NAMM 2010 Roland news part two: pianos and more
| Posted in Music Technology
‘Supernatural’ is the watchword on the Roland booth at NAMM 2010 today, as the manufacturer reveals its HP-Series Supernatural Pianos to visitors, alongside the Supernatural Piano Kit upgrade for the RD-700GX digital stage piano.
According to Roland, the HP-Series, comprising the HP-307, HP-305, and HP-302 models, combines technology derived from the V-Piano with the manufacturer’s multi-sampling know-how to deliver the “unique sound, expressivity, and rich playing experience of a traditional acoustic grand piano”.
All of this is contained within a new sound engine – the aforementioned Supernatural – which can reportedly produce a performance capable of making an acoustic grand nervous, offering features such as seamless variations in tone , long-lingering decaying sounds which fade naturally, and highly authentic note-to-note transitions. Crucially, the pianos also boast realistic hammer mechanisms built in to their respective keyboards, which are designed to reflect the nuances of the player’s technique.
Meanwhile, the Supernatural Piano Kit comprises a dedicated expansion board and USB key to update the operating system of an RD-700GX, effectively giving the stage piano a Supernatural shot in the arm. Roland claims that following the upgrade “every detail of the playability of an acoustic piano’s sound is reproduced”. The upgrade also delivers 17 new Supernatural piano sounds that have been specially designed for the RD-700GX.
Adding to the list of upgrades is a comprehensive V-Piano update named Evolution, which brings two new Vintage and Vanguard piano models to the one year old, COSM-using range.
The new Vintage models are Vertical, which has been designed to faithfully reproduce the sound of a warm upright, and V1 Impactannce, which emulates a vintage piano with heavier hammer than normal, providing more power and energy in the sound. Within the Vanguard grouping, Triple Large delivers the sound of an extended piano body with triple copper-wrapped strings, and Metallic SB recreates the effect of a soundboard with both metal and wood elements.
Beginners wanting to invest in Roland’s stage piano range shouldn’t feel left out either – the Japanese manufacturer has announced the 88-key RP-201 as an entry-level introduction keyboard, emulating the performance of a grand. Boasting a PHA alpha II keyboard, the piano’s voice can be fine-tuned with three resonance settings, and the piano is equipped with an onboard stereo speaker system plus three integrated pedals.
Finally, keyboard players wanting to add a little more oomph to their performances can now opt for the KC-110 stereo keyboard amplifier, the latest addition to the KC series of keyboard amps. Delivering 30 Watts from two 6.5″ woofers and two tweeters, the amplifier represents a world first as the only cabinet of its type to be powered by either by AC or eight AA batteries. Other feature include a multi-channel mixer with mic/line input, two stereo inputs and two aux ins, plus onboard digital stereo effects.
About Barney Jameson
A contributor, editor and in some cases creator of more music and pro audio magazines than he cares to remember, Barney Jameson is a veteran of writing about gear, and a pretty keen singer songwriter to boot.
Having started his musical education reading old copies of the Melody Maker while riding the tube to University in the mid-nineties, Barney once sang in a band called Sugarstone, troubling record company chequebooks not quite enough to make it a career option. Instead, he achieved his goal of starting a music magazine of his own when he founded Playmusic in the early noughties. Later on, having exploited VIP access to as many festivals as possible, he wrote about the pro audio industry throughout Europe and the Middle East, travelling to far-flung destinations such as Dubai, Doha and Muscat (nice mountains).
As the latest addition to the DV247 team, Barney has big plans. But when he’s not plotting online domination of the musical instrument world, he keeps himself busy writing songs on a battered old acoustic guitar and playing them to audiences in his home town.
Tags: NAMM 2010, Roland V-Piano, Supernatural Pianos