Hi guys,

For a while now I am considering getting a Roland BK9. I don't know when exactly will happen, but I need to make sure is a good choice for me...

As I know some of you already have it, or had it before, I'd like to ask your opinion on it's Country Styles, as these seems to be very rare (virtually non-existent) in any YouTube videos I could find. If you happen to have a link, please post it. I couldn't find anything relevant.

Also, how good are sounds like pedal steel or harmonica?

THanks,

Thanks Donny. That is most definitely the best site for Roland arrangers, I think I still have my account there.

But I meant some audio or video demos of the country styles. I don't have the BK yet.

There are plenty of great country styles. If they are not on it already, they are readily available. Pedal Steel is just o.k., but can be easily edited to be better. Harmonicas are really good!
What none of the arrangers seem to offer is an old time country shuffle with walking bass (think Merle Haggard, Ray Price). After you get the BK9, let me know if you need one, because I edited a style just for that purpose.

I have a couple thousand great country styles for Yamaha and nearly all can be found on the PSR-Tutorial site under the Styles tab.

Gary

Thanks guys, I wish those tons of Yamaha country styles were available for Roland too. I am sure some are. Thanks Don.

In general, I think the BK-9 is a great keyboard for performance, but could have been better OOTB with some of the lead instruments. OTH, I guess one could say that you can easily configure the sound to your own liking.

The BK-9 is wonderfully unique in it's Roland sound, and editing is quite easy, especially when you use the IPad apps. To get there does take some work however, and those buyers who demand instant gratification a la Yamaha, are going to be disappointed. The key untapping that potential is to slog through it. In the end you will have something that is uniquely yours.

And that's the truth.
Bernie

I totally agree Bernie. BTW the BK9 has the best organ simulation I've ever heard on an arranger, or just about any keyboard short of a dedicated organ-type.
The styles and sounds are available, but as you said, you have to dig a little.
My number one gripe about Roland remains that there is no Break/Fill!

I actually bought the BK-9 for the organ simulation, as well as memories of my G70 that was great. The organ sim is the best, I agree.

There are thousancds of Styles available for the BK9 so your bound to find some that suit your Country songs. I just bought a Thumbdrive on Ebay loaded with a few thousand. And like the sounds they are all very editable to get what you want. I've spent countless hours first on the BK7M and then the BK9 editing Styles, Sequences, and Sounds to get mine where I like it.
There are lots of choices but I'm very happy with the BK9 and when I feel like jamming and kicking some pedals B3 Style, it does a great job for a 16 lb. keyboard vrs. the 400 lb. Hammond.