Roland really knows how to make instruments that sound and feel good to use, and theres no doubt theyve got a lot more in the works. It is important to note that youre getting a no-frills experience here, as well as a limited selection of sounds, though they are of a significantly higher quality than those on the GO:series above. It is a great instrument but Ive hit a stumbling block with the keys where I find that the key strokes are totally different in feel to the keyboard. In all seriousness, the SuperNATURAL sound engine is great. While other companies struggled to find the magical balance between compression and quality, Roland took another approach. With that said, every digital (and acoustic) piano will vary in terms of feel, so the ultimate skill is to be able to adjust to any keyboard, especially if you plan to work with unweighted keyboards in the future (e.g. I dont mind getting it tuned every 6 months if that gives him the best chance of learning the instrument. The PHA in the name stands for Progressive Hammer Action, which attempts to emulate the graded feel of real pianos. Pianos are reproduced using SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling and allow for infinite polyphony, thanks to the purely modeled sounds. This means youre looking for good keys and sound quality. At the same time, theres no denying that the fully-modeled engine gives you more options for tweaking the sound as well as greater expressiveness, which is hard to achieve using only samples. Output 12 V 500 mA. Instrument Type: Console/Home Digital Piano (Premium). The Hybrid Grand action also incorporates a stabilizing pin, making vertical key movement smoother and quieter. If so, its a very old instrument (1987? Know that stage pianos arent the same as workstation keyboards, which well cover in a second. Yamaha has Piano Room and Kawai has Virtual Technician, Casio has Acoustic Simulator. Is that a bad/good choice? Maybe you mean the Roland RD-800 Stage Piano? The true magic comes from the modeling side of things. The color screen is also high-resolution and informative, a rarity at this price point. I would like to know,where can i get Roland E500 keyboard? This is a variation on the previously discussed PHA-50, featured exclusively on the LX700 series digital pianos. Musicians have always been trying to emulate real sounds with digital equipment, and pianos were always the holy grail of sound generation. Rolands Kiyola series adopts the furniture-style design ethos of console digital pianos and takes it to the limit. Ive talked to people who actually preferred the sample-based engine, claiming that SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling sounds synthetic and unnatural. A personal upside I like about these over their FP-counterparts is the sliding cover, a godsend if you play in a dusty environment. Naturally, this comes at the cost of portability, but Id say the trade-off is more than acceptable since youre getting better sound quality, even on the cheaper models. I decided that now was the time to upgrade to a digital piano and bought a Roland F701. Portable keyboards are aimed at piano-playing novices. The PHA key actions simulate this feel by using variable weights and tends to do a good job in general. The Juno synthesizers were some of Rolands best work back in the day, with the classic Juno-60 being coveted to this day for its rich saw wave and dual-mode chorus. I just traded my Roland HP-507 on a new Roland RD-2000. Their name alone is enough to inspire confidence in the sound and build quality of a keyboard, which is no small feat considering their expansive product range. on the fly. It was quite surprising that Roland announced 3 new models in the range, and theyre clearly aimed at dethroning the current kings. The Juno-DS works great as a performance keyboard though and is a popular stage keyboard among gigging musicians due to its flexibility. We wont go into too much detail regarding the V-Piano engine in this article, since its only available on the RD-2000 stage piano. The GO:Series is a relatively new addition to Rolands product lineup, focusing on packing playability and as many features as possible into a compact package. Want to close the lid 3/4s of the way down? Good catch, Dom! Do you have any advise? This is currently the best console digital piano Roland offers, featuring the PureAcoustic Piano Modeling technology that seeks to recreate the magical sound of a Steinway without relying on samples. Here the embedded reverb is also sampled, which is mind-boggling when you consider the complexities that come with simulating reverb on a per-key basis. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The secret to Rolands success is their focus on innovation, polish, and playability. If you know someone whos unsure if music will be a long-term passion, theyre probably in the market for a portable keyboard. Unlike V-Piano and SuperNATURAL, PureAcoustic uses two processors, one for an American piano and the other for a European one. While the learning curve takes some getting used to, knowing how to synthesize sounds is a useful skill that many performers cant live without. Unless Im playing a dark rock song, I rarely change anything at all (and even then, Im just lowering the Lid parameter to get a far-back sound). Weve separated the different keyboards into specific categories based on their feature set and intended use. Something that Im definitely looking forward to is the true analog filter, something practically unheard of in workstation keyboards. It doesnt matter how good a piano sounds if the keys feel bad. The same design was recreated with the FP-60X, with slight differences to achieve a lower price point. Instrument Type: Portable Arranger Keyboard. ), and technology has gone a long way since then. The control-scheme is what makes the FA-series a top choice among performers, thanks to its hands-on nature. Whats SuperNATURAL? It covers everything from electric pianos, to synthesizers, to drums! Discussions benefit everyone, so we look forward to hearing from you! While the LX-series is the peak of Rolands sound engineering technology at the time of writing. While these products are also well received throughout the industry, this article will focus on keyboards and digital pianos. This version of SuperNATURAL takes V-Piano inspiration a step further and attempts to recreate piano sounds with digital signal processing (DSP) technology. Rolands RD-series was where they first experimented with modeling technology, and the same brand still exists today in the form of the RD-2000. Finally, Rolands been at the forefront of digital piano technology since the early 80s. It is almost like starting over. Whats the difference between the many key actions? I am looking into Yamaha and Roland.I see so many passed down acoustic pianos offered in marketplace that are less expensive and tempting. Standard arranger features aside, the deal maker here is the piano sounds, which sound quite realistic considering the price point. The beautiful sounds also take inspiration from SuperNATURAL, tracking your keypresses with many sensors to ensure that the digital strings react as a real piano would. Rolands huge product line means theres something for everyone. The FP-90 (predecessor of the FP-90X) received the 2017 Red Dot Design award for an excellent control scheme, which is futuristic and intuitive. I really love how Roland cares about the gigging musician so they make things really quick and simple for stage use. The GO:Keys, on the other hand, feels like a unique instrument. Btw, I own an inexpensive FP10 and I absolutely love the feel and the sound, its probably one of the best digital pianos for the price point right now imho. A variant of the SuperNATURAL sound engine discussed above is featured on Rolands entry-level digital pianos, such as the FP-30X, RP-102, F701, RP701, etc. You can add in your own samples through software or download further sounds from Rolands Axial online repository. Despite being on the lower-end of Rolands key action selection, the PHA-4 Standard action feels surprisingly good and is arguably the best entry-level hammer action on the market. The PHA-50 action has succeeded the previous PHA-4 Premium and PHA-4 Concert key actions used in high-end Roland instruments. Rolands GP-series covers their uncompromising side, recreating the classic grand piano style chassis in its entirety, but replacing the strings with specially designed speaker cabinets that utilize the chassis to deliver a powerful soundscape. These cabinet-style digital pianos are significant upgrades over the RP- and F-Series discussed above, featuring the more advanced version of the SuperNATURAL sound engine (Piano Modeling) and the PHA-50 premium keyboard action (except for the HP-702). Depending on whom you ask, this was either a revolution or a why bother moment. Normally, the best key actions feel similar to those found on actual pianos. I appreciate any advise. This was even more impressive than the 2017 victory, as there were 12000 other competitors in the same category! The biggest upgrade here is the design. Fun fact! This particular model has two distinct piano tones, a European grand, and an American grand. There are knobs, buttons, and faders spread across the front panel, allowing quick modifications and sound mixing without menu diving. While most of us are content with the included organ and synth sounds available on most digital pianos, organists will always lament the lack of the iconic tone bar controls found on the classic Vox Continental and Farfisa organs, with their distinctive rotary speaker sound. Thats how modeling came into play. Instead of capturing audio snapshots of different playing intensities for each key, Roland added a hybrid synthesized element into the mix. The fact that samples are incorporated means it isnt limited to just piano sounds. A more prominent appearance was in 2011s Jupiter-80, a performance multi-instrument that focused on synth sounds. The E-X Series keyboards are arranger models, but this market has always been dominated by Yamaha (with their affordable PSR range) and Casio (with their CTK-series). It should also be noted that more recent versions of the SuperNATURAL Piano Sound are upgraded from the older models. The same field has been dominated by Korgs Kronos and Yamahas Montage (previously Motif) series for the longest time, and Roland has seemingly diverted their resources towards more performance focused keyboards (to great effect!). That said, SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling is neither better nor worse than the SuperNATURAL Piano Sound. An 88-key variant is also available for a slight bit more cost. With SuperNATURAL, Roland didnt just make a modeling engine to tick a checkbox. Exactly John! The PHA-50 action also uses triple sensors and they are tuned to be even more reactive to velocity, making the overall playing experience a lot more enjoyable. This series uses the excellent PHA-50 key action and SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling, giving you a great experience in terms of both visual and auditory stimulation. While portable digital pianos seem fine for stage performance, you can do so much more. For the gigging musician, stage pianos are the answer. Also, its hard to argue with the low price tag, often going for around $100-$300. While the sounds arent terrific, theyre miles better than the functional-only sounds you find on arranger keyboards, making this BK-series worthy of consideration for people wanting to perform solo. Have no fear. The LX-series also features the Hybrid Grand Keyboard, a variation of the PHA-50 keyboard that increases the key and pivot length. Imagine my surprise that the LX-708 nails this perfectly! Many keyboardists love the PHA-50 action and Im also a fan. After all, digital pianos come with more than just acoustic piano tones, and the hefty keys found on actual pianos would be quite difficult to use for organ and synth playing. Just like the FP-90, the LX700 series was even awarded the 2019 Red Dot Product Design Award and the 2019 iF Design Award, a testament to their success in merging a beautiful chassis with great sound replication. I can only warn others that if you start on a keyboard, then the step up to a piano will initially be very frustrating. Lucas will you also put together a Kawai Definitive guide? These are sometimes included in higher-end workstations and synthesizers, like the RD-2000 and the FA-08, and you can identify them via the many editable parameters. These are far simpler and often opt for ease-of-use over detailed editing functions. The modern-day Juno-DS series takes a more hybridized approach to synthesis, having more in common with the Fantom FA-series workstations (discussed later) than the analog synthesizer of days past. While it leans towards being lighter than I prefer, it still feels great and versatile, covering just about any kind of sound you can imagine. This beat out 5,500 entries in its category, which was no small feat. This is a significant upgrade over the PHA-4 Standard action and incorporates a hybrid material construction featuring real wood to make it feel even more realistic. Hi Teresia, the HP600 is one of the older models, which is now discontinued, which is why you didnt find it on this list. Iconic moments include Marvin Gaye (in 1982s Sexual Healing), Kayne West (in his 2008s 808s and Heartbreak album), and Taylor Swift (using Max Martins original TR-808 in 2014s chart topper Blank Space). I got tired of that huge black beast in my small den. If youre budget-conscious, this means youll be looking into portable digital pianos. Depending on the model, you can get fewer or more tweakable parameters (usually more expensive digital pianos will give you more options). In terms of sounds modeling I really cannot complain about, but maybe a producer can. It might be important to note that Roland doesnt focus heavily on delivering a realistic piano playing experience. Roland have always excelled at making performance keyboards, so no surprise here. This involves purely modeled sounds, as opposed to SuperNATURALs hybrid approach. Roland, founded in 1972, might seem young compared to other industry giants like Yamaha, but theyve definitely had their fair share of successes, which have catapulted them to stardom. The hands-on control scheme means you have knobs and buttons, and even tone bars galore, giving you direct access to on-the-fly parameter changes. Beginning with their RD-series, they have attempted to charge into the digital piano market, relying on innovation and experience to gain a foothold. The Roland Gaia-SH was poorly received for its lackluster digital synth engine, and Roland felt like it was losing its touch with what synth enthusiasts wanted. Michael Jacksons Thriller was a masterpiece, and the producer, Quincy Jones, used the Jupiter 8 for the rolling bassline and synth brass sounds. That said, lets jump in. Featured exclusively on Rolands LX 700 series, PureAcoustic Piano Modeling is Rolands latest attempt at pure modeling without any samples. This version of the SuperNATURAL engine is more basic and relies more on the classic multi-sample playback system to reproduce piano sounds. They are actively looking to expand their product line with even more great instruments. This comes nearly 10 years after the V-Piano model, released in 2009, and incorporates advancements made in technology throughout the years. It switches between velocity layers, EQ curves, and sample types (staccato or legato etc.) What a great and detailed article! Note that well be skipping over Rolands products in the pro-audio category and their guitar/bass products under their BOSS brand. Roland doesnt specifically indicate which acoustic pianos they sample. Id say this strikes the right balance. and the HP-702 has PHA-4 key action to the 704s PHA-50, Im not sure about the 600s. Roland, along with Korg and Yamaha, are arguably the top 3 manufacturers when it comes to modern-day workstations. Roland DP-603 (same as the HP-603 but with a different cabinet design). In 2009, Roland released a digital piano dubbed the V-Piano, which was the first physically-modeled digital piano ever released. The end result is a versatile instrument that nails analog and artificial warmth, and the addition of a built-in vocoder unit makes the JD-series extremely fun regardless of how youre using it. These keyboards usually come with a huge amount of sounds, though they are passable at best. Rolands VR-series, more commonly known as the V-Combo series, is Rolands portable performance stage keyboard that comes with waterfall-style keys and aftertouch, making it a very expressive instrument that excels at non-piano sounds. Rolands timeless nature stems from their huge legion of iconic instruments, most of which are easily recognizable in hit songs through the years, even today. When did Roland introduce the upgraded weighted hammer to alleviate the issue with earlier versions that would often break? The GO:Piano is basic in terms of bells and whistles, but it includes an impressive sound engine for the price. Higher-end models like the HP-704 even feature a quad-speaker setup. Roland is definitely one of the kings when it comes to piano modeling, but what sets them apart is their willingness to give you the controls to change things as you please. Real pianos have a resonant decay that is hard to replicate without samples (and some piano modeling engines supplement their synthesized sounds with sampled decays just to sidestep the issue). The FA-series is Rolands mid-range workstation line. This might feel out of place in the same category as the FA-series, but a 16-track sequencer with all the essential effects and mixing tools makes this a far cry from the more limited E-X-Series keyboards discussed in the early portable keyboard section. What about an old 4500s? I now see why guys like you always emphasise the importance of the feel of a normal piano. hallo Companies like Korg and Dave Smith Instruments were looking to bring back pure analog synths (with the Minilogue and the Prophet), whereas companies like Yamaha and Elektron embraced the power and flexibility of digital simulation. Regardless of your stance on modeled pianos, I think its hard to deny how good these sound, especially considering the engines age. The end results are very realistic, and I cant wait for these models to go into the more affordable digital pianos from Roland. The synthesizer features here are entirely digital (as this was released before the synth rebirth around 2015), but the modulation features are reminiscent of the way classic synthesizers work. I see too many choices for digital, but I am bound by budget of $1500 max. With their JD-Xi synthesizer, Roland brought polyphonic analog synthesis back to the mainstream. Hi Lucas, My son is an intermediate player and had been playing on unweighted keyboard so far. After nearly 30 years of dominance, Id say theyve succeeded. Wed love to hear about your likes and dislikes of Rolands products, as theres only so much my own opinions can contribute. ( is steinway model M in roland lx700 ?) It is arguably the best low-cost beginner keyboard out there if youre looking for piano sounds. Personally, I dont find myself diving deep into the Piano Designer often. While these keyboards are a little lacking in terms of design, they make up for it in features. This is the key action featured on Rolands entry-level and intermediate-level digital pianos, such as the instruments in the FP-series (aside from the FP-90X), RP-series, etc. So the RD-2000 sounds and feels good, but what truly sets the RD-2000 apart is its controls. This is a huge draw for performers, letting them take advantage of 1,000+ onboard sounds. Synthesizers dont come with weighted keys. These keys are favored by organ players and electric piano players alike due to added expressivity.