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Author Topic:  Roland E70 Keyboard Long shot question...
Tony Palmer


From:
St Augustine,FL
Post  Posted 26 Jan 2016 9:30 pm    
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Just throwing this out there, not sure if anyone will know. This keyboard is from late 80's I think and very user friendly with a lot of built in programmed songs but has cheesy midi sounds. Can I connect it to a new sound module via the midi cords and bypass the built in sounds for new sampled ones?
This is not mine it's a friends.
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Jason Schofield

 

Post  Posted 27 Jan 2016 12:24 am    
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If it has Midi out then you can use it to trigger anything that accepts midi input. Hook that bad boy up to your computer and you have access to millions of soft synth modules ect.. have fun..
btw.. I love that last line.."it's not mine, it's for a friend." haha..
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Scott Duckworth


From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
Post  Posted 27 Jan 2016 3:58 am    
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My wife had a Roland EP9 and ran an Alesis NanoPiano with it. We actually had audio coming from the piano and the NanoPiano to the sound board.
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Tony Palmer


From:
St Augustine,FL
Post  Posted 27 Jan 2016 4:46 am    
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That's encouraging to hear! Question: do I use the midi out and in just like an effects loop send and return? I would need a sound module that has drums, bass, strings and organ ....any suggestions? And yes, it is really for a friend....a good female singer/keyboardist who I can accompany with steel as a country duo. She did this very successfully years ago when those canned midi sounds were acceptable but now they sound really dated.
If I can update those sounds, I'll be gigging Smile
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Charlie McDonald


From:
out of the blue
Post  Posted 27 Jan 2016 5:56 am    
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Tony Palmer wrote:
And yes, it is really for a friend....
Yeah, right.. it's ok, no need to be ashamed..
Quote:
... a good female singer/keyboardist who I can accompany with steel as a country duo. She did this very successfully years ago when those canned midi sounds were acceptable but now they sound really dated.
If I can update those sounds, I'll be gigging Smile

Still sounds like it's about you..
Those sounds gave MIDI a bad name. The dean of Julliard (a friend's uncle) did midi after he retired for a hobby.
Liked midi banjo sounds for some reason. Talk about cheesy.

So Jason or Scott, how does that work with MIDI out, through an interface and USB? Got me curious.
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Scott Duckworth


From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
Post  Posted 27 Jan 2016 8:28 am    
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Can't help on the MIDI out question, we just did live stuff with a MIDI out at the piano feeding to the MIDI in on the NanoPiano.
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Charlie McDonald


From:
out of the blue
Post  Posted 27 Jan 2016 9:43 am    
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I just googled NanoPiano and I see what you mean.
What's impressive is that the samples are of a Bosendorfer. Cool.
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Tony Palmer


From:
St Augustine,FL
Post  Posted 27 Jan 2016 12:18 pm    
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Ok, here's a sample of what I have to deal with if I play gigs with this gal.
Please don't let me have to play to this backup...hoping there's an upgrade type of fix!!?

https://soundcloud.com/tags/outdated%20midi%20sound
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Ted Lowe Jr

 

From:
Tennessee, USA
Post  Posted 29 Jan 2016 2:07 pm     Re MIDI MODULES
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I would check out the Roland XV 5050 module or the jv-1080 module, both have excellent sounds and should fit your needs.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 2 Feb 2016 10:35 am    
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Most normal connections are from your keyboard, [controlling device] single standard 5 pin din midi cable out to your sound module midi in. You'll need to connect your sound module's audio outs to your amp, mixer or whatever. You may need to set your keyboard's internal transmit switch [Tx] to on if it's not already. This should all be in your Roland manual.

On my system, If I don't want the keyboard sounds, I just turn off the volume knob of the keyboard and up the volume on the module, but this one is a very simple knob based module. Depending on the equipment, you might do this mixing internally or through a patch bay etc.

I'm very interested in watching this thread and input as I have just been through this getting re-acquainted with my Roland keyboard connecting to an old Alesis NanoSynth. I'm not using a computer or any other devices.

I can't recommend any modules, but the newer and later, probably the better the sound quality. Maybe more complicated as well.

This may not be what you're asking and it's coming from a gadget challenged user who needs Midi for Dummies, so feel free to disregard.
Embarassed
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Tony Palmer


From:
St Augustine,FL
Post  Posted 3 Feb 2016 6:22 am    
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Thanks Jerry. I guess I'm getting closer to my answer. The keyboard has a midi in, out and through jacks. So do I just use a cable from the midi out to the (as yet undecided) new sound module and another cable from module to amp, like an effects pedal?
And apparently also look for a way to enable the transmit switch to "on"?
This makes sense...I just didn't want to go down this road if I was making the wrong assumptions.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 3 Feb 2016 8:00 am    
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That's the way my stuff works.

Keyboard midi out to new sound module midi in..via a midi cable.

Regular instrument patch cables from sound module audio out to amp, mixer, etc. like we do with our normal gear patching.

The manuals should give you all the other info you need. If you don't have a manual for the E70, you can download it, or just read pages from it at www.manualslib.com I think it is.

I'm not well versed in this area and the newer gear may be different. Good luck. I'm interested in anything you learn about this stuff that you'd like to share.
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 3 Feb 2016 11:35 am    
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Tony Palmer wrote:
Ok, here's a sample of what I have to deal with if I play gigs with this gal.
Please don't let me have to play to this backup...hoping there's an upgrade type of fix!!?

https://soundcloud.com/tags/outdated%20midi%20sound


To be honest with you, that was actually a pretty decent piano sound for that time frame (when the synth was introduced). I played keyboards during that period, and it was really tough to get accurate piano sounds out of a synthesizer, because most synths didn't have the memory to sample a real piano. Now the synths have the memory, and the sounds are mostly sampled from real instruments. A newer stand alone synth, usually a rack mount style, will work great for you.
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Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 3 Feb 2016 11:41 am    
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Jerry said:
Quote:

On my system, If I don't want the keyboard sounds, I just turn off the volume knob of the keyboard and up the volume on the module, but this one is a very simple knob based module. Depending on the equipment, you might do this mixing internally or through a patch bay etc.


Also, all my synths from that time frame has the ability to turn off the local sounds and just transmit MIDI events. I used 3 keyboards and 3 rack mount synths. I just made patches on my synth that had the local sound turned off, and transmit on the MIDI channel for the synth I wanted to play through. You can find good used modules for good prices. Just try to get a newer one that has sampled sounds, so you get a more realistic piano sound.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 3 Feb 2016 12:16 pm    
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Yes, my VK7 does have a local control switch, but you have to enter edit, choose the bank, scroll to that function and turn it off or on then exit.

Perhaps you can set up some controllers to do this with the patches you enter.

The nanosynth and the vk7 both have rotary volume control knobs so that's easier for me to switch between the two. Maybe even blend the two for certain sounds. I got the Roland because I've always loved the Hammond B3 sound. Since it only has a couple elec. piano sims, I just added the NanoSynth for some acoustic piano sounds. It does have some other sounds, all the standard GM stuff, that the Roland only partially does, so it'll be usable that way too. Just as soon as I relearn the keyboard. Embarassed

All this gear is from the '90's and sounds have probably evolved tremendously since then, but most of it is over my head technically. As usual, I'm about 20 yrs. behind. Laughing

I think Tony is looking for a unit that has better rhythm and background programs for live work than what's in the E70. Maybe someone can steer him to a proper device.
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Tony Palmer


From:
St Augustine,FL
Post  Posted 24 Feb 2016 7:05 am    
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Apparently one of the only ones still being made is the Sound Canvas SC88 but I'm thinking these are used with controllers and computers. The panel seems to have a jillion buttons and switches I assume to scroll through various drum pads and rhythmn styles.
I suppose I could just order one and try it but it's not my keyboard and I don't know my way around that antique Roland!
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