I could play my S970 or mostly any arranger kb currently on the market with a blindfold on as I've owned and played almost all of them in the past,...not that I don't like the sound or most of the styles, etc, but just the every day same old, same old ,features, keyfeel, OS,and just the repetitiveness of playing it over and over again,....yes I do it just to have an arranger kb here for quick recordings, making tracks, etc, all other useless leftover gear just gathering dust strewn all over has been sold as a packrat I am not and just looking at it depresses me and leaves me wondering why I even bought it in the first place and what is it doing here taking up space if I never play it at all anymore ... but I get less excited as time goes on with the waiting in between each model dwindling longer and much longer in today's world as they string us along with REhashed old parts, suedo NEW so called units, eg: S970/S975 etc,....
What is Exciting YOU to play or buy in the arranger keyboard world today or tomorrow to make you NOT Bored?....

In retrospect sometimes I just want to return to a time when I first started playing PRE ARRANGER years late 50s,60,70's using just a Hammond, Rhodes, etc, some sort of simple backup module, etc, and simply create music and stay excited.
I agree with Chas who said somewhat in another recent post......

"Seems to me, the more you go in this direction, the more you lean towards technology and away from music
(or PLAYING the instrument)."~Chas

Boring aspects of Arranger Keyboards for me are:

1. Unmusical bass lines especially in jazz walking bass and salsa. Not sure if an arranger keyboard will ever be able to anticipate what chord is coming up next, so the results are simply unmusical and not stylistically authentic.

2. Chord recognition is very limited on all the keyboards I've tried which limits me greatly.

3. Breaks and unison "tuti" rhythmic are hard to pull off effectively.

So the NEXT arranger should let you record straight to DAW, tracks individually. Then have unlimited "other" takes you can piece in for all other tracks....

many of your thoughts can be remedied using midi files and creating your own Arrangement and bass lines the way you like them to be and sound and you can just play on top of it exactly the way you want the song to be..

In reality, it comes down to what and how you're playing on your keyboard not so much the keyboard it self. For example I'm getting tired of using the same old licks for blues based generas. I realized I am always using the minor blues scale so I'm figuring out how to more musically use both the major and minor blues scale. It's totally changed how I solo over blues, rock, and county styles. It wasn't the keyboard's fault that I was musically limiting myself!

Donny, this is a touchy subject, as no one WANTS to be quickly bored with something they just shelled out 4-5 grand for. But you'll notice, more and more folks here have 'fessed up to spending more and more time on their organs, digital pianos, accordions, synths, guitars, etc., as though there was a sudden re-discovery of these 'you actually gotta' play it' instruments. I think the reason (or perhaps the DIFFERENCE) is that when you sit down to a 'manual' instrument, the world is your oyster, the magic created is yours, the possibilities are endless. On the other hand, the arranger, when used as an arranger (what you paid the big bucks for), DOES have limits (maybe not actually but practically), and those limits are soon explored, manipulated, and finally, exhausted. THAT'S when the boredom sits in. It's one of the reason we sit around waiting on the 'new' model although we've only explored 20% of the model we currently have. Why? BOREDOM. Boredom with the sounds, boredom with the styles, boredom with the feature set, boredom (and frustration) with the fact that our playing skills have NOT increased and that if we sucked before, we still suck (despite the heavy outlay of cash).

I can truly say that I am never bored when I sit down to my organ or even my new SEVEN. Can't really say the same about by three arrangers. JMO.

chas

Guys, I like EVERYTHING about my arrangers except all that automatic stuff!

R.

I love all my arrangers, some more than others. It totally amazes me that I can sit here and sound like a full band, combo, soloist, whatever I like.
I played guitar for years, and now never pick it up. Never played piano. Can't play trumpet with phony teeth.
Only thing that bores me sometimes is that people want to hear the SAME songs every time. If I learn something new, most don't respond. Have to pick your times and audience though.
Maybe that's why I change arrangers a lot, to make the same songs sound different.
Wonderful Tonight
Margaritaville
Brown-eyed Girl
Can't Help Falling In Love
The Way You Look Tonight
Any Johnny Cash song
Just about any Willie Nelson song
Mustang Sally
Midnight Hour
Proud Mary
For The Good Times...etc. Are ALWAYS are well received. $$
They want to hear something they remember and that brings back memories. Seems even the younger people like classics, swing, old country, classic rock. Many have told me they know the songs because that's what their parents listened to at home.

Don, +1 ...

IF I get bored with my arraner kb, I will sit down and open one of my 'fake' books, from the original #1, or one of mt REAL Books, or anything else ... I'll flip open to a page and if it's a song I've played before, I'll try to do it in a different style, whatever, and if it's a song I haven't played before, then I will try to play in many variations to see what sounds good ...
Then if I REALLY get bored, I'll go out and mow my lawn like I'm going to do now - me, my lawn mower, a cigar and a large bottle of water ...

Donny you have done it again, good subject.

1-I had to ask myself what am I trying to accomplish. When jobs were plentiful I had purpose; there were people waiting to see and hear. That has changed.
2-When I bought my first Kn7000 I had all I needed to do a good job. From the Kn2000 each new model brought more of what was needed. It was so complete that the question was, “What else could they possibly add”? We wanted more so they gave us better ways to do the same thing – better sounds and styles.
3-A love for the music I was playing. I was born in 1931 so you know that kind of music I love. It was a blessing to go through a fake book and play.

My answers:
1-Simply said I want to enjoy music. I am now programming my keyboard with the music I love. Sight reading and memorization – I felt the emotion of the song I was playing. Many of the songs came with memories I lived through.
2-I would buy another Kn7000 if it were not for the age and possible lack of parts. My Pa4x does sound much better – but it can not fill the need that I have now. I play the music I love with my guitar with a few effects. It’s 90% me and 10% the guitar. There lies my need; my purpose, to enjoy. The musician today needs what the Pa4x offers, but they have a different purpose; music is different today. You wanna hear me do La Bamba, I’m surprised that no one ever shot me.
3-A happy home player is one that uses an instrument to bring out the emotions that he feels. It has nothing to do with the rest of the world.

I’m guessing that the last three cars I traded in are still going. Did I really need another car? No. but is one heck of a way of treating myself nice.
John C.