Actually gem and general musics are names for the same company, and they filed for bankrupcy, when their major investor pulled out..

To my eyes changes in AK models and upgrades, etc, are getting far and few between more and more unlike years past.
..enjoy what you have.
Times are changing fast.

Made an observation yesterday after picking up the mail. I received the most recent AMS catalog. The first 75% of the catalog comprised guitars, guitars, and more guitars. The last section was allocated to keyboards and miscellaneous gear.

It seems like all keyboards have taken a backseat when it comes to music merchandising.

jingleman

The much maligned arranger still has a roll to fill if they are comparing it to Ableton Live as being similar but you need to take your laptop and pre-program it first - every song. they set it up - and it does the same thing ( in its own way) as a totl arranger.

I saved that article and want to show it to a synth friend of mine who has an attitude about my PA4x lol.

Anyway, I still think, variety is the spice of life and if you put enough spice in your keyboard, no matter what variety/ make it is then you give it life!


Allan

So does Fender, Gibson, etc pay for more ad space, give more free samples, or offer bigger product discounts in order to get most of the pages in retailers catalogs? Musicians Friend catalog doesn't count as they are Fender owned and thus obvious in their layouts.

Or is it just advancing technology gets the nod over more traditional ways of music production thereby getting the promotion?

That doesn't apply to guitars though..acoustic guitars are not dying off in the pages or retail outlets.

Makes me wonder if there were full page ads dedicated to a Genos or PA4x or more than just a photo of one lower model with just a list of other models and prices under it, would there be more sales?

The bright side is that as long as all of us are still here, arrangers will have a fan base. Will arrangers evolve in the future and "morph" with workstations to create a sort of hybrid keyboard that has the best features of both with perhaps some new features added such as launch pad? Or will they eventually just disappear? Time will tell, but the market outside the US is apparently still very strong.

Well every Company has their story, Farfisa for example was a family owned business that the kids never took over the business from what a friend technician told me when he was a manager of tech dept there, and General Music went out of business because of a scam they had, something about collecting unemployment while the workers still working in another plant, Technics, I guess was not profitable so that went out.

actually the reason why arrangers matter is simple
we all love to play them, and so they matter

Thanks Bachus

So many opinions, and then Bachus wrote, “Actually the reason why arrangers matter is simple, we all love to play them”. Refreshing.

My Dad was a musician, I played many of the same songs as he did, but with a different feel. More drive. Then music to playing the old songs with contempory beats. Then R&R, three chord songs. Young musicians could put a band together after six guitar lessons. Music changed, and is still changing. Playing an arranger keyboard is not the best choice for today’s music. IMO!

1-The best part of my life was when I had my band. My arranger keyboard is the best substitute I can find. I’m still there.
2-Buying a Kn7000 was bring back some of the great arranger times.
3-When I pass my Pa1000 I smile, I like it.
4-Guitar was my favorite when I played in a band. Guitar it not as full, nor does it offer what an arranger offers.

These are some of my reasons why I try my best to stay away from all forms of pre-recorded music, I try to kept my keyboard as pure as it can be. It’s bad enough putting up with a recorded style.

Only my thoughts, John C.