The new Roland GW-7 looks very interesting. For the price George listed it appears to be a good bargain. I can't help but wonder if it's an updated EXR series board, and if the sequencers are identical. I did notice a good thing on the unit. There appears to be realtime control over sound parameters. I wonder if those changes can be saved to user settings. Anyone

squeak

Squeak, I can answer your question.
Yes, you can save your user tones in 128 user locations. You can also customize drum sets and store them in 16 user locations and you can save 32 user performances.
The GW-7 also has 32 MB of Wave memory. there are 576+256(GM2) tones. 37+9(GM2) drum sets. 101 Performances. The Roland Rep who showed me this keyboard also showed me how they have improved the operation of the 16 track sequencer over the EXR series. Now, you can start by selecting the "all" mode, record whatever you want. And when done, you enter the single mode and with the push of one button, you can select any one of the 16 tracks you wish to record new or overdub on. The keyboard weighs 11.1lbs.
There are two knobs on the keyboard which allow for Analog modification including filter, envelope, mixing volumes and controlling effects.


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

WOW! Now that's impressive Thanks for the info George. That's awsome that it will save user sounds and custom kits, and an improved sequencer with overdub makes it even better. All that for around $700.00 Geez what a great deal. I may have to pick one of these up. When do they come out?

Squeak

They will be available in March.


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George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

George, you mentioned in your NAMM review that the GW-7 has an arabic drums set. Was it the old E-40 modified one? or was it something you never heard before? also for the middle easter sounds, are they the same ones found in the G-1000/VA-7? or are they totally diffrient sounds?

thanks alot.

If anyone is considering an entry-level synth, like the Roland Juno-D, I'd strongly suggest spending 100.00 more (street) for the soon to be released Roland GW-7. In just comparing the specs, it seems to offer a lot more bang for the buck, and I'm seriously considering it as my travel\vacation instrument. It weighs just over 11 pounds, almost less than a third of the weight of my Fantom-S, and features some great World\Asian sounds (newly sampled and compare very favorably with the Asian\World sounds on my World SRX expansion board...I'm going by the sound demos on the Roland China site), along with all the standard Pop stuff. Even though the polyphony and the fx algorithms are identical for the Juno-D and GW-7, the GW-7 offers more Preset sounds and drum kits, as well as more User memory. You can also dramatically alter\shape the onboard sounds thru the Analog Modify function. The GW-7 has a much bigger display and is able to transfer data back and forth to a computer via USB. It also has an onboard 16 track MIDI recorder\sequencer which the Juno-D does not. The only other instruments I can compare it to are the Casio WK series but they are bigger\heavier, less polyphony, no USB, and just a 6 track sequencer. They are cheaper, offer SmartMedia and\or floppy storage, can play new sampled sounds and synthesize new sounds, have onboard speakers\amplificaion...but the GW-7 appeals more to my own particular needs. I really miss having an arranger keyboard for laying down quick tracks and the GW-7 just may fit the bill! I've downloaded all the audio\video demos and Quick Start manual from the Roland China site, which really helped, even tho' I don't speak any form of Chinese.

Michael

Squeak, that may be a nice new board, however haveyou looked at the Fantom-S? You can find used ones for 800+-50 IMO they arealot better than the GW in every aspect. Just a though

Phil

Fantom-S is a great keyboard (I have one and love it) but it's still not an arranger keyboard.

Michael

Well thats cool to know I should already have mine, however the guy is taking his sweet time, and ironicly got in a wreck, so it will be even longer! The suspense is killing me!

I thought the GW7 was a synth workstation. My bad, i looked it up and its an arranger workstation, but its still not an intelligent one well thats what Roland says .

Phil

[This message has been edited by Pennywizz6 (edited 03-04-2005).]

Pennywizz,
I'm curious..., did you get this board off ebay???? Have your already paid the seller as well. It seems odd that he hasn't gotten the board to you yet.

Squeak

Phil,

Hate to be a pessimist but it really sounds like you are being stalled by this particular eBay seller. Just curious as to how much feedback they have and how much of it is positive (but even the numbers can be manipulated, especially when the overall total is low). I sincerely hope that this transaction turns out well, so please keep us posted! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Michael

Thanks for the luck I too am worried that may be the case. I already payed him via Paypal, so no worries abouthim stealing my money, Paypal has great fraud protection. His feedback is good, and has sold other musical items such as mine with no complaints.

I already filed a Paypal claim against him, but he actually called saying that he got in a car wreck and has needles in him! He claims he will get it out sometime next week, he thought monday. I hope he will keep his word and might be able to get it next week some time! I cant wait much longer!

Phil

[This message has been edited by Pennywizz6 (edited 03-05-2005).]

can The new Roland GW-7 play all g70 sty. file ?please let me know .thanks

i've been considering gw7 as a alternative to the little bit more expensive korg pa50... i like the design better. but it\s features are so much less competitive that i droped it!... still, at least, is there any way to play also some other styles, be it roland's or some other brand's, so is there any flexibility at all?
again, the design is very nice i believe!

As far as features, how does the GW7 compares to the Yamaha PSR1500?

Thanks.

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ViLo
HE'S COMING, MAKE MUSIC, GET READY!

[This message has been edited by ViLo (edited 03-23-2005).]

George, do you know if the GW-7 is compatible with the G 70 styles ?...
Thank you.

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mdorantes

so, is there someone who has tried this instrument yet?

Is the GW-7 out yet?

Yes it is out, several places sell it.

Phil

have to insist...
did someone buy this GW7 ?
i am curious about it's possibility to load, save, edit styles and songs!
at least, if you know some place for a good review of it...

No onboard styles creation, as far as I could tell from the specs. No external software to create Roland styles either, but room for 99 user styles. Duh! Hey Roland, how would a musician use the 99 user styles, if there is no way to create them? There exists 3rd part software to create Yamaha styles, but I am not aware of any for Roland styles.
Looks like one of the jacks can be used as an expression pedal. That is very nice.
Lots of wave ROM also (32megs).
USB port also nice.
No specs on the speakers. Wattage, size
Starkeeper



[This message has been edited by Starkeeper (edited 03-31-2005).]

If it doesn't allow one to record user styles, they better have at the very least included (loop recording) on the sequencer.

Squeak

Starkeeper:
I guess Roland means the same with "user styles" as they do for the EXR line: styles from older Roland keyboards transferred to the flash memory via USB (or floppy).
Not very nice to the EXR users to release a new model just one year after the last one with many new features and that (for the price) huge wave ROM.

99 user style areas is really quite good. I figured that is what Roland is expecting. I think Roland should have either 1) Onboard styles creation, 2)PC style creation software, 3) Style conversion software or 4) Sell Roland styles. They could hire Jos Maas to creat something for them, if they don't have the expertise in house
To be honest I have never created a user style from scratch, but I would still like that option for future use.
Also the link to the brochure is not working.
Starkeeper

Well I still question how well the sequencer is. It should at least allow you to loop a drum track. Anyone seen a manual yet?

Squeak

Nope.
Not here: http://www.roland.com/manuals/en/index_alpha.html#anchor_G
and not here either: http://www.rolandus.com/support/product_manual.asp?Letter=G
Starkeeper