Roland RD-88 Digital Piano: Limitations


While Roland has designed the RD-88 to be the absolute best 88-key portable digital piano for the gigging musician at the $1300 price point, they have intentionally introduced several hardware and software limitations to prevent you from using this device beyond its intended scope.

This is a clever marketing decision to prevent potential loss of sale on their premium 88-key weighted action Controller, the Roland A-88 MKII and their premium Stage Piano, the Roland RD-2000.

1.
The Roland A-88 MKII controller keyboard costs $1,050. It is a lot of money for a PHA-4 keybed. Many users would skip the A-88 MKII and get the RD-88 for $1,300 which has a similar PHA-4 keybed plus comes loaded with 3000 sounds.

This cannot be done because of a software limitation introduced by Roland.

To act as a bonafide MIDI controller, your device must be able to transmit on all 16 channels.

Roland intentionally crippled the MIDI Implementation on the RD-88. This device can only transmit on 3 MIDI Channels at a time.

Effectively, this prevents the RD-88 from being used as a MIDI Controller for a rack of soft synths or hardware sound modules.

This limitation can be easily lifted through an OS upgrade. Is it easy to understand why Roland will never do that.

This is a design feature!


2.
Roland has introduced hardware and software limitations to prevent the user from using the RD-88 in a studio setup.

To use this device in a studio you need a collection of Drum Sets.

The RD-88 has 3000 sounds. However, it does not have a single Drum Set, not even a standard GM Drum Set.

Why?

Roland does not want a customer to purchase the RD-88 as a cheaper substitute for their RD-2000.

Rather, they want their customers to buy the RD-88 as a companion to the RD-2000 for gigging.

The RD-88 has a USB Port. You cannot play a standard MIDI File because the RD-88 will not receive on all 16 MIDI Channels. The device is limited to transmitting and receiving on 3 MIDI Channels.

This is a shame coming from the inventors of the General MIDI Standard.

Even a cheap $100 toy keyboard from Casio can transmit/receive on all 16 MIDI channels and comes with a GM soundset!

The RD-88 comes with one 5-pin DIN MIDI OUT port. There is plenty of space on the rear panel to include the standard MIDI In, Out, Out/Thru ports like the RD-2000. This was intentionally dropped to discourage customers using the RD-88 in a studio setting.

The RD-2000 comes with an excellent rotary dial to make selections quicker from a scrolling list. This Rotary Dial was intentionally dropped on the RD-88. Think how long it would take you to increment/decrement values from a long list by pressing tiny buttons.

These annoyances were added by design to dissuade a customer from choosing the cheaper RD-88 over the RD-2000.

The way it stands now, you will still need to buy the Roland A-88 MKII if you want a fully functioning 88-key controller. It is the best of its class at $1050. If you want a full featured Stage Piano that can be used in a Studio Setting, you best bet is the Roland RD-2000 at $2,700.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to haul around a 48 lb RD-2000, your best option for a portable 88-key piano purpose built for gigging is the RD-88.

I can’t blame Roland for their design strategy. They have to do what it takes to preserve their product lines.

This also leaves room for a competitor to introduce a portable 88-key weighted action Digital Piano around 30 lbs with a decent set of Piano and Electric Piano samples with a standard set of MIDI IN/OUT/THRU ports and full MIDI Transmit/Receive capability on all 16 channels with a GM, GM2, XG Soundset for under $1,300.

Yamaha, I am looking at you.

If you just want to practice your piano chops your best option is to buy the Roland FP-90X

This digital piano comes with the top of the line PHA-50 keybed and decent onboard speakers.

It is portable and still cheaper than the Yamaha Clavinova CLP-735

The RD-88 is a unique product. It offers exceptional value to a gigging musician. It perfectly complements a person who already owns a Yamaha GENOS. The RD-88 offers the most practical sense if you want to add an 88-key weighted action controller for your GENOS.

The RD-88 gets a perfect score of 10/10 so long the user does not trespass the boundaries of its intended use.

The RD-88/GENOS combo is a match made in heaven.

Now that I am familiar with the Casio CDP-S350 and the Roland RD-88 being used as a controller for the GENOS, I would wholeheartedly recommend the RD-88 in spite of its higher price.