Roland XP-60

[vlad509sympatico.ca]

hi everybody I bought an Roland XP-60 last month now I would like to know how do you guys rate it in terms of sound quality, sequencer quality and making a whole song and other things.

 

I don't like the manual that much when it comes to putting a song together, I lose myself in the book and possibly fall asleep *lol* .....

 

what is your intake, advise.......

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by vlad509@sympatico.ca:

hi everybody I bought an Roland XP-60 last month now I would like to know how do you guys rate it in terms of sound quality, sequencer quality and making a whole song and other things.

 

A few questions, if you please:

 

What are YOUR feelings on the synth - now that you've had a month to play with it, what are your impressions?

 

What was it that inspired you to purchase it in the first place?

 

Did you see or hear something else that's making you rethink your decision?

 

dB

[vlad509sympatico.ca]

well I like it. I'm new to these Professional Keyboards so I'm reading alot of materials concerning the types of keyboards, sequencers, workstations.....

 

Well what inspired me to by it was the member of My favorite band called "T-vice", A Haitian-Kompa music band (Haiti country in the caribbean, Kompa a slow meringue calypso type music) and the keyboard player uses alot of roland gear including the Roland Xp-60.

 

IT seems that it was everything that I needed in a Keyboard, but I'm a beginner.

I'm not rethinking about my decision. I like it I would not change my keyboard but I don't like the owners manual.

 

what I do for fun is instrumental Kompa remixes of R&B songs

I like the sounds (but do I really know better?) and I like the way I can change the percussion sounds panning and all.....

but I don't like the manual directions in terms of putting everything together, introduction, verse brigdes, once all these things are completed seperatly.

 

I like it to me its the real deal. but maybe I'm fooling myself. I guess I just wanted to know what other Keyboard users thought about.

 

Vlad

[Guest]

Vlad:

 

I have an XP50 (parent of the XP60) which I bought 5 years ago, after reading an review by Jim Aikin http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif . The two instruments are similar, although the xp60 has a few more features. It was tough sledding at first, because the instrument was deep and the manual was really bad. I think the instrument is a very appropriate first instrument. It's ability to create an entire song (whether on a desert island or not) depends on the kind of outboard effects and recording gear you have. It is professional gear and can do most things well. However, most synths benefit from some external processing, and most songs benefit from having more than one sound source.

 

That said, let me point you to some resources that will help you get the most out of your instrument. First of all, assuming this is your first synth, get a copy of the video owners manual. I believe it retails for $25 though you should be able to find a copy on Ebay for less. It is very helpful in explaining the sometimes idiosyncratic Roland architecture. Secondly, pay a visit to the Roland web site (www.rolandus.com) and download some of the quick start and faq documents. There are also articles in the RUG magazines that deal with your synth. All of these resources are written in English, unlike the manual http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif.

Lastly, I would consider getting hooked up to the JV XP user group. instructions for doing so are available at:

http://www.frisbee.net.au/jv/resources/

 

You can post any of your questions to the list, and the group is very helpful.

 

I hope this helps,

 

Jerry

 

PS: I have no regrets about getting the XP50. Five years later, I am still learning new techniques off the synth. Thanks Jim.

[marino]

Vlad:

I have many synths, but my main live controller is an XP-80, which is the same of the XP-60 plus one octave.

Here are some impressions.

 

Manual: Very dry, very schematic, very bad. Get a tutorial.

 

Sounds: Well, there's a ton of them, but generally speaking, they have clarity and presence. They are also tightly compressed, so I find this keyboard more useful live than in recordings, where you need top quality. The expansion board do add a lot, but I would avoid the older ones.

 

Effects: Mmmm, so-so. Once again, more than adequate for live use, much less for recording.

 

Programmability: Very good. Keep in mind this is basically a sample player/workstation, so the functions you will usually need the most are ways to map/switch/layer/combine your basic sounds, plus a good deal of modulation flexibility. It's all there.

 

Sequencer: Well, I always found Roland sequencers a bit cumbersome, but I use it live sometimes; I just prepare my sequences on the computer and then transfer them to the synth.

 

Keyboard feel: It's adequate, but not great. They call it "semi-weighted"... It is not. It's a regular, synth-type board.

I had bought an XP-50, but I re-sold it immediately 'cause I couldn't stand the feel of the keys. With the XP-80 and XP-60 they remedied that.

 

Just my 1 cent

 

marino

[Shyamz1]

Can you tell me where I can by an XP60, because i absolutely love this keyboard. I need it to be in UK though, and cheap reasonable price, like 350 pounds or less.

[kanker.]

Ebay?

[Bill H.]

but I don't like the manual directions in terms of putting everything together, introduction, verse brigdes, once all these things are completed seperatly.

 

If you like doing song parts separately and then assembling them into a final mix, you need to copy each part to a pattern location after you record them, and then assemble the song in step record using the pattern numbers.

 

It's actually a very good sequencer for doing basic things like backing tracks. You can easily do drum loops as patterns, work on each one individually, and then assemble them in a linear track. I came from a 96 ppq background (Akai MPC) and that's the main reason why I still use this sequencer a lot. This resolution is fine enough for this purpose. I've had my favorite numbers memorized for move and step functions on rhythm sounds in 96 for years.

 

I've kept both a XP-60 and XP-80 around, although they are both stuffed with expansions. They are still capable of things and sounds nothing else can do.

 

Good choice in it's price range today. And very common used. You don't have to look hard to locate one.

[Sven Golly]

Probably important to note that, aside from the last few posts, this thread is from 2000.

 

[Bill H.]

Good catch Sven! I didn't even notice. This guy has probably long given up on his XP. My last thought was a waste of time.

 

And this one...

[kanker.]

The guy I replied to asked the question today, which is why I replied Ebay - I checked the dates on the rest of the thread.

[Sven Golly]

The guy I replied to asked the question today, which is why I replied Ebay - I checked the dates on the rest of the thread.

 

Yep, I'd noticed that... I'm curious how someone dug up a 7-year-old thread, though? I'd have answered eBay as well...

 

[Andre Lower]

The guy I replied to asked the question today, which is why I replied Ebay - I checked the dates on the rest of the thread.

 

Yep, I'd noticed that... I'm curious how someone dug up a 7-year-old thread, though?...

 

Perhaps he was afraid of Sven Golly's merciless "Google it/search previous threads" hammering routine

 

Hi Sven

 

[Andre Lower]

hmmm...double posting, sorry.

[kanker.]

The guy I replied to asked the question today, which is why I replied Ebay - I checked the dates on the rest of the thread.

 

Yep, I'd noticed that... I'm curious how someone dug up a 7-year-old thread, though? I'd have answered eBay as well...

Yeah, definitely have to give the guy some credit for searching the archives first.