April 4, 2018

RD-2000 Version 1.50 Update Now Available

Jim Bybee [Roland US] Product News, Tips & Tricks acoustic grand, Apple MainStage, B3, clavinet, D-50, EP, grand piano, Hammond, JUNO, jupiter, keyboard controller, keyboards, Leslie, Mainstage, MIDI Controller, Organ, Piano, recording, Rhodes, Stage Piano, Synth, Synthesizer, upright piano, Wurlitzer

New Sounds and Features Added to Roland’s Flagship Stage Piano

Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano with optional KS-G8B stand.

Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano with included damper pedal and optional KS-G8B stand.

Equipped with dual sound engines, Roland’s finest hammer-action keyboard, and a vast array of master controller features, the RD-2000 is the instrument of choice for top touring pros around the world. The recent Version 1.50 firmware update makes our flagship stage piano even more powerful, adding seven new grand piano sounds, a new rotary effect, and various performance enhancements requested by RD users. It also adds compatibility for two all-new sound expansion collections, which are available for free at Roland’s Axial website.

January 18, 2017

New Product: Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano

Jim Bybee [Roland US] Product News AIRA, controller, DAW, electric piano, grand piano, keyboards, Mainstage, MIDI, Organ, Piano, recording, soft synth, SuperNATURAL, Synth, Synthesizer, USB audio, USB MIDI, V-Piano, VST

The Most Powerful RD Stage Piano to Date

Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano.

For 30-plus years, Roland’s RD-series instruments have been the world’s leading stage pianos, used by everyone from local nightclub musicians to arena-level megastars. Just introduced at the 2017 Winter NAMM Show, the Roland RD-2000 takes the series to an all-new level, combining three decades of piano research and advanced controller features into one amazingly powerful and versatile instrument. Simply put, the RD-2000 is our best stage piano ever, and you really need to check it out! Read on to find out more about the latest evolution of the historic RD series.

April 28, 2016

Roland at the 4th Annual ACM Party for a Cause Festival

Jim Bybee [Roland US] Artists, Industry ACM, amplifier, boss, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, drums, guitar, Jana Kramer, Kenny Chesney, keyboards, Luke Bryan, Organ, Piano, recording, Sam Hunt, Stompbox, Swon Brothers, Synthesizer, V-Piano, vocals

A Fun Time for All at Roland’s Backstage Artist Lounge

ACM_Marquee1 Roland and BOSS had a blast at our backstage artist lounge and gear “petting zoo” at the Academy of Country Music’s 4th Annual ACM Party for a Cause Festival. The three-day, two-stage charitable event in Las Vegas attracted nearly 50,000 music fans who enjoyed more than 30 acts from country music’s top names. This year, the festival took place April 1-3 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, and featured many top-tier acts plus full headline sets from Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, and Kenny Chesney. The weekend led up to the 51st Academy of Country Music Awards, which included Sam Hunt singing his hit “Make You Miss Me” while playing a custom-prepared white Roland V-Piano Grand.

September 15, 2015

New Products: JUNO-DS88 and JUNO-DS61 Synthesizers

Jim Bybee [Roland US] Product News 88-note, battery powered, EP, hammer action, JUNO, juno-di, Organ, Piano, portable keyboard, Synth, weighted keys

Portable, Powerful, and Expandable

JUNO-DS88 (top) and JUNO-DS61 Synthesizers.

Roland has just launched the JUNO-DS series, the latest evolution of the popular JUNO line. Offered in two different models—the JUNO-DS88 and JUNO-DS61—these impressive new instruments are filled with updated sounds and many enhanced features. Like all JUNO synths, they’re easy to use and deliver incredible value, putting top-level performance within the reach of everyone from working pros to casual hobbyists. The JUNO-DS61 comes with the familiar 61-note synth-action keyboard, while the JUNO-DS88 is equipped with 88 weighted-action keys, a first in the long history of the JUNO series. Aside from their keyboards, the two synths have identical feature sets.

March 31, 2014

Create Your Own Piano Tone

Jim Bybee [Roland US] Tips & Tricks keyboards, Organ, Piano, SuperNATURAL, Synth 6 Comments

A Closer Look at the RD-800 Digital Piano: Part 1

Author: Jay Gough (Roland Canada)

As a lifelong piano player, I’m pretty picky about my piano tone and feel. So, when we received our first RD-800 Stage Piano back in the middle of November 2013, I was curious how it would stack up to its great predecessor, the RD-700NX. More

January 17, 2014

New RD-800 Stage Piano

Jim Bybee [Roland US] Product News keyboards, Organ, Piano, Stage Piano, SuperNATURAL Piano, Synth 3 Comments

The Ultimate Keyboard for Gigging Players

RD-800 Stage Piano

With the RD-800 Stage Piano, Roland takes the long-running RD series into a new realm of sound, feel, and versatility. Delivering flagship performance all the way around, this impressive instrument features Roland’s best acoustic and electric piano sounds, the latest top-of-the-line weighted keyboard action, and a vast range of additional tones for flexibility in every performing situation. The RD-800 also includes an all-new interface for maximum control on stage, great effects for enhancing sounds, and a sleek new body design that’s lighter and easier to transport than previous generations. More

August 20, 2013

Making Music with Organ Drawbars in the 21st Century

Roland U.S. Tips & Tricks ipad, keyboards, Organ, V-Combo, VR-09 0 Comments

The VR-09’s iPad Editor Enhances Playability

V-COMBO VR-09 Organ Drawbars

Roland’s renowned SuperNATURAL® technology powers the V-Combo VR-09’s classic tone wheel organs, while nine harmonic bars provide authentic, instantaneous performance control.

Promotion: Summertime Savings

Because of the almost infinite range of tone provided via the drawbars, the organ can greatly enhance the flavor of your music. You can find a sound that sets your playing or music apart from other bands with a little experimentation, and with the help of the VR-09 Editor for iPad, the job of finding just the right tone becomes easy. More

May 13, 2013

V-Combo VR-09 – Made for Live Playing

OV Valle [Roland US] Product News keyboards, Organ, Synth, VR-09 154 Comments

5 Practical Features of the V-Combo VR-09

V-Combo VR-09

The V-Combo VR-09 is designed from the ground up to be the ultimate keyboard for live players. It is designed with dedicated knobs, sliders and buttons that allow you to choose your instruments and also shape sounds quickly and painless without having to dig into menus. In the following videos our resident synth ninja, Ed Diaz dives into the VR-09’s synth section, splits, layers, piano, organ, drums and on board looper.

Update Your VR-09 to Version 1.03

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January 30, 2013

VR-09 Press Coverage at NAMM 2013

OV Valle [Roland US] Industry keyboards, namm 2013, Organ, Piano, Synth, V-Combo, VR-09 0 Comments

The V-COMBO VR-09 live performance keyboard debuted last week at Winter NAMM 2013 with great enthusiasm across social networks. Many questions were brought to the attention of Ed Diaz (our resident synth ninja), which he will address in the following weeks. In the meantime please check out this coverage of the VR-09 by Keyboard Magazine. Please note, these video recordings were taken from a live trade show environment. More

January 23, 2013

V-Combo VR-09 All-in-One Stage Keyboard

OV Valle [Roland US] Product News keyboards, namm, namm 2013, Organ, Piano, Synth, V-Combo, VR-09 5 Comments

The V-Combo VR-09 is an easy-to-transport rig for performing keyboard players, with dedicated piano, organ, and synth engines. It’s built around a single idea: playing live. Because you don’t need any distractions onstage, the V-Combo VR-09 is all about getting the exact sounds you need as quickly and simply as possible, with a well-organized panel layout and a ton of intuitive real-time controls. It also features USB song playback, onboard rhythms, battery-powered operation for mobile playing, and much more. More