Fran, no one in the keys asked for the Cupid Shuffle or Cha Cha Slide, or any other song I would need an MP3 file for. I have them in the PC - just in case of an emergency. Hey, the Florida keys are America's version of the Bahamas - not the Jersey Shore. Lots of Jimmy Buffett, a smattering of Bob Marley, lots of country, some 60s, 70s, and 80s rock, all stuff that's in most, quality, arranger keyboards. I guess some folks need MP3s, but I'm just not one of them.

Gary

So Gary..you do have MP3's available...when needed...that was my point

Yes, I have a folder with a couple hundred MP3s just in case the arranger keyboard were to meet it's untimely demise. But, in all the years I've been using arranger keyboards I've never had one die - not once. Consequently, the MP3s are never used. So, if that emergency ever arises, then I'll fire up the PC's MP3 player and become a DJ until the end of the job. When I get home, I'll put my backup keyboard in the case, fix the one that died, or send it to the local repair guy, who would get it back to me within a week or less.

Cheers,

Gary

Cupid Shuffle is my most requested Hottest line dance at this time....play it MP3 almost every night...give the people what ever they want !

Can't argue with that Donny - give them what they want!

Gary

You two guys are really funny!!!

To answer your questions in short?
The ultra orthodox Jewish community. Williamsburg, Boro Park, Crown Heights, Flatbush. Like I said: reporting from "BROOKLYN"...
Israel, and the middle east in general as well HEAVILY use arranger keyboards for gigs like weddings, "bar mitzvah's", etc.

I know for a fact from talking to people here, there are YOUNG people buying keyboards all the time. From Psr s710, korg pa500 to pa3x and Tyros..

And the reason I say its not dying is because thank G-d the Jewish community is thriving bli ayin hara and constantly growing, AND one man band is a staple of Jewish life here. The average wedding hires a one man band, and, thank G-d, there are lots of them. This is partially I believe to limit the overall cost of the wedding which would be raised considerably were they to hire a full band.

Now DIKI, this is the reason we all use custom styles. Because we play unique jewish "hassidic" music, which, unfortunately the keyboard companies do not include styles for...

I'm saying all this to encourage you all, from first hand knowledge, that the arranger, and one man band business is not a dying but to the contrary, "thriving" here and in Israel and the middle east. Thank G-d.

That was exactly what I expected.Mid east ( iran/arabic/turkish)/mediterranian ( greek/labenese/cypress etc),Balkans and USSR,soutb EU ( Italy and Spain)some west EU ( Germany and even some UK) immigrant and 1st to 3 rd gen hyphenated ameican community living in US have mainly arranger use.( mainly in major cities like NY/LA/Ch etc)

Mid east and balkans especially.( ask the US retailers about their customers who buys TOTL arrangers - they will tell you it's mainly from immigrant community in US).Of course synthzone memebers are minority.Total synthzone members combined will be still less that arrangers users/buyers from Cairo or Istanbul or Tel Aviv.

The reason for TOTL or MOTL reason is sampling and 3rd party style support ( Korg /Roland/Ketron has major style sound support in there since local musicians create currenly or legacy ethnic styles) .Sampler is also common since you dont have good Oud presets are hard to find even in TOTL Korg or Ketron.

Shim

Thanks for the explanation. Kinda what I was thinking. Sort of a ethnic niche. I knew a guy here in Jersey made a living doing just Irish music. I used to work at the same restaurant with him for a bunch of years. Him in the bar and me in the back room. He found a niche and was well known for it.
What is surprizing is that DJ's haven't killed your market too. They pushed the bands out because of price but now cost as much as the bands did, but the damage is done. Peoples expectations have changed.
Glad to hear some musicians are still able to keep going in todays market.

Yep... Niche markets. Unfortunately, that's not going to drive sales for the arranger market. It's a mass market world. I'm sorry, but Jewish kids in Brooklyn are not going to save the type. US/UK/EU kids are.

Ditch all the Granny styles, fill it with hiphop, rap, alternative, you have a chance of selling it to the vast majority of kids. Don't, and they get relegated to elderly players (50 60 and 70 year olds) and niche folk music players. That, like what happened to the 'home organ' market, won't be able to sustain the R&D necessary for new arrangers to keep progressing and improving. Just imagine what an affordable 'home organ' could do nowadays if they hadn't lost the market to synths and WS's...