Ideal arranger features:

-- No keyborard at all. But it is not a rack: it full size and mounted on top of you preferred master keyboard. It can be up to 3 keyboards attached (up to 3-manual instrument).

-- Style morphing

-- multi-pads

-- soloists

-- Karma function for all parts

-- performance rendering for all parts (swing, nuances etc.)

-- vocal processor (harmony)

-- contemporary sound engine: samples, virtual sinth and VariPhrase-like processing. Importing sound streams from computers (USB).

-- music database with tons and tons of presets (styles and registration). Online exchange point of presets with some kind of collaborative filtering.

Due to presets it cannot be done completely from existing modules -- it should be integrity in sounds.

Have "style and pad compatibility feature" with Tyros/PSR, VA, KN, SD, Genesys etc. but I do not know how to integrate it to Music database (General Midi Styles? Oh, no!).

-- new modules and updates loaded via internet (like Creamware Noah) always with additions to MusicDatabase.

-- huge hard drive -- and sequencer is always on.

-- 7.1 sound (not merely stereo)

-- CD/DVD-audio-burner and MP-3/OGG encoding

-- computer integration (a lot of it own software and configuration files to existing software)

Real Drawbars

Yes, shure -- real drawbars.

-- Real Drawbars

-- breath controller

-- extended (or modular) foot controller with pedals and switches

-- elaborated control surface with sliders, joystics, buttons etc. Big bright touch screen.

-- timers and clocks

Almost 6 years since this was posted. First half of features already realized, second half will be realized in next 6 years

Today I think about not "Karma function for all parts" but (after experience with Karma in Korg M3-73) "Arranger styles factory loaded in Karma combi at next Korg music workstation".

Steven Kay recently said on the Karma forums that he will not turn KARMA in an arranger or even will consider to make a GE that can be programmed like a normal arranger track.

why ?

Because most professional musicians still look down uppon arranger functions and they stay away from it as if an arranger was a dissease.

But he would not mind and personally even enjoy to build KARMA intoo the next series of Korg PA arrangers so KARMA could be used in addition to the arranger or in combination/paralel with it.

Next to that, i personally think not many of your wishes from 6 years ago where implemented in todays arrangers....

Tough i must agree that we both are in line with our expectations from the TOTL arranger.

At the start of my rant a couple years ago I was half kidding, but today I am convinced this is the future: http://www.rolandus.com/search/?q=vima

Given that I've NEVER seen one in a store, it looks like the rest of the world isn't particularly interested in this 'vision of the future'...

Seen a boatload of arrangers and WS's, though

I personally think that Roland's keyboard department is having a hard way.
-Fantom is loosing big time against Yamaha
-they've lost a huge market share in the arranger market.

A common strategy for selling products is having one top model that is expensive but it should show off all the best things a brand can do... And then they'll make the money by selling a lot of spinn offs from the top model. ie Tyros and the PSR series from Yamaha.

Roland doesn't have the top model to wet people's appetites and they are only trying to sell the spinn offs ......

They are constantly trying to develop new things and find new markets with products like VIMA... while they neglected their main market share.

The only thing i liked about Roland key products over the last few years (past G70, fantom X) is the V-synth line and not even that is selling as good as it could be.

I certainly hope Roland will soon come back with a top-class arranger and spinn offs from that. STill They have all the technology in their company to create an Instrument that everyone loves.... instead of making products for niche markets.

Its called PA2XPRO.

Why your wishes may fall on deaf ears:
http://www.break.com/index/the-great-office-war.html