Functions that I wish to be in the next update

[HardSync]

I don't believe that Korg doesn't care. If there's a disconnect with what customers actually want, it's likely their marketing department, which primarily drives new products (or rejigging existing product lines and marketing them as super special limited editions, LOL.). Engineering and software departments, who have amazing ideas, always have to work within the requirements that are most often set my marketing departments. I know this all too well. Engineers have tons of great ideas that we would find useful as musicians, and marketing doesn't give a crap about 'em most of the time. Because of costs and profit margins and market share and whatever else marketing considers important, which is subject to change 20 times before lunch.

But even so, there has been a paradigm shift for most companies to do their communicating with customers via social media instead of forums such as these. Korg does have YouTube channel. I don't follow it, so I don't know if they reply directly to viewer's comments... but they do put out a lot of content on it. I am not a fan of social media communication though, and I've long ago deleted all of my social media accounts.

Most people here know we lost a few Korg employees who did frequent this forum. Rich F. comes to mind, and I think he's gone to Casio now. Great guy, always willing to help out and give advice and tutorials. His leaving is definitely Korg's and our loss.

Korg's Dan P. may still be around, but when I last saw him post here, it's usually to correct some sort of misinformation in a topic and to provide tech tips, etc. Dan used to be heavily involved with the various Wavestation sites and his own site nearly 20 years ago... he's a great guy, honestly -- very smart and super helpful when he has the time (and he never had a lot to begin with but he would try to help when he could). It would be extremely disingenuous to say he doesn't care -- I know he cares very much. If you want to know anything and everything about wave sequencing, there is no better person than Dan P. Full stop. But he might not have much time anymore, and that's fair enough. He's given us more than enough of it.

Stephen Kay used to work for Korg, and he's still here, still helping people out even for non-KARMA stuff. Another great guy with very limited time, and I've always appreciated how helpful he's been to me personally. Although he doesn't work for or with Korg any longer, he's got a great understanding of how Korg does operate and could do a heck of lot better at explaining why things at Korg are the way they are than I could ever hope to do.

Anyway, I just wanted to give my point of view. Korg could probably do better than they are doing now, but whether they need to monitor this forum given the huge amount of posts on just the Kronos board alone... they'd have to hire more staff. LOL. Ultimately, this is a users' forum, so we have to rely on each other. We can still complain about Korg if you want. :)

[GregC]

this is a good conversation.

Its up to Korg management to meet customer expectation. They have to juggle and make calculated business decisions.

Marketing plays a role. They certainly know the marketplace.

I think there are smart people at Korg - they know what new products to launch, where to push ahead, when to stop, but its a business thing.

This is why I copy paste the top people of Korg. The worker bees don't have the final authority. And they have their NDA's controlling what they say.

Like I have said several times, Roland and Yamaha seem to be interested in better communication. I like how they both operate.

[HardSync]

The marketplace for synths is fickle and highly opinionated! LOL. Getting anyone who plays keys to agree on anything synthy would be a miracle. The tiniest detail can cause arguments that last for days... I've seen this. ;) I actually don't envy synth makers.

[Liviou2004]

Yers, a good conversation !

I agree with you Hardsync but we must not confuse the personal involvement of some people who were -or are - close to Korg Cmpy (or are nowadays part of it) - on one side - and the global Korg customers policy - on the other side.
When a person intervenes in our forum, its always on its own name (or in the name of his own company), not on the name of the Korg company which seems to follow a contemptuous behaviour toward the former clients but, of course, not toward the potential future clients !! I do not critisize this last point, of course, I do critisize the first one.

An ancient satisfied client is a potential purchaser of other gear. The company ahs to pamper him if it wants to keep him as a loyal customer. Everyone knows that ! Its a win-win commercial approach in which Korg don't seem to be interested.

Just an example : some times ago (about 2 years ago or so) I sent a message to Korg on the Shop Korg : I've never received a response. I've had to post here and received an almost immediate answer from one use. I know there are dozen of such examples.

However, I'm fully grateful to Korg (and its engineers, as you said) for this extraordinary work on the Kronos. After almost 3 years, I'm each day amazed at the incredible possibilities of this marvelous instrument.
Since the 70's I've been playing on many Korg' synth, the first one was a Korg 700 S ! So, I do appreciate all that has been done.

All that is only my opinion, my perception which has no real value !!

[Liviou2004]

The marketplace for synths is fickle and highly opinionated! LOL. Getting anyone who plays keys to agree on anything synthy would be a miracle. The tiniest detail can cause arguments that last for days... I've seen this. I actually don't envy synth makers.

Yes, of course. But we don't discuss here on the technical or artistical choices of Korg, anyway its impossible to please anybody ! We are discussing on a different matter -> the commercial behavior towards ancient clients.

[HardSync]

These are all valid points. Maybe Korg prefers to let their retailers, distributors and authorized service centers do all the talking for them? I've only contacted Korg Support once, about 6 or 7 years ago. If I recall correctly, it took a few days to get a reply, and the support tech couldn't help me. I had to rely on a fellow forum user for help in fixing the issue I had. That experience made me wonder if Korg outsources their support to a third-party company. I'm not sure they do... So yeah, I get what all of you are saying in respect of their overall communication with customers, and I agree that Korg could work towards improving this, if they're able to or want to do this...

[GregC]

These are all valid points. Maybe Korg prefers to let their retailers, distributors and authorized service centers do all the talking for them? I've only contacted Korg Support once, about 6 or 7 years ago. If I recall correctly, it took a few days to get a reply, and the support tech couldn't help me. I had to rely on a fellow forum user for help in fixing the issue I had. That experience made me wonder if Korg outsources their support to a third-party company. I'm not sure they do... So yeah, I get what all of you are saying in respect of their overall communication with customers, and I agree that Korg could work towards improving this, if they're able to or want to do this...

yes, the retail channel, auth centers, and country distributors can be used as ' filters ' to direct and control owner feedback to the company's far away Headquarters senior management.

This 'approach ' while convenient is not effective in this day and age of rapidly moving and complex data. I consider this customer 'approach ' a throwback to prior decades.

You can only push ' brand loyalty ' so far. That horse can get tired and over used. There are faster horses that are driven and more competitive.

Keep in mind, we are not talking $50 tuners. We are talking +$3000 keyboards. I think, at some price point, I will select $1000 price as a minimum threshold [ to be thoroughly engaged on ] , the HQ and management of the company has to show they listen to customers and owners.

I don't focus on the worker bees. They are bound by NDA's.

Roland and Yamaha get it. I get it.

[Liviou2004]

I do agree with you both, friends !