The feature would work better if that hardwired eight performance paging system was more of a normal scroll, but yeah. There’s just so much for the live player in a BK-9…

Not only Keyboard Part volumes on the sliders, but programmable access to two Tone programming values, and two MFX parameters really gives you a lot of control while playing live: adjust an attack value on a pad sound in real time, squelchy filter resonance control for synth solos, adjusting the drive on an amp sim on a guitar sound, deepening a tremolo or phaser on a Rhodes, tons of things you can do with the sliders.

The D-Beam has a huge variety of things it can trigger, from sound effects to mute groups for backing (I love using it to strip a style down to just bass and drums in real time!).

Two control pedal inputs (in addition to the sustain) allows for all kinds of foot control even if you need expression and sustain all the time. Filter sweeps, Leslie on/off/brake, hands free switching between UPR1 & UPR2, that extra control input can be a life saver, live.

And the 4 Assignable Switches are great for a ton of stuff..!

So frustrating that Roland, having finally got everything darn near perfect, decided to quit making pro arrangers. 😢 But they went out on a high note. It might not be the world’s best arranger (but it’s darn close!) but as a live performance keyboard that can ALSO do styles, I don’t know anything better, even ten years later…