Roland GO:KEYS 5 WH keyboard starter set Basic

General

The Roland GO:KEYS 5 looks rather distinctive, not what you expect a Roland keyboard to look like. But then again, a company is allowed to try something new. With this model, the company is aiming somewhat at starters, especially in terms of budget, but that does not mean it is a keyboard that has been skimped on. On the contrary, this keyboard has under its hood the well-known Roland ZEN-Core engine, a term you may have encountered before with high-end synths and stage pianos from this Japanese developer. So in a keyboard with something of an entry-level look there is a high-end chip, remember that!

Features of the Roland GO:KEYS 5

It's a keyboard, so there are sounds and rhythms in it. And then we're talking quality and quantity! A whopping 1154 sounds and over 200 rhythms, plus 74 drum kits. Those are resounding numbers, but is that all? No; you may have heard of the Roland Cloud, a website where you can get Z-Style Pcks, Sound Packs and Wave Expansions for this keyboard. In other words, this keyboard is expandable. Another very nice feature of the Keys 5 is that you can connect a 6.3 mm microphone to it, add an effect (like harmony) and sing along nicely. Aux-in is also included, so you can connect an external sound source. You wouldn't have guessed it from the outside, but this beast has a lot of potential!

Further possibilities

Otherwise, it is a keyboard with the possibilities of our time. Via a USB stick you can play WAVs and MP3s and the keyboard also functions as a USB audio interface (and of course as a USB MIDI interface). For rhythms, you get your intro, ending and four variations. There is also a cosy club of effects on board. so everything sounds nice and thick all over again. All these features, for this keen price, with all the expansion options via the Roland Cloud? And remember that this keyboard, weighing less than five kilos, is easy to take with you and can be played anywhere on eight AA batteries. Gotta hand it to them: this new generation of GO:Keys impresses! Even if you're a beginner yourself, it can't sound too bad, can it? In that case, put this keyboard at the top of your wish list!