Just saw this

* New 88-note Progressive Hammer-Action keyboard for more dynamic performance.
* New stereo-sampled pianos; over 600 instrument sounds including 16 drum kits.
* True stereo 64-voice polyphony virtually eliminates note drop-out.
* Sophisticated arranger functions with over 130 music styles and SMF compatibility.
* Attractive, contemporary design stands out among other digital pianos.
* Intuitive operation via large LCD with touchscreen and convenient navigation buttons.
* Built-in Voice Transformer and Harmonist create exciting vocal effects.

Sounds like an exciting new arranger. Clif, is this an upgrade to the VA-76 or a brand new line?

Cliff,
Back at the beginning of the year I wrote a review of this KF90 after attending the Winter NAMM Show in LA. I have been selling this keyboard since I played it. It is like the VA arrangers although not as many sounds and only a floppy disk drive, no Zip drive. There is 64 voice polyphony, touch screen, some minium voice editing but unlike the VA products, there is a vocal harmonizer. You can't edit the harmony but there are several presets to choose from. The keyboard is exactly the same as the FP9 digital piano sold by the combo division, with built in speakers and 88 hammer weighted keys. There are features on the KF90 not on the VA products. These features are more for the beginning keyboard student including games and educational exercises. The price for this keyboard can range from around $3000.00 to $4,000.00 depending on where you buy it.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

I wounder why always Roland put their vocal harmonizer in products that are not high end like the E-600 and this one?.why can't they include that in their VA-LINE.

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vic:)

130 styles is rather paltry for such an expensive keyboard.

The KF90, (quote George Kaye)
First of all, and I know the Kurzweil piano/string sound, you will really like the KF90 piano/string sound. It is a really great piano/string. You have the ability to program in the characteristics you like in a piano. Roland gives you paramaters such as cabinet resonance, string resonance as well as other parameters to make the piano "behave" more like a real piano than i've seen on other pianos. I am very familiar with the SK880 as well, and I don't think the sounds in the SK come close to the KF90's. Also, the Roland is much easier to navigate. I've sold both of these keyboards and again it's my opinion the KF90's piano action is far superior, the cosmetics, the built in speakers, which the SK doesn't have and the great combination of features in the KF90, makes this keyboard number 1 in my opinion.
If you can live without a hard disk drive, I think this would be a great choice for your next keyboard.
The KF has a great on board vocal harmonizer, and can load and find midifiles and styles while others are playing. There is a very good 16 track on board sequencer. The touchscreen works very well, although some have objected to the number of screens sometimes needed to change things. Once you've become familiar I don't think this will create a problem.
Any more questions please let me know.
George Kayeposted 04-02-2001
Anyone Else Interested,
I understand your frustration in not being able to find out more about the KF90 but I would like to give you more information than you seem to be able to find.
The KF90 does do much of what the SK series can do.
Yes there is 64 voice polyphony and 88 graded hammer action keys, but there are many more similarities.
The KF90 has 142 built in styles with 4 variations per style. The SK880 has 192 styles with 4 variations. The Sk880 can load in 32 user styles but the Roland KF90 can play, not just load any style that has ever been made on any roland arranger keyboard AND the Roland KF90 can be programmed from scratch to record your own user styles and you can convert Standard Midi Files songs into user styles.
There are 9 groups of sounds with 608 sounds and 16 drum sets and 1 SFX kit. The piano sound is incredible and allows you to program natural string resonance as well as other characteristics not usually available.
There are 24 types of keyboard harmony and a really good vocal harmonizer.
There are 36 internal programs which is a snap shot of everything you want to store and on the disk you can have another 99 sets of 36.
The Sequencer is in two parts.
The first is a simple chord sequencer with melody track and the second in a full blown 16 track sequencer with Full Editing including microscope Note editing. Also, you can have lyrics and like the SK880 sheet music right on the screen, but unlike the SK880 which can only show one track of music at once, the Roland can show Bass and Treble Cleff at the same time.
So, I understand that this product might at first look more like a Clavanova type simple keyboard, but I want to let you know that it can satisfy even the best of our "arranger" musicians.
The SK880 does have a more detailed sequencer and it is one of the best features but many have a hard time learning how to use the generalmusic features where the KF90 is really quite easy to use.
Regards,
George Kaye

PS: George i hope you didn't mind me digging this out for you!
Nobby


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Nobby,
Thank you and what a good description I wrote of this keyboard. It's been a good seller for my Church market and for families who want everything including a pretty package. For the working pro's, it's not been a big seller. I really thought some of the players who just don't like not having 88 keys would buy this, but sales has not agreed with me. However, it is a good keyboard.
George Kaye

Sorry, George, I forgot your earlier review or at least forgot which keyboard it applied to. Roland's lineup can get pretty confusing as far as I am concerned. I did not recognize it in the picture I had seen; if they used the one with legs that Donny posted, I might have recalled it. George or anyone: How many voices does the KF-90 vocal harmony add to the lead voice?