We've done it both ways, songs without Keys or Violins don't need it, but if you hear those instruments, we are using samples to create them. This is for 2 reasons:
If we had a keyboardist they would get so board with thier tiny parts that they would quit, and second, it isn't cost efficient to hire touring musicians for such a small amount of music.
Hell the funny thing is half the time we try to use samples, something fucks up and they don't work anyway.
Take Care, Chris.