The Roland VA-7 should be released at theFrankfurt show next week.Some of the arranger info is as follows:128 voice polyphony,1,600 new samples,the best drums to date[snare recorded with left and right stick in 4-5 different velocities.]Cymbals recorded 4-5 different places on the cymbal etc.,New piano sound[ a version of the Roland 64mb sampling of a Steinway from a Belgian studio].Old G1000 sounds on board. A total of 3649 sounds. 116 drum sets and 64 of them brand new. Vara-phrase[voice sampling].4 programable One Touchsettings per style. New improved Zip-drive[ no waiting time using "Scan disk"]. Zip and floppy can be used simultaneously. 10 favorite sounds can be stored in "Supertones"[recall using only one key press]....61 keys and speaker system...New user friendly operation......Fran

Hi Fran,
I'll be visiting the Frankfurt Fair on Sunday and hopefully I can get a glimpse at the new VA 7. As far as I am informed it is supposed to be the replacement of the G series. So far I only got the informations you have already posted. There is a magazine called Tastenwelt "key-world" where Roland had an ad of the new gear.
I'll inform you about my opinion on Monday or Tuesday in this forum.
Markus

Since the MI dealers were not notified about the VA-7, it probaly is a Home Piano Store product, like the E-500 and E-600...Fran

The new VA-7 keyboard is the
replacement of the EM-2000/G-1000. Take a look at http://www.roland.be/neder/DP/FF.html

Greetings,

Yves

Next sunday is the official demonstration here in Belgium!!!
(And...Yamaha will present the expanded version of the PSR-9000, with new features for about the same prices. What a suspense!)

I am re confirming my statement, I did not read or beleive this will replace the G1000, It lacks too many features that the G1000 offers for pro line. This keyboard is not a MI[ musical instrument] dealer product, but a continued Home Piano dealer line ,like the "E"series.....Time will tell!!!!..Fran

Hi Fran and everybody else,
I've just returned from the Frankurt-fair and I had the opportunity to test the new Roland for a while and I was given two deomstrations from the Roland guys. I must tell you it's an amazing piece, the new VA 7. It's got 61 keys, more or less the size of a Solton X1 and its sounds were fantastic. It has got over 3,000 sounds many of which are much better than those of the G-1000, which I am playing. I, unfortunately, haven't been able to go that much into detail if it comes to the possibilities of reloading styles from the zip-disk, but nevertheless, the VA 7 has got the same 100 Mb zip that the G-1000 uses. It has got 120 or something styles, which for me seems to be not enough, but it is very ease to create new styles via "morphing". A technology that enables you to mix any parts of the internal styles. The whole keyboard seems to be very user-friendly, the drum sets are really the best I've ever heard - Rolan has used the same technology as Solton in sampling the drums. Many of the sounds were nearly as realistic as the Solton X1 sounds, and the styles were even more powerful as the Solton styles as well. Many of the Frankfurt-fair visitors were really amazed about how Roland could keep the thing under cover for the last weeks. The Roland guys told me that it is going to be at the shops in Germany between June and July.
Markus

Thanks Markus!

Next Sunday is the official Roland demonstration here in Belgium. I received an invitation from Roland, in which they announce the VA-7 as the replacer of the G1000 and EM2000. The VA-7 has a "little" broter, the Roland VA-5, without the Variphrase technology. As reaction on this, Yamaha brings out a expanded version of their PSR-9000. So, I'm very curious to see and hear these keyboards next week!

Yves

I beg who ever goes, pay special attention to whether or not you can have two seperate drum sets, or better yet, Make your own custom drum set, and then style editing.

-Alfred
macbabbi@aol.com

Like Fran already said, I think the
Roland VA-7 is the replacer of the EM-2000, and another one is going to replace the G-1000. (OK Fran, I have the same feeling about that) But it's for sure that they are going to be "brothers", like the EM-2000 and the G-1000 are now in certain way. Since the prices of both EM-2000 and G-1000 are decreased with almost 50% here in Belgium, the "replacers" of both keyboards have to be just one step away...