TC,

Your point about cars wasn't bad, but maybe its a generation thing cause it doesnt relate to arrangers. Companies as a matter of fact have bought over far more efficient technology to run cars (newsflash: the US and UK invaded Iraq for that very purpose), but you cant reinvent the wheel so to speak. Four wheels, a body, doors.... (you get the picture).

Arrangers are nothing more than software in a hardware case that could be radically improved over the years, but as ive mentioned in this thread they have gone nowhere. Look around the net for arranger keyboards over the years and you will see simple tech' updates that again are hand-me-downs from workstations.

The P3k is a cutdown Tyros with added technology from the Motif. The 1X is an upgraded 80 that looks lots like the i30 of 6 years ago, only colour screen and a so called improved sound engine and sampling from the T. (Yep, the motif got the tyros megas, but megas are nothing more than multisamples that have existed for over 10 years = hype BS).

Also if you look at styles, we have seen nothing of features like improvisational type accomp's. Why the hell dont korg put in karma features on an arranger? It would hurt karma sales of course, when the karma was actually designed as an arranger in the first place (s kay is a long time arranger user and programmer).

I used to own a Motif 7 but sold it due to money problems. Yamaha could easily, technically put in arranger styles into the pattern sequencer and provide chord recognition for those patterns and provide chord input to help with composition. I would rather wait 3 years for this and pay once than waiting 4 years and pay twice.

As for Roland, man those guys are in need of a good boot up the arse. Their sounds are a bit too polished for my liking and remind me of Phil Collins (LOL), and as for their arranger efforts, again they borrow from the R+D from workstations.

The whole problem/situation looks like THE BIG THREE dont want to scare arranger users off with advanced features and vice-versa - they dont want to scare off synth users with arranger/home type features.

There is of course 'a perfect scenario' and that is to keep arrangers as they are for the lower end users, and those that can't really play (you know, those that didnt attend music conservatory from knee high, didnt go to music college, didnt take the music classes at school, or started after 19yo etc.....). LOL ... and before that comment blackballs me from the bbs, you just know you want to play from knee high in any event!!!!

Anyways the situation here as far as I can see is some people here are either intentionally/unintentionally playing the game. The game looks like putting out the same ol' crap every 2 years and getting the sucker punters to shell out their hard earned cash for yet another bloody upgrade that costs an arm and a leg.

For example I walked into my local store in Manchester recently to see what they had in stock. A few lowender Yammies, no Rolands and one or two Korgs. I asked for a price for the PA1X, the speaker model and got a quote of £2,400. I thought there and then (as some1 who doesnt work in music for a living) that it would take me four years to pay for this on credit, and i would be working 2 and a bit days out of the month to pay for it.

When you really think of it on a larger scale. I'd HATE TO THINK that in any way shape or form any player would buy a keyboard on the viewing of posts on this forum (I once made that foolish mistake ). Many players are clearly stuck in their ways and many are hard for cash and personally it would be nice to think that regulars here take 'RESPONSIBLE' care NOT to put across an ad for the companies.

Getting back to why we're here, its music, and for my money arranger keyboards are in no shape or form as good as they could be and I would rally fellow members here to impress that fact upon manufacturers to get the finger out of their ass to create better products. The new G70 is nothing new.