If you're listening, Roland manufacturer...
Take what you've learned on the previous models (AX-07-AXsynth and AX-09-Lucina), what works, what doesn't, what people like:
a) 4 octaves minimum, 5 would bring the instrument respect, anything less puts it in "novelty" or "toy" or "right hand solo only" category. Full-sized keyboards only, no "mini-sized" keys.
b) Put more keyboard/synth sounds onboard and fewer guitar sounds. Most of us have guitar players in our bands, and guitar sounds from a keytar are rarely as good as the real thing. The world is full of eager guitar players.
c) Should look more like AX-Synth and less like Lucina. The "handle" on Lucina is just an ugly design. Move the pitch bender out on a neck.
d) Like on the Lucina, put the controls in front of the music keys. This was a brilliant design that worked superbly! Its easier to see, less "hunching over" when changing patches, and so easily reachable, we can change patches "mid-song"!
e) Tilt the keys slightly toward the user, so we don't have to hunch over when looking for a note/chord. Let us stay upright and cool. This tilt would make the body slightly wedge shape with the fat side toward the floor. And a wedge shape is still playable when mounted on keyboard stands.
f) Minimize the depth from front to back of keytar. Get closer to the old "MIDI Controller" look. Skinny keytars always look cooler, fat keytars look like something hung around your neck as an afterthought. If you create the "Wedge shape" from (e) above, squeeze all the electronics into the fat part of the wedge, even if it means stacking several circuit boards.
g) put real strap locks on it. many of us have launched our keyboards during our on-stage moves.
h) Give us a patch editor that runs on PC/Mac/iPad/Android tablets
i) Include Patch Downloads, like your Juno DS model.
j) Don't let another manufacturer steal your lead in Keytars. Bring this to market ASAP.
We have our wallets open for this next great Roland keytar....
Take what you've learned on the previous models (AX-07-AXsynth and AX-09-Lucina), what works, what doesn't, what people like:
a) 4 octaves minimum, 5 would bring the instrument respect, anything less puts it in "novelty" or "toy" or "right hand solo only" category. Full-sized keyboards only, no "mini-sized" keys.
b) Put more keyboard/synth sounds onboard and fewer guitar sounds. Most of us have guitar players in our bands, and guitar sounds from a keytar are rarely as good as the real thing. The world is full of eager guitar players.
c) Should look more like AX-Synth and less like Lucina. The "handle" on Lucina is just an ugly design. Move the pitch bender out on a neck.
d) Like on the Lucina, put the controls in front of the music keys. This was a brilliant design that worked superbly! Its easier to see, less "hunching over" when changing patches, and so easily reachable, we can change patches "mid-song"!
e) Tilt the keys slightly toward the user, so we don't have to hunch over when looking for a note/chord. Let us stay upright and cool. This tilt would make the body slightly wedge shape with the fat side toward the floor. And a wedge shape is still playable when mounted on keyboard stands.
f) Minimize the depth from front to back of keytar. Get closer to the old "MIDI Controller" look. Skinny keytars always look cooler, fat keytars look like something hung around your neck as an afterthought. If you create the "Wedge shape" from (e) above, squeeze all the electronics into the fat part of the wedge, even if it means stacking several circuit boards.
g) put real strap locks on it. many of us have launched our keyboards during our on-stage moves.
h) Give us a patch editor that runs on PC/Mac/iPad/Android tablets
i) Include Patch Downloads, like your Juno DS model.
j) Don't let another manufacturer steal your lead in Keytars. Bring this to market ASAP.
We have our wallets open for this next great Roland keytar....