In my opinion, anything no matter how good it is today can always be improved for tomorrow, if we just apply enough thought and effort to getting it done.

I believe the KN7000 is the flagship of modern day musical keyboards, and as great as it is, could be even better.

How about if we give the Panasonic/Technics organization, a place here in one posting, all the ideas we can come up with that we believe would make the next flagship version even better.

I can start the ball rolling with the following suggestion:

Keyboard data entry: The current Pad Buttons, Panel Memory buttons, and tempo/program wheel could all be replaced with one small 10-key type of keyboard entry set of buttons that could be used to input pad selections; panel memory selections; tempo settings; measure number selections, note length, and any other numeric bound type of selections.
This could improve the ease and speed up substantially the input of this data into the working system.

What other ideas do you have that could be added to this wish list of improvements??

Put your thinking caps on and go wild. A large list of ideas (even if most would not be feasible) would be a fantastic starting place for Technics to read, analyze, and then, carry the ball forward.

Happy thinking!

Larry

Most important improvements would be.
1. A manual bass part (and a manual bass on/off button).
2. A true B3 wannabe.
3. A third right part.
4. Music Finder as on Yamaha.
5. Much larger user memory (at least 100 user styles).
6. A second Left part.

Hi Larry
one of the most useful facilities I can think of would be to allow the user the ability to permanently override the default settings. I'm thinking particularly of the annoying Root Bass and Chord settings, which I presently need to mute and save in every panel memory.
John

Hi Larry,

Consolidating keyboard improvement information in one thread is a great idea! Perhaps the thread could be printed and mailed to Technics U.K., Technics U.S.A., and Panasonic in Japan when all comments are in.

My wish list would include; (1) a switchable (selectable) multi-voltage power supply; (2) a vocalizer that produces beautiful harmonies; (3) and like John North, I would like to be able to override default settings - including Techni-chord. If I am using Music Style Arranger set to Variation #1, the default Techni-chord setting is "Duet 2". So I set Techni-chord to "Block". As soon as I switch to Variation #2, Techni-chord defaults to "Duet 2" again. Very frustrating! Like John, I have to program each Variation with the "Block" setting and save it in Panel Memory. Why can't I change the default setting and have it apply to all Variations without resorting to Panel Memories?

Chuck

Good idea Larry,
at this moment I whish to add:
- a larger display with a more nowadays operation system; a 'windows'-like touch;
(Why not with a mouse/trackball-feature and/or the option of connecting an extern computerkeyboard.) Like Larry pointed ad. Or the possibillity to approach the new KN.. throught softwareprogram to manage all the keyboardfeatures via/in the computer via USB.
- better and quicker handling SD-feature, including better software support
Cees

Hi Larry,
I'm not sure that a keypad would be good for playing live. One doesn't have time to find a keypad, position fingers over it properly and then remember a sequence to complete a function. A keypad in addition to the direct access buttons would no doubt be useful for entering data while sequencing.

I sure agree that the ability to overide the default settings through a flexable global approach would be very desirable. Right now, setting and saving each time to each panel memory is slow and is very easy to forget to do.

Also, I would like to see more assignable functions to the foot switches. For instance, it sure would be nice to be able to stop a performance pad sequence with a foot switch. Right now you can turn a performance pad on, but not off.
Oh, and I almost forgot, removing the SD Card is not easy with my calloused fingers. I can barely get a hold of it to pull it out.
(Maybe I have to sandpaper my fingers).
Walt

[This message has been edited by Walt Meyer (edited 07-06-2003).]

All good suggestions guys.
I would like to see the following added :
A facility similar to the Fade out but providing a configurable Rall/Ritardando for ending a song, just by pressing a single button, or footswitch. Maybe the present Fade Out could be dual purpose with the choice set in the CONTROL menu.
I would also like to be able to use the Data Wheel to move the cursor position in the Step Edit facility instead of holding down the Up/Down buttons.

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Willum

Willum,
Great idea -- I missed that one.
Walt

As soon as it seems definite that we have cornered all the good ideas available, I will send the entire list of ideas and comments to the Panasonic/Technics organization for them to (hopefully) consider for the future.

Seems like what we have already is fantastic and very professional in scope and Technics should be very thankful to get this info.

Keep the ideas coming!!

Larry

I have one hardware and one software request to add to the previous suggestions, many of which I would also like.

On the hardware front I would like a 6-pedal footswitch with the pedals distanced further apart than the current 4-switch unit, so that it is easier to press one pedal instead of pressing two or three at once.

A software enhancement I would like is an easy selection of recently used files on the SD card, as per most PC software programs. When I am preparing registrations for a piece of music I usually prepare them over several days, gradually improving the settings until I am satisfied with them. It would be nice to be able to load the song in a couple of button pushes rather than page down several times to find the folder containing the song.

Mike