Can we have 3 sounds playing at the same time such as a left hand manual bass, right hand piano and strings ?

Seems from the manual that I can only have two sounds max: a split left and a tone on the right.

With my old PSR3000, I can have 3 tones playing at the same time and independently change each one of them.

If I remember right, no, just the two Tones. Mind you, there's a lot of layered Tones, so piano/strings is available as just the one (but no, you can edit it independently).

You DO have to make allowances for the fact that this is an $895 product, and the up to date equivalent of the PSR3k is $1700. How many keyboard Parts do you get on Yamaha's $900 arranger?

Yep, just the two. UPR, LWR (or layered).

Apples to apples, my friends.

Roland's E50 (currently available at @ $1400 from Sweetwater) does have two UPR Parts, a LWR and a MBASS.

I still don't understand (that considering the patch set for the GW-8).., why has Roland not released a software editor for this arranger?

Does the GW-8 have ON BASS...the ability to play inversions...Yamaha doesn't implement that feature until you get to the S700/S710.

Good to see Roland adding the style features...gives it a real bang for the buck.

Yes, the GW-8 has ON BASS.

And has anyone actually TRIED a Sonic Cell editor on the GW-8? It's voice architecture looks VERY like a SC to me. As to whether you can actually STORE the edits, not so sure there...

The thing for me has always been, as a live instrument, Roland have always provided pretty well tweaked sounds in the first place, and a HUGE selection of synth sounds, both pad and lead. Along with the usual 'offsets' to voice programming (the usual stuff - cutoff, resonance, envelope and LFO offsets), you can get pretty much anything you'd need for a live 'approximation'. And, if detail voice editing of sounds is your MAIN priority, then other Roland products can do this, and better. You really have to play with the huge selection of sounds Roland provides before you decide that this product actually NEEDS detail voice editing. I'm as picky about my sounds as the next guy, and so far, with the same editing sparsity as the GW8, my G70 hasn't disappointed me yet.

Keeping costs down for a budget piece of kit like this has to involve SOME kind of compromise, doesn't it? At least they have addressed the sparse (you might say non-existent ) style editing of the earlier software version... in fact, leapfrogged over many much more expensive arrangers with detail editing and style creation ON-BOARD, something that several other arrangers need computer software to achieve.

And the drum kits definitely have that Roland 'live' feel to them and now can do multiple kits in a style. This one is one to watch out for...

Theres still no lyric reader either.

And no voice layering...still, it might be worth a look for some.

That's cool...it will appeal more to a pro...how are the organ sounds and rotary effect?

I tried a GW-8 quite a while ago, and didn't try them (organ&rotary) out.

It was nice instrument...fairly well made...not a bad keybed...very light weight.

I may look at one again, now that they've added the style editing function.

Yes Ian with all its limitations probably the best lightweight entry level suedo arranger/synth on the market.

Well, if you are willing to give up a sound for the hand triggering the chords (or use Pianostyle mode), you CAN do layering. It does two sounds at a time, same as S550.

You wouldn't WANT to read lyrics through that small a screen, anyway...