Amazing this KB just came to market in Europe last week and I hear nothing about it here on SZ. I would love to hjear the comparisons vs the G70?

Dont all reply at once

Why do you even care, Donny? I thought your wife had a restraining order to keep you 200 yds. from any music store.

Pleeeeease.....my wife has had me sign contracts to never buy another piece of gear again..... not that it worked... but she knows she cant go shopping unless Im a happy camper
Im always out there window shopping gumba!

Roland E80 ....mmmm.... I think thats what Homer would say

According to my contacts at Roland here in the USA there is still some style fixing going on at Roland before it comes to market here in the USA to have styles more asked for by American musicians rather than European musicians. I think that we won't see any until the end of the year.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

Hi George,

Here's a post I made a few weeks ago regarding an e-mail I sent to Roland Canada re. the availability of E80, E60 in Canada.

_________

Question: Can you please tell me when the new E80, E60 arranger keyboards will be available in Canada, and which dealers will be carrying those models?


Answer Greetings / Salutations!,

Thanks for your message. We hope to receive our first shipment of E-80 and E-60 Arranger Keyboards next month in September or in October. Campbell Douglas Keyboards will carry these models.

Campbell Douglas Keyboards
1547 Merivale Road
Nepean, Ontario
(613) 225-0666

Please let us know if you have further questions. Thanks for your interest in Roland!

Best Regards / Sincèrement vôtre,
Roland Canada Music / Roland Canada Musique

________

I'd guess the dates mentioned would probably apply to the U.S. as well, wouldn't they?

renig,
The Sept/Oct dates were what was really quoted by Roland this month until I was told it was being pushed back a bit because of additional programming needed for the US.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

I had the opportunity to play the E80 about half an hour in a Dutch musicshop.I allready heared it before in a concert in Rotterdam. I am a G70 player now and half an hour is not enough for me to give a complete review but what I heard and played sounded very well to me.
I played a few Userstyles from a floppydisk and they sounded a bit better than on my G70. There are many styles on the E80 which are not on the G70 and some of them are impressive. I liked the new drumsets and number of new basses.
The new piano is very good. There are more editfacilities and therefor I can say that if I had not a G70 now and had to make a choice , a E80 or a G70, I should take the E80.
I am a homeplayer now with a good installation and my wife does not allow me I think, to go for a new E80 because my G70 is now about one year in the house. And she likes the very good keys for pianoplaying on my G70.

When it was demonstrated at Blackpool, one thing that sticks in my mind is that the film Music Style (I think) has the longest Intro on any Arranger Keyboard. (I think I counted 32 bars)

Bill

Hi again, George,

So, from what you say about the dates being pushed back a bit (to Christmas, maybe?), I guess that would mean the same probably applies to the Canadian release date. I can't see that they'd program anything different from the U.S. version in the Canadaian one, unless they put in a bi-lingual touch screen and button labels or something - just kidding.

And Nepean!!! Darn, that's 2,500 miles, in the snow, with no boots on, uphill all the way, and back.

I've got mixed feelings about the E80, and it's delayed US release......

Firstly, the entire style ROM is easily changeable on an E80/G70, so sales are being lost needlessly if units ARE available, but I admit that much of the G70's initial unfavorable reviews in the US came from the styles not being well voiced for US listeners (is it the beer-hall sound? - why do europeans like so much reverb??), and maybe they are being more cautious this time........

Secondly, it IS encouraging that Roland finally DO realize there is a huge difference between the European and US markets, and are finally willing to take the time to voice and style appropriately. For those of us with G70s, this is only going to result in more styles that will be more useful to us (never having used a schlager style in my life!).

Thirdly, perhaps the extra time taken over the re-voicing will allow them to review their sales and marketing plans for the arranger line, something that most consider a disaster currently, and even worse for the future......

The removal of Roland's arranger line from the MI division to the CK division two years ago cannot have been anything other than a total disaster, with the G70 withering on the vine, relegated to few and far between CK dealers, with regional exclusivity (and the MUCH higher prices and profit margins that implies) but no corporate mandate to carry the line. Hence, it is MUCH harder for anyone to even go and try a Roland arranger, yet alone negotiate a decent price.

But how could Roland make this situation even worse? Try moving the G70 BACK to the MI division AND dropping its' MSRP, but still keeping the rest of the line in the CK division........ So now, not only will the E80 be just as hard to find as G70s were, with the MI divisions deeper discounts the E80 is likely to be at least $1000 more expensive than the G70, not worth it IMHO......

I swear, the only explanation I can think of is that somehow, Korg or Yamaha have managed to get a sleeper mole into the boardroom at Roland. Nothing else makes any sense........

The old Korg i3 and its relatives could do 32 bar long intros (and fills,endings,and all other style elements) way back in 1993, or whenever it was it came out. That's 32 bars continuous without looping. Ain't nothing new here........

Regards - Mike

[This message has been edited by MikeTV (edited 08-27-2006).]

With a 32 bar intro I could start it playing, nip to the bar and have a quick pint and return just in time to start playing... OMG get me an E80 now, I've always wanted an excuse to nip to the bar before my break whilst playing lol

Mike Roland could also..matter a fact you can go way beyond 32 measures..You can even play a whole SMF as an intro if you want..

As a performer Drinking on a gig is a big NO No around here and frowned upon by banquet, bar and club owners, etc ..
I think its a good rule for sure....Drinking & playing is as bad as Drinking & driving or smoking on stage.....how do you people feel about it?



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 08-28-2006).]

Sometimes , drinking seems like the only way to get through the night lol.

To me and the audience it hinders a performers ability to entertaine.
I get high on my music

And never look at the pretty women on the dance floor........................yeah RIGHT!!!!!!!!!

Especially when they are between 80-90 yrs old

.

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 08-28-2006).]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dnj:
As a performer Drinking on a gig is a big NO No around here and frowned upon by banquet, bar and club owners, etc ..
I think its a good rule for sure....Drinking & playing is as bad as Drinking & driving or smoking on stage.....how do you people feel about it?

I guess some of the Americans don't appreciate the British sense of humour or possibly don't understand it? Don't you realise when we are having a laugh with you?
If you read my post you'll see the at the end of it.

I was actually taking the p in a polite manner out of an intro being 32 bars long and using the going to a bar for a drink as a PUN.

There is no way when I go out playing that I mix drink with my work, plus drinking and driving is illegal anyway. I only drink cola when out on a booking and that's when I get a break. I save getting sozzled when I have a night off. Hope that's rectified my post above if anyone got the wrong impression.

Did this go OT somehow? I'm looking for E80 stuff.

Glenn

Hi GlennT
It's not gone off topic because there's little news on the E80 anywhere at the moment. I think DNJ misinterpreted my posting above that's all and then it went off course onto if we should have a drink whilst playing or not.
Maybe a new thread titled 'Does anyone have the need for a drink whilst they perform?' could be started by DNJ?

T42, I understand your point......its just a sore spot....so many of these so called DJ's & Bands have ruined the business for us by drinking, smoking pot , etc etc & acting wildly on gigs leaving a bad taste in owners mouths, & even in some instances resulting in injury, structural damage, & even rioting at an affair.
What the heck is going on out there ?
man have things changed for the worse.