*** Korg wants your input on workstations! ***

[jerrythek]

Arranger folks:

One thing at a time... we've got a lot to wade through with this first survey. but I promise it won't be our last, OK?

regards,

Jerry

[wuss88]

Hi Jerry

Here's my input

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=35562

cheers

[cowtothesky]

I just completed the survey. Thank you for listening to us. It is much appreciated.

I was also glad to see so many questions about the sequencing. This, to me, was the only thing I was really disapointed with on the M3.

[lcmorley]

Hello friends:

While we always watch and listen to these forums, we are interested in getting even more feedback from owners of workstation keyboards to help us move forward with your interests and needs in mind.

Please take some time and respond to this online survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=N ... bxCw_3d_3d

Help us to make the instruments you need! Thanks in advance to all who are able to participate.

Regards,

Jerry Kovarsky
Korg Technology Senior Product Manager
Korg USA

Jerry,

Before I start my rant, I will say that yes the Oasys is still the best keyboard out there, and probably will be for years to come. I am also not saying that the Oasys is unusable without updates. That said however:

I am sure that there were several hundred reponses from Oasys users within this survey. Why are Korg continuing to ignore those who invested the greatest amount of money in their products.

I know that these are tough times, and it is probably better for Korg to sell 100 M3's than 10 Oasys's, but we did invest a lot of money into these machines. I myself saved for over 3 years, and only got my O last August.

When are we going to hear anything regarding any potential updates to the O. Can you not at least say whether the O will receive any upgrades in the future, regardless of detail. Or let us know if it is the end of the road! Especially given that Korg say "OASYS is not only an entirely new instrument, but a completely new platform to support Korg innovation for years to come."

I think to say that Korg listen to their customers requirements is true, but only when it comes to products other than the Oasys! All users have been requesting sequencer changes since the instruments inception back in 2005. The M3 had these changes and more within a year of its release, so I cannot imagine that time is a factor here. So, where is the proof that Korg are indeed listening to Oasys customers?

Surely, Korg can understand where we are all coming from. Up until now we have all been able to accept that Korg cannot reveal any future developments. But now, especially with Stephen Kay moving some of his priorities to other companies, we need to have some sort of concrete evidence that the Oasys is still in production, and still in development of some form. At least it will stop this incessant posting and nagging about whether the Oasys is discontinued or not, and will also stop the need to second guess what the future is. I think this kind of behaviour from Korg smacks of arrogance, and it surely cannot be good for Korg's PR if somebody researching the Oasys reads these posts and then decides against a purchase if they don't think there is any future in the product.

Come on Korg, give us a clue as to what the future (if any) is for the Oasys. What ever happened to the premise that "the customer is always right"?

[Daz]

Thanks lc, well stated.

...but we did invest a lot of money into these machines.

We really did and I think we deserve a little more understanding given that is the case.

[kenackr]

IC,

Your post is well written and has a great many valid points that most O owners feel, myself included.

There is, however, a point where I think differently. My perception is NOT that Korg acts in arrogance, but rather the policy of non disclosure comes from:

1) Avoiding getting trapped in the cycle of promoting VAPOR WARE

and

2) Avoiding telegraphing plans to competitors.

Both of those are sound business policies that can preclude damage to a company's reputation and loose a competitive edge in the market place.

The market structure that Korg lives in is oligopolistic, which means only a few major players control the marketplace. The key to success in that type of market structure is first & foremost product differentiation. The key to product differentiation is to not telegraph what you're doing to your competitors, in addition to thinking outside the box.

At any rate, I also feel no sense of entitlement to updates, even though I'd love to have some. There's a huge difference between fixing bugs and making improvements.

Korg has to stay afloat in this economy and that means putting effort into bread & butter products like the M3 and the M 50 before anything else. In my thoughts, they are acting responsibly in their business model.

The revenue that Korg could generate even by selling all further updates to Oasys owners could never equal what they can make selling new products that are priced in the sweet spot of the marketplace.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing with you, just providing an alternate viewpoint.

Ken

[Davidb]

I think to say that Korg listen to their customers requirements is true, but only when it comes to products other than the Oasys! All users have been requesting sequencer changes since the instruments inception back in 2005. The M3 had these changes and more within a year of its release, so I cannot imagine that time is a factor here. So, where is the proof that Korg are indeed listening to Oasys customers?

Ic

Definitely, time its not a factor here, as we´ve seen with the release of the M3 Expanded Update, but as kenackr points out, a "priority" factor, maybe.

Now the key is to know if upgrading the O to the standards of the M3 eX panded is in the list / plan of Korg "things to do next", even if its not a priority... or it isnt in its plans at all.

The funny thing is trying to imagine this now, back 1 year ago:

The users who paid 8.000 $ for his advertised "upgradable workstation model" will be expecting and asking (I wont say beggin, nah!) for almost a year some of the upgrades that the (a priori) advertised "not upgradable lesser workstation model" that cost just 2.000 $ had.
And they wont even know if they will have them (or any other futher major upgrade) at all.


Funny, isnt it?

[Davidb]

I think to say that Korg listen to their customers requirements is true, but only when it comes to products other than the Oasys! All users have been requesting sequencer changes since the instruments inception back in 2005. The M3 had these changes and more within a year of its release, so I cannot imagine that time is a factor here. So, where is the proof that Korg are indeed listening to Oasys customers?

[Vadim]

Arranger folks:

One thing at a time... we've got a lot to wade through with this first survey. but I promise it won't be our last, OK?

regards,

Jerry

'
what do "Arranger folks" want? and Auto-Sing function?

[Davidb]

what do "Arranger folks" want? and Auto-Sing function?

Yes. Features in current Korg worktations is what is discussed here.

[weymouthfox]

Oasys style workstation which can run VSTs
Large Oasys screen,
Decent DAW style sequencer with USB mouse and touchscreen support,
You could implement a kaoss/ ribbon pad that doubles up as a laptop style mouse track pad,
DAW integration,
Decent control section that can control Logic etc,
20 - 30% cheaper than current Oasys

I'd buy one.

[Gargamel314]

... i feel bad for the people at KORG... so many demands on them these days, I'd be overwhelmed if i had to sort all this out

[EnSoNiQuEs~]

I'm dying to buy a powerful workstation like an OASYS married to Pa2X.
I'd even pay big bucks for an "Arranger" expansion/module/dongle/autherizationkey/whatever to unlock that potention in a workstation.

[ivoryslapper]

Thank you Jerry,

I just completed my survey input addressing some improvements I could use for my taking my Korg to the next level when playing live or recording.

All the best.

[Davidb]

Oasys style workstation which can run VSTs
Large Oasys screen,
Decent DAW style sequencer with USB mouse and touchscreen support,
You could implement a kaoss/ ribbon pad that doubles up as a laptop style mouse track pad,
DAW integration,
Decent control section that can control Logic etc,
20 - 30% cheaper than current Oasys

I'd buy one.

Gosh...They discontinued the original OASYS not having finished to develop it, even in its current specs; so its hard to foresee Korg embracing another OASYS project, IMO.