Opinion About Roland Keyboards

[anotherscott]

I know there are more then excellent and quite expensive orchestration libraries for DAW but I was wondering if there is anything remotely usable from music keyboards? Every decent 88 workstation-synth is filled with at least 1000 sounds. Juno-DS with 1200 sounds. Are they any good for orchestration? Could top end workstations like Yamaha Montage, Korg Kronos or Roland Phantom handle this?

Remotely usable? Absolutely. Whether they meet the bar for you usage only you will know. But for example, one of the free expansions you can load into the DS is the EXP-10 Orchestra collection (same as the old SRX-06 COmplete Orchestra), check for demos of that. I haven't directly compared, but my guess is that Yamaha Montage/MODX (same sound set) would be even better, and probably Kronos too though that might require purchasing optional sound sets. I don't know whether Fantom has any better orchestral sounds, though you can also load in those same SRX sounds you can load into the DS.

 

[funkyman]

I have a few questions about Roland keyboards. BTW anyone using them on this forum?
Does anyone know what is their new model cycle?
Some keyboards are from 2012 like BK-5, the FS-06 is from 2014 and Juno DS from 2015. What strikes me is their steep price. The BK-5 is still going for 777 EUR on Thomann which is only few bucks from new Yamaha PSR-SX600 or "old" Korg Pa600 which looks much more competitive feature vise. Are they that good? Judging from the look they seems to be stuck in 80's design but I guess they compensate this with excellent sounds and build quality. Right?
I am worried if I decide to buy anything from Roland the new model will go on market the next day.
Finally what is your opinion about Juno-DS 88 synth compared to Yamaha MX88 or Korg Kross-2 88? Which one would you recommend?

Thanks for help.

I have owned Juno Ds88 and I would say its better than the mx88.It has more sounds better action and mx88 can't even run on batteries. I now own a RD 88 it's like a software with over 3000 sounds built into a keyboard and the action is the same high quality as the RD700

 

[3dc]

But for example, one of the free expansions you can load into the DS is the EXP-10 Orchestra collection (same as the old SRX-06 COmplete Orchestra), check for demos of that.

Thanks for advice! So I went to check this SRX Orchestra on Roland website and there I discovered that Roland put almost everything in Cloud service! Did you guys know that you can get all Roland legendary synths (VST) and libraries for 20 bucks/month?

D-50
TR-808
Juno-106
Jupiter-8
TR-909
JX-3P
TB-303
JV-1080
XV-5080
System-8
System-1
Promars
SH-101
SH-2
System-100
Sound Canvas
SRX Collection: 10 titles
Roland Cloud Concerto
Drum Studio - Acoustic One
Tera Collection: 2 titles
FLAVR Collection: 9 titles
Anthology Collection: 7 titles

So instead of Juno-DS 88 I could go with Roland A-88 MKII ( with MIDI 2.0 ) and Roland Cloud. So much options and music for so little!

 

[happyrat1]

Not exactly every Roland synth is up there. I notice the absence of the Integra 7 and the Fantom series.

One small detail worth noting though, is that Broadway Musical Theater has been using Kurzweil Workstations since the 90's. They consider Kurzweil to be an industry standard.

So if you're scoring Andrew Lloyd Weber tunes you might want to actually hunt one down and try it out.

Gary

 

[anotherscott]

Does this answer your question?

Pete Shaw Presents Orchestral Voices and Settings - Crowdcast

Pete Shaw live with the Korg Pa4X. Don't miss this tutorial.

www.crowdcast.io

PA4X, being an arranger, can do some fancy tricks with acoustic instrument sounds that are likely beyond the non-arranger boards he's mentioned.

 

[3dc]

Not exactly every Roland synth is up there. I notice the absence of the Integra 7 and the Fantom series.

One small detail worth noting though, is that Broadway Musical Theater has been using Kurzweil Workstations since the 90's. They consider Kurzweil to be an industry standard.

So if you're scoring Andrew Lloyd Weber tunes you might want to actually hunt one down and try it out.

Gary

I wouldn't be surprised if Roland offers Integra as software sampler in near future. Roland Fantom and top Kurzwell workstations are beyond my targeted use, skill level and budget. I was just curious if they can handle orchestration with their own sounds alone.

 

[anotherscott]

Not exactly every Roland synth is up there. I notice the absence of the Integra 7 and the Fantom series.

The cloud does include some Integra sounds, though, because, the XV5080 sounds and the SRX Collection are also in the Integra. But the Integra also includes it's own PCM sound set, the SuperNATURAL synth, and (probably most importantly) almost all of Roland's SuperNATURAL Acoustic tones.

The stock sounds that come in the Juno DS are mostly from the Fantom series (the X and G models, I believe).

 

[Biggles]

I wouldn't be surprised if Roland offers Integra as software sampler in near future. Roland Fantom and top Kurzwell workstations are beyond my targeted use, skill level and budget. I was just curious if they can handle orchestration with their own sounds alone.

Subscription based services will no doubt (in my mind at least) expand to cover far more than they presently do.

First Adobe, then Microsoft > now Roland

It makes business sense, why sell a one off $1000 pack of VST's when you can get punters to subscribe to a $500 pack at $20 a month with no end date of the subscription in sight.

 

[funkyman]

Thanks for advice! So I went to check this SRX Orchestra on Roland website and there I discovered that Roland put almost everything in Cloud service! Did you guys know that you can get all Roland legendary synths (VST) and libraries for 20 bucks/month?

D-50
TR-808
Juno-106
Jupiter-8
TR-909
JX-3P
TB-303
JV-1080
XV-5080
System-8
System-1
Promars
SH-101
SH-2
System-100
Sound Canvas
SRX Collection: 10 titles
Roland Cloud Concerto
Drum Studio - Acoustic One
Tera Collection: 2 titles
FLAVR Collection: 9 titles
Anthology Collection: 7 titles

So instead of Juno-DS 88 I could go with Roland A-88 MKII ( with MIDI 2.0 ) and Roland Cloud. So much options and music for so little!

So if you buy the RD88 you won't necessarily need any of those libraries almost all their sounds since the 1972 are built in .This Roland didn't come with

Thanks for advice! So I went to check this SRX Orchestra on Roland website and there I discovered that Roland put almost everything in Cloud service! Did you guys know that you can get all Roland legendary synths (VST) and libraries for 20 bucks/month?

D-50
TR-808
Juno-106
Jupiter-8
TR-909
JX-3P
TB-303
JV-1080
XV-5080
System-8
System-1
Promars
SH-101
SH-2
System-100
Sound Canvas
SRX Collection: 10 titles
Roland Cloud Concerto
Drum Studio - Acoustic One
Tera Collection: 2 titles
FLAVR Collection: 9 titles
Anthology Collection: 7 titles

So instead of Juno-DS 88 I could go with Roland A-88 MKII ( with MIDI 2.0 ) and Roland Cloud. So much options and music for so little!

İf you buy a RD 88 İt has all the sounds since 1972 including phenomenal orchestral sounds which the DS 88 HAD AS WELL but more.Hiowever what's extremely strange and peculiar is the fact that it doesn't have a music rest or one supplied Especially for a keyboard that is strongly promoted for cloud and tablet functionality and apps .İ mean how are you supposed to use an app if there is no rest What was roland thinking

 

[LisaL]

Thanks for advice! So I went to check this SRX Orchestra on Roland website and there I discovered that Roland put almost everything in Cloud service! Did you guys know that you can get all Roland legendary synths (VST) and libraries for 20 bucks/month?

D-50
TR-808
Juno-106
Jupiter-8
TR-909
JX-3P
TB-303
JV-1080
XV-5080
System-8
System-1
Promars
SH-101
SH-2
System-100
Sound Canvas
SRX Collection: 10 titles
Roland Cloud Concerto
Drum Studio - Acoustic One
Tera Collection: 2 titles
FLAVR Collection: 9 titles
Anthology Collection: 7 titles

So instead of Juno-DS 88 I could go with Roland A-88 MKII ( with MIDI 2.0 ) and Roland Cloud. So much options and music for so little!

I posted a question about this in another thread. do these sounds get loaded into your instrument or do they get loaded as a virtual instrument in a DAW?

 

[anotherscott]

DS88:
...the sounds from the axial page get loaded into the instrument.
...the sounds from the cloud can be played from your computer

RD88:
...many (but not all) the sounds from the cloud can be loaded into the instrument
...the rest can be played from your computer

Here's a page which shows which are available to be loaded into the RD88 (up to memory capacity)

Roland - Support - SDZ001 Crystal Mood - Support Documents

Support - SDZ001 Crystal Mood Support Documents

www.roland.com

 

[LisaL]

That’s interesting. Thank you. So really if you’re hooked up to a DAW you really have many more choices for sound. The Juno DS has so many sounds already but this is excellent.

 

[paulmapp8306]

I posted a question about this in another thread. do these sounds get loaded into your instrument or do they get loaded as a virtual instrument in a DAW?

DAW. Cloud is basically a VST.

Fantom doesnt do orchestral sounds very well. Its OK, but Roland still used 20 year old samples and while there OK, Montage and Kronos do it a LOT better.

Having said that, rather depends where you "bar" is. I had the FA07 before my Fantom, and all the orchestral sounds are the same. Theres nothing new. There is a lot more "control" functionality and the VA synth side is a lot better, but orchestral sounds havent changed.

For my money, the best bang for buck board for orchestral stuff is the ModX.... and I hate Yamaha..


If your in a studio environment only though, and not playing live.... Roland Cloud (Zenology) is really nice. The "models" are approx £150 for a lifetime key (for each) but you get them all for the £20 sub per month as well if you prefer. STILL, not the best for orchestral. GREAT for synth stuff.

 

[happyrat1]

 

[b3maniac]

DAW. Cloud is basically a VST.

" For my money, the best bang for buck board for orchestral stuff is the ModX.... and I hate Yamaha.."

I dislike the Yamaha user interfaces and OS structures, but that hasn't kept me from using quite a few different
Yamaha keyboards. I agree about the MODX orchestral voices, and would add that the Motif XF and MOXF series
also have great orchestral voices. I think the basic orchestral samples are probably the same in all of those boards.- Don

 

[eagleyes]

Hello. Couldn't help butt in. I own the Korg PA 700 and the Juno DS 88. I am a hobbyist, so don't really do too much stuff, but some points I'd like to mention:
1. The combination works really well. The Korg has speakers and the DS the awesome 88 keys, so I run the DS sound through the PA.
2. The arranger functions cannot be replicated on a synth / workstation (the KARMA on the Korgs comes close, but not quite) - you get the best of both worlds at a combined price MUCH lesser than the PA 4X 76 keys.
3. The piano expansion packs on the DS are really nice as are the orchestra - sounds like strings - the Indian rhythm section on the Korg is very impressive. Now add reasonable user multi sampling on both these keyboards.
4. Both of these combined gives me a great sing-along solution (both have mic in and vocal effects processing - I play and sing and with a midi track or youtube, it's better than Karaoke)
5. In a nutshell - buy both
6. Then buy the Fantom with OS 2.0