Comments on: Roland’s Terrifyingly Ugly Mega-Keyboard: Roland E-80 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/ The latest gear, software, and techniques for electronic music production and performance Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:58:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: E20-E30-E70-E86-E80 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-537892 E20-E30-E70-E86-E80 Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:02:18 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-537892 Roland have pretty much had the high end arranger market to themselves - in Europe, at any rate - since the debut of the E20 in the late eighties. Since then Yamaha, Technics, Ketron et al have all produced fine instruments in the segment, but none of them have ever had the "pro" feel of Roland's boards. The E80 is the latest in this long line, and shares many of the hallmarks of its progenitors, not least that genuinely giggable robustness and solidity their competitors either can't - or, being more focused on the home-user, won't - match. If you can find one, try one, and audition it without prejudice. You won't be disappointed. Roland have pretty much had the high end arranger market to themselves - in Europe, at any rate - since the debut of the E20 in the late eighties. Since then Yamaha, Technics, Ketron et al have all produced fine instruments in the segment, but none of them have ever had the “pro” feel of Roland’s boards. The E80 is the latest in this long line, and shares many of the hallmarks of its progenitors, not least that genuinely giggable robustness and solidity their competitors either can’t - or, being more focused on the home-user, won’t - match. If you can find one, try one, and audition it without prejudice. You won’t be disappointed.

]]> By: KeyPlayer http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-340497 KeyPlayer Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:19:25 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-340497 Impressive , most impressiveThe force is with this young one, and soon the E-80 will rule the galaxy,both as father and son. It`s that big , if the key-bed is right, this could be the end for the Yamaha Empire.All hope now lie with the owning of one of these monsters.Well, at least we had Paris. Impressive , most impressiveThe force is with this young one, and soon the E-80 will rule the galaxy,both as father and son. It`s that big , if the key-bed is right, this could be the end for the Yamaha Empire.All hope now lie with the owning of one of these monsters.Well, at least we had Paris.

]]> By: ex roland va7 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-296446 ex roland va7 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 23:46:19 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-296446 i luv the bugger..its gonna earn me sum cash..i aint no bedroom guitarist lol i luv the bugger..its gonna earn me sum cash..i aint no bedroom guitarist lol

]]> By: Bob Spurlock http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-293113 Bob Spurlock Thu, 25 Oct 2007 02:08:10 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-293113 I actually saw tyhis keyboard at the January 07 NAMM show in Anahiem CA . This this E80 is unbelievable. I watched the Demonstration and then got to get explanations in person. I'm in the sound business and the E80 is very impresive. Bob S. I actually saw tyhis keyboard at the January 07 NAMM show in Anahiem CA .
This this E80 is unbelievable. I watched the Demonstration and then got to get explanations in person.
I’m in the sound business and the E80 is very impresive. Bob S.

]]> By: Larry http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-263188 Larry Wed, 12 Sep 2007 11:30:19 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-263188 The original review was just plain dumb. If you reread it, Peter was trying very hard to rip the -80, without much success. Ugly is about all he could come up with? In my opinion, it looks like, well...surprise...an arranger keyboard! Imagine that? Who says they have to be 'pretty'? Who WANTS pretty? Synths and Arrangers have NEVER been pretty. Go back to the 70's and 80's and take a look at those synths...yikes talk about ugly. An advantage of having a guitar on board? mmmm, maybe it's an ARRANGER workstation, and that's what they do...have many sampled sounds, including...another surprise a Guitar! Who would have thought?!?! I could go on and on with his ridiculous review, but I suspect, he never even played an E-80, let alone seen one up close and personal. So if Peter ever inherits an E-80 keyboard, I'm sure he'll want to get rid of the ugly beast. Any takers? Anyway...Thanks for your review, and you asked for fireback. :) Larry The original review was just plain dumb. If you reread it, Peter was trying very hard to rip the -80, without much success.

Ugly is about all he could come up with? In my opinion, it looks like, well…surprise…an arranger keyboard! Imagine that?
Who says they have to be ‘pretty’? Who WANTS pretty?
Synths and Arrangers have NEVER been pretty. Go back to the 70’s and 80’s and take a look at those synths…yikes talk about ugly.

An advantage of having a guitar on board? mmmm, maybe it’s an ARRANGER workstation, and that’s what they do…have many sampled sounds, including…another surprise a Guitar! Who would have thought?!?!

I could go on and on with his ridiculous review, but I suspect, he never even played an E-80, let alone seen one up close and personal.

So if Peter ever inherits an E-80 keyboard, I’m sure he’ll want to get rid of the ugly beast. Any takers?

Anyway…Thanks for your review, and you asked for fireback.

:)
Larry

]]> By: Stephen http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-262558 Stephen Tue, 11 Sep 2007 16:18:02 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-262558 The sounds are amazing I use a Roland G-70 in my studio but it doesn't have the easy play features that some home owners prefer. The E-80 seems to be all the G-70 is plus features that make it easier for more people to enjoy. I see no reason to get rid of the single joystick for pitch and modulation changes most type systems do the job at hand one just needs to practice a little more to become good at it. The sounds are amazing I use a Roland G-70 in my studio but it doesn’t have the easy play features that some home owners prefer. The E-80 seems to be all the G-70 is plus features that make it easier for more people to enjoy.
I see no reason to get rid of the single joystick for pitch and modulation changes most type systems do the job at hand one just needs to practice a little more to become good at it.

]]> By: Adam http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-112928 Adam Sat, 03 Feb 2007 15:19:29 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-112928 According to an advertisement I got through in the mail, the design was by a "top Italian design studio". I wonder which one would own up to that? According to an advertisement I got through in the mail, the design was by a “top Italian design studio”. I wonder which one would own up to that?

]]> By: Gerry http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-110281 Gerry Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:24:30 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-110281 Glad to read the above comments as we've been in the market for one of these newer 'Arranger Workstations'. My wife & I have performed as a Duo for the past 20 years with one of the 1st Roland Intelligent Keyboards, the E-30 as a basic band. It is quite limited by todays standards, but the settings we have chosen and put into one touch settings that are crowd pleasers. Happy they are with our 20 different theme shows like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. The crowd loves it when the Mad Hatter does Ray Chales' What'd I Say and 'Alice' wanders out to them with her cordless mic to make them duck, not to be caught in the act. I have got so used to the keyboard that playing it with my left hand is like driving the car, (sometimes there is an accident too..). The right hand plays a Roland D-50, again 1980's technology, but great sounds, especially the Screamin' B3 settings. I'm thinking, if we got so much mileage out of those 2 dinasaurs, updating now will be our last in a long history of keyboards dating back to the '60s. BUT, is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks??? So I've today purchased a Yamaha PSR2000 at a modest price on eBay to see if we can update our show with some of it's features. The vocal harmony should fit into our comedy routine, as well as some improved styles & voices. (I hope they are better, 20 years later). I have a Roland R-8m that could do the drums triggered by the PSR if the drum sounds suck. If it doesn't fit, it can always go back on eBay so that shareholders make more money, over and over again. If it sounds good, we may try a 2007 model of some sort. A huge issue for us now is weight!!! At near 50 pounds with carrying case, the E-80 is far too heavy for us. 35 pounds is max for a cripple with a partially severed S-1 nerve gouged by heavy equipment. Gone are the days of straining with the B-3's and Leslies up and down fire escapes, without a roadie. Best regards, Gerry & Cathy Glad to read the above comments as we’ve been in the market for one of these newer ‘Arranger Workstations’.

My wife & I have performed as a Duo for the past 20 years with one of the 1st Roland Intelligent Keyboards, the E-30 as a basic band. It is quite limited by todays standards, but the settings we have chosen and put into one touch settings that are crowd pleasers. Happy they are with our 20 different theme shows like the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. The crowd loves it when the Mad Hatter does Ray Chales’ What’d I Say and ‘Alice’ wanders out to them with her cordless mic to make them duck, not to be caught in the act. I have got so used to the keyboard that playing it with my left hand is like driving the car, (sometimes there is an accident too..). The right hand plays a Roland D-50, again 1980’s technology, but great sounds, especially the Screamin’ B3 settings. I’m thinking, if we got so much mileage out of those 2 dinasaurs, updating now will be our last in a long history of keyboards dating back to the ’60s.
BUT, is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks???
So I’ve today purchased a Yamaha PSR2000 at a modest price on eBay to see if we can update our show with some of it’s features. The vocal harmony should fit into our comedy routine, as well as some improved styles & voices. (I hope they are better, 20 years later). I have a Roland R-8m that could do the drums triggered by the PSR if the drum sounds suck. If it doesn’t fit, it can always go back on eBay so that shareholders make more money, over and over again.

If it sounds good, we may try a 2007 model of some sort. A huge issue for us now is weight!!! At near 50 pounds with carrying case, the E-80 is far too heavy for us. 35 pounds is max for a cripple with a partially severed S-1 nerve gouged by heavy equipment. Gone are the days of straining with the B-3’s and Leslies up and down fire escapes, without a roadie.

Best regards,
Gerry & Cathy

]]> By: Ron http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-89533 Ron Sat, 30 Dec 2006 21:58:47 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-89533 The most important to me is not how it looks but how it sounds..... How is the sound? good piano??? The most important to me is not how it looks but how it sounds….. How is the sound? good piano???

]]> By: maximegb http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-51899 maximegb Tue, 14 Nov 2006 14:45:40 +0000 http://createdigitalmusic.com/2006/10/03/rolands-terrifyingly-ugly-mega-keyboard-roland-e-80/#comment-51899 There are just 2 or 3 useless things, like the floppy drive. If only the <a href="http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMDGX450" rel="nofollow">PSR-450 </a>came with an USB stick host ! <i>The PSR-450 has a 3.5-inch disk drive with the ability to read and write Standard MIDI Files (SMF), which is still the choice of many professionals and teachers due to the low cost of data storage and exchange. MIDI files are small and one floppy disk can actually store many song files. In addition, floppy disks cost a fraction of what other forms of data storage, like SmartMedia or a thumb drive, cost. In addition, many professionally-made MIDI song files, education software with music, and style disks from the Internet are in floppy disk format.</i> No floppy drive, please ! There are just 2 or 3 useless things, like the floppy drive.

If only the PSR-450 came with an USB stick host !

The PSR-450 has a 3.5-inch disk drive with the ability to read and write Standard MIDI Files (SMF), which is still the choice of many professionals and teachers due to the low cost of data storage and exchange. MIDI files are small and one floppy disk can actually store many song files. In addition, floppy disks cost a fraction of what other forms of data storage, like SmartMedia or a thumb drive, cost. In addition, many professionally-made MIDI song files, education software with music, and style disks from the Internet are in floppy disk format.
No floppy drive, please !

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