New add on board for RD700GX

http://www.roland.co.jp/products/jp/K-RD700GX1/

Sounds very interesting.

Wonder what this will be priced at.

Spooky!


Now there's some terminology I can fully embrace.

Is Dewster intrigued by the possible sound coming out of a DP--like with no computer help? Could this be true?

Here's the blurb from the Roland UK site

"New sounds with fully-enhanced expressiveness in RD-700GX upgrade

January 14, 2010 Roland is proud to add the latest in digital piano technology to the RD-700GX with the SuperNATURAL® Piano Kit (K-RD700GX1). Comprising a dedicated expansion board and a USB memory key to update the operating system, this digital piano kit is a dream for musicians who want the utmost in authentic playability and the highest-quality piano sounds available.

Derived from groundbreaking V-Piano® technology, and delivered through an 88-key stereo multisampling engine, the SuperNATURAL Piano Kit enhances three dimensions of piano expressiveness within the RD-700GX. Every detail of the playability of an acoustic piano’s sound is reproduced. The result is seamless tonal change that corresponds to key pressure, decaying sounds that linger and fade naturally without looping, and an authentic sound transition from note to note across the keyboard.

The SuperNATURAL Piano Kit also adds 17 new SuperNATURAL piano sounds designed exclusively for the RD-700GX. Combining the SuperNATURAL Piano Kit with the PHA II Ivory Feel keys of the RD-700GX, pianists are now able to have the full expressive capability of an acoustic grand piano in a top-of-line digital stage piano."

Sounds like sampling plus modeling to me....very similar to Yamaha's new CP.

Snazzy

Anything called SUPERNatural must sound godly.

To me this reads like what I believe Yamaha is doing in the new CP line, which is FFT synthesis (not that new). Not sure how it relates to V-Piano though, unless they are using FFT synthesis in there too.

At least Roland is being up-front about looping - unlike Yamaha, who dummy up when you're talking to them about the weather.

Reading Roland's web site. They say "Super Natural" technology is already used for the RD700's electric piano sounds. Now they say they are using this for the acoustic piano sounds as well.

Is not this what Yamaha is saying about the CP-1? That the fancy modling tech is only fo rhte non-acoustic piano sounds? If so I think Roland is a year ahead

They also say the the term "Super Natural" means different things for each class in instrument. They first used this on drums and seem to be expanding to other instruments. They've done violins already and now acoustic pianos. They use the term to mean "continuously adjustable parameters" but the set of parameters is different for each class of instrument.

Point is that this is not something new. But is newly applied to acoustic pianos and they say "based on" research used to create the v-piano.

Are they using an FFT? Only an industrial spy would know. Certainly they are using a convolution filter and an inverse FFT would be one way to do that. But they very well could be using custom ICs to work in the time domain. The two techniques are mathematically equivalent so I don't care.

Fun time to be watching DPs. I think we are at the very start of a revolution in technology.

Actually looking at the brochure Yamaha seems to be saying that they would only use the modelling technique for the non-piano sounds on the CP5 and CP50 but use it also on the acoustic sounds for the CP1...

The table in the brochure says SCM is used for all grands & EPs on all three models.

The table also seems to be saying that SCM is used for the DX7 on the CP1 - which doesn't jibe with people saying it is actually an FM synth, but does make sense if it isn't an FM synth but instead a DX7 captured via SCM. The glaring lack of MIDI DX7 parameters leads me to believe the latter.

This looks like it might be interesting, though I'm pretty satisfied with the piano sounds that I have already from my 700GX. We'll see.

Sprout

This is the answer to Yamaha's CP5. The early adopters who pre-ordering the CP5, should wait until this new upgraded hits the streets. The price is listed at #329.

And for us, owners of Roland RD700-SX, nothing is offered. It is my understanding that they stoped making SRX card and switched to ARX that unfortunately can't be used with RD 700SX.

time to be satisfied with what you have or move on to something new?

I would like to move on. Jusy wondering for how much I should sell my RD 700SX. It's in perfect condition.

I think used equipment that is still the current production model goes for about 2/3 the new retail prices. Falls to 1/2 the price it sold for when it's replaced by a new model. That's a kind of generic rule but seems to be close.

As the gear gets very old it then either becomes a sought after classic or junk.

Sorry we didn't get to check out the digital equipment like I wanted.

Had trouble getting near them, and ran out of time.

Next year (NAMM 2011) we need to hook up with someone who really knows the digital stuff and wants to help us out by checking out all the digital toys.

Before you volunteer, know that we can't pay anything (well maybe a free lunch).
But we will get you into the show. More later.

I thought that there was no such thing as a free lunch?

Are there any demos of this new add-on board? (That is, demos that are NOT recorded using a video camera mic!

Frank, did Alder not attend the show this year?

Cheers,
James
x

Good question James.

I didn't see him, did run into Larry Fine, but no Alden.

I was hoping we'd meet up somewhere during the show, was going to ask
him to educate me (my knowledge of digital keyboards is limited to my XK-3 and P-80).

The GX actually also uses SRX cards, not ARX and the new pianos are on that media. However, this expansion also seems to require an OS update and I'm guessing this may not be suitable for the SX, as it probably uses some of the "Supernatural" firepower that's only onboard the later model.

I'd love to volunteer for this, but knowing me it would probably end badly.

I can envision only two scenarios playing out:

1. Too many free beers => too many glowing reviews => hangover & extreme self loathing.

2. Too few free beers => harsh reality => too many bad reviews => the dewster being roughly shown the door after it's discovered he called some pin-head rep a liar at an obscure on-line forum.

Found it on sale (pre-order?) here: http://www.musiciansbuy.com/roland-krd700gx1-.html B&H also has it, but they clearly labeled it a pre-order. I wonder how it sounds for a $299 upgrade..

Are there any reviews or sound (audio) examples available anywhere yet for this?

I just ordered this today from Sweetwater and SHOULD be getting it very soon (they were expecting them last Friday and they didn't arrive). From what my Sweetwater Engineer explained to me (and he got the poop from their resident Roland guru) this upgrade is the perfect blend of the sound of samples and the configuration control of the V-piano. The most significant standout?? No discernable layers! From a sample-based device!

http://www.roland.com/products/en/K-RD700GX1/features.html

On paper, this sounds like exactly what I've been wishing for from my 700GX.

I'm counting the minutes...

Curt

Look forward to hearing real user reviews on this. Fairly expensive upgrade IMO though. Shame they don't do what many synth manufacturers do and release OS upgrades for free.

Yes I'm really looking forward to hearing it, or at least someone's opinion of it. Not only no velocity switching but no looping...that's the promise at least. If it BEHAVES like a V-Piano but maintains a better level of sonic realism due to the use of samples behind the modeling then it might be what a lot of people want.

I agree it should be cheaper. It includes an expansion board for 17 extra pianos I believe but also a USB stick with an upgrade to the OS...this element should be free/downloadable in my opinion. But Roland do not have a heritage of upgrading their instruments so maybe we should see this as some sort of progress at least. They must be happy they have something that tries to keep the RD competitive against the new Yamaha CP5.

Curt, let us know what it's like as soon as you can! Hope it works out for you.

Cheers

Steve

It's more than just an OS upgrade - there's an expansion card as well. My guess is this is where the new samples are stored.

Curt