MUSIKMESSE 2013: Continuing Roland's raft of early announcements ahead of next week's Musikmesse trade show, the firm has unveiled two new digital pianos, the FP-50 and FP-80.
The FP-50 is a "travel-friendly and affordable" model that focuses on portability, with a built-in speaker system, Ivory-feel G-Keyboard and wireless/USB connectivity - including iOS support. An optional carry case will also be available.
The FP-80 is aimed at the higher end of the digital piano market and features an Ivory-feel S keyboard, a four-speaker sound system and a mic input with an automatic harmony effect. Like the FP-50, the bigger model offers wireless and USB connections, plus iOS support. iPad integration will probably prove most useful when partnered with Roland's apps e.g. Air Recorder, which allows you to play a long to a song on your iOS device and record your own version at the same time.
Check out the full press releases for both of the new models below.
Roland FP-80 Digital Piano press release
Top Piano Expression and Inspiring Features in a Sleek, Contemporary Design
Stylish and portable, the FP-80 Digital Piano brings a rich and rewarding musical experience to every piano lover. The acclaimed SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine and Ivory Feel-S Keyboard deliver authentic tone and touch, while an onboard multi-channel speaker system equipped with Roland's Acoustic Projection technology envelops you with beautiful, immersive sound. The advanced rhythm feature further expands the joy of playing the piano, providing dynamic, sophisticated accompaniments that automatically follow your performances in real time. Available in attractive black or white finishes, the versatile FP-80 is perfect for a wide range of applications, including stage performing, the classroom, daily practice, and entertainment at home.
- Roland's SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine onboard
- Ivory Feel-S Keyboard with Escapement
- Integrated four-speaker sound system with Acoustic Projection technology
- Intelligent rhythm feature with full-keyboard chord recognition
- Chord Pattern function provides self-playing chord sequences for practice and improvisation
- 90 rhythm types, with two variations for each style
- Mic input and harmony effect
- Available in black (FP-80-BK) and white (FP-80-WH) finishes
- Compatible with DP-10 Damper Pedal (included) or RPU-3 Triple Pedal (optional)
- Optional matching stands: KSC-76 (for home use) and KS-12 (for stage use)
Roland's Premier Technologies for an Authentic Piano Experience at Home
The stylish and sophisticated FP-80 is the ideal choice for piano enjoyment in modern living spaces, offering tone, touch, and expressiveness to satisfy even the most demanding players. Roland's acclaimed SuperNATURAL Piano technology powers the onboard grand piano sounds, delivering world-class performance with seamless velocity response, natural tone decay, and authentic key-range behavior. The Ivory Feel-S Keyboard with Escapement provides true grand piano feel and expressiveness, with keys that replicate the unique appearance, texture, and moisture-absorbing properties of real ivory. Incorporating four discrete speakers, the innovative Acoustic Projection sound system recreates the natural, organic sound field of an acoustic grand, filling your home with rich, beautiful tones. You'll also love the intuitive Piano Designer feature, which makes it easy to personalize the FP-80's tone and response to suit your taste.
Pro-Level Sounds and Rhythm Features Bring Versatility for Live Playing
If you play on stage as a solo performer or with a band, the mobile FP-80 is a ready companion, providing authentic piano expression everywhere you go. In addition to acoustic pianos, it's filled with a large selection of premium sounds for the stage, including SuperNATURAL-based classic EPs, essential organ tones, strings, modern synths, and more. The Acoustic Projection sound system is useful for personal monitoring on large stages, and is suitable for primary amplification in intimate venues. When you play solo, the rhythm function makes your piano performances shine with beautiful and sophisticated backing. Intelligent full-keyboard chord recognition gives you complete control of your personal band, with automatic accompaniment that dutifully follows whatever you play. The convenient rear-panel jack lets you connect an external mic and sing along with your performance, and you can even add real-time harmony effects to your voice based on the chords you play.
Unique Digital Advantages Enhance Music Practice and Composition
The FP-80's digital technology offers many great benefits that enhance your piano practice sessions. You can turn off the built-in speakers and play privately using headphones, allowing you to practice day or night without disturbing family members or neighbors. The Rhythm accompaniments help you develop your sense of timing and groove as you play along with various music styles, and the Chord Pattern function lets you play along with automatic chord sequences for practicing improvisation in different keys. Via optional USB memory, you can play along with WAV audio files using various playback options such as key transposition, tempo adjustment, and Center Cancel, and record your performances as audio data for composing or self-evaluation. SMF songs can be played from USB memory as well.
Harmony Effect and Air Recorder for More Musical Fun
The FP-80 offers a variety of ways to extend and enhance your piano enjoyment. While entertaining at home, connect a mic and encourage friends and family to sing along, and add in the harmony effect for automatic vocal harmonies that are sure to impress. Plug in a USB memory stick to record the piano and vocal performances as audio data, and then transfer the audio to a computer to share memories of the occasion with everyone involved. Using the optional Roland WNA1100-RL Wireless USB Adapter, the FP-80 can also communicate with Apple's popular iOS devices via Roland Wireless Connect. With the free Air Recorder app, you can play along with your favorite songs stored in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and record your performance into the app at the same time.
Roland FP-50 Digital Piano press release
Authentic Piano Performance to Go
Travel-friendly and affordable, the FP-50 brings you top-class piano performance along with many other great features to enhance your playing enjoyment. At your fingers is the authentic tone and touch of an acoustic grand, plus a large selection of versatile sounds for performing in a variety of situations. The intelligent rhythm feature makes it simple to create incredible music, providing dynamic, sophisticated accompaniments that automatically follow your performances in real time. And with its compact, stylish design and built-in speaker system, the FP-50 is always ready to go wherever you want to play.
- Roland's acclaimed SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine
- Ivory Feel-G Keyboard with Escapement
- Built-in speaker system
- Intelligent rhythm feature with full-keyboard chord recognition
- 90 rhythm types, with two variations for each style
- Available in attractive black or white finishes
- Compatible with DP-10 Damper Pedal (included) or RPU-3 Triple Pedal (optional)
- Optional matching stands: KSC-44 (for home use) and KS-18Z (for stage use)
- Optional CB-88RL carrying bag
A New Level of Piano Performance at Home
The FP-50's authentic piano sound and touch provides top-level performance for playing all musical genres, from classical and jazz to rock and pop. Roland's SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine faithfully replicates the unmatched tone color and expressiveness of the finest acoustic grand pianos, delivering seamless velocity response, natural tone decay, and authentic key-range behavior. Supreme playability comes from the Ivory Feel-G Keyboard with Escapement, which inherits the functions, appearance, and texture of keyboards found in our flagship pianos. At an affordable price, the stylish FP-50 offers sound, touch, and expressiveness rivaling that of high-end instruments.
Versatile Features and Easy Mobility for Live Players
Streamlined and compact, the FP-50 is easy to transport anywhere. In addition to premium acoustic pianos, it's filled with a large selection of stage-ready sounds, including SuperNATURAL-based classic EPs, essential organ tones, strings, modern synths, and more. Stereo outputs let you connect to an external amplification system, while the built-in speakers help you monitor your performance while on stage. The intelligent rhythm feature gives you control of an entire onboard backing band for solo performing, with automatic accompaniment that follows whatever you play on the keyboard.
Digital Advantages for Developing Piano Skills
The FP-50's digital technology offers many great benefits that enhance your piano practice sessions. You can turn off the built-in speakers and play privately using headphones, allowing you to practice day or night without disturbing family members or neighbors. Rhythm accompaniments assist you in developing timing and groove, and the wide selection of music styles help expand your versatility. Via optional USB memory, you can play along with WAV audio files using various playback options such as key transposition, tempo adjustment, and Center Cancel, and record your performances as audio data for composing or self-evaluation. SMF songs can be played from USB memory as well.
Fun Air Performer App for iOS Devices
Extend your piano enjoyment with Roland Wireless Connect and the free Air Performer app, which lets you play along with your favorite songs in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch through the FP-50's sound system. Roland Wireless Connect is simple to set up and use, providing convenient, cable-free communication with Apple iOS devices via Roland's optional WNA1100-RL Wireless USB Adapter.
