misunderstood cat egory of keyboards than arrangers. It is certainly a cultural divide: In Europe, the UK, and across the Arab world, an arranger keyboard is the professional performance instrument, used with pride and to great effect. Here in the U.S. the category is mostly looked down upon, and the sight of onboard speakers or a button labeled Ballroom often sets off jokes and sneers. This is a real shame, as the category has grown significantly since the early days of ’80s-era Casio and Yamaha portables. Today’s top-end arrangers offer stunning accompaniment and very advanced voice architectures, and they offer the player more sophisticated sound nuances than their workstation counterparts. So we’re staging a clash of the titans, the top offerings from Korg and Yamaha, to see what they offer the gigging musician.

http://www.keyboardmag.com/gear/1183/top-end-arrangers-reviewed-korg-pa4x-and-yamaha-tyros5/55871

This is a very nice article from the professional US Keyboard magazine explaining why and how totl arrangers could be an asset to all pro players worldwide..

The quallity of current arrangers is incredibly high, and i think the reviewer would also agree with my statement that arranger style play could be a very usefull tool for any high end performance keyboard or stage piano...

The only reason it hasnt happened yet, is the attitude of American pro musicians that still think arrangers are toys because they never understood what arrangers are all about...

(Also wondering why the price difference of the Tyros5 and the Korg Pa4x is so huge in the US, overhere in europe the actuall price you pay is almost equall these days.... Seems almost like Yamaha doesnt want to sell any arrangers in the US)

It's amazing how many "pros" I see in the audience from time to time. I'm working and they are paying to listen. I no longer get the feeling that most of them are looking down their noses, as they used to do.
Probably the reason is that they are used to hearing and/or using sequences, background recordings, karaoke, etc., and they don't have a clue what I'm doing. However when they get close enough or in position to watch, they usually ask for an explanation of the technology. Most are impressed.
Almost all assume that everything is pre-arranged or recorded. They have trouble with the concept of left-hand chords "calling the shots".
I've also noticed that if there is a guitar on stage, even if it's not being played, everything becomes more believable to them. In fact I would leave one there if it weren't for the fact that everyone who has ever picked up a guitar would want to "help" me. Not the real pros--the 99 percent who want to be!

Bachus, I, personally, have never looked at an arranger keyboard as a toy, and no one in this business that I know, which is a large number of musician/entertainers looks at them as toys either. I believe you are mistaken. And I fully agree with Don Mason's statement above, even if he never pays me.

Gary

American Music is so new no one knows what they want.

In a couple of weeks our rock n roll group from 1966 will have their 50th anniversary concert.

Our drummer is suffering from cancer and is switching to guitar from drums just due to fatigue involved.

I suggested we use my PA 4X for some keyboards and rhythm. However, some in the group didn't think that would 'represent' our group. The would rather have bongo's and rhythm instruments...which I would play as I was the guy who played whatever was needed.

My band mates are all retired from careers as Medical Dr's, Investment bankers, and you name it professional careers. If it's one thing they have now, it's money....and a memory of the 60's where we were the band to follow.

Here's the 40th reunion where 300+ showed up

https://youtu.be/QS8HjUGpBAc

Here's an article about our drummer, Mark Munson, probably one of the biggest against 'fake drums'.

https://youtu.be/QUmEHR9hZMQ

As I was playing my Kn7000 a woman showed interest in my keyword. The man she was with said, “He’s is doing all of that with recordings; it is not him”.

If you are playing good and you have their interest – and they are up dancing and having a good time; it makes no difference what some are saying.

If you are good at what you are do the jobs will come.

Just saying, John C.

PS, “Just saying” is great is one great idea. Just saying.

Don
I love that idea of having a guitar sit on stage. I bet people,would have a whole different view of what you are doing if the saw that. There was a Kareoke guy in NJ who used to hang in around his neck. Never played and it couldn't if he wanted to as it sometimes didn't have all the strings. No matter , people thought of him as a live musician. Makes you wonder.

John, that has happened to me more times than I can count over the past three decades. Sometimes I just set the auto-stop on the keyboard, then take my hands off the keys, and say "OK, if it's recorded, then why isn't playing?" It's amazing at how well that gets their undivided attention. I've had folks that thought it was not even me singing, claiming that I was lip syncing - I always loved that one.

Bill, I've seen a few keyboard guys that never bothered to plug the keyboard in, let alone play it. Their whole show was PC based with MP3s and the keyboard was just a stage prop. Some even sang over the vocals on the MP3s and never bothered to edit the vocals out. Amazing!

I've had lots of musicians come in when I performed in Baltimore's Little Italy and the Inner Harbor clubs and restaurants - I was working, they were not. Some looked over my shoulder, but most just sat there and listened with their girlfriends and wives. I worked 6 to 7 days a week, they worked less than that per month.


All the best,

Gary

In addition to my regular dinner gig, I play several retirement homes monthly. I can’t recall ever hearing a negative comment about the arranger, its use, or whatever. Most are amazed at what it will do. I’ve even begun to give demonstrations to the group, showing the styles, voices, and how the arranger works. They love it and ask questions. I give all the credit to Yamaha (in this case) and simply point out that I’m trying to exploit the technology that’s available, in order to provide some musical entertainment that otherwise I couldn’t do solo. Arrangers may be of little interest to the younger generation. Fine. I’ve got all I can handle with the older folks, which is all right by me. And, arrangers do that task wonderfully well.

Having been on both sides of the fence....playing music in Europe for many years and now here in the States, my observation is this. Americans, who have never been out of this country, really don't understand good, diverse music. They listen to a LOT of jazz, the Great American Songbook (which actually IS great), your standard genres (disco, rock, folk, C&W, etc). All well and good, but it never gets expanded on. In Europe, on a gig, you'll hear the Blue Danube Waltz, semi-Classical, things like that circus-song Zirkus Renz.

What I'm leading up to is: that's the reason an arranger is more professional and more respected in Europe. They make full use of the board and all the styles. Here I don't think most arranger players use more than 1/2 dozen styles. And very rarely do you hear someone really give the "instruments" a workout.

I remember when I recorded "Until It's Time For You To Go." Intro was vibes with strings on left hand, then the "whistle," then lead strings on the release, then violin, French Horn, and back to vibes to end the song.

And then there are marches! Exciting, electric marches! Who plays "marches" over here on their arranger keyboards?

All that wonderful European music really inspires you to play and open yourself up to creativity. That's why arrangers are frowned upon here. The music being played doesn't lend itself to full utilization of the keyboard.

Mark

I agree Mark... but the reasoning might be twofold..

Because arrangers are popular in europe, the styles created mostly reflect the music played in europe.. which is very diverse in nature..