what types of features can and can’t be included in a potential firmware update?
A nice place to start is the Ribbons Development blog to see what has been/is currently being done. Ultimately, you can request any feature to be added, but it would probably have to be limited to software not hardware, meaning it doesn’t seem likely to add another switch or knob. I’m sure the folks at Kinotone always appreciate use-case or personal roadblocks to any suggestion.
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Good question! I don’t think we’ve addressed this directly before.
Users are welcome to request any feature, but here are some things to think through:
How exactly would it work?
Ribbons has a simple interface with 3 buttons, and pretty much every button combination does something - like entering the looper, accessing the presets bank, and so on. There’s also a limited number of colors available for the LEDs.
If you’re suggesting a feature, try to think through how it would work. Would it require replacing or removing existing functionality? Would it complicate the interface?
There’s a lot already packed into Ribbons (possibly too much?!), and we know some people find it a bit overwhelming, so we’re cautious about adding new things just because we can.
Documentation updates
Ribbons has been in the field for almost 3 years now, and what it does is pretty well established. Early on, we were more open to broad changes, but at this point we’re less likely to modify core functionality or repurpose controls - especially since it ships with a printed manual which is expensive to revise and reprint.
Demand and design intent
Most of the features we’ve added over time have either been things that Jaak felt strongly about, or things that a lot of users rallied behind. I think everything remaining on the Development Blog fits one (or both) of those categories. Most of them are also MIDI bonuses, which don’t interfere with the core interface or require updates to the printed manual.
Time, effort, and new projects
It takes time to write, test, and release a meaningful firmware update. In 2025, we’ve got new things cooking that we’re really excited about, and most of our energy is going into developing new devices. That said, Ribbons isn’t going anywhere! We’ll continue to support and revisit it - we just want to be thoughtful about how and when we do that.
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