Roland RD-88 Stage Piano

General

The Roland RD-88 not only proves that 88-key pianos can be lightweight but that more complex sound engines can come with easy controls. This digital stage piano offers pure playing pleasure that won't break your back on the way to gigs and rehearsals. It also comes crammed with typical Roland sound-quality: flexible, expressive and completely customisable. This sound is essentially shaped by the SuperNATURAL engine that takes care of both the pianos and electric pianos while the ZEN-Core engine (the same as that used in Roland's uber-fresh Fantom synths) generates all other sounds.

The Features of the Roland RD-88

Developed for the sole purpose, the SuperNATURAL engine is maybe unsurpassed when it comes to emulating piano sound. This engine doesn't work using samples, instead, it writes formulas in a kind of real-time modelling process. This means that there are no keygroups (or limitations) and no velocity zones (with as many limitations). Instead, this engine responds to your playing in such a way that it directly dictates the sound you get; just like a real piano. However complex it sounds, as a pianist, it doesn't really matter since this complex machine is so easy to control. Encoders are included for fast and discreet tweaks while playing while a clear display offers access to further parameters which, most of the time, you won't even need to look at.

Virtual Instrument Integration

The RD-88 naturally includes three zones to which internal sounds can be assigned. But things get really interesting when you start integrating soft synths and controls from Apple MainStage (another detail this piano has in common with the new Fantom Series synths). By using MainStage, your laptop can function as a kind of plug-in for the RD-88 so that, even though the standard sounds that come with it are probably more than enough, they can always be updated with the freshest and best of the moment. It's also worth mentioning that this piano comes with built-in speakers; an ever-useful detail that finishes a slim and smart machine that definitively proves that more complex sound engines can come with easy controls.