Fran have no idea what your talking about but I will say this....
I am a singer that backs himself up with whatever means is at my disposal, keyboard, backing tracks, SMF, band , or whatever..
to make my vocals shine.Singing is the expression of the inner soul.

This thread has me going now. Whereas, I see where Fran is coming from, I am looking at this as an attainable skill set at this late date. Donny, your explanation, coupled with your examples, has shown me the added excitement that can be added. Maybe simple at first, but I see what can be done with impromptu embellishments. As long as I stick to proper timing and chord structure, I know I can add something meaningful to my performance. Thank you.

For solo player, singing may not be a necessity if your playing jazz or classical, or background music for some situations. Good luck on getting work anywhere playing instrumental music on an arranger keyboard. Even the seniors venues are now be filled up with folks that didn’t grow up with instrumental music. They stopped playing MUZAK at the dentist office, grocery stores and elevators years ago!

Bernie I know with your experience and a little dedication to practice you WILL be successful singing and playing.
It doesn't take much RH comping to make it happen with an arranger or SMF....you have all the tools don't let them go to waste.
I feel happy I could help in my own small way using these simple examples where you can hear the RH comp......GO FOR IT!

Mel Torme, Ella (she taught me chord inversions), Aretha, Nat King Cole, Michael McDonald, Kenny Rankin, Harry Connick Jr, Sarah Vaughn, Diana Krall....the list of excellent musicians who are superb singers is long, covering many styles of music.Even Joey D is an excellent vocalist.

Like many others, I played in mostly instrumental bands until someone had to sing. I resented the fact that singing took the focus off improvements in instrumental playing.

Now, playing and singing is 2nd nature. I regularly sing tracks
for for fortune 500 companies and can go out on the road as a playing back-up singer for 3 or 4 nationally known acts.

Don't particularly like singing, but it helps pay the bills.

Russ (tone deaf) Lay

Fran, Agree! Happens every week. Dumb-asses!

Russ (Can't You See I'm busy?)Lay

I think that once again many are confusing arranger playing with piano playing. They are two different instruments and require different skill sets, even though of course the arrangement of the keys are the same.
But that's another feature of arrangers, you CAN play them like a piano, to a degree.
Having never really played piano, I think more like a guitar player or other instrumentalist.
I don't think good musicianship can be determined solely by whether you play good piano.
This of course even relates to what we regard as "good feel" or "a great key bed". Having fully weighted keys can be a deterrent to good arranger playing, while being somewhat essential to good piano playing.
I somewhat envy those who can play good left hand bass while singing and playing with the right,because it opens up avenues for using the arranger that I don't have. I can play left hand bass, even bass guitar, but it contradicts the way I basically play arrangers. I haven't developed that particular skill set to a degree where it would enhance anything, and at this point I don't have a desire to do that.
The one reason I keep looking to replace the excellent Korg PA4X is because the semi-weighted keys hurt my fingers after a few hours. So far nothing else has filled the bill completely.
As far as singing, I started trying to do that when the singer quit the band and I wanted to keep getting paid. I was AWFUL and it took years to become adequate. I'm only in the past few years starting to think of myself as a decent singer, with many limitations. Maybe 50 years of doing it every night helps one learn. I'm still learning things...such as how to determine which keys sound best for me, experimenting with playing in different keys. The transpose button works in many cases, but the "licks" you play in one key can be much more difficult to achieve in another key. Actually playing in other keys often sounds different than just transposing everything. But, again, that's another great feature of arrangers; you don't have to play in keys that are difficult for you if you don't choose to invest the time and effort to do that. I can play in any key, but am much more comfortable in "white" keys, such as C,D,E,F,G,A and even Bb. Many good players are more comfortable in Eb, F#, B, but I only use them when I have to. That might be required on the rare occasions when I use music or a lead line.
Sorry for all this rambling, and it's only meant to convey thoughts that relate to the way I use arrangers, in case anyone is interested. It isn't necessarily the way anyone else should. There is no right or wrong way, as long as it brings pleasure to the player and/or the audience, if any.

... how'd she know it was you?😇

..."IF" you can sing.

Regretfully, I don't play well and do my best to sing my song creations. The arranger is a "means to an end" for me. I am not a performer in any sense of the word. This unique "club" is made up of roughly 75% performers who make a living with their vocals and arranger KBs. They are a collection of great players with adequate voices and another group of great singers who have mastered all or most of the many facets of an arranger... no matter which make or model.

I feel very lucky to be able to "rub shoulders" and share "war stories" with this talented group. So much to learn and so little time left to master anything... but you folks are so generous. It is much appreciated.

----The other Dave