I have owned the DGX-650 for more than 10 years now. It's a great instrument, but I still think it makes the most sense in a home. That's where I use it. I don't gig with it. I don't play in a band with it. I don't move it. I use the furniture stand and the 3-pedal unit. It says "Portable Grand," but the portability is only theoretical because it's so big and heavy. The built-in speakers won''t replace a PA system or an amp for performances, but they're more than adequate for home use. I'm just an amateur. I grew up taking piano lessons and playing in recitals. And, yes, if you just want to play piano, there are cheaper 88-key weighted digital pianos on the market, but I do like having all the extra voices, rhythms, and arranger features. It's just more fun. The DGX-670 is just a newer version with a few more bells and whistles. This Roland FP-E50 is what Yamaha could have made if they weren't trying so hard to create market segmentation. Maybe this will force them to rethink their designs for the next DGX. A lighter weight and professional audio output would be incredibly useful. I'm sure the Roland FP-E50 would be fine at home, but it can also be used more reasonably for gigging. Your move, Yamaha.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your experiences with your DGX650! It is very true that both of these pianos can be used for virtually any musical context (i.e. home practicing/playing, recording/production, gigging, etc.). It all comes down to the needs and desires of the player. The arranger functionality can make practicing far more fun and engaging. Thanks so much once again and happy playing! :)
A DGX player here, I agree with everything you state, certainly you have to be familiar (I since the 530 model) with arrangers, it is not relatively "easy" to know their functions in a new player but it is very fun, it is just playing and get to know, and yes; the effect of "super articulation" gives a touch that is subtle, but embellishes the recordings a lot... this video is an excellent comparison, congratulations and my thanks.
Thanks a million for tuning in and for your kind words! We appreciate it. And thank you for sharing your insights from the perspective of a DGX player. All the best and happy playing! :)
I wish Yamaha would make a song book and DVD specifically for the DGX-670 that walks you through exactly how to set up all the various features and demonstrates what they do. The control system is all over the place. The plus side of the DGX is the speaker system is excellent. You have to have a very big brain to fully understand the DGX. I have wasted hours of time trying to figure it out. I know there are people who can use all the automation very well. I just don't understand it.
That is certainly a good point and one that we do our best to tackle in review and comparison videos. The user-friendliness and ease of navigation will be an important consideration for some players. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! :)
I've been using Yamaha arrangers and digital pianos for over 20 years ..the dgx670 just follows Yamaha's progression...in fact this is really a Sx600 under the hood.
I suggest reading the Owner's Manual and Reference Manual first, instead of trying to figure out how it works by trial and error. Over 200 pages of detailed explanations with pictures for each procedure. This is a workstation (light), and workstations are not digital pianos with a few tones. I was watching another channel of somebody who decided to let the Yamaha MODX+ sit in its box for two weeks, and he read the manual first. I think it is the best strategy.
Yes, we all wanted this review. My take from the review is that the FP-e50 is a bit more geared to live use than the DGX-670, while the latter is a more comprehensive home studio instrument. I don't view either of these models as truly professional instruments. Superior actions and patches and connectivity would be required, for heavy professional use, and the manufacturers won't give us those things at these prices, partly because they still need to sell professional gear. Nevertheless, many professional musicians have at times used amateur/semi professional instruments because of budget or portability issues or because of a rare feature unavailable on high end models. And sometimes it's been a very happy compromise. Thanks for another good review Stu.
Hi Mike. I think it is important to look at the category Yamaha places their instruments to understand their place and scope. This is a breakdown of the names they use: 1) Pianos: Grand, Upright, Hybrid, Digital The "Digital" category has 3 subcategories: Clavinova, Arius, Portable The DGX-670 is under the Portable/Digital/Piano category. 2) Keyboard Instruments: Digital and Arranger Workstations, Portable Keyboards, Stage Keyboards This category contains their arrangers (both entry-level and premium) as well as the CP, YC, CK series. 3) Synthesizers and Music Production Tools Synthesizers: MX88, Montage, MODX+ Stage Keyboards: YC, CP, CK series Steinberg Products: Cubase, Nuendo, etc As you see from this breakdown, the DGX-670 is not labeled by Yamaha as a professional tool for the stage or the studio. The DGX series has always been an entertainment digital piano, meaning to play piano with auto-accompaniment, but in a home environment with family and friends. It is not intended to be used in professional gigs or as a tool in a recording home studio environment.
Brent here! Thanks for tuning in Mike! We appreciate the thoughts and insights. I imagine that it is quite the balancing act for manufacturers to find the right blend of features, while maintaining a specific target price point. In either case, I think both Roland and Yamaha have done an exceptional job at finding a very attractive assortment of features and functions with both of these models. :)
@@Instrumental-Covers Thank you. I didn't mean to imply that Yamaha pretends to have made a professional instrument in the DGX-670. Rather, since this piano does include some high end features, I'm acknowledging that it still has its limits, and that portability is not its prime feature. I'm curious about Yamaha categorizing the CP-88 stage piano as a Keyboard rather than as a Digital Piano. I guess this comes from days when stage pianos were valued mainly for their epiano and organ patches. Accordingly, you cannot even buy a "piano amp", only a "keyboard amp. About four years ago I predicted that stage pianos and portable pianos would merge, then I thought I was wrong. Now I see that Yamaha is suddenly focusing on the keyboard aspect of stage pianos, hence the new CK models. It even calls them Stage Keyboards. "Stage piano" has become a bit meaningless anyway, since it covers too many things, and the pianistic attributes of say a CP-88 or RD-2000 are exploited more offstage than onstage anyway - I mean at events and casual gigs rather than at big concerts. So maybe I was half right. There seems to be a new killer portable piano category which may largely replace the piano-oriented stage pianos. It is partly driven by onboard speaker technology. Carrying PA systems/amps is bad enough, but pianists don't want to carry and connect monitors too - not for modest gigs, and they might need the onboard speakers in the home or studio or at rehearsals or even as main speakers on intimate gigs These new pianos feature onboard speakers, mic connections & EQ, but fewer unnecessary distractions and costs for pianists. Casio and Roland are testing the waters already with the PX-S7000, the FP-90X and the RD-88. Stu spoke of "Pro Portable Pianos" as a category. Well this is the sharp end of that category, ready to consume a huge portion of the "stage piano" market where the intended application is offstage use. Will Yamaha reciprocate with a "P-1000" that's more gig-oriented than the P-515, less complex than the CP-88 and still looks good in your home? Maybe priced between the two? It would be interesting.
Spot on comparison between these two keyboards. The DGX-670 audio quality, sounds, and arranger capability are terrific. I like the multi-track recording too. However, I personally don't like the Key action, kind of light. It's also a tank, very heavy! The FP-E50 on-board audio is OK, the wealth of sounds are incredible, overwhelming with Supernatural Piano and having the Zen Chip. I like the PHA-4 Key action. If Yamaha could pack some the the DGX-670 features and sounds in the likes of a P-125, I would go for it. I don't see that happening, but will wait for NAMM to see what's new. Thanks to Merriam Music and Stu Harrison for these outstanding reviews. Really helps in the purchasing decisions.
Thanks a million for tuning in and sharing your insights! We appreciate it! It is always interesting to see what new models are announced at NAMM. I guess we will not have to wait too long now! :)
The problem with Stu is he just makes me want to buy everything!! I did have the fp e50 for a couple of weeks however it had to go back because of a defective key which was a shame. I've decided to hang on to see what NAMM brings before replacing it. I have picked up an Arturia Keylab MK2 today to keep me playing in the meantime and explore what soft synths have to offer. I'm already missing the PHA4 Keybed on the Roland, it is an incredible instrument for sure and I may well be returning to the same instrument. The Zen Core sound engine and capability to add sound packs (and beat packs in the future) is a great option to keep it sounding fresh.
Hi Richard! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in! I know what you mean regarding Stu's playing and detailed reviews. It is easy to get excited about virtually all of these pianos! I'm sorry to hear that you experienced an issue with your FP-E50. Generally speaking, the PHA4 actions and keys are extremely reliable and durable. It could be an anomaly situation of course. In either case, I hope you find a longterm solution that fully satisfies your playing needs. Thanks again and happy playing!
@williamlandry5652 3 hours ago Hey have you had any issues with some of the keys starting to make a clicking sound after some time? I've only had the piano for a week and several keys have started to make a clicking sound when pressed and you can even feel the dexterity is different, have you had this issue?
@@ariannacarducci6004 I feel for you! I imagine it's out of warranty already, so it's either to take to repair shop or maybe you can clean somehow, but I don't know how difficult it is.
Your right about the PH4 action on the Roland. Once I noticed it, I couldn't un notice it. Really adds nuance to playing and it makes playing up top of the keys easier. It is why I'm going to get the FP-E50. Some of the Zen Core sounds from the Roland cloud are really nice to. Does cost about 20 bucks for approximately 20 to 50 new "tones". The EP's and the Pianos were sweet. (But I haven't played the Fp-E50's defaults yet. Did play on the FP 60x. The action on it made playing on the Yamaha P225 and P145 "unfun"...) Hopefully get the FP E50 today when Willis Music opens.) Thank you very much for your informative videos. Got any DAW or Synth suggestions like Arcturia? Be nice to be able to pan the recording either a little left or right. Got a nice couple of guitars (with smaller 24 inch scale lengths, I'm not tall). At this time much better on guitar than keyboards. That might change in a year.
Hi! Brent here! I can definitely understand the sentiment! Also, the FP-E50 is a powerhouse offering from Roland. It is jam packed with excellent features like you have mentioned. In terms of DAW suggestions, I have been a longtime ProTools user myself. It is not necessarily the most user-friendly of DAWs, but it is quite robust in terms of its capabilities.
occhio a prendere questa Roland. Se ti serve il midi, non puoi leggere ne puoi creare file midi perchè non è multitimbrico. Gli altoparlanti interni fanno pietà e ti costringono ad adottare sistemi di amplificazione esterna. La tastiera è problematica e più di un proprietario, compreso me, ha riscontrato problemi di clickering e credimi, il rumore, quando ascolti in cuffia, è molto fastidioso per chi ti sta attorno o per chi è andato a dormire.
Yamaha DGX - 670 Pros - 4 style variations/ better written styles/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- 47 pounds/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
I was totally sold on the FP-E50, was ready to buy... and someone brought the 1 channel MIDI limitation to my attention. That was a huge shock, and a deal breaker. I just bought a Yamaha DGX-670, which I think is about the best compromise for me at this price point. I will miss the better keyboard with triple sensors, and the expandable sounds, and the larger sound base, and everything else... but lack of MIDI killed it for me. Too bad, because from all other viewpoints it's a spectacular instrument.
Thank you for the comparison. Rolland looks worth a consideration. The problem I have is with you inverting the colors of the Roland display revealed here @ 13:23 when Stu’s finger is briefly over the screen… why do this?
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! The intention of the video editing was to ensure that the viewer could clearly see the information and text on the display screen.
Well, I would rather see how the keyboards look IN REAL LIFE than force the Roland to "look better"... I can see Stu just wanted to give a little hand to the Roland to look better LOL. P.D. I am 100% convinced that the Roland's screen is garbage.
@@danielojeda9220 - The sad part for me is I was excited to see a 'paperwhite' display being used on the Roland only to find it was an effect for the video. It was effective. I love the Roland's sounds but that display is disappointing especially compared to the Yamaha.
I was anticipating Stu's review and it is sharp and informative as always, always spot on. I bought the DGX last month and am happy with it. But I bought it mainly because the shop here in Montreal had just received the FP=E50 and didnt know much about it and steered me toward the Yamaha. But the subtle strength of the Roland might have something to it. Im not yet experienced enough a player but i went to try out in a store today. What I found better on the Yamaha are some of the sounds, the Super Articulation guitars in particular, are well spectacular. The guitars in the Roland seem just humdrum, no comparison. The Yamaha can fool you into hearing a real guitar, they are that good. Some the the brass and saxes too, the Roland cannot touch that, I think. So for arranging varied acoustic instruments, the Yam is the ticket. The Yamaha CFX piano also is very good in my view.... The Roland has its strength mainly in piano's, electric pianos, and some patches. It maybe all the arranger I would really need. But to my limited experience, the styles on the FP-E50 were not as lively and rich as on the DGX... Yes I would like it if Stu would comment the sounds on those 2, they are at a price point most of us could afford. But thanks anyway you are so informative !
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! We sincerely appreciate it. :) Both pianos certainly have their strengths, particularly when you're digging into the various non-piano sounds they have. There is also a significant difference in terms of their touch. I personally find the FP-E50 to be a more realistic feel, but it is a matter of personal preference of course. In any case, every player will have their own preference between these two powerhouse pianos. Thanks again and happy playing!
@@MerriamPianos about touch....just for the sake of informing you..... Most of the Western demonstrators/reviewers talk about realistic feel of the keys but that matters nothing for people in India and other such countries where pianos are simply not available for people to know how the actual touch and press of the keys feel! Same goes for realistic piano sounds. People never get to hear the real piano, live. People here are happy if it sounds good! That's all!! In India, like in the gulf countries, we look more for local sounds and styles.
I find it unbelievable that someone would find the yamaha sounds better, maybe i am biased but I specifically tried these keyboard and own the FPe50 and the fpe50 just BLOWS everything out of the water in my opinion, even just the normal piano sounds sound SO much better on the roland, Also im not sure if you have checked out the pads, plucks, fx, EP's on the ROland but again I find them to BLOW the yamaha's sound of the water.
@@williamlandry5652Congrats on your new Roland. I can’t find a demo unit on display in Atlanta. Any other outstanding features you’ve discovered? Any drawbacks?
The piano is simply the best in my opinion, the sounds are not even comparable to the other digital keyboards in that price range, only draw back is that theyre seems to be a factory defect with some of the keys as I am getting my second one replaced today with a third fpe50 as the two first ones had clunky keys that got progressively worse with time @@cinepost
I really enjoyed this video. Although neither keyboard is right for me, I now have some insight on arranger keyboards. Thank you. Also, will you be doing a video on the Kurzweil SP-7 Grand? That keyboard is in the same category as the Roland RD88, although a bit more expensive.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in! I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed the video. Thank you for the suggestion to cover the Kurzweil SP7. We have a number of video reviews and comparisons in the queue, but we will do our best to tackle that review for you. :)
Thanks for the awesome review, you made a different approach than usual comparing these 2 product this time, which is fine because like you said they're coming from a different worlds, but for the professional player's it would be great if you did what you're used to do on most of your comparison, like a side by side Piano sounds, other sounds, specifications, key actions, functionally...etc Thanks again and keep up with the awesome work !!
Thanks so much for tuning in and sharing your feedback! We appreciate it. Given how many features there is to cover on these powerhouse pianos, we may even need to do a follow up video. ;)
Very lucid review. I have the DGX-670, but I have also owned more advanced arrangers from Yamaha in the past (top of the line PSR-S910 before Genos/Tyros and medium professional arranger PSR-S770), although those were 61 keyboards (synth action). The PSR-S910 had of course more voices, styles, registration memory banks, configurable multi-pads with arpeggiator (something absent in the DGX-670), expandability, those advanced microphone capabilities (you could sing with a "trio", or change your voice to male/female, or have a choir singing with you, etc.). The DGX-670 is, on the other hand, a great compromise between arranger capabilities and digital piano, at least for me. I also had the DGX-660 for 4 years, and I can attest Yamaha went far and beyond with the DGX-670. For the first time, a DGX product had a professional arranger engine. Before that, you were stuck with the PSR-E series arranger tone generators. Now you get the PSR-S series arranger level of performance in the DGX series. For those who are not familiar with arrangers: 1) The DGX-660 had 1 intro, 1 ending, only 2 variations per style, no control over the piano sounds beyond a basic equalizer, no audio interface, a monochromatic screen, no expandability, and the basic PSR-E series arranger engine. It was similar to some other digital piano arrangers on the market that have basic arrangers. 2) The DGX-670 has 3 intros, 3 endings, 4 variations with the advanced Super Articulation, Mega Voice, Natural!, Live!, etc., specialty voices for arrangers, color screen, audio interface, the tone generator of the PSR-S series for the arranger (advanced) + the piano tone generator of the Yamaha Clavinova CVP 701 with the VRM (Virtual Resonance Modeling) and Natural! piano tones. By the way, the Natural! piano voices are very advanced too. However, I would like to upgrade my personal choice to the Yamaha MODX+, because you can program it to behave like an arranger. I have seen people using the MODX+ as an arranger (yes, it can be done). However, the MODX+ is on a different level, as you get the top-of-the range sounds and realistic drum kits instead of a more modest sound bank and (particularly) limited sets of drum kits in the DGX-670. That's one area where even professional arrangers still don't get my full approval (the quality of drums). So far, it seems you have to go with the Yamaha Genos, Korg PA5X, or Ketron Audya 5 for really good drum kits programmed into the arranger... which is why a professional workstation that can be programmed as an arranger might be the way to go, particularly if you want to make recordings. The MODX+ is a professional synthesizer/workstation with over 10,000 arpeggios (which are arguably the main ingredient of an arranger, at least the "variations"... the intros and endings would have to be custom made I guess), "scenes", "patterns", etc. I have tried replacing the DGX-670 drums kits with the Toontrack EZ Drummer (which has high quality drum and percussion sounds, plus the expansions I have bought for it), but then I get lost in the mapping of sounds between the two. The one product I have never been able to find is this: a digital (not analog!) drum machine with really realistic drum sets that are already programmed and ready to be used for a large number of genres, with variations, intros, and endings. The Alesis SR-16 seems like a good choice, but it has a limited number of styles. I have looked into some Roland drum machines, both hardware and software, but they seem to be useful only for certain genres I don't use, more like electronic type of music or pop music with non-acoustic drum kits... I haven't found a single VST or hardware drum machine that does what I am looking for. Maybe the MODX+ could just be a one-stop type of approach for what I am looking for... but then I would have to learn how to program it... I just want to find something done by somebody else, ready to use, and that is not extremely expensive... this seems to be an area no manufacturer has successfully addressed. Maybe I am overlooking something, I don't know. I have looked into sample packs, but still can't find the type of acoustic beats I want... I need help in this area. A suggestion for Stu: I would encourage him to make a video showing how to program a style on his Roland Fantom-0. I assume the Roland Fantom-0 can be programmed in such a way because I know the Yamaha MODX+ has that capability and these two machines are similar.
Thanks for the detailed breakdown of the DGX660 and DGX670. It is very helpful to lay these details out and show the progression of the model, especially from the perspective of an experience DGX user like yourself. :) I definitely agree with you in regards to your comments about VST drum machines. If you are producing music in a dance or pop realm, there are certainly a plethora of excellent sample sets and libraries. With that said, if you are looking for acoustic drums that sufficiently emulate a live drummer, I have yet to find a solution that I am fully satisfied with as well. I still find my self tracking live drums and simply augmenting with overlaid samples or replacing specific elements with samples when needed. Perhaps, this will be something that a manufacturer or software developer really nails in the near future. Fingers crossed! Also, thank you for the suggestion! I will pass it onto Stu and the production team. I think those types of more feature oriented video tutorials or guides would be quite exciting. Thanks for the idea! :)
Hi IC. One tool that might do some of the things you like, at least on the fly, is Beat Buddy. I've seen it used very effectively on jazz & blues gigs. I purchased a Zoom R8 one time, mainly for multi-track recordings, but couldn't get along with it. The drum sounds seemed to be good, but I wasn't into programming every note. I needed to produce backing tracks quickly, both for practice and for solo/duo gigs. I've never been very dependent on backing tracks at gigs, and I'm using them less and less, partly because I'm increasingly proficient at playing solo (and backing saxes/singers) unassisted, and partly because I'm more interested in consolidating a traditional jazz piano technique anyway - I mean as a band pianist. I still make a lot of quick practice backing tracks so I can figure out the best piano licks for assorted situations. It's an exciting project, but I feel a bit like an archaeologist, picking at bones, because it's about lost knowledge that requires reconstruction. Nobody here teaches these early styles, and the old band pianists are impossible to hear clearly on recordings, well at least when they are doing the job properly. Maybe I'll end up with my own unique style. That would be good, so long as it's fit to task. The project is giving my trusty P-255 a new lease of life. Just when I thought I needed something more sophisticated (more of a stage piano - with more knobs and sounds) I'm reverting to piano only and using the whole keyboard. On my next digital piano, however, I'll be interested in having a good upright patch, since vintage jazz and upright pianos have a certain affinity with one another.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you for the feedback! :) Yamaha has something called "Revo Drums", which apparently sound very good and natural... but it is in a $6,000 machine (Genos arranger workstation). I wish this quality of drums could be programmed into an drum machine, but at affordable price.
@@Zoco101 Hi Mike, always good to hear from you. I have seen videos of Beat Buddy before, but I am not sure if the samples are much more sophisticated than my DGX-670, which are not bad for live playing. I would like to have something like the quality of drums I hear in Yamaha Genos (Revo drums) or Ketron Audya 5, or possibly higher. I have a fairly realistic drum machine already in VST form, but it works more like the Chord Sequencer in the Roland FP-E50 or Band-in-a-Box virtual arranger. I want something more automatized, it is time consuming having to drag those MIDI files into the song composer or a DAW track and then cutting, editing, mixing... too much work for me. I can record the DGX-670 with decent results for an amateur recording, it is quick and I can equalize/edit the drums later inside the DAW, but it is not the same level of sound quality... I don't know. I have seen Roland and Arturia drum machines, but they seem to be catering for electronic drum kits. I'd like to hear some of your recordings and practice sessions, I encourage you to upload some in your channel. I think both Yamaha and Kawai stage pianos contain nice upright piano patches. Are you interested in any of the current models?
Instrumental Covers, are you making new recordings? Are they on your TH-cam channel? If you allow me, your TH-cam name (and channel) are a bit problematic - try to find your channel by typing “Instrumental Covers” 😄
I have the dgx 670, the funny thing is, Guitar Center sent me the 660 at first because they used the wrong online photos. I played that for a day before I sent it back. I actually remember liking the piano action on it, even a tad more than the 670 that showed up later. But now, I absolutely love the feeling of playing the 670, I couldn't imagine a better feeling keyboard. So perhaps it is familiarity, but if it were a problem, I wouldn't be able to love it so much. So I'd be curious to try the Roland FP-E50, because it's hard to imagine something feeling better than the DGX line. I also love the feeling of the instrument vibrations in my fingers as I play the keys, adds a sense of acoustic response.
Familiarity is definitely a big factor of course. That is an excellent point! We get used to whatever musical experience we get the most exposure to. We're happy to hear that you've been enjoying your DGX670 though. :)
Thanks for the review. I'm currently trying to make the decision on which one to go with. A bit concerned on the weight of the DGX but it certainly seems to have a ton more features over the E50. You didn't really talk much about the differences in the overall key feeling between the 2. On paper the PH4 keys seem better speced but does that translate to overall better feel when playing? Are you giving anything up with the Yamaha keys? The larger color display on the DGX seems like it would be much better and it seems it can do more with score translation and display (I've seen some really interesting YT videos showing some of these features). Overall, do you think the color display offers much more than the Roland's display? Thanks.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! At the end of the day, it comes down to a matter of personal preference between these two powerful machines. I would recommend trying both out in person to see which one you connect with more musically in terms of touch and tone. For me, the PHA4 action of the FP-E50 is a more authentic feeling touch. I also think the inclusion of the ZEN-Core engine makes the FP-E50 a more versatile instrument sonically. However, if some of the specific features of the DGX670, such as the colour display screen, are appealing, that might tilt the scale a bit for you. :)
@williamlandry5652 3 hours ago Hey have you had any issues with some of the keys starting to make a clicking sound after some time? I've only had the piano for a week and several keys have started to make a clicking sound when pressed and you can even feel the dexterity is different, have you had this issue?
@@williamlandry5652Hi. I did end up getting the DGX-670 and am loving it. Have had no issues. Definitely get a hold of whoever you purchased it from and get ot taken care of. Good luck.
Hi Stu. Thanks for this comparison. I tried these 2 instruments recently and you're absolutely right about them. Questions about both of them: Do they have USB audio interface? I want to connect them to Pianoteq. Can I use their onboard speakers to play with Pianoteq?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the question! The FP-E50 does have a USB audio interface, which will allow you to use the onboard speakers to play with Pianoteq. :)
I've only played Yamaha keyboards all my life. Currently, browsing a digital piano for home. Have been looking into roland to try something fresh and new.
Thabks for your reply Have you compared between roland FP-E50 and Casio PX-S3100. Only owned yamaha 61-key keyboards till now. Wanted the pia o keybed with rhythms for occasional live playing. I don't have the casio model to try at the local store. Although Im inclined towards the roland more. Your feedback would really help me. Thanks
Did Roland fix the MIDI issue with the FP-E50? If you program a layered sound and try recording that sound only one of the layers will record when using a DAW I’ve read
The FP-E50 only outputs MIDI info on a single channel by design. As far as I know, this has not changed. It is possible this will be addressed/altered down the road with a firmware update, but I have not heard any updates on that front.
@@MerriamPianos I only found about that reading a review on another website. It’s unfortunate that it only outputs MIDI info on a single channel especially if you’re planning on using it with a DAW. Other than that it sounds like a real nice keyboard
Hi there! Thanks for the question! I don't have much experience with the MODX8, so, unfortunately, I can't comment on the differences. With that said, perhaps, we will have to tackle a comparison between the pianos featured in this video and the MODX8. We will do our best to tackle that if possible!
Hi there! It really comes down to personal preference and the intended use. If you're looking for optimal portability, extensive onboard sounds, and a fully-weighted touch that is on the lighter side, the PXS3100 is an excellent choice. If you're looking for arranger/accompaniment functionality and a heavier touch, the DGX670 would be the more appropriate option.
I have a DGX-660 and its ok. My wife now has it for late hours silent practice. I have since moved on to the RD-2K. I'm not a "gigger" but it has a much more authentic action and touch. I'm more or less sold on Rolland over Yamaha for digital options, going forward.
Regarding the PHA-4 action, do you consider the best one on 1.000 bucks even compared to the GH3 of Korg D1? What's your considerations about Korg GH3 action?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! In my experiences, the PHA4 action is a clear favourite amongst all other actions around that price point. With that said, it is a matter of personal preference of course. :)
Hi! Brent here! I believe Stu prefers the Roland PHA4 action. I concur with that notion as well. At this price point, the PHA4 action is the most authentic touch out there in my opinion. :)
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am not in front of the FP-E50 at the moment, but I believe there is an option to loop recorded patterns. As for the DGX670, I have not personally had a chance to play that model yet. Perhaps, one of our helpful community members here can chime in that know the answer to this excellent question. :)
The DGX670 and FP-E50 are very different offerings than the ES120. The ES120 is focused in on the piano experience, whereas the DGX670 and FP-E50 are arranger style pianos. If you don't require the arranger features and functions, a Roland FP30X or Kawai ES120 would be excellent, cost-effective solutions. :)
Are there arranger style pianos that still offer a good piano experience? I have only played on acoustic pianos so I'm looking for something close to the real deal whilst still wanting to tinker with arranging full pieces@@MerriamPianos
@@RaniKhalili I'm on similar situation. I own baby-grand Clavinova CLP-565GP at home and Kawai ES110 as my portable piano which was only acceptable sub $1000 (key action) in 2017. Belive me or not, but every time I play my ES110 I really feel great and I never miss my Clavinova. Clavinova has better keyboard of course, but Kawai is very satisfying to play. I belive ES120 can be even better so I could buy it online even today and I'm sure I would be happy. I'm looking for portable piano for my office and my dream is to have some extra features in this new toy. The other day I tried to play on DGX670 and I didn't like the key action as much as I like it in Kawai piano so probably I won't buy it. It's not enough for pianist. I can't find any FP-E50 to test near by so I have similar issue like you and I don't know what to do. @MerriamPianos did great comparison so now I really think about Roland FP-E50. I wish to have ES120 keyboard with DGX670 features and FP-E50 styling ;)
Do you have any perspectives to share on the DGX 670 vs. Kawai's ES920? As someone looking to start playing piano, the lower price of Yamaha's offering along with a wider range of synth sounds is quite appealing. I wasn't able to discern much difference in the quality of the speakers between the two models when trying them out in a store, but that might be to do with being new to playing. That said, I liked the key action on the ES920 a little better, and I've gotten the impression the stand for Kawai's piano may be a bit more solidly made. Thank you for all the helpful videos!
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the question! The Yamaha DGX670 and Kawai ES920 are very different instruments, which are geared towards different customers on the market. The Yamaha DGX670 is an arranger style piano like the Roland FP-E50 (also featured in this video). If you are looking for something with tons of synth and non-piano sounds as well as a bundle of arranger style features, the DGX670 and FP-E50 would be excellent options. Personally, I prefer the FP-E50 for its more authentic action. As for the ES920, it is a powerhouse piano that I would personally take over either of these options. However, unlike the two pianos features in this video, the ES920 is not an arranger style instrument. It is a bit more centred around the core piano experience. It does have accompaniment tracks and a decent selection of onboard sounds, but it is the piano sound, speaker system, and action that really shine. If you are looking to play and practice piano specifically, the ES920 would unquestionably be my top suggestion out of this particular batch of instruments. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
Stu, which keyboard do you feel has the more authentic piano - the SuperNatural E50, or the Yamaha DGX-670 with VRM tech? Or are they both so good that it simply comes down to personal preference?
Hi! Brent here! They are both extremely solid and impressive pianos in my opinion. With that said, I would give a slight edge to the FP-E50 in terms of the core piano experience (SuperNATURAL piano tone and PHA4 action). :)
Hi! Brent here! We are not a Yamaha dealer, so I'm not intimately familiar with navigating the DGX670 interface. With that said, you should be able to find that info in the user manual. :)
Hey stu! Im very sorry to bombard your channel with this question, but since youve played the FP-E50 quite a lot and that you are clearly a seasoned piano player who would notice these things, have you notice any keys that have this loud click when the key comes back up. (sort of like a mechanical click) . I have gotten a remplacement FP-E50 cause my first one had multiple keys with this issue and now the second one has this issue as well so now im wondering if im going to change models completely and go with another brand but that would suck cause the FPe -50 is absolutely amazing.
Hi! Brent here! I am sorry to hear that you have been experiencing issues with your Roland FP-E50. It is hard to assess/troubleshoot without getting to experience the instrument firsthand of course, but is this issue isolated to individual keys or are you finding that they're all like this? Heavier actions with pronounced escapement like the PHA4 action will have some mechanical key noise (as do acoustic pianos, which can be discovered if you ever play one that has a silencer/mute rail). To that point, a little bit of mechanical key noise is normal, but if it is exaggerated or isolated to a few keys, your piano may need a warranty repair. Thanks and hope this helps!
I’ve had my 670 for a couple of years, and bought it when I was returning to piano after a few decades of life taking me in other directions. My main attraction was the Piano room and the Grand Piano which I do love. I have played with the arranger features and have fun playing the built in songs but I’m extremely frustrated with the pathetic user manual and lack of beginner tutorials from Yamaha. Reviews and demonstrations like yours make me feel I’m not nearly getting the value out of all the great features this keyboard offers.
Congrats on your DGX670! It is quite the feature-rich powerhouse. But, as you mentioned, that robust feature offering does have a bit of a learning curve attached to it. While our videos tend to be more focused on an overview of the core features/playing experience, it may be exciting to tackle some tutorial videos on specific models. I will pass on the suggestion to our production team. :)
It's worth noting that the DGX-760 is fully MIDI capable on all 16 tracks, while the FP-E50 is only capable on 1 MIDI track in and out. This makes an otherwise wonderful instrument unsuitable for MIDI production. The E50 is a spectacular choice for the single performer, and as a home 'fun' machine: but is extremely limited in a studio production setting.
That is certainly a noteworthy difference, which will be significant to some players depending on the context of use. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! We appreciate it! :)
difatti cambierò la fp e50 con la dgx 670 proprio per questo. ho creato diverse produzioni midi con la precedente fp7, e ora mi ritrovo evirato proprio per realizzare midi song. inoltre non posso leggere i miei midi files con la fp e50. Ho riscontrato inoltre problemi di meccanica con rumori in rilascio. e altre cose per me fondamentali che reputo bug enormi sul software. Altoparlanti interni che fanno pena e necessitano di amplificazione esterna. Comunque suoni bellissimi, ma solo quelli. la fpe50 ha troppi ritmi moderni che in una serata di piano bar o intrattenimento, non sono proprio l' ottimale. ha effetti limitati. prenderò sicuramente la dgx 670.
Your videos helps us a lot, thank! Considering a restricted budget, a doubt comes in mind: should i go for a biger grand piano in a intermediate line (like kawai Gx 6) ou go for a smaller grand from a superior line (like shigueru kawai sk2). what would be de pros and cons?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the kind words and for tuning into our channel! We appreciate it. :) That is a tricky question to answer as there are many things to consider. For me, I would personally opt for a smaller, but higher-quality piano. For instance, I would prefer an SK3 over a GX5 or GX6. With that said, this is a very personal and subjective consideration. I would prioritize the quality of tone and refinement of touch over the aesthetic quality of a larger piano and, potentially, greater dynamic potential. To that point, in my experiences, higher quality components and a more sophisticated design leads to more tonal and dynamic potential anyways. A good example of this is the C. Bechstein L167. Despite its smaller scale design, it is an absolute powerhouse of an instrument that can greatly outperform much larger grands of lesser quality in every category, including dynamic and tonal range. Thanks and hope this helps a bit!
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'd love to see you guys do a reveiw of the Seiler ED-126. I would really appreciate your opinion and input on the piano.
This is actually something that can technically be done with any MIDI compatible piano running in tandem with scoring software. Programs like Finale for instance have the ability to take in MIDI data and convert it to notation. :)
Wow, thank you for this video. It's like you guys read my mind. Been thinking about what to get between these two. The colored screen of the yamaha seems nice but I am more of a Roland user. The e50 doesn't have a pricing yet in our country unlike the yamaha which seems to be competitively priced. Right now I am using the fp10 and my choice will determine my upgrade path.
You're very welcome! We're glad that we were on the same wavelength. ;) The FP-E50 is definitely worth consideration if you're looking for a more seamless transition from your FP-10. It will offer the same PHA-4 action, but with plenty of upgrades and features that will make for a superior musical experience overall.
Hallo Stud, as always this's another example of very pro review and your explanations are very clear and exhaustive!!!!! I prefer Roland Fp50, however, for the quality of its acoustic piano samples and Zen core engine inside gives it a speed plus. Very similar to Fp30x but with much easier selection of sounds, thanks to a large display too... At a very little bit difference of price than older brother. ,😉😉👏👏👏
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for watching! We appreciate the support. The FP-E50 is an extremely compelling option given that the cost is only a little bit more than the FP30X. :)
@@MerriamPianos Hallo Brent, it's right to recognize that Stud makes these reviews with a great pro attitude!! Many greetings from Italy and say an hallo to Stud.👋👋😉😉👍👍👍
This would be an excellent topic to cover in a video! With that said, Roland does have a video on downloading ZEN-Core samples into the FANTOM series instruments, which should provide some insight into how the process works: th-cam.com/video/Nsr9QpgqgmA/w-d-xo.html
Due strumenti arrangiatori molto interessanti. Roland senza spendere tantissimo è la soluzione ideale per chi fa musica dal vivo. Yamaha per lo studio di registrazione o la casa. Tuttavia Yamaha ha già presentato il concorrente del FP-E50 il Yamaha CK 88 più professionale ma anche dal costo molto più elevato. Vedremo al prossimo NAMM se ci saranno novità anche se non credo ci siano grossi cambiamenti. Come sempre un saluto dall'Italia a Stu e allo staff di Merriam Pianos!
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts as always! They are both incredible instruments that offer the player a lot of flexibility and options. With that said, they do have slightly different offerings that make them more aligned for different applications. Thanks again! :)
The little I tried the E-50, it seemed very stuffy and synthetic. The DGX is not perfect either. I find the acoustic piano voices rather bland and not particularity vibrant. Instrumental Covers has been able to get a lot out of his. His own TH-cam channels has some good comparisons. I play my DGX in Tandem with Pianoteq, and the end result is as about as good as it gets with a digital instrument. The DGX improves the sound of Pianoteq, and vice versa. Pianoteq greatly enhances the DGX piano voice.
Hi Bryan! Brent from Merriam Music here! Both of these pianos have impressive grand sounds considering how many other features are packed into them. At the end of the day, it is a matter of preference. With that said, you will find superior grand piano sounds from other digital models that are specifically focused on the piano experience and less on the arranger and accompaniment features.
@@bryan25coolKawai CN 29, CA701, Roland LX-708, probably the Yamaha 515 although I haven't tired it. You aren't going to beat Pianoteq for live performance. It can be added I assume to all of the ones I mentioned., but I'm not sure about the issue of latency. There is no latency with the DGX so you get a very rich authentic sound when the two voices are combined. As for the 90x, I'm not impressed. You have to look at the sound quality compared to the price. It's easy to overspend on these instruments.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We are planning to do a DGX670 review and will be sure to feature the piano settings and specifics related to the model. :)
I have the DGX-670. You can use Piano Room for a quick, visual adjustment. You can also use "Voice Set" to adjust individual voices, including pianos. Things like touch sensitivity, attack, release, decay, harmonic content, etc. You can also adjust a voice using the global menus that include a 5-band parametric equalizer, reverb, etc. You can also adjust the bass and treble of individual voices via another menu. There are at least 4 ways that complement each other to adjust piano sounds, or any sound. However, the pianos are typically adjusted by Yamaha for best performance already. You have the CFX, Pop Grand, Bright Piano, etc., and they all have two versions: VRM and Natural! renderings.
@@Instrumental-Covers the thing to me is that for some reason the keys don’t feel good in my fingers. It’s hard for me to control them for soft playing and expression . So, maybe it’s just me but otherwise I love the dgx
@@renelopezgarcia5160 Are you sure is the keys? I think it is the type of piano sample inside the DGX-670, which has a strong attack and presence. However, when I use the Garritan CFX (virtual piano) using the piano as a MIDI controller, I can play very soft and expressive.
Hi Stu & Crew Overdub and special effects bring into mind Fincher's "Fight Club" ;-) Stu, if you find some time (let's say on the anniversary of 100k subscribers?) please consider presenting some personal details about your compositions (some Q&A?) I would like to ask you what was on your mind when playing: Roland RD88 vs Casio PX-S6000 - when I want to quickly up my mood, that's what brings me up (having two different takes side by side gives us an unprecedented occasion to compare different renditions and indulge our opinions) Watching the creative process - when you presented Kawai against Estonia, is fascinating, it feels like the most intimate look into a studio session. This upright Schimmel C123 was beautiful, how much of it is a free-flow, and how much is "prepared/premeditated" Your renditions come out so "ornamental" and saturated with details I love to play with musical breadcrumbs/puzzles that you have shared during your reviews. My technique and gear leave a lot to desire, but nobody's perfect. If anything I write or do comes out awkward (thumbnails - try to catch a good frame when someone is talking and gesturing), consider cultural differences and the language barrier, my intentions are good, please don't let me be misunderstood ;-)
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you for writing in and sharing your insights and suggestions! As always, we appreciate it! Finding someway to commemorate a big milestone like 100K subscribers is a fantastic idea. Fingers crossed we get there soon enough. ;) I'm happy to hear that you enjoy Stu's amazing video reviews as well as his musical performances! He is a magician when it comes to all things pianos. Thanks again and happy playing!
Good morning, Imhave the DGX670 and it sounds and works great except when I run it thru an amp or PA. The only way to get the quality sound is to mic the Keyboard speakers. Running a line from the earphone plug to an amp or PA sounds very thin. Any good ideas on how to get a quality sound direct line to PA? Thank you.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Sometimes, a really good DI box can fix this issue. I have used an Ampeg SVT DI box for many years, which is actually tube driven (I believe if it is a single 12AU7 tube). These are rare DI boxes because they didn't make them very long, but it really does add a lot of warmth and depth to the signal. Something like this might help a bit! However, you will need to make sure you have stereo capabilities of course. :)
First, whatever Stu Harrison gets paid isn’t enough…😊😊He understands music, he understands musicians, and he has the ability to look at the subject of his review from a range of musical perspectives, and he does a great job of showing and explaining the features of a keyboard based on thinking about the likelihood of a musician buying it for a particular function. That being said when a piano is being described as a stage piano, then I think that beyond piano, the sounds that have to be evaluated are organ, strings, e pianos, and then perhaps the synth sounds. Those are the big 5, and the ability to cover those sounds often determines whether the keyboard player is forced into using a multi keyboard stand or a single unit. Just a perspective from all of us out there who are piano players at heart, but who get roped into faking our way through an organ solo when deep down inside we barely know what the hell we are doing…
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you for writing in! We sincerely appreciate it. We are definitely lucky to have Stu's immense talent and knowledge. His ability to breakdown even difficult or abstract concepts into a very easy to follow discussion is impressive. :) Thank you for the feedback! I think exploring some of the non-piano sounds a little further would be quite exciting, especially when it comes to exploring stage pianos. Thanks again and all the best!
Thanks for all the great reviews. Awesome instruments both. What disappoints me is the fact that at this price neither instrument is supported by any app (ios-android, piano partner-smart pianist, etc.) to control the instrument when instruments that are half the price like the casio cdp s360 are supported by the very good casio music space app. The dgx 670 screen is very good for someone experienced but the instrument has so many features and buttons that someone who is not so experienced will find it quite difficult. So I think in the future both instruments should be supported by some remote piano app.Something I also don't like about the dgx 670 is that it only has a headphone output and if you want to connect external speakers it's confusing
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! I certainly understand where you are coming from, but both of these instruments are designed and intended to be stand-alone products with which everything can be accessed onboard the actual instrument. With all of that functionality though, there is a bit of a navigation learning curve to overcome at first.
In regard of the last part of your comment, adding speakers to the 670 is the simplest thing to do. I bought a pair of Yamaha HS5 speakers and a 1/4 spliter for the audio (headphones) jack. Then you go to the settings and enable the built in speakers of the keyboard to sound along with the external ones (there's a setting for that feature in the 670) and that's it...fire in the hole! I also use Pianoteq 8, Garritan CFX and Kontakt 7 with the 670 and the addition of the HS5s was a big plus. Those Steinway, C7 and Petrof sounds come out really nice. Well, those were my 2 cents 👌
@@juanjaramillo1854 Hey, I know I'm super late to this conversation, and I am super ignorant, technologically, but could you just give a quick idea on how to hook a Behringer mixing board up to this keyboard? Right now I use a quarter inch line out from my keyboard to the mixer, but I know I can't do this with this keyboard. I use the mixing board to control my QSC and Bose speakers. Thanks!
Thanks for the input! Naturally, with both of these fully-loaded pianos, it is difficult to tackle every feature. We could probably release 10 videos and still not have covered every detail, which is a testament to what these machines offer. :)
Thank you kindly! We have not tackled that model yet, but I will add it to the list as a potential candidate for upcoming video reviews/comparisons. Thanks for the suggestion!
The comparison is close for an arranger setup, from my perspective using a DAW is so much more powerful than any of the canned functions of either keyboard.. it looks like Roland FP E50 has better easier to use preset features with limited programmability, while Yamaha DGX 670 has a color display and more detailed controls. However, one thing I cannot get past is Roland's piano is far superior -- while Yamaha owns Bösendorfer and their acoustic pianos may be excellent, Yamahas digital pianos to me sound trebly and tinny, no matter how much DSP I add I can walk into any music store and cannot find a single Yamaha digital keyboard at any price that sounds good to me. Yamaha action my get better at (much) higher price points, and the Yamaha organ sound, synthesized flutes, etc may be outstanding .. but Yamaha's digital piano is lacking, I don't know why Yamaha can't figure out how to create a compelling digital piano sound.. maybe its just me, but I hear what I hear.. So if could play a Bosendorfer, newer Yamaha, or Steinway acoustic piano excellent, but to me Roland digital pianos with their behavorial engine over the Supernatural sound engine wipe out anything I've heard so far from Yamaha (or Casio), even if Yamaha's (or Casio's) sequencers, DSP, can put lipstick on the their sound engine. Number one to me starts with sound 001, the acoustic piano. And that said Roland's Zen core may create most of the around 1000 synthesizer tones on the FP 50E, the Zen core can't compete with Roland's Supernatural piano samples, fortunately the FP E50 which fortunately has both sound engines - I just want to know which supernatural sounds on the FP30X/FP60X are also on the FP E50.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for writing in with your insights! I certainly agree that the Roland FP-E50 is a formidable instrument and a difficult one to compete with at this price point. The SuperNATURAL and ZEN-Core engines form quite the combination. With that said, it all comes down to a matter of personal preference of course. Tone and touch are very subjective matters. :)
DGX series IMHO is the series that most evolved on Yamaha, mainly the sound quality and build construction, its user interface is way better than Roland's. FP-E50 is a new approach from Roland combining stage pianos and arrangers
The DGX sounds are great. From my perspective it's not user friendly. The Piano Room is very cool. If the entire instrument was similar, it would be good. The settings are all over the place and not particularly intuitive.
It comes down to a matter of personal preference of course, but the combination of action and accompaniment options on the FP-E50 makes it a force to be reckoned with.
Thank you kindly and thanks for the suggestion! Given how many features these amazing pianos offer, we may need to do a follow up comparison video, so we'll do our best to tackle that comparison for you. ;)
Many have been waiting for this comparison 😄 I wish that any leading company would finally make a digital piano that is entirely (!) focused on an acoustic piano sound. I am not holding my breath though. Both Roland and Yamaha are vying for a very different group of users. I was lost half way through this video and just said goodbye 😊
@@JoeLinux2000 I did indeed! There is nothing on the market that would make me think of an upgrade (I like new Kawai CA pianos but I need Digital Audio Interface).
Thanks for tuning in! There are manufacturers and models out there that are focused purely on the piano experience. However, those are usually console digital pianos opposed to portable models. From the manufacturer's perspective though, it is important they have a fairly extensive featuring offering as every player will be utilizing the piano in different ways and different contexts.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you. I do understand that variety of sounds and functions appeal to the majority of the potential digital piano buyers. I do not think that there is any digital piano on the market, including console digital pianos, that would not have a variety of sounds, lessons, songs and accompaniment functions.
@@mfurman Right. I often wonder if I would have been better off with the 515 over the DGX-670. I'm OK with the DGX action, but everyone seems to agree that the 515 is better. Some Kawai's sound very good, but I'm suspicious that their actions are overrated. They have too many variations. So far Roland's best action is only in the LX-708. The interface with a computer is an important aspect of a modern digital piano. Did you ever own a DGX-670? One thing I just noticed ios you can''t name a "patch" or registration. You have to use the name of the primary instrument, but it seems to me that the registration bank should have the ability to be named by song or Patch configuration. Maybe song registration is somewhere else, and I don't even know it. That's the problem with the DGX. There's really no unified comprehensible user interface. And as far as I know, no ability to upgrade the operating system, which in my opinion it desperately needs.
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Are these models you would like us to review? We are not Korg dealers at this time, so it is a bit tougher for us to cover these models, but we will do our best. :)
Out of topic - I tried a few digital pianos yesterday including the G1 Air which I considered. I'd say it offers a lot of quality for the price. Full digital piano, very nice cabinet, powerful speakers, it's made in Japan etc., doesn't sound bad at all, but I made a mistake comparing it with the Kawai ES-920 (quite more expensive model so unfair comparison) which blew it away in terms of piano sound, especially when using the internal speakers. But even the Roland FP-60X fared similarly when using the speakers against the Kawai, not that the Korg was so bad. I'm a total beginner so it's hard to judge the actions, for me the Korg's RH3 definitely didn't feel worse than the PHA-4, but again the action of the ES-920 was markedly better than both. And it was also the quietest I tried.
I wanted to buy FP-E50 but unfortunately, I won't do it. Why? the FP-E50 is not multitimbral, so you can use MIDI in a very limited way, e.g. for learning or for one-way DAW controlling, but by using MIDI, it can play only one selected internal sound. Most MIDI pianos and keyboards are multitimbral - also DXG-670 or FP-30X. Even simple Casio CT-460 keyboard from 80s with 10-voices polyphony was multitimbral on 4 channels, but not FP-E50 - it can only receive single MIDI channel data, what is very strange and intentional limitation... So before any decision, it is good to know the little secret of Roland FP-E50 piano.
Thanks for the insights! It ultimately comes down to the intended use of the FP-E50. It is designed to be used for live applications as a stand-alone instrument. While some of the features crossover into the realm of a workstation, that is not its primary intention, hence certain limitations like the one you mentioned.
If it's easy to navigate You won't care. The DGX has a good screen, but other than the Pianoroom, it's very complex. The functions are not easy to find or remember where you found them. Unless you have a lot of experience like Instrumental Covers, it can be a handful to figure out. I actually have a significant amount of experience with synthesizers, and I'm mystified. The biggest selling point about the DGX is the price. For the overall cost, it's great value. Also the speakers and amplification on the DGX are extremely good. Works great as a Bluetooth home stereo. Also I'm able to pipe in the Pianoteq voices through the MIDI cable, which in itself is amazing.
Thank you for the feedback. I will pass it along to our TH-cam production team. We're sorry for the inconvenience of the ads. Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil for many channels. The ads allow channels to generate revenue, which can help fund the production of more videos.
It is hard to find any digital piano/keyboard with realistic sounding sax and guitar sounds in my opinion. I think there are VST plug-ins that do a much better job at capturing the essence and qualities of these particular instruments.
I would certainly encourage testing out both pianos at a showroom as people have been blown away with the user-friendliness of the FP-E50. I would say it is equally-equipped (if not more thoroughly-equipped) for creating music. :)
The DGX is not particularly easy to fully understand. It needs a book like "The Yamaha DGX for Dummies." that shows how to go through all the settings. It's a very complex instrument.
@@MerriamPianos I'm pretty sure for live performance situations the Roland would be the way to go. As some others have pointed out, some of the Yamaha DGX voices are really good. For example the string voices are very mellow and very realistic but they don't sustain with the pedal as far as I know. Roland has always made some really great synths. One of my favorites was the Super JX-10. It was a digitally controlled analog synth. It was like paining with water colors. At the time I was using a Yamaha KX-88 MIDI controller with an expression pedal. The KX-88 also has aftertouch. Most all of the instruments are a compromise. None work exactly like you would like them to. Both the E50 and DGX offer a lot of bang for the buck. I alsotried the es920 at the store, and I'm glad I didn't buy it. The sales lady immediately moved me over to a Kawai CN29 which she said has the guts of of the es920 and actually sounds better for less money on closeout.
I have owned the DGX-650 for more than 10 years now. It's a great instrument, but I still think it makes the most sense in a home. That's where I use it. I don't gig with it. I don't play in a band with it. I don't move it. I use the furniture stand and the 3-pedal unit. It says "Portable Grand," but the portability is only theoretical because it's so big and heavy. The built-in speakers won''t replace a PA system or an amp for performances, but they're more than adequate for home use. I'm just an amateur. I grew up taking piano lessons and playing in recitals.
And, yes, if you just want to play piano, there are cheaper 88-key weighted digital pianos on the market, but I do like having all the extra voices, rhythms, and arranger features. It's just more fun. The DGX-670 is just a newer version with a few more bells and whistles.
This Roland FP-E50 is what Yamaha could have made if they weren't trying so hard to create market segmentation. Maybe this will force them to rethink their designs for the next DGX. A lighter weight and professional audio output would be incredibly useful. I'm sure the Roland FP-E50 would be fine at home, but it can also be used more reasonably for gigging. Your move, Yamaha.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your experiences with your DGX650! It is very true that both of these pianos can be used for virtually any musical context (i.e. home practicing/playing, recording/production, gigging, etc.). It all comes down to the needs and desires of the player. The arranger functionality can make practicing far more fun and engaging. Thanks so much once again and happy playing! :)
DGX-670 is huge upgrade in almost every aspect. If you have an oportunity, try it somewhere in a store....
A DGX player here, I agree with everything you state, certainly you have to be familiar (I since the 530 model) with arrangers, it is not relatively "easy" to know their functions in a new player but it is very fun, it is just playing and get to know, and yes; the effect of "super articulation" gives a touch that is subtle, but embellishes the recordings a lot... this video is an excellent comparison, congratulations and my thanks.
Thanks a million for tuning in and for your kind words! We appreciate it. And thank you for sharing your insights from the perspective of a DGX player. All the best and happy playing! :)
I wish Yamaha would make a song book and DVD specifically for the DGX-670 that walks you through exactly how to set up all the various features and demonstrates what they do. The control system is all over the place. The plus side of the DGX is the speaker system is excellent. You have to have a very big brain to fully understand the DGX. I have wasted hours of time trying to figure it out. I know there are people who can use all the automation very well. I just don't understand it.
That is certainly a good point and one that we do our best to tackle in review and comparison videos. The user-friendliness and ease of navigation will be an important consideration for some players. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! :)
I've been using Yamaha arrangers and digital pianos for over 20 years ..the dgx670 just follows Yamaha's progression...in fact this is really a Sx600 under the hood.
I suggest reading the Owner's Manual and Reference Manual first, instead of trying to figure out how it works by trial and error. Over 200 pages of detailed explanations with pictures for each procedure. This is a workstation (light), and workstations are not digital pianos with a few tones. I was watching another channel of somebody who decided to let the Yamaha MODX+ sit in its box for two weeks, and he read the manual first. I think it is the best strategy.
There is a instruction book online, which is a supplement to the piano manual, which gives more detailed information how to set it up and use.
@@tomlavelle8340do you mean the reference manual?
The long awaited comparison, thanks Merriam Music for having me informed!
You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in! :)
Yes, we all wanted this review. My take from the review is that the FP-e50 is a bit more geared to live use than the DGX-670, while the latter is a more comprehensive home studio instrument.
I don't view either of these models as truly professional instruments. Superior actions and patches and connectivity would be required, for heavy professional use, and the manufacturers won't give us those things at these prices, partly because they still need to sell professional gear. Nevertheless, many professional musicians have at times used amateur/semi professional instruments because of budget or portability issues or because of a rare feature unavailable on high end models. And sometimes it's been a very happy compromise.
Thanks for another good review Stu.
Hi Mike. I think it is important to look at the category Yamaha places their instruments to understand their place and scope. This is a breakdown of the names they use:
1) Pianos: Grand, Upright, Hybrid, Digital
The "Digital" category has 3 subcategories: Clavinova, Arius, Portable
The DGX-670 is under the Portable/Digital/Piano category.
2) Keyboard Instruments: Digital and Arranger Workstations, Portable Keyboards, Stage Keyboards
This category contains their arrangers (both entry-level and premium) as well as the CP, YC, CK series.
3) Synthesizers and Music Production Tools
Synthesizers: MX88, Montage, MODX+
Stage Keyboards: YC, CP, CK series
Steinberg Products: Cubase, Nuendo, etc
As you see from this breakdown, the DGX-670 is not labeled by Yamaha as a professional tool for the stage or the studio.
The DGX series has always been an entertainment digital piano, meaning to play piano with auto-accompaniment, but in a home environment with family and friends. It is not intended to be used in professional gigs or as a tool in a recording home studio environment.
Brent here! Thanks for tuning in Mike! We appreciate the thoughts and insights. I imagine that it is quite the balancing act for manufacturers to find the right blend of features, while maintaining a specific target price point. In either case, I think both Roland and Yamaha have done an exceptional job at finding a very attractive assortment of features and functions with both of these models. :)
@@Instrumental-Covers Thank you. I didn't mean to imply that Yamaha pretends to have made a professional instrument in the DGX-670. Rather, since this piano does include some high end features, I'm acknowledging that it still has its limits, and that portability is not its prime feature.
I'm curious about Yamaha categorizing the CP-88 stage piano as a Keyboard rather than as a Digital Piano. I guess this comes from days when stage pianos were valued mainly for their epiano and organ patches. Accordingly, you cannot even buy a "piano amp", only a "keyboard amp.
About four years ago I predicted that stage pianos and portable pianos would merge, then I thought I was wrong. Now I see that Yamaha is suddenly focusing on the keyboard aspect of stage pianos, hence the new CK models. It even calls them Stage Keyboards.
"Stage piano" has become a bit meaningless anyway, since it covers too many things, and the pianistic attributes of say a CP-88 or RD-2000 are exploited more offstage than onstage anyway - I mean at events and casual gigs rather than at big concerts.
So maybe I was half right. There seems to be a new killer portable piano category which may largely replace the piano-oriented stage pianos. It is partly driven by onboard speaker technology. Carrying PA systems/amps is bad enough, but pianists don't want to carry and connect monitors too - not for modest gigs, and they might need the onboard speakers in the home or studio or at rehearsals or even as main speakers on intimate gigs
These new pianos feature onboard speakers, mic connections & EQ, but fewer unnecessary distractions and costs for pianists. Casio and Roland are testing the waters already with the PX-S7000, the FP-90X and the RD-88.
Stu spoke of "Pro Portable Pianos" as a category. Well this is the sharp end of that category, ready to consume a huge portion of the "stage piano" market where the intended application is offstage use. Will Yamaha reciprocate with a "P-1000" that's more gig-oriented than the P-515, less complex than the CP-88 and still looks good in your home? Maybe priced between the two? It would be interesting.
Spot on comparison between these two keyboards. The DGX-670 audio quality, sounds, and arranger capability are terrific. I like the multi-track recording too. However, I personally don't like the Key action, kind of light. It's also a tank, very heavy! The FP-E50 on-board audio is OK, the wealth of sounds are incredible, overwhelming with Supernatural Piano and having the Zen Chip. I like the PHA-4 Key action. If Yamaha could pack some the the DGX-670 features and sounds in the likes of a P-125, I would go for it. I don't see that happening, but will wait for NAMM to see what's new. Thanks to Merriam Music and Stu Harrison for these outstanding reviews. Really helps in the purchasing decisions.
Thanks a million for tuning in and sharing your insights! We appreciate it! It is always interesting to see what new models are announced at NAMM. I guess we will not have to wait too long now! :)
@@MerriamPianos when is namm?
The problem with Stu is he just makes me want to buy everything!! I did have the fp e50 for a couple of weeks however it had to go back because of a defective key which was a shame. I've decided to hang on to see what NAMM brings before replacing it. I have picked up an Arturia Keylab MK2 today to keep me playing in the meantime and explore what soft synths have to offer. I'm already missing the PHA4 Keybed on the Roland, it is an incredible instrument for sure and I may well be returning to the same instrument. The Zen Core sound engine and capability to add sound packs (and beat packs in the future) is a great option to keep it sounding fresh.
Hi Richard! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in! I know what you mean regarding Stu's playing and detailed reviews. It is easy to get excited about virtually all of these pianos!
I'm sorry to hear that you experienced an issue with your FP-E50. Generally speaking, the PHA4 actions and keys are extremely reliable and durable. It could be an anomaly situation of course. In either case, I hope you find a longterm solution that fully satisfies your playing needs. Thanks again and happy playing!
@williamlandry5652
3 hours ago
Hey have you had any issues with some of the keys starting to make a clicking sound after some time? I've only had the piano for a week and several keys have started to make a clicking sound when pressed and you can even feel the dexterity is different, have you had this issue?
@@williamlandry5652 Do you mean FP-E50?
@@arkayts si riferisce alla fpE50. anche la mia dopo un anno, stesso problema dei tasti rumorosi al rilascio.
@@ariannacarducci6004 I feel for you! I imagine it's out of warranty already, so it's either to take to repair shop or maybe you can clean somehow, but I don't know how difficult it is.
Man, you really choose well the music that you use to demonstrate each tone. Kudos!
I'll be sure to pass on those kind words to Stu on your behalf! :)
Thanks! Not too many videos on the 670.
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! :)
Your right about the PH4 action on the Roland. Once I noticed it, I couldn't un notice it. Really adds nuance to playing and it makes playing up top of the keys easier. It is why I'm going to get the FP-E50. Some of the Zen Core sounds from the Roland cloud are really nice to. Does cost about 20 bucks for approximately 20 to 50 new "tones". The EP's and the Pianos were sweet. (But I haven't played the Fp-E50's defaults yet. Did play on the FP 60x. The action on it made playing on the Yamaha P225 and P145 "unfun"...) Hopefully get the FP E50 today when Willis Music opens.) Thank you very much for your informative videos. Got any DAW or Synth suggestions like Arcturia? Be nice to be able to pan the recording either a little left or right. Got a nice couple of guitars (with smaller 24 inch scale lengths, I'm not tall). At this time much better on guitar than keyboards. That might change in a year.
Practice, Practice, Practice...
Hi! Brent here! I can definitely understand the sentiment! Also, the FP-E50 is a powerhouse offering from Roland. It is jam packed with excellent features like you have mentioned. In terms of DAW suggestions, I have been a longtime ProTools user myself. It is not necessarily the most user-friendly of DAWs, but it is quite robust in terms of its capabilities.
occhio a prendere questa Roland. Se ti serve il midi, non puoi leggere ne puoi creare file midi perchè non è multitimbrico. Gli altoparlanti interni fanno pietà e ti costringono ad adottare sistemi di amplificazione esterna. La tastiera è problematica e più di un proprietario, compreso me, ha riscontrato problemi di clickering e credimi, il rumore, quando ascolti in cuffia, è molto fastidioso per chi ti sta attorno o per chi è andato a dormire.
I have the previous Yamaha model, the DGX 660. I really enjoy it. It's an affordable full size weighted 88 key piano.
Absolutely! It packed a lot of features into a very attractive price point. :)
Yamaha DGX - 670
Pros - 4 style variations/ better written styles/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- 47 pounds/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
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights on these various models! We appreciate it. :)
So the FP-E50 is the best option for weighted action portable keyboards with some arranger features? Anything better for more money?
That was a great post.
I was totally sold on the FP-E50, was ready to buy... and someone brought the 1 channel MIDI limitation to my attention. That was a huge shock, and a deal breaker. I just bought a Yamaha DGX-670, which I think is about the best compromise for me at this price point. I will miss the better keyboard with triple sensors, and the expandable sounds, and the larger sound base, and everything else... but lack of MIDI killed it for me. Too bad, because from all other viewpoints it's a spectacular instrument.
@@charlesworton4020 they crippled it on putpose. Do they(Roland) have a more expensive keyboard with all the features you would need?
Pls do comparison dgx670 vs ck88 just piano acoustic
Thanks for the suggestion we will do our best to tackle that comparison for you! :)
Thank you for the comparison. Rolland looks worth a consideration. The problem I have is with you inverting the colors of the Roland display revealed here @ 13:23 when Stu’s finger is briefly over the screen… why do this?
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! The intention of the video editing was to ensure that the viewer could clearly see the information and text on the display screen.
Well, I would rather see how the keyboards look IN REAL LIFE than force the Roland to "look better"... I can see Stu just wanted to give a little hand to the Roland to look better LOL.
P.D. I am 100% convinced that the Roland's screen is garbage.
@@danielojeda9220 - The sad part for me is I was excited to see a 'paperwhite' display being used on the Roland only to find it was an effect for the video. It was effective. I love the Roland's sounds but that display is disappointing especially compared to the Yamaha.
I was anticipating Stu's review and it is sharp and informative as always, always spot on. I bought the DGX last month and am happy with it. But I bought it mainly because the shop here in Montreal had just received the FP=E50 and didnt know much about it and steered me toward the Yamaha. But the subtle strength of the Roland might have something to it. Im not yet experienced enough a player but i went to try out in a store today.
What I found better on the Yamaha are some of the sounds, the Super Articulation guitars in particular, are well spectacular. The guitars in the Roland seem just humdrum, no comparison. The Yamaha can fool you into hearing a real guitar, they are that good.
Some the the brass and saxes too, the Roland cannot touch that, I think. So for arranging varied acoustic instruments, the Yam is the ticket. The Yamaha CFX piano also is very good in my view....
The Roland has its strength mainly in piano's, electric pianos, and some patches.
It maybe all the arranger I would really need. But to my limited experience, the styles on the FP-E50 were not as lively and rich as on the DGX...
Yes I would like it if Stu would comment the sounds on those 2, they are at a price point most of us could afford.
But thanks anyway you are so informative !
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! We sincerely appreciate it. :)
Both pianos certainly have their strengths, particularly when you're digging into the various non-piano sounds they have. There is also a significant difference in terms of their touch. I personally find the FP-E50 to be a more realistic feel, but it is a matter of personal preference of course. In any case, every player will have their own preference between these two powerhouse pianos. Thanks again and happy playing!
@@MerriamPianos about touch....just for the sake of informing you..... Most of the Western demonstrators/reviewers talk about realistic feel of the keys but that matters nothing for people in India and other such countries where pianos are simply not available for people to know how the actual touch and press of the keys feel! Same goes for realistic piano sounds. People never get to hear the real piano, live. People here are happy if it sounds good! That's all!!
In India, like in the gulf countries, we look more for local sounds and styles.
I find it unbelievable that someone would find the yamaha sounds better, maybe i am biased but I specifically tried these keyboard and own the FPe50 and the fpe50 just BLOWS everything out of the water in my opinion, even just the normal piano sounds sound SO much better on the roland, Also im not sure if you have checked out the pads, plucks, fx, EP's on the ROland but again I find them to BLOW the yamaha's sound of the water.
@@williamlandry5652Congrats on your new Roland. I can’t find a demo unit on display in Atlanta. Any other outstanding features you’ve discovered? Any drawbacks?
The piano is simply the best in my opinion, the sounds are not even comparable to the other digital keyboards in that price range, only draw back is that theyre seems to be a factory defect with some of the keys as I am getting my second one replaced today with a third fpe50 as the two first ones had clunky keys that got progressively worse with time
@@cinepost
I really enjoyed this video. Although neither keyboard is right for me, I now have some insight on arranger keyboards. Thank you. Also, will you be doing a video on the Kurzweil SP-7 Grand? That keyboard is in the same category as the Roland RD88, although a bit more expensive.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in! I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed the video. Thank you for the suggestion to cover the Kurzweil SP7. We have a number of video reviews and comparisons in the queue, but we will do our best to tackle that review for you. :)
Thanks for the awesome review, you made a different approach than usual comparing these 2 product this time, which is fine because like you said they're coming from a different worlds, but for the professional player's it would be great if you did what you're used to do on most of your comparison, like a side by side Piano sounds, other sounds, specifications, key actions, functionally...etc
Thanks again and keep up with the awesome work !!
Thanks so much for tuning in and sharing your feedback! We appreciate it. Given how many features there is to cover on these powerhouse pianos, we may even need to do a follow up video. ;)
@@MerriamPianos That would be great... ;)
It’s nice to see more Yamaha digital pianos on this channel!
We do our best to feature as many of the top brands as possible! :)
Very lucid review. I have the DGX-670, but I have also owned more advanced arrangers from Yamaha in the past (top of the line PSR-S910 before Genos/Tyros and medium professional arranger PSR-S770), although those were 61 keyboards (synth action). The PSR-S910 had of course more voices, styles, registration memory banks, configurable multi-pads with arpeggiator (something absent in the DGX-670), expandability, those advanced microphone capabilities (you could sing with a "trio", or change your voice to male/female, or have a choir singing with you, etc.). The DGX-670 is, on the other hand, a great compromise between arranger capabilities and digital piano, at least for me. I also had the DGX-660 for 4 years, and I can attest Yamaha went far and beyond with the DGX-670. For the first time, a DGX product had a professional arranger engine. Before that, you were stuck with the PSR-E series arranger tone generators. Now you get the PSR-S series arranger level of performance in the DGX series.
For those who are not familiar with arrangers:
1) The DGX-660 had 1 intro, 1 ending, only 2 variations per style, no control over the piano sounds beyond a basic equalizer, no audio interface, a monochromatic screen, no expandability, and the basic PSR-E series arranger engine. It was similar to some other digital piano arrangers on the market that have basic arrangers.
2) The DGX-670 has 3 intros, 3 endings, 4 variations with the advanced Super Articulation, Mega Voice, Natural!, Live!, etc., specialty voices for arrangers, color screen, audio interface, the tone generator of the PSR-S series for the arranger (advanced) + the piano tone generator of the Yamaha Clavinova CVP 701 with the VRM (Virtual Resonance Modeling) and Natural! piano tones. By the way, the Natural! piano voices are very advanced too.
However, I would like to upgrade my personal choice to the Yamaha MODX+, because you can program it to behave like an arranger. I have seen people using the MODX+ as an arranger (yes, it can be done). However, the MODX+ is on a different level, as you get the top-of-the range sounds and realistic drum kits instead of a more modest sound bank and (particularly) limited sets of drum kits in the DGX-670. That's one area where even professional arrangers still don't get my full approval (the quality of drums). So far, it seems you have to go with the Yamaha Genos, Korg PA5X, or Ketron Audya 5 for really good drum kits programmed into the arranger... which is why a professional workstation that can be programmed as an arranger might be the way to go, particularly if you want to make recordings. The MODX+ is a professional synthesizer/workstation with over 10,000 arpeggios (which are arguably the main ingredient of an arranger, at least the "variations"... the intros and endings would have to be custom made I guess), "scenes", "patterns", etc.
I have tried replacing the DGX-670 drums kits with the Toontrack EZ Drummer (which has high quality drum and percussion sounds, plus the expansions I have bought for it), but then I get lost in the mapping of sounds between the two.
The one product I have never been able to find is this: a digital (not analog!) drum machine with really realistic drum sets that are already programmed and ready to be used for a large number of genres, with variations, intros, and endings. The Alesis SR-16 seems like a good choice, but it has a limited number of styles. I have looked into some Roland drum machines, both hardware and software, but they seem to be useful only for certain genres I don't use, more like electronic type of music or pop music with non-acoustic drum kits... I haven't found a single VST or hardware drum machine that does what I am looking for. Maybe the MODX+ could just be a one-stop type of approach for what I am looking for... but then I would have to learn how to program it... I just want to find something done by somebody else, ready to use, and that is not extremely expensive... this seems to be an area no manufacturer has successfully addressed. Maybe I am overlooking something, I don't know. I have looked into sample packs, but still can't find the type of acoustic beats I want... I need help in this area.
A suggestion for Stu: I would encourage him to make a video showing how to program a style on his Roland Fantom-0. I assume the Roland Fantom-0 can be programmed in such a way because I know the Yamaha MODX+ has that capability and these two machines are similar.
Thanks for the detailed breakdown of the DGX660 and DGX670. It is very helpful to lay these details out and show the progression of the model, especially from the perspective of an experience DGX user like yourself. :)
I definitely agree with you in regards to your comments about VST drum machines. If you are producing music in a dance or pop realm, there are certainly a plethora of excellent sample sets and libraries. With that said, if you are looking for acoustic drums that sufficiently emulate a live drummer, I have yet to find a solution that I am fully satisfied with as well. I still find my self tracking live drums and simply augmenting with overlaid samples or replacing specific elements with samples when needed. Perhaps, this will be something that a manufacturer or software developer really nails in the near future. Fingers crossed!
Also, thank you for the suggestion! I will pass it onto Stu and the production team. I think those types of more feature oriented video tutorials or guides would be quite exciting. Thanks for the idea! :)
Hi IC. One tool that might do some of the things you like, at least on the fly, is Beat Buddy. I've seen it used very effectively on jazz & blues gigs.
I purchased a Zoom R8 one time, mainly for multi-track recordings, but couldn't get along with it. The drum sounds seemed to be good, but I wasn't into programming every note. I needed to produce backing tracks quickly, both for practice and for solo/duo gigs.
I've never been very dependent on backing tracks at gigs, and I'm using them less and less, partly because I'm increasingly proficient at playing solo (and backing saxes/singers) unassisted, and partly because I'm more interested in consolidating a traditional jazz piano technique anyway - I mean as a band pianist.
I still make a lot of quick practice backing tracks so I can figure out the best piano licks for assorted situations. It's an exciting project, but I feel a bit like an archaeologist, picking at bones, because it's about lost knowledge that requires reconstruction. Nobody here teaches these early styles, and the old band pianists are impossible to hear clearly on recordings, well at least when they are doing the job properly. Maybe I'll end up with my own unique style. That would be good, so long as it's fit to task.
The project is giving my trusty P-255 a new lease of life. Just when I thought I needed something more sophisticated (more of a stage piano - with more knobs and sounds) I'm reverting to piano only and using the whole keyboard.
On my next digital piano, however, I'll be interested in having a good upright patch, since vintage jazz and upright pianos have a certain affinity with one another.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you for the feedback! :) Yamaha has something called "Revo Drums", which apparently sound very good and natural... but it is in a $6,000 machine (Genos arranger workstation). I wish this quality of drums could be programmed into an drum machine, but at affordable price.
@@Zoco101 Hi Mike, always good to hear from you. I have seen videos of Beat Buddy before, but I am not sure if the samples are much more sophisticated than my DGX-670, which are not bad for live playing. I would like to have something like the quality of drums I hear in Yamaha Genos (Revo drums) or Ketron Audya 5, or possibly higher. I have a fairly realistic drum machine already in VST form, but it works more like the Chord Sequencer in the Roland FP-E50 or Band-in-a-Box virtual arranger. I want something more automatized, it is time consuming having to drag those MIDI files into the song composer or a DAW track and then cutting, editing, mixing... too much work for me. I can record the DGX-670 with decent results for an amateur recording, it is quick and I can equalize/edit the drums later inside the DAW, but it is not the same level of sound quality... I don't know. I have seen Roland and Arturia drum machines, but they seem to be catering for electronic drum kits.
I'd like to hear some of your recordings and practice sessions, I encourage you to upload some in your channel.
I think both Yamaha and Kawai stage pianos contain nice upright piano patches. Are you interested in any of the current models?
Instrumental Covers, are you making new recordings? Are they on your TH-cam channel?
If you allow me, your TH-cam name (and channel) are a bit problematic - try to find your channel by typing “Instrumental Covers” 😄
Thanks for the in depth reviews, and I would like to see a comparison between the Roland FP-E50 and the Roland RD 88. I hope it can be done
You're very welcome! Thank you for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that comparison for you. :)
I have the dgx 670, the funny thing is, Guitar Center sent me the 660 at first because they used the wrong online photos. I played that for a day before I sent it back. I actually remember liking the piano action on it, even a tad more than the 670 that showed up later. But now, I absolutely love the feeling of playing the 670, I couldn't imagine a better feeling keyboard. So perhaps it is familiarity, but if it were a problem, I wouldn't be able to love it so much. So I'd be curious to try the Roland FP-E50, because it's hard to imagine something feeling better than the DGX line.
I also love the feeling of the instrument vibrations in my fingers as I play the keys, adds a sense of acoustic response.
Familiarity is definitely a big factor of course. That is an excellent point! We get used to whatever musical experience we get the most exposure to. We're happy to hear that you've been enjoying your DGX670 though. :)
Thanks for the review. I'm currently trying to make the decision on which one to go with. A bit concerned on the weight of the DGX but it certainly seems to have a ton more features over the E50. You didn't really talk much about the differences in the overall key feeling between the 2. On paper the PH4 keys seem better speced but does that translate to overall better feel when playing? Are you giving anything up with the Yamaha keys? The larger color display on the DGX seems like it would be much better and it seems it can do more with score translation and display (I've seen some really interesting YT videos showing some of these features). Overall, do you think the color display offers much more than the Roland's display? Thanks.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! At the end of the day, it comes down to a matter of personal preference between these two powerful machines. I would recommend trying both out in person to see which one you connect with more musically in terms of touch and tone. For me, the PHA4 action of the FP-E50 is a more authentic feeling touch. I also think the inclusion of the ZEN-Core engine makes the FP-E50 a more versatile instrument sonically. However, if some of the specific features of the DGX670, such as the colour display screen, are appealing, that might tilt the scale a bit for you. :)
@williamlandry5652
3 hours ago
Hey have you had any issues with some of the keys starting to make a clicking sound after some time? I've only had the piano for a week and several keys have started to make a clicking sound when pressed and you can even feel the dexterity is different, have you had this issue?
@@williamlandry5652Hi. I did end up getting the DGX-670 and am loving it. Have had no issues. Definitely get a hold of whoever you purchased it from and get ot taken care of. Good luck.
do you feel the fpe50 is similar to the fp30 in a simple piano sound way?
I would say the FP-E50's core piano experience is quite comparable to the FP30X's when you factor in tone engine, action, and speaker system.
Hi Stu. Thanks for this comparison. I tried these 2 instruments recently and you're absolutely right about them.
Questions about both of them:
Do they have USB audio interface?
I want to connect them to Pianoteq. Can I use their onboard speakers to play with Pianoteq?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the question! The FP-E50 does have a USB audio interface, which will allow you to use the onboard speakers to play with Pianoteq. :)
@MerriamPianos Thanks Brent! How about the DGX?
I've only played Yamaha keyboards all my life. Currently, browsing a digital piano for home. Have been looking into roland to try something fresh and new.
Very nice! The Roland FP-E50 is a lot of fun! Plus, it offers an exceptional core piano experience. :)
Thabks for your reply
Have you compared between roland FP-E50 and Casio PX-S3100. Only owned yamaha 61-key keyboards till now. Wanted the pia o keybed with rhythms for occasional live playing. I don't have the casio model to try at the local store. Although Im inclined towards the roland more.
Your feedback would really help me.
Thanks
Did Roland fix the MIDI issue with the FP-E50? If you program a layered sound and try recording that sound only one of the layers will record when using a DAW I’ve read
The FP-E50 only outputs MIDI info on a single channel by design. As far as I know, this has not changed. It is possible this will be addressed/altered down the road with a firmware update, but I have not heard any updates on that front.
@@MerriamPianos I only found about that reading a review on another website. It’s unfortunate that it only outputs MIDI info on a single channel especially if you’re planning on using it with a DAW. Other than that it sounds like a real nice keyboard
How does the key response and piano sounds compared to MODX8?
Hi there! Thanks for the question! I don't have much experience with the MODX8, so, unfortunately, I can't comment on the differences. With that said, perhaps, we will have to tackle a comparison between the pianos featured in this video and the MODX8. We will do our best to tackle that if possible!
Hi I’m stuck between this dgx and the Casio px s3100. What would you choose?
Hi there! It really comes down to personal preference and the intended use. If you're looking for optimal portability, extensive onboard sounds, and a fully-weighted touch that is on the lighter side, the PXS3100 is an excellent choice. If you're looking for arranger/accompaniment functionality and a heavier touch, the DGX670 would be the more appropriate option.
@@MerriamPianos oh okay thank you for your insight. But if you had to choose between the two of them which would you get personally?
I have a DGX-660 and its ok. My wife now has it for late hours silent practice. I have since moved on to the RD-2K. I'm not a "gigger" but it has a much more authentic action and touch. I'm more or less sold on Rolland over Yamaha for digital options, going forward.
The RD2000 is an incredible instrument on all fronts! It is certainly a rewarding playing experience. :)
Yeah that's like 3x the price of the 670...
Regarding the PHA-4 action, do you consider the best one on 1.000 bucks even compared to the GH3 of Korg D1? What's your considerations about Korg GH3 action?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! In my experiences, the PHA4 action is a clear favourite amongst all other actions around that price point. With that said, it is a matter of personal preference of course. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks for the information 🙂
You like the Roland action better, right? Great comparison.
Hi! Brent here! I believe Stu prefers the Roland PHA4 action. I concur with that notion as well. At this price point, the PHA4 action is the most authentic touch out there in my opinion. :)
Thanks for the comparison. Can you loop the recorded patterns on either the Yamaha or Roland?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I am not in front of the FP-E50 at the moment, but I believe there is an option to loop recorded patterns. As for the DGX670, I have not personally had a chance to play that model yet. Perhaps, one of our helpful community members here can chime in that know the answer to this excellent question. :)
@@MerriamPianos thanks for responding.
Is the DGX 670 a better buy that the Kawai ES120? I'm really stuck with getting my first digital piano.
The DGX670 and FP-E50 are very different offerings than the ES120. The ES120 is focused in on the piano experience, whereas the DGX670 and FP-E50 are arranger style pianos. If you don't require the arranger features and functions, a Roland FP30X or Kawai ES120 would be excellent, cost-effective solutions. :)
Are there arranger style pianos that still offer a good piano experience? I have only played on acoustic pianos so I'm looking for something close to the real deal whilst still wanting to tinker with arranging full pieces@@MerriamPianos
@@RaniKhalili I'm on similar situation. I own baby-grand Clavinova CLP-565GP at home and Kawai ES110 as my portable piano which was only acceptable sub $1000 (key action) in 2017. Belive me or not, but every time I play my ES110 I really feel great and I never miss my Clavinova. Clavinova has better keyboard of course, but Kawai is very satisfying to play. I belive ES120 can be even better so I could buy it online even today and I'm sure I would be happy. I'm looking for portable piano for my office and my dream is to have some extra features in this new toy. The other day I tried to play on DGX670 and I didn't like the key action as much as I like it in Kawai piano so probably I won't buy it. It's not enough for pianist. I can't find any FP-E50 to test near by so I have similar issue like you and I don't know what to do. @MerriamPianos did great comparison so now I really think about Roland FP-E50. I wish to have ES120 keyboard with DGX670 features and FP-E50 styling ;)
@@RaniKhaliliThe FP-e50 is more like a piano action. You should demo it.
Do you have any perspectives to share on the DGX 670 vs. Kawai's ES920? As someone looking to start playing piano, the lower price of Yamaha's offering along with a wider range of synth sounds is quite appealing. I wasn't able to discern much difference in the quality of the speakers between the two models when trying them out in a store, but that might be to do with being new to playing. That said, I liked the key action on the ES920 a little better, and I've gotten the impression the stand for Kawai's piano may be a bit more solidly made. Thank you for all the helpful videos!
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the question! The Yamaha DGX670 and Kawai ES920 are very different instruments, which are geared towards different customers on the market. The Yamaha DGX670 is an arranger style piano like the Roland FP-E50 (also featured in this video). If you are looking for something with tons of synth and non-piano sounds as well as a bundle of arranger style features, the DGX670 and FP-E50 would be excellent options. Personally, I prefer the FP-E50 for its more authentic action. As for the ES920, it is a powerhouse piano that I would personally take over either of these options. However, unlike the two pianos features in this video, the ES920 is not an arranger style instrument. It is a bit more centred around the core piano experience. It does have accompaniment tracks and a decent selection of onboard sounds, but it is the piano sound, speaker system, and action that really shine. If you are looking to play and practice piano specifically, the ES920 would unquestionably be my top suggestion out of this particular batch of instruments. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks very much for the fast reply. That was a really helpful writeup!
Sorry, my english is not very good - just wanted to ask, is it possible to add styles and sounds to both these pianos? Thx...
You can control sounds via the MIDI output, but you cannot add sounds to the FP-E50 like you can with the other ZEN-Core instruments.
@@MerriamPianos you mean I can use it like a midi-keyboard, but no way to add new sounds and auto accompaniment styles for both keyboards, right?
Stu, which keyboard do you feel has the more authentic piano - the SuperNatural E50, or the Yamaha DGX-670 with VRM tech? Or are they both so good that it simply comes down to personal preference?
Hi! Brent here! They are both extremely solid and impressive pianos in my opinion. With that said, I would give a slight edge to the FP-E50 in terms of the core piano experience (SuperNATURAL piano tone and PHA4 action). :)
I Just Got the Yamana DGX 670 And It is A Great Keyboard and Also will let you Record in Stero Witch I Love Thanks For the Video ♫
Congrats on your DGX670! It is a very impressive instrument for the money. Happy playing! :)
How turn off on Yamaha DGX 670 WH sensitive touch keyboard?
Hi! Brent here! We are not a Yamaha dealer, so I'm not intimately familiar with navigating the DGX670 interface. With that said, you should be able to find that info in the user manual. :)
Thank you of nothing...
Hey stu! Im very sorry to bombard your channel with this question, but since youve played the FP-E50 quite a lot and that you are clearly a seasoned piano player who would notice these things, have you notice any keys that have this loud click when the key comes back up. (sort of like a mechanical click) . I have gotten a remplacement FP-E50 cause my first one had multiple keys with this issue and now the second one has this issue as well so now im wondering if im going to change models completely and go with another brand but that would suck cause the FPe -50 is absolutely amazing.
Hi! Brent here! I am sorry to hear that you have been experiencing issues with your Roland FP-E50. It is hard to assess/troubleshoot without getting to experience the instrument firsthand of course, but is this issue isolated to individual keys or are you finding that they're all like this? Heavier actions with pronounced escapement like the PHA4 action will have some mechanical key noise (as do acoustic pianos, which can be discovered if you ever play one that has a silencer/mute rail). To that point, a little bit of mechanical key noise is normal, but if it is exaggerated or isolated to a few keys, your piano may need a warranty repair. Thanks and hope this helps!
@@MerriamPianos the issue is isolated to a few keys so i doubt its normal
I’ve had my 670 for a couple of years, and bought it when I was returning to piano after a few decades of life taking me in other directions. My main attraction was the Piano room and the Grand Piano which I do love. I have played with the arranger features and have fun playing the built in songs but I’m extremely frustrated with the pathetic user manual and lack of beginner tutorials from Yamaha. Reviews and demonstrations like yours make me feel I’m not nearly getting the value out of all the great features this keyboard offers.
Congrats on your DGX670! It is quite the feature-rich powerhouse. But, as you mentioned, that robust feature offering does have a bit of a learning curve attached to it. While our videos tend to be more focused on an overview of the core features/playing experience, it may be exciting to tackle some tutorial videos on specific models. I will pass on the suggestion to our production team. :)
@@MerriamPianos that would be amazing!
It's worth noting that the DGX-760 is fully MIDI capable on all 16 tracks, while the FP-E50 is only capable on 1 MIDI track in and out. This makes an otherwise wonderful instrument unsuitable for MIDI production. The E50 is a spectacular choice for the single performer, and as a home 'fun' machine: but is extremely limited in a studio production setting.
That is certainly a noteworthy difference, which will be significant to some players depending on the context of use. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! We appreciate it! :)
difatti cambierò la fp e50 con la dgx 670 proprio per questo. ho creato diverse produzioni midi con la precedente fp7, e ora mi ritrovo evirato proprio per realizzare midi song. inoltre non posso leggere i miei midi files con la fp e50. Ho riscontrato inoltre problemi di meccanica con rumori in rilascio. e altre cose per me fondamentali che reputo bug enormi sul software. Altoparlanti interni che fanno pena e necessitano di amplificazione esterna. Comunque suoni bellissimi, ma solo quelli. la fpe50 ha troppi ritmi moderni che in una serata di piano bar o intrattenimento, non sono proprio l' ottimale. ha effetti limitati. prenderò sicuramente la dgx 670.
Your videos helps us a lot, thank! Considering a restricted budget, a doubt comes in mind: should i go for a biger grand piano in a intermediate line (like kawai Gx 6) ou go for a smaller grand from a superior line (like shigueru kawai sk2). what would be de pros and cons?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the kind words and for tuning into our channel! We appreciate it. :)
That is a tricky question to answer as there are many things to consider. For me, I would personally opt for a smaller, but higher-quality piano. For instance, I would prefer an SK3 over a GX5 or GX6. With that said, this is a very personal and subjective consideration. I would prioritize the quality of tone and refinement of touch over the aesthetic quality of a larger piano and, potentially, greater dynamic potential. To that point, in my experiences, higher quality components and a more sophisticated design leads to more tonal and dynamic potential anyways. A good example of this is the C. Bechstein L167. Despite its smaller scale design, it is an absolute powerhouse of an instrument that can greatly outperform much larger grands of lesser quality in every category, including dynamic and tonal range. Thanks and hope this helps a bit!
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I'd love to see you guys do a reveiw of the Seiler ED-126. I would really appreciate your opinion and input on the piano.
Thank you so much for the suggestion! We are proud Seiler dealers and massive fans of the ED126. We will do our best to tackle that review for you. :)
Does the DGX generate score based on what you play?
This is actually something that can technically be done with any MIDI compatible piano running in tandem with scoring software. Programs like Finale for instance have the ability to take in MIDI data and convert it to notation. :)
Wow, thank you for this video. It's like you guys read my mind. Been thinking about what to get between these two. The colored screen of the yamaha seems nice but I am more of a Roland user. The e50 doesn't have a pricing yet in our country unlike the yamaha which seems to be competitively priced. Right now I am using the fp10 and my choice will determine my upgrade path.
If you are used to Roland, I'd stick with it.
You're very welcome! We're glad that we were on the same wavelength. ;)
The FP-E50 is definitely worth consideration if you're looking for a more seamless transition from your FP-10. It will offer the same PHA-4 action, but with plenty of upgrades and features that will make for a superior musical experience overall.
@@MerriamPianos today I just saw the local price of the FP-E50 and it's almost like getting a DGX-670 plus a FP-10.
Hallo Stud, as always this's another example of very pro review and your explanations are very clear and exhaustive!!!!! I prefer Roland Fp50, however, for the quality of its acoustic piano samples and Zen core engine inside gives it a speed plus. Very similar to Fp30x but with much easier selection of sounds, thanks to a large display too... At a very little bit difference of price than older brother. ,😉😉👏👏👏
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for watching! We appreciate the support. The FP-E50 is an extremely compelling option given that the cost is only a little bit more than the FP30X. :)
@@MerriamPianos Hallo Brent, it's right to recognize that Stud makes these reviews with a great pro attitude!! Many greetings from Italy and say an hallo to Stud.👋👋😉😉👍👍👍
The FP 50 is looking like a great pick, even over the new CK 88 Yamaha just came out with..👀
There is no denying that the FP-E50 is one heckuva offering from Roland! :)
CK 88 sounds are good but not the GHS key action ( same as DGX 670/ MX88)
How do we download the Roland cloud Zencore samples to the roland fp ?
This would be an excellent topic to cover in a video! With that said, Roland does have a video on downloading ZEN-Core samples into the FANTOM series instruments, which should provide some insight into how the process works:
th-cam.com/video/Nsr9QpgqgmA/w-d-xo.html
@@MerriamPianos thanks it will be done through USB pendrive port ... I thought it could be done midi Bluetooth or the USB data port
Due strumenti arrangiatori molto interessanti. Roland senza spendere tantissimo è la soluzione ideale per chi fa musica dal vivo. Yamaha per lo studio di registrazione o la casa. Tuttavia Yamaha ha già presentato il concorrente del FP-E50 il Yamaha CK 88 più professionale ma anche dal costo molto più elevato. Vedremo al prossimo NAMM se ci saranno novità anche se non credo ci siano grossi cambiamenti. Come sempre un saluto dall'Italia a Stu e allo staff di Merriam Pianos!
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts as always! They are both incredible instruments that offer the player a lot of flexibility and options. With that said, they do have slightly different offerings that make them more aligned for different applications. Thanks again! :)
finchè Yamaha non avrà la possibilità di ingresso microfonico con il filtro vocoder come la fpE50, per me non darà fastidio a nessuno.
Yamaha Dgx 670 have vocoder?
Hi there! No, I do not believe the DGX670 has an onboard vocoder like the FP-E50. Thanks and all the best!
@@MerriamPianos ok thanks...Dgx 670 no Vocoder, Fp-E50 Yes
In terms of Grand Piano sound? Which do you prefer to be realistic?
The little I tried the E-50, it seemed very stuffy and synthetic. The DGX is not perfect either. I find the acoustic piano voices rather bland and not particularity vibrant. Instrumental Covers has been able to get a lot out of his. His own TH-cam channels has some good comparisons. I play my DGX in Tandem with Pianoteq, and the end result is as about as good as it gets with a digital instrument. The DGX improves the sound of Pianoteq, and vice versa. Pianoteq greatly enhances the DGX piano voice.
Hi Bryan! Brent from Merriam Music here! Both of these pianos have impressive grand sounds considering how many other features are packed into them. At the end of the day, it is a matter of preference. With that said, you will find superior grand piano sounds from other digital models that are specifically focused on the piano experience and less on the arranger and accompaniment features.
@@MerriamPianos Like what model? The FP-60x, 90x? Are they using the same engine SUPERNATURAL?
@@bryan25coolKawai CN 29, CA701, Roland LX-708, probably the Yamaha 515 although I haven't tired it. You aren't going to beat Pianoteq for live performance. It can be added I assume to all of the ones I mentioned., but I'm not sure about the issue of latency. There is no latency with the DGX so you get a very rich authentic sound when the two voices are combined. As for the 90x, I'm not impressed. You have to look at the sound quality compared to the price. It's easy to overspend on these instruments.
The only thing I did with my DGX670 with a littel help was turn up the damper resonance to 10 because I felt it could use some life to the sound🎹🎶
Thanks so much for sharing the tip! :)
Hi there can you speak more about the piano sounds in the dgx670 ? How to adjust the settings to get the best experience from it? Thank you
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! We are planning to do a DGX670 review and will be sure to feature the piano settings and specifics related to the model. :)
I have the DGX-670. You can use Piano Room for a quick, visual adjustment. You can also use "Voice Set" to adjust individual voices, including pianos. Things like touch sensitivity, attack, release, decay, harmonic content, etc. You can also adjust a voice using the global menus that include a 5-band parametric equalizer, reverb, etc. You can also adjust the bass and treble of individual voices via another menu. There are at least 4 ways that complement each other to adjust piano sounds, or any sound. However, the pianos are typically adjusted by Yamaha for best performance already. You have the CFX, Pop Grand, Bright Piano, etc., and they all have two versions: VRM and Natural! renderings.
@@Instrumental-Covers the thing to me is that for some reason the keys don’t feel good in my fingers. It’s hard for me to control them for soft playing and expression . So, maybe it’s just me but otherwise I love the dgx
@@renelopezgarcia5160 Are you sure is the keys? I think it is the type of piano sample inside the DGX-670, which has a strong attack and presence. However, when I use the Garritan CFX (virtual piano) using the piano as a MIDI controller, I can play very soft and expressive.
@@Instrumental-Covers it might be my fingers too, because I workout. Idk what settings do you use for the controllers hard ?
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MY REQUEST!!!!!!!!!!!
You're very welcome! Thank you for supporting our channel and requesting the video! :)
Hi Stu & Crew
Overdub and special effects bring into mind Fincher's "Fight Club" ;-)
Stu, if you find some time (let's say on the anniversary of 100k subscribers?) please consider presenting some personal details about your compositions (some Q&A?)
I would like to ask you what was on your mind when playing:
Roland RD88 vs Casio PX-S6000 - when I want to quickly up my mood, that's what brings me up (having two different takes side by side gives us an unprecedented occasion to compare different renditions and indulge our opinions)
Watching the creative process - when you presented Kawai against Estonia, is fascinating, it feels like the most intimate look into a studio session.
This upright Schimmel C123 was beautiful, how much of it is a free-flow, and how much is "prepared/premeditated"
Your renditions come out so "ornamental" and saturated with details
I love to play with musical breadcrumbs/puzzles that you have shared during your reviews. My technique and gear leave a lot to desire, but nobody's perfect.
If anything I write or do comes out awkward (thumbnails - try to catch a good frame when someone is talking and gesturing), consider cultural differences and the language barrier, my intentions are good, please don't let me be misunderstood ;-)
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you for writing in and sharing your insights and suggestions! As always, we appreciate it! Finding someway to commemorate a big milestone like 100K subscribers is a fantastic idea. Fingers crossed we get there soon enough. ;)
I'm happy to hear that you enjoy Stu's amazing video reviews as well as his musical performances! He is a magician when it comes to all things pianos. Thanks again and happy playing!
Should probably compare this to the Yamaha CK-88 that just released
Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that as soon as possible! :)
Good morning, Imhave the DGX670 and it sounds and works great except when I run it thru an amp or PA. The only way to get the quality sound is to mic the Keyboard speakers. Running a line from the earphone plug to an amp or PA sounds very thin. Any good ideas on how to get a quality sound direct line to PA? Thank you.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Sometimes, a really good DI box can fix this issue. I have used an Ampeg SVT DI box for many years, which is actually tube driven (I believe if it is a single 12AU7 tube). These are rare DI boxes because they didn't make them very long, but it really does add a lot of warmth and depth to the signal. Something like this might help a bit! However, you will need to make sure you have stereo capabilities of course. :)
First, whatever Stu Harrison gets paid isn’t enough…😊😊He understands music, he understands musicians, and he has the ability to look at the subject of his review from a range of musical perspectives, and he does a great job of showing and explaining the features of a keyboard based on thinking about the likelihood of a musician buying it for a particular function.
That being said when a piano is being described as a stage piano, then I think that beyond piano, the sounds that have to be evaluated are organ, strings, e pianos, and then perhaps the synth sounds. Those are the big 5, and the ability to cover those sounds often determines whether the keyboard player is forced into using a multi keyboard stand or a single unit.
Just a perspective from all of us out there who are piano players at heart, but who get roped into faking our way through an organ solo when deep down inside we barely know what the hell we are doing…
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you for writing in! We sincerely appreciate it. We are definitely lucky to have Stu's immense talent and knowledge. His ability to breakdown even difficult or abstract concepts into a very easy to follow discussion is impressive. :)
Thank you for the feedback! I think exploring some of the non-piano sounds a little further would be quite exciting, especially when it comes to exploring stage pianos. Thanks again and all the best!
Great comparison information.
Thanks a million! We appreciate it! :)
Hermano en tamaño se las teclas son iguales verdad, en lo ancho son iguales,
There are a lot of similarities between these two impressive instruments of course, but there are also some key differences (no pun intended!).
Thanks for all the great reviews. Awesome instruments both. What disappoints me is the fact that at this price neither instrument is supported by any app (ios-android, piano partner-smart pianist, etc.) to control the instrument when instruments that are half the price like the casio cdp s360 are supported by the very good casio music space app. The dgx 670 screen is very good for someone experienced but the instrument has so many features and buttons that someone who is not so experienced will find it quite difficult. So I think in the future both instruments should be supported by some remote piano app.Something I also don't like about the dgx 670 is that it only has a headphone output and if you want to connect external speakers it's confusing
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! I certainly understand where you are coming from, but both of these instruments are designed and intended to be stand-alone products with which everything can be accessed onboard the actual instrument. With all of that functionality though, there is a bit of a navigation learning curve to overcome at first.
In regard of the last part of your comment, adding speakers to the 670 is the simplest thing to do. I bought a pair of Yamaha HS5 speakers and a 1/4 spliter for the audio (headphones) jack. Then you go to the settings and enable the built in speakers of the keyboard to sound along with the external ones (there's a setting for that feature in the 670) and that's it...fire in the hole!
I also use Pianoteq 8, Garritan CFX and Kontakt 7 with the 670 and the addition of the HS5s was a big plus. Those Steinway, C7 and Petrof sounds come out really nice.
Well, those were my 2 cents 👌
@@juanjaramillo1854 Hey, I know I'm super late to this conversation, and I am super ignorant, technologically, but could you just give a quick idea on how to hook a Behringer mixing board up to this keyboard? Right now I use a quarter inch line out from my keyboard to the mixer, but I know I can't do this with this keyboard. I use the mixing board to control my QSC and Bose speakers. Thanks!
Right on time!
:)
Hi Stu, I wonder if the fp e50 can play standard midi files.
Hi! Brent here! According to the specifications sheet from Roland, the FP-E50 is not able to play standard MIDI files for playback.
You forgot to mention if the dgx 670 has the waiting lessons for you to play along and learn the notes onscreen like the previous Dgx’s have.
Thanks for the input! Naturally, with both of these fully-loaded pianos, it is difficult to tackle every feature. We could probably release 10 videos and still not have covered every detail, which is a testament to what these machines offer. :)
Yes but the screen is small, and jumps around in a strange way.
Great review! Have you done a review of the Korg XE 20?
Thank you kindly! We have not tackled that model yet, but I will add it to the list as a potential candidate for upcoming video reviews/comparisons. Thanks for the suggestion!
The comparison is close for an arranger setup, from my perspective using a DAW is so much more powerful than any of the canned functions of either keyboard.. it looks like Roland FP E50 has better easier to use preset features with limited programmability, while Yamaha DGX 670 has a color display and more detailed controls.
However, one thing I cannot get past is Roland's piano is far superior -- while Yamaha owns Bösendorfer and their acoustic pianos may be excellent, Yamahas digital pianos to me sound trebly and tinny, no matter how much DSP I add I can walk into any music store and cannot find a single Yamaha digital keyboard at any price that sounds good to me. Yamaha action my get better at (much) higher price points, and the Yamaha organ sound, synthesized flutes, etc may be outstanding .. but Yamaha's digital piano is lacking, I don't know why Yamaha can't figure out how to create a compelling digital piano sound.. maybe its just me, but I hear what I hear..
So if could play a Bosendorfer, newer Yamaha, or Steinway acoustic piano excellent, but to me Roland digital pianos with their behavorial engine over the Supernatural sound engine wipe out anything I've heard so far from Yamaha (or Casio), even if Yamaha's (or Casio's) sequencers, DSP, can put lipstick on the their sound engine. Number one to me starts with sound 001, the acoustic piano. And that said Roland's Zen core may create most of the around 1000 synthesizer tones on the FP 50E, the Zen core can't compete with Roland's Supernatural piano samples, fortunately the FP E50 which fortunately has both sound engines - I just want to know which supernatural sounds on the FP30X/FP60X are also on the FP E50.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks for writing in with your insights! I certainly agree that the Roland FP-E50 is a formidable instrument and a difficult one to compete with at this price point. The SuperNATURAL and ZEN-Core engines form quite the combination. With that said, it all comes down to a matter of personal preference of course. Tone and touch are very subjective matters. :)
DGX series IMHO is the series that most evolved on Yamaha, mainly the sound quality and build construction, its user interface is way better than Roland's. FP-E50 is a new approach from Roland combining stage pianos and arrangers
The DGX sounds are great. From my perspective it's not user friendly. The Piano Room is very cool. If the entire instrument was similar, it would be good. The settings are all over the place and not particularly intuitive.
It comes down to a matter of personal preference of course, but the combination of action and accompaniment options on the FP-E50 makes it a force to be reckoned with.
@@MerriamPianos From what I can see, I agree with your sentiment. I think it is probably more comprehensible.
Lovely review once again 👏👏
I would love to see direct comparison of some of the main voices.. like piano, e.piano, guitar, sax etc..
Thank you kindly and thanks for the suggestion! Given how many features these amazing pianos offer, we may need to do a follow up comparison video, so we'll do our best to tackle that comparison for you. ;)
Many have been waiting for this comparison 😄
I wish that any leading company would finally make a digital piano that is entirely (!) focused on an acoustic piano sound. I am not holding my breath though. Both Roland and Yamaha are vying for a very different group of users.
I was lost half way through this video and just said goodbye 😊
Didn't you settle on the 515?
@@JoeLinux2000 I did indeed! There is nothing on the market that would make me think of an upgrade (I like new Kawai CA pianos but I need Digital Audio Interface).
Thanks for tuning in! There are manufacturers and models out there that are focused purely on the piano experience. However, those are usually console digital pianos opposed to portable models. From the manufacturer's perspective though, it is important they have a fairly extensive featuring offering as every player will be utilizing the piano in different ways and different contexts.
@@MerriamPianos Thank you. I do understand that variety of sounds and functions appeal to the majority of the potential digital piano buyers. I do not think that there is any digital piano on the market, including console digital pianos, that would not have a variety of sounds, lessons, songs and accompaniment functions.
@@mfurman Right. I often wonder if I would have been better off with the 515 over the DGX-670. I'm OK with the DGX action, but everyone seems to agree that the 515 is better. Some Kawai's sound very good, but I'm suspicious that their actions are overrated. They have too many variations. So far Roland's best action is only in the LX-708. The interface with a computer is an important aspect of a modern digital piano. Did you ever own a DGX-670? One thing I just noticed ios you can''t name a "patch" or registration. You have to use the name of the primary instrument, but it seems to me that the registration bank should have the ability to be named by song or Patch configuration. Maybe song registration is somewhere else, and I don't even know it. That's the problem with the DGX. There's really no unified comprehensible user interface. And as far as I know, no ability to upgrade the operating system, which in my opinion it desperately needs.
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Korg LP-180 Dijital Piyano
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Korg SV2-BK-88 Tuş (Vintage Piyano) Yüksek Kalite
Korg Grandstage-88 Dijital Pyano Yüksek Kalite
Korg D1 Dijital Piyano
Korg B2 Digital Piano
Korg B2N Digital Piano Yarı Ağırlıklı
Korg Liano Digital Piano (review)
Are these models you would like us to review? We are not Korg dealers at this time, so it is a bit tougher for us to cover these models, but we will do our best. :)
Out of topic - I tried a few digital pianos yesterday including the G1 Air which I considered. I'd say it offers a lot of quality for the price. Full digital piano, very nice cabinet, powerful speakers, it's made in Japan etc., doesn't sound bad at all, but I made a mistake comparing it with the Kawai ES-920 (quite more expensive model so unfair comparison) which blew it away in terms of piano sound, especially when using the internal speakers. But even the Roland FP-60X fared similarly when using the speakers against the Kawai, not that the Korg was so bad. I'm a total beginner so it's hard to judge the actions, for me the Korg's RH3 definitely didn't feel worse than the PHA-4, but again the action of the ES-920 was markedly better than both. And it was also the quietest I tried.
I wanted to buy FP-E50 but unfortunately, I won't do it. Why? the FP-E50 is not multitimbral, so you can use MIDI in a very limited way, e.g. for learning or for one-way DAW controlling, but by using MIDI, it can play only one selected internal sound. Most MIDI pianos and keyboards are multitimbral - also DXG-670 or FP-30X. Even simple Casio CT-460 keyboard from 80s with 10-voices polyphony was multitimbral on 4 channels, but not FP-E50 - it can only receive single MIDI channel data, what is very strange and intentional limitation... So before any decision, it is good to know the little secret of Roland FP-E50 piano.
Thanks for the insights! It ultimately comes down to the intended use of the FP-E50. It is designed to be used for live applications as a stand-alone instrument. While some of the features crossover into the realm of a workstation, that is not its primary intention, hence certain limitations like the one you mentioned.
per questo ho deciso di tagliare con roland.
2nd
Congrats! :)
The LCD on FP-E50 doesn't look cool, should be color LCD.
A colour LCD is always a nice touch, but the feature offering of the FP-E50 is immense! :)
If it's easy to navigate You won't care. The DGX has a good screen, but other than the Pianoroom, it's very complex. The functions are not easy to find or remember where you found them. Unless you have a lot of experience like Instrumental Covers, it can be a handful to figure out. I actually have a significant amount of experience with synthesizers, and I'm mystified. The biggest selling point about the DGX is the price. For the overall cost, it's great value. Also the speakers and amplification on the DGX are extremely good. Works great as a Bluetooth home stereo. Also I'm able to pipe in the Pianoteq voices through the MIDI cable, which in itself is amazing.
@@JoeLinux2000so you have the DGX, but might get something better if you had the money, what would the next step up be for you ?
It's Yamaha or Kawai for me🎹🎶
Every piano manufacturer will have their fan base of course as they offer slightly different approaches to tone and touch. :)
😊👍😎
:)
Tell TH-cam that their ads COMPLETELY DESTROY watching this video and most others. Won't watch it.
Thank you for the feedback. I will pass it along to our TH-cam production team. We're sorry for the inconvenience of the ads. Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil for many channels. The ads allow channels to generate revenue, which can help fund the production of more videos.
You need to pay for TH-cam , and guess what, no commercials. You’ll love it.
Yamaha keybed sucks in humidity plays random notes when playing! Beware
I haven't personally experienced that with the DGX670, but thank you for sharing your experiences.
😅Yamaha DGX670 vs corg pa 700
Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that comparison for you. :)
Why does Roland use such a cheap looking black & white tiny screen?
While the screen is not in colour, it is a small trade-off for the incredible feature offering and musical experience that the FP-E50 provides.
Horrible sax and guitar sound though!
It is hard to find any digital piano/keyboard with realistic sounding sax and guitar sounds in my opinion. I think there are VST plug-ins that do a much better job at capturing the essence and qualities of these particular instruments.
The Yamaha seems like the better value between the two, it also seems to be able create music a lot easier.
I would certainly encourage testing out both pianos at a showroom as people have been blown away with the user-friendliness of the FP-E50. I would say it is equally-equipped (if not more thoroughly-equipped) for creating music. :)
The DGX is not particularly easy to fully understand. It needs a book like "The Yamaha DGX for Dummies." that shows how to go through all the settings. It's a very complex instrument.
@@MerriamPianos I'm pretty sure for live performance situations the Roland would be the way to go. As some others have pointed out, some of the Yamaha DGX voices are really good. For example the string voices are very mellow and very realistic but they don't sustain with the pedal as far as I know. Roland has always made some really great synths. One of my favorites was the Super JX-10. It was a digitally controlled analog synth. It was like paining with water colors. At the time I was using a Yamaha KX-88 MIDI controller with an expression pedal. The KX-88 also has aftertouch. Most all of the instruments are a compromise. None work exactly like you would like them to. Both the E50 and DGX offer a lot of bang for the buck. I alsotried the es920 at the store, and I'm glad I didn't buy it. The sales lady immediately moved me over to a Kawai CN29 which she said has the guts of of the es920 and actually sounds better for less money on closeout.
@@JoeLinux2000so what did you get?