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Roland RD-88


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They're all on his Youtube channel. muzykujkropkacom One of my favorite channels by the way.

 

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Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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Can't wait to try this. For whatever reason I don't usually like Roland actions other than maybe their top of the line ones.

 

The organ is truly bad, which is really disappointing considering they could have maybe used their decades-old vk sounds and it would have sounded a ton better....

 

That said, if the audio interface works like my MODX and supplies midi and audio, that makes it really easy to use an ipad. I'd get the b3x from IK and the organ goes from zero to hero...not to mention you'd have great synths like Zeeon and those from Moog...not much in the way of controllers of course!

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I hate to say this but those videos from Muzykuj.com sounds just awful to me. Absolutely brutal all around except for the pads which Roland does nicely.

 

Anything I want to buy in this category will cost double the price and I would need to pay it.

 

The demos of the Kurzweil SP6 I've heard (especially with Chris Martorano) sound much better than this for the price, but it's the Medelli action.

 

I would guess it's a good action for a Mainstage rig, but for these internal sounds, that's a no for me. The videos do the sound test a big disservice.

Yamaha U1 Upright, Roland Fantom 8, Nord Stage 4 HA73, Nord Wave 2, Korg Nautilus 73, Viscount Legend Live, Lots of Mainstage/VST Libraries

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There is potential for better sounds with its Zen-Core patch compatibility with other models. Also, unlike the SP6, it has speakers, which can be a factor for some uses.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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The recent Better Music video sounds plinky as well. That's a concern.

 

Since it's based on the same supernatural AP and EP engine as the RD800, I'm going to assume that the sound quality will be similar. Until we get to hear it in person of course.

 

It will be interesting to find out if Roland included the Piano Designer capability at this price point.

.

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Another YC61 but opposite sex, with equally crippling omisions. No AT on the Yammi, and no usable organ, weird MIDI on this one....demos I hear presets, how much synth manipulation is possible? Does it work with A-Pro Midi editior?

 

It's a trend, better builds, many nice aspects and some ommisions which limit the versatilty for seeming little savings.

 

It's like the engineers bring it all, and the manager looks hard.....where is my bonus? Ah, let's just pull two MIDI din ports.

 

The only serious controler I've seen in production in the past few years: is this Viscount.

 

Keep those features but the Fatar organ action 7x, with some light springs, for this price, doable at scale, would sell...though maybe not in blue.

 

Read those specs. No you better not. Oh, here is the 76. 8 zones under hammers 8x out MIDI

 

But RD-88 looks very nice in it's way for sure.

RT-3/U-121/Leslie 21H and 760/Saltarelle Nuage/MOXF6/MIDIhub, 

SL-880/Nektar T4/Numa Cx2/Deepmind12/Virus TI 61/SL61 mk2

Stylophone R8/Behringer RD-8/Proteus 1/MP-7/Zynthian 4

MPC1k/JV1010/Unitor 8/Model D & 2600/WX-5&7/VL70m/DMP-18 Pedals

Natal drums/congas etc & misc bowed/plucked/blown instruments. 

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Sounds....."good enough for a rock band" (which I'm in)....so really what it will boil down to is: how is the action compared to the CP73, which I reckon is the main competition to me. Honestly I'd overlooked the SV2 but it sounded nice in that vid above. Organs sound abysmal on both, but both (?) offer ipad audio/midi integration so if I get b3x....then it will depend on how well they integrate external sounds.

 

The problem I have with these non-Nord companies when it comes to "you'll be able to use additional sounds as we release them" is: with Nord, you know what's out there, and you know you can go get the sounds you want from that pool and choose which to put on. Yamaha's approach of firmware updates is pretty lame by comparison. Did Korg ever follow through with Grandstage and Kronos engine sounds? We'll see how this one is with zen-core, which I know little about.

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The only serious controler I've seen in production in the past few years: is this Viscount.

 

Keep those features but the Fatar organ action 7x, with some light springs, for this price, doable at scale, would sell...though maybe not in blue.

 

Fatar synth action TP8S/ TP9S would sell too,- and yes,- I hate the blue.

 

Read those specs. No you better not. Oh, here is the 76. 8 zones under hammers 8x out MIDI

 

Unfortunately, actually you can only buy the "EX" versions and the K5 76 is Fatar TP-100.

That´s the version w/ the sound expansion which results in a MUCH longer boot time of about 90 sec. !

And the sound design is just only the ancestor of the newer Viscount Legend 70 DP (which by nature lacks the ADVANCED controller features).

 

Viscount K5 w/ 76 keys premium synth action, in black or early oberheimish "white" would be an excellent masterkeyboard-controller for me.

But not interested in the "EX" version at all.

I´d better put it on the Legend 70´s flat top.

 

But RD-88 looks very nice in it's way for sure.

 

It´s a different product for different customers anyway.

 

A.C.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
I was thinking of replacing an FP-50 with one of these, but it's going to be awhile; that's based more on economics than supply chain concerns. The FP-50 is in my teaching space, and I occasionally use it for solo piano stuff. I could certainly see the benefits the RD-88 would offer in both cases, even moving into some of my band work - where a lightweight, compact 88 piano/synth hybrid would be attractive. In the meantime, it's been fun checking out the demos.

'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo.

 

We need a barfing cat emoticon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Just got a call from a major Midwest music store that my preordered RD88 is in. Should have it next week. I think I"ve gotta connect with the keybed and sound for it to be a keeper for small gigs and worship band/ future Mainstage pairing.I already know I like the Zencore stuff and the supernatural pianos.

Kurzweil Forte 7, Mojo 61, Yamaha P-125,

Kronos X61, Nautilus 73

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Hey folks,

 

I know everyone has been waiting patiently for the RD-88 and I would like to inform you I was able to receive mine.

 

I actually received the RD-88 last Thursday.

 

So I have to say - Roland did a great job streamlining this keyboard and adding some amazing features. It is definitely lightweight and the effects settings and the on-board speakers/monitors are wonderful to hear. Piano tones sound great.

 

BUT...and this is a big BUT: I am not happy with the action. I play salsa piano and prefer to have a very responsive piano action. I need the keys to bounce back as quickly as possible. No matter how good my technique can be (not saying I have the best technique) I wouldn"t be able to play as fast and as accurate as I would Roland FP-4. For me, the action is THE key factor (pun intended).

 

I am having my doubts as to whether I will keep this now...luckily I have a 30 day return window.

 

I"m seriously leaning towards returning it because as far as I know, I need to have an easier time performing with greater ease onstage rather than worrying about practicing better technique to get even a fraction of a second quicker on my montunos.

 

Don"t get me wrong - it"s a wonderful, wonderful keyboard - sounds great, has amazing features I wish my FP-4 would have. But I would still take my FP-4 to the gig because it plays better.

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Haven"t played that model so I wouldn"t know.

 

I just remember playing the FP-30 and it felt a lot lighter than what I"m feeling with the RD-88. Maybe because it"s brand new and hasn"t been broken in (as it could be played a lot in the showroom)? And I know they both have the same keybed (PHA-4 Standard).

 

I"m just wondering if I"ve got to break this in to get it looser/faster/more responsive?

 

If it just needs breaking in, I"ll probably keep it...but that"s not guaranteed.

 

When I got my fp-4, it played beautifully right out of the box.

 

Dilemma dilemma

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Here"s hoping it"s a break-in thing.

It"s the same action as in the FP-60, which I quite like. But then I"m more prog rock than salsa.

 

My memory of the PHA-4 standard was that it was a little sluggish. This memory is based on a very quick try of an FP30, so I could be wrong.

 

Nonetheless, you could try adjusting the key touch settings. This can help to some degree, as will playing it in a bit.

Kurzweil PC3x

Technics SX-P50

Korg X3

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Typically for me it"s not so much the weight of the keys as the speed of return to strike again - which seems like something related to counter weight. I think Yamaha gets this more piano like feeling by using a spring on their CP-4 and CP-88 models.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Nonetheless, you could try adjusting the key touch settings. This can help to some degree, as will playing it in a bit.

 

Yup tried all that - right down to super light velocity curve setting. I did a gig simulation last night where I played a whole set of music from what would have been a gig I was going to do before Covid happened.

 

There were many times that I noticed my rhythm in certain passages weren"t as accurate and my playing a little sloppy (I felt slow). It was tiring to play what normally is something more enjoyable to play.

 

I recall having other pianists in the salsa scene comment that my FP-4 was a pleasure to play and I couldn"t agree more. If there is anyone out there who can tell me their keyboard with PHA-4 Standard action loosens up over time (FP-10, FP-30, FP-60 etc) , I"ll consider sticking with it.

 

But is it worthwhile sticking with a keyboard that doesn"t have the same playability as the FP-4?

 

I remember playing many acoustic grand pianos in college. There were brand new pianos that were sluggish and there were pianos that were beautifully broken in with great response. I"m looking for the latter in my DP and FP-4 (PHA ALPHA II action) is as close as it comes.

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We make some sacrifices for weight and convenience. An action that is disappointing to you is not a great compromise. But only you can say how much you"re willing to accept for light weight. What else is on your list to try? Send it back and give something else a shot.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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@MRDLC

Reading about your initial experiences, I guess I would send it back if I were you. The kind of fast rebound you"re looking for should be there. Maybe try checking out a well used FP-60 and see if it"s up to your liking.

As for me, I definitely wanted to stay away from the base GHS action Yamaha uses in its sub $1500 hammer keyboards, for quality (control) reasons.

The base Roland action seems more durable.

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Don"t get me wrong - it"s a wonderful, wonderful keyboard - sounds great, has amazing features I wish my FP-4 would have. But I would still take my FP-4 to the gig because it plays better.

 

I"m curious as to what amazing features you were expecting would make any difference, given the application?

____________________________________
Rod

Here for the gear.

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