Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards How about a 64 key piano ... ? Rolands new RD-64

No MIDI in socket? It has a USB connector, and I am pretty sure that this is good for MIDI in.

Maybe they were finally able to knock a bit of sense into their dopy joystick real estate department, but too late to actually put something useful (like, oh I don't know, keys maybe?) down there instead.

I like the bass end like a real piano, needs 76 keys though.

I agree that controls on the left eliminates some of the "advantage" of having a 64-key weighted board, but it was presumably pre-determined by the design of the A-88 from which it looks to have been physically derived.

Roland's controller setups are some of the best I've used. These aren't really being built with the piano player in mind. They are geared toward keyboard players who need the controls to be in a practical place that is accessible while playing. I don't like it when modulation controls are placed on top of the keybed.

If that's right (as it seems to be), the elimination of 14 white keys from the A-88 chassis should make the width of this new Roland about 44 inches. Here are the specs on the A-88:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/A88

By contrast, the width of the NP-11 is about 41 inches:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/NP11

.

I can see one of these on the bottom tier, with the new VR-09 organ on the top tier being a popular gigging rig. Between the two of them you have all the bread and butter requirements for a cover band.

+1

Sixty four keys with A at the bottom? I think I can see why. Hit the octave shift button on the panel and you have the same familiar array as on a piano. The lowest C, Eflat , G are right where you expect them to be.

Interesting product; but being longer than necessary and thus exceeding the ATA limit of 62 inches (when put into a travel case), as well as starting on A instead of F, make this a deal-breaker for me.

I am on my third Roland (FP-7F), and would really love to see them make a truly travel-friendly keyboard with weighted keys and a classically oriented 5-octave compass (F-F). If they had repositioned the controls to the top, they could have accommodated a few more keys (F-C, 68 keys) and still keep it short enough to fit into an ATA case smaller than 62 total inches.

Guess I'll keep wishing.

Yes, with octave shift, at the bottom, it exactly matches the bottom of a piano (A), and at the top, it exactly matches the top of a piano (C). It's also the same span as the Wurlitzer electric piano. The 76 (+1) key VAX is also basically A to C. It means that every note of the piano's 88 is available within two octave settings. Any other set of 76 notes would require three settings to cover all 88 keys. Likewise with the Roland, you can go up or down an octave from standard, and reach all 88 notes. Anything other than A-to-C, you would need a fourth octave setting to reach the last notes.

Makes perfect sense when you put It like that

This is the problem, again and again.

Needn't be so.

Can it really be so difficult to make a shorter version of an FP-7F, with keys running out to both ends and controls at the top?

This is how you do it: start with a 62-inch travel case (say, 44 x 12 x 6) and design a keyboard with as many keys as will fit into it. Make it as high quality as the full-size boards, with weighted keys and great piano sounds. It would weigh about 25 lbs, less than 40 lbs. in its case, and would be the only product on the market that could be advertised as a travel-friendly piano.

Even better, design a dedicated case that could easily be converted into a stand, flip it over and set the piano on top and design some retractable legs into the case. Make the whole package under 50 lbs. and 62 inches. Sell a bunch, I just know you would.

I keep hoping.

I can guarantee that you'd sell at least one!

On the ATA issue, I believe this Roland fits into some hardshell cases designed for 61-key controllers. I do not know whether those cases meet the ATA standards.

I own just such a case, an SKB hardshell with wheels, designed for 61-key controllers. Unfortunately, it measures 45 x 18 x 7, for a total of 70 inches.

Again, one only needs to start with a case of maximum dimensions, then design the keyboard with maximum number of keys to fit in said case. Elementary.

Even better, build the DP into the flight case. They used to do this sort of thing, not sure why they don't anymore - like everything else DP I suppose it makes too much sense.

A short version of an FP-74 still wouldn't weight 25 lbs. At 88 keys, its 53 pounds. So you'd probably have to get down to around a minuscule 44 keys to get to that 25 lb range. But as for lighter weight boards, it is a shame that they built the RD-64 around the A-88 foundation (with controls on the left) instead of the FP-4F foundation (with controls behind). But in terms of re-purposing existing designs, functionally/electronically, the A-88 had the controller functionality, so you can see where that choice came from. So I guess then the argument could be made that, even for the A-88, they should have designed it with the controls behind. After all, that board is arguably annoyingly long for what it is as well! Maybe for some reason, it was just cheaper to manufacture that way, with a short control panel to the left of the keys instead of a long narrow control panel behind.

I agree with all of that. The shorter 'board should be a shortened FP-4, not an FP-7. Whatever the rationale for putting the controls to the left, doing so lost them at least one sale.

Dewster, making the keyboard integral with the case would be a great way to maximize its size. Just want it to include some fold-down legs so the whole thing is a usable package. No use having a travel piano if you have no stand to set it up on.

Yes. There seems to be a lot of that going around: forget what consumers' needs are, just build it at the highest possible profit margin.

+1

One small step in the right direction is the announcement of the Studiologic Acuna73. But not in the same league (2 sensor controller only; TP100 Fatar keybed with a little short keys).
But very light, seems right priced and focused on an interface as a control device right. (But not generic, iPad support only).already on sale (in Italy)?