Lack of on-board style editing is a serious omission.

I was thinking about getting one of these as an inexpensive way to add the "Roland" sound/styles to my home rig, especially the organ sounds(think VK), which Roland usually does very well, and the Roland styles, which were never satisfying when converted to Yamaha, but I think I'll pass.

Disappointing.

Still, I will try out to be sure.

Great concept, and a great price, but seems to be a poor implementation.


Ian

Diki quote "So.... You'd better LOVE the styles! Because short of muting parts, there's not a damn thing you can do to them! This thing is CRYING out for a style editor, the one thing Roland got completely RIGHT on the E and G-series "


Come on!!! Roland ships with a style editor..to use with your computer...

The same guys that will not even sequence on the keyboard (only use the more powerful computer software}..are now complaining because Roland did not install the style software on the board...

Just no reason to complain about style edits....few people edit styles on the fly..thus the need to edit on the keyboard..(only the spoiled G70 owners}..

It's better then the S900 keyfeel for sure if thats the case Squeak, less the little pictures under the keys

Actually the little pictures are over the keys on the S900(how quick we forget our old romances)...perfectly placed for those of us who actually do style editing/creating/assembling.

Wouldn't have it any other way...I don't feel the need to impress anyone that my keyboard is pro...some do, I guess...must be an insecurity thingy.

Did you play the GW-8, Donny?

If not, how could you compare?

Ian

Well you know the GW7 is considered the worst key feel for Roland & that was better then the S900!!....so why would we think the Gw8 isn't any better also?, besides just ask Diki

BTW, doesn't Casio units have lil pics under the keys, I thought I saw that in one in Sam's club for $199.00

Sorry, Fran.... better read those reviews again.

GW-8 ships with a playlist editor (for the MP3/WAV/AIFF player and SMF player) and a Style CREATOR software, which is a simple MIDI to Style conversion software. There is NO style editing, you can't even access the ROM styles.. (that's one way to stop them being converted to Yamaha!)

I suppose, if you were extremely dedicated, you could make a MIDI file of the style playing, laboriously record each Intro, ending, variation and fill, in each of the three chord types, edit it in a sequencer, and then use the software to stitch it all back again. Perhaps you MIGHT be able to find the sys-ex codes to control the MFX of the style parts somewhere, and adjust that (nowhere are these codes given, mind you).

Depending on how good a job the MIDI to style conversion software is, you MIGHT be able to get the style to work OK (most, IMO, are not that good)...

But that doesn't make it a Style editor by any means... How many of us would be willing to go through all that just to change one Part sound in a ROM style?

I wouldn't say the GW-7 was the worst key feel for Roland. I think my RS-70 takes the trophy there... Terrible isn't really the word for it. Still..., it was a good bargain though.

I would only imagine Roland used the same keybed from the GW-7 and if not.., it would also make sense to find the same keybed from the Juno-G or Juno-D on the new GW-8...

Watch out Donny..., you said something bad about the S-900

Sorry, got my info from Sweetwater's E60 product page. They state MB categorically. Where did you get the data from?

And sorry, but those E80/G70 comparisons look wrong, too. The E80 has MORE ROM data than the G70, I was informed (it's a newer, more expensive, higher up model)

Oh My! Ian won't be able to sleep tonight now

So...you haven't actually tried it.

I thought so.

Another virtual tester we don't need.

For a guy that uses mostly SMF (I heard your new CD was mostly SMF) a nice little Casio might be the way to go for your needs.

The E-60 must be just for show...bigger keyboard....something like having a bigger car...impress your friends.

Enjoy whatever you play, my friend...as long as you're having fun and making a few bucks, what's the difference.


Ian