Thank you. I just purchase a new RD-2000 and I truly appreciate your video. I've also seen lots of "bad sound" complaints about the RD-2000, but I think that there are so many options/variables on the RD-2000, that people are impatient and have difficulty arriving at the settings/sounds they want. My belief is the RD-2000 can likely do just about any sound one would like, but it is difficult to find and make those choices. Thanks again for sharing exactly the kind of help I value most highly.
Thank you! Yes, the RD-2000 is actually a professional stage instrument made for controlling other instruments via MIDI (a master keyboard). Sound-wise it doesn't give you instant success like other instruments out there, you have to know your stuff to get it to work. And of course, some people are a bit over their heads at this point ;)
I first watched this video 5 years ago and set up my RD as such. I just want to say thank you! It's pretty much the only time I use now. You really hit onto something here.
Though you posted in 2017. I must say and thank you. No mumbo-jumbo just direct to the point. I am not an expert, But after all the reviews we purchased a RD-2000 and were greatly disappointed--on the sound. It has been returned as we had no time to go to college to figure out their controls. Needless to say if I saw this vid. earlier, we would have at least had a proper sound for a piano. I thank you for showing us how to attain the true sound. the sound and your playing are top notch. Take care,
Hi, thanks for this Video very helpful. I have already RD-2000 at home and I am very satisfied. It is the best stage piano right now on market. In my opinion better than MP11SE(Sound+Keyborad too) and than Yamaha CP4 too. Yamaha's Action is also good, but this one is the best. Better than this RD-2000 are only hybrid piano like Yamaha N1, NU1X,... (Price 5000+)
Your tone adjustment sounds really good & impressive. I have played the RD2000 but on first impression it was not so appealing for me like how other brands. I think V-Piano expansion has very good capability to edit the piano sounds. I am in to western classical music. Consider the my choice I feel that Kawai MP11se it has amazing key action but I think it’s time to look for replacement of MP11se. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. 🙏
what is additionally fun to do, is to make adjustments (to add color and tone) with the Hammer noise, etc. etc. adjustments that come with these Roland RD series keyboards. I have a 1965 Hamburg Steinway B (with an interesting NEC history in the USA), and I make adjustments to my Roland RD700GX to come as close to my B as possible.... but there is really no comparison when the B is Concert tuned and regulated). Roland and all the others DO make their keyboard instruments for THEIR market.... the pop and jazz stage performance. I was VERY pleased to FINALLY, after 25 years, find someone who was interested in CLASSICAL music and how to make, at least, minor adjustments to these keyboards for OUR music. Trying to match or come close to ones personal instrument or one has heard at a concert is fun to do. You Tube, I find, is 99% dominated by only pop, rock, 'crap', and some other genres.... rarely do Classically trained individuals share experiences and adjustments.... but it is improving with the NEW revitalization of interest in the piano.... (China is now the dominate market for piano sales.... and Steinway, after the saving of the company from oblivion by the purchase of the new owner, is creating a foothold over there).... Restoration companies (like Lindeblad) are beginning to see a resurgence in people wanting to restore their pianos instead of having them hauled off to the dump. Thank you Tiroh for posting, and perhaps others will share their settings as well.
That's an amazing effortless talent you have. My brother learnt piano and keyboard playing when he was a kid but I never really got on with it in school. Now I regret not taking the time to learn. Still, I have a little tinkle on the old Roland midi controller for production and sampling purposes.
Oh, I am learning that Bach's D-moll invention you've played in the middle:) Great instrument, priceless recommendations! Thank you! P.S.: excuse me, but you sound 100% like Claus from "American Dad":))
Played the RD2000 today. Has a great feel to it. The Yamaha Hybrid also has a great feel. I would use Vienna Imperial VST for the piano sound personally.
Very insightful video. it is reassuring to know that the RD-2000 possesses the potential to accommodate such intuitive classical demands with the right tone(s), effects and others specified adjustments. I believe you created a great recipe on this instrument! It seemed to accomplish the objective quite successfully. ;) All the best to you and your beautiful instrument! PS: don't forget to visit Roland's Axial website for some great (clasical) piano libraries if you have not already.
To add to this conversaton, I use the RD2000 with a heavily modified Contemporary Concerto V-piano sound. With my configuration I'm able to play all nuances I want from an acoustic Grand and it sounds very realistic to me. However your comment about spatialness in the sound is spot on, that is the only remark I still have. I think the V-piano's have just the amount of playability you need to 'feel' the grand in combination with the amazing action. Thanks for your video! :)
Hi at last an intelligent critique on this piano from Roland. I Would be so very interested to hear the whole range of the RD 2000 not just the middle of the piano if you would be so kind Thankyou, undoubtedly the most concise video of it all the best
There's more you can do. There's a whole piano editor where you can custom the piano entirely. You literally feel like you're playing a grand. But you have to bump up the hammer noise, the string resonance, adjust velocity(how hard you have to hit the keys), key let off, and also the kind of space you're playing in. In my Rd800 I edited hardcore and saved it so that every time I turn it on, that's the default sound and feel. Adjusting velocity is extremely important so that it feels exactly like a grand. I also tuned certain notes on the high registry to sound slightly out of tune, to add to the realism.
Well, I experimented with all the settings of the piano designer, both of the V-piano engine and the SuperNatural engine, and this was part of my frustration. I didn't find that they can add to the authenticity of the sound. They *change* the sound, yes, but they cannot make it more real or authentic. So, I think it's a matter of taste, not realism. This topic is so complex that one could do a whole video about it. At this point, I only want to say that for an acoustic instrument, the parameters you mentioned (hammer noise, tuning etc) can be chosen rather freely by the piano manufacturer and the piano tuner, so basically all choices are "authentic" or "real". They just sound different, and that's the reason why we should always play an acoustic piano before buying it -- you never know how it sounds and whether it is right for you before you have played it.
tiroh I see what you're saying. In my personal experience I really enjoy playing it, and I play complex classical. And it feels totally fine to me. However I do play in a lot of crappy uprights and really old beat up school grands, so to me the rd feels like heaven and sounds like heaven. School pianos are always in terrible shape.
But you're right, Roland focuses more on the working musician, the band artist, the jazz guys, that are always playing in places. If they thought of us classical fellas they would probably come up with the sickest stage piano.
If I could set up an rd 2000, I might consider getting one,bought one quite a while back,couldn’t get a decent piano sound,had to return it ,maybe now I might do better at getting sound now?
I'm new to this, so what's the difference between Mellow Concert Grand and Mellow NX Concert? And what does "modulation" do? It only lights up for the non-stage piano tones
Mellow Concert Grand and Mellow NX Concert are different piano sounds, they sound different. Modulation means to change some sound characteristic in realtime and continuously. Often, the default setting for this is pitch. The RD-2000 has a modulation wheel on the left side. (Changing pitch is only available for the non-V-Piano sounds.)
Thanks! Also saw your comment on how it sounds similar to a Steinway. Wow, and with just a few changes to reverb. I think the stage or concert piano comes close, but thanks for the tip! I guess it's also your skill or the way you play it that really makes the difference, and you sound quite professional
You can always reduce treble on those brighter pianos you don't like, right? Good advice for those that like that style of sound. I greatly detest that wet, reverb-laden sound like venues that add too many reflections. I love the sound of acoustic pianos and strings and horns in venues with sound-deadening panels throughout the walls and ceiling. Far better for appreciating the performance and the work musicians put into their tone and finer nuances of their playing, all in best clarity, which is a real treat.
Yamaha mox series keyboard has a piano called romantic piano. I think Chopin Nocturne sounds really good on that piano. Do you know a comparable sounds in Roland RD2000?
This is a very good video for people who are mostly interested in figuring out if this instrument could be primarily a good piano substitute. Hardly anyone can afford a real piano because it's impractical and expensive, but this comes with decent piano sound and action, and some welcome additional features that can be expanded by hooking it up to a DAW. Could you comment on the action/feel of the keybed?
Hm ... this is so subjective, it is very difficult to say something substantial about that. For me, it is one of very best actions out there, which is an important reason why I bought this instrument.
Hi tiroh! I liked so much your video! You explained so well!! Thank you very much for the amazing tutorial!!! I tested many pianos like Kawai ES-8, MP-11, Roland RD-800, FP-90... In the end I liked more the RD-2000. It is a really great epiano! Do you have any suggestion of a good soundbox for this epiano?`Or also a good headphone? Thanks!
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. Did you also try to achieve a Steinway sound? And… how did you connect with your camera? Many thanks again, really amazing🌞
Thanks a lot. I bought the RD 2000 in the meantime, I enjoy it a lot, but you are right that one has to adjust quite a few parameters to get it sound well for classical music. But it´s worth the effort
This is great. Thanks for doing this. I was looking for this type of info/video for a long time. Now that you configure it, how do you save it, so it remembers the settings?
Tiroh: I'm considering buying the Roland LX-17 (at a great discount price) to come closest to approximating a Steinway classical piano sound. The only drawback is that for "travel," it is a large 185 lb. piano - like an upright. So I wonder if the portable/stage digital piano Roland RD2000 (or any other make digital pianos) have the same sound capability for classical music (and its other orchestral and synthesized sounds) as does the Roland LX-17. With the entire newest line of HP603, HP-605, LX-7 and LX-17 digital pianos, the sound can be "infinitely" tweaked/customized to arrive at a fantastic Steinway classical music sound. How would you compare the portability of the RD-2000 as a match vs. the non-portable Roland LX-17? Thanks!
Regarding the sound of the instruments: Short answer: As far as I know, yes, the RD-2000 has at least the same capabilities for playing classical music as the LX-17. However, I don't know the details of the LX-17 and don't know whether there are certain killer features that the RD-2000 is lacking. Long answer: The LX-17 is a different class of instrument, it is hard to compare it to the RD-2000. The LX-17 is a home piano, its purpose is to replace an acoustic piano in the living room. In contrast, the RD-2000 is an instrument for professional musicians who do performances, either on stage or in the studio. Consequently, the RD-2000 offers more features in that direction than the LX-17. Very important are its many real-time controls for sound manipulation, including synthesizer-like features, and its MIDI capabilities. Its purpose is to be the MIDI master keyboard on stage. In addition, it has more than 1100 tones, while the LX-17 only has 307 tones. The sound *quality*, however, is more or less the same in both instruments. Both the RD-2000 and the LX-17 are high-end devices and, as far as I know, provide two sound engines, one that physically models a piano (the V-Piano technology) and one that is based on samples (the SuperNATURAL engine). It is important to know, though, that the sounds of the RD-2000 have the highest quality in the three departments acoustic piano, e-piano, and organ. The other sounds (orchestral stuff and so on) are of lesser quality. But you can extend the RD-2000 with sound libraries from Roland's AXIAL website. I don't know the sounds of the LX-17, so I can't comment on them. Regarding the portability: The big question is what "travel" means for YOU. "Portability" is a completely relative thing. From the viewpoint of a stage musician who travels with vans and has people who help him carrying stuff, the RD-2000 is highly portable, but from the viewpoint of, say, someone who performs in the street on his own and must carry his stuff himself, the RD-2000 is ... "less portable". And you know, there are musicians like Elton John or Billy Joel who perform on stage using a grand. So, for these guys, even a grand is "portable". Of course, we can safely say that an RD-2000 is "as portable as it can get". But it still weighs 21.7 kg, so you don't really want to carry it much, right? If you travel much, it may also be helpful for you to think about using a MIDI keyboard with professional 88-key action and connecting it to sound generation devices. This way, you can save weight.
Tiroh: Thank you for your prompt and comprehensive answer. One main concern I have about comparison between the Roland RD2000 and Roland LX-17 is the following: I "read" that the LX-17 bases its new SuperModeling sound technology on the acoustic Steinway D-274 (Hamburg, Germany as compared with the United States model) 9 foot concert grand piano, which happens to be my favorite piano on which many concert pianists have played for years in the concert halls. The V-Piano, I think also uses the same Steinway sound quality? Do you know if the Roland RD2000 achieves a true rendition of the V-Piano? Is it the same SuperModeling result? I ask because the V-Piano has internal speakers and the RD2000 uses external (separately bought) speakers which would seem to affect the quality of sound created on the RD2000. Is that true in your experience? Regarding the Roland LX-17, I realize you haven't played it (perhaps someone else in the comment section has?). That piano has an 8 excellent speaker setup and an incredible sound capacity for the QUALITY of sound. I personally already have two "HR824 Mackie" Monitor speakers and wonder if you (or anyone else who reads the comment section) thinks that they will insure a wonderful complement for the RD2000 sound quality? Again, my aim is to re-produce the Steinway D-274 concert grand experience, as close as possible. On your TH-cam recording, listening through my computer, it's difficult to ascertain the quality of the tweaked sound you have created for classical music. To my ears, it sounded like too much reverb. An acoustic Steinway would not render a noticeably "reverb" sound. The LX-17 also duplicates the Steinway without noticeable "reverb." But you would know first hand with your settings, more than what we hear listening through TH-cam. Another consideration, have you heard the Casio GP500 on TH-cam or live? It has three great concert grand pianos that I love: 1) Steinway Hamburg Grand; 2) Bechstein Berlin Grand; and 3) Bosendorfer Vienna Grand. Do you think the RD2000 can duplicate the Steinway and other two grand pianos on the Casio GP500? One reason I don't think I will buy the Casio GP500 is because it's missing the "extra" 300+ orchestral and synthesized sounds of the Roland LX-17 and extra some 1100 sounds of the RD2000. If possible, I prefer to have the Steinway classical piano sound as best as possible PLUS the luxury of creating tracks with the additional multi-diverse sounds. If I perform jazz or other music, besides classical, I will also have the option of the "pop"/contemporary sounds. Do you think the Roland RD2000 is the best stage digital piano available at this time? (I've also read reviews that highlight the Kawai MP11 and MP7 as contenters.) Sorry for my long reply and additional questions. Thank you for your "enlightened" perspective on them to the best of your understanding.
Have you had the opportunity to test the Roland FP-90 ? It has more parameters to configure the piano sound than the RD-2000: duplex scale, full scale string resonance, damper resonance, key off resonance, cabinet resonance, soundboard type, damper noise, single note tuning, single note volume, single note character. Would the FP-90 be better for piano, and especially for classical music piano than the RD-2000 ?
The FP-90 does not have more options than the RD-2000. All the things you mentioned are available in the RD-2000. Also, they have the same key action. The difference between the RD-2000 and the FP-90 is that the RD-2000 is a professional instrument for the stage musician, whereas the FP-90 is more directed towards the home user. The RD-2000 provides MIDI master functionality and features known from synthesizers. That means, the RD-2000 opens up more possibilities than the FP-90. They both are well-suited for playing the piano, but have different feature sets when it comes to the settings in which you want to play.
Thanks a lot! I downloaded the RD-2000 owner's manual and the parameters were not mentioned, only sympathetic resonance. Glad to know it does in fact offer the same customization parameters as the FP-90. I hope you'll continue to publish videos with your experiences or performances with the RD-2000 and such, I'm sure I'm not the only one interested.
This is very helpful. If I wanted to use this piano for a classical choir weekly rehearsal in a good acoustic low-ceiling room for 60 people, what speaker or monitor or keyboard amplifier would you or other people recommend?
Thank you very much for sharing this information. I am a piano beginner. I read your thoughts and experiences regarding the comparison between this instrument and various other models and manufacturer. My question is, how is the action compared to the FP-30, which at the moment everyone is recommending for beginners. Do you think for an absolute beginner it might be better if I take a piano whith a more realistic action like MP-11SE? Or do you think the difference is negligible? Regarding MP-11 and FP-30 to RD-2000? Every manufacturer say they have the best action. But is it so important? ---> Or at least, is the action of the 2000 lighter or heavier to the FP-30 ??? (most imortant fo rme at the moment) I would be happy if you could answer, please. I thank you very much in advance. bp
Thank you! First of all: I think that for an absolute beginner it is a very debatable idea to buy an instrument like the RD-2000 or the MP-11SE, except you are a millionaire and don't care about potentially wasting much money. Those are upscale instruments for professionals who know what they need, they offer features that beginners don't even dream about and cannot use. For example, the RD-2000 is made for controlling several other instruments simultaneously live on stage (it is supposed to take the role of a so-called master keyboard). I personally chose the RD-2000 mainly because of its extensive MIDI functions, I can use it to control a DAW (digital audio workstation) on a computer without extra hardware. In short, the RD-2000 or the MP-11SE are pretty much overkill for an absolute beginner. It may be best if you check first whether playing the piano is something that you really want to pursue in the future. You should only buy an RD-2000 if you are pretty sure that you will grow into it, because at first, you will definitely not be able to make real use of it. The action of the RD-2000 is the PHA-50. It is noticeably lighter than that of the FP-30, which is the PHA-4 Standard. This is NOT necessarily a bad thing because it is good training for a beginner. I think that a beginner should not exercise on an action that is too light because then he/she will possibly not really train the fingers right. Acoustic grand pianos can have a rather heavy action. This depends very much on the instruments, some are light, some are heavy. My recommendation: Go into a store and try out the actions, it's the only way for you to know what feels best. Both the PHA-50 and PHA-4 Standard are ok for a beginner, so in the end it's up to you. Please remember that there is much more choice than just the FP-30 or the RD-2000. There is also the FP-60 (PHA-4 Standard) and the FP-90 (PHA-50). However, the FP-90 is rather pricey. In my opinion, you do nothing wrong with the FP-30. However, if you think that you will definitely continue playing and/or spending a little more is not a problem for you, then I recommend the FP-60, because then you are a little bit more future-proof. It also has much better usability than the FP-30 and provides a wider range of musical options.
OK, thank you very much for the detailed explanation ! I have to digest all this first. But I think your are right. Since the RD-2000 is noticeably lighter than the FP-30 I need going into a store and try myself... That were important informations you gave. Have a nice day and thank you again. bp
Thank you for this very helpful video. The piano sound is also very nice. Is that a function of the RD-2000 or the speakers? What speakers are you using to record this, if I may ask?
Thank you. The piano sound setup is made only with the settings of the RD-2000. The recording is made directly to the computer via USB, there are no speakers involved.
No, I didn't. It is important to understand that those instruments are all very good, one isn't better than the other. It depends on (a) what you want to do exactly and (b) what your personal taste is. For instance, the RD-2000 is a master keyboard with extensive MIDI capabilities. It is supposed to control many other MIDI instruments on stage. If you don't need that, you don't need the RD-2000.
Well, you only explored default piano settings plus a little effect correction. You didn't explore the powerful edit settings, like lid opening, string resonance, damper resonance, which make this digital piano quite unique. For example I didn't explore, until now the powerful "single" string settings, which can simulate the behaviour of a real piano, in which the strings have not the perfect intonation or the same volume of another string... That's could improve the reality so much...
In fact, I did explore those other settings, but found that for me they do not improve the piano sound. Yes, they CHANGE it, but they do not IMPROVE it, at least not for me. Of course, you might have a different taste.
Its okay, no prob. I already found an expansion on the roland website containing a few RD-2000 piano sounds which are in a way simular to what you've shown in your vid :)
Amazing video! Thank you very much!!! I have only one question. Do you prefer the natural or the V-Piano sound? Do you recommend the rd-2000 or rd-800? What do you think about the Kawai MP-11 in comparison with the rd-800 or rd-2000?
Thanks! For classical music, I felt the SuperNatural engine pianos are better suited. However, of course, I didn't try every possible combination of parameters, and it's just my opinion. I think the strong suit of the RD-2000 is its MIDI functionality and its real-time controls. As far as I know, the RD-800 is a bit more limited in this regard. When it comes to sound, they both are probably very fine instruments. I didn't play the Kawai MP-11, so I cannot say anything about it.
Hi, regarding the second half of your question: I have tested the MP-11 and the RD-800 side by side. Both have great actions, Kawai is lighter, but i liked the Roland better. The more "meaty" action of the Roland seemed to be closer to the weight of most of the grand pianos you get to play in reality. The Kawai action is still great and probably easier to play on. Soundwise i preferred the Roland again, seemed to have more depth and detail (after experimenting with the vast amount of settings), also i didnt quite enjoy the mid range of the kawai, upper mid frequencies sounded a bit nasal to my ears. I ended up buying the RD-800 and i would buy it again 10/10 times. Since the release if the RD-2000 the price of the RD-800 dropped from ~2000€ to 1600€ in my country, which is an absolute steal in my opinion. I'd only spend 900€ more for the RD-2000 if i really needed the midi capabilities - and the PHA 50 action, which i had the chance to try on a Roland FP 90 is probably the best i have ever played :).The MP-11 is also a great instrument, but it lacks flexibility and portability imo, so i went with the RD 800. Of course this is just my opinion, I am (unfortunately) not endorsed by Roland (or Kawai), and in the end it all comes down to taste. Hope i could give some useful insight! Best Regards
The RD-2000 is not comparable to the FP-30 because the RD-2000 is a professional stage piano and MIDI master keyboard for stage musicians while the FP-30 is an entry-level piano for home use. I used the FP-30 when I wasn't sure whether I would resume making music (I had paused for years). I did, and then I decided to use the RD-2000 instead.
Hallo, vielen Dank für das Video. Ich habe mit dem Piano meine liebe Not. Wenn ich damit z.B. bei einem Sektempfang oder in der Kirche spiele über einen aktiven Lautsprecher klingt es nicht sehr gut. Obwohl ich schon alles versucht habe. Ich bin kein Anfänger... Vlt. Können Sie mir helfen. Liebe Grüße
Es klingt mumpfig, unausgewogen und sehr mittenbetont. Via Kopfhörer ist alles super. Aber weder an den Studiomonitoren noch an der PA klingt es so wie in Ihrem Video bzw den Demo Videos in TH-cam. Zur Orientierung: Das Yamaha p85 der Kinder klingt besser am selben Setup... LG
Gut. (Ich sage mal internet-typisch "du", ich hoffe, das ist ok.) Also: Eine Grundregel von Live-Auftritten ist (unabhängig ob Rock, Pop oder Kirchenmusik), dass man den Klang an die jeweilige Raumakustik anpassen muss. Und nicht alle PAs arbeiten gleich oder gleich gut. (Manche Live-Musiker haben sogar als Notbehelf für den Fall, dass die PA vor Ort nicht gut funktioniert, eigene Mixer dabei.) Erschwerend kommt hinzu, dass es für die Raumakustik ein großer Unterschied ist, ob der Raum leer ist oder ob das Publikum da ist. Die Anwesenheit vieler Menschen verändert die Akustik nämlich unter Umständen ganz immens. Das ist eine Sache, die man nur mit Erfahrung in den Griff bekommt. -- Bevor wir klären können, wie du dein Setup korrigieren musst, gibt es zunächst drei weitere Fragen: (1) Wie viele Wege haben dein Verstärker und deine Lautsprecher? (2) Wie groß sind die Durchmesser deiner Lautsprecher? (3) Welche Leistung hat dein Verstärker in Watt?
What is he playing at 2:38 and at 2:50? It sounds very familiar but it's been quite some time since I have heard those masterpieces. (@tiroh: great video by the way, I would love to watch and listen to more work of you, especially how your settings sound at the high register.)
Wow, thank you tiroh! You spared me some think and search time. The inventions have never been my favorite works of J.S. Bach but you have proved to me that it is shameful that I forgot them. Some of them are indeed real treasures.
Thank you. I'm sad about my RD2000. It has some noisy keys, the keybed is not very good, not robust as it should be. When I tap at the side of many keys, or play staccato, I hear annoying noises from the keybed. This should never happen. Fortunately, the instrument is fine, and these noises don't go through the sound system, nor the phones. I have to play with phones for not to get annoyed by them. 😮😮😮
Thanks! Unfortunately, I cannot judge the Nord Piano 3. These instruments are so complex that you have to get to know them, only then can you can say something about them. It's the same with the RD-2000, I had to become acquainted with it. The review videos for the Nord Piano 3 on TH-cam have the same problem like the videos for the RD-2000: they just assess the "out-of-the-box" sound. However, I suspect that one is configured by the manufacturer to sell the instrument in stores, not to sound right for classical music.
I personally find they are better suited for jazz than for classical music. I think they are designed by Roland to be used in a band setting where the piano has to "defend" itself against the sound of other instruments.
Classical pianists DO NOT use reverb (doesn't exist on an acoustic piano) and they sit at the piano on a bench without a computer keyboard in the way. Of course, you should set it up with a decent audio system. That makes a tremendous difference. The RD2000 has an exceptional sound. However you need to reproduce it.
Classical pianists don't use an RD-2000 but a grand. This video is not about being a classical pianist but how to make the sound of the RD-2000 less dry. A dry grand doesn't sound as attractive when compared to a grand played in a concert hall. I don't recommend to hook electrical pianos up to any audio system. The room acoustics of most people's living rooms (who are not audiophiles) with all the many reflecting surfaces at the wrong places don't lend themselves to attractive reverb. Also, multiple speakers would have to be placed at exactly the right places with the right distances and angles relative to the listeners which is something only audiophiles would be willing to care about (and pay for).
Thanks! I'll have to try this out. I've been using V-Piano S05 "Symphony Hall", which sounds pretty good to me, but your choice may be better. One thing that you didn't mention is that 0009 Mellow NX Concrt is actually a "SuperNatural" (sampled) tone rather than a V-Piano sound. I guess that the V-Pianos didn't work out for you, which is a shame.
Yes, that's true. For me, the V-Piano sounds sound very unnatural. That's why I speculated that Roland intended them to be used in the context of a band, rather than solo in a concert setting.
Yes, I did. The reason why I started with the FP-30 is because I didn't know at first whether I would be successful with playing again, but I made progress really fast. So I upgraded because I wanted the best action that is currently available.
tiroh Yeah i get you. Ive decided to buy the fp 30 because i am not really sure if i will stick with piano playing for a long time. But i have tried the rd 2000 in a music store and it felt really wonderful. Who knows, maybe i will upgrade to the rd 2000 too one day. Good luck with playing!!! I really enjoy your videos, i would die to see you play some songs =]
UPDATE: I am sorry, my reply is WRONG, I accidentally thought your question is related to a different video! The RD-2000 has NO internal speakers! It has internal speakers, but as always, internal speakers cannot compete with good external ones or audiophile headphones, they sound not as natural. Headphones are usually best for that purpose. I use Sennheiser HD 598.
I am sorry, my reply is WRONG, I accidentally thought your question is related to a different video! The RD-2000 has NO internal speakers! Professional stage piano rarely have them. I recorded the sound directly from the piano via USB.
Also based on my observation great pianists from the classical genre have recorded their performances on Steinway pianos. Do you have a recommended piano setting for Steinway grand piano?
Funny thing is, listen to this Schubert recording and play along with the RD-2000 using the settings I suggested: th-cam.com/video/LFjkIrRjZZU/w-d-xo.html You will find that the Steinway and the RD-2000 sound astonishingly similar.
The RD-2000 polyphony is limited to 128 simultaneous notes. Do you find it sometimes limiting or not ? Piano sellers always insist on the polyphony level but it's hard to know at which point we stepped into marketing b.s. or not.
We have to differentiate between the two sound engines of the RD-2000: the SuperNatural engine has a polyphony of 128, but the V-Piano engine has unlimited polyphony. (This is because it simulates the sound waves, it doesn't replay samples.) In my view, marketing begins at that point where a seller wants you to believe that you will benefit from a polyphony of more than 128. For playing the piano, a polyphony of 128 is definitely sufficient, both for a beginner and an intermediate player. Pieces that really require the instrument to play 128 notes or even more than that simultaneously should be rare. Also, such a piece would be difficult to play: You would have to play 128 notes so quickly that the first one is still clearly audible at the point when you play the 129th note. This may be technically possible, but is uncommon.
I don't own this, but listening to another review just before yours i guessed that adding max reverb and sufficient delay was getting close to a concert grand. So i was surprised that's exactly what you did. ROLAND if you read this, i looked seriously into buy this stage piano keyboard but i agree with what this reviewer says. You ignored our needs as real classical pianists, and only cared for jazz and pop. No buy !! next time design with us in mind, and yes we are extremely picky. Also, i think the action is not good enough for classical piano. You're going to have to improve the action a whole lot before i buy this.
I don't mean to step on the shoes of you classical pianists but really now you guys are stuck on this status quo that you have to play classical piano on a pre specified tone of a piano. I think that is one of the reasons why classical piano is not too popular or well liked by most people. Why can you not play classical music on the stage grand, etc. I mean c'mon you guys are stuck on a preconceived notion that it has to be this way or the highway. This is why I dont have too much respect for the thought process of classical pianists. I respect their technique but that's it. Snobbery does not make an artist. Open your minds and be creative instead of regurgitating what you see on a sheet of music.
Lol you talk shit like you know everything about music, like you are the master and everything you say is correct. I am not a classical pianist myself, but I am very sad knowing that people like you still exist in this world.
What are you talking about? You really have no sense of nuance obviously. Classical pianist all strive for the perfect sound to connect with. Bright, closely mic'ed piano samples jarr on the ears and the senses. It's as simple as that
Also how many times do you have to hear a piece of classical music played over and over again with the same notes but just played by someone else before you get sick of the frikin piece. Jeeze... these pieces have been played over and over again for 200 years and longer. Dont you think people will get tired of them. Start using your imagination and put your own spin on it. But that's the problem. You guys train yourselves to regurgitate what you see on paper and have no concept of improvising or being creative.
Again, this is basically nonsense, and please differentiate between what's really in the video what you personally associate with it. I personally have been composing music since I was 12 years old, I improvise all the time and each day, also with electronic music. This video just makes a suggestion how to set up the RD-2000 for classical piano music, that's all.
tiroh with all due respect what I am trying to say is when ur comparing the different concert pianos on the Rd and saying this just doesn't sound right compared to the warm nx piano ur wrong. U can play pieces of classical music that will sound just fine on the other concert grand pianos you compared. So please don't say it just doesn't sound right. Also my rant about classical pianists stemmed from your critique of Roland and how they don't think of classical pianists. I don't see that and this is why the mindset of you so called classical pianists really irritates me. Music is meant to be enjoyed. Don't discourage people as all u classical pianists seem to do. Now ur playing was wonderful but perhaps you classical pianists can take a lesson from
I am not a classical pianist. I do not consider myself a "pianist" at all, I am just someone playing the piano. And I don't think I am discouraging people in my video to experiment with the instrument and explore the possibilities. In MY opinion, sounds like the "Stage Grand" or the "NX Concert Grand" do not have enough spatiality for classical music, but are specially made for the needs of jazz, blues, and pop. This is MY opinion, and I do not intend to obligate other people to adopt it. I only make a suggestion. If other people feel the "Stage Grand" sounds awesome for classical music, that's great, and by all means they should use it. If they like, they can write their own suggestions into the comments of this video. I can also explain my opinion. Classical music often makes use of all the nuances and details of the instruments, which is not the case in pop music. For instance, a quick but very silent run in a Chopin piece has different requirements for the instrument than a quick run in a jazz piece where the piano has to defend itself against bass and drums and thus needs a more pushing, asserting sound. From this, special requirements for the sound follow regarding frequencies, reverberation, etc.
Thank you. I just purchase a new RD-2000 and I truly appreciate your video. I've also seen lots of "bad sound" complaints about the RD-2000, but I think that there are so many options/variables on the RD-2000, that people are impatient and have difficulty arriving at the settings/sounds they want. My belief is the RD-2000 can likely do just about any sound one would like, but it is difficult to find and make those choices. Thanks again for sharing exactly the kind of help I value most highly.
Thank you! Yes, the RD-2000 is actually a professional stage instrument made for controlling other instruments via MIDI (a master keyboard). Sound-wise it doesn't give you instant success like other instruments out there, you have to know your stuff to get it to work. And of course, some people are a bit over their heads at this point ;)
I first watched this video 5 years ago and set up my RD as such. I just want to say thank you! It's pretty much the only time I use now. You really hit onto something here.
Thank you, it's very nice to hear that it helped someone out there ;)
@@tiroh8490 have you tried the new German concert grand expansion? I haven't yet.... but am tempted.
Thank you, this has transformed my piano. It sounds great for classical now.
Got an RD2000 recently, this was a greet guide to getting a nice fuller sound for classical style playing, thanks!
Though you posted in 2017. I must say and thank you. No mumbo-jumbo just direct to the point. I am not an expert, But after all the reviews we purchased a RD-2000 and were greatly disappointed--on the sound. It has been returned as we had no time to go to college to figure out their controls. Needless to say if I saw this vid. earlier, we would have at least had a proper sound for a piano. I thank you for showing us how to attain the true sound.
the sound and your playing are top notch. Take care,
Hi, thanks for this Video very helpful. I have already RD-2000 at home and I am very satisfied. It is the best stage piano right now on market. In my opinion better than MP11SE(Sound+Keyborad too) and than Yamaha CP4 too. Yamaha's Action is also good, but this one is the best. Better than this RD-2000 are only hybrid piano like Yamaha N1, NU1X,... (Price 5000+)
Great job! You have really unlocked the way to get this instrument to “sing”!
Your tone adjustment sounds really good & impressive. I have played the RD2000 but on first impression it was not so appealing for me like how other brands. I think V-Piano expansion has very good capability to edit the piano sounds. I am in to western classical music. Consider the my choice I feel that Kawai MP11se it has amazing key action but I think it’s time to look for replacement of MP11se. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. 🙏
Yep works great! Thank you! You should do some more RD-2000 videos!
what is additionally fun to do, is to make adjustments (to add color and tone) with the Hammer noise, etc. etc. adjustments that come with these Roland RD series keyboards. I have a 1965 Hamburg Steinway B (with an interesting NEC history in the USA), and I make adjustments to my Roland RD700GX to come as close to my B as possible.... but there is really no comparison when the B is Concert tuned and regulated). Roland and all the others DO make their keyboard instruments for THEIR market.... the pop and jazz stage performance.
I was VERY pleased to FINALLY, after 25 years, find someone who was interested in CLASSICAL music and how to make, at least, minor adjustments to these keyboards for OUR music. Trying to match or come close to ones personal instrument or one has heard at a concert is fun to do. You Tube, I find, is 99% dominated by only pop, rock, 'crap', and some other genres.... rarely do Classically trained individuals share experiences and adjustments.... but it is improving with the NEW revitalization of interest in the piano.... (China is now the dominate market for piano sales.... and Steinway, after the saving of the company from oblivion by the purchase of the new owner, is creating a foothold over there).... Restoration companies (like Lindeblad) are beginning to see a resurgence in people wanting to restore their pianos instead of having them hauled off to the dump.
Thank you Tiroh for posting, and perhaps others will share their settings as well.
That's an amazing effortless talent you have. My brother learnt piano and keyboard playing when he was a kid but I never really got on with it in school. Now I regret not taking the time to learn. Still, I have a little tinkle on the old Roland midi controller for production and sampling purposes.
Thank you so much, this is really needed for us classical musicians. Thanks for the good explanation ...
Great video, thanks for the work. It really is a gorgeous sounding piano the way you have programmed it.
Oh, I am learning that Bach's D-moll invention you've played in the middle:) Great instrument, priceless recommendations! Thank you!
P.S.: excuse me, but you sound 100% like Claus from "American Dad":))
1:46 if you close your eyes, It will not be a digital sound..
Played the RD2000 today. Has a great feel to it. The Yamaha Hybrid also has a great feel. I would use Vienna Imperial VST for the piano sound personally.
Very insightful video. it is reassuring to know that the RD-2000 possesses the potential to accommodate such intuitive classical demands with the right tone(s), effects and others specified adjustments.
I believe you created a great recipe on this instrument! It seemed to accomplish the objective quite successfully.
;) All the best to you and your beautiful instrument!
PS: don't forget to visit Roland's Axial website for some great (clasical) piano libraries if you have not already.
Thanks!
I really like that mouse carpet.
It is aladin carpet
To add to this conversaton, I use the RD2000 with a heavily modified Contemporary Concerto V-piano sound. With my configuration I'm able to play all nuances I want from an acoustic Grand and it sounds very realistic to me. However your comment about spatialness in the sound is spot on, that is the only remark I still have. I think the V-piano's have just the amount of playability you need to 'feel' the grand in combination with the amazing action.
Thanks for your video! :)
Welcome!
I'd love to know your settings. Would you share them ?
Hi at last an intelligent critique on this piano from Roland. I Would be so very interested to hear the whole range of the RD 2000 not just the middle of the piano if you would be so kind Thankyou, undoubtedly the most concise video of it all the best
There's more you can do. There's a whole piano editor where you can custom the piano entirely. You literally feel like you're playing a grand. But you have to bump up the hammer noise, the string resonance, adjust velocity(how hard you have to hit the keys), key let off, and also the kind of space you're playing in. In my Rd800 I edited hardcore and saved it so that every time I turn it on, that's the default sound and feel. Adjusting velocity is extremely important so that it feels exactly like a grand. I also tuned certain notes on the high registry to sound slightly out of tune, to add to the realism.
Well, I experimented with all the settings of the piano designer, both of the V-piano engine and the SuperNatural engine, and this was part of my frustration. I didn't find that they can add to the authenticity of the sound. They *change* the sound, yes, but they cannot make it more real or authentic. So, I think it's a matter of taste, not realism.
This topic is so complex that one could do a whole video about it. At this point, I only want to say that for an acoustic instrument, the parameters you mentioned (hammer noise, tuning etc) can be chosen rather freely by the piano manufacturer and the piano tuner, so basically all choices are "authentic" or "real". They just sound different, and that's the reason why we should always play an acoustic piano before buying it -- you never know how it sounds and whether it is right for you before you have played it.
tiroh I see what you're saying. In my personal experience I really enjoy playing it, and I play complex classical. And it feels totally fine to me. However I do play in a lot of crappy uprights and really old beat up school grands, so to me the rd feels like heaven and sounds like heaven. School pianos are always in terrible shape.
But you're right, Roland focuses more on the working musician, the band artist, the jazz guys, that are always playing in places. If they thought of us classical fellas they would probably come up with the sickest stage piano.
Excellent edit suggestions! Thank you!
If I could set up an rd 2000, I might consider getting one,bought one quite a while back,couldn’t get a decent piano sound,had to return it ,maybe now I might do better at getting sound now?
Fantastic sound.
I'm new to this, so what's the difference between Mellow Concert Grand and Mellow NX Concert? And what does "modulation" do? It only lights up for the non-stage piano tones
Mellow Concert Grand and Mellow NX Concert are different piano sounds, they sound different. Modulation means to change some sound characteristic in realtime and continuously. Often, the default setting for this is pitch. The RD-2000 has a modulation wheel on the left side. (Changing pitch is only available for the non-V-Piano sounds.)
Thanks! Also saw your comment on how it sounds similar to a Steinway. Wow, and with just a few changes to reverb. I think the stage or concert piano comes close, but thanks for the tip! I guess it's also your skill or the way you play it that really makes the difference, and you sound quite professional
You are a mad scientist. That sounded great!
Thanks ;)
tiroh you're welcome! Please make more. There are so many more parameters you can adjust in piano designer. So many possibilities to explore.
You can always reduce treble on those brighter pianos you don't like, right?
Good advice for those that like that style of sound.
I greatly detest that wet, reverb-laden sound like venues that add too many reflections. I love the sound of acoustic pianos and strings and horns in venues with sound-deadening panels throughout the walls and ceiling. Far better for appreciating the performance and the work musicians put into their tone and finer nuances of their playing, all in best clarity, which is a real treat.
Yamaha mox series keyboard has a piano called romantic piano. I think Chopin Nocturne sounds really good on that piano. Do you know a comparable sounds in Roland RD2000?
This is a very good video for people who are mostly interested in figuring out if this instrument could be primarily a good piano substitute. Hardly anyone can afford a real piano because it's impractical and expensive, but this comes with decent piano sound and action, and some welcome additional features that can be expanded by hooking it up to a DAW.
Could you comment on the action/feel of the keybed?
Hm ... this is so subjective, it is very difficult to say something substantial about that. For me, it is one of very best actions out there, which is an important reason why I bought this instrument.
Hi tiroh! I liked so much your video! You explained so well!! Thank you very much for the amazing tutorial!!! I tested many pianos like Kawai ES-8, MP-11, Roland RD-800, FP-90... In the end I liked more the RD-2000. It is a really great epiano! Do you have any suggestion of a good soundbox for this epiano?`Or also a good headphone? Thanks!
Thanks! Do you mean speakers with "soundbox"? Currently, I use headphones, the Sennheiser HD 598. They are really good.
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge. Did you also try to achieve a Steinway sound?
And… how did you connect with your camera? Many thanks again, really amazing🌞
No, I didn't try to achieve further piano sounds. I did not record the sound with the camera, I recorded it to a computer using the RD-2000's USB.
Thanks a lot. I bought the RD 2000 in the meantime, I enjoy it a lot, but you are right that one has to adjust quite a few parameters to get it sound well for classical music. But it´s worth the effort
This is great. Thanks for doing this. I was looking for this type of info/video for a long time. Now that you configure it, how do you save it, so it remembers the settings?
th-cam.com/video/ULNzUeJKnhc/w-d-xo.html - It's here.)
Where is the reply? 😀
Tiroh: I'm considering buying the Roland LX-17 (at a great discount price) to come closest to approximating a Steinway classical piano sound. The only drawback is that for "travel," it is a large 185 lb. piano - like an upright. So I wonder if the portable/stage digital piano Roland RD2000 (or any other make digital pianos) have the same sound capability for classical music (and its other orchestral and synthesized sounds) as does the Roland LX-17. With the entire newest line of HP603, HP-605, LX-7 and LX-17 digital pianos, the sound can be "infinitely" tweaked/customized to arrive at a fantastic Steinway classical music sound. How would you compare the portability of the RD-2000 as a match vs. the non-portable Roland LX-17? Thanks!
Regarding the sound of the instruments:
Short answer: As far as I know, yes, the RD-2000 has at least the same capabilities for playing classical music as the LX-17. However, I don't know the details of the LX-17 and don't know whether there are certain killer features that the RD-2000 is lacking.
Long answer: The LX-17 is a different class of instrument, it is hard to compare it to the RD-2000. The LX-17 is a home piano, its purpose is to replace an acoustic piano in the living room. In contrast, the RD-2000 is an instrument for professional musicians who do performances, either on stage or in the studio.
Consequently, the RD-2000 offers more features in that direction than the LX-17. Very important are its many real-time controls for sound manipulation, including synthesizer-like features, and its MIDI capabilities. Its purpose is to be the MIDI master keyboard on stage.
In addition, it has more than 1100 tones, while the LX-17 only has 307 tones. The sound *quality*, however, is more or less the same in both instruments. Both the RD-2000 and the LX-17 are high-end devices and, as far as I know, provide two sound engines, one that physically models a piano (the V-Piano technology) and one that is based on samples (the SuperNATURAL engine).
It is important to know, though, that the sounds of the RD-2000 have the highest quality in the three departments acoustic piano, e-piano, and organ. The other sounds (orchestral stuff and so on) are of lesser quality. But you can extend the RD-2000 with sound libraries from Roland's AXIAL website.
I don't know the sounds of the LX-17, so I can't comment on them.
Regarding the portability:
The big question is what "travel" means for YOU.
"Portability" is a completely relative thing. From the viewpoint of a stage musician who travels with vans and has people who help him carrying stuff, the RD-2000 is highly portable, but from the viewpoint of, say, someone who performs in the street on his own and must carry his stuff himself, the RD-2000 is ... "less portable".
And you know, there are musicians like Elton John or Billy Joel who perform on stage using a grand. So, for these guys, even a grand is "portable".
Of course, we can safely say that an RD-2000 is "as portable as it can get". But it still weighs 21.7 kg, so you don't really want to carry it much, right?
If you travel much, it may also be helpful for you to think about using a MIDI keyboard with professional 88-key action and connecting it to sound generation devices. This way, you can save weight.
Tiroh: Thank you for your prompt and comprehensive answer. One main concern I have about comparison between the Roland RD2000 and Roland LX-17 is the following:
I "read" that the LX-17 bases its new SuperModeling sound technology on the acoustic Steinway D-274 (Hamburg, Germany as compared with the United States model) 9 foot concert grand piano, which happens to be my favorite piano on which many concert pianists have played for years in the concert halls.
The V-Piano, I think also uses the same Steinway sound quality? Do you know if the Roland RD2000 achieves a true rendition of the V-Piano? Is it the same SuperModeling result? I ask because the V-Piano has internal speakers and the RD2000 uses external (separately bought) speakers which would seem to affect the quality of sound created on the RD2000. Is that true in your experience?
Regarding the Roland LX-17, I realize you haven't played it (perhaps someone else in the comment section has?). That piano has an 8 excellent speaker setup and an incredible sound capacity for the QUALITY of sound.
I personally already have two "HR824 Mackie" Monitor speakers and wonder if you (or anyone else who reads the comment section) thinks that they will insure a wonderful complement for the RD2000 sound quality? Again, my aim is to re-produce the Steinway D-274 concert grand experience, as close as possible.
On your TH-cam recording, listening through my computer, it's difficult to ascertain the quality of the tweaked sound you have created for classical music. To my ears, it sounded like too much reverb. An acoustic Steinway would
not render a noticeably "reverb" sound. The LX-17 also duplicates the Steinway without noticeable "reverb." But you would know first hand with your settings, more than what
we hear listening through TH-cam.
Another consideration, have you heard the Casio GP500 on TH-cam or live? It has three great concert grand pianos that I love: 1) Steinway Hamburg Grand; 2) Bechstein Berlin Grand; and 3) Bosendorfer Vienna Grand. Do you think the RD2000 can duplicate the Steinway and other two grand pianos on the Casio GP500? One reason I don't think I will buy the Casio GP500 is because it's missing the "extra" 300+ orchestral and synthesized sounds of the Roland LX-17 and extra some 1100 sounds of the RD2000. If possible, I prefer to have the Steinway classical piano sound as best as possible PLUS the luxury
of creating tracks with the additional multi-diverse sounds. If I perform jazz or other music, besides classical, I will also have the option of the "pop"/contemporary sounds.
Do you think the Roland RD2000 is the best stage digital piano available at this time? (I've also read reviews that highlight the Kawai MP11 and MP7 as contenters.)
Sorry for my long reply and additional questions. Thank you for your "enlightened" perspective on them to the best of your understanding.
Hey, I suppose you have your RD-2000 at home... Could you please share what speakers/monitors you use and how satisfied you are with the sound?
Currently, I don't use monitors but only headphones (Sennheiser HD 598). I'm very satisfied with these.
More Videos please.
I would love to know exactly what you have hooked the keyboard up to and settings.
It is connected to a workstation via USB, that's all!
Thanks so much
Have you had the opportunity to test the Roland FP-90 ? It has more parameters to configure the piano sound than the RD-2000: duplex scale, full scale string resonance, damper resonance, key off resonance, cabinet resonance, soundboard type, damper noise, single note tuning, single note volume, single note character.
Would the FP-90 be better for piano, and especially for classical music piano than the RD-2000 ?
The FP-90 does not have more options than the RD-2000. All the things you mentioned are available in the RD-2000. Also, they have the same key action.
The difference between the RD-2000 and the FP-90 is that the RD-2000 is a professional instrument for the stage musician, whereas the FP-90 is more directed towards the home user. The RD-2000 provides MIDI master functionality and features known from synthesizers. That means, the RD-2000 opens up more possibilities than the FP-90. They both are well-suited for playing the piano, but have different feature sets when it comes to the settings in which you want to play.
Thanks a lot! I downloaded the RD-2000 owner's manual and the parameters were not mentioned, only sympathetic resonance. Glad to know it does in fact offer the same customization parameters as the FP-90.
I hope you'll continue to publish videos with your experiences or performances with the RD-2000 and such, I'm sure I'm not the only one interested.
This is very helpful. If I wanted to use this piano for a classical choir weekly rehearsal in a good acoustic low-ceiling room for 60 people, what speaker or monitor or keyboard amplifier would you or other people recommend?
I don't have any experience with this, so I don't know.
Thank you very much for sharing this information.
I am a piano beginner. I read your thoughts and experiences regarding the comparison between this instrument and various other models and manufacturer.
My question is, how is the action compared to the FP-30, which at the moment everyone is recommending for beginners.
Do you think for an absolute beginner it might be better if I take a piano whith a more realistic action like MP-11SE?
Or do you think the difference is negligible? Regarding MP-11 and FP-30 to RD-2000?
Every manufacturer say they have the best action. But is it so important?
---> Or at least, is the action of the 2000 lighter or heavier to the FP-30 ??? (most imortant fo rme at the moment)
I would be happy if you could answer, please.
I thank you very much in advance.
bp
Thank you! First of all: I think that for an absolute beginner it is a very debatable idea to buy an instrument like the RD-2000 or the MP-11SE, except you are a millionaire and don't care about potentially wasting much money. Those are upscale instruments for professionals who know what they need, they offer features that beginners don't even dream about and cannot use. For example, the RD-2000 is made for controlling several other instruments simultaneously live on stage (it is supposed to take the role of a so-called master keyboard). I personally chose the RD-2000 mainly because of its extensive MIDI functions, I can use it to control a DAW (digital audio workstation) on a computer without extra hardware.
In short, the RD-2000 or the MP-11SE are pretty much overkill for an absolute beginner. It may be best if you check first whether playing the piano is something that you really want to pursue in the future. You should only buy an RD-2000 if you are pretty sure that you will grow into it, because at first, you will definitely not be able to make real use of it.
The action of the RD-2000 is the PHA-50. It is noticeably lighter than that of the FP-30, which is the PHA-4 Standard. This is NOT necessarily a bad thing because it is good training for a beginner. I think that a beginner should not exercise on an action that is too light because then he/she will possibly not really train the fingers right. Acoustic grand pianos can have a rather heavy action. This depends very much on the instruments, some are light, some are heavy.
My recommendation: Go into a store and try out the actions, it's the only way for you to know what feels best. Both the PHA-50 and PHA-4 Standard are ok for a beginner, so in the end it's up to you.
Please remember that there is much more choice than just the FP-30 or the RD-2000. There is also the FP-60 (PHA-4 Standard) and the FP-90 (PHA-50). However, the FP-90 is rather pricey.
In my opinion, you do nothing wrong with the FP-30. However, if you think that you will definitely continue playing and/or spending a little more is not a problem for you, then I recommend the FP-60, because then you are a little bit more future-proof. It also has much better usability than the FP-30 and provides a wider range of musical options.
OK, thank you very much for the detailed explanation ! I have to digest all this first.
But I think your are right. Since the RD-2000 is noticeably lighter than the FP-30 I need going into a store and try myself...
That were important informations you gave.
Have a nice day and thank you again.
bp
Thank you for this very helpful video. The piano sound is also very nice. Is that a function of the RD-2000 or the speakers? What speakers are you using to record this, if I may ask?
Thank you. The piano sound setup is made only with the settings of the RD-2000. The recording is made directly to the computer via USB, there are no speakers involved.
@@tiroh8490 Oh I see. Have you tried the Korg Grandstage? If so, how does it compare to the RD-2000? Thank you very much
No, I didn't. It is important to understand that those instruments are all very good, one isn't better than the other. It depends on (a) what you want to do exactly and (b) what your personal taste is. For instance, the RD-2000 is a master keyboard with extensive MIDI capabilities. It is supposed to control many other MIDI instruments on stage. If you don't need that, you don't need the RD-2000.
Well, you only explored default piano settings plus a little effect correction. You didn't explore the powerful edit settings, like lid opening, string resonance, damper resonance, which make this digital piano quite unique. For example I didn't explore, until now the powerful "single" string settings, which can simulate the behaviour of a real piano, in which the strings have not the perfect intonation or the same volume of another string... That's could improve the reality so much...
In fact, I did explore those other settings, but found that for me they do not improve the piano sound. Yes, they CHANGE it, but they do not IMPROVE it, at least not for me. Of course, you might have a different taste.
Thank you very much for your video. Do you know how I can set up the Roland FA-08 for classical music?
Sorry, I don't know the FA-08 (or workstations in general, for that matter).
Its okay, no prob. I already found an expansion on the roland website containing a few RD-2000 piano sounds which are in a way simular to what you've shown in your vid :)
Amazing video! Thank you very much!!! I have only one question. Do you prefer the natural or the V-Piano sound? Do you recommend the rd-2000 or rd-800? What do you think about the Kawai MP-11 in comparison with the rd-800 or rd-2000?
Thanks!
For classical music, I felt the SuperNatural engine pianos are better suited. However, of course, I didn't try every possible combination of parameters, and it's just my opinion.
I think the strong suit of the RD-2000 is its MIDI functionality and its real-time controls. As far as I know, the RD-800 is a bit more limited in this regard. When it comes to sound, they both are probably very fine instruments.
I didn't play the Kawai MP-11, so I cannot say anything about it.
Hi, regarding the second half of your question: I have tested the MP-11 and the RD-800 side by side. Both have great actions, Kawai is lighter, but i liked the Roland better. The more "meaty" action of the Roland seemed to be closer to the weight of most of the grand pianos you get to play in reality. The Kawai action is still great and probably easier to play on. Soundwise i preferred the Roland again, seemed to have more depth and detail (after experimenting with the vast amount of settings), also i didnt quite enjoy the mid range of the kawai, upper mid frequencies sounded a bit nasal to my ears. I ended up buying the RD-800 and i would buy it again 10/10 times. Since the release if the RD-2000 the price of the RD-800 dropped from ~2000€ to 1600€ in my country, which is an absolute steal in my opinion. I'd only spend 900€ more for the RD-2000 if i really needed the midi capabilities - and the PHA 50 action, which i had the chance to try on a Roland FP 90 is probably the best i have ever played :).The MP-11 is also a great instrument, but it lacks flexibility and portability imo, so i went with the RD 800. Of course this is just my opinion, I am (unfortunately) not endorsed by Roland (or Kawai), and in the end it all comes down to taste. Hope i could give some useful insight!
Best Regards
Fabian Drolsbach thank you very much!!
What about FP-30 vs RD-2000? FP-30 is sold?
The RD-2000 is not comparable to the FP-30 because the RD-2000 is a professional stage piano and MIDI master keyboard for stage musicians while the FP-30 is an entry-level piano for home use. I used the FP-30 when I wasn't sure whether I would resume making music (I had paused for years). I did, and then I decided to use the RD-2000 instead.
hahah the mini carpet for your mouse
Nice one. Cheers.
Hallo, vielen Dank für das Video. Ich habe mit dem Piano meine liebe Not. Wenn ich damit z.B. bei einem Sektempfang oder in der Kirche spiele über einen aktiven Lautsprecher klingt es nicht sehr gut. Obwohl ich schon alles versucht habe. Ich bin kein Anfänger... Vlt. Können Sie mir helfen. Liebe Grüße
Die Frage ist zunächst einmal, was genau "nicht gut klingen" bedeutet. Wie hört es sich denn an?
Es klingt mumpfig, unausgewogen und sehr mittenbetont. Via Kopfhörer ist alles super. Aber weder an den Studiomonitoren noch an der PA klingt es so wie in Ihrem Video bzw den Demo Videos in TH-cam. Zur Orientierung: Das Yamaha p85 der Kinder klingt besser am selben Setup... LG
Gut. (Ich sage mal internet-typisch "du", ich hoffe, das ist ok.) Also: Eine Grundregel von Live-Auftritten ist (unabhängig ob Rock, Pop oder Kirchenmusik), dass man den Klang an die jeweilige Raumakustik anpassen muss. Und nicht alle PAs arbeiten gleich oder gleich gut. (Manche Live-Musiker haben sogar als Notbehelf für den Fall, dass die PA vor Ort nicht gut funktioniert, eigene Mixer dabei.) Erschwerend kommt hinzu, dass es für die Raumakustik ein großer Unterschied ist, ob der Raum leer ist oder ob das Publikum da ist. Die Anwesenheit vieler Menschen verändert die Akustik nämlich unter Umständen ganz immens. Das ist eine Sache, die man nur mit Erfahrung in den Griff bekommt. -- Bevor wir klären können, wie du dein Setup korrigieren musst, gibt es zunächst drei weitere Fragen: (1) Wie viele Wege haben dein Verstärker und deine Lautsprecher? (2) Wie groß sind die Durchmesser deiner Lautsprecher? (3) Welche Leistung hat dein Verstärker in Watt?
Can I ask you tiroh, can you please write me the name of the last song in this Video? Thanks.
Hm, actually that wasn't a real song, it was just a bit of improvisation I came up with for the video. So, I'm sorry, but there isn't any name of it!
Oh shit, that was really nice.. :D I have to learn it from Video then. :D Thanks
What is he playing at 2:38 and at 2:50? It sounds very familiar but it's been quite some time since I have heard those masterpieces. (@tiroh: great video by the way, I would love to watch and listen to more work of you, especially how your settings sound at the high register.)
Thank you very much! Those pieces are inventions by JS Bach. The first one is invention 13, I think, and the second one is invention 4.
Wow, thank you tiroh! You spared me some think and search time. The inventions have never been my favorite works of J.S. Bach but you have proved to me that it is shameful that I forgot them. Some of them are indeed real treasures.
Which classical piano pieces did you play on your video? could you write?
Bagatelle No. 25 / "Für Elise" (Beethoven)
Piano Sonata No. 11 / Rondo alla turca (Mozart)
Inventio 13, BWV 784 (Bach)
Inventio 4, BWV 775 (Bach)
@@tiroh8490 Thank you very much!
Thank you. I'm sad about my RD2000. It has some noisy keys, the keybed is not very good, not robust as it should be. When I tap at the side of many keys, or play staccato, I hear annoying noises from the keybed. This should never happen. Fortunately, the instrument is fine, and these noises don't go through the sound system, nor the phones. I have to play with phones for not to get annoyed by them. 😮😮😮
Sounds strange ... maybe you could make a private video of this that demonstrates the issue and tell me the link?
@@tiroh8490 Thanks. I will make it later, and post it unlisted, then I can send you a link. 🙏👍
Thanks for this video and great work.
Do you recommend this Roland or Nord piano 3 for classic musics ?.
Thanks again.
Thanks! Unfortunately, I cannot judge the Nord Piano 3. These instruments are so complex that you have to get to know them, only then can you can say something about them. It's the same with the RD-2000, I had to become acquainted with it.
The review videos for the Nord Piano 3 on TH-cam have the same problem like the videos for the RD-2000: they just assess the "out-of-the-box" sound. However, I suspect that one is configured by the manufacturer to sell the instrument in stores, not to sound right for classical music.
Where did you get the music sheet rest?
There is no music sheet rest, you must have seen something that isn't there :)
Why don't you one of the V-Piano sound to play classical music?
I personally find they are better suited for jazz than for classical music. I think they are designed by Roland to be used in a band setting where the piano has to "defend" itself against the sound of other instruments.
I think the deep grand is really nice for classical.
Classical pianists DO NOT use reverb (doesn't exist on an acoustic piano) and they sit at the piano on a bench without a computer keyboard in the way. Of course, you should set it up with a decent audio system. That makes a tremendous difference. The RD2000 has an exceptional sound. However you need to reproduce it.
Classical pianists don't use an RD-2000 but a grand. This video is not about being a classical pianist but how to make the sound of the RD-2000 less dry. A dry grand doesn't sound as attractive when compared to a grand played in a concert hall. I don't recommend to hook electrical pianos up to any audio system. The room acoustics of most people's living rooms (who are not audiophiles) with all the many reflecting surfaces at the wrong places don't lend themselves to attractive reverb. Also, multiple speakers would have to be placed at exactly the right places with the right distances and angles relative to the listeners which is something only audiophiles would be willing to care about (and pay for).
Thanks! I'll have to try this out. I've been using V-Piano S05 "Symphony Hall", which sounds pretty good to me, but your choice may be better. One thing that you didn't mention is that 0009 Mellow NX Concrt is actually a "SuperNatural" (sampled) tone rather than a V-Piano sound. I guess that the V-Pianos didn't work out for you, which is a shame.
Yes, that's true. For me, the V-Piano sounds sound very unnatural. That's why I speculated that Roland intended them to be used in the context of a band, rather than solo in a concert setting.
Nice! Oh and did you upgrade from fp 30?
Yes, I did. The reason why I started with the FP-30 is because I didn't know at first whether I would be successful with playing again, but I made progress really fast. So I upgraded because I wanted the best action that is currently available.
tiroh Yeah i get you. Ive decided to buy the fp 30 because i am not really sure if i will stick with piano playing for a long time. But i have tried the rd 2000 in a music store and it felt really wonderful. Who knows, maybe i will upgrade to the rd 2000 too one day. Good luck with playing!!! I really enjoy your videos, i would die to see you play some songs =]
do you need a speaker to play this, or does the sound come out of the piano?
UPDATE: I am sorry, my reply is WRONG, I accidentally thought your question is related to a different video! The RD-2000 has NO internal speakers!
It has internal speakers, but as always, internal speakers cannot compete with good external ones or audiophile headphones, they sound not as natural. Headphones are usually best for that purpose. I use Sennheiser HD 598.
@@tiroh8490 alright thanks, now in this video is that the sound coming from the piano itself, or the speaker boxes?
I am sorry, my reply is WRONG, I accidentally thought your question is related to a different video! The RD-2000 has NO internal speakers! Professional stage piano rarely have them.
I recorded the sound directly from the piano via USB.
Also based on my observation great pianists from the classical genre have recorded their performances on Steinway pianos. Do you have a recommended piano setting for Steinway grand piano?
Funny thing is, listen to this Schubert recording and play along with the RD-2000 using the settings I suggested: th-cam.com/video/LFjkIrRjZZU/w-d-xo.html
You will find that the Steinway and the RD-2000 sound astonishingly similar.
Thank you.
you sound like BG. I won't say the name just because I might be right.
The RD-2000 polyphony is limited to 128 simultaneous notes.
Do you find it sometimes limiting or not ?
Piano sellers always insist on the polyphony level but it's hard to know at which point we stepped into marketing b.s. or not.
We have to differentiate between the two sound engines of the RD-2000: the SuperNatural engine has a polyphony of 128, but the V-Piano engine has unlimited polyphony. (This is because it simulates the sound waves, it doesn't replay samples.)
In my view, marketing begins at that point where a seller wants you to believe that you will benefit from a polyphony of more than 128.
For playing the piano, a polyphony of 128 is definitely sufficient, both for a beginner and an intermediate player. Pieces that really require the instrument to play 128 notes or even more than that simultaneously should be rare. Also, such a piece would be difficult to play: You would have to play 128 notes so quickly that the first one is still clearly audible at the point when you play the 129th note. This may be technically possible, but is uncommon.
I don't own this, but listening to another review just before yours i guessed that adding max reverb and sufficient delay was getting close to a concert grand. So i was surprised that's exactly what you did.
ROLAND if you read this, i looked seriously into buy this stage piano keyboard but i agree with what this reviewer says. You ignored our needs as real classical pianists, and only cared for jazz and pop.
No buy !! next time design with us in mind, and yes we are extremely picky. Also, i think the action is not good enough for classical piano. You're going to have to improve the action a whole lot before i buy this.
This is a stage piano
Lol коврик для мышки
I don't mean to step on the shoes of you classical pianists but really now you guys are stuck on this status quo that you have to play classical piano on a pre specified tone of a piano. I think that is one of the reasons why classical piano is not too popular or well liked by most people. Why can you not play classical music on the stage grand, etc. I mean c'mon you guys are stuck on a preconceived notion that it has to be this way or the highway. This is why I dont have too much respect for the thought process of classical pianists. I respect their technique but that's it. Snobbery does not make an artist. Open your minds and be creative instead of regurgitating what you see on a sheet of music.
This is basically nonsense, please differentiate between what's really in the video what you personally associate with it.
Lol you talk shit like you know everything about music, like you are the master and everything you say is correct.
I am not a classical pianist myself, but I am very sad knowing that people like you still exist in this world.
Really? www.classicalmpr.org/story/2016/12/14/mozart-cd-sales
What are you talking about? You really have no sense of nuance obviously. Classical pianist all strive for the perfect sound to connect with. Bright, closely mic'ed piano samples jarr on the ears and the senses. It's as simple as that
Also how many times do you have to hear a piece of classical music played over and over again with the same notes but just played by someone else before you get sick of the frikin piece. Jeeze... these pieces have been played over and over again for 200 years and longer. Dont you think people will get tired of them. Start using your imagination and put your own spin on it. But that's the problem. You guys train yourselves to regurgitate what you see on paper and have no concept of improvising or being creative.
Again, this is basically nonsense, and please differentiate between what's really in the video what you personally associate with it. I personally have been composing music since I was 12 years old, I improvise all the time and each day, also with electronic music. This video just makes a suggestion how to set up the RD-2000 for classical piano music, that's all.
tiroh with all due respect what I am trying to say is when ur comparing the different concert pianos on the Rd and saying this just doesn't sound right compared to the warm nx piano ur wrong. U can play pieces of classical music that will sound just fine on the other concert grand pianos you compared. So please don't say it just doesn't sound right. Also my rant about classical pianists stemmed from your critique of Roland and how they don't think of classical pianists. I don't see that and this is why the mindset of you so called classical pianists really irritates me. Music is meant to be enjoyed. Don't discourage people as all u classical pianists seem to do. Now ur playing was wonderful but perhaps you classical pianists can take a lesson from
tiroh Kylelandry a TH-cam pianist
I am not a classical pianist. I do not consider myself a "pianist" at all, I am just someone playing the piano. And I don't think I am discouraging people in my video to experiment with the instrument and explore the possibilities.
In MY opinion, sounds like the "Stage Grand" or the "NX Concert Grand" do not have enough spatiality for classical music, but are specially made for the needs of jazz, blues, and pop. This is MY opinion, and I do not intend to obligate other people to adopt it. I only make a suggestion. If other people feel the "Stage Grand" sounds awesome for classical music, that's great, and by all means they should use it. If they like, they can write their own suggestions into the comments of this video.
I can also explain my opinion. Classical music often makes use of all the nuances and details of the instruments, which is not the case in pop music. For instance, a quick but very silent run in a Chopin piece has different requirements for the instrument than a quick run in a jazz piece where the piano has to defend itself against bass and drums and thus needs a more pushing, asserting sound. From this, special requirements for the sound follow regarding frequencies, reverberation, etc.
Don't let this fellow get you down. I found your video very helpful. Thanks!