I'm interested in your opinions please....

Thankyou

Me too...

When /When/When????????

Hi DNJ, myself and Abacus heard the E80 at the Blackpool festival a month or so ago.
Basically if you liked the G70 you'll love the E80 as it sounds very similar, some extra new sounds and styles and less keys, oh and probably more expensive now.
Suppose to be out late July/August in UK last I heard.

ok Craig.... Thanx fir the info keep us posted from across the pond ok?

it's only 4th july!
we still have to wait some more!

HAPPY 4TH JULY TO ALL AMERICANS IN HERE!

Yes, I have now heard the E-80. Read about my impressions here: http://www.selskabsmusikeren.dk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=432&Itemid=2

weissfar......thanx for the update and nice honest review......Now we only have to get the G70/E80 into stores here in the USA so we can try them out, sounds like a contender..............

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 07-05-2006).]

I took the long trip (8 miles) to HankB's house yesterday and spent about an hour with his new G70. Probably 30 hours would be a much more fair time for evaluation.
Anyway, here are my initial impressions:

It has some really great features and an excellent vocal processor/vocal harmonizer.
It has some good sounds and SOME good styles.
It has some interesting features including the ability to select different "size" accompanients and to tailor the styles to specific genres. For instance you can take a Country Style and make it Pop, or Latin or Vocal, etc.
It has a really large screen that is easy to see, although the touch screen would be difficult for me to adjust to.
It has a wonderful midifile player. Roland does know how to handle midi files.
Nice organ drawbars.
GREAT Scat and Vocal sounds.
Lots of inputs for pedals, controllers, aux in, etc.
Low Z mic input.
Very realistic bass guitar sounds, particularly the upright bass.
If you are willing to spend lots of time tweaking and setting it up, it would be a really good unit.
Reasons I wouldn't consider it:
Too heavy.
No Break button.
No individual intro/ending buttons--you have to hit the variation THEN the intro/ending you want, as Ketron does it.
I didn't much like the Effects, but they could most likely be fully adjusted.
Too heavy.
Although some of the sounds are very good, I much prefer most of the Tyros 2 lead sounds, particularly the electric guitars. I even prefer the Yamaha drums, but maybe I'm just used to hearing them now.
The Piano is very good, but in my opinion, so is the T2. Just different.
I also prefer most of the Yamaha styles, particularly the Country styles. However I'll bet there are plenty of styles out there for loading.
Too heavy.
It has some great lead sound features, including the ability to bring in alternate sounds via the volume pedal. It has, if I remember correctly, 3 right hand splits and two sounds available on left hand.
If you are a true Roland fan, you'll love the G70 (FRAN!).
Did I mention it's too heavy for me?
DonM

Thanx Don for the candid hands on G70 review.....
Btw, I forgot ...Did you say it was
Too Heavy?

The BAG for it is heavier than my T2!
DonM

Sorry DonM, but you got one thing wrong: the G-70 indeed has a break button.

[The OS2 features a break mute function for the ASSIGN SW buttons. The function can be accessed via the ASSIGN SW button you assign it to. When you press that button, Arranger playback is muted for the remainder of the current measure. This feature is known from older Roland arranger models and has been requested by the Roland G-70 User Club Denmark members.]
http://www.selskabsmusikeren.dk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=253&Itemid=28

User Club moderator Diki Cox had via the user club forum put up a request for a "break/mute function on the footswitch and FC7. When Roland release the OS2.02 they implemented this feature too.

So as you see the G-70 certainly has a break button

NB. About the weight: open the cabinet and remove the bricks mounted inside =

Another review is now available:
http://selskabsmusikeren.dk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=433&Itemid=2

Good. I didn't spend that much time with it. I'm sure there are many features I didn't get to. Thanks for the info.
DonM

Just read that new review:
1) He talks about fret noises when changing chords, also plays strums like a real guitar. we're talking SA voices.
2) The guitar mode sounds really interesting. Not quite sure by his description how you would actually strum up, down or up & down. Unless you use the Don Mason method. that would be fine with me.
3) He said that Roland didn't put a whole bunch of useless voices, just to make the specs look impressive, but concentrated on fewer excellent voices. This is good news. I remember a demo of an EM55 with 3000 or so sounds. Most were near duplicates or unuseable. This is a step in the right direction, IMO. How would a person select from 3000 voices anyways?
Starkeeper


[This message has been edited by Starkeeper (edited 07-07-2006).]

Hello Starkeeper
The Roland Guitar mode is similar, (Although less sophisticated) to Real Guitar by Music Labs, http://www.musiclab.com/products/realgtr_info.htm and is totally different to SA voices, which although good, do not compare to either the Roland Guitar mode or Real Guitar.
Hope this helps.

Bill

Hi Starkeeper,

You seem interested in knowing more about how the guitar mode works. Here is a detailed description of this fantastic feature:
http://www.selskabsmusikeren.dk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=241&Itemid=28

IMHO this is definitely some of the most innovative initiative by Roland for years! However, I would have liked to see more of this kind of ideas coming out of their R&D dep. This is not a business in which you will succeed, if you rest on your laurels!

Best regards
Søren ;-)

"Step 5:
Continue with "E", "F", "G" and "A" keys to sound the remaining guitar notes for the chord you specified.

To sum up: the six keys you have pressed so far are assigned to the virtual guitar strings. "

I only have 5 fingers in my right hand???