Bartolomeo Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Went to gc today and played RD700 and one of the Yamaha S series, an S120 I think. I've pretty much decided that the RD700 will be my stage piano. I would have settled for a P-90 until I found out about the wall wart. The action on the RD700 is a little nicer, I think, but the P-90 action was good enough. The RD700 has some usable churchy organ sounds on it, which the P-80 I played the other day lacked. There were also some eps and pads though I suppose I better be sure the RD700 I played didn't have an expansion card in it or I may be in for a surprise. That pretty much covers it for me except for basslines and leads, and I have the Lead 3 for that. Bartolomeo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Song80s Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 a good choice, bart. I have had the Rd700 for 2 years and i am very happy with it. It is my main board Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ? My Soundcloud with many originals: [70's Songwriter] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Horne Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 After I bought my P250 I came across a RD700 that had been reduced in price as a scratched floor demo. Had I played the RD700 first (especially the one reduced in price), I would have bought the RD700. I was impressed with its piano sound and the B3 sounds ... and using the sliders aas drawbars. Very clever. You made an excellent choice! The weight difference is also worth mentioning! No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message. In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Bart: I just spoke to a Roland dealer today and Roland has an RD770 right on the wings to replace the RD700. We may not have seen it yet 'cause dealers may have 700's in stock yet, but that might change your buying decision. If you wait for the 770 to come out, you might be able to get a great deal on a 700, or you might want to consider the 770 instead. Thought I'd pass that along. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 I'm very happy with my RD-700, I've had it for two years now. Oh how I wish there was a 76- or 73-key version though. --Dave Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Rhythm Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 I've had my RD700 for two years as well. I love it. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick K. Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 I'm close to 30 months now with my RD700. I'm still as passionate about it today as I was when I first got it. I'd most assuredly get another if I had to replace the board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaso DeChaso Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 I played everything under the sun (except GEM Promega 2/3, which I couldn't find at the time) and ended up with an RD-700 as well. I've been playing it for a few months now and I am very, very happy. I am basically a piano player and use it 90% of the time for piano. But if this news of an upcoming 770 is right, then you might consider waiting. Especially if it includes the Steinway sample from the newest Fantoms, or some other features like more memory. You might even wait to get a 700 on clearance when the new models arrive to replace it. Or you could just do what you want to do and go out and buy it now! Chaso Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daBowsa Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 How are the EP's? Do that match the S90/Motif's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konaboy Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Originally posted by Chaso DeChaso: But if this news of an upcoming 770 is right, then you might consider waiting. ChasoWhat news? Please elaborate! hang out with me at woody piano shack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 Konaboy: If you read my post (6 up from yours) I mentioned that I was talking to a Roland dealer yesterday and he told me that Roland has an RD770 and they are waiting for RD700 inventories to dwindle before starting to ship. The dealer is very credible. No estimate when they will release the new board. That's all I know. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Song80s Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Hey Mike, that's very interesting to hear about the ' RD770' Since that cat is out of the bag, that should definitely slow sales of the RD700. Usually manufacturers are extremely tight lipped about pre-announcing new boards. But I think it's probably a good practice to tell the dealer so they have a chance to move out the ' older' model. But I think its to the buyers benefit to know that a replacement is around the corner. I know I would ' wait and see' . My uninformed opinion is that new boards get announced at January NAMM. The only recent exception to that was the ES Motif. Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ? My Soundcloud with many originals: [70's Songwriter] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Originally posted by dabowsa: How are the EP's? Do that match the S90/Motif's?Well, that's pretty subjective. I like the Rhodes on the RD-700 a lot -- I especially use "NY Rhodes", and occasionally "Rhodes 2" or "Hit Rhodes". YMMV. The Wurlitzers aren't that impressive compared to, say, the Nord Electro. --Dave Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Yeah GregC, they are tight lipped about that sort of thing for obvious reasons. But apparently the new board is ready to go or otherwise the dealer I spoke to wouldn't have known about it. The RD700 has been around for quite some time so Roland is about due for a new one. Yamaha's have been kicking butt in the piano realm so Roland is not going to sit back and do nothing. I'm hoping that when the new one comes out, you'll see used RD700's as well as floor models going cheap. Based on the fire sale mentality of Motif "Classics" after the ES came out, I bet you start seeing used RD700's for 700.00 to 1000.00 in short order. I think its great for a live gig instrument and don't care if its the most up to date model if I can get one at a reasonable price. Cheers, Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konaboy Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Thanks for the heads up on the Roland RD770. Now a Roland stage piano, with a VK8 sound chip inside, now that would really be worth saving up for hang out with me at woody piano shack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Rhythm Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 The organ in the RD 700 is pretty good, but it feels "funny" when I try to play organ with a weighted keyboard. If I need to play organ I usually midi a non-weighted keyboard up to the RD. In case anyone from Roland is monitoring this thread. How about the new RD 770 sounds on an expansion card? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Time to watch for price cutting at the online stores. I wonder if the RD770 will have the new piano that is in the Fantom X? Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 By the way, I love Piano Mode on the Fantom X8. Even better for Rhodes sounds as the 4 dedicated knobs control the effects. Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mound Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 if there is really a 770 coming out, Guitar Center will probably be slashing prices on the RD700 shortly. I'd wait 'till the 770 came out and buy the 700. I love my RD700. I was friends with a manager at guitar center, he sold one brand new to a guy who returned it 2 months later 'cause he actually wanted a synth, I then proceeded to buy it for $1050. A STEAL! "You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 SamAsh used to be a good indicator. About two months before a new product is announced they would slash prices on the old product. Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Yeah Mound, $1050.00 for a 2 month old RD700 is a steal, for real. There are deals around if you're patient. The sample quality of today's instruments has gotten so good that you don't necessarily need the latest and greatest. Some years ago, that wasn't true. We're all reaping the benefits of technology. Some folks complain that the piano sustain on the samples in the RD700 are not long enough, but my ears tell me they're certainly very good. I guess some folks are NEVER satisified, always looking for the "perfect" instrument. There are none. Me, I'm very happy with what's available and how little you pay for it compared to the "vintage" gear. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangsu Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Originally posted by MikeT156: .Some folks complain that the piano sustain on the samples in the RD700 are not long enough, but my ears tell me they're certainly very good. .short sample sustain combined with limited polyphony is the only way to go. damn and I was doing so good... "........! Try to make It..REAL! compared to what? ! ! ! " - BOPBEEPER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mound Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 looking for the "perfect" instrument. There are noneoh yes there is: http://www.boesendorfer.uk.com/images/290%20Grand.jpg "You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Mound: I can think of a few things I wouldn't like about the "perfect" instrument you posted. 1. It has to be tuned. It has to be kept in a room where the temperature and humidity are constant or it won't stay in tune very long. 2. It doesn't have a transpose button on it so I can learn a song in the original key and transpose it down so I can sing it in a lower key, eg, I'm a baritone and can't always sing songs in the original key. 3. It doesn't accept headphones so I can practice any time of day or night. 4. It's not portable. 5. It's a "little" pricey. Good one mound! Hey Sue, you WERE doing good for awhile, my compliments. If 64 voices isn't enough for a portable stage piano, then I guess "one" would have to get a GEM that has more voices than the Morman Tabernacle Choir. My only question is.....what would you do with all those voices? Cheers, Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gangsu Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Isn't that Bosendorfer just a work of art. Thanks for the reminder, Mound! Makes our trivial arguments seem so - well, trivial! Polyphony. Yeah, the promega3 has 320 note polyphony, which I suppose can seem like overkill...kind of like filling up the tank to go to the corner store. All 4 sections of the keyboard can be layered, though. So that brings it down to 80. And if one of those voices is a stereo piano, that brings it down even further. Not hard to think of instances where I'd use 4 voices, with a split point. I don't understand how a split effects overall polyphony though. So anyway, I experimented with a 3 voice + stereo pn layered sound. I held a bass octave with the sos pedal, and played 6 note chords starting at the top and running down 3 octaves with the sustain held. Let go of the sustain, and I can still hear the original bass notes being held. That's well above 320 notes, in fact I calculate it's 712. ?? I'm not saying anybody else's piano doesn't do the same. Is there anyone who can explain how pianos *know* which note to favour - ie. in this case the lowest one - in the instance that certain notes will have to be sacrificed? Written in haste - hope I make sense. *still thinking about this. Adding an effect or a reverb also halves the available polyphony. Or not? ** I just noticed I'm really on the wrong thread. Sorry Bartolomeo. It's all mike's fault. "........! Try to make It..REAL! compared to what? ! ! ! " - BOPBEEPER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartolomeo Posted September 1, 2004 Author Share Posted September 1, 2004 Perfect http://www.masonhamlin.com/showroom/buttons/monticello.jpg No wall wart. No confusing displays, twiddly knobs, or slidey sliders. 88-note polyphony. Mine's seen daily use for 90 years, though there has been some... um... maintenance. The new ones aren't much different. I do like the sustain of a BB (7') a little better though, but it's kinda big for the living room. I'd rather have my A than a Steinway or any of those other fancy named pianos of the same size. The A is not great for gigging, though, hence the interest in an RD700. Bartolomeo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mound Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 somebody please hand me a tissue, I'm drooling all over my keyboard! "You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeT156 Posted September 1, 2004 Share Posted September 1, 2004 Too funny folks! Yep, both pictures of the "Perfect" instrument makes you wish you were born rich or you hit the lottery! Of course it would have to be a HUGE lottery, because like the George Carlin skit "Stuff", you'd have too much "Stuff" so you'd need a bigger house to put it in. Could probably afford a piano tuner too. Sue, I have an Ensoniq TS10 that I use for all my sequencing and it IS possible to exceed 64 notes of polyphony for sequencing. Depends on what your doing. When I first got it, I was putting "EVERYTHING I can think of" in my sequences and it started stealing notes. The bottom line was, my sequences had to much "STUFF" in them and was starting to sound like a garbled mess anyway. So I got back down to basics and made sure I left "holes" where they were on the original song I was covering, and brought different instruments in and out of the song as its supposed to be, and ended up with a lot better results. My ES8 is 128 notes and I will eventually use it for sequencing too. It just boggles my mind that the Promega has 320 notes polyphony. I can't imagine how you could ever run out. But, better to have too many than not enough, unless you over due things like I do sometimes! And Oh, I've heard that its been my fault before, and not just by you. It kind of follows me. Mike T. Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immo Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 I had the chance to play a Bosendorfer in college. I used to sneak into the recital hall because that was the only one they kept have decently tuned (besides the steinway next to it). Call me uncultured, but I usually picked the Steinway. Also I didn't need the 88+ polyphony on the Bosendorfer (does it have an extra octave or just a few extra keys in reverse color?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bryce Posted September 2, 2004 Share Posted September 2, 2004 Originally posted by Immordino: Also I didn't need the 88+ polyphony on the Bosendorfer (does it have an extra octave or just a few extra keys in reverse color?).There are a fewl models of Bosendorfer pianos with extra keys. If memory serves, the Model 225 has 92 keys (goes down to low F) and the Model 290 Imperial grand has 97 keys (goes down to low C). i think the Louis XVI model has sub bass notes as well, but I'm not sure... I just L V E Bosendorfer pianos... dB ==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <== Professional Affiliations: Royer Labs • Music Player Network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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