Since Yamaha and Kawai have their own threads already. Who all owns and plays Rolands?
Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.
Since Yamaha and Kawai have their own threads already. Who all owns and plays Rolands?
Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.
FP-30X here
I have FP-10. I was considering FP-30(X) but ended up going with FP-10 plus Pianoteq. I am really happy with it so far. The set up works well. I run Pianoteq in a headless mini pc. I can also stream audio from mobile to the pc via bluetooth audio to play accompaniments.
Only downside to FP-30 is that the sustain pedal is not really continuous. Midi out for sustain has 3 distinct values (so not much different than on/off). But I can connect the pedal directly to the pc (with an extra convertor) if I need half pedaling. Which seems years away. So much to learn before I outgrow this
hebele The very cheap pedal that came with my FP-30X kit only send on/off. I went on eBay and bought a Roland DP-10 pedal, and voila, I have continous partial pedal!
I am also using Pianoteq, on a Mac. It‘s such a game changer. The built-in sampled sound in the FP-30X feels like it (to my untrained ear) mostly just changes volume with different dynamics. With Pianoteq, the change in color and timber is so clear even between mp and mf. That makes practicing fine control of dynamics and phrasing much more challenging and rewarding.
Another thing I found out with Pianoteq is the velocity curve. My FP-30X can only send MIDI value 108 (out of 127) no matter how hard I hit the keys. That means a linear velocity curve can’t produce ff, and also makes the piano sound quieter overall, which in turn makes me press the keys harder. Once I set up a custom velocity curve, the keys feels more sensitive, and not as heavy as before.
iternabe I also like Pianoteq. I know its sound is controversial but I like how it responds. I thought I would be fiddling with all the settings constantly but to my surprise I occasionally change the piano preset and be happy Although I did set a basic velocity curve to reach ff more easily.
I also have DP-10 pedal. But FP-10 does only pass three distinct midi values for it. Seems to be FP-10 limitation. Not a big deal for me.
Another surprisingly good Pianoteq feature; by default, it records everything! If it was up to me, I would definitely be anxious about the "record" button. It is interesting to listen recordings from previous practice sessions.
I have the Fantom-07 from Roland and use that fairly often because of its light-weight and easy portability. I also have Pianoteq and like it.
Have a Roland RD-2000 that I gig with. Really like it. Smoooooooth action. I did upgrade to the "German Grand Expansion" which adds some nice piano sounds, and I use it extensively.
I also have an old Fantom X8 that still plays great despite being about 20 years old.
Haven't tried Pianoteq yet but wouldn't mind trying it out.
i own a RD88. i love the synth sounds and the midi capabilities.
i placed it under my desk and use it for some Libraries like NI and Arturia.
Rd2000 with numerous vst's...as AP sounds are very subpar. Ableton Live 12 to record, GigPerformer 4 for live. Pha50 action very good, not quite excellent though....but the slab is built like a tank! An absolute beast of a controller in the studio or on the stage. Four pedal inputs, two mod wheels, 8 sliders, 8 knobs, and everything is assignable.....it's worth the 50 lbs plus 20 more for the case to lug around.
I have a RP501R and had a FP50 a few years ago. Roland pianos are very good but I find that the action is a bit loud. Nowadays I have a grand piano and don't practice very often on the Roland.
I had an F-140R. I liked it best of all the digital instruments that were available to try at the time I bought it. It replaced a much older Roland (HP-1700) that was starting to fail during hot weather. The old Roland was given to a family whose kid was just starting out on piano lessons (full disclosure about the warm weather issue - they were still thrilled with it). The F-140R didn't see as much use when I got an acoustic, although it was very handy to be able to use headphones when working on fingering and tricky sections. I eventually, and with a little regret, sold it when I needed the space for a guest bed.
I bought an FP10 from Costco in March of this year. It’s the FP10 ACR and it came with a bench, a stand(the black wooden one) and headphones for a little over $700. I just started playing so I was looking for something as economical as possible and the accessories package made it very attractive to me.
It’s a great instrument but it’s very limited in the bells and whistles aspect. No drum machine, no 1/4 inch dedicated output Jack. It uses the headphones out for connecting to an amp or external speakers. It’s not very loud but I’m over that because I mostly play with the headphones anyway. NOBODY wants to listen to a beginner play anything so that’s fine.
The weighted key action was highly recommended for the most realistic feel. Honestly. I don’t know how realistic the feel is but it’s better than the springy key action of a regular keyboard I’ve had and others I have played at other times.
This FP10 is a very standard, no frills keyboard that is 100% suffice to learning how to play piano. I cannot think of ANY reason that it isn’t a perfect beginner piano that won’t distract a beginner with anything more than necessary at their fingertips.
FP-90X owner here. Play it mainly with Native Instrument’s Noire for jazz and VI Labs Modern U for blues. Very enjoyable experience!
I see the RD-2000 is nice and cheap (relatively speaking ... ) at Sweetwater right now:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RD2000--roland-rd-2000-88-key-stage-piano
Probably in advance of a new model coming out, but it's such a damn good stage piano, it's not a terrible idea to buy one ...
Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.
TC3, that is cheaper. Never know what they might have comin' out. Guess we'll see.
One thing I've appreciated about Sweetwater, if ya call 'em and talk to 'em on the phone, especially if you're a repeat customer, they can almost always work some kind of a "deal" or "discount" for you, I've had them throw something cheap I wanted in for free at times when I was ordering something a bit more expensive. A person can easily order online, but the discounts seem to happen when calling on the phone. I hate talking on the phone but when it comes to Sweetwater, I'll call.
Also, my wife likes finding the candy in the boxes when they come! LOL!