This is my first post.
What a brilliant forum!
You guys are so helpfull!
I own a Yamaha PSR 8000 and a Korg Karma.
But I really would like to know if there's any news on a long awaited new Roland arranger..........someone talked about 256-note poly?
And when will we see an arranger with in-sequencer sampling such as in the Triton Studio?
Any ideas guys?
Ta..BKK Keys.................

I man from Roland whispered to me that a new arranger is planned 2003, but would not discuss it further. They spending the present time pushing and demonstrating the new DiskCover 5 with its new innovative features,,,,.. its not an arranger though.

Graham UK

Its funny how as a guitar player, buying my first keyboard arranger contradicts my regular buying pattern.

In buying guitars I am more interested in vintage instruments. More so for acoustic but even for electrics (love those old Ibanez musician guitars and vintage Paul Reed Smith).

But alas, what am I even thinking about waiting till Roland comes out with their latest greatest....

I must say though, I do get the feeling from most of the posts that there is no keyboard that satisfies anyone 100 percent. And there is a definate pull towards the latest greatest as each new one comes out.

For me its just sound generation and the rest can maybe be sub-par. But I dont find any arranger that has the heavy and professional sound of the synthesizers from Roland, Yamaha or Korg.

But making a living off the instrument is an entirely different story.

It sounds like the Genysis is close but the Pentium chip is old and outdated and so is the software.


ahhh I give up, if the PRS2000 sounded a little better I would buy it and be done with it (same for the PA-80).

Maybe someday Yamaha will use flagship technology and make an arranger that sounds like the Motif (fat and heavy and varied).

The new Roland? they havent changed their sound generation for about 10 years or more.

Good luck out there. Maybe I sould get a powerful laptop, load up some software synths, BIAB or Jammer and have some fun.

Cheers
Guitarman

THANKS GRAHAM....Hope they vastly expand "variphrase" and include a CD burner + voice editing...BKK Keys

Guitarman,

If you love the old Ibanez, then you'd go crazy over my old guitar. It's a 1976 Ibanez Les Paul, cream finish with a special order thin-neck for FAST finger action. This is the guitar that Gibson sued Ibanez for making. The first 500 models had no serial numbers until after the lawsuit was filed. Then, Ibanez started putting serial numbers on them. Mine is one of the first 500 and does not have a serial number. It's absolutely the "sweetest" guitar I've ever played. Every guitarist that has EVER played it has offered to buy it from me. My last offer was slightly over $2,000.00 but I can't part with it.

Love them old guitars,
Steve

The new Roland? they havent changed their sound generation for about 10 years or more.


If it aint broke why fix it

I only HOPE that Roland will implement more 'professional advanced' chord recognition in their 2003 models. Until they do this, I'll have to pass on Roland arrangers. - Scott

Obviously Roland have taken a look at Yamahas Tyros and that will possibly help them create something to really rival the Tyros.

I'll probably be flamed for saying this. I think Roland has the technical expertise to totally dominate Yamaha, BUT are unwilling to put money into their products. The EM series have many sounds/tones that are better then Yamaha, but got left behind because they don't have the functionality of the Yamaha's. No DSP for one thing. Put some money into R&D to develop 50 outstanding sounds/tones, not a re-hash of 3000 ho-hum sounds. The EM55 should have come out with a flute that would have blown away Yamaha's "Sweet flute" and "Classic flute", not. An improved piano, not. They lost out on a potential sale. I would have upgraded from my EM20 to an EM55. You lose Roland. You gotta try harder. Come on Roland, you can do this.
Starkeeper

I must say I always have mixed emotions about Roland...I have the XV 3080 which I like alot, but think for the money, it really needed an arppegiator to complete it.

I waited and waited for both the VA 76 and Fantom and was sadly disappointed by both. I agree with they seem to have some good concepts but usually stop short of completion as well as advancement.

I have just purchased one of their handsonic hpd 15's and it too is excellent but again for the price, there were some features they could should have added.
oh well....
Terry

The only thing I want is;
A Roland G 1000 with;
1. All capabilities of the Genesys
2. The soundquality of a K 2600
3. A drawbar set
4. Even more dedicated knobs
5. A large lcd screen (no touch pls...)

Hi Terry

Almost my reactions exactly.

Clif

I've already decided to buy an EM 55 in the new year...My previous keyboard was a Roland E500 so atleast for me the sounds are going to be better... Roland really should have dedicated 48 mb to the EM 55's 3500+ sounds as in the VA 5 and VA 7 instead of 20mb as in the VA 3.

I can easily live with the EM55's 3500+ sounds (some do sound very good) and the poor calculator like screen but..........
The biggest disappointment for me in the EM 55 is that you cant adjust the volume of the parts eg drum,bass, etc..when playing or recording. Its crazy that a R10500 ($1100) keyboard cant do simple things like that....I know I'm getting slaughtered with the price but it would be too expensive to ship one to South Africa

I would have gone for a VA5/7 but the price is crazy lol.

Terry,
Very well said. Seems like they get snatched from the jaws of success (by their own hands - sigh).
Rolandfan,
Don't do it. Wait for the next Roland keyboard. Look what you have said, "Roland really should have dedicated 48 mb to the EM 55's 3500+ sounds ". Yes they should have, but didn't. Why not? $$$$$$$$$$
Like I've said before, do you really need 3500 sounds? I would prefer 48 mb dedicated to 300 outstanding sounds. Wouldn't you?
My PSR540 has 106 styles on board. THe EM55 only 64, the rest are on disc. Why? They didn't want to spend on wave ROM. Is ROM THAT expensive?
Starkeeper

Good Points Starkeeper....I think I will wait.... Whatever I buy next will be for the next 5 years...I hope Roland have not just one but a whole new ranger of arrangers out next year...Good point about the EM55 only having 64 styles on board....its weird for a keyboard of that price to have only 64 styles onboard...lol even a casio has more...but I still would buy a Roland anyday over all other boards

Yea, I agree with you. I hope Roland comes out with a whole new line of arrangers, from bottom of the line, strictley home use, to a top of the line Tyros competitor and something in the middle for me (an intermediate player).
Starkeeper

Rolandfan,
Have you listened to this keyboard in person ?

This was one of the worst arranger I have ever heard in my life (besides the real cheap CASIOS and Yamahas).

I listened to the onboard speaker and I said yuck !!

Some here said it sounds lots better thru amplified sound system.

Night and day compared to the Yamaha PSR550, PSR1000 and PSR2000. I did not explore all the sounds but the piano, bass and drums were really embarrassingly terrible coming out of the internal speakers.

Wow Lukitoh. "Worst arranger you have ever heard"? Well, it's not THAT bad. You must have heard one with bad speakers. I did play an EM55, and was not impressed, but it wasn't the worst arranger I ever heard.
I realize that it's subjective, but what did you not like about the pianos?
Starkeeper
P.S. I played the EM55 in two different stores and was suprised that it sounded better at one place than another. Room dynamics can make a big difference, but I still was not impressed enough to buy it.

Rolanfan,
I'm flattered that you are seriously accepting my evalutaion. If it's going to be your keyboard for the next 5 years, then yes consider your next purchase very seriously.
I also like Roland, but they have to give me good value for my money or I'll go Yamaha.
Starkeeper

I just remember everything was really muddy/muffled. The drum rythms was really subpar. Nothing excites me at all. I do not use the auto accompaniment as I only use manual bass, right hand piano and drum rythms (like UD).

And I came driving 40 miles to see EM55 since it was one of the candidate keyboards for under $1k (my budget). I was really underwhelmed. After hearing and playing PSR1000/2000 and KORG PA80, the EM55 pales in comparison. I played EM55 for about 45 minutes to make sure I am not missing anything. It was not hooked up to any amplified system. I was listening to the onboard speakers.

You welcome Starkeeper. I had actually spent an hour with the EM 55...enjoyed some of the saxes and strings....what disappointed me was an instrument called "voice dahs"...I played the same instrument on the EM2000 sitting next to it and it sounded better...It does have some good sounds...they're not well organised though...but I realise now that 48mb vs 20mb makes a huge difference....i will wait...if next years Roland is too expensive then I think I would rather get an EM 2000. It may not have as many sounds as the EM 55 but the quality on most of the sounds is better...
Starkeeper..lets hope the next Roland Arranger has atleast 96 mb

Rolandfan,
You said,"It may not have as many sounds as the EM 55". There you go again thinking quantity.
The EM2000 has 1161 sounds and the Tyros 1149. Why would this not be sufficient sounds? Unless you have your favorites saved in a configuration, it would take you quite a while to find your favorite tone on a 3500 tone database.
Starkeeper

Thats interesting..that the tyros/em2000 have almost the same quantity of sounds. I've noticed that on the EM55 alot of sounds sound too alike... 1161 sounds is more than enough for me

I thin Roland should put not more than 1000 sounds on their next arranger...I dont think we need the old sound canvass sounds in 2003.... It would be crazy if Roland put 5000 sounds.....that would be nuts..