A quick run down on my dream ROMpler;

73 keys-Not 61(too short)not 76(uneven) not 88(If I want to go surfing,I'll go to CA) 73 keys-that's six octaves from C to C -a very *neat* arrangement and enough room to stretch out without "stretching out".

World Class Orchestral soundset with everything from A-Z as far as sounds are concerned.World Class everything else too,for that matter.And enough variety to cover any situation on planet earth.For example:Every type of mute trumpet,snare drums from piccolo to parade,timpani with soft to hard mallets,felt and wood types.
I want an electric guitar that shreds as well as brass that doesn't sound like car horns.In short,something a micron away from perfection.

All of the right holes in all of the right places. Stereo Outs,aux outs,Headphones,expression pedal,sustain pedal(dedicated)Midi IN/OUT/THRU, breath controller,USB,50 watt 3 way speakers,Dual Compact Flash bays,(On the front of keyboard,NOT the back!)one for loading new sounds,the other for sequencing,(no damn factory batteries!!!)16 track sequencer,(Pattern Based like the Alesis MMT-8) 16 part multi-timbral,128 poly,6"x4" Backlit LCD display-royal blue with powder blue background(like Casios WK-1350)Auto-save function,5 position Global Reverb,Tempo mapping,100,000 note sequencer, 5 position Global Compression and stuff I've forgotten or haven't thought of yet!!

Notice that I did not include the following:

40g Harddrive-Too much of a pain-I never heard of flash cards crashing plus there's no hard disc recording on this unit anyway.

Any type of synthesis-This is a ROMpler-an instrument for people who want to work on their music and NOT on tweaking crap to death.

Insert and mastering FX-Too much menu digging and/or buttons/knobs/sliders on the face of the keyboard.You might find this hard to believe,but reverb and compression are the two most indispensible FX there are.Other FX like delay and chorus can be achieved by velocity tapping and detuning on the keyboard.Other FX like flange and phase,in addition to reverb and chorus would be incorporated into the generous soundbank presets.The soundbank, therefore, would take the largest amount of time to figure out so virtually all of the bases would be covered,in one form or another.
Distortion and overdrive would be covered in the Elec.Guitar samples,Chorus could go over some of the piano samples.Also there would be stereo presets of piano,rhodes,acoustic guitars as well.The Heavy thinking would be done ,so all you need do is concentrate on your MUSIC!

And all of the above has budgetary concerns as well-I would hope that this particular model would only cost a thousand+ so it could find it's way into the hands of LOTS of cash strapped,working musicians.

This has been a pet project of mine for quite some time and I'm not through yet....




[This message has been edited by casiobot (edited 09-17-2005).]