, even more importantly, it doesn't have to feel like a restriction to the more advanced player.

As has been said here on SZ many times...it is just another type of tool to make music.

The arranger keyboard is not for everyone...some prefer more input and control and less "automatic" background, and some fear they will not sound a whole lot different than another player using the same type of arranger.

To me, that will depend on the musical skill/knowledge of the player, and, also, just how creative they are with the many features available, such as style manipulation, and the appropriate use of the many sounds available.

I still like to jam with my friends using live bass, drums, guitars etc., and I can use my present arranger in those situations, but they don't happen as often as they used to, so the arranger can serve as a dependable "combo" that is always ready to play and have fun.

For me, it is a valuable musical instrument/tool, and one I'm planning to keep on using.

Ian

Well said, Ian.

I think lots of people could use the same arranger and won't sound alike unless they all play the same song with the same style with the same tempo and the same three chords in the same key and sing alike!

I don't think even two people will sound a like because there are too many style of music so on and so forth. How can two sound alike if one does Johnny Cash all night and another does Bee Gees all night.

Too much variation in music to sound alike. Seems impossible to me. You play Sinatra, Ray, Tony etc I play Elvis , how are we going to sound alike.

Exactly my point, Boo...thanks.

Ian

I realize that most modern arrangers can PLAY just about any chord type you throw at them. But what the style in the first place is programmed with is still the same 3 or 4 chord types that have been around 10 years or more. The more complex chords are derived from these 3 or 4 simpler chords. And often, the results are not QUITE as musically accurate as they would be if programmed specifically for that chord.

And, in many cases (particularly user created styles) they don't even bother with the 3 or 4 that ARE allowed. The arranger only needs to be programmed with a major (some of them want a major 7th) and the minor and 7th chords are derived, with even LESS accuracy and MORE repetition.

I don't think that any two of us here, playing the same arranger and performing the same song would ever end up sounding the same... But I do think that some of us here are FAR more satisfied with where the bar is, rather than wishing for it to be set a lot higher. Of course, whenever something new DOES finally make it to their arranger, they are only too happy to have it, and tout it as the best thing since sliced bread.

But it is strange how determined they seem to be to NOT try and suggest these features before they actually appear. If you can't recognize the difference between arranger output, no matter WHAT you do to mitigate its shortcomings, and REAL music played by REAL musicians, and can't come up with some ideas to bring the two closer, you aren't really trying!

So just what is a Real musician?

To paraphrase Justice Potter Stewart (on defining pornograpy), 'you know one when you see (hear) one'.

chas

yea right......that's the scary part...