Diki is right. One of the reasons I NEVER use an arranger unless I have to is the number of times a customer came up to me and said," do you have (XYZ)song"?

This sometimes happens when the customer is looking directly at my hands and seeing the notes and chords being played.

My latest job is a cocktail hour, 5 to 7 PM, 5 nights, using an ancient Clavinova, with none of the auto features.

The owner wants nylon guitar with instrumentals and straight piano. The normal stuff is acoustic guitar playing "three chorders"...no arranger players in this market at all (except for me...occasionally).

For me, versatility is the key. And, knowing LOTS and LOTS
of a wide variety of types of music.


R.

A lot of truth being spoken in the above posts..

If you want to be known as a keyboard player...play the keyboard..don't ever walk away from the keys and sing to pre recorded music...period!!

I would suggest play a few songs live (only)..maybe add a drum pattern...remember once you go to full sequencer or arranger play, there is no going back to .."look I am playing for real".

If you want to showcase vocals..just sing to laptop..but be prepared to be labeled a "karaoke singer"...that is pretty accurate..

I would rather have a decent vocalist sing while playing , even basic chords...for that legit performance.. That is why the guitarist comes off as legit..

Likewise an average singer , with better playing skills will be even more successful

Personally, I enjoy mostly just playing left hand bass, piano and a color sound with drums..and when I can ..my average singing

My second choice would be playing over SMF...with many parts muted..

My third choice would be arranger play...mostly for request like tangos, rhumbas, etc..and a request that I do not know well, and fullness of arranger can make it work..

My preferred first option I can play all night long...same with my second choice...
I would not want to use arranger all night long..I need more versatility ..

One more example..how to destroy your "band" image...and this is from personal experience the last year or two..
I have been slowly but surely trying to leave the band I work with....but not leave them cold without a workable solution..(I am hard to replace) ...I tried to warn them of a couple "bad" habits...singing to a commercial "karaoke" song while being booked as a band...I actually step off stage when they do this..."karaoke " singers are a dime a dozen, and there is no gain..when you can perform other tunes as a band..
And now a big no no...Take a gig that we do as a trio..drop the only key player in the band...fake keys with a non player that can't pick out a "C".....to recorded tracks with the absent players parts and play...Game over..you lose all credibility..Just another Karaoke act

I almost feel like skipping my remaining two months at the CrabTrap..yes the same venue where they faked the audience..

I am so much looking ahead..to my solo gigs..the way I want to play..

Fran

Just "ran into the band" on Sat. Did my annual run to the Wildwood ribfest and stopped by the Elks for a bit. Said hello, asked about you, and noticed the new guy--lots of stuff !! Keyboard, BK7M, Laptop.
Stayed for a bit and then headed off, came back for their last set. No one but me and my wife noticed but your right, it was total Kareoke. Is that a new girl they have? Your male vocalist was standing behind the BK5 and the new guy was seated behind his rig. Didn't look like either were doing much playing. But its so loud and crowded out there that people still danced and no one complained, such is the business these days. The thing that is amazing me is every group is doing it and their all starting to sound alike.
Diki's right, at least a guitar player with backing is playing something real people can see so they ignore the rest.
We'll be out to see your finale at the Trap.

From what I see here in Dallas, at bars and restaurants that have solo and dou acts, they are all guitar/singer combinations mostly playing acoustic versions of 60's through current hits. No tracks. I have heard some guitar players using loopers making multiple parts, percussive effects and bass lines. Cool stuff. It's a great time to be a guitar player.

I hardly see keyboard players working these places, never an arranger player. Like Diki said, we had our day back in the 80's-90's. Too bad I wasn't playing keys back then

who cares about bar gigs?....there is "so much other work out there" Weddings, Birthday, Dinner dances, Anniversaries, Retirement, Adult communities, people are people wherever you go and they will ALWAYS have these parties and someone has to accommodate them with music,.....why not let it be you...? It surly can be that way ONLY if you can show them that YOUR Product is BETTER the the rest.

Gotta agree with DNJ on the Bar Gigs - I no longer want to put up with drunks, late nights and low pay, which is what the bar gigs offer pretty much nationwide.

Gary

Donny and Gary- I agree, I played in many as a drummer in working bands. But the problem is that whenever a potential client contacts me regarding a private party, they always ask were they can hear us play. It would nice to tell them, you can here us at the XYZ bar the on Wed nights... To have one regular place would be great, I think. I guess that kind of work is a thing of the 1900's.

There really aren't any 'bar gigs' left much nowadays, at least in my area. Every bar is a restaurant. You do the early shift, you are playing to diners. You do the late shift, you are playing to diners AND drinkers. You do the late late shift... well, no-one's hiring a senior citizen with an arranger for those! Straight ahead rock bands for those...

I guess I'm kind of lucky. My area is mostly a yuppies and their families kind of spot. Not really a senior citizen community like further south in FL. So 'oldies', ballroom, Latin are right out. 70's and upwards, precious little 60's and earlier. Which, given my age, sits fine by me. And most of it sits pretty well with the kids, especially if you pick the better stuff from their era and play that too. Most of them are far happier listening to us play a Clapton tune than trying to do some Usher!

Plenty of alternative rock and pop nowadays that can be played by older musicians without seeming silly. John Mayer, Zack Brown Band, Drive By Truckers, things like that.

You just start to sound silly trying to do hiphop. Leave it to the DJ.

I often wonder way we try to set an image on stage that we are not. I agree with the post here that say, “They could care less”.

Strictly my opinion:
1-Live playing ---
2-Playing with background ----
3-Karaoke ---
4-Original recordings

Why not announce that the next song or set will be one of the above. I feel the majority of people in this day and age feel that you are one of the above no matter what you are doing. For this reason why not lead the audience with the truth.

I was one of the purest who believed that live playing was the only way to go while other keyboard players were giving people a variety of all types of music. Today I would be using 1, 2, and 4 above. As much as I would like to sound like one of the original recordings I know I fall short. And if I were to do it better it would make a difference only to me.

When wireless first came out a band member would bring the mike to the audience, never giving them full control. You sing while you’re out there and share the vocal with a person that you feel won’t bring everything down.

It is my opinion that being honest and announcing what and how you are performing the next song, set, or whatever will bring a bigger return. It will also release a performer from unneeded stress. If I was to hire a musician for a mixed group; like a wedding or company dance, I would want a musician that would please everyone. -- So it would be a Live player who used background music, who worked with Karaoke, and played original recordings.

No ego here, I just love to ramble, John C.

Actually, what I said was

My point being, they CAN tell. They just don't care HOW you are faking it, they just know when you are. And they prefer to listen to musicians actually playing than karaoke, given a choice.