ElmerJFudd

It’s an interesting tactic. I suspect they needed a new slab with some unique features at the $999 price point for spring 2024. They surmised the fastest way to get there is use the RD-88 design and components. Like the other 0 offerings it had to be downgraded a bit - if not so much physically, then via firmware. And 💡 we’ll differentiate by providing a path to upgrade. This will give us an opportunity to get to know who our customers are that want these features and introduce them to the Roland Cloud. There are drastic shifts in customer behavior afoot. Many players aren’t choosing to replace a keyboard they are happy with for a new model - just expand it via their computers. Many players are choosing not to go for the top tier workstations - they can get those features in software.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5G0CJEM6Bx/?igsh=cGh3amhuYmYzNjdx

we now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Here is a peculiar one for our Aussie friends. Mannys has the RD-88 on sale for $1529. The NEW RD-08 is $1799... pre upgrade. Strange days indeed.

Another great pick. Thanks, I haven’t seen this one yet. I’m not a “subscriber” so I don’t get updates or anything. The last thing I need is more notifications on the phone. 😂

Ah ok. It’s working. Yesterday it just sent me to an advertisement.

I had an Apple IIe, does that make my old?

O que é isto?

That's a good question - which piano sample did Roland choose to snag from Zenology to use as Piano 1. Is it an SR JV tone? It's not the "Go Piano" - that's a different product, and on that one I think they afforded more space in the memory for acoustic piano than the variety of sounds they put in the Go Keys.

Excellent clarification in this post, thank you for that! So, a base subscription is really for use of sounds and software on the computer. Getting sounds onto Roland hardware requires purchase of a lifetime key. And this eliminates the need for them to police the hardware with some naff notion like connecting it to a pc once a month - or having wifi on the keyboard that phones home. Lifetime keys seem to offer the most flexibility of use and do not require any type of subscription.

I have an SF2 of this sound, it has 4 samples. But I’m not sure what software might play it back properly without reprogramming it.

Heh, now when I was in the shop CK88 was on the open floor and RD88 was against the wall. So not a fair comparison for me on usefulness of the speakers on either model. There aren’t many situations for me where I would use internal speakers other than practice and half the time I’d grab headphones so as not to disturb the family. So not a deal breaker for me on any slab - generally speaking they’re all deficient, even consoles until you get into the high end models. The CK88 and RD88 have nothing in common interface wise. Different boards for different needs. I only commented because they happened to have those two - no RD-08 (which I expect to have weaker speakers based on the specs). Sad really. I wish shops were able to have more complete showrooms, but I fear this will occur less and less often.

Ya, who was it again ReezeKeys maybe. In the Pianoteq thread - Virsyn Audio Layer http://www.virsyn.net/mobileapp/index In the App Store

I’m not sure I would insert Zenology in MainStage when building a set list - seems like a lot of this is already covered in Apple’s sound collection. Although these example patches do sound very historically Rolandish. If I grabbed an RD88 I’d USB up to make sure I have the sounds I actually want and need on the hardware keyboard - is Roland policing that your subscription is active when not connected? Do you have to connect monthly or something to prove to the RD88 operating system that you’re actively licensed to use the sounds?

It is what it is, right, this is the way it works so the point is moot. So, I made an account, I have Roland Cloud Manager installed. I know what it would cost to bump up an RD-08 (it's obvious the RD-88 makes more sense). I've installed Zenology Lite, it's a little software ROMpler with a demo library. It runs fine on my 2013 MacBook Pro, 10.9 is the required OS. A Core Membership is $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year. It's like renting an XV-5080 for the year.

Hmmm, the GO: KEYS does not seem to be listed yet. But you can tab through and see what sound packs are compatible with other hardware instruments.

OK, it's basically a store. Here is what it costs to upgrade the RD-08. BWAH ha ha ha ha ha ha 😆 That's a one-time fee for a lifetime license to have your RD-08 functioning like an RD88.

During the install process the installer flips out and goes into reverse because I'm not logged into it yet. Very strange, but it opens my default browser for me, Iogin at the website and then it brings me back to Roland Cloud Manager.

OK, here's what's in the .dmg

Roland software does require some digging in the cloud to figure out what is what. I would imagine you need Zenology - there is a free version. And you can buy sound packs for it. Do you need the subscription pro version to buy sound packs? That I am not sure, I'll go take a look, but maybe someone already has delved into this. With all this stuff, there is no way around (at least as far as I can see) creating and account and installing their Roland Cloud Manager - so Roland will live on your Mac/PC along with Waves, NI, IK etc. who have done the same. Avid still lets you decide if you want to download your software from the website or have their account management software running on your computer. My Mac is old, Late 2013 and I'm running Big Sur. I'll be surprised if Zenology runs decently... let's see.

That’s a big deal at this price point.

Are these GO Keys 3 or 5 capable of syncing with Zenology in the cloud and downloading new/additional patches - as with RD88? Or did they drop a set amount of waveforms in there and that’s that as with most keyboards in this price range?

Just watched the Eras show (Taylor Swift) on Disney+ with my kid. It’s a deeply planned and orchestrated affair just like musical theater. And they’ve entirely blurred the lines between what’s live, whats prerecorded and whats automated.

Oh ya, that’s the full deal - automated, barely live. The only reason I see to not just run tracks when it goes that far is to keep the energy of a live performance from the players, authenticity of mic’d acoustic instruments, allowing for give and take of tempo (sensitivity to the performers moments, timing with specific events - vampng, hitting on visual que and the like, and recovery from the unexpected.