Now that the KN7000 is finally close to becoming a reality (premiering at Frankfurt Musik Messe March 13 - 17), I thought it might be fun to predict what new features & enhancements it will include as well as a chance to share our wishlist of what we’d like to see implemented.
1) Improved chord recognition in split keyboard mode
The KN6500 recognizes jazz style (Bill Evans type) rootless voicings in ‘full keyboard’ mode, but unfortunately does not recognize these same chord voicings in ‘split keyboard’ mode. The Yamaha PSR9000/9000pro & Ketron-Solton SD1 (on the other hand) recognizes these chord voicings in ‘split mode’ but not in ‘full keyboard’ mode. Interestingly enough, implementing chord voicing recognition in full keyboard mode is usually far more challenging. I would really like to see Bill Evans type jazz chords supported in BOTH split & full keyboard modes.
My prediction: I can’t wager a bet on this one, but I only hope Technics will follow Yamaha & Ketron-Solton’s lead (in split mode) on this because adding jazz chord recogniation in ‘split keyboard’ mode would be real easy to do, especially since they’ve already successfully implemented it in ‘full keyboard’ mode.
2) Mass Media Storage
My chief complaint with KN keyboards is the outrageous expense it costs just for a hard drive and then having to shell out additional cash for the hard drive backup software too. Other manufacters (Yamaha, Ketron-Solton, etc allow you to install a generic ‘off the shelf’ hard drive and even include (at no cost) the hard drive backup software. Mass storage devices (hard drives, flash media cards, cdrom burners) are relatively cheap now and certainly a lot cheaper than the proprietory 3rd party Keysoft Service hard drive that’s required to be used in the KN6500. Bob Hendershot’s excellent suggestion of a removeable compact flash memory card (128 mg) sounds even better than a hard drive because it’s fast, has no moving parts to breakdown, is removable, and you can get quite a few songs and styles (midi/Technics format) into a 128 mg card. My primary concern with using a CDR-W for storage of styles/songs is the slow access time.
My prediction: Even though I think the compact flash card storage system may be the best approach, I think that, if Technics decides to eliminate the floppy (and I really hope they do) that they will replace it with a CD-RW, because this would provide not only file storage & backup, but could support direct to CD burning of digital audio tracks (vocals) as well (like the upcoming new GEM Genesis will have).
3) 76 vs 61 keys
As a gigging musician who needs the lightest weight compact keyboard possible, I would forego the extra keys. It’s important to note, that in arranger style keyboard playing, you really only need about an octave to an octave and a half max in your left hand (left of split mode) to trigger the auto accomp harmony. Btw, I set the split point at F#2. This leaves nearly 3-1/2 octaves for your right hand to play melody, fills, & solos, more than sufficient I'd say, the same same amount of notes as between G (above middle C) and the top note (C) of an 88 note acoustic piano. For arranger keyboard mode playing, I see no advantage of having 76 keys. On the other hand, if you want to play solo piano . . . that’s ANOTHER instrument!
My prediction: this is a hard one for sure. Yamaha & Ketron went with the 76 note 9000pro & SD1, but they don’t include internal speakers. GEM (Genisis) & Korg (PA80) have stayed with internal speakers and 61 notes. I can only hope that Technics will stay with the 61 note & internal speakers approach on the KN7000. I typically take separate self powered PA speakers (EV SxA100’s) for medium to large gigs, but find that the internal speakers serve as excellent monitors and sound great by themselves for those smaller gig venues & at home personal playing enjoyment.
4) Support of standard midi file format
I really think this is where Technics has a lot of catching up to do. From my experience, at least on my KN5000, it is not easy to convert the auto accomp parts for standard midi file playback compatibility. On my Yamaha PSR2000 keyboard, your arranger created song is automatically converted to standard midi file format to make it easy for anyone with a standard midi file player and/or over the internet (gm midi) to enjoy.
My Prediction: I think Technics will include this on the KN7000. It is LONG overdue.
5) Better use of fills & integrated with variation buttons
The KN keyboards will allow you to use one of two fills available to trigger a variation change (incrementally/decrementally) but only with the internal styles. This is very limiting, especially if you use a lot of custom composer styles like I do. Also, this limits you to just 2 fills, not 4, as my Yamaha PSR2000 has. More importantly, Yamaha’s method of having a separate fill tied to each of the 4 different main variation buttons is far superior and something I really miss with the KN5000. Basically, Yamaha’s system works like this: There is a button setting which turns on/off the ‘fill to’ function. When this button is set to off and you press any of the 4 variations, only the variation will play. When the ‘fill to: variation feature’ is set to on and you hit any of the 4 variation buttons, the associated fills to that specific variation will precede the change to the new variation. A very slick approach imho because this auto fill works when you switch between panel memories as well, even with user custom styles. If I want a fill to occur when using a composer (custom) style on the KN5000, I must remember to press the fill in button (at just the right moment) and then the new variation button too. Can be tricky to ensure a smooth transition. I think Technics needs to follow Yamaha’s lead in this dept too.
Prediction: If Technics did its homework and studied the competition, then they should realize that Yamaha’s method is much better and will implement this on the KN7000 too.
OK, I guess I’ve said enough here. Time to hear from the rest of you now.
- Scott
http://scottyee.com