The news from Roland Italy's team demoing the new Discover 5 keyboard was that there would be a new arranger by the June NAMM show. Then, after speaking to a friend of mine who has done styles for the new keyboard, I was told that the new KR17 home digital piano would be what the new portables would be like. I went to the Roland CK booth and tried out the KR17, which is a baby grand size keyboard and tried out some of the new styles and sounds. It sounded very good and has a new user interface still using the touch screen of other Arrangers from Roland. To be honest, I didn't hear it very well because of all the noise and it didn't seem that different to me than the current sounds and styles.
I did see a new 88 key product from Roland which is designed to replace the KF90 (I'm guessing because I never saw my sales rep to ask if the KF90 was discontinued) called the KF-7. This looks like the KF90 cabinet but with a new layout. 128 note polyphony,683 tones, 16 drum sets, 204 styles x 4 types each, Music assistant, programmable styles including a style converter and style composer, floppy disk drive, sequencer, notation on the screen including a new feature called "touch the notes"(touch any note head on the digiscore screen, and the note is played automatically. Drag your fingertip over a phrase or series of notes to highlight them and the sequence is played back immediately), vocal harmonizer. The weight of this product is 66lbs. I don't think it will be much different from the KF90 but with a new look and interface. This was the only new product using arranger features that would be considered portable. All the new KR series features this new look and interface (KR3/5/7)
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

That's because you can't get a better board than the VA-76 (imho). That board still blows my mind.
Zuki

Zuki,

please elaborate on why you enjoy the VA76 so much if you will.

thanx

Hi Dnj -

Well, in order of importance TO ME:
1. I love the acoustic piano sound over any other board I've played
2. The key touch is fantastic
3. The styles/arrangements are 'hip' and realistic
4. The sampled sounds in just about every category seem true - just check out the long sampled fx - like lightening, rain, etc - wow!
5. The touch screen is nice
6. The variphrase adds fun and neat little additions, on tune
7. The virtual band allows for simple to complex arrangements, not to mention the morphing, to create interesting variations.
8. The sequencer offers more diverse editing that most I've owned
9. The zip is as good as a hard drive (for me) and able to copy floppy to zip is cool
10. Built like a tank
11. Nice looking, lighted buttons....neat..play it with the lights out!
12. Video manuals, help line
13. For me, I get lost for hours in the earphones, unlike any other instrument in the past. That's what it's all about.
14. Please note that this message is soley my opinion. I love a lot of boards, but this one turns ME on.

Zuki

When I played UD's VA7 the virtual band, morphing was very kool to me. The touch screen navagation & no Voc Harmonizer is what turned me off only for LIVE Performance.

Dnj,
Yeh, harmony not of interest to me. The touch would be cumbersome for live I suppose. Speaking of harmony. The Roland Discovery product at NAMM was neat. The vocal harmony that the Roland demonstrator sang through the board was totally awesome. I about crapped my pants. That is also an interesting product.
Zuki

I have heard so many mixed reviews about
The Discover 5 KB. Do you think it will be the foundation of the next Roland Arranger offering?

Roland has wonderful sounds. Lets hope that their next arranger has multiple intros, endings, breaks, and fills. Simple endings please! And steal some synth sounds and edgy drums from the "groove-box" department! Hey Roland---do not assume that arranger buyers ALL want mellow sounds all the time. Some of us love a wide range of music!

Roland needs to have 3 intro's and ending's like Yamaha. Its about time...

Actually, Roland arrangers are capable of having a different intro for a Maj,min, and 7th chord for each division, basic and advanced.. this is true for endings as well as the pattern variations, also the fills...Do the math and see were the Yamahas are better..Know the products before you condem them. And you won't run out of memory!!