Good point Ted and you may be right.

As much as I wish Roland would bring out a TOTL arranger, I think they are very smart in addressing a huge market with a moderately priced arranger. Just not as much demand for $5000. arrangers.
But they could add a larger touch screen, vocal harmony, and chord sequencer to what they have and come up with a winner that a lot of us would like.
They have ALWAYS failed to address proper break/fills, even on the legendary G70. At least now they have made it so you can use selected intros and endings without multiple button pushes.
I am also very familiar with the G70 and it does have it's weaknesses, as they all do. Of course what is a weakness for me might not bother someone else.
I know the E80 finally added text display, in version two. I don't think the G70 did. And I think none of the Rolands since have had text display, a basic MUST HAVE for me. If the EA7 had it, I would probably still be using it.
I went four days without opening my laptop last week, using SD7!

Don I don't recall the E80 showing text other than the same way the G70 does.. The G70 will import a text file (Intended to sync with a SMF.. ) It will not scroll when you play a style, but a workaround works if you just play live real time parts..


The way I prepare any song I need lyrics for..... If I play it with arranger features, I will midi capture my performance, leaving room for my played parts live, then I add the lyrics via text files. Resave the finished backing titled as my designated song.. Works perfectly for me (over 3,000 songs on board ready to go..)

The EA7 gave me another option, via GNMIDI I entered lyrics again via text files to MP3's and re save them with lyrics.. Plays perfect on EA7.

I just push a button and they pop up, push a foot switch and they change pages! Don't want to jump through hoops to do a simple task. I have a couple thousand text files. Most I never use, but the ones I use most and still need are in Reg. The others are for requests, have to push an extra button or two if they are saved to reg.
I'm pretty sure I remember the V2 upgrade on the E80 adding the ability to use text files but I could be wrong; I've been married three times....

That version 2 E80 was mine before I sold it to you

I remember. I bought it for a dollar and 83 cents, plus $1500 for shipping and handling.
At one of the Arranger Jams I hosted, Bill Pittman (Semilive music) was carrying it out the door to load into my van, and tripped. He fell out the door, dropped the E80 on the concrete, and fell on top of it.
He was laid up for a week, but the E80 didn't have a scratch. It was built like a tank, and weighed about as much.

Don I sold it to you $1,700 shipped.. I purchased it from a guy in Pittsburgh.. I traded him a new Roland Juno Stage even up, but I felt bad and (honestly) kicked in $300 cash..

When I received it , I was concerned the serial number plate was not on it,, instead there was a adhesive fixed inventory number..

Do you recall that?

PS I made a few bucks on you

That's fine, because I used it off and on for a year or so and sold it for $1850, and didn't have to ship it!
I had a couple other arrangers at the same time, as usual. The little E50 was a real workhorse and weighed 19 pounds. Not certain, but I think it had a touch screen too.

Yes it had a touch screen.. you dealt it off to DNJ, I made some deal with Donny and had $100 in it.... sold it for $600..

I love you guys

Me too! I don't recall ever losing money on a deal, unless it was a special favor for somebody.
I used that E50 for a long time, and still could today if there was nothing better.