Ilija,

I have exactly the same concerns which you have stated so well in this posting. I am also concerned with the usability of an instrument on stage, and would definitely rate this as one of the three determining factors, along with the quality of sounds and styles it produces. It is sad to see that an instrument which has obviously taken Roland a lot of thought comes short on some very obvious things (which every other manufacturer provides).

However, I am reserving my judgement on the usability of VA-7 until I find out if the missing functions can be executed through MIDI. If I can, a midi pedal with 10 or so switches can be found for around $100 used. If it works, this would be a small price to pay for an instrument which excels in sounds and styles AND is easy to use on stage.

Regards,
Alex