NAMM 2020, what is missing?

[Biggles]

I am still in a dilemma, I was hoping for updates to keyboards that I am interested in, Korg’s PA4X and Roland’s FA series in particular and what do we get zilch.

We do get a Korg ARP 2600, where I watched the first two minutes of the video where the guy was producing squealing and screeching noises and I gave up, I mean what am I missing with all the Synths and boxes that seem to have abounded at the show?

Star of the show for me was the Roland RD88 digital piano.

What are your stars and what was missing that you hoped would be released?

 

[happyrat1]

Considering that manufacturers like Korg and Roland have literally dozens if not hundreds of product skews at the same time it is not realistic to expect updates for every single product to come out year after year like clockwork.

Analog has been a hot ticket for the past few years. It's understandable that most developmental resources have been dedicated to those lines for the past couple of years.

What's pleased me was the sight of new workstations coming out at last with Roland's Fantom line and Kurzweil's PC4 line.

For years people have been saying that workstations were dead and replaced by stage pianos.

Just sit tight and be patient. What goes around comes around and eventually the interest in new arrangers will come back.

It may take another year or two or even three but when it happens it will be worth the wait.

Gary

 

[Kaneda]

I was expecting new things from Casio, but no go...

Korg SV2S 88 peaked my interest. Very cool, but ultimately, not ‘pianistic’ enough...
Roland RD88, nice, could work for pianists, support for Roland’s triple pedal unit, no music rest, though...
Kawai CA99, very nice...

 

[anotherscott]

Yeah, RD88 and SV2 look nice.
Yamaha YC61 also looks really appealing to me.
If I were looking for synths, I'd take a serious look at the Nord Wave 2.
Although not for me, it's nice that Korg came out with an 88-key arranger (XE20).