Playing arranger kb is a multitasking art form that not many have the talent to pull off. And to add singing to the mix makes it all the more enjoyable and efficient. They tend to think it's too difficult
and in turn go to the easier way of just playing a single type kb, piano, synth, etc,.
That is fine with me, I'm happy and proud to be able to play one to the best of my ability and learning more every day. ....
As far as killing it off that is not gonna happen IMO.

Well said Donny . . .

Lest I be misunderstood, long live all the old fogies, a group of which I am a proud member!

Another factor that will sound the death knoll for arrangers.

So I'm in the Guitar Center a few weeks ago talking to the keyboard manager (we have great music conversations) and he said exactly what we already know. I asked him what kids are buying these days and he answered mostly "production" equipment. Seems they all want to use technology to be great record producers. Not many are interested in actually learning an instrument. I dug deeper. He said they want to be Youtube stars. I scratched my head and asked him what he meant. Seems that everyone wants to be a "star" somewhere..anywhere and the easiest place to do it is to develop a following on Youtube. You see, you can be anybody, and make up anything in front of a Youtube camera.

So fast forward to this week. Would you believe on the 11 o'clock news, that's just what they said. Kids wanted to be astronauts growing up back then.....now they aspire to be Youtube stars.

I personally don't understand it.

One more thing. Arrangers are going to go into extinction also because no one knows how to play one anymore. Not even the salespeople (being PC...politically correct....they're no longer salesmen!). If a salesperson can't demonstrate what they do and CAN do how do you expect to sell one. That's IF you can even find one in the store.

It's all OK for me...I've saved all my arrangers over the years with the Pro-E being #1 in my inventory.

There are lots of people in other countries buying and using arrangers, and a lot of them are young. There are hundreds of YouTube videos of arrangers, especially EA7.

I guess that applies to all real instruments really .

It's my firm belief that if you practice (any instrument) for just the "two hours," and you're doing it correctly, focusing, concentrating, then at the end of that two hour session you'd have to be put on an oxygen tank!

I don't believe practicing is doing finger exercises over and over again. It's about creativity and "creativity" is another word for "mind fatigue." Creativity example: take any song and play it in 100 different arrangements...or play it in a different key, or figure substitute chords, etc

So adding 20 minutes to my two hours would be the "death knell" for me. I'm not drained physically, but "mentally!" I just about fall on the floor when I'm done.

Good thought though, Spalding.

Are they still using live musicians over there in the working men's clubs? One man bands? DJ's? Nothing? The "cabaret" shows in the East End pubs were great breeding grounds for musicians!

Yep, there are still plenty of live bands in the pubs and clubs over here although as you would expect in this day and age there are also plenty of DL’s and Karaoke.

Practice is important providing it is the correct practice (Just do a google search to find out which is best for you) however you should not fee drained at the end of it, (If you are you are practicing wrong) I always remember being told by teachers and musicians that the only difference between home and professional players (Apart from the money) is that a home player practices till they get the piece right, whereas a professional practices till they cannot get the piece wrong.

Bill

I know what you're saying Bill, and in most cases you are correct. However, the type of practicing I'm talking about is what I, myself, do to get better. I think I said it already...taking a song and playing it in different keys, playing left hand arpeggios to every chord the right hand plays, playing left hand scales instead of arpeggios, playing a song in different styles, and all kinds of creative stuff. Believe me. I'm drained at the end of a session.

I've lifted weights all my life and one of the things we learn is: if you're not tired at the end of a workout, and your muscles are not pumped, then you've just wasted two hours of your time!

But....one of the members in the Synthzone said to me a while back: I have to remember that "what works for me might not work for the next person!" I do always keep that in mind.

Walking around casinos in Las Vegas and going on cruise ships arranger keyboards are everywhere.