However much I would like an Arranger Module I don't think Yamaha, Korg, or Roland will delve into producing them any time soon, if at all, in my opinion. Ketron is the exception and by the looks of it Lionstracs is now giving an effort on it too. Kudos to Dom for venturing off in that direction but it remains to be seen how effective it will be for the User and/or Dom's own bottom line. But just look at the price of the Groove Box module if you will.. it is priced above some totl arranger "keyboards". And just one more piece of equipment to lug around if you happen to gig.

If the price was right then a full featured arranger module would be an interesting alternative. Since they seem to be so expensive I would personally just keep getting the whole "enchilada" i.e. an arranger "keyboard" instead.

It will be interesting to see what shows up at winter NAMM '10 which is only a couple of months away now. I am really hoping that Roland finally comes through with the successor for the "fit for the museum" G-70. I had heard through "inside" sources that Roland is indeed producing a G70 successor but when it will actually show up is anybodies guess. When it is revealed it will be really interesting to see (and hear) all the new improvements and upgrades it will have compared to the saber-toothed G70.. BTW, I'm not trying to put the G70 down or anything but we all know it has been around for a lllooooooooooonnnnnggggggggggggggggg time and is now well overdue for a replacement model to succeed it. We'll see..

Two more years or more before we will likely see the T3 successor hit the market though. When it does show up at the end of 2011?? it will most likely be revolutionary in its arranger style functioning in my opinion. I believe Yamaha was granted patent(s) for the technology it will use, which will go a long way in producing random variableness into Style play; along the same lines of the Audya's 'intelligent' arranger aspect but perhaps much more comprehensive in its ability to do so??? We'll see.. In about two years or so..

The PAX2PRO OS hasn't been updated in almost a year so Korg may be getting ready to shelve it and announce something new at possibly 'summer' NAMM '10 or winter NAMM '11. Korg is also on a roll with their new SV-1 digital piano and with a possible M3 replacement showing up in a couple years or less possibly as well. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Roland Fantom G's successor shows up in two years or under either. Yamaha's next totl Workstation should be coming out in a year or two max also. So there are many things to look forward to from both the Arranger side and the Workstation side as well. Casio's next totl (to them ) Arranger Workstation should prove to be very intriguing as well. It will most likely have 128 note polyphony and a host of other great features included in it too. Casio is getting better all the time as we know and may indeed take a sizable "chunk" of the marketshare away from some of the other manufacturers down the road because of the huge price discrepancy and value that Casio brings to the table. Winter NAMM '10 may be the place where Casio's next arranger workstation shows up perhaps too. There may even be a new arranger module from Ketron or..??? >> I'll personally stick with the arranger "keyboard" concept most likely though. And since I don't currently own an Arranger keyboard I am starting to salivate as I think of all the possibilities that lay ahead for possible considerations i.e. Tyros 4, PA3XPRO, Roland G90GXP, Audya 2 (the completed version [img]http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/biggrin.gif[/img]), Casio WK-????, etc., etc..

All the best,
Mike