Next generation Kronos

[LZ]

To be clear, the things i'll suggest would likely be a new platform, not a Kronos. I'm completely happy with my Kronos - best keyboard I ever owned.

With that said, in the next flagship, I have a few suggestions:

1). Backup/licensing/transfer: some guys travel and rely on backline. While you can transfer pcg's and KSC's, it's a bit cumbersome and any purchased Ex's have to be licensed on the machine. Boot from SD or USB would fix this. I'm in an unrelated industrial instrumentation industry, but we went with this. We license options on the unique ID of the SD card in the transmitter. It's not meant to be messed with, but you can pull it and stick it in a new featureless transmitter an have all the licensed options, configuration, and historian data as if it's the same transmitter.

2) sample/file management. I get it. Backward compatibility is great but in the next platform you should consider a software utility to import the old ksc format, but instead get with the times. The biggest complaint I hear from folks who are moving from your competitors to the Kronos is that they can't deal with the file management. If you're a log time Korg person, it makes sense. To others, it doesn't.

3). A lot of talk on new engines. I don't think you need new engines, but a macro or skin would be cool. In other words, use the AL-1 engine, as an example. But put a skin that looks like an OBXa and defaults (hides) a bunch of parameters (like 2-pole filter) and has panel controls that can control multiple parameters to respond like the original within the confines of the engine. More like an editor....when you're done, you save the program.

4) finally, control assignments. I would like to see (without Karma workarounds) easy assignments of local controls to any parameter on any channel.....like foot pedal from global channel to a CC on a different channel. Also easy arpeggiators without karma. Mode, range, on/off, latch, dome.

[LZ]

Sorry a couple more.....

AL1 engine is great. Adding King Korg filters would put it over the top, especially with the aforementioned skins.

Effects. How feasible is it to license effects from others? MANY customers use the vent. Can you just pay a fee to put the vent software into CX-3? By the same token, the amp models suck. Can you get Line6 as an example? Or TC electric Harmonizer/auto tune effects? That would be cool.

[chini]

Ability to force all program change messages to both Kronos sounds and external midi to be delayed when hitting a Setlist patch until all keys and sustain pedal are released.

This is by far the most natural way to move from one set of sounds to another live on stage and should be a standard feature on all keyboards!