Hi all,
Some time ago I tried to contact Korg Italy but with no luck. I phoned their office, from what I think it was and asked to speak to someone who could take feedback and comments regarding Korg PA1X but they didn't want me to talk to someone they asked me to contact my local dealer! I just want to tell them both Korg and Roland that for a visually impaired person it is really hard to use their instruments due to their touch screens.
I have contacted my local dealer and distributor but I just want ot be sure that it reaches Korg and Roland. Me and other visually impaired people are left behind.
A visually impaired friend of mine owns a Korg pa1xPro but can only use just a few functions on it like changing styles but not much else since it is all based in the touch screen.
On the Yamaha keyboards as well on other brands we can use more functions if there are just a few more buttons.
I think this is very important for future arrangers. I don't know where else to post such a comment, but if someone form Korg or Roland reads this I would be very interested in a comment!
This is not the forum to discuss visually impaired people and our accessibility problems with products but this is just to let the folks at Korg and Roland know that we exists and also want to be able to do more!
If I go and buy an arranger for this price I want to be able to do things with it.
We can used computers with sequencers but if we are not in front of that we cant do that much with a touch screen!
It could also be interested to hear what you all other think as well! I was eventually going for the G-70 but decided to wait for the E-80 and eventually the Pa1X. But I am hessitating with this touch screen!
All the best and thanks, Chris

Chris,

I just wanted to personally let you know that we at KETRON have/are taking this into consideration which is why we disign our instruments (appart from the new sound module, SD2) to be more panel than screen oriented/driven.

Thanks,

AJ

Hi AJ,
Many thanks for your reply!
That is very good news and I really hope the other manufactors will also do this!
I have never "seen" a Ketron instrument, but are there end points in the menus? LIke you can press the down arrow and when you reach the bottom it stays there. Many thanks!

Hi,

I heard a similar discussion in the past in a different forum, and even if not disable myself (so offering an active contribute to the solution), I'm always trying to help, whenever possible.

Korg started to use the touch screen, first in the musical instrument area, in the Trinity (I've still one in my room), then in Triton, Pa1X and Oasys. It was a revolution talking about graphical interface and intuitivity, but obviously this became a problem for visually impaired people.

I'm not defending any position, I'm just considering that Korg, like Roland has pointed their production in this direction and I've to admit that I like this kind of interface (using a Yamaha once I found myself pushing the display ... with no luck), but obviously you can't.

I can understand your difficulties (owning a Pa1X), since pages are always different and it's hard to come back with a solution. Once I heard that a blind musician using a Trinity has fixed some reference point in the border of the display (a kind of ship battle) to have at least the possibility to select sounds and do very basic things. Don't know if this can be of help in Pa1X, but you can anyway try.

Regarding contacting Korg I think that you can send a message (I think there is somewhere a contact in their site) or contact your local distributor asking to pass your letter to Korg: they for sure can do this.
My last, but not least, suggestion is: I think you have to contact them just proposing a possible solution for the problem. For normal people is sometime difficult to understand disable problems and proposing a solution is world of difference against complaining only.

Hope this of help and good luck for a positive solution of this history !

Warm regards.

Christian,

Thank you for bringing this up. I think that the touch screen is unsuitable for live performances, even if the person can see. There is no tactile feedback, and with the endless scrolling it is hard to figure where you are.

Korg had started using the touchscreen on the I30 - at the time the I30 also had a large number of buttons, so the screen was needed only to access some of the more esoteric functions - you could operate the basic functions using just the buttons. That was a good system. However, in their endless pursuit of shaving off the manufacturing costs, Korg and Roland have both gone to touchscreen-only operation, i.e. you need to see the touchscreen to navigate your way around the instrument. This is a ridiculous approach, especially considering how much these new high-end instruments cost.

Your friend may consider getting a control surface that can be configured to replace many of the functions which require using the screen.

Aside from this band-aid solution, I sure hope that the manufacturers take into account the fact that the arranger community is growing older, and realise that it would serve them well to address the needs of the visually impaired people.

Regards,
Alex

Christian_1 said: “We can use computers with sequencers but if we are not in front of that we can’t do that much with a touch screen!”


It would seem not withstanding the touch screen issue, a solution to this problem that would be good for visually impaired persons, none visually impaired persons and the manufacturers is to have a software program to do most of the editing functions for the keyboard from the computer.
Yamaha seems to be heading in the right direction by providing a sound editor for PC for the Tyros 2. You can also do file management of the Tyros 2 on the computer using USB. It is also good to hear Ketron is willing to take the lead in being performance and programming friendly.


Arranger manufacturers and keyboard manufacturers in general would want to create a performance keyboard that would take little or no screen reliance when on a gig.
After all, eye contact and interaction with the crowd is the hallmark of a great performer. If you don’t have to look on a screen too too much would help to make the job look easier, and give the performer the use of the face for more interaction with the audience.

Hi all,
Many thanks for your replies!
I am currently trying out a Pa1X but so far I am only able to change styles and sounds. The built in speakers are very good from my opinion but I have not been able to switch on the vocal processor or maybe change any of its settings. So I am still hessitating a little here. If any of you Pa1X owners have any solutions please let me know!
And I have also talked to a couple of friends and they are sighted and do not want a touch screen. If the light isn't good enough it might be able to operate the screen and also what happens if the touch screen goes broke? How much does it cost to fix it? Replacing a button must be cheaper than replacing the entire screen!
But in general, the Pa1X sounds really live to me when playing its like a real band or what do you all think? Have a nice day! Chris

Hi Chris
Try having some cardboard templates made up with holes for the part of the screen you need to access, you should then be able to feel your way around.
Just an idea.

Bill

xxx

[This message has been edited by Booby (edited 05-08-2006).]

Hi Bill,
That is what I have done but only for styles and sounds. The other functions are more difficult to access since I think that they appear at random places on the screen. Maybe if I had separate cardboards for different functions but that is not a fast solution. Many thanks, CHris