I just received my first shipment of the Roland GW-7 Workstation.
First let me give you some of the specifications:
61 keys, no speakers, 11 lbs., 64 voice polyphony, 32MB wave memory, 606 tones +256 GM2, 51 drum kits + 9 GM2, 128 user tone memory, 16 user drum kit memory, 32 performance memory, 47 multi effects, 8 reverbs, 8 chorus, 110 preset styles, 99 user styles ( loaded via USB ), 99 user song memory, 16 track sequencer with 4 modes (ALL, Keyboard, Single, Punch In/Out).

This keyboard looks great. It has a silver case with a brush darker gray section around the buttons which has a very expensive look. It is very easy to use and has a section called "analog modify" knobs which allow you to edit the sounds and then store them. There is also a deeper editing area which can edit more parameters.

The GW-7 sounds great. It has many of the VA7 sounds. The Piano, Sax sounds, Brass, actually everything sounds really good.

The styles are so much better than anything I've heard from Roland except the new G70. More ballads, more latin, not as much Rock, great Jazz and Big band. You cannot make your own styles or edit the presets, but you can load styles from all Roland products into the user memory via USB connection and a computer. This is very handy.

For those needing ethnic styles and sounds this model has lots to offer. There are world styles from the middle east, indi, china, Korea and middle eastern, indian, asia, latin drum sets.

Programmable tunning can be saved to perfomances.

For each style there are two variations a fill in button and inro and ending. Each style can be played back as "drum and bass", Combo, or Full band type. There is a TAP tempo button, syncro start button.

The Roland D Beam controller is built in.

Midi In and Out, USB, Control and Hold jacks on the rear, 1/4" left and right outputs, phone are all on the rear.

So, what do I think? Amazing keyboard for $695.00 MAP. Retail price is $795.00. I would expect this GW-7 to be more expensive given how good in sounds and having a very capable 16 track sequencer. I like this keyboard alot more than the EXR series and I think you will too!

George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566

And, I almost forgot to tell you that the key feel is actually very good. It isn't mushy like the EXR3. Even though it is a very light keyboard, they put a nice feeling keyboard with a nice bit of resistance built in.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Sounds like a great keyboard in a very budget friendly price, especially when you compare it to the RS-70. I imagine its the same keybed as the Fantom series, which IMO is the best semi-weighted feel ever! Im already happy and more than content with my Fantom, but if i was looking for an Arranger id go to the GW first.

Thanks for the info about GW7 George!

I have a few questions:

1- Is it possible to edit or create new styles?
2- How many user programmable patch locations are there?

This kb is interesting, but a few ... rare?.
A lot of editing functions for sounds, but no for styles...
A lot or oriental sounds and styles.
But screen seems the same (bad) of EXRs I know and played. So, O.S. seems the same of EXRs, not as easy than Yamahas.
But I hope GW7 will have a better piano voice, and specially, much better keys (normal size, not smaller) and key feel.

Is it possible to play a lower voice when you play with a style?


[This message has been edited by Artaher (edited 05-26-2005).]

You cannot make your own style. If you want to load a Roland Style made on another keyboard you can put 99 of these in the GW-7. You simply transfer from a computer using a USB cable.
There are locations to store 128 tones you edit.
The keyboard is not the same as the Fantom X6 but rather the same as the Fantom XA (not as good as the X6,X7 but very good for this price).
I must tell you that although the interface is similar to the EXR series it has become much less "clumsy". It's actually the easiest I've seen. Also, the sequencer is easier to use than on the EXR series.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, Ca.

George I think the GW-7 had a connection to a monitor that will show lyrics, even though the GW doesn't show lyrics on lt's own display..
Is this correct?

Fran,
Here's what it says in the manual under the section of MIDI Parameters."Lyrics TX (Lyrics Data Transmission) (On/Off, default: Off) When playing back Format 0 SMF music data, this allows lyrics imbedded in the data to be transmitted to an external device."
So, Fran, excuse my ignorance, but how do you view lyrics using a midi cable? Do you have to use a Roland lyrics converter box? I really don't know anything about the lyrics box.

George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

I've loaded in about 25 styles and 12 standard midi files and they all play great.
Also, I've plugged in a roland pedal and selected the setting "Rotary" and it adjusts from slow to fast rotor if the organ sounds are assigned to "rotary" with the MFX effect.
What I still want to find out is if I can change (edit) the volume of tracks within a song (I can within a style) and I would like to know if I can change sounds within the style and song. I haven't been able to find this out yet.
I did find that I can transpose the whole keyboard, including song, or just the song or just the keyboard. This is usually a feature found on more expensive arrangers.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

George,
A while back we were talking about the GW-7, and I remember having a look at the manual. Wasn't one of the complaints we had about the sequencer was that there wasn't any editing?

Squeak