Hey.. SynthZoners...

After a great breakfast this morning Fran and I were in a Sam Ash Music store today...and we ran into Ed Diaz, the Roland Demo representitive who you might have seen on many of the NAMM show demo videos for Roland products like the G70 Etc...
He was very interested in our thoughts & opinions on Roland arrangers….we also discussed features that we would like to see incorporated again in new models like the G1000 Chord Sequencer, VA Style Morphing, User defined D-beam, adding Voc processor inputs to the E series, etc…. and there WILL be another top model G series soon just be patient they want to get it right is all we can say. He also hopes to have a User suggestion forum on the Roland site soon also. He’s a real nice guy….
We chatted for about an hour, and invited him to join us on SZ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzwrcnUwHpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAbY_LnNRA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7EIbqKWnX8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-9I8t7zjIs



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-16-2009).]

Thanks for the "report" guys The above quote is quite significant...

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- THE DUTCH KEYBOARD FORUM
http://www.keyboardforum.nl
Happy owner of a Roland E-80 V2

Paesani Donny and Francesco,
What did he say about a new G-series module? Oh man, you probably forgot to ask him.
Ciao,
Jerry

Jerry a module question eluded us at that time probably because we don't have a need for them sorry, but we did asked allot of other questions of which he could only answer & reveal certain things at this particular time.
I'm sure there will be more to come in due time from Roland..

Hey I am not worried, they will screw it up as usual! And, the user participation thing has been going on forever, but will not happen as usual!

If Roland are looking for accurate feedback and suggestions for what actual G-series owners want to see in a future arranger, they need look no further than the New Features Forum at Roland-Arranger.com...

About four years worth of wishes and improvements. Just for ONCE, wouldn't it be great if they actualy listened to what their players actually WANT, rather than give us what they THINK we want...?

[This message has been edited by Diki (edited 04-09-2009).]

Diki Ed knew of the Roland arranger forum also he's just the messenger.
At least we made suggestions, he took notes & said he would pass it on. R&D is years in advance with design ideas before the actual building stage & release.

Yeah..., that's what happens Diki when you get a company who lets non-musicians make decsions for muscians It's not just Roland though. All the top companies have suits who get final say on some features. Rather than listen to musicians the suits get the last word on some features that will or will not be included.

so should we hold off on buying the AUDYA?
see what this next G series brings ???

who knows, the way it's going, the new Roland arranger may arrive before the boat from Italy ;-)

.

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-16-2009).]

I've always said people too often get caught up in the hype and waste all that money on the "next best thing" thinking it's going to make them sound better and they've barely scratched the surface of the keyboard they already have.

So many of you guys have arranger power-houses under your fingers and don't even realize it.., or you do but are too stubborn to explore your keyboard beyond the power button and the presets. So much can be done with today's arrangers. Even the lower end such as the PSR-S700.

YOU are the one who makes the arranger sing.., the board doesn't play you..., YOU play it! Spend more time practicing your own chops and exploring your keyboards features, learning new things, and you just may save yourself a crap load of money down the line.

I often find that the players here don't actually outgrow their arrangers. Rather due to their unwillingness to explore their current board.., they just get bored playing their same routine with the same presets after while. Then drop all that money on a new model to play the same routine on it.., yet not outgrowing that board either. Then repeat the same process over and over.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 04-09-2009).]

Agreed Squeak....again the proof is in the pudding & the listeners ears. Many players are convinced & think it sounds great until they make someone else listen.
meanwhile we extended our thoughts to the Roland reps & all you can do is wait & see down the road in models to come in the future. Meanwhile keep practicing & improving

Sure, oh GREAT PATIENT ONE. You've had more keyboards in the past year than most people have in a lifetime. Not as many as I've had, but a lot!
Playing in mostly the same place all the time, 5 nights a week, I need new stuff to keep me from getting bored. Of course I COULD learn some new songs, . . . naw.
Actually I learned several new-to-me songs this week: Crazy Love & Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison, Home by M. Buble and Blake Shelton, Take My Hand by Wayne Toups (Cajun).
DonM

I think the keyboard companies for the most part know that a good majority of arranger players like to trade up when the next "big thing" surfaces. And because of that reliable "phenomenon" the manufacturers have decided to give their new arranger models just enough *bling* to barely whet one's appetite or one's whistle from the previous model's features; yet they know that a majority of keyboardists will take the bait anyway, so they keep repeating the cycle. Like Yamaha has done with the Tyros line, Korg with the Pa line, Roland with the the G arranger line, add infinitum.

If more arranger keyboardists would bite the bullet and hold off (unless there is truly a good reason to upgrade) I think the manufacturers would then be compelled to give each successive totl arranger model more than just a "cosmetic" face lift, etc., from that of what the previous model had.

Sure, they would have to charge a little more for each successive model they come out with but it would sure be worth it for the consumer because he or she would be getting much more for his or her dollar in the process. As it stands now someone may have a Tyros2 and if, perchance, you happen to trade up to a Tyros3 you're NOT really getting much more for your money and some might even say the T3 was actually a step backward, at least as far as the Drums go anyway. Yet, for whatever reason, people still go gaga at the mention of a new model coming out and in many cases will buy it sight unseen. I think part of the problem is people think they "have to have" the latest greatest, and to show the world that they're on the cutting edge of keyboard technology and they have the best "out there". Or at least to show their fellow keyboardists of that fact anyway. Which is okay I suppose, but the fact that they're just upgrading for upgrading's sake alone is unfortunate in a way because their dollars are not truly being utilized optimally in my opinion. If you have money to burn like Fran and Donny then it won't matter to their ultra deep pockets anyway. But manufacturers like Yammie, Korg, Roland, Ketron, etc. see this "mysterious" affliction that most arranger keyboardists seem to have and they then continue to give us these silly, microscopic, itsy-bitsy, incremental upgrades with each successive new model they happen to dish out, and to a seemingly giddy and blubbering awestruck audience just waiting in the wings for the next one to be announced. Never mind that the new model is basically just like the old model, only more expensive, right?

All the best,
Mike

Gawd Fran,

How do you play left hand bass with no fingers

Oh, by the way.. since I DON'T have an arranger at present, I am keenly interested in what Roland has up their sleeve with this new totl unit. Will Roland finally forsake the "G" moniker and give it a fresh name and look instead? My guess is they will although I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

Roland got a lot right with the G70, like physical drawbars for the organs, a nice solid key bed action, a fairly decent AC Grand, and although it's a bit on the heavy side I think its successor will weigh even less than its now obviously quite obsolescent and bulkier big brother the G70. If it does come in weighing more than the G70 it will detract from overall sales in my opinion. Hopefully Roland will bump up the polyphony and give it an onboard Sampler as well. And as long as I'm at it bring back the chord sequencer (with shouts of hallelujah in the background ), provide it with a better VH, give it more inputs and outputs and a lo-Z (XLR) Mic input would be nice too. USB 2.0 will definitely be on board though and most likely the DAC's will have been bumped up to 24 bits as well. Also, Black may gone and we might see something entirely "new" in the way of a different color scheme. Something bold, something fresh, something exhilarating - along with a bold fresh new design.

I expect it to show up at Winter NAMM '10 or at the latest Frankfurt Musikmesse '10. I am also currently in the process of saving my pennies and look forward to seeing this new beast from Roland and company. They most likely have already made a sale by way of me, if it indeed has 76 keys, a respectable light weight, and has fullfilled the majority of my other criteria. Of course how it sounds will ultimately be the most important determining factor but I still wouldn't settle for just a 61 key version. And right under how it sounds will be the price tag out the door. If they charge an arm and a leg like Ketron has done with the Audya they will unfortunately pay a bigger price in the end in loss of overall sales in my opinion. Which would be a pity really. But if they come in at a very competitive price point then most likely it's gonna sell like hot-cakes. All things considered that is.

All the best,
Mike

Mike looks like you took out the Crystal Ball again eh? or drank too many Red Bulls?

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-10-2009).]

Don ... Blake Shelton does a nice job on 'Home', but I'm betting your version will be great ... how about putting it on your web site ...
t.

Lol! You make it sound as if hundreds of users are discussing feature enhancements there, instead of the two or three people that post a message once a month in that forum :-)

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- THE DUTCH KEYBOARD FORUM
http://www.keyboardforum.nl
Happy owner of a Roland E-80 V2

i think what Roland should add on their next arranger is what Ketron started, but never finished...

The REAL (live) Guitar & Bass Audio Loops (All chords, variations, complex)

and some "Real" Audio Drums

Then we have ourselves closer to that TOTL arranger,

and build it like the Fantom :-)

Now is any of that stuff going to make anyone "play better"
Dont worry roland WILL come thru again as always bigger & better!

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-11-2009).]

Hey, maybe Ed Diaz will check us out and this thread in particular. You gotta love the Roland Rep's outgoing and friendly attitude. Every time I see Ed in a Roland video he always seems to do a real good job in getting his message across in the product demonstrations he gives. Very informative and very friendly in his demeanor and he has pretty good chops too.

I had a strong hunch that Roland wouldn't be throwing in the towel on its high-end arranger line. Rumors start to leak and before you know it a lot of people start to take it as fact before they know the "real" facts. Ed's confirmation is a confirmation to my confirmation that I got a while back talking to Mike at Roland U.S. Tech. He was a little more subtle when I confronted him on the topic of a G70 successor, but even though his answers were a bit elusive and guarded I got a good feeling after talking to him that Roland will indeed come through with a new totl arranger keyboard in the not too distant future. I think Ed's words were right on when he said that Roland "want's to get it right" and my talk with Mike at Roland Tech alluded to that also in that it may be a while yet before we see it announced because Roland, apparently, is trying to do everything it can to make it "right" and provide a new totl arranger keyboard that will be a truly worthy successor to the G70 and also a notch or (leaps and bounds??) above the competition. I hope they succeed in their endeavor.

All the best,
Mike

[This message has been edited by keybplayer (edited 04-11-2009).]

So you want pre-cooked, pre-recorded loops in audio format? I don't. The drums in the TOTL-Roland's are VERY real. You just have to play them right.



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- THE DUTCH KEYBOARD FORUM
http://www.keyboardforum.nl
Happy owner of a Roland E-80 V2

I was referring to Diki's remark about the forum at roland-arranger.com, not this forum.

Burkels

Roland drums cannot touch, can't come close to Ketrons (AUDYA)

just listen to the Jazz Bossa and see for yourself on ketron.it

Ketron's drums are REAL, Rolands are midi programmed, but maybe you like to sound Robotic, and not LIVE...

The forum is four years of ideas... I don't think any forum is going to come up with constant discussion of improvement for a four year old arranger Most of the main points were asked for years ago!

This forum certainly doesn't manage it, with a MUCH higher membership

But if you go back about three years you would have found a much more active discussion on these issues. It's just that after years of total silence from anyone connected with Roland, it seems a bit pointless endlessly discussing the same damn things

We need someone from Roland to do what Steve Demmimg does for Yamaha... At least give the impression that they care even just a LITTLE about what we need in an arranger

What ever Roland is coming out with soon has already been designed 2-3-years ago by R7D....any new thoughts for the future designs you won't see for years to come..

i think a thread dedicated to what we would LOVE from Roland would be best,

As Diki says, it been quite some time since we've talked about what we like / dislike..

Let's just create 1 thread, and one thread only on synthzone for this purpose,

and MAYBE we can get Roland input on it.

I for one would love to see an easier way of changing sounds in arrangers, more numeric like, and not associated with styles etc, more like Ketron registration, favorites, and numeric input like old Korg XD like, with 10's lock etc., so i hit 1 button and all is EASY

Mmmm...let's see; since you feel that there are only two or three members posting on Roland arranger, it seems a tad strange that eleven managed to review Meister Diki's recent tune.


Although I am not presently a Roland user, I still feel that the forum is packed with lots of important information, tips and tricks that aren't in the manual, and some great music.

It is always my first recommendation to any Roland arranger user and/or prospective buyer.


Ian



[This message has been edited by ianmcnll (edited 04-17-2009).]

Ian...
"... are discussing feature enhancements there..."
"...in THAT forum..."


[This message has been edited by Burkels (edited 04-11-2009).]

I'm sorry but I think Rolands time has come and past. Their best two boards were g800 & g1000. The va76 was a flop and the G70, which is better, but never really got off the ground due to pour marketing, weight, etc. Even if roland come out with a new arranger they have to get out of old g1000 type keyboards and start something fresh, like audio drums, sa2 or next generation sa voices, since yamaha already has them. lighter keyboards and even try to shrink the size all around. Provide styles that all nationalities can use them, latin, western euorpe, eastern europe and last but not least, NO recycling of older styles, PLEASE! they've been doing that for years....

Donny,
The next time you see your Roland Rep friend ask him why not a single store in all of Dallas or Ft. Worth carries Roland arrangers - at any price point. I would love to try one out - kind of hard to do when they are not avaialable except on the internet.

Hammer

That's the one I'd like an answer to, as well...

Look, they set the pricing and dealer structure to give exclusivity to area CK division dealers, and then didn't insist they carry the product at all. End result is, if the local CK dealer didn't want them (most of them were only interested in high dollar KR pianos and real pianos, etc.) you could NOT get to see them at all. And the terms of the dealership meant that no-one could advertise them nationally, and offer the same kind of discounts you would get with a Fantom or Juno, etc..

I know now that MI dealers can get them, but the damage had been done. JUST when Roland really needed widespread exposure, and competitive pricing, they buttoned them up tighter than a tick on a.. (well, you know!) and made them nearly impossible to find to try, and nearly impossible to order at a discount.

End of story... they didn't get the exposure necessary to overcome the flawed OS1 release of the G70, and the whole line has withered on the vine. Those of us that have G70's have come to realize their potential, but it's getting harder and harder for anyone to find out for themselves. Admittedly, the G70 never came OOTB as slick as some other arrangers, but once you got to know it, you realized there was a LOT of power and capability under the hood, and at least one of the friendliest editing environments ever put in an arranger.

But if you never got the chance to know it, you would never find these things out...

RolandUS killed off it's own arranger line, by stupidity and greed. And made it twice as hard, at least, to recover, should they eventually get around to releasing a new TOTL series. Whatever they come up with NEXT, they better market the hell out of it!