New stage keyboards from Roland: Roland V-Stage

A wet keyboard dream became true:
A 76key waterfall keybed with aftertouch, “real” pitch & modwheels, drawbars and separate piano and synth sections… wow! (There’s also a 88key version with hammer action keys).

The downside is: ~15kg of weight and 3500€ of cost

So, if I understand properly, Nord was the first to introduce the concept of a “stage” keyboard with sections for piano, organ, synth, etc.
Then Yahama did exactly the same thing and now Roland has done exactly the same thing.

What’s new for me is the combination of features (76 semi weighted waterfall keys with after touch, pitch & modwheel, drawbars) plus the allround sound engine… i’ve never seen this whole package before.

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I agree - these are interesting features.

I just had to grin when I first looked at it (with Yamaha and CPxx too, but here even more so), because at first glance you really think “oh, has the Nord Stage changed the design slightly”? :smiley:

Of course it’s because we’ve known Nord (and only Nord) with this modular structure for 15 years. If you want to achieve similar functionality with a stage piano, you’ll quickly end up in the same direction with the “UI”.

But I’ve been complaining about Nord for years because I find the new features of the latest models anything but innovative. Roland has some fresh features in the new model imo. And a few things that I simply want to have in a stage piano these days, e.g. audio interface - especially for simple use with GP without an additional interface (assuming good drivers, of course).

But: Possibly no user sample import. And I personally would love to have a weighted 61-key keyboard. But I’ve already given up hope, apparently nobody wants that except me :slight_smile:

I would like that too but I am seriously skeptical of their drivers

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4 grand for the 88 key model and it weighs 48 lbs. Roland doesn’t even include a sustain pedal

I don’t like it (after some demos on YouTube).
Same old pianos Roland style.
Same old organs Roland style.
Same old synths Roland style (Zen core).
I can do everything much better with GigPerformer and my plugins.
Good thing is that it has some features to drive plugins on external computer (demo guy mentions Mainstage of course).

I am much more interested in Viscount Legend One. It has a wonderful Hammond, inputs for 4 pedals. And it costs half the price of Roland.
I will test it asap

No comment about Korg Kronos 3… Sigh :pensive:

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A Roland RD 08 costs about a grand and weighs 29 lbs and sounds as good as that new Roland to my ears

@dhj So how is the V-Stage? I somehow have the feeling that you know a bit more about it now… :upside_down_face:

Talking about keyboards with built-in audio interfaces… here’s another new candidate:

Yeah!
I will test keys of new SL73 mkII asap.
It could become the bottom manual of my rig.
I think I am selling my YC73, I never use its sounds, only as a controller. And there is no pushbutton active in MIDI. So an expensive controller with limitations.
With the SL I could use Mixface, there is space enough…