Hi,



There are so many people using Korg and Roland keyboards on stage that it's hard to sentence that are "unsuitable" for live use, sorry. IMO (personal) is much much better, no question. Don't understand also what "endless scrolling" means but it doesn't seems related to the touch feature, since scrolling can be made in any display (even without touch), so ... what's the matter ?



Pa1X has more than 90 buttons, 11 sliders and a dial and the total number is pratically the same of i30. Having owned both of them I can say there is no big difference in concept and there is no esoteric function to select via display.
There is nothing ridicolous in the interface itself apart problems for visually impaired people of course.
Regarding costs: so if the touch screen reduce costs (hard to believe) this is how you justify the bigger price of Tyros 2 (hundred of bucks more) against G70 & Pa1X ?



For visually impaired people I agree, but what the matter for older people ? They can push a button but they cannot push a touch screen ? Hard to believe again I feel. I think (and hope for them) also that manufacturers are also interested in capturing new young musicians, to counterbalance the traditional arranger community getting older. Otherwise what will the future arrange community once the older one disappear ?

Sorry for this slightly off topic reply but all what agree is that a touch is not fine for visually impaired people, but for all the others .... no comments !

Regards.

Booby,

Do you work for Korg? It sure sounds like it. Parts of your post are right out of their marketing brochures.

To answer your questions: I clearly stated in my original post the reasons why in MY opinion touchscreen is not suitable for live performance - you even copied them in your reply. It seems though you did not bother to read the stuff you copied. One of these reasons is the lack of tactile feedback. When I press the button, I feel it reach the botton of its travel, and that tells me that I have pressed the button. I feel it without looking at the keyboard, and maintaining contact with my audience. When you touch the screen, you don't know whether you have touched the virtual "button" or somewhere else, without breaking contact with your audience, focusing on the screen, and seeing that you have indeed touched the screen in the correct location. This is especially true with the Korg's touch screen, where touch targets are often rather small (for my fingers). When I mention scrolling, I refer to the fact that without looking on screen and focusing, you don't know where you are. I believe that on a Yamaha going to a particular tone group and pagin the screen one page down will always get you to the same set of instruments. With Korg, I believe the page forward/back is done by touching the screen, so you don't really know how many pages down you are without looking on screen.

While the I30 may have the similar numbers of buttons as the PA1X, it is not the number that counts, but HOW they are being used. In I30 you could select a program or a style by pressing the bank button and the individual selection button, i.e. without actually touching the screen. Try doing this on the PA1X - you may be able to select the tone group with the button, but then you have to move your hand over, focus on the touchscreen, tap it with your finger, and wait to see that you touched it in the right place - if not, think whether you touched it too high or too low, and tap the screen again. The problem with PA1X (and Roland G70) is that you can not select sounds nor styles without using the screen.

The problem with getting older is that the eyesight often gets reduced before other things. Think of how many older people have to wear glasses for reading. This means that they would also need to wear glasses for looking at the screen (epecially Korg's). Many of these people (who have to be wearing reading glasses), don't need glasses to look further away, so when playing PA1X live, they would also need to take their glasses off to look at the audience, or put them on to look at the screen. I don't yet need reading glasses (only a single prescription), but find that refocusing quickly is difficult.

I find that here in the US, there is a very large number of people that are wearing glasses, i.e. have some kind of vision difficulties. For most of them it would be easier to use buttons (e.g. Tyros) than the touchscreen. In fact, using buttons is easier in most cases for anyone, than using the touchscreen.

If manufacturers want to capture younger musicians at the expense of their existing customer base, they are likely to fail in both market segments - if they can not show that they are addressing the needs of their core users, why would anyone invest the effort (and money) into a brand that will be likely to abandon them the next go-around?

There may be many people using the PA1X or Roland G70 on stage, but ask how many of them would rather not have to deal with the touchscreen, and I am sure, the majority of them would choose buttons over the touchscreen (you can sample the posts in this forum as an informal survey). I think both of those are perfectly adequate instruments for studio use, but as someone who needs a keyboard for performing live, I find them not suitable for my needs. Surprisingly, here in the US a Tyros2 can be had for $5-700 less than either PA1X or G70.

Now, if you like the touchscreen better - good for you. You certainly have a choice in today's marketplace. I don't want to criticise the PA1X.

However, I feel it is important to tell Korg and Roland that they are not addressing my needs, and those of many others.

Which brings me back to my original question. Do you work for Korg? For if you do, I hope you can pass my comments on the appropriate people, to make my concerns known, rather than continue arguing with me and obediently towing the company line.

Regards,
Alex

Hi,

hey Alex thanks for offering me a work at Korg, I will be delighted to do so.

No, unfortunately I'm not working for Korg anyway Korg Ms20 was my first synth and from that particular moment I have a good feeling with this brand, because it usually break the rules. This is exciting for me.

This doesn't mean I can accept anything, their products are often subject for easy criticism for stupid things, but they are also the most inspiring and musical in the market IMO.

Ok, this is another off topic, but I remain: the touch works perfectly also live. You rely on the forum but I'm talking for my experience on stage and those of other friends I'm in contact with playing a Pa1X: NO PROBLEM.

Anyway apart our small discussion (I don't think nobody of us will change idea so probably better to stop here) I would like to come back to the original topic, for visually impaired people, my full respect to them of course, being disadvantaged from the touch.

Take care and regards.