I would like you all to know about a new keyboard I received today that just might interest some of you.
The Roland VA-3 is a 61 key with speakers arranger keyboard in the same family as the VA-7 and VA-5. It sells for approx $1300.00 and has almost all the same features as the more expensive models. The touch screen, the 3.500 sounds, the 116 drum sets, the same effects, the super sounds, the one touch settings, the D-beam controller, the 16 track sequencer, the direct from disk playback and 64 note polyphony (VA-5 and VA-7 have 128 note polyphony). What is not the same is the quality of the internal speakers (not as good) and the buttons are not as pretty and do not light up as on the other two models. the screen is not as colorful but still very good. there are stereo outputs and stereo inputs on the back a midi in and midi out and a floppy disk drive on the front. You cannot use a microphone on the aux inputs but still this is quite a nice machine. The song composer, style composer and all the functions work exactly the same as on the VA-7 so this is quite an easy machine to use.
I would also like you all to know that I have received a new version of the software for the VA products which now makes it very easy to turn on Upper 1 and Upper 2 voices for layering. On the older software you could not quickly turn on and off two voices but now if you go to the one touch screen, the two choices are right on the top of the display box and with just a single push of upper 2 you can turn it on or off. Before you had to do about 3 commands to do this and then 3 more to turn it off. I'm glad to see that roland listened to my complaint as well as to many of you.
The VA-7 will be giving the Yamaha PSR740 and Casio MZ2000 some additional competition. The sounds are really good in the Roland product and the sequencer is first rate. If you don't need the vocal harmonizer, this might be a great choice. The piano is really much warmer a sound in the roland and the new Trumpet which is taken from the XV-5080 module is stunning.
Regards,
George Kaye