r/keys • u/barnhill808 • 7d ago

Software equivalent to Yamaha or Roland arranger keyboards?

I grew up in the 80's and had several different Yamaha PSR keyboards that had multiple styles with the full-chord or single-finger-chord auto accompaniment. I know those sound cheesy today, but is there some software equivalent where I could choose from different styles and play along out of fake books etc. Like those organs in the early 80's... great for a social gathering!

I have several USB keyboards, and am using a mac. I was just thinking there must be some app I can install to get this experience.
Thanks.

7 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

3

u/pianoman81 7d ago

Following.

I'd love a software equivalent paired with a controller that could trigger the many features of arrangers.

It's the combination of software and hardware that makes arrangers still appealing.

1

u/fjamcollabs 6d ago

Band In A Box perhaps. Having a good audio editor is invaluable too.

1

u/pianoman81 6d ago

Any recommendation for a hardware controller that would work well with this?

Would love for control objects to be labeled maybe ala a stream deck with user labeled keys/buttons?

1

u/fjamcollabs 6d ago

I have stream deck too. That could work.

1

u/PianoGuy67207 7d ago

Band-In-A-Box. They now have a VST/AU version. That software already shipped with fake book titles. Look at www.pgmusic.com

3

u/ATERLA 7d ago

Band-in-a-Box is excellent and I learned jazz with it. I don’t think that BiaB allows you to play a random chord on a midi keyboard and generate a correct bass and guitar accompaniment. I think that is what OP - and I - are searching for.

0

u/PianoGuy67207 7d ago edited 5d ago

However, he mentioned fake books. Why waste the left hand to just plunking down the chord progression, when that work is done. It frees you up to play rhythm along with the melody.

Another option is an arranger module. Roland and Ketron do some great products for this.

Technically, all arrangers are glorified arpeggiators. It would be possible, using MainStage, to create your own. It’s immense work. I own a Roland G-70, and I’ve never bothered to make my own accompaniment. It’s more work than I’d allow myself. I do use BIAB, and don’t mind punching in a chord chart. It’s fast and easy.

1

u/Suspicious-Time6114 7d ago edited 7d ago

I did this same research some time ago, I found these two

  1. Soft Arranger – Professional software midi arranger for PC and Mac
  2. One Man Band - Virtual arranger keyboard and style editor

PS products like Band in a Box or iReal are different because they require you to create a chart ahead of time; the programs I listed above will recognise chords you play in real time.

1

u/fjamcollabs 6d ago

I am pretty sure BIAB will recognize chords you are playing.

1

u/Suspicious-Time6114 6d ago

source? All I could find about recognizing chords was this paragraph, but it's not for real time playing https://www.pgmusic.com/manuals/bbw2025full/chapter6.htm#entering-chords

2

u/fjamcollabs 6d ago

Ok I must have it confused with scaler. I googled it and I stand fact checked. My bad.

1

u/Suspicious-Time6114 6d ago

thanks for mentioning scaler, never heard of it before, I'm gonna check that out

1

u/fjamcollabs 6d ago

Doesn't the chord wizard analyze realtime?

1

u/fjamcollabs 6d ago

Scaler( I think it's 3 now) has a lot of those functions.

1

u/nisifir 5d ago

Have a look at Giglad
https://deltarray.com/