The new Roland will have a wav/aiff/MP3 player and a 8 track audio recorder..It will also have a built in USB audio/midi interface..There is also a possibility of a feature similar to the "chord sequencer"..

Look for it after Summer ..2008


Oops, you didn't hear any of this from me..

Ditto Fran...but I think the price, is going to be out of my range. Perhaps well over $6500 AUD.

Sorry, Fran, I posted this paragraph on the wrong thread, so I'll re-post it here;

"As to the rumors you state, well, the return of the Chord Sequencer will make it a 'must buy' for me, but all the rest of that cr@p is just almost useless. Especially an eight track audio recorder. Sheesh, what are they thinking? Anyone that can afford something in this price range already HAS (or knows they can get) a FAR superior DAW out of their existing computer, with infinitely better editing and plug-ins. But no doubt, Roland will jump on the 'me-too' bandwagon instead of concentrating on making the ultimate ARRANGER, and they will continue to graft little-needed workstation functions onto a little improved arranger OS.

When will they ever learn... We don't need a studio in a box. We need a great ARRANGER."

The audio/midi interface (maybe its like the yamaha mLan syetem??) would be about the only thing I would use I reckon..Everything else I do on my DAW. From what I have read about the chord sequencer, that might be a useful tool, but they might just release an update to the g-70 O/S to incorporate it into it, as well as having it on the new board??
D

I have decided to now wait until NAMM and see what is released there. If the new Roland (if there is one) has the chord sequencer it might be in the mix, as well might be the Audya..In any case Roland will be more willing to offer a better deal than at present on the G70 once the new models are released.....well one can hope!!!
Cheers
Dennis

I might not even wait for NAMM now...I have had some further "info" that the new 'boards being released At NAMM by Roland are the brand new Fantom range as well as digital pianos, NO arrangers. In fact in Oz Roland are running huge discounts on the entire Fantom range as well as ALL digital pianos, but nothing at all for the arranger keyboards...
My source indicates there MIGHT be a chance that the E-80 will be optioned up, ie ability for MP3's etc etc, and changes to Op Sys software (but they are not confirmed) but that's about it.
So decision time, wait to see what the Audya is all about, or take the plunge now on the G70, or maybe even a Kurzweil and the Sonic Cell (which sounds absolutely fantastic on the smf's btw, and imho of course!!) and add the midjay for some basic arranger stuff..
Hmmm decisions, decisions.
Cheers,
Dennis

Right now, Dennis, I think we are in probably a 9-12 month wait for a new G-series 76. But you need something NOW...

OK, here's my recommendation. Buy a used G70. You won't lose much on a used one if you don't like it (I presume you are having as hard a time in Oz finding one to demo as we do in the US!). But to address some of your specific needs...

Yes, the SMF editing and re-voicing tools in the G70 are the absolute best and easiest of almost anything. This is where Roland have always shone. It is the work of just a couple of minutes to tweak an SMF from an entirely alien keyboard to sound good on the G70. Drum re-mapping, controller offsets, velocity offsets, the works. And all this without getting into the detailed sequencer editing at all! The sequencer itself is pretty comprehensive (but no competition for a computer one like Cubase).

The sound itself is very 'live', with drums that sparkle with dynamics, and don't sound dead and dry, there is a little 'space' around them that many others don't include. There are PLENTY of user and Roland demos to hear this for yourself (Roland-arranger.com stream most of them). If it's of any value to you, I use my G70 for all my full band gigs now without exception. It is still a VERY good, and very easy to operate live keyboard, and the B3 rocks, at least, better than other arrangers - get an XK-1 or Nord Electro if you are a Hammond purist. For me, in a band, the G70 B3 is good enough!

If you are into modern, cutting edge musics, sampling and all that, it ain't for you. I would bite the bullet and put up with the PA1 or 2X's OS to get that (and you'll gain synchronized mp3 dual playback to boot). But I have little to complain of soundwise in the G70 (other than niggles). I have always been able to come up with what I need...

The G70's combination of killer drums, killer piano, killer B3, killer SMF editing, ease of operation and some good styles (easy to edit or create new ones) make this an easy choice over the Kurzweil (I have a K2500, so I know a bit about this!). Although sonically it can keep up, there is no arranger features and operation is a lot less intuitive.

If you can't afford the NEXT Roland, you won't get the Audya, either (it probably will cost even more than the Roland).

No, simply put, you want a 76 NOW (or at least, within three months), I'd say either a used G70, or a new PA2Xpro. You may not like the Korg's OS, but trust me, you will find something you don't like in anything! Including the G70..! And given that they ALL are imperfect, basically that just boils it down to sonic and tactile differences. For me, that means a G70. For you... well, that is YOUR decision.

Hi Dennis,
wow, what went wrong ( re PA2x ).
What are you back to using at the moment if you sent the PA2X back.

You may want to check if the Roland styles actually suit the type of music you play.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by miden:
[B]

Thanks Diki for that response, just the info I was after. I'm pretty much convinced on the G-70 and as the best new price I can get out here is $4200 (AUD) used might be the way, IF one comes up. Since it's release I have only seen one on Ebay.
From all the angles I need in a board the G70 does work.
The Kurzweil option is only because it is a fully weighted 76 note digital piano/controller, and coupled with a Sonic Cell for the smf/mp3 stuff, and a midjay for any styles, it sorta seemed like a good compromise system.
So I am down to one or the other.
I agree Diki, on the Audya, it's gonna be pretty pricey I think, and out of my range.
Cheers
Dennis

Hi Rikki,
Nothing really, it's just that some areas of the operating system and hardware have not changed since PA1x days..You still cannot place or use markers in a midi file, you cannot enter scroll points in a midi when using the text option, the text option is very basic with no ability to have spaces in a line of text (ie when you have chord symbols above a line of lyric) insert effects can still not be used with a sound selected via midi (without a convoluted workaround!!), and a couple of others.
These are things I have discussed at length with Paolo over the past few years, and made suggestion after suggestion to no avail.
Sonically, its superb, style-wise it's superb, great pre on the mic input.
Simply put it's just not for me from an operational pov.
It's still a super keyboard though!!!
For the moment I am back to the SD1+, but the dealer is maybe going to work a bit of a back-trade for the Midjay, but I won't decide until I see the numbers.
Cheers
Dennis