Fran Thanx little by little more demos surface......still would love to know what type of KEYFEEL the BK9 has?

Roland describes it as a Pro keybed...I was told many moons ago..that they would use the Juno Stage keybed on a new 76 key model..and it looks exactly like the Juno Stage..

Here is a pic of my Juno Stage and E50..

Yep... most likely the Juno Stage's. A pale shadow of the G70's, but what do you want for $1000 less! Darn sight lighter, in weight and touch, but still not down into PSR country.

Sorry to disagree guys, but I was told by someone who has DEMOED the BK9, that he felt the keybed was similar to (if not the same as) the BK5..

And looking closely at those images above, the keys on the BK9 seem a little shorter that the JS...btw I played the JS, and the keybed is not that good you know, very short key travel which felt quite odd for piano parts....

D

Dennis , yes the Juno Stage has a shorter dept, but has good resistance...I have that pic to show the E50 also..The E50 has same dimensions as the BK5....except the E50 is a half inch wider in 5 octaves..

If one was to demo, it is not rocket science..look under the keys..the Juno Stage has metal fills..that gave it a solid feel...

The BK5 and Juno Stage have the same shorter "throw"..

Mind you, given how hard it is to get most here to accept that longer throw, more stiff and more weight actions are preferable (let alone how useful 76 is for piano parts, if weight isn't a factor), maybe Roland are simply giving the people what they want..?

Well, not what WE want, but Lord! Those PSR players will finally have something less to moan about!

Drum / style programming is poor/primitive IMO(late 90's anyone?).backing brass sounds annoying too.(yes it can be muted/changed)

I hate to be negative here... I really want to love this keyboard. With it's 76 keys, light weight, and chord sequencer,there are some great features. Even though the demonstrators have been very good players, I'm just not digging the sound so far.

No one says you cant just stay with what works for you.....its a new line of arranger keyboards released by Roland ...some may like them others won't no big deal.....try it, listen, if it excites you, if it makes you smile if you hate it you always have the choice top either but it or don't, keep what you have or wait for the next greatest keyboard to arrive in the coming years if you wish to change....meanwhile there is PLENTY of gear out there to create any kind of music you want.
Have fun with what YOU choose..

Thanks for sharing. Here is another demonstration.

Nice demo...Around 1:46 as he slides down the keys playing organ there is a "plastiky sound" I wonder if that's an indicator of the type of KEYFEEL? I heard that on my BK-5 also..

Well it can't be worse then your S950

Nothing wrong with LIGHTNING FAST ACTION!!

Certainly not Donny, it goes well with lightning fast keyboard switches

Be nice guys.

Gary

There seems to be a confusion between lightning fast actions and being able to play lightning fast...

Watch any concert pianist, and it's obvious that lightning fast passages are possible on VERY heavy actions. The thing that weight gives you is not speed, but precision of dynamics. It is VERY hard to dial in volume differences when you can barely feel the action at all. This may account for many arranger demos I hear where the player is having a hard time playing an entire line at one dynamic (or thereabouts). Horns, strings, winds, all of these things need lines that don't jump from note to note (unless that is a specific effect you are going for). The lighter the action, unless you are playing hard enough to keep it at close to the top (which ain't how horn and string players play!), the tougher it is to feel those subtle differences between mp and mf, for instance. And with modern arranger sample sets, those can often sound quite different.

One of the most telling audio things is the guitar patches with the 'hammer-on' velocity triggered sound. I have rarely ever heard anyone using one of those on a lightweight that doesn't get it when they DON'T want it as well as when they do.

Weight of the action is far more important than many think....

Yep...you nailed it totally Diki

All keyboards allow you to adjust the dynamics (How it responds to the speed of attack applied) of the keyboard per layer (Upper 1, Upper 2 etc.), therefore if it is a light keyboard but you are heavy handed you adjust the dynamics to suit and vice versa. (The separate layers also mean you can have 2 different instruments on and still give them their individual expression with just one dynamic action)

NOTE: It is best to use the Piano as your baseline and adjust the dynamics around this. (You can also have some fun if you reverse the dynamics of 1 layer so that it gets quieter the harder you hit it)

Bill

Diki, I disagree with your assessment of triggering dynamics. The voice/instrument dynamics in the vast majority of arranger keyboards is strictly controlled by velocity - not pressure. Therefore, the weighting of the keys, if anything, would hamper dynamics - not enhance them.

Franz, Having played the S-950, only for a short time, they keyfeel is different from all previous PSR models. It more resembles the Tyros 2 and some of the older Rolands I played.

Key feel, at least for me, would have little or no bearing on whether or not I would purchase a particular arranger keyboard. It's what that keyboard sounds like that it most important. Whether it's made of cast-iron, stainless-steel, boron, carbon fiber or acrylic plastic is, however, a factor. I want something lightweight that facilitates easier transport and setup.

Speaking of carbon fiber (hijack), I got to play a couple carbon fiber guitars while in the keys - the sound was amazing, the fret fingering was very uniform, they never need neck adjustments, and they tolerate the harsh marine environment.

I sincerely hope the new BK9 works out for all of those that are currently anticipating the purchase of this keyboard.

Gary

Gary for most of us....the keyfeel effects
the sound according to the way we play..
I think you guys just got use to the light
touch (poor to me)...that you even think
the s950 has a different keybed..it does not...
Your 3000 is just broke in..

The problem with the psr light touch...most
folks just play them..wide open..never hearing
the dynamics of a lighter touch.

The semi weighted (more resistance), makes a big
difference in dynamics, and it is velocity not
after touch
we are talking about..

It is very telling to take a MIDI file of your arranger playing, and put it into a computer sequencer and look at your velocity values. Most of them have a piano roll display, where you can look at a visual representation of how hard (fast, whatever) you are striking the notes.

Ultra lightweight keyboards, you'll generally be surprised at how high up your average values are. Seems a shame to have all that dynamics available to you, but that you barely use half of it...

I want to wish all you Newly acquired Roland BK-9 players good luck....Judging by my very impressive experiences with my BK-5 I'm sure it will be a great sounding arranger KB with some very kool features for musical creation for sure.

Have Fun!

did anyone buy one and get one yet?