Roland SN samples HP507

Does anyone know if Roland is still using the Steinway samples for the HP507 ?

I went today to the music store and tried a couple of pianos, among them HP507, V-grand and 700NX. I always had that brilliant high pitch at each note I played, which was nice for me at the first moment, but a after a while this sound was a bit annoying me. It is probably the typical roland sound. The HP507 sound was also issuing this character, but to an acceptable extend. I guess this is some feature of SN to fake the dublex scale of the Steinway pianos. Can anyone confirm this, and who knows about which pianos are sampled for the grand piano sound on these instruments.

I expect it can be switched off somewhere in the settings ?

The standard SN piano voice is based on a sample set Roland used previously in other products (a blend of pianos?). If you don't like the twangy high end, try the "Studio Grand" in the NX, it takes higher velocities better, and is based on a different sample set. Duplex scale is I believe a DSP effect in the NX - it can be increased / decreased and turned off.

Thanks for this answer



but isn't there the piano designer for the others that let me turn of the Duplex scale ?

Some SN DPs don't have all the features.

For instance, the FP-4F doesn't have duplex scale (did a quick search in the pdf manual), though the FP-7F and HP507 both do - you can adjust it and also turn it off.

any demos on SN sound with duplex off and duplex on that can be compared ? What means that on the sound if duplex is off, is there then a substitute for the duplex scale as in a real piano ?

It adds a fairly subtle "springy" sounding to the upper notes played staccato. I leave it turned way down as the sound is springy enough.

Thanks for this answer. If I can conclude, then Duplex on/off doesn't effect the sound for the middle notes and at least when played w/o staccato. May be then I have a general problem with the springy sound type of Roland Piano's, which can't be switched off.

It's most obvious on the upper notes, but it's applied to all.


It can be "switched off" if you have the RD-700NX by pressing the "Studio Grand" button. A less springy sounding sample set.

Huh? What does that mean?

The default SN piano voice gets kind of twangy and strident when you bang on it.