Dave,

I am to trying to single out Generalmusic, as IMO they are at the head of the pack where features are concerned. However, the fact is that Genesys, with aluminum case or not, is still 41 lbs with only 61 keys. That is very heavy. The electronic components are not heavy if they are properly designed. I bet, all the cirtuitry inside Genesys, or any other keyboard, could be placed on two PCBs - an analog one and a digital one (a cheaper design with less magnetic isolation could fit it all on one board). The fact that a typical keyboard uses many PCBs inside, each of which has to be mounted on standoffs and interconnected with wire harnesses, supports my contention that a typical arranger tries to regurgitate the existing (and usually older) technology, without really having put the proper effort into the design of the instrument. I also well understand that Drake is a DSP chip, which requires programming around it. However, the Promega series has come up with the necessary programming already. Why not incorporate the best modelled piano into the arranger keyboard? Just think of how appealing to the customers the software updates would be that would add modelled sax, guitar, violin, etc? The customers may even want to pay to get those, if they perceive the updates as adding new features to the instrument, and not just fix bugs and operational shortcomings which should not have been there in the first place.

At the moment, the main differences between the all-in=one keyboard and a software based solution are the user interface and component integration. For the most part, the software users can not change sttings by pressing a single button, and are typically required to use mouse and multiple keystrokes on the QWERTY keyboard. In addition, the user has to carry the PC and a KB controller, instead of a single board. On the other hand, they have the advantages of being hardware-independent, such that should the PC fail, the software can be reloaded on the new one, and it will function the same as the one before. I believe that very soon the software based solutions will offer a viable alternative to traditional keyboards, unless the current manufacturers change the way they tread customers' demands.

I do not enjoy arguing. By posting my frank, and perhaps controversial, comments, I hope that the KB manufacturers will start taking users' needs seriously, and ensure their continued presence in the marketplace, instead of going the way of Technics. I believe that the competition is healty for the market and for the end users, and simply hope that we will continue having viable choices of the keyboards.

Best regards,
Alex