greenkidd,

Gary is 100% right! Most user manuals are "very" poorly written. Although Roland is my favorite keyboard maker--their manuals just suck! They for example spend more time on telling you what a function can do rather than tell you the steps on how to do it You'll often find the best way to learn the OS of a new keyboard is just by putting your hands on the board itself and going from there. Hands on is the best way IMO. Just use the manual when you get completely stumped on something.

Also the quesiton you raised about turning off the internal speakers. The solution given with the "headphone adapter" plugged into the jack is clearly the way to go, but you won't learn this from the manuals. Tricks like that are what we have found out on our own and shared with members here. I honestly don't think I've ever owned a keyboard that told me in the manual to plug a headphone adapter into the jack to cut off the speakers.

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 01-06-2007).]

Hey squeak_D

thanks for the encouragement. Yeah, the hands-on approach works for me. I'm figuring it out. The only thing that puzzles me is how the different elements (style,song,UPG all inter-relate in terms of "packaging" them. I'll figure it out eventually. The manual doesn't present the heirachy in a very clear way. thanks for the suggestions though!

Brian

[This message has been edited by greenkidd (edited 01-06-2007).]

[This message has been edited by greenkidd (edited 01-06-2007).]

Most of the information about UPGs, UPSs, etc., is the same for G70, so a lot of information can be gleaned from the Danish G70 Users Club site.

Adi,

I'm here. Reading the forum passively as usual, but you're right - I'm close to my new E60 since it arrived a few days ago.

I'm enjoying the keyboard - as you are. As I mentioned to you in my email earlier, I had the chance to play with the E50 over Christmas and performed a couple of times with it. The dealer who sold me the E60 was kind enough to loan me the E50 showroom piece, as the E60 I ordered didn't arrive in time for Christmas. I'm generally impressed with how easy it is to use the instrument, coming from ZERO background on Arrangers. I led singing the Christmas carols with a group of 30 people, and they were wowed by how nice the styles sounded. I was of course delighted how quickly I could do something like that, having only the E50 a couple of days before the event.

The E50 is sweet. The E60, in comparison, is nicer, albeit heavier. If I am to choose between the two again, I would still go for the E60 for more keys and a firmer keybed. The E50 is more compact and easier to lug around though.

I wish Roland can fix the OTS for external styles in the E50/E60. Other than that, I'm a happy camper!

[This message has been edited by leeclw (edited 01-06-2007).]

I just became aware of the E-50 a couple of days ago. I think it is a bit of a bargain...high definition touch screen,high quality sounds (Roland in my opinion always comes up with the best sounds,compared to ,say,Korg), modern features like USB and really nice sequencer. I checked the manual in detail. It seems a genuine bargain,not just a good keyboard.

The only thing I want to moan about is that Roland should do some desktop versions of these brilliant keyboards. The reason being the fact that with a desktop version,you retain basically the whole machine minus the keys,and you can match the unit to a master keyboard of your choice,such as hammer action keyboards (if you are into this kind of thing).

A few years ago Roland came up with the very nice VA Arranger keyboards,and did not do any desktop version either...come on Roland! (by the way,does anybody knows if there some 'wish-list'for users on Roland sites? I want that desktop thing badly.)

I am still forced to use my Yamaha QY-700 which,although is a powerful desktop sequencer,I would not prefer to an E-50 desktop version. It uses the same old floppy,the sounds are just XG standard stuff,certainly not a match to the E-50's killer sounds...
Everybody raved about the QY-700 screen,a nice one certainly,but the one on the E-50 is really great,it even shows the notation!

[This message has been edited by santantoni (edited 01-06-2007).]

[This message has been edited by santantoni (edited 01-06-2007).]

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productlist.aspx?ParentId=20

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 01-07-2007).]

These are synths and sound modules,not arrangers

Best I've found is Ketron Midjay!
DonM

Don is correct .....MJ is the very good for a module aranger at this time ...try one if you dont like it dump it.

Yeah,but that's too expensive,and still,it's not really a sequencer. What I am looking for is something like the Yamaha QY700 but with touch screen and Roland sounds