New Controller from Roland! A-88 MK 2

Hi All,

A new controller just dropped from Roland. Looks very nice so far. One thing that’s new to me is the USB - C connector. 35 pounds, perfect for transport if you have a bad back … :grin:

Cheers,

Dave

Let’s hope they will produce a 76 key version with not hammer mechanics.
I would buy it immediately

To bad you require 76 keys, the 61 key looks like a decent package … I’ve had good luck with their keybeds in the past but currently have only the weighted one in the RD–2000.

Dave

grrrr, why do they still have all that gubbins on the left?
88 keys is long enough let alone add extra length.
whilst the weight is great for portability, its length makes it a pain to fit in cars or negotiate stairs.
and why do they make noise about midi 2.0? the keyboard doesn’t have channel aftertouch let alone poly.
a88 do have great action though.

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25, 49, 61 or 88 are all common options for controllers, but rarely 76. Yet that is the form factor that I personally go for on the bottom tier, and why I ended up purchasing the Montage 7 as a “76 note controller with a darn fine synth embedded”. :slight_smile:

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I am a strage guy.
I never had a real piano so I don’t like hammer keys. But I like longer keybeds.
There are some 88 keys soft, Icon and Nektar but I never tested them.
I have a Montage 7, I love that instrument.

Welcome to my world!

Of course, you know musicians are all considered somewhat strange anyway. :crazy_face:

We must both be strange together… :wink:

Likewise. 61 keys is too small for a bottom tier. I don’t like fully weighted keyboards, so Yamaha 76 note semi weighted is ideal for me.

I am really strange.
I graduated as engineer but I hate them.
I am gay but I hate feminine men.
I am Italian but I hate Italian ways to speak loud and make confusion.
I live with my incoherences.
Proud of being as I am. Funny…

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Last summer, I shelved my 88 key controller, and my 49 key upper. The main reasons were space, lighter load, more controls on keyboard. I went to a 61 key lower and and a lighter 49 with many controls. I would rather have a 76 lower, and 61 upper, but not willing to spend the cash for another workstation or synth just to obtain the 76 keys. As much as my equipment is shuffled around in transporting and load in/load out, I decided to put my primo keys away for bigger things, and let the cheaper keys take the abuse of the smaller gigs. It took a few rehearsals to get used to the changes, but I adapted quite quickly, and all is well. I really don’t miss my upper, and lower octaves since I used some of the notes as key switches anyway. I miss the keybeds, but aftertouch seems much better in the newer keys. After making some response setting changes, I feel I made a good choice, considering my situation.

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Viva la strangeness! It’s what makes the world more interesting…

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Whatever works. :slight_smile: For the Floyd gig, I still have a lot of things mapped across the 76/61 format in a song (and that is before any in song switching for the really complex ones) so it works best for me, and their weight is not too bad. The Montage 7 keybed is lead free, so about 5KGs lighter than the EX5 (that it replaced) as a result and the Kronos is comfortable to carry.

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I am always planning purchases, way to keep brain busy.
Now I have one 76 and one 61 keys.
Never needed something different.
But I don’t like Arturia Keylab anymore.
Planning Native Kontrol S61 with some eBay trades.
Then a light 76 or 88 could be nice.
But not urgent. Let’s see…

Some addition to the original post matter.
The new Roland 88 keybed has Midi2.
First controller on the market, if I am not wrong.
Could it mean a faster scan and more level dynamics? Better playing?
The first guy who can test should report his feeling.
Probably we need Midi2 host and Midi2 VST.
This means a Midi2 Cantabile upgrade, obviously