RD-600 piano sounds
Luis Garrido Valencia
Well, after a couple of weeks with my new RD-600 I have to admit that it
doesn't sound as good as it looked at the shop.
One can easily detect when the synths changes the sample used to generate
the tone (usually every 5-6 semitones). None of the pianos sound
satisfactory. I specially dislike the samples used at St. Concert 1, 2 & 3
around C5 key zone.
All that ROM used to store 32 piano flavors, and none of them is OK!
Wouldn't it have been better to make a couple of real good pianos, sampling
every single note, that to provide 32 regular to awful patches?
Anyway, I still think that action is close enough to a piano and the
velocity sensitivity (even changing tone color some way) is realistic enough
to be an accoustic piano complement (providing silent practise and
portability). And still think that (having not tried P200, but I don't use
to like the Yamaha sound) is the digital I like the best in the market.
Anyone has improved the sounds using the envelope editor and/or the effects
built in? I remember to have seen a posting about it, but I searched
exhaustively dejanews (RD600, RD-600, Roland, patch, St. Concert) and didn't
find it back. Wished there was an archive to this newsgroup.
OK, thanks for your attention. Very best regards, Luis.
Almida
>doesn't sound as good as it looked at the shop.
This sounds really familiar. I've been throwing away money on keyboards since
the DX-7 came out and I always hate them eventually. Some as soon as a couple
of weeks. I remember buying a Roland piano module (I think it was the MK-20)
and at the first gig I used it on, the bass play looked at me funny and said
"what kind of patch are you using?" I had just spent $1500 on a piano that
didn't sound like a piano.
Have you played with other instruments? In the context of a group, I'm
wondering how the RD-600 sounds. Especially with an acoustic bass (duo or
trio). This is usually where I really hate these pianos. I am still
considering buying the RD or the A-90 and would love to know if people are
satisfied (and feeling musical/pianistic) with these boards.
Mitch
pianoman
Almida wrote in message <199809092054...@ladder03.news.aol.com>...
>>Well, after a couple of weeks with my new RD-600 I have to admit that it
>>doesn't sound as good as it looked at the shop.
I am still
>considering buying the RD or the A-90 and would love to know if people are
>satisfied (and feeling musical/pianistic) with these boards.
For what it's worth, I really like the "Nice Piano" that shows up in the
XP-80. I've used it several times to record, without really altering it at
all (other than to kill the reverb). On my last project (a church "Praise
and Worship" CD) I kept switching back and forth between the Roland, and the
expansion piano in my Kurzweil K2500R. I also like the Nice Piano live.
Guess it's a matter of opinion, and the actual application. In the context
of a band, it's not so critical - the funky sample switching is covered by
the band. I haven't really test driven the new RD600 yet, other than to hit
a couple of chords on the Rhodes sound. Whoa! Much better than I expected.
So nice, in fact, that I started missing my old 73 key stage piano, and
asked the store manager to keep an eye out for one!
pianoman
Victor Levy
since
as a couple
>of weeks.
Although I have never heard it, the Perfect Piano Series sample library by
William Coakley (see http://www.williamcoakley.com/) is supposed to have
very good (some might say the best) piano sounds, including a sampled
Fazioli mega-grand. You have to have a sampler or the Ensoniq ZR-76
keyboard to use it. From Keyboard Magazine, August 1998 edition, p. 80: "If
you don't buy the ZR-76 for the songwriting tools, then you probably want it
to play William Coakley's 'Perfect Piano' samples..."
Regards, Vic
--
Victor Levy, South Bend, Indiana, USA
XXv...@skyenet.netXX <- Remove XXs for correct address
Almida wrote in message <199809092054...@ladder03.news.aol.com>...
>>Well, after a couple of weeks with my new RD-600 I have to admit that it
>>doesn't sound as good as it looked at the shop.
>
>This sounds really familiar. I've been throwing away money on keyboards
since
>the DX-7 came out and I always hate them eventually. Some as soon as a
couple
>of weeks. I remember buying a Roland piano module (I think it was the
MK-20)
>and at the first gig I used it on, the bass play looked at me funny and
said
>"what kind of patch are you using?" I had just spent $1500 on a piano
that
>didn't sound like a piano.
>
>Have you played with other instruments? In the context of a group, I'm
>wondering how the RD-600 sounds. Especially with an acoustic bass (duo or
>trio). This is usually where I really hate these pianos. I am still
>considering buying the RD or the A-90 and would love to know if people are
>satisfied (and feeling musical/pianistic) with these boards.
>
>
>Mitch
ALOTAWATTS
heavy. Almost an overkill for simulating weighted keys.
Just my 2bits
Bob Cardone
>>Well, after a couple of weeks with my new RD-600 I have to admit that it
>>doesn't sound as good as it looked at the shop.
>
>This sounds really familiar. I've been throwing away money on keyboards since
>the DX-7 came out and I always hate them eventually. Some as soon as a couple
>of weeks. I remember buying a Roland piano module (I think it was the MK-20)
>and at the first gig I used it on, the bass play looked at me funny and said
>"what kind of patch are you using?" I had just spent $1500 on a piano that
>didn't sound like a piano.
>
>Have you played with other instruments? In the context of a group, I'm
>wondering how the RD-600 sounds. Especially with an acoustic bass (duo or
>trio). This is usually where I really hate these pianos. I am still
>considering buying the RD or the A-90 and would love to know if people are
>satisfied (and feeling musical/pianistic) with these boards.
>
>
>Mitch
While not perfect, I get nothing but complements on the job with my
RD-600. It is probably the best of the digital piano types. Compared
to some of the other ( Kurzweils etc..) it is a clear winner.
Bob Cardone
Almida
and RD-600 piano's?
Mitch
Bob Cardone
Jay1Bala
Let me add this to that thread. I have been looking for the BEST 88 key Digital
Piano for Grand sound... primarily for the grand piano sound and secondly for
the honest to goodness hammer action. I used a VERY high quality head phone to
try all of them, Sennhiser HD600, to mailtain consistency in tonal
charecteristics in reproduction of sound quality.
The folowing are the onces I have tried and LIKED:
Kurzweil PC88MX, 2500x
Roland HP555G, 730, RD600, 90AX
General music Pro2
Yet to TRY:
Korg SGproX
Fatar Studio Logic SL880
Kwai MP9000
Those I clearly DISLIKED:
Yamaha P200 (for that I dislike thin bright sound... that all, besides its a
great unit)
Techics home models (they are good, but bettered by the Roland 730)
Kurzweil home models: Mark 12, 10 etc.
Korg home models.
I would like your openion on these units and others I have mentioned.
Thanks,
Jay Bala.
Luis Garrido Valencia
As I said before, I chose RD600 the best combination of action, sound (the
two main concerns), portability, robustness and price (I specially disliked
Technics' bouncy action and Yamaha's bright sounds).
... but, as an electronic engineer, I'd have devoted the whole 24 (?) MB ROM
to a great piano sound (sampling each and every note at ten different
speeds, at different sustain pedal positions...) Well, maybe ten different
piano sounds to provide some option (Steinway, Yamaha, Boessendorfer...).
I'd rather have few terrific sounds than lots of mediocre noises. Among
RD600's bell and whists, I only find useful the equalizer (the envelope
edition is too limited, the sounds are not too much satisfying and I don't
like very much effects -other than for playing five minutes).
Just an opinion. Do modules like Alesis Nanopiano cover that bases? I didn't
tried piano specific modules, but keep rather skeptic.
Best regards, Luis.
pTooner
Jay1Bala wrote:
> Hi Folks,
>
> Let me add this to that thread. I have been looking for the BEST 88 key Digital
> Piano for Grand sound... primarily for the grand piano sound and secondly for
> the honest to goodness hammer action. I used a VERY high quality head phone to
> try all of them, Sennhiser HD600, to mailtain consistency in tonal
> charecteristics in reproduction of sound quality.
That is probably a good idea if you intend to play them through headphones.
Otherwise, it may not show you what you want to hear. I tried what you suggest
side by side with a Yamaha P200 and a Roland RD600. Through headphones I gave a
slight edge to the Yamaha. Through the same mixer and speakers the advantage was
clearly to the Roland.
>
>
> The folowing are the onces I have tried and LIKED:
> Kurzweil PC88MX, 2500x
I found all the Kurzweil's very thin and "clanky".
> Roland HP555G, 730, RD600, 90AX
> General music Pro2
I liked all of these.
>
>
> Yet to TRY:
> Korg SGproX
Very synthetic piano. Other sounds were excellent. The N1 is nearly identical for
less money.
> Fatar Studio Logic SL880
> Kwai MP9000
Never heard these.
>
>
> Those I clearly DISLIKED:
> Yamaha P200 (for that I dislike thin bright sound... that all, besides its a
> great unit)
I think it is second only to the Roland.
> Techics home models (they are good, but bettered by the Roland 730)
> Kurzweil home models: Mark 12, 10 etc.
> Korg home models.
Agree with these.
>
>
> I would like your openion on these units and others I have mentioned.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jay Bala.
There you have itGerry
pTooner
Luis Garrido Valencia wrote:
The Alesis Nanopiano and their QS8 can be tweaked up to produce a pretty good
piano. Right out of the box they are all attack and no sustain - rather like
Kurzweil.
Gerry
Don
>
>As I said before, I chose RD600 the best combination of action, sound (the
>two main concerns), portability, robustness and price (I specially disliked
>Technics' bouncy action and Yamaha's bright sounds).
>
>... but, as an electronic engineer, I'd have devoted the whole 24 (?) MB ROM
>to a great piano sound (sampling each and every note at ten different
>speeds, at different sustain pedal positions...) Well, maybe ten different
>piano sounds to provide some option (Steinway, Yamaha, Boessendorfer...).
>
>I'd rather have few terrific sounds than lots of mediocre noises. Among
>RD600's bell and whists, I only find useful the equalizer (the envelope
>edition is too limited, the sounds are not too much satisfying and I don't
>like very much effects -other than for playing five minutes).
>
>Just an opinion. Do modules like Alesis Nanopiano cover that bases? I didn't
>tried piano specific modules, but keep rather skeptic.
>
>Best regards, Luis.
>
>
I have not seen any of the modules which would pass as a real piano in
a solo situation. I bought a MicroPiano thinking that would be the
one. NOPE...It is nice for some of the other sounds but does not pass
on it's on as a solo piano sound.
The best I have found is the Wersi digital piano. I understand that
Yamaha makes one which is close but I haven't tried it out yet.
I have had several classical-type friends over to play my Wersi. I
would give them the headphones, have them close their eyes and play.
After one or two minutes, they each wanted to buy the thing from me.
It is the only digital piano which I would record with!
D*
Recently described as:
"piano-bar-church music director-conductor-funeral pianist."
------------------------------------------------------------
www.calldon.com/shadow.htm
Remembering Shadow
July 1984 - November 13, 1997
A Tribute To The Sweetest, Most Perfect Dog In Heaven