With a 2GB Compact Flash Card and or 50MB of internal User Memory it is a shame Roland left off Sampling capability. Tell me it isn't so George! NO AUDIO capability at all with all that SPACE??? And I thought the Tyros was the only Keyboard to give massive Space via a Hard Drive and then not give any Audio data capability... It will take a lifetime to fill up my Tyros Hard Drive with dinky Midi Files and Styles, etc. What a pity...

I am guessing that the 50 MB internal Memory will be co-habited when using the SRX Expansion Card. In other words, when the SRX Expansion Card slot is occupied, the Card itself will take up much of the internal memory. Just a guess but why else would they put so much internal memory when there is NO AUDIO capability? There's got to be a reason I would think.

Other than that, I think Roland is on to something here. They did address many of the things that were left off the G1000 and VA-76. And putting a modeled VK-8 Organ with B3 emulation on it will give the G-70 some killer Organ sounds.

Stereo Audio (Inputs) is a welcome sight. Plus a separate Output and Effects Processor for the Vocal Harmonizer. Very cool!

Hopefully the Key Action can be adjusted?!?!? Something that up until now hasn't been done, right? There's gotta be a way to do it I would think. Flip a switch and the Action goes from Heavy to Medium to Light if need be. All at the touch of a button. I doubt it will be adjustable but hey, they've been known to do some other radical things. Like the D-Beam Controller and new VariPhrase technology. So an adjustable Keybed Action is right up their alley I would think.

If they keep the price under $3K they should sell a bunch of them.

BUT!!!!! Stand back Boys! Remember Yammie is going to be unveiling the "Tyros PRO XL" -[name has been changed to protect its real identity] which btw, the above name could indeed be its real name.

I'm looking forward to the new Tyros' specifications with bated breath too. But Yamaha Music Division will need to pull out all the stops if they want to 'remain' king of the hill. They have their job cut out for them that's for sure. But I am rooting for them, especially since I've invested so much of my hard earned cash into the Yamaha name.

Let the best man, err.. Company win!!

Best regards,
Mike



[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 09-11-2004).]

no sampler and no hard disc ?!!!

in oriental music not having the abbility to sample , is like to be dead.

all the good oriental arranger keybords players I know , sounds fantastic in live , becouse they use a keyboard with a sampler(like the SD1 \pax1 pro)and even if they don't know how to sample good oriental sounds, they buy the sounds from those who know how to do it.

so (and I use ROLAND gear) the new keaboard is not for me and to my opinion, not for any one who plays oriental and arabic music' unless someone wants to spend more money on a sampler\pc and take tou instruments instead of only one.

shame because i have waited so long for the new arrenger from ROLAND.

------------------
davidfle@hotmail.co.il

George. Thank you for this update on G70. The Roland demonstrator promised me in April that I would see a new Roland Arranger later this year in the UK. He stated they had a promo sample for testing.

We are attending the twice yearly Keyboard 7 day Festival 1st week October so hopefully Roland may be showing a sample G70. If so I will post a report.

Graham UK.

Dud, ruling out a keyboard before it is released...not smart...especially a new model that appears not to be a repackage model[Yamaha,Korg,Ketron]..In the past Roland always has decent oriental sounds and drum kits on board...and who knows maybe the G70 will read samples as the 5080 does....But to rule it out on speculation,,shame for a Roland user..

If Roland's new model was as basic as the "old G1000" with a mic/effects processor on board..it would have been a winner for me..But that's just me..

Question - I'm not that familiar with Roland's SRX Expansion boards but from what I've been able to Google they add 64MB of samples but NO actual additional polyphony to the instrument they are used in, correct? So the G70 will be forever restricted to 128 notes of polyphony?

Jim, you are correct,but Roland handles polyphony a whole lot better than Yamaha,Korg and Ketron..and that is a proving fact....For example, the PSR9000 [128] couldn't compete with the G1000[64],,how to play without dropouts, and in some examples with older PSR's, shut off[no sound when polyphony is used up]...When it comes to voice allocation Roland knows what they are doing...Numbers don't tell the real story...playing does...

Yes, that's right.
Roland's SRX Expansion boards are just samples...
It will possible to add, only as an example, the sound of a EXCELLENT piano expansion I already tested (SRX) to the G70! It'll be great!

Luis Santos

Two points:

1) No speakers - no sale for Uncle Dave
2) George, the keys on the XP80 are VERY different from the keys on the G1000. Completely different length and feel.
Someone is confused at Roland, if that's what they told you.

I'm unfamiliar with oriental sounds, but I have never been interested in samplers either, since the companys all includes the (bread & butter) sounds I use. Maybe we robots play stock sounds better, who knows ?

Any chance Roland will f/u with lower end models? Say a G20,G30,G50 (Simliar to G600,G800,G1000).
Starkeeper

Starkeeper, the models you mention were not designed to be low end models...First was the G800, the top of the line 76 keys, than the G600,which was the top of the line,61 keys...followed by the top of the line G1000 that replaced the G800..
Some players are hoping Roland makes other models along the lines of the G70...a 61 key version [G50?]and a model with speakers [EXR50?]..

This is more common in the home piano division,,EM2000, EM50, EM25, and EM15..
The E series usually had/has the top of the line model..E-600 and previously the E-500..
Earlier models, E-70,E-86 and E-96.. each replaced the former model as the top of the line model..

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 09-10-2004).]