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Originally posted by freddynl:
Let us know Tom if Roland added another upgrade to the O/S.
I wait anyway till it's completed.
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I visited a second demo of the Roland G-70 last night. The setting was in a small music theatre. As opposed to the demo in Rotterdam last Saturday this time the amplification was excellent and the instrument sounded much, much better. Although it was announced that Christian Jager would do the demo it was in fact Kristof Mertens again, with Christan assisting him. But he did a very good job, and in the nice atmosphere of the theatre they really took there time to explain everything you would like to know with the help of a Powerpoint demonstration, emphasizing that the G-70 contains the best of Roland's latest developments.

The repertoire of the demonstrator was the same, but since the PA system was a lot better you could evaluate the keyboard more fairly this time. After the demo there was plenty of opportunity to ask all you wanted to know to both of the Roland guys. For this purpose they even brought two G-70's!

In the demo I still found the organ sounds very "plain", so I asked Christian if the VK8 engine is really integrated in the G-70 without any concessions. He ensured me it absolutely was, and demonstrated al the parameters and registration possibilities. It just happens to be that this guy loves to play the VK8 and really excels in it. It was immediately clear that it really is the VK8/virtual tonewheels that's in there. It sounded really authentic. So it's (again) just a matter of registration and playing style. And the affinity of the musician with this particular type of sound of course. And yes, the grand piano is the really the best you heared.... But I also asked for the electric piano sounds and can confirm that they are also very good.

They upgraded the O/S on the keyboard and contrary to last week it didn't go wrong this time. The second board still had the old O/S and on that one the notes "got stuck" during playing and it had to be turned off and on.

Roland ensured us that it will absolutely be ready by the last week of this month when the first keyboards will by shipped. I asked if Roland deliberately wanted to put this keyboard on the marked as soon as possible and they confirmed this. Could this be a sign that Roland wants to beat the competition and they know some other top-arranger is also coming on the market real soon?
Strike one for Roland! ;-)

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Tom NL