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#188126 - 05/26/05 01:21 PM Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
I just received my first shipment of the Roland GW-7 Workstation.
First let me give you some of the specifications:
61 keys, no speakers, 11 lbs., 64 voice polyphony, 32MB wave memory, 606 tones +256 GM2, 51 drum kits + 9 GM2, 128 user tone memory, 16 user drum kit memory, 32 performance memory, 47 multi effects, 8 reverbs, 8 chorus, 110 preset styles, 99 user styles ( loaded via USB ), 99 user song memory, 16 track sequencer with 4 modes (ALL, Keyboard, Single, Punch In/Out).

This keyboard looks great. It has a silver case with a brush darker gray section around the buttons which has a very expensive look. It is very easy to use and has a section called "analog modify" knobs which allow you to edit the sounds and then store them. There is also a deeper editing area which can edit more parameters.

The GW-7 sounds great. It has many of the VA7 sounds. The Piano, Sax sounds, Brass, actually everything sounds really good.

The styles are so much better than anything I've heard from Roland except the new G70. More ballads, more latin, not as much Rock, great Jazz and Big band. You cannot make your own styles or edit the presets, but you can load styles from all Roland products into the user memory via USB connection and a computer. This is very handy.

For those needing ethnic styles and sounds this model has lots to offer. There are world styles from the middle east, indi, china, Korea and middle eastern, indian, asia, latin drum sets.

Programmable tunning can be saved to perfomances.

For each style there are two variations a fill in button and inro and ending. Each style can be played back as "drum and bass", Combo, or Full band type. There is a TAP tempo button, syncro start button.

The Roland D Beam controller is built in.

Midi In and Out, USB, Control and Hold jacks on the rear, 1/4" left and right outputs, phone are all on the rear.

So, what do I think? Amazing keyboard for $695.00 MAP. Retail price is $795.00. I would expect this GW-7 to be more expensive given how good in sounds and having a very capable 16 track sequencer. I like this keyboard alot more than the EXR series and I think you will too!

George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
818-881-5566
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188127 - 05/26/05 01:56 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
And, I almost forgot to tell you that the key feel is actually very good. It isn't mushy like the EXR3. Even though it is a very light keyboard, they put a nice feeling keyboard with a nice bit of resistance built in.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188128 - 05/26/05 02:19 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Pennywizz6 Offline
Member

Registered: 11/10/04
Posts: 434
Loc: Shakopee, MN, USA
Sounds like a great keyboard in a very budget friendly price, especially when you compare it to the RS-70. I imagine its the same keybed as the Fantom series, which IMO is the best semi-weighted feel ever! Im already happy and more than content with my Fantom, but if i was looking for an Arranger id go to the GW first.

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#188129 - 05/26/05 02:19 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
harosha Offline
Member

Registered: 01/02/02
Posts: 193
Loc: Chicago, IL, USA
Thanks for the info about GW7 George!

I have a few questions:

1- Is it possible to edit or create new styles?
2- How many user programmable patch locations are there?

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#188130 - 05/26/05 03:21 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Artaher Offline
Member

Registered: 12/04/01
Posts: 143
Loc: Madrid, Spain
This kb is interesting, but a few ... rare?.
A lot of editing functions for sounds, but no for styles...
A lot or oriental sounds and styles.
But screen seems the same (bad) of EXRs I know and played. So, O.S. seems the same of EXRs, not as easy than Yamahas.
But I hope GW7 will have a better piano voice, and specially, much better keys (normal size, not smaller) and key feel.

Is it possible to play a lower voice when you play with a style?


[This message has been edited by Artaher (edited 05-26-2005).]

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#188131 - 05/26/05 03:45 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
You cannot make your own style. If you want to load a Roland Style made on another keyboard you can put 99 of these in the GW-7. You simply transfer from a computer using a USB cable.
There are locations to store 128 tones you edit.
The keyboard is not the same as the Fantom X6 but rather the same as the Fantom XA (not as good as the X6,X7 but very good for this price).
I must tell you that although the interface is similar to the EXR series it has become much less "clumsy". It's actually the easiest I've seen. Also, the sequencer is easier to use than on the EXR series.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, Ca.
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188132 - 05/26/05 04:09 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Fran Carango Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 05/26/99
Posts: 9673
Loc: Levittown, Pa, USA
George I think the GW-7 had a connection to a monitor that will show lyrics, even though the GW doesn't show lyrics on lt's own display..
Is this correct?
_________________________
www.francarango.com



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#188133 - 05/26/05 05:45 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
Fran,
Here's what it says in the manual under the section of MIDI Parameters."Lyrics TX (Lyrics Data Transmission) (On/Off, default: Off) When playing back Format 0 SMF music data, this allows lyrics imbedded in the data to be transmitted to an external device."
So, Fran, excuse my ignorance, but how do you view lyrics using a midi cable? Do you have to use a Roland lyrics converter box? I really don't know anything about the lyrics box.

George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188134 - 05/26/05 05:49 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
I've loaded in about 25 styles and 12 standard midi files and they all play great.
Also, I've plugged in a roland pedal and selected the setting "Rotary" and it adjusts from slow to fast rotor if the organ sounds are assigned to "rotary" with the MFX effect.
What I still want to find out is if I can change (edit) the volume of tracks within a song (I can within a style) and I would like to know if I can change sounds within the style and song. I haven't been able to find this out yet.
I did find that I can transpose the whole keyboard, including song, or just the song or just the keyboard. This is usually a feature found on more expensive arrangers.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188135 - 05/26/05 06:07 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
squeak_D Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/08/00
Posts: 4715
Loc: West Virginia
George,
A while back we were talking about the GW-7, and I remember having a look at the manual. Wasn't one of the complaints we had about the sequencer was that there wasn't any editing?

Squeak
_________________________
GEAR: Yamaha MOXF-6, Casio MZX-500, Roland Juno-Di, M-Audio Venom, Roland RS-70, Yamaha PSR S700, M-Audio Axiom Pro-61 (Midi Controller). SOFTWARE: Mixcraft-7, PowerTracks Pro Audio 2013, Beat Thang Virtual, Dimension Le.

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#188136 - 05/26/05 06:10 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
Correct, there is no editing. However, for so many musicians, just having good quality sounds styles and unlike the Yamaha's at this price point, a 16 track sequencer and 64 voice polyphony (Yamaha's in this range only have 32 voice) and until you get to the PSR1500 or PSR3000, you don't have sounds of this quality, you still get a lot of keyboard here for your money.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188137 - 05/26/05 09:47 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703

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#188138 - 05/27/05 05:05 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
zuki Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/20/02
Posts: 4716
George -

Does it have fingered on bass? That's the most important feature for me and a no-buy if not. Also, do you have any VA's?

Thanks,
zuki
_________________________
Live: Korg PA4X/Zed 6FX/EV Everse 8s/Senn 935/K&M stand

Studio: Korg PA4X/Yamaha DGX670/Yamaha PSR SX900/Boss BR900CD/Tascam DP24SD/MTM Iloud/Senn 935/K&M stand/Shure SM57/Sony C80 (2)/Blue Encore 300

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#188139 - 05/27/05 10:39 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
zuki Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/20/02
Posts: 4716
George -

Actually had a GW in stock at SAsh in Cincy. Spent an hour on it and my thoughts:

- Yes, fingered on bass
- Nice sounds and styles
- Light as a feather - wow!
- Too much navigation/hidden menus
- No dedicated style buttons
- Couldn't understand the sequencer without manual
- Very tiny keys (short), but nice feel!

Worth the price. I think so. Probaby will go back for more/puruse the manual.

zuki
_________________________
Live: Korg PA4X/Zed 6FX/EV Everse 8s/Senn 935/K&M stand

Studio: Korg PA4X/Yamaha DGX670/Yamaha PSR SX900/Boss BR900CD/Tascam DP24SD/MTM Iloud/Senn 935/K&M stand/Shure SM57/Sony C80 (2)/Blue Encore 300

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#188140 - 05/27/05 11:04 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Sheriff Offline
Member

Registered: 02/18/05
Posts: 965
Loc: Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Quote:
Originally posted by Dnj:
[BILD]

Looks a little bit like my comb... ...nooo, just kidding!!

It has a very impressive design and the price seems to be worth the little 'thing'. Unfortunality it's more like an pure arranger and not like an studio sampler...

Hey, we composers are arrangers too...and we're creating our own styles nearly every day...

However, 64 voices of polyphony at this price is really amazing!!! Comm'on Kurzweil, look at this little power keyboard. I know you can build more than 48 voices...

------------------
Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)
_________________________
Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)

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#188141 - 05/27/05 01:57 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
FRan & I played the GW-7 today at a local store .....for the price it was very impressive...keyfeel, styles, sounds, all very usable in a inexpensive, very lightweight, good sounding package...although it does have Many nice features it lacks a few others that might be important to some people as a stage performance rig...but definitly worth $695.00 !

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#188142 - 05/27/05 04:52 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
squeak_D Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/08/00
Posts: 4715
Loc: West Virginia
George,
I just had a thought here. Maybe there's a work around for the lack of editing within the GW-7's sequencer. I know this could be done on the lower PSR models that had the basic 6 track recorders (It worked on my original DJX).

When using normal play functions, does the GW-7 allow you to do basic mixer functions on the fly? Say for example you select a bass sound. From the panel or (mixer mode) can you take that bass guitar, reduce the overall (tone) volume (again using mixer), and also pan left or right? I say this because if you can is it possible to do all this ahead of time (prior to recording a track), and then entering the record mode using the current mixer changes? I hope this makes sense. On the Yamaha DJX there weren't any song editing functions, but in standard play mode you could ajust mixer settings, then enter into the sequencer and (record from there).

Squeak
_________________________
GEAR: Yamaha MOXF-6, Casio MZX-500, Roland Juno-Di, M-Audio Venom, Roland RS-70, Yamaha PSR S700, M-Audio Axiom Pro-61 (Midi Controller). SOFTWARE: Mixcraft-7, PowerTracks Pro Audio 2013, Beat Thang Virtual, Dimension Le.

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#188143 - 05/27/05 06:19 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Artaher Offline
Member

Registered: 12/04/01
Posts: 143
Loc: Madrid, Spain
George, do you know if GW-7 can play G-70 styles?

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#188144 - 05/28/05 12:11 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
painkiller Offline
Member

Registered: 08/22/04
Posts: 52
Loc: Sweden
George:
Are the sounds a big improvement over the EXR-line? I think especially of drums, which are lacking a bit on my EXR-7.

------------------

Robert.
_________________________
Robert.

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#188145 - 05/28/05 08:14 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=8&subcatid=36&prodid=GW%2D7

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#188146 - 05/28/05 05:49 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
I don't know if the GW-7 can play G70 styles. I didn't have time today to plug the GW7 up to my computer and I'm closed Sunday and Monday for the holiday. I will try it next week.
The sounds in the EXR and the sounds in the GW7 are very similar. I'm playing my EXR7 out of it's own speakers and I'm using Yamaha 3 way PA speakers with a Behringer powered mixer. I will compare them more next week. It's been a very busy Saturday in my store today and this is the first chance I've had to read the posts here today. Now, it's almost 6 PM here and I'm closing at 6PM and really need a couple of days off! I'm usually here 6 days a week.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188147 - 05/29/05 01:47 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
john smies Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 05/05/00
Posts: 1384
Loc: koudekerke, Holland.
interesting little keyboard from Roland, weighing only 5 kilograms (!!) . Here you can download the full MANUAL of this new arrival: http://www.roland.co.uk/prodcatdetail.asp?id=GW-7

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#188148 - 05/31/05 11:36 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
john smies Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 05/05/00
Posts: 1384
Loc: koudekerke, Holland.
George,

you would give us an update as to G-70 styles would play and load on this cheapo GW-7, how about it ?
And does it load all G800/G1000 or VA styles ?
please report when you have got time to find out.
thank you,
regards,
john

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#188149 - 06/02/05 02:37 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
mbl Offline
Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 103
Loc: el paso tx
Dear friends,

Anyone know if a USB card-reader can be used with the Gw-7, in order to get data to and from it, without a P.C.?

Thanks.

-mbl-

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#188150 - 06/02/05 02:44 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
mbl Offline
Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 103
Loc: el paso tx
Seems to have no speakers. Is that so?

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#188151 - 06/02/05 07:50 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
There are no speakers in the GW7 and you cannot use a card reader to get info in and out of the GW7. It must be a computer.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188152 - 06/02/05 07:51 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
squeak_D Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/08/00
Posts: 4715
Loc: West Virginia
Any online demos for the GW-7?

Squeak
_________________________
GEAR: Yamaha MOXF-6, Casio MZX-500, Roland Juno-Di, M-Audio Venom, Roland RS-70, Yamaha PSR S700, M-Audio Axiom Pro-61 (Midi Controller). SOFTWARE: Mixcraft-7, PowerTracks Pro Audio 2013, Beat Thang Virtual, Dimension Le.

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#188153 - 06/02/05 11:38 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
trident Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 08/22/04
Posts: 1457
Loc: Athens, Greece
from the roland site:
"Connect the GW-7 to a computer or USB-equipped external device with one simple USB cable, and transfer data back and forth quickly and easily. Keep your GW-7 well stocked with fresh songs and Styles by loading new Styles and Standard MIDI Files. Save your compositions and arrangements via USB."

What do they mean by "USB equipped external device"? . Ideas anyone???
Can I for example use a USB key?
hehe

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#188154 - 06/02/05 11:48 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
squeak_D Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 10/08/00
Posts: 4715
Loc: West Virginia
If I'm reading your question correctly, what it means is that instead of using an internal media storage such as floppy disk, media cards, thumb drives, ect., the date is saved directly to your computer via the USB port. This also allows you to transfer data to and from the GW-7, and as the info states you can update your styles sets ect. Hope I read that one right.

Squeak
_________________________
GEAR: Yamaha MOXF-6, Casio MZX-500, Roland Juno-Di, M-Audio Venom, Roland RS-70, Yamaha PSR S700, M-Audio Axiom Pro-61 (Midi Controller). SOFTWARE: Mixcraft-7, PowerTracks Pro Audio 2013, Beat Thang Virtual, Dimension Le.

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#188155 - 06/02/05 03:06 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
I just got off the phone with the arranger expert at Roland US tech support and found out that what you read was in fact stated in error. There is no way to connect the GW7 through USB to an external storage device. It will only transfer data to and from a computer. He appologized and is correcting the information on their website.
Roland has tested all the older style formats from the Roland keyboards into the GW7 and they all work and now I've asked them to test the G70 styles and they will hopefully today.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188156 - 06/03/05 12:27 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
trident Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 08/22/04
Posts: 1457
Loc: Athens, Greece
Squeak & George,
that is why I included the "Ideas Anyone" bit.
The way they phrased it, I could use a USB external device which means a hard disk or whatever and do the job...A USB key is a device, and of course it is USB equipped right?
Had it been true, it would be good news for all.


[This message has been edited by trident (edited 06-03-2005).]

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#188157 - 06/03/05 08:09 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
It has a USB jack on the back. It is the square one, not the rectangular one. On a Yamaha PSR3000, there are two USB jacks. One of each. The rectangular shape is labeled "to device" and the square jack is labeled "to host". So, like the Yamaha, the GW7's square USB is a to host jack. You can use this for transfering data to and from a computer but not to be plugged into a "device' such as thumb drives, floppy drives, card readers, etc.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, Callifornia
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188158 - 06/03/05 10:16 AM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
zoingg Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 05/27/05
Posts: 5
I've been following this topic because I will probably buy one of this here in Portugal. Already tested it at the store and read a bit of the manual: about usb connection, the GW-7 is seen as an external device; midifiles, songs and styles can be dragged and dropped in to the keyboard's memory folders, seems as simple as that, that's what I understood by reading the manual. A really very important issue is the compatibility with Roland's styles, hope to hear good news!

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#188159 - 06/03/05 12:26 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Fran Carango Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 05/26/99
Posts: 9673
Loc: Levittown, Pa, USA
The GW-7 is the device..the drivers reside in the Computer..
_________________________
www.francarango.com



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#188160 - 06/04/05 07:03 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
N9FAL Offline
Member

Registered: 12/26/03
Posts: 51
Loc: Florida, USA
I played around with one today @ the Sam Ash store here in Cent. Fl.

My observations for what it's worth:

The key bed and feel is fantastic.
Very light/compact, attractive and well built-solid instrument.
When you split the keyboard with playing a style,(arranger)you can only play one voice at a time on the right hand. I thought this was a major shortcoming/dissapointment.
Could not figure out how to change voices on the fly.
Very very limited big-band/jazz styles, but numerous ethnic styles.
Styles were basic, not over done. (good)
The best voices are in the sax family.
The set-up of the instrument is not illustrated on the display. You need to hit a few buttons to know where you're at.
It has the D-BEAM where you can wave your hand and make sound effects.
The manual is very basic and straightforward, only about 20 pages or so.
It would be great to have this keybed with the PSR 3000.
I'll keep my PA-50.(and KN7000)

Mark

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#188161 - 06/07/05 03:15 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
George Kaye Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/24/99
Posts: 3305
Loc: Reseda, California USA
John,
I tried loading in the styles you emailed me today and they all loaded fine. You sent me four styles to try. One you said required velocity when playing chords to trigger different parts or sounds within the style, and unless you have purchased a more expensive arranger, this cannot be done. All the styles with many measures played properly as well.
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

[This message has been edited by George Kaye (edited 06-07-2005).]
_________________________
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene (Closed after 51 years)
West Hills, California
(Retired 2021)

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#188162 - 06/07/05 03:22 PM Re: Roland GW-7 now in stock!
Frostbyte Offline
Member

Registered: 02/11/05
Posts: 44
Loc: World Citizen
Hey George!

Can I bring in a few floppies of my favorite SMF files and hear how they sound on the new GW-7? Oh, right... no floppie drive. Thats okay, I'll put 'em on a memory card. Oh right... no card reader... Well its got USB, but oh... yeah.. Never mind.

How much was that Pa-50 again?

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