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#458423 - 09/21/18 12:05 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: Dnj]
Gunnar Jonny Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 04/01/01
Posts: 4391
Loc: Norway
Boring?
Nothing.
If anything is boring, it's Mr. Me Myself that trying hard to move my left hand fingers as a pianist, but with no success. mad crazy
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GJ
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#458430 - 09/21/18 12:59 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: Dnj]
Bernie9 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/02
Posts: 5520
Loc: Port Charlotte,FL,USA
I am never bored because I have five keyboards and two modules that I have ongoing projects for. The question didn't address the duplication of energy or the learning of every intricacy of one keyboard. I play well enough, and always improving, but never bored spending at least eight hours a day in my studio. There is not time enough to accomplish even most of what I want to. Who cares, this is my life happy as a pig.
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#458431 - 09/21/18 01:05 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: Dnj]
Bachus Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/02/06
Posts: 7143
Boring....

Let me ask you two questions,

-where is the innovation when it comes to styles?
Haven’t we all been asking for that for 2 decades now,
more dynamic styles to addapt to your playing

-why doesn’t the arranger market add more pro fetures?
Soundwise and option wise, outside of the arranger styles
Arrangers just keep trailing the top of the line range instruments by atleast a decade
Often pro features for edditing aren’t even implemented..

Yet in the end, no instrument is as expensive as an arranger..

No, arrangers aren’t boring... they are fun to play...
but they could have been even more sparkling...


Edited by Bachus (09/21/18 01:07 PM)
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#458434 - 09/21/18 01:23 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: DonM]
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
Originally Posted By DonM
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. smile
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. smile
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.


Exactly Don as you well know like I do after so many years in the trenches what the performer likes means squat it's what the audiences like and can instantly relate to on the first note that matters most.
Play the new stuff in your bedroom by yourself to keep you from getting bored keys

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#458435 - 09/21/18 01:30 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: bruno123]
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
Originally Posted By bruno123
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.


Thanx john seems to me from your writings and passion that you would be better off playing guitar and singing midi'd against a module arranger like the Roland BK7, Ketron sd40,sd90 etc,....
changes always have to be made to make it right inside you good luck...love your posts! cool2

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#458442 - 09/21/18 02:22 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: Dnj]
travlin'easy Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/08/02
Posts: 15576
Loc: Forest Hill, MD USA
I guess I must really be old, cause nothing is boring at all about my arranger keyboards. In fact, I feel nothing but excitement every time I fire it up and begin playing, even when playing some songs I have played thousands of times before. It's an exciting instrument to play.

Gary
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#458444 - 09/21/18 02:28 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: Dnj]
cgiles Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/29/05
Posts: 6703
Loc: Roswell,GA/USA
This may seem off-topic but it's really not. I think one's view of what and where music is in their life is going to vary considerably depending on whether one is an amateur-level home player, a semi-pro weekend warrior, a true professional, or a 'household name' (aka Superstar).

When one thinks of it in the context of how well it facilitates making a living vs. how well it does in terms of bringing you personal satisfaction, you are using two vastly different rating systems. Except for a handful of 'pro's' here, most rate their arrangers on the basis of personal satisfaction. For the most part, the 'Pro's' are perfectly happy with their arrangers (Zuki is a good example of that) and change mostly as a result of temporary 'gear lust'. For at least the last 15 years, arrangers have been able to cover the requirements of the average gig played by the performers here. It is unlikely that their gig schedule has been altered (increased) by changing or upgrading keyboards every five seconds. In many cases, the busiest musicians/performers are using duct-tape specials from days of yore smile.

Let's face it, it's not so much the arranger you're bored with, it's just that it's easier to get a new toy than expend the energy to delve deeply into the potential of the one we already have. And then there are the 100%, non-apologetic, all-out GEEKS, who just like all the new buttons, lights, and switches (and can't bear to be a generation behind on anything smile ). JMO.

chas
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#458451 - 09/21/18 04:17 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: cgiles]
rattley Offline
Member

Registered: 11/14/99
Posts: 838
Loc: Punta Gorda Florida USA
ME!! I mean......I am the most boring aspect of my keyboard. I get nothing but pleasure whenever I played any of my past keyboards. This Genos is no different. It's played the same way as my old PSR days. Of course it sounds much better. There are a few things I have done over the years to help with the monotony of playing styles.

I always play full chords with the left hand. Playing full chords makes me think a little more on what I am doing and where my song is going, especially when playing more difficult keys. Playing different keys with their real notes instead of using the transpose button is something else I do.

Most of the Yamaha arrangers I have played have 3 intros and endings and 4 style variations. Except for the first intro and ending I find them phony sounding. Much too busy. I use the fade function (probably too much) a lot to gradually wind the song down. It's also easy to get in the habit of playing the style variations 1 2 3 4. They seem to build themselves up that way. I've been experimenting a lot lately starting a song with the 2 or 3 variation and un-building to the next verse.

So far I have played my Genos more hours weekly than any of my Tyros's. It does have a sparkling attraction to my ears. Many of the simple songs I record and play are done with far fewer mistakes. More practice is the probable culprit but I must give Genos some credit. I am definitely mentally connected with it when I play......and there is nothing boring about that !!! -charley

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#458464 - 09/21/18 06:07 PM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: Dnj]
squeak_D Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/08/00
Posts: 4715
Loc: West Virginia
As another member pointed out, bass lines in the styles need massive improvement across all the brands. Some are better than others, but they all need work. I’ve said in the past that a dead giveaway that an arranger keyboard was used is the bass lines.

I also don’t understand why is it that we’re near the end of 2018, and arranger keyboard makers haven’t put much effort into providing good software editors with their keyboards. These are so common outside of the arranger market. My Roland RS-70 from 2003 had a good software editor, and that was a budget keyboard.

Again, nearing the end of 2018, why are internal speakers in modern arrangers taking up so much damn precious real estate that could be used to add more knobs, buttons, and sliders? With the speaker technology today, arrangers don’t need large speakers. You can still get amazing sound out of smaller speakers, and properly designed housings. It’s even worse when they try to “dress up” the speakers aesthetically, making them look gaudy at times.

Sqk
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#458473 - 09/22/18 01:13 AM Re: What is BORING You about your Arranger Keyboard?? [Re: squeak_D]
guitpic1 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 04/16/14
Posts: 1950
Loc: Missouri
Once in a while, I play my DGX650. The piano action like feel seems to give me more control over expression.
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