The guy demonstrating this keyboard is fantastic !He made this keyboard come alive for me. I feel this would be a great keyboard for me to play in the band at church. As soon as I can afford it I'm going to purchase one of these keyboards.
Although this is certainly light for an 88-key weighted arranger keyboard, I would imagine transporting it back and forth to church would still be unpleasant. If you like the way this sounds but don't want to deal with the size and weight, check out the new Roland Go Keys 5. Much more portable!
I am retired and coming back to music after taking 30 years away. Played flute for around 15 years but always played by ear and never really learned about chords. I finally went out and picked up a Yamaha PSR-E473 and tinkered around learning scales and chords. We are in a small condo for another year and once we moved I was thinking about a Yamaha DSX 670 but after seeing this, it is hard to think the 670 could compete. This seems like a much more serious instrument. I sure would love to see a comparison of the two.
Tips for buyers on competition Yamaha DGX - 670 Pros - 4 style variations/ better style programs/ reads PSR style files with 4 variations ( there are thousands if free styles) Can write user styles/ more realistic and musical styles that can be used/ can play midi files ( Roland can not) 40 plus Super Articulation sounds ( best nylon/ acoustic guitars / saxes, etc that Roland or Casio can’t touch) Will read midi files ( including Roland ‘s GS and Yamaha’s XG files). Remember most pro GM files are written in GS format) Has 16 track sequencer Cons- heavy/ bulky/ GHS keys ( not as good as Roland) . Not gig worthy ( screaming “amateur keyboard)/ no vocal harmony / no modulation wheel/ only headphone out/ no separate LR outs Korg XE- 20 Light weight( 25 Ibs)/ terrible key touch and response/ PA80 arranger styles/ will read SMF/ Wav/ Mp3 files but poorly designed for live playback. No joystick/ pitch bend/ mod wheel/ PA 80 arranger styles means 2 fills and jumpy fills / no style writing/ has basic sequencer Roland FP- E50 Pros - great key feel/ individual weights ( key response not as fast as Yamaha’s GHS for fast notes runs due to escapement mechanics for certain patches but great for piano tones - better piano tones ( than Yamaha or Casio) - pro looking keyboard on stage ( well designed/ no speakers on top or front) -individual LR outs - Vocal harmony - 37 pounds ( lightest pro feel/looking arranger with build in speakers) - blue tooth midi and audio - chord sequencer Cons- Can’t read or write midi files ( only Wav files) . That means you can’t play pre sequenced general midi files with VH data) - other sounds ( non super natural tones)are good enough but not great ( especially saxes/ guitars still has Juno Di / Ds quality) . Not super articulation quality - arranger feature is afterthought and style are poorly written ( limitations start to appear if you are One Man Band / solo performer) - 2 style variations means 1990 era backing with improved sounds ( you will not be able to load even BK3 styles which has 4 variations) Overall verdict- There is no competition in the market.great if you need one keyboard that has 88 keys and pro piano sounds and other acceptable sounds with manageable weight that has pitch/ mod wheels . Looks great as well. For OMB players;You just have to load wav files and play and sing on top while using real time harmony by pressing chords in real time Unfortunate for Casio. Which is still not considered as “pro” looking/ considered KB on stage ( regardless how they improved with the sounds, etc, the stigma is still there). It may take a decade and multiple endorsements.
Played all these entries - the FP-E50 has the best action, best speakers of all of them. I sing through the internal speakers and with the addition of just a teeny bass amp on the floor to add some oooomph, it covers the room. The harmonizer, while simple, sounds fantastic
I had a Nord Elecro 6D for about a month and sent it back due to the serious oversight of not having pitch and mod! I should have been paying more attention when I ordered! This Roland sounds fantastic!
One feature that I learned about is the ability to change volume balance between left and right when using split feature. It's not obvious from the physical controls and has to be done through the menu, but pretty easy to accomplish.
I use this keyboard on my steady piano bar gig, but there are almost NO drum patterns that can work generically for a host of requests. Years ago, Roland made a pattern card called "Easy Eight" that had 8 essential patterns for 99% of all types of music. I think it was: 8 beat, 16 beat, rock, disco, shuffle, swing, latin, and 6/8. Bring these back please!!!!
I’ve watched many of your very nice demo videos. They are excellent. I’m leaving this comment just to tell you how much I appreciate your talent on the keys, especially your jazz licks. You’ve almost convinced me to try the keys again after not touching them for many years. Keep up the good work. Do you play in clubs or other -laces besides Sweetwater?
Thank you for the kind words! I do play out as often as I can. I play locally around Fort Wayne and other cities in the Midwest. The coolest project I’m in currently is the “Soul Of Zeppelin” which is a Soul/R&B/Jazz approach to the Zeppelin music. And I think you should definitely take up the keys again! 😊 Jacob
Best review of the FP-E50. I'm looking for my first keyboard and this looks like the best option. Also considering the FP-60X and RD88. Both great keyboards, I tried the RD88 and found the menu system a bit awkward though.
@@thewoodster hey great. How is the quality on it i heard is plastic and the rd88 my be better quality? And somebody mentioned the fp 60x sounded better and felt better built. Do you think it is loud enough to play and sing through the internal speakers at nursing home or small coffee shop.? My music stores have it on order but not in yet so I can't try it out so anxious to see it.
it's a keyboard it don't have to strum like strat or les paul... as a casio owner i like it.. if it release 7 years ago i probably choose this over my casio combo rig... and the scat voice you can't find it in other brand... and editable chord accompaniment this roland is something else...
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes, there are a handful of Latin auto-accompaniment styles, including bossa nova. You can see a complete list of tones and styles in the document at the following link to Roland’s website: static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ToneStyleList_eng01_W.pdf I hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
This one gonna compete directly with the Yamaha dgx 670 which is way cheaper, but the most interesting thing is who has better : styles/accompaniment, sound's quality !!
Hi there, I recently tried the fp30x side by side to the fpE50 and was confused that the "Concert Piano Sound", even though on paper are the same, sounded quite different between the two, even through headphones. The fp30x seemed more detailed and focused with a nice fade out of tone when a key was struck, and the tone changed more dramatically as you hit the key louder. The fpE50 sounded a bit muddier and notes didn't have the same natural fade when being struck individually. The tone also appears to have less change when you hit keys harder on the fpE50. Have you noticed this? And can you explain why that is?
I've taken the stock GRT Strat sound in Studio One, ran it through their Amp simulator, added BlueCat Chorus, added some reverb/delay and have fooled even guitarists. As you say, play in their style and mask the sound a bit and your good for 80-90% of stuff.
Looks like the price point is roughly between the FP-30X and the FP-60X. Also seems like the same keyboard action as those two. So have they just left the FP-60X without a market?
This seems like Roland's answer to the Yamaha DGX-670. More competition is good! Before I ever consider upgrading my DGX-650, I want to see some more sophisticated customization of the sounds...a quasi-synth where you can pick a sound and then adjust it. My newest crusade is to persuade manufacturers of keyboards to stop segmenting arrangers and synthesizers and just make keyboards that do it all. Arrangers alone can sound cheesy, and synthesizers alone can feel limited if you're a solo performer. But together, they can sound amazing!
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes - you have the option of either overdubbing your vocals after playing the keyboard part, or recording both simultaneously. It’s a great way to get a quick and easy demo recording! Hope this helps a bit - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Hi, thanks for your interest! The RD-88 EX does have some basic rhythms, but it doesn’t have the arranger-like automatic accompaniment and Style content that’s found on the FP-E50. The RD-88 EX does have more sounds and more controls to allow customization of your sound, but if you’re looking for something that will back you up in a “one-man band” situation, the FP-E50 would be better suited for that. I hope this helps a bit - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Is it possible to have a pad that holds without staying on the pedal? I play on a worship team and would love to see if I can just set a pad in a certain key and be able to leave it until I want to change into another key. Great video, thanks!
Hi, Hexic! Thanks for your interest. After double checking Roland’s documentation, there doesn’t seem to be a way to have one part sustain indefinitely without using the pedal. However, if you are using Roland’s 3-pedal module, you could assign one pedal to sustain one sound in a layered patch, and use a second pedal to sustain the other sound. I hope this helps a bit - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
..Seriously debating between this piano and the rd88 for my home studio. ..Most of the time I'll be using it as a grand piano. The rest of the time, mostly using for pads, rhodes, strings, cello, or occasionally a hammond b3.. so the pitch bend wheels are definitely nice.
Really great demo on a magnificent musical instrument. The only problem I have with such do-it-all instruments is that if your cat walks across the keyboard, the musical sound it generates would take someone years to duplicate, even with constant training.
While I really appreciate your help, rather than a demonstration of what FP-E50 can do, what beginners really need is a beginners tutorial. The manual is impenetrable and might just as well be written in Spanish.
how does this compare with the fp 30x? In terms of playing touch/feel and sound? I won't be using other functions too much. I'm debating on purchasing between the FP-E50 and FP-30x.
Hi greenforest, great question! The FP-30X is a much more piano focused instrument. Both keyboards have the exact same PHA-4 key bed with escapement and the same SuperNATURAL piano sound engine. I think the speakers are the same, they are both stereo 11 watt systems. If you don’t need the extra sounds and arrangement features of the FP-E50, then the FP30X is the way to go! If you have any more questions, give me a ring! Drake Sobehrad, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3271, drake_sobehrad@sweetwater.com
You do really nice demos. Regarding the Roland, I am not so impressed, especially as an arranger. I own the Yamaha DGX-670 which retails for $150 less and it has way more features, especially when arranging (the lack of direct access buttons and the small monochrome screen in particular). Yes, the DGX has less voices, but at 600+ you are starting to get into diminishing returns. And based on your demo, I think that the DXG sound samples are, overall, more realistic.
@kevinlentz7604 I am using the headphones out with a Y adapter to power some near nearfield speakers and a powered subwoofer. Works great. I get the weight issue, the DGX is a beast at over 40 pounds.
@@MikeHammer1Is the sound clean and clear when you use the headphone jack in this way? Love this, but want a great piano sound when plugging into a mixer for my Bose and QSC. Thanks.
@@steveeagermusic As I have only the headphone jack for an alternate output all I can say is that it sounds better than with the internal speakers. The trick is to properly set the volume on the keyboard such that you don't generate distortion as there is now a power amp in the chain. So to avoid clipping one must not set the volume control on the keyboard too high. Use the volume control on the power amp for adjusting the loudness. The same would apply to your mixer setting. And of course your speakers will ultimately determine the final sound quality.
Excluding a few sounds from acoustic and electric pianos, what continues to astound me is the remarkable stagnation in the quality of all the other sounds, which seem to have been stuck in the early 2000s. How significant companies like Roland, in an era where memory and processors run at unimaginable speeds, still rely on samples from a time when every megabyte cost us $100. Adding the (hardly revolutionary) Pitch & Mod Wheel is nice, but with guitar sounds at General MIDI level, it doesn't offer much unless used as a controller for serious sound libraries - companies that are hesitant to sell us the same sounds for 20 years with a new packaging.
This looks like a great instrument!!! Both SuperNATURAL and ZEN-Core sounds with 256-note polyphony for $1,000??? It's amazing!!! Of course, the final buying decision [for me personally] will come down to the look and feel, build quality, sound, and features. It looks good so far, and it sounds great. The feel and build quality I have to check myself when the instrument is available to try out at a local dealer. One major gripe though... The MIDI 5-pin DIN jacks are a must for me, since I am not planning on using the computer with this. Oh well, there's always some tradeoff. But, as a stand alone instrument, the FP-E50 looks very desirable so far.
Any news about Roland's MIDI connection possibilities? It would be great to have the possibility of connecting another keyboard to Roland's USB. Preferably USB to USB. But having the USB - DIN could be sufficient.
@@jamd695 FP-E50 has limited functions on MIDI, seems that Roland is limiting the functions of creaction for professional users with MIDI on this model. NO SMF playback, Only one channel to send out. You can find more info on the Roland knowledge base.
Hi, Erik! Thanks for your interest. The FP-E50 does have an expression pedal input, but after checking Roland’s documentation, I couldn’t find a way to assign the pedal to control a chosen parameter. I would guess that it only performs a default function on each sound, such as vibrato on a woodwind sound. With that said, I’m not totally sure, so I am going to check with my Roland rep and circle back here when I have more detail for you. Feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes, you can save your favorite tones in 10 banks of 5 sounds each, for a total of 50 favorites. Hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
If recording a piano accompaniment for a church service, can these recordings be "named" and saved to a thumb drive and played back through the keyboard? Just asking for a friend. ;)
Hi, Thomas - yes, this has MIDI recording via USB or Bluetooth to a mobile device. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Hi, can this FpE50 do recording through USB Midi? or can you only do recording via bluetooth Midi? Are the connections through bluetooth stable for recording? Thank you
Hello, Emmirul! This one can indeed record MIDI over the USB connection. Though you can do that with Bluetooth as well, Bluetooth might have a little lag compared to the USB connection. Thanks for the interest! Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
Hi, Joe! Thanks for your interest. The answer is “no and yes.” You can disable local control on the FP-E50 so that the keyboard will not trigger the internal sound generator. However, since it doesn’t have MIDI DIN connectivity, you wouldn’t be able to connect it directly to a hardware module such as the Integra. If you have both the FP-E50 and the Integra connected to a computer over USB, you may be able to route MIDI data from the keyboard to the module using software - but for the most streamlined setup, I would recommend looking at keyboards with a dedicated MIDI output, not just USB-MIDI. In the Roland family, the closest option with this feature would be the RD-88: www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RD88--roland-rd-88-88-key-stage-piano I hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Nice presentation. Is it possible to download - add more styles in this? I think having only 100 accompaniment-styles will be too limiting for live gigs in the long run. Can you tell us please? Kind Regards.
Hello - great question. Yes, it is possible to add different styles than the default ones on this keyboard. You can check out the available options here: www.roland.com/global/categories/roland_cloud/style_packs/ Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
"why didn't they make the screen bigger and also touch-screen?" They manufactured loads of this small screens with 8-bit graphics and characters, but failed to sell them in their products, so they are forced to sell 1980's technology in 21st century.
Darn, the period to return my beloved RD-88 has just passed. ugh. 256 note polyphony plus ZEN-Core! Are the piano samples the same as the RD or a new library? we probably won't get one at our local music store for comparison.
Anyone help me?? New to keyboards in general and have a brand new Roland FP e50 but my piano sounds do NOT sound as vibrant and beautiful as this?! Ahh. Why? I have been looking through all the settings. Tried changing the settings in piano designer. I am at a loss. It sounds like the soft pedal is down if it were a real piano. Probably something simple and I just am so clueless. PLEASE HELP if you have any ideas? Thanks friends 🙌🏼
Same. gonna return mine because it seems to be a bad batch. very low dynamic range and muffled. even when playing the keys hard i never get the full clean max volume note. writing this in case someone stumbles across this comment. your keyboard needs to sound great out of the box like in this video. a drastically different sound that is muffled and low fidelity means its faulty and needs to be returned
@@ilocatelli again even with the cheap built in speakers you should get a more than decent piano sound out of the keyboard. the fp30x is comparable and PianoManChuck has a video titled "Roland FP-30X - What the Built-In Speakers Sound Like!" you should give it a listen. fiddling around with the equalizer to tune the sound to your liking is fine but its not meant to salvage the bad sound of a faulty unit
Although it's fairly easy to make it, keyboard makers should include a preset for the "No Quarter" electric piano sound. Also, wheels. All digital pianos should have wheels. You should be able to use it as a viable controller. Even if you don't get knobs, at least the wheels should be there.
Thanks for your interest! Yes, the FP-E50 does have a built-in speaker system. It also has outputs to connect to an external amp or sound system if you prefer. Feel free to contact me directly with further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Hi, JB! Thanks for your interest. I wasn’t sure about the material and Roland doesn’t list it, so I went down to our showroom to see for myself and try out the FP-E50 for the first time. The chassis is plastic, not metal. With that said, I really liked the feel of the keys, and the sounds are detailed and expressive as one would expect from Roland. Regarding the build quality: I’d recommend it for home use or light gigging, but if you need a keyboard for a heavy-duty touring application, I’d say it’s worth looking at something more durable like their flagship stage piano, the RD-2000. I hope this helps, and feel free to contact me directly with any further questions! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater @Sweetwater Hi Caleb, thanks for your clarification and effort to check the build quality👍 I use it only for home so the plastic chassis will be adequate for me. Good to hear that you like the feel of the keys and sound quality👌It will be my first digital piano so I think this is the perfect product for me. I am from the Netherlands unfortunately, otherwise I would definitely have visited you guys at Sweetwater. Thanks for the perfect demo and first impression of the FP-E50. Greetings from the Netherlands 👋
Hi, David! Thanks for your interest. The mic input on the FP-E50 is only designed to accommodate a single mic. You could potentially add a mic combiner such as the ART SplitCom Pro to connect a second mic. However, keep in mind that this wouldn’t give you control over the individual level of each mic. The best solution would be to connect the piano and your mic(s) to an external sound system with a mixer. Hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again! Here’s a link to the ART product I mentioned above: www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SplitComPro--art-splitcom-pro-microphone-splitter-combiner Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
I thought the E50 was the perfect keyboard, until I learned that it could only communicate on one MIDI channel. This means only one instrument can be recorded, so if you've got a drum track going with a couple layered tones, only one will be recorded via MIDI. A one channel MIDI keyboard is basically useless, and essentially means that you have no midi capability on this board.
I thought this was their answer to the DGX-670 from Yamaha, but it appears to have fewer features, and the guitar sound options do not sound as realistic.
Hi, Joe - great question. The songs save as a .wav on the flash drive. It only records in audio so it cannot be output through a MIDI interface. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Would you know if you can actually load a .wav file from a USB Stick and play it on a key like a ''sampled' sound? Can you send a sound module via midi to be played like a controller? And if you do splits, can you control the octave range of each side individually and can you save any sound changes to be able to call it up at a later time quickly? Thks! Cheers!
Hey, Marc! The USB port on these keyboards is specifically used for saving recordings, sound setups, and system settings to your USB flash drive. You’ll be able to play back .wav files as well to listen to tracks. There doesn’t appear to be a sampling function with that drive, though. Feel free to reach out if you happen to have any further questions! Nick Pasquino, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3230, nick_pasquino@sweetwater.com
@@marclafontaine6996 Per the manual, there are settings for “Left Shift” and “Right Shift”. You’re able to adjust the octave settings for either side of the split. But I’m not 100% sure about independent transposition. We’re working on an answer now. I’ll be sure to reach out once we find out on that. Thanks! Nick Pasquino, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3230, nick_pasquino@sweetwater.com
Hello, great question! This would probably not be loud enough to gig in those environments, unfortunately. You may be able to get away with a smaller coffee shop or nursing home if the audience is quiet, but I would recommend a small speaker for best performance. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Hi there, nice video! Thanks, i have a question: is it possible to adjust volumes separetly when you are playing with layers like piano/strings for example?
Hi Hipolito, great question. There is one setting to adjust the volume balance between the two parts; however the volumes cannot be adjusted independently. The exact steps to do so are on page 18 of the manual here: static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ReferenceManual_eng01_W.pdf Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Hello, Wolfram! Jacob covers this at around the 29:00 minute mark. You can make changes to the chord progression and overall activity level, but you cannot adjust the individual instruments that make up the style. More on this starting on page 34 of the manual: static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ReferenceManual_eng01_W.pdf Thanks for the interest! Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
It fails the 'pencil' test: set a pencil or a sheet of music on the top and it will roll off onto the floor. Why can't keyboard manufacturers get this right?
How come not one of these keyboards have combo organs. Didn't they never hear of the Doors, Animals, Iron Butterfly or the 1960's at all? Don't they know how many guys busted their asses learning the lead to LIGHT MY FIRE or IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA?
Can you isolate the drums and play them on the piano, like you would with the guitar sound? For instance, perform a drum solo? Thank you for your time!
Hello, Clarissa! You absolutely can. The FP-E50 has an assortment of drum kits with individual components of the drum kits spread out amongst the keys. Performing a drum solo on a keyboard will take some practive, but it is certainly doable. Thanks for the interest! Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater Can you record in separate tracks and stack the tracks? Thank you so much for your time and all of the helpful information you are providing! I am very interested in this.
@@clarissaflowers6200 Oh sure! Happy to help. The FP-E50, being mostly intended as a live performance keyboard, does not have the ability to record multiple layers. However, if you want to record separate tracks and layer them, you can use an external recording device or software. You can connect the audio output of your Roland FP-E50 to an audio interface, which can then be connected to your computer or recording device. You can then use software such as a digital audio workstation (DAW) to record multiple tracks and layer them as desired. Alternatively, you can use a separate MIDI interface to connect the Roland FP-E50 to your computer and use software to record and layer MIDI tracks. With MIDI, you can record and edit individual notes and parameters such as velocity and timing. Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
A POTENTIALLY HUGE ISSUE THAT IS OVERLOOKED IN MOST ONLINE REVIEWS ON THE ROLAND FP-E50 is the fact that MIDI implementation on the FP-E50 is crippled: it sends and receives on one MIDI channel only. So if you have created a dual sound that you love - say a piano-pad combination - and you send it to your DAW, you will only get ONE of those sounds when you play the performance back. That's right, that beloved dual voice that you painstakingly created on the FP-E50 and saved to a "scene" will only be played back through the FP-E50 by the DAW as a SINGLE VOICE. In other words, in this case, you can hear the piano, but not the pad. The FP-E50 can't play dual instruments AND it can't play split keyboard performances back through your DAW. This is a very basic maneuver for anyone using a DAW: record a performance from a piano, make changes on the DAW, play it back on the piano, and then record the perfected performance into audio. Nope. Not gonna do it on this with dual voices or keyboard splits. It also will not record anything to MIDI on the keyboard and export to the DAW. And you won't be able to play multiple FP-E50 instruments on multiple tracks on your instrument (on different MIDI channels) from your DAW. What instrument these days only sends and receives on one MIDI channel each? The FP-E50 is not a multi-timbral instrument with respect to MIDI. The RD-88 is. While the latter does not have a record or accompaniment function it SHOULD (I don't own one) perform these basic MIDI functions with dual sounds, keyboard splits and multiple instruments on multiple MIDI channels as is normally expected. For the home user, the lack of a recorder and accompaniment is easily compensated for by the simple purchase of something like Band-in-a-Box for a hundred bucks. None of the reviews I've seen online has addressed this "disability" and no one in the stores was able to explain this to me in advance (and I really tried to find out). WHAT WAS ROLAND THINKING (??) when they crippled the FP-E50 in this way??? I wish I had purchased the RD-88 or some other piano for my home use to connect to my DAW.
Anyone who is new to music and to what this person is talking about, like me, here’s the summary: You ARE able to add as many instruments in one channel and transfer/export it to listen to. If you want to add instruments and for all of them have their own separate channel in case you want to edit each instrument individually, that’s NOT possible. You would need to record each instrument individually and adding the files of each separate instrument one by one to the computer.
Hi, Max! Thanks for your interest. The FP-E50’s arranger features do include a chord sequencer. There are a number of preset chord progressions, but you can also edit these or create your own by either inputting chords from the keyboard or choosing from a menu of chords. For more details, check out the “Using the Chord Sequencer” section of Roland’s reference manual at this link: static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ReferenceManual_eng01_W.pdf Hope this helps, and feel free to contact me directly with any further questions! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
@@Rhoneman The screen on my Yamaha is bigger and the functions are more detailed. But Roland did good with the Leslie control on the mod wheel and the strings stay sustained when you use the sustain pedal. The Yamaha sustain fades out unfortunately.
Gospel sounds like Moses complaining. Ha. Just kidding. Nice instrument. Which should I get, this or RD88 or the 30? Mostly for the grand piano and home recording with live instruments. Great video!
I bought the FP-30X one month ago. Haven't played much yet, but when I firstly saw this new one, I thought I should return my FP-30X and buy this one which has so many features. Then I thought more about it. The FP-E50 is more expensive (~ +300 euros), heavier, taller (probably not comfortable for tall people in seating position)... If you play 80-90% of your time piano and want some fun with a few different instruments and you play at home, FP-30X is right for you. If you want to explore many different sounds, if you need accompaniments and rhythms, if live performance is in your plans, FP-E50 is better for you, I think. I don't like the LCD screen though. Seems like entry-level GO:PIANO awful (and very "shiny") screen, probably not easy to use. With some more money you get a much better touch-screen, 4'000 instruments and infinite features... if you consider Fantom-08 (88 keys of same quality). Then... there are other brands around, too :-)
Hi, Adrian - I am assuming you are referring to scenes when you say “performances.” You can change scenes using the controls on the face of the keyboard but unfortunately there is not a way to assign a scene change to the pedal inputs. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Hi, Asab! Thanks for your interest. Yes, the FP-E50 does have a built-in speaker system. It also has outputs to connect to an external amp or sound system if you prefer. Feel free to contact me directly with further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
I have 70000. I love it has 32 watt speakers great action and heavy duty stand. Weighs 32 lbs. Has Mike input and sounds good. However to nice for me to take out. I'm looking at the following just to do solo gigs at nursing homes, jewelry stores during Christmas or coffee shops. So I want something with mic input as well. I can't make up my mind. Rd 88 keybed is awesome has mic input but speakers only 12 watts. Actually looking at buying another casio pxs6000 this has everything the 7000 has except some of the other piano sounds and not crazy about the brown color but will do the job. Also fp60x and fpe50 and rd88 even considering a yamaha p121 only 73 keys super light and 14 watt speakers but no mic but would be good for Christmas carols and portability. Some of those mentioned weigh 47 lbs. Don't feel like lugging around. Even looked at Fp 90x but to big and heavy but 40 watt speakers and mic input. Waiting to see the Fp e50 hasn't arrived at music store yet......
Que raro suena esa Guitarra, pareciera de Yamaha, siendo sonido se Roland, q se caracteriza x tener los Sonidos mas Realistas.... Yo poseo un Roland Juno DI y la Guitarra Over es Impresionante el nivel de Realismo con q lo emula el Juno DI.... El Sonido de Piano de FP- E50 si q está Impresionante, me encanta, pero la Guitarra me desanimó, pensaba q todos los Roland usaban la misma base de Datos en cuanto a Sonidos, xq a como repito el Juno DI tiene un Nivel mas Realista, y la Guitar de este FP pareciera de Yamaha...
I've been looking for an affordable PHA-4 keyboard with pitch and mod wheels. I am sad to learn that this keyboard is 6-7/8 inches tall, that is almost 2 inches higher than my FP-60x. Due to my body proportions and long legs, a tall keyboard like this is very uncomfortable or awkward to sit in front of, or to fit under/in front of a music production desk as the main MIDI controller. I wish Roland moved to making flatter keyboards. I understand the speakers need room, but still.
Check out the Yamaha DGX-670. It doesn't have a mod wheel, but with the 3-pedal accessory you can reassign the pedals to perform these type of operations.
10 years later still every workstation keyboard is less capable than the Korg M3, Kronos and Kronos 2. Can a company please just release a keyboard that sets a new bar?
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes, the FP-E50 uses the PHA-4 weighted keybed - the same as the RD-88. Feel free to reach out to me with any further questions, and thanks again! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Hi, Brian - great question. You can layer any two of the sounds available on the keyboard. You do not have an individual volume control for each layer though, there is just a balance control that changes the ratio. Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Hello, Mark! Though the FP-E50 does allow for a mic input via a ¼” jack, the keyboard does not have vocoder support. Thanks for the interest! Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
Compose with ease and perform with passion with the Roland FP-E50 88-key arranger keyboard, available now at Sweetwater 👉 imp.i114863.net/zaAPJW
How about wooly bully
The guy demonstrating this keyboard is fantastic !He made this keyboard come alive for me. I feel this would be a great keyboard for me to play in the band at church. As soon as I can afford it I'm going to purchase one of these keyboards.
Agreed
Although this is certainly light for an 88-key weighted arranger keyboard, I would imagine transporting it back and forth to church would still be unpleasant. If you like the way this sounds but don't want to deal with the size and weight, check out the new Roland Go Keys 5. Much more portable!
The best music instrument test I ever saw, as you actually play, go through all buttons and take your time. Thanks.
I am retired and coming back to music after taking 30 years away. Played flute for around 15 years but always played by ear and never really learned about chords. I finally went out and picked up a Yamaha PSR-E473 and tinkered around learning scales and chords. We are in a small condo for another year and once we moved I was thinking about a Yamaha DSX 670 but after seeing this, it is hard to think the 670 could compete. This seems like a much more serious instrument. I sure would love to see a comparison of the two.
I am retired, but, love too, the performance, player.
Tips for buyers on competition
Yamaha DGX - 670
Pros - 4 style variations/ better style programs/ reads PSR style files with 4 variations ( there are thousands if free styles)
Can write user styles/ more realistic and musical styles that can be used/ can play midi files ( Roland can not)
40 plus Super Articulation sounds ( best nylon/ acoustic guitars / saxes, etc that Roland or Casio can’t touch)
Will read midi files ( including Roland ‘s GS and Yamaha’s XG files). Remember most pro GM files are written in GS format)
Has 16 track sequencer
Cons- heavy/ bulky/ GHS keys ( not as good as Roland) . Not gig worthy ( screaming “amateur keyboard)/ no vocal harmony
/ no modulation wheel/ only headphone out/ no separate LR outs
Korg XE- 20
Light weight( 25 Ibs)/ terrible key touch and response/ PA80 arranger styles/ will read SMF/ Wav/ Mp3 files but poorly designed for live playback. No joystick/ pitch bend/ mod wheel/ PA 80 arranger styles means 2 fills and jumpy fills / no style writing/ has basic sequencer
Roland FP- E50
Pros - great key feel/ individual weights ( key response not as fast as Yamaha’s GHS for fast notes runs due to escapement mechanics for certain patches but great for piano tones
- better piano tones ( than Yamaha or Casio)
- pro looking keyboard on stage ( well designed/ no speakers on top or front)
-individual LR outs
- Vocal harmony
- 37 pounds ( lightest pro feel/looking arranger with build in speakers)
- blue tooth midi and audio
- chord sequencer
Cons- Can’t read or write midi files ( only Wav files) . That means you can’t play pre sequenced general midi files with VH data)
- other sounds ( non super natural tones)are good enough but not great ( especially saxes/ guitars still has Juno Di / Ds quality) . Not super articulation quality
- arranger feature is afterthought and style are poorly written ( limitations start to appear if you are One Man Band / solo performer)
- 2 style variations means 1990 era backing with improved sounds ( you will not be able to load even BK3 styles which has 4 variations)
Overall verdict- There is no competition in the market.great if you need one keyboard that has 88 keys and pro piano sounds and other acceptable sounds with manageable weight that has pitch/ mod wheels . Looks great as well.
For OMB players;You just have to load wav files and play and sing on top while using real time harmony by pressing chords in real time
Unfortunate for Casio. Which is still not considered as “pro” looking/ considered KB on stage ( regardless how they improved with the sounds, etc, the stigma is still there). It may take a decade and multiple endorsements.
Played all these entries - the FP-E50 has the best action, best speakers of all of them. I sing through the internal speakers and with the addition of just a teeny bass amp on the floor to add some oooomph, it covers the room. The harmonizer, while simple, sounds fantastic
Thank you Jacob. Very nice playing. You covered some really helpful tips. Can't wait to get mine soon
I had a Nord Elecro 6D for about a month and sent it back due to the serious oversight of not having pitch and mod! I should have been paying more attention when I ordered! This Roland sounds fantastic!
One feature that I learned about is the ability to change volume balance between left and right when using split feature. It's not obvious from the physical controls and has to be done through the menu, but pretty easy to accomplish.
I use this keyboard on my steady piano bar gig, but there are almost NO drum patterns that can work generically for a host of requests. Years ago, Roland made a pattern card called "Easy Eight" that had 8 essential patterns for 99% of all types of music. I think it was: 8 beat, 16 beat, rock, disco, shuffle, swing, latin, and 6/8. Bring these back please!!!!
I’ve watched many of your very nice demo videos. They are excellent. I’m leaving this comment just to tell you how much I appreciate your talent on the keys, especially your jazz licks. You’ve almost convinced me to try the keys again after not touching them for many years. Keep up the good work. Do you play in clubs or other -laces besides Sweetwater?
Thank you for the kind words! I do play out as often as I can. I play locally around Fort Wayne and other cities in the Midwest. The coolest project I’m in currently is the “Soul Of Zeppelin” which is a Soul/R&B/Jazz approach to the Zeppelin music. And I think you should definitely take up the keys again! 😊
Jacob
beautiful playing on your part. You're really cool!
That vox key progression 😩🔥😮💨
Ciao Jacob
Bellissima macchina
Ma soprattutto grande pianista.
Grazie mille e ciao dall'Italia.
I really like Roland gear, I enjoy my Juno ds 61. Great video thanks for sharing 🤘
The DS is a much better tool .
JD you always make it look sooo easy...🎹🎼🎹🎶
Would love to see you sit down with an arranger keyboard and make some original tunes. Great playing!
Best review of the FP-E50. I'm looking for my first keyboard and this looks like the best option. Also considering the FP-60X and RD88. Both great keyboards, I tried the RD88 and found the menu system a bit awkward though.
Did you pick one yet im in exact same thought process
@@sobbsaroonie yes I got mine, very capable instrument I'm very pleased with my choice.
@@thewoodster you got the Fp e50
@@sobbsaroonie yes buddy, sure did.
@@thewoodster hey great.
How is the quality on it i heard is plastic and the rd88 my be better quality?
And somebody mentioned the fp 60x sounded better and felt better built.
Do you think it is loud enough to play and sing through the internal speakers at nursing home or small coffee shop.?
My music stores have it on order but not in yet so I can't try it out so anxious to see it.
That jp8 synth sound is so good
it's a keyboard it don't have to strum like strat or les paul... as a casio owner i like it.. if it release 7 years ago i probably choose this over my casio combo rig... and the scat voice you can't find it in other brand... and editable chord accompaniment this roland is something else...
HI! Amazing overview! My question is if there are latin rytms, more specifically bossa nova in accompaniments?
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes, there are a handful of Latin auto-accompaniment styles, including bossa nova. You can see a complete list of tones and styles in the document at the following link to Roland’s website:
static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ToneStyleList_eng01_W.pdf
I hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
This one gonna compete directly with the Yamaha dgx 670 which is way cheaper, but the most interesting thing is who has better : styles/accompaniment, sound's quality !!
Don’t like phones out only ,heavy ,plug and play kinda of a pain
The Yamaha is more than a few steps behind this Roland.
Hi there, I recently tried the fp30x side by side to the fpE50 and was confused that the "Concert Piano Sound", even though on paper are the same, sounded quite different between the two, even through headphones. The fp30x seemed more detailed and focused with a nice fade out of tone when a key was struck, and the tone changed more dramatically as you hit the key louder. The fpE50 sounded a bit muddier and notes didn't have the same natural fade when being struck individually. The tone also appears to have less change when you hit keys harder on the fpE50. Have you noticed this? And can you explain why that is?
I've taken the stock GRT Strat sound in Studio One, ran it through their Amp simulator, added BlueCat Chorus, added some reverb/delay and have fooled even guitarists. As you say, play in their style and mask the sound a bit and your good for 80-90% of stuff.
Looks like the price point is roughly between the FP-30X and the FP-60X. Also seems like the same keyboard action as those two. So have they just left the FP-60X without a market?
Also same price as RD88 which I have, but different in many ways too
@@odmusicman Good point. The E50 seems to sit between the 60X and RD-88 from a functionality standpoint.
Love this keyboard…just purchased it and a pedal from sweetwater…it comes with a pedal, but no quite a real pedal. Great demo…thanks.
Get the stand, and pedal unit - it allows for harmony triggers, and drum on/off as well as the damper - feels and looks great
This seems like Roland's answer to the Yamaha DGX-670. More competition is good!
Before I ever consider upgrading my DGX-650, I want to see some more sophisticated customization of the sounds...a quasi-synth where you can pick a sound and then adjust it.
My newest crusade is to persuade manufacturers of keyboards to stop segmenting arrangers and synthesizers and just make keyboards that do it all.
Arrangers alone can sound cheesy, and synthesizers alone can feel limited if you're a solo performer. But together, they can sound amazing!
Can you record both voice using the mic input together with the keyboard playing at the same time in one take?
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes - you have the option of either overdubbing your vocals after playing the keyboard part, or recording both simultaneously. It’s a great way to get a quick and easy demo recording!
Hope this helps a bit - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Hi , Im really caught between this and the RD ex88. Does the RD EX88 have most of the RHYTHM sounds on board/
Hi, thanks for your interest! The RD-88 EX does have some basic rhythms, but it doesn’t have the arranger-like automatic accompaniment and Style content that’s found on the FP-E50. The RD-88 EX does have more sounds and more controls to allow customization of your sound, but if you’re looking for something that will back you up in a “one-man band” situation, the FP-E50 would be better suited for that.
I hope this helps a bit - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Is it possible to have a pad that holds without staying on the pedal? I play on a worship team and would love to see if I can just set a pad in a certain key and be able to leave it until I want to change into another key. Great video, thanks!
Hi, Hexic! Thanks for your interest. After double checking Roland’s documentation, there doesn’t seem to be a way to have one part sustain indefinitely without using the pedal. However, if you are using Roland’s 3-pedal module, you could assign one pedal to sustain one sound in a layered patch, and use a second pedal to sustain the other sound.
I hope this helps a bit - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
..Seriously debating between this piano and the rd88 for my home studio.
..Most of the time I'll be using it as a grand piano. The rest of the time, mostly using for pads, rhodes, strings, cello, or occasionally a hammond b3.. so the pitch bend wheels are definitely nice.
Really great demo on a magnificent musical instrument. The only problem I have with such do-it-all instruments is that if your cat walks across the keyboard, the musical sound it generates would take someone years to duplicate, even with constant training.
While I really appreciate your help, rather than a demonstration of what FP-E50 can do, what beginners really need is a beginners tutorial. The manual is impenetrable and might just as well be written in Spanish.
how does this compare with the fp 30x? In terms of playing touch/feel and sound? I won't be using other functions too much. I'm debating on purchasing between the FP-E50 and FP-30x.
Hi greenforest, great question! The FP-30X is a much more piano focused instrument. Both keyboards have the exact same PHA-4 key bed with escapement and the same SuperNATURAL piano sound engine. I think the speakers are the same, they are both stereo 11 watt systems. If you don’t need the extra sounds and arrangement features of the FP-E50, then the FP30X is the way to go!
If you have any more questions, give me a ring!
Drake Sobehrad, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3271, drake_sobehrad@sweetwater.com
You do really nice demos. Regarding the Roland, I am not so impressed, especially as an arranger. I own the Yamaha DGX-670 which retails for $150 less and it has way more features, especially when arranging (the lack of direct access buttons and the small monochrome screen in particular). Yes, the DGX has less voices, but at 600+ you are starting to get into diminishing returns. And based on your demo, I think that the DXG sound samples are, overall, more realistic.
Too heavy ,phones out only ,deal breaker,Roland❤
@kevinlentz7604 I am using the headphones out with a Y adapter to power some near nearfield speakers and a powered subwoofer. Works great. I get the weight issue, the DGX is a beast at over 40 pounds.
@@MikeHammer1Is the sound clean and clear when you use the headphone jack in this way? Love this, but want a great piano sound when plugging into a mixer for my Bose and QSC. Thanks.
@@steveeagermusic As I have only the headphone jack for an alternate output all I can say is that it sounds better than with the internal speakers. The trick is to properly set the volume on the keyboard such that you don't generate distortion as there is now a power amp in the chain. So to avoid clipping one must not set the volume control on the keyboard too high. Use the volume control on the power amp for adjusting the loudness. The same would apply to your mixer setting. And of course your speakers will ultimately determine the final sound quality.
@@MikeHammer1Thanks-appreciate it!
Is the Drum kit and rhythm compliment available on the new Roland RD EX88
Could you explain how to use the favourite bottom to create the list of sounds that interests more? Thank you so much
Excluding a few sounds from acoustic and electric pianos, what continues to astound me is the remarkable stagnation in the quality of all the other sounds, which seem to have been stuck in the early 2000s.
How significant companies like Roland, in an era where memory and processors run at unimaginable speeds, still rely on samples from a time when every megabyte cost us $100.
Adding the (hardly revolutionary) Pitch & Mod Wheel is nice, but with guitar sounds at General MIDI level, it doesn't offer much unless used as a controller for serious sound libraries - companies that are hesitant to sell us the same sounds for 20 years with a new packaging.
This looks like a great instrument!!! Both SuperNATURAL and ZEN-Core sounds with 256-note polyphony for $1,000??? It's amazing!!! Of course, the final buying decision [for me personally] will come down to the look and feel, build quality, sound, and features. It looks good so far, and it sounds great. The feel and build quality I have to check myself when the instrument is available to try out at a local dealer. One major gripe though... The MIDI 5-pin DIN jacks are a must for me, since I am not planning on using the computer with this. Oh well, there's always some tradeoff. But, as a stand alone instrument, the FP-E50 looks very desirable so far.
Apparently the USB port can take a class compliant MIDI interface - an undocumented feature!
Any news about Roland's MIDI connection possibilities? It would be great to have the possibility of connecting another keyboard to Roland's USB. Preferably USB to USB. But having the USB - DIN could be sufficient.
@@jamd695 FP-E50 has limited functions on MIDI, seems that Roland is limiting the functions of creaction for professional users with MIDI on this model. NO SMF playback, Only one channel to send out. You can find more info on the Roland knowledge base.
Great video! Thanks!
Can you control the cutoff of sounds for live performance? (Building moments in songs?) Thank you! Maybe like an expression pedal mapped to it?
Hi, Erik! Thanks for your interest. The FP-E50 does have an expression pedal input, but after checking Roland’s documentation, I couldn’t find a way to assign the pedal to control a chosen parameter. I would guess that it only performs a default function on each sound, such as vibrato on a woodwind sound. With that said, I’m not totally sure, so I am going to check with my Roland rep and circle back here when I have more detail for you. Feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
This one or Yamaha dgx-670???🤔
Can you save favorite sounds for easy access?
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes, you can save your favorite tones in 10 banks of 5 sounds each, for a total of 50 favorites.
Hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
great demo. thanks!
If recording a piano accompaniment for a church service, can these recordings be "named" and saved to a thumb drive and played back through the keyboard? Just asking for a friend. ;)
Would that constitute a "YES"???
Can you tell me if this records to MIDI? Thank you.
Hi, Thomas - yes, this has MIDI recording via USB or Bluetooth to a mobile device.
Thanks!
Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Hi, can this FpE50 do recording through USB Midi? or can you only do recording via bluetooth Midi?
Are the connections through bluetooth stable for recording?
Thank you
Hello, Emmirul! This one can indeed record MIDI over the USB connection. Though you can do that with Bluetooth as well, Bluetooth might have a little lag compared to the USB connection.
Thanks for the interest!
Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
Can I use the FP-E50 as a midi control for a Roland Integra-7? In essence, can I turn off the sounds of the FP-E50?
Hi, Joe! Thanks for your interest. The answer is “no and yes.” You can disable local control on the FP-E50 so that the keyboard will not trigger the internal sound generator. However, since it doesn’t have MIDI DIN connectivity, you wouldn’t be able to connect it directly to a hardware module such as the Integra. If you have both the FP-E50 and the Integra connected to a computer over USB, you may be able to route MIDI data from the keyboard to the module using software - but for the most streamlined setup, I would recommend looking at keyboards with a dedicated MIDI output, not just USB-MIDI. In the Roland family, the closest option with this feature would be the RD-88:
www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RD88--roland-rd-88-88-key-stage-piano
I hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Nice presentation. Is it possible to download - add more styles in this? I think having only 100 accompaniment-styles will be too limiting for live gigs in the long run. Can you tell us please?
Kind Regards.
Hello - great question. Yes, it is possible to add different styles than the default ones on this keyboard. You can check out the available options here:
www.roland.com/global/categories/roland_cloud/style_packs/
Thanks!
Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
I love this thing.
Hi Jacob, do you know if it necesary to download a driver fo windows to set the builtin audio interface?
Can you use Apple's Mainstage with this keyboard?
This is awesome. My opinion: why didn't they make the screen bigger and also touch-screen? That would've been great.
if you want a touch screen in a digital piano you're gonna be looking at something that costs a lot more
"why didn't they make the screen bigger and also touch-screen?"
They manufactured loads of this small screens with 8-bit graphics and characters, but failed to sell them in their products, so they are forced to sell 1980's technology in 21st century.
Darn, the period to return my beloved RD-88 has just passed. ugh. 256 note polyphony plus ZEN-Core! Are the piano samples the same as the RD or a new library? we probably won't get one at our local music store for comparison.
Sounds great
Anyone help me?? New to keyboards in general and have a brand new Roland FP e50 but my piano sounds do NOT sound as vibrant and beautiful as this?! Ahh. Why? I have been looking through all the settings. Tried changing the settings in piano designer. I am at a loss. It sounds like the soft pedal is down if it were a real piano. Probably something simple and I just am so clueless. PLEASE HELP if you have any ideas? Thanks friends 🙌🏼
I have the same problem with my Fp E50. It sounds "muddy", with no brillance, and for sure, not as in the demos.
Решили проблему?
Same. gonna return mine because it seems to be a bad batch. very low dynamic range and muffled. even when playing the keys hard i never get the full clean max volume note. writing this in case someone stumbles across this comment. your keyboard needs to sound great out of the box like in this video. a drastically different sound that is muffled and low fidelity means its faulty and needs to be returned
I've equalized it, increasing upper frequencies, and it improves a bit.
@@ilocatelli again even with the cheap built in speakers you should get a more than decent piano sound out of the keyboard. the fp30x is comparable and PianoManChuck has a video titled "Roland FP-30X - What the Built-In Speakers Sound Like!" you should give it a listen. fiddling around with the equalizer to tune the sound to your liking is fine but its not meant to salvage the bad sound of a faulty unit
In your opinion, which the one you recommended to buy - Roland FP E50 OR Roland RD88? Tq
Hi Jacob, are the 2 outputs +4 or -10 ? Thank you.
Bonjour, est-ce qu'on peut changer la couleur de l'écran (mode sombre) ? Merci beaucoup
Although it's fairly easy to make it, keyboard makers should include a preset for the "No Quarter" electric piano sound.
Also, wheels. All digital pianos should have wheels. You should be able to use it as a viable controller. Even if you don't get knobs, at least the wheels should be there.
does this Roland FP-E50 keyboard have built in speakers?
Thanks for your interest! Yes, the FP-E50 does have a built-in speaker system. It also has outputs to connect to an external amp or sound system if you prefer. Feel free to contact me directly with further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
How is the build quality of this FP-e50? Is the top panel made of plastic or metal? Thanks!
Hi, JB! Thanks for your interest. I wasn’t sure about the material and Roland doesn’t list it, so I went down to our showroom to see for myself and try out the FP-E50 for the first time. The chassis is plastic, not metal. With that said, I really liked the feel of the keys, and the sounds are detailed and expressive as one would expect from Roland. Regarding the build quality: I’d recommend it for home use or light gigging, but if you need a keyboard for a heavy-duty touring application, I’d say it’s worth looking at something more durable like their flagship stage piano, the RD-2000.
I hope this helps, and feel free to contact me directly with any further questions!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater @Sweetwater Hi Caleb, thanks for your clarification and effort to check the build quality👍 I use it only for home so the plastic chassis will be adequate for me. Good to hear that you like the feel of the keys and sound quality👌It will be my first digital piano so I think this is the perfect product for me. I am from the Netherlands unfortunately, otherwise I would definitely have visited you guys at Sweetwater. Thanks for the perfect demo and first impression of the FP-E50.
Greetings from the Netherlands 👋
0:17 was that the lick lol
MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY
Is there anyway to connect 2 or more microphones to the mic input?
Hi, David! Thanks for your interest. The mic input on the FP-E50 is only designed to accommodate a single mic. You could potentially add a mic combiner such as the ART SplitCom Pro to connect a second mic. However, keep in mind that this wouldn’t give you control over the individual level of each mic. The best solution would be to connect the piano and your mic(s) to an external sound system with a mixer.
Hope this helps - feel free to contact me directly with any further questions, and thanks again!
Here’s a link to the ART product I mentioned above:
www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SplitComPro--art-splitcom-pro-microphone-splitter-combiner
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
I thought the E50 was the perfect keyboard, until I learned that it could only communicate on one MIDI channel. This means only one instrument can be recorded, so if you've got a drum track going with a couple layered tones, only one will be recorded via MIDI. A one channel MIDI keyboard is basically useless, and essentially means that you have no midi capability on this board.
I thought this was their answer to the DGX-670 from Yamaha, but it appears to have fewer features, and the guitar sound options do not sound as realistic.
I have the DGX-670 and I agree with you. It falls short as an arranger too because of the dearth of controls and poor screen.
What is the output format of the recorded songs when you save them to a thumb drive? Can the recorded songs be output through a MIDI interface?
Hi, Joe - great question. The songs save as a .wav on the flash drive. It only records in audio so it cannot be output through a MIDI interface.
Thanks!
Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Which Roland keyboards in the $1000 price range have bluetooth and an attachable music holder?
Would you know if you can actually load a .wav file from a USB Stick and play it on a key like a ''sampled' sound? Can you send a sound module via midi to be played like a controller? And if you do splits, can you control the octave range of each side individually and can you save any sound changes to be able to call it up at a later time quickly? Thks! Cheers!
Hey, Marc! The USB port on these keyboards is specifically used for saving recordings, sound setups, and system settings to your USB flash drive. You’ll be able to play back .wav files as well to listen to tracks.
There doesn’t appear to be a sampling function with that drive, though.
Feel free to reach out if you happen to have any further questions!
Nick Pasquino, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3230, nick_pasquino@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater I assume you can independently transpose each side in any Split Mode?
@@marclafontaine6996 Per the manual, there are settings for “Left Shift” and “Right Shift”. You’re able to adjust the octave settings for either side of the split. But I’m not 100% sure about independent transposition. We’re working on an answer now. I’ll be sure to reach out once we find out on that.
Thanks!
Nick Pasquino, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 3230, nick_pasquino@sweetwater.com
Could this be used to gig with built in mic no external amp in a coffee shop, nursing home, book store or say 40 x40 room?
Hello, great question! This would probably not be loud enough to gig in those environments, unfortunately. You may be able to get away with a smaller coffee shop or nursing home if the audience is quiet, but I would recommend a small speaker for best performance.
Thanks!
Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Number one importance! 37 ilbs!!!!!! I love my KORG Kronos but at 100 ilbs its never leaving my studio! EVER!
I love it.
Hi there, nice video! Thanks, i have a question: is it possible to adjust volumes separetly when you are playing with layers like piano/strings for example?
Hi Hipolito, great question. There is one setting to adjust the volume balance between the two parts; however the volumes cannot be adjusted independently. The exact steps to do so are on page 18 of the manual here:
static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ReferenceManual_eng01_W.pdf
Thanks!
Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater thanks for tip!!! Nice work!!
Stuck between this piano or dgx 670, anyone know which one is better?
Thank you for teh nice video. I have on question: is it possible to play a style with only rhythm and e.g. bass? Or can the styles not be adjusted?
In the manual where no options for this scenario. And you can‘t see buttons too.
Hello, Wolfram! Jacob covers this at around the 29:00 minute mark. You can make changes to the chord progression and overall activity level, but you cannot adjust the individual instruments that make up the style. More on this starting on page 34 of the manual:
static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ReferenceManual_eng01_W.pdf
Thanks for the interest!
Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
It fails the 'pencil' test: set a pencil or a sheet of music on the top and it will roll off onto the floor. Why can't keyboard manufacturers get this right?
If that´s the only problem, i would buy it 😄
How come not one of these keyboards have combo organs. Didn't they never hear of the Doors, Animals, Iron Butterfly or the 1960's at all? Don't they know how many guys busted their asses learning the lead to LIGHT MY FIRE or IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA?
Agreed !
Can you isolate the drums and play them on the piano, like you would with the guitar sound? For instance, perform a drum solo? Thank you for your time!
Hello, Clarissa! You absolutely can. The FP-E50 has an assortment of drum kits with individual components of the drum kits spread out amongst the keys. Performing a drum solo on a keyboard will take some practive, but it is certainly doable.
Thanks for the interest!
Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater Can you record in separate tracks and stack the tracks? Thank you so much for your time and all of the helpful information you are providing! I am very interested in this.
@@clarissaflowers6200 Oh sure! Happy to help. The FP-E50, being mostly intended as a live performance keyboard, does not have the ability to record multiple layers. However, if you want to record separate tracks and layer them, you can use an external recording device or software. You can connect the audio output of your Roland FP-E50 to an audio interface, which can then be connected to your computer or recording device. You can then use software such as a digital audio workstation (DAW) to record multiple tracks and layer them as desired. Alternatively, you can use a separate MIDI interface to connect the Roland FP-E50 to your computer and use software to record and layer MIDI tracks. With MIDI, you can record and edit individual notes and parameters such as velocity and timing.
Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater Thank you again for the information! Much appreciated!
A POTENTIALLY HUGE ISSUE THAT IS OVERLOOKED IN MOST ONLINE REVIEWS ON THE ROLAND FP-E50 is the fact that MIDI implementation on the FP-E50 is crippled: it sends and receives on one MIDI channel only. So if you have created a dual sound that you love - say a piano-pad combination - and you send it to your DAW, you will only get ONE of those sounds when you play the performance back. That's right, that beloved dual voice that you painstakingly created on the FP-E50 and saved to a "scene" will only be played back through the FP-E50 by the DAW as a SINGLE VOICE. In other words, in this case, you can hear the piano, but not the pad. The FP-E50 can't play dual instruments AND it can't play split keyboard performances back through your DAW. This is a very basic maneuver for anyone using a DAW: record a performance from a piano, make changes on the DAW, play it back on the piano, and then record the perfected performance into audio. Nope. Not gonna do it on this with dual voices or keyboard splits. It also will not record anything to MIDI on the keyboard and export to the DAW. And you won't be able to play multiple FP-E50 instruments on multiple tracks on your instrument (on different MIDI channels) from your DAW. What instrument these days only sends and receives on one MIDI channel each? The FP-E50 is not a multi-timbral instrument with respect to MIDI. The RD-88 is. While the latter does not have a record or accompaniment function it SHOULD (I don't own one) perform these basic MIDI functions with dual sounds, keyboard splits and multiple instruments on multiple MIDI channels as is normally expected. For the home user, the lack of a recorder and accompaniment is easily compensated for by the simple purchase of something like Band-in-a-Box for a hundred bucks. None of the reviews I've seen online has addressed this "disability" and no one in the stores was able to explain this to me in advance (and I really tried to find out). WHAT WAS ROLAND THINKING (??) when they crippled the FP-E50 in this way??? I wish I had purchased the RD-88 or some other piano for my home use to connect to my DAW.
Has this issue been resolved with any update Sweetwater?
Anyone who is new to music and to what this person is talking about, like me, here’s the summary:
You ARE able to add as many instruments in one channel and transfer/export it to listen to.
If you want to add instruments and for all of them have their own separate channel in case you want to edit each instrument individually, that’s NOT possible. You would need to record each instrument individually and adding the files of each separate instrument one by one to the computer.
Thank you for clarifying this, I am a newbie and considering to buy this instrument.
Thank you for pointing this out, it is a hugely important point.
Depth review of sound, one question, it's possible to record a sequence of chords with arranger?
Hi, Max! Thanks for your interest. The FP-E50’s arranger features do include a chord sequencer. There are a number of preset chord progressions, but you can also edit these or create your own by either inputting chords from the keyboard or choosing from a menu of chords. For more details, check out the “Using the Chord Sequencer” section of Roland’s reference manual at this link:
static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FP-E50_ReferenceManual_eng01_W.pdf
Hope this helps, and feel free to contact me directly with any further questions!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Can you edit the chord progression?
This or Yamaha DGX670?
The Yamaha DGX670 my favorite
@@joshuamarcelMIC I just asked this above. The sounds on this sure seem better but hard to tell on a video.
@@Rhoneman The screen on my Yamaha is bigger and the functions are more detailed. But Roland did good with the Leslie control on the mod wheel and the strings stay sustained when you use the sustain pedal. The Yamaha sustain fades out unfortunately.
Gospel sounds like Moses complaining. Ha. Just kidding. Nice instrument. Which should I get, this or RD88 or the 30? Mostly for the grand piano and home recording with live instruments. Great video!
FP-E50 vs FP-30X?
I bought the FP-30X one month ago. Haven't played much yet, but when I firstly saw this new one, I thought I should return my FP-30X and buy this one which has so many features. Then I thought more about it. The FP-E50 is more expensive (~ +300 euros), heavier, taller (probably not comfortable for tall people in seating position)... If you play 80-90% of your time piano and want some fun with a few different instruments and you play at home, FP-30X is right for you. If you want to explore many different sounds, if you need accompaniments and rhythms, if live performance is in your plans, FP-E50 is better for you, I think. I don't like the LCD screen though. Seems like entry-level GO:PIANO awful (and very "shiny") screen, probably not easy to use. With some more money you get a much better touch-screen, 4'000 instruments and infinite features... if you consider Fantom-08 (88 keys of same quality). Then... there are other brands around, too :-)
Can I put sounds in performances and change them with the pedal?
Hi, Adrian - I am assuming you are referring to scenes when you say “performances.” You can change scenes using the controls on the face of the keyboard but unfortunately there is not a way to assign a scene change to the pedal inputs.
Thanks!
Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater thank you very much for the answer!
does it have speakers?
Hi, Asab! Thanks for your interest. Yes, the FP-E50 does have a built-in speaker system. It also has outputs to connect to an external amp or sound system if you prefer. Feel free to contact me directly with further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Wich Is better Roland fpE50 or Casio px7000 ?
I have 70000.
I love it has 32 watt speakers great action and heavy duty stand. Weighs 32 lbs. Has Mike input and sounds good.
However to nice for me to take out.
I'm looking at the following just to do solo gigs at nursing homes, jewelry stores during Christmas or coffee shops.
So I want something with mic input as well. I can't make up my mind. Rd 88 keybed is awesome has mic input but speakers only 12 watts.
Actually looking at buying another casio pxs6000 this has everything the 7000 has except some of the other piano sounds and not crazy about the brown color but will do the job.
Also fp60x and fpe50 and rd88 even considering a yamaha p121 only 73 keys super light and 14 watt speakers but no mic but would be good for Christmas carols and portability. Some of those mentioned weigh 47 lbs. Don't feel like lugging around. Even looked at Fp 90x but to big and heavy but 40 watt speakers and mic input.
Waiting to see the Fp e50 hasn't arrived at music store yet......
Que raro suena esa Guitarra, pareciera de Yamaha, siendo sonido se Roland, q se caracteriza x tener los Sonidos mas Realistas.... Yo poseo un Roland Juno DI y la Guitarra Over es Impresionante el nivel de Realismo con q lo emula el Juno DI.... El Sonido de Piano de FP- E50 si q está Impresionante, me encanta, pero la Guitarra me desanimó, pensaba q todos los Roland usaban la misma base de Datos en cuanto a Sonidos, xq a como repito el Juno DI tiene un Nivel mas Realista, y la Guitar de este FP pareciera de Yamaha...
I've been looking for an affordable PHA-4 keyboard with pitch and mod wheels. I am sad to learn that this keyboard is 6-7/8 inches tall, that is almost 2 inches higher than my FP-60x. Due to my body proportions and long legs, a tall keyboard like this is very uncomfortable or awkward to sit in front of, or to fit under/in front of a music production desk as the main MIDI controller. I wish Roland moved to making flatter keyboards. I understand the speakers need room, but still.
Check out the Yamaha DGX-670. It doesn't have a mod wheel, but with the 3-pedal accessory you can reassign the pedals to perform these type of operations.
When you present a keyboard please make sure after to zoom the buttons so I can have knowledge of pianos😅
10 years later still every workstation keyboard is less capable than the Korg M3, Kronos and Kronos 2.
Can a company please just release a keyboard that sets a new bar?
so we supposed to ignore the fact that you started eating at 2:49? okay.
I torn between getting my daughter the Yamaha DGX-670
Versus
Roland FP-E50 Digital Piano. She just wants to make music at home
What key bed action? Same as the Rd-88?
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes, the FP-E50 uses the PHA-4 weighted keybed - the same as the RD-88. Feel free to reach out to me with any further questions, and thanks again!
Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1620, caleb_lowrey@sweetwater.com
Can we tuned it to 432Hz ?
I got my answer : YESSSSS
Are you able to layer BOTH a Piano and Electric Piano...and then have a volume control for each OR are there only preset sounds of layers??
Hi, Brian - great question. You can layer any two of the sounds available on the keyboard. You do not have an individual volume control for each layer though, there is just a balance control that changes the ratio.
Thanks!
Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1281, Jason_Filloramo@sweetwater.com
Does it have a vocoder on it
Hello, Mark! Though the FP-E50 does allow for a mic input via a ¼” jack, the keyboard does not have vocoder support.
Thanks for the interest!
Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, (800) 222-4700 ext. 1766, cody_kraus@sweetwater.com
@@sweetwater - Sorry, but mine have it... in Mic FX You have 3 types: Harmoniser, Some Voice changer, and Vocoder
Harp?
Deep menu dive just to pitch bend.
PHA-4 = dealbreaker
i want
Okay, the guitar patches might not be the best...BUT...run them through an effects pedal, and you’re into something.