Fans of Roland Chord Intelligence and others missing three fingers on your left hand, rejoice! After seven (7) long years Roland has released a new OS update for the venerable E-A7, it's only current fully-featured arranger.

Don't get too excited. The only thing mentioned in the release notes is a change to the auto power off parameter. Womp, womp. However, it does show that someone at Roland is aware that these boards are sitting in retail inventory around the world. Honestly, I wonder if they released this update after seven years to somehow protect their intellectual property rights. Is there an I.P. attorney in the house!?

So who wants to brush away the cobwebs and be first to risk bricking their machine by installing the 2.02 update! If you do, post here!

I had two of them and sold both, then prices went through the roof I couldn't understand the effects and very hard learning curve, I wish they would not have abandoned the arranger market I always liked the Roland sound.

Maybe a sign (although timid) of a comeback to the market...?

Hi.

Maybe it has something to do with 'powersave' and EU rules?

Similiar update was just released for Genos2 as well.

Roland EA7:
[ Ver.2.02 ] SEP 2024
Change the specification
The default value for Auto Off has been changed to 10 minutes.
* For information on the Auto Off function, please refer to the Owner's Manuals.


Yamaha Genos2:
V1.04 to V1.10 - Sep 12.2024
Changed the default setting value of the Auto Power Off function from 30 min to 15 min.
Removed the function to automatically set the time via wireless LAN.

Rolands owners manuals were always a complicated learning curve
(at least for me).I have the E80 version 2 and a EM 2000 in mint condition and I doubt if I scratched the surface of what`s under the hood on either of them.

I’ve always been a fan of Roland’s effects architecture. To have two insert effects for KBD sounds and three for the style/SMF Parts was very ahead of its time on the BK9.

Sadly, as with so much with Roland’s during its last few years, there was virtually no use of this in the BK9 ROM styles. They used it a BIT on the EA7 styles, and made a slight use of the multiple Drum Track feature also available (so you could mix and match kits, or have perc on one track and drums on the other) but these features AND the synced audio loops feature were completely missing from the BK9’s ROM.

As I’ve said so many times, the BK9 was a decade ahead of its rivals with its basic features, but Roland didn’t make use of them at all, and missed out on some obvious OS additions, like allowing the Performance to call up saved chord sequences and saved graphics (for sheet music or lyrics), and for the want of a nail, the battle was lost.

I really think this late OS change for the EA7 is probably a nod to EU energy saving regulations to keep legal the sale of the remaining stock. But once again, the EA7 was doomed by almost zero use of its new features (the sampler and the multipads).

It just goes to show, putting a successful arranger together is more than slapping some features on it and saying ‘Here you go, do all the work yourself!’. The arranger market lives and dies by its CONTENT.

If the BK7m was made to be able to add a few samples or even make your own styles it would have been one of the best, another disappointment because of that for me, I had many Roland arrangers in my time and I still think they have killer drums right out of the box.

The small display and compact form factor of the BK-7m would make style creation a challenge. It was bundled with software that allowed users to create styles on a PC. But the software was clunky, it looked like Windows 3.1. And it also didn't permit addition of the "Alteration Mode" parameter that was added with G-70 OS v2 (and this parameter does contribute meaningfully to the overall style quality.) Bottom line, the E-A7 does everything you mentioned, although the sammpler has limited memory.

I think the BK-7m is great for what it is. I might go caroling this winter with a keytar, and wear one on my hip! Wouldn't want to do THAT with an RA-800 or Ketron Audya!!

Any chance anyone would have that software that came with the BK-7m? it would help me out a lot maybe I can make a few styles.

Honestly, unless you're absolutely desperate, I wouldn't waste your time with Roland's "Style Converter." Even with the software, it's a very crude manual process. The graphical interface looks like Windows 3.1! The deal-breaker for me is that there's no provision to insert the "Alteration Mode" messages which tell the arranger whether to transpose a pattern by scale degree or with close voicing. This was a subtle enhancement added with the G-70 version 2, and in some cases it really improves how the style sounds!

I *think* the lack of Alteration Mode messages is because the Style Converter software was originally developed for the GW-8 and Prelude. Although they came out circa 2009, these two synth/arranger hybrids strangely lacked the "Adaptive Chord Voicing" feature introduced on the G- and E-series. Thanks a lot Roland!!

Bottom line, if you want to create styles for the BK-7m, get yourself a G-70, E-50, E-60, E-80, BK-5, BK-9, or E-A7. The BK-5s especially are often available on eBay or Reverb.com in the $400-$600 price range. And for that price I would recommend them over a GO:KEYS 5 or any current entry level keyboard! My $.02.

I think if anyone is interested in continuing to use Roland arrangers, the BK9 is head and shoulders feature and technology-wise over all others. Sonically it is a quantum leap forward from the E80 with the addition of its SuperNatural voices, revamped VK Hammond sim and huge range of sounds, many from the SRX cards.

It has the return of the Chord Sequencer, now a mainstay of other brands. It plays .wav and mp3 loops in sync with a style, and plays .wav and mo3 backing tracks, all of which are absent from Roland’s previous flagship E80. It has a 21 lbs weight despite a great feeling 76 note keyboard, and reliable, good feeling controls.

It has a full featured sequencer, a full featured style creator, one of the easiest to operate style and sequence header editors ever made, with deep editing for drumkits and effects. Speaking of which, two insert FX on the keyboard sounds and THREE to put on style and SMF tracks. That’s a lot for an 11 year old arranger.

It has a superb Pianist chord detection mode, allowing better chord recognition for pianists playing pianistically than any other arranger I’ve played, and the Dynamic Arranger feature which allow you to get the style to quite accurately follow YOUR dynamics.

They are hard to find, but if you’re considering going Roland, get the ONE Roland that has it all.

Wouldn't be great to hear that Roland eventually decided to release BK9 as an "authentic software replica" as they call their SRX cards vsts?

Sure, it is much more than a thought about such a decision, but I said it before, many years ago (actually long before I have learnt there even is such a thing like software SRXs) that whoever of the main arranger manufacturers decided to move arrangers into virtual world, they will probably achieve a re-launch of the whole concept!

With Go:Keys it looks that Roland might take some steps in that direction. Yes, this generation looks like a very shy attempt, but who knows what they might be coming up with next? Being aimed at a younger audience, modern styles with modern sounds, for today's preferences... It has all the good premises for something interesting to develop for the future.

The GO:KEYS, even the latest GO:KEYS 5 stops well short of being a full-fledged arranger. I actually wrote Roland Support and appealed to them to add a control for "Sync Stop" or arranger "memory" in a future OS update. (Currently, once the style starts it can't be stopped by lifting from the keys.) They didn't add my requested functions in v1.10 but there's always hope.

YES! I would love to see the BK-9 rendered as software. You might have noticed that Ketron is offering a compact module called the EVM, with connections but almost no controls. From a study of its manual, it's basically the EventX module's software controlled from an external capacitive touch screen. I guess burning the program onto dedicated hardware is one way to control piracy or unauthorized distribution, but one could characterize the EVM as a "software arranger in a box." It's definitely more affordable than the EventX, and one could argue that a display and touch-screen interface, heck even a keybed aren't INHERENT to an arranger. Time will tell whether this approach catches on.

While several companies (including Roland themselves) offer emulations of their synth and workstation products, what they mostly emulate is the SOUNDS. Korg aren’t emulating the entire M1 for instance, you don’t get the sequencer. Most emulators are doing retro synths that had no workstation features.

Quite honestly, the idea of a software arranger emulation by one of the majors doesn’t strike me as a winner. The arranger demographic is mostly elderly players with, let’s be frank, rather limited technical inclination (don’t get mad, be honest! Highly technical arranger users are the exception, not the rule!) and a software arranger emulation will require a ton of work to map all the buttons and sliders to the functions. To be honest, there isn’t a controller out there with its button and slider layout designed the way arranger players use, and definitely nothing with a display big enough to map what arrangers show us while we’re playing.

Migrating to a software arranger would involve far more work than most of us are willing to do. So there’s the majority of its potential market gone. Not much incentive for a major to put a ton of money into…

Arrangers are amazing keyboards with an incredible degree of work done behind the scenes to integrate the sounds, OS and ergonomics to the point that the most inexperienced player can switch one on and have an enjoyable playing experience. It’s the reason why all software based arrangers have failed to make a dent in the hardware scene. That incredible effort to make them easy for beginners is gone, it’s up to YOU to balance the sounds and styles.

Why would an arranger company torpedo their hardware sales making a software emulation when there’s such a tiny market? The boat has sailed… maybe if a full emulation came out 20 years ago it might have stood a chance, but 20 years ago a full software arranger from a major would not have run well on existing cheap PC’s, and you’ve still got the issue of an arranger layout controller.

We’re a dying breed, it makes zero sense for a major to compete with their own product…

Hi.

I had BK-9 and BK-7m as well, but cannot remember any sofware. But I bought the items as second hand...

If it's a Midi to Style program, maybe the E-X Style Converter Ver.2.0.0 for Windows is something similiar?

QUOTE:
E-X Style Converter can convert MIDI file to STY file which is the style file format of Roland E-X series. Tone parameters, Chord transition rules, One Touch Setting (O.T.S.) are assignable as useful function of this software.

https://www.roland.com/global/support/by...5-1bda0ad2d7b2/

I asked Diki once, couple of years ago - " What kind of other keyboard should I get as a second keyboard for gigs, besides my existing BK-9? "

His reply was - " The only other keyboard you should get is another BK-9, anything else will only rob you time from learning the ins and outs of your current BK-9".


How true, and that's exactly what I did, I got myself a second one.

Good thinking Jonny, but I've criticized the E-X series before for not being "real" Rolands.

As might be inferred from the .STY file extension, a thorough review of the E-X series owners' manuals shows that these keyboards use Yamaha's(!) style control parameters and chord fingering. I concluded that they're entry-level PSRs in everything but name. (Hopefully unlike Medeli, Roland actually paid Yamaha for use of their hardware and software!)

The Casio CT-S500 is the only current entry-level keyboard I would consider. Even then I recommend that folks spend a little more for a used BK-5 with Roland's own Style Composer built-in, which is more capable than the crummy software Vangelis asked about.

If someone on this thread actually owns an E-X series, it would be interesting to find out whether they are capable of playing "legacy" Roland .STL styles from the G-70 or even the older 2-variation styles from the G-800. I'd wager a lot of money that they cannot.

The Roland EX-50 is built by Medeli, and the DNA is also Medeli, not Roland.

Here is a good video presented by Jeremy See about the Roland EX-50:

https://youtu.be/YU-i7qO9jxs?feature=shared


I don't think the Roland EX-50 would play an .STL file.

The Medeli AKX-10 has an .STY file extension just like Yamaha, but even though Medeli and Yamaha share the same .STY file extension, a Yamaha style won't work right away on a Medeli without some tweaking first.

The following video describes this in detail very well.

https://youtu.be/hIvyhEC1rq4?feature=shared

How could I forget about the common Roland file extension .stl 🤔
I was probably a bit eager try to help and the brain did not follow up.
Must be the senior moments that catch me ..... 😉😁

Personally, I definitely do not remember any included style creation software on any Roland I bought. RA90/G800/G1000/G70/BK7m/BK9…

I seem to recall the Prelude was supposed to come with software. Never saw one. Nobody thought much of it at the time, and it was PC only, so as a Mac user I couldn’t test it.

Quite honestly, Roland have never really supported style creators the way that Yamaha and Korg did. But, back in the real world, I have to confess that I really have NEVER heard a user created style that compared favorably to the ROM styles, it’s a MUCH harder task than most players think it is..!

First, your emulation skills need to be top notch. Can you create drum patterns that sound like they’re played by a drummer? Can you create fills that flow naturally from one variation to another? Can you create all the intros and endings to the quality of the ROM styles?

Can you emulate guitar playing really well, strum patterns, funky picking? Are your horn chops and string lines authentic? How’s your percussion…?

It’s no coincidence that the primary request over at brands that DO support style creation is easy SMF import so you can cut and paste from existing MIDI files created by talented players. And all in all, style creation from SMF’s is a VERY hit or miss affair.

There’s no magic bullet, creating a high quality style is HARD! The cost of an arranger compared to its workstation siblings has always been high because you are paying for hundreds of highly professional styles. Coherent, nicely flowing variations and fills, expertly played intros and endings.

It has always been a dream of amateur players to create their own styles, but quite frankly, most give up pretty quickly when they finally realize the playing curve and technical hurdles. I think Roland realized this and decided that putting a huge amount of work into style creation software wasn’t going to pay off (particularly as most players want it for free!). Supporting it as computer OS’s and CPU’s changed at a dizzying pace would cost even more.

For me, the most useful part of a style editor is the ability to create a ‘Frankenstyle’ by mixing and matching Parts from existing ROM styles, and the BK9’s style editor allows this. I also got VERY excited about the PA5X’s ability to live play two styles at the same time, so by creative muting of different Parts in each style, you can do the whole ‘Frankenstyle’ thing live, in real-time! It’s probably the one totally new arranger feature I wish every manufacturer would copy ASAP…

It bypasses the need to have formidable playing chops to create a style from scratch, and massively eases the technical skill required to create a style from scratch.

Nowadays with high quality audio backing tracks being a fraction of the price of a good professional style, those performers looking to get backing that is close to the original record are covered far better by audio than waiting for a professional style that might get close.

You know how many great demos by members here I have heard that use their own completely original style? Zero… in over 20 years.

I think Roland made the expedient decision not to go all out on style creation software.

Wow Dengizich. I thought I read somewhere that Medeli got in trouble for blatantly copying features of Yamaha's operating system. Wasn't there a "stop sale" or "cease and desist" order? If Medeli did the same thing when developing the E-X series under contract to Roland, I wonder whether Roland is considered an accomplice or co-defendant in the case?

I do make and use my own styles, but they're very simple. Something akin to a Yamaha "free play" style with no drums, and a lot of long, sustained pad notes to provide a basic accompaniment. That's all a free play style is--nothing magical requiring special programming. Just innovative use of basic functionality that has always been there. I use sync stop or turn off "arranger hold" to create breaks in the pattern and provide a degree of movement or rhythm as the chords change. I always hoped that Roland would add a user-controlled 'retrigger' parameter, which is important for this type of style. After years of experimentation I've concluded that, if Roland does have retrigger it's implicit in the sound sample, rather than a feature of the style player. (If nothing else, you can always force retrigger at measure 1 beat 1 with sync stop.)

Yamaha has many more parameters available, and their style behavior is much better documented compared to Roland's. If I really wanted to get serious with custom styles, I would probably create them on my Tyros, and then use the easier simplified chord fingering on the Roland to feed Yamaha's arranger engine with full, multi-note chords. The best of both worlds!