Ah - this sounds like digitalvision's thread...

As I've pointed out in previous discussions, the problem with getting so-called "current technology" into a keyboard is the development time it takes to design, manufacture and program a keyboard. It appears that the timeline from concept to shelf is about three years optimistically... so you have to use circuits and processors from 2002 to have a keyboard ready in 2005. That's not to mention training the sales and tech team that has to be in place for customer support, authoring and printing manuals, etc. And not only that but the keyboard has to appeal to a broad user base for the mass production effort to pay off, which keeps the unit cost down. This is no small feat.

I think the customizable Open Labs eKo concept is the closest to bringing current computer technology into a music product, but at very high cost because of the low demand.

I think the solution is for some company to develop keyboard "shells": controllers that hold laptops conveniently and provide the necessary audio and physical interfaces. But evcen then you'd have to deliver 61/76/88 note versions both weighted and non-weighted. And a really good "shell program" would be needed too so that the laptop OS behaved more like the OS of a synth.

Otherwise, keyboards like the Motif that can provide a Firewire computer audio/MIDI interface seem to provide the closest bridge between computers and keyboards that we have currently. And I think more companies will adopt the idea of making keyboards that readily interface with softsynths in the future.

I'm not all that sure that consumers on the whole are ready for souped-up keyboards. I see that Roland has provided it's V-Link on the new G70 arranger and I started thinking "oh boy, a way to interface video projection with an arranger for interactive a/v concerts!"... then I think about the cost to do such a show and how many of my current clients would have an interest in it or could afford to pay me more to present such a show - the answer is none. My used and discontinued Yamaha 9000 Pro is already way above what most people can relate to, either in terms of utilizing all of the features it has as a performer or in terms of entertainment value to an audience.

The demands I would like to make of keyboard manufacturers are relatively small: for example, I would like to see Yamaha put it's Tyros or CVP-900 arrangers into a 76-note "portable pro" package. That's not asking for more than what they can do with technology they've already developed. And it's not asking for more than I can use as a pro player. Otherwise I think that keyboards will continue to be dragged into the future at their current technological pace.