Jazz+ Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 I bought a new Roland FP4 digital piano to replace my Kawai ES4 and FP2 (plus SRX11, SRX12 in XV-2020) for gigging. The FP4 action is really fast. The key return is quicker than any digital piano I have played. I found it noticeably easier playing fast scale runs on the FP4 than on the other models in the showroom - the RD-700SX, FP7, Kawai MP8, MP4, CP-300, and RD-300SX (slowest). The new textured key surfacing is very nice, it gives much better traction and feels almost like ivory keys. My old ES4 and FP2 keys are easier to slip on. The FP4 "Piano 1" uses the same samples as the "Superior Grand" on the RD-700SX, not the "Ultimate Grand" samples found in the RD-300SX and Fantom. The "Superior Grand" on the RD-700SX has a fatter note sustain after the initial attack and somewhat more clarity. However, when playing live I think that the FP-4 will sound almost exactly the same. I listened while my friend played the same repeated melody and chords back and forth between the RD-700SX and the FP4 using a Motion Sound stereo amp. From a distance of 20 feet and then 30 feet, with my eyes closed, they sounded virtualy the same to me, especialy the single note runs. Listening up close, especialy when playing full chords, the RD-700SX had the edge with a fatter woodier sound with better presence. But with a little bass boost the FP4 single note runs were almost identical. I think that the RD-700SX Piano 1 is better for playing solo at home and for recording, but for live I don't hear much difference. And the FP4 weighs only 33 pounds. Harry Likas was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 700 of Harry’s piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and jazz piano tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Ferris Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 Hey Congrats + I just saw your post over on Piano Forum......you have mutiple identities. I'm waiting for this P250 to come down at the local store. I think I'm going to pounce when it does...it's brand new /full factory warranty and an out of this world price. I need a new light weight gigging piano to replace the P120...... the jury's still out. ENJOY DF https://soundcloud.com/dave-ferris https://www.youtube.com/@daveferris2709 2005 NY Steinway D, Yamaha AvantGrand N3X, CP88, P515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted April 3, 2007 Author Share Posted April 3, 2007 . Harry Likas was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 700 of Harry’s piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and jazz piano tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 The P250 is no lightweight gigging piano. Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Ferris Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 I'll second that........it's mostly for the more serious blowing gigs. (also when I've upped my weights at the gym) https://soundcloud.com/dave-ferris https://www.youtube.com/@daveferris2709 2005 NY Steinway D, Yamaha AvantGrand N3X, CP88, P515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billdar Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 Jazz+, I like lighter actions too. I have a Yamaha S-90 and a Kawai ES4. Might you describe the difference in feel between the actions the ES4 and the FP4? Cheers! Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 If you ditched the SRX boards, what are you using for Rhodes? Does the FP4 have a good Rhodes sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niacin Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 I spent some time on the FP4 yesterday. The action is in the ES4/RD300sx/pRP700 ballpark - solid enough to get some dynamics from the acoustic pianos but fast enough that I could actually get away with playing clav. For my taste it's Roland's best weighted action to date. The acoustic piano sounds are typical Roland, which to me means that mp is just a thin distant version of ff. YMMV. I liked the first Rhodes patch though. The softer samples are IMO not quite as nice as those in the SRX-12 expansion board, but on the whole the patch is quite dynamic and playable. IMO the big improvement over previous boards is not in the soundset but rather in the key action. Gig keys: Hammond SKpro, Korg Vox Continental, Crumar Mojo 61, Crumar Mojo Pedals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 I'm a big fan of light actions and light keyboards. Other than the KX88, every Yamaha weighted action I've played has been too heavy for me to comfortably go 4 hours on. Next trip to GC I'll give the FP4 a try. I'm currently using an SL-880 and I'm good with that... Is the FP4 close? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floyd Tatum Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 Jazz+, how is the upweight on the FP4? For me, when I've tried the FP2, and the RD300sx, both of which are sold as "semi-weighted action", and both of which are similar in weight to the FP4 (approx 30lbs), and they both had too much upweight, and it seemed to coming from a spring. How is the FP4 in this regard? My thinking is that Roland probably uses the same type of keybed, generally speaking, in their 30-lb range of 'weighted action' keyboards. If so, I'm hoping they've improved the upweight situation, becuase I would really like to find a good gigging kbd in the 30-lb range. But springy upweight is a deal-breaker for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delirium Posted April 3, 2007 Share Posted April 3, 2007 I don't get it, how they count? I have FP5 almost 2 years old and now we have new FP4?... I guess I'll wait for FP0, should be the best. But I agree the action on FP's pianos is really great, better then yamahas or fantomX8. ♫♫♫ motif XS6, RD700GX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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