Whether a screen is a touch screen, or whether there are buttons surrounding the screen wouldn't make that much difference I would have thought... Unless you can see WHAT page the screen is on, you will still have little idea what the buttons do...

The trouble with the idea that some 'alternative' should exist comes up against the fact that hardware buttons as an alternative to screen selection on todays incredibly powerful (but incredibly complex) arrangers, would raise the price an awful lot. There's a real cost reason why they are moving towards touch screens. Buttons cost a lot of money.

Perhaps some kind of tactile overlay for a touch screen would at least help your fingers get to the right spot...

I have a small amount of experience with this myself, because I play outside in the Florida sunshine on a beach gig several times a week, and in those lighting conditions, sometimes the display is close to unreadable if you are a hurry..!