KEYBOARD RIGS

FROM STUDIO TO STAGE AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN

Kola Bello
[Ellie Goulding]
 KEYBOARD RIGS

FROM STUDIO TO STAGE AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN

BUILDING THE ULTIMATE ROLAND KEYBOARD RIG

Page 4: What Is a Roland Keyboard Rig?

Page 5: What Do Keyboard Players Really Want?

Page 6: Roland's Synth & Keyboard Technologies

#1 THE SOUND ENGINE
#2 THE FEEL OF THE KEYBOARD
#3 THE USER INTERFACE

Page 11: Artists Using Roland Keyboard Rigs

Page 12: What Type of Keyboard Rig Do I Need?

Page 13: Basic Keyboard Rigscompact, powerful and personal

Page 16: Extended Keyboard Rigscomprehensive and flexible

Page 22: Advanced Keyboard Rigshighly focused specialization

Mike Lindup [Level 42]

 KEYBOARD RIGS

B U I L D I N G T H E U LT I M AT E
R O L A N D K E Y B OA R D R I G
Supercharge your sound by combining two keyboards
in one super-creative keyboard rig
WHAT IS A ROLAND KEYBOARD RIG?

If you play keyboards or synths, youve got a lot of options from

simple monophonic 25-key units right up to 88-note workstation
monsters capable of seriously professional results. Todays
instruments are versatile too, offering hands-on controllers,
drum trigger pads, built-in audio interfaces and much more. This
versatility means theyre suitable for a broad range of music
production and performance duties, with products available at
every stage whether youre just starting out, a gigging semi-pro,
or an always-on-tour pro musician.

Roland is synonymous with keyboards and synths, and for well

over four decades weve learned what musicians want from their
gear. As a result, Roland offers a wide choice of instruments for
serious keyboard players at all levels. You may even have looked
into the pros and cons of certain models. What you may not know
though, is how two models can be combined to give spectacular
musical results at a cost which is far less than youd expect.

For the price of a single competitor product, you can own a two-
keyboard Roland setup that offers you two dedicated tools for the
musical job at hand rather than a generic jack of all trades that
excels at nothing. This guide explains how certain models from
Rolands keys and synth line up can be used together, as well
as showcasing some of the industrys top keys players who are
using Roland keyboard rigs to stay at the top of their game so
you know youre in good company.
 WHAT DO KEYBOARD PLAYERS REALLY WANT?

Before we start though, a little background is necessary. In 1972

Roland released Japans first synth the SH-1000. Four years
later, the coveted System-100 introduced modular synthesis to a
wider audience, and in 1978 the first Jupiter (the Jupiter-4) made
its debut. Kick starting the 80s with the Jupiter-8, Rolands synths
and keyboards were regularly used in the hit records of the era,
and the various Roland sounds became part of the fabric of the
contemporary music scene.

During this time over countless recording sessions, rehearsals and

live gigs close relationships have been formed with musicians,
most of whom are not shy when it comes to telling us what they
want. This constant feedback and communication has resulted in
technologies being developed to make life easier, and better, for
the musician and the current generation of Roland synths and
keyboards are designed to excel in four areas; sound, keyboard,
user interface, and reliability.

Ayo Oyerinde [Jessie J]

ROLAND'S SYNTH & KEYBOARD TECHNOLOGIES

UNIQUE PRODUCT COVERAGE

SPANNING ALL ABILITY LEVELS
AND MUSICAL GENRES

SuperNATURAL
RD Stage Piano series
Acoustic / SuperNATURAL Jupiter series
Individual note Synth
voicing

Analog Digital CORE

Crossover / TECHNOLOGIES COSM DSP
Pure Analog

Analog Digital Crossover

Synthesizer series FA workstation series
ACB Virtual
Technology Tone Wheel

Juno DS series VR-09 V-Combo

ROLAND'S SYNTH & KEYBOARD TECHNOLOGIES

#1 THE SOUND ENGINE

Choosing the right sound engine for the job

A synth or keyboard has to sound amazing, otherwise whats the

point? While size, portability, or the number of controllers are all
important, its all for nothing if the instrument doesnt make you want
to play music. Rolands synth and keys line up offers a variety of core
engines and technologies for all ability levels, with the tonal range
and power to work across all music genres. Its best to look at this via
the type of instrument you play.

IF YOU PLAY THE SYNTHESIZER

(SuperNATURAL SYNTH, Crossover analog/digital, pure analog)
Maybe you need the most expressive PCM-based violin or
saxophone sounds, or versatile pads and classic drum machines, or
even the raw analog waves of a genuine modular system. Or how
about combining them all? Whatever youre into, youre no longer
limited to just analog or just digital; you can mix and match to suit your
needs. For example, the JD-XA combines a four voice analog engine
and filter bank with a four-part digital engine, along with the ability to
route sounds between the various components for brand new sound
design possibilities. Roland is one of the few companies with the
expertise required to offer multiple best-in-class sound generation
methods; just pick which one that gets you excited and start playing.
ROLAND'S SYNTH & KEYBOARD TECHNOLOGIES

IF YOU PLAY THE PIANO

(V-Piano Physical modeling, SuperNATURAL Piano)
Making a really convincing digital piano is not easy. In fact, Roland
took decades to develop the technology - called SuperNATURAL
Piano modeling - and it works by emulating the physical interactions
that give a piano its unique signature tone. Youll notice a far
greater dynamic range, comprising brighter highs and darker lows,
infused with color, character and long natural decays that fade
to nothingness. Youll hear more detailed harmonics when playing
fortissimo passages, and fast key repetition no longer forces you to
compromise your style while the piano tries to keep up. And as you
play, youll forget that youre playing a digital or stage piano. Which is
exactly how it should be.

IF YOU PLAY THE ORGAN

(TONEWHEEL Organ)
The organ is a great example of the need to specialize. Although
most digital keyboards and some synths include a collection of
organ sounds, theyre often a pale imitation of the real thing. This is
partly because, in the same way as a piano, a convincing organ is
difficult to achieve on an electronic instrument. Roland has
developed dedicated Tonewheel technology to produce the very
best organ sounds, and when combined with rotary effects and
authentic drawbar controls (more of which later) youll be surprised
just how good they sound.
ROLAND'S SYNTH & KEYBOARD TECHNOLOGIES

#2 THE FEEL OF THE KEYBOARD

With great instruments, the sound is just one half of the equation:
the other is feel. When a synth or keyboard is built to a low price,
the quality of the keyboard action is the first thing to go; crazy
when you think about it, as its the only part of the instrument
that you ever touch. A powerful sound engine needs an equally
responsive keyboard to get the best from it. Conventional off the
shelf keyboards werent accurate enough, so a variety of Roland
keyboard technologies have been developed to translate your
musical ideas into sound.

HAMMER ACTION for authentic feel and performance

Many of Rolands 88-note keyboards have a weighted hammer
action, which means that the lower notes are heavier to the touch,
needing slightly more pressure to play, and the higher notes are
lighter. This replicates the feel of the keys on a fine grand piano
and it means that playing a stage piano doesnt mean you have to
sacrifice a great feel.

WATERFALL for rapid organ playing technique

If you want to include organ sounds, you need an instrument that
can handle the essential organ playing techniques including trill,
sputter and ultra-sharp glissandos. Anything less, and youll lose
connection with instrument.

SYNTHESIZER ACTION beloved by pro musicians

And if youre a synth player, you may not need weighted keys, but
youll definitely need fast, accurate triggering that remains reliable
for many years.
ROLAND'S SYNTH & KEYBOARD TECHNOLOGIES

#3 THE USER INTERFACE

Too much technology can become a distraction, and it's easy MODULAR synthesizer with many CV/Gate connections
to spend more time tweaking or trouble shooting than actually If youre the type of person who loves to explore the outer limits of
making music. Whether youre still starting out or youre becoming sound design, the almost-infinite choice of modular synthesizers
established with some regular income from your music, no one paired with CV/Gate connections will keep you busy for the
can afford to waste time in the studio. Ever spent all day trying to foreseeable future. Based on Rolands iconic System series from
get your setup working properly with no time spent actually writing the 70s, the current System-500 range of modular analog synths
anything? Rolands philosophy produces instruments that kick start harks back to the days when people would use the very building
the creative process, via intuitive user interfaces that encourage blocks of sound to get creative.
experimentation and creativity. Lets look at some of the obvious
benefits: These elements (sound engine, keyboard quality and user interface)
define Rolands wide range of keyboards and synths. Each
SYNTHESIZER with many controllers for every aspect of the instrument is designed with performance in mind, while offering the
sound musician an impressive array of creative possibilities. And although
The JD-XA, for example, pays homage to the knob-and-slider-laden each individual instrument focuses on doing its job exceptionally
behemoths of the early 80s, with many controllers to help shape well (for example, stage piano, or a punchy analog synth, or a
every aspect of the sound. This results in a very natural approach smoky organ), when you start using two together, you can build
to sound design, meaning its possible to create the sound in your a powerful and versatile keyboard rig that offers you enormous
head quickly and easily. And if its easy to experiment and try new musical potential yet is still intuitive and simple to use.
things, you can guarantee youll come up with some killer sounds
that will make your music stand out. Next well look at several combinations of keyboards and synths,
and what you can expect once you have them at your fingertips.
DRAWBARS for authentic organ playing
If youre an organ player, the chunky drawbars found on the VR-09
V-Combo give you that authentic organ feel, but they also double
up as a convenient way to edit the variety of other sounds on
board, including pads, basses, synth and piano.
 ARTISTS USING ROLAND KEYBOARD RIGS
Roland keyboard rigs can be found on some of the biggest stages around...
Here are a few of the artists who use a Roland keyboard rig as part of their setup.

Nick Rhodes Kola Bello Mike Lindup Peter Gordeno Jean-Michel Jarre
JD-XA x 4, JD-Xi RD-800, JD-XA, JD-Xi RD-800, JD-XA RD-800, JD-XA JD-XA, JD-Xi
DURAN DURAN ELLIE GOULDING LEVEL 42, EARTH WIND & FIRE DEPECHE MODE JEAN-MICHEL JARRE

Joseph Nelson Ayo Oyerinde Berenice Scott Toby Chapman Lawrence Insula
JD-XA, JUPITER-80 JD-XA, RD-800 JUNO-DS88, FA-06/08 RD-800, JD-XA JD-XA, SH-01
JESS GLYNNE JESSIE J HEAVEN 17, TONY VISCONTI SPANDAU BALLET / KYLIE MINOGUE RITA ORA
WHAT TYPE OF KEYBOARD RIG DO I NEED? Six different Roland keyboard
rigs to get you started.

BASIC EXTENDED ADVANCED

COMPACT, PORTABLE AND POWERFUL COMPREHENSIVE AND FLEXIBLE HIGHLY FOCUSED SPECIALIZATION

RIG #1 RIG #3 RIG #5

JUNO-DS88 & VR-09 JUNO-DS88 & FA-06 FA-08 & JD-XA

RIG #2 RIG #4 RIG #6

JUNO-DS61 & JD-XI JD-XA & JD-Xi RD-800 & JD-XA

 KEYBOARD RIGS

B ASI C K E Y B OA R D RIGS
Many musicians keep things simple and focused, as too much
technology can hinder the music making process. When looking for
a new synth or keyboard, a balance has to be found between getting
started quickly and easilyso you can learn how it worksand also
offering enough depth to keep you motivated as your knowledge
grows and you delve into its capabilities. Whether you play frequent
live gigs, or are happier locked away in your home studio, there are
some great ways to start building an inexpensive keyboard rig that fits
perfectly around the way you compose and perform.
RIG #1 / BASIC RIG
IDEAL FOR PLAYING LIVE GIGS NEEDING ROCK AND POP SOUNDS

This is a compact but powerful keyboard rig offering great

playability and control, perfect if youre playing more than one gig
on the same night. You have the comprehensive options of the
DAW AUDIO JUNO-DS88 (including sample import, phrase pads for
INTERFACE
triggering, mic input and weighted action 88-note keyboard), and
the focused control of the VR-09, with authentic organ
tonewheel sound and harmonic drawbars.

WITH THIS KEYBOARD RIG YOU GET

Great combination of piano, synth and organ, with 88-note
keyboard action (JUNO-DS88) and quick-firing keyboard
with drawbars for authentic organ feel (VR-09)
Light to carry and easy to transport (under 22kg for both
models together)
Total of 256 voice polyphony (128 voices in each keyboard)
Deep synth editing via iPad (VR-09 editor)

JUNO-DS88 WORKSTATION + VR-09 V-COMBO

No compromise hardware quality a JUNO for serious musicians Tonewheel organ engine with nine harmonic drawbars for authentic real-time
88-key weighted-action keyboard with lightweight design (Ivory Feel-G) control of the organ Authentic Rotary effect
256 MB internal wave memory with one expansion slot SuperNATURAL synth with full parameter editing via iPad
User sample import Split/Layer
Eight phrase pads for triggering samples and audio songs Extremely fast 61-note keyboard response enables you to play essential organ
Eight track pattern sequencer with audio file triggering techniques such as trill, sputter and glissando
Mic input with Vocoder and Auto-Pitch Seven simultaneous effects with dedicated controllers
USB audio/MIDI and DAW controller mode Access to synth and organ parameters with free iPad app

ROLAND KEYBOARD RIGS

RIG #2 / BASIC RIG
IDEAL FOR STUDIO WORK, ESPECIALLY DANCE GENRES
By combining the Juno-DS61 and JD-Xi synths, up and coming
producers get maximum versatility at an affordable price
including the ability to work with powerful digital sounds
and rich, warm analog sounds. In addition to over 1,200
industry-standard sounds, the JUNO-DS61 contains an array
DAW AUDIO
INTERFACE of powerful music production tools including sample import,
pattern-based sequencing and phrase trigger pads, and brings
them all together inside a fast and intuitive music production
environment.

WITH THIS KEYBOARD RIG YOU GET

Convenient combination of analog and digital synth
technology
Affordable price
Total of 256 voice polyphony (combined)
Pattern sequencer with audio files triggering
Fantom-G size wave memory + wave expandability (Juno
DS-61)
Vocoder (both)
DAW integration (MIDI/Audio streaming)

JUNO-DS61 WORKSTATION + JD-Xi CROSSOVER SYNTH

No compromise hardware quality a JUNO for serious Analog monophonic synth with real analog oscillator
musicians Digital synthesizer with 128 voice polyphony / SuperNATURAL technology
256 MB internal wave memory plus one expansion slot Easy to use step sequencer with backing tracks
User sample import Onboard Vocoder
Eight phrase pads for triggering samples and audio songs Audio/MIDI Interface with low latency drivers
Eight track pattern sequencer and audio file triggering
Mic input with Vocoder and Auto-Pitch
USB audio/MIDI and DAW controller mode

ROLAND KEYBOARD RIGS

 KEYBOARD RIGS

EX TE ND E D K E Y B OARD RIGS
Take the next step and introduce some serious sonic power.
EXTENDED KEYBOARD RIGS

There comes a time in every musicians career when they need

to update their setup. This could be simply to replace older, worn
out gear, or it could be that you need fresh sounds, better quality
sounds or more comprehensive production options. Technology
continues to drive many aspects of the music industry, and this
includes production and live performance.

If youre a musician who supplements your day job by taking gigs,

you will need different things from your instrument, and making the
wrong choice could deprive you of future income through lost gigs.
Reliability, for example, becomes much more important, as you dont
need your keyboard to go down in the middle of the set. The ability
to blend into a band mix and sound good through a variety of PA
systems are also key, as are logically laid out controls letting you
concentrate on playing, not desperately searching for that elusive
lead patch before the next song begins.

Back in the studio, the stakes are just as high, with a huge premium
placed on getting a fresh sound. Sounding like nobody else plays
a major part in getting attention and building an audience, and
you could start something big. And of course, modern gear needs
to play nicely with just about every format; its no good having
thousands of studio-grade sounds at your fingertips if you cant
record them into your DAW of choice. Or you could go old-school
with the focused approach of a dedicated workstation that doesnt
need to be hooked up to a computer. Many players love the simple
approach get the song working on just piano, and youre half way
there.
Berenice Scott [Heaven 17, Tony Visconti]
RIG #3 / EXTENDED RIG
STUDIO-CLASS POWER THAT CAN ALSO BE GIGGED
This rig is the perfect bridge between studio-based work and live
performance. The FA-06 is a great keyboard to place at the heart
of the studio, with many controllers including 16 phrase trigger
pads. You also have the mic input and weighted action 88-note
DAW AUDIO keyboard of the Juno-DS88 - great for the studio but also good
INTERFACE
enough and light enough to gig with. When youre not gigging,
you can chain these two powerhouse synths together, giving
more than enough audio power for even the most complicated
productions and all with no latency issues and with studio quality
sounds and effects.

WITH THIS KEYBOARD RIG YOU GET

Enormous sound pallette (over 3000 sounds)
88-key weighted-action key action (Juno-DS88)
256-voice total polyphony
User sample import (both)
Easy sample expansion (FA-06)
16-track sequencer (FA-06)
Great quality but lightweight - easy to transport
Audio/MIDI Interface with low latency drivers

JUNO-DS88 WORKSTATION + FA-06 WORKSTATION

No compromise hardware quality a Juno for serious musicians Over 2,000 sounds from the flagship INTEGRA-7 sound module
Weighted-action keyboard with lightweight design (Ivory Feel-G) 16-track sequencer with non-stop loop recording
256 MB internal wave memory + 1 expansion slot Onboard sampler based on the SP-404SX, with 16 pads x 4 banks and direct
User sample import recording/playback via SDHC cards
Eight Phrase pads for triggering samples and audio songs Studio quality DSPs (16 independent MFX, six COMP+EQ for drums, TFX, global
Eight track pattern sequencer + Audio files triggering EQ, Chorus and Reverb
Mic input with Vocoder and Auto-Pitch Dedicated DAW mode
USB audio/MIDI and DAW controller mode

ROLAND KEYBOARD RIGS

BERENICE SCOTT/ JUNO-DS88 / FA-08
NICK RHODES
[HEAVEN 17 / TONY VISCONTI]
JD-XA / JD-Xi
WATCH VIDEO

[DURAN DURAN]
It all began at the age of seven, when Berenice Scott performed
her first classical pieces on the piano and trumpet. Soon enough,
though, shed fallen for the pop hits of the era, and found her
voice with her own self-penned material. Fast-forward to present
day, and this London-based songwriter and session musician
splits her diary between live work for stars like Heaven 17 and
Tony Visconti, while finding time for projects like 2015s acclaimed
solo album Polarity. A capable guitarist and captivating vocalist,
Berenice describes herself as having a love affair with the piano,
and her latest passion is the new Roland JUNO-DS88 synth, which
has become a cornerstone of both her home production setup
and touring rig.
RIG #4 / EXTENDED RIG
AN ANALOG/DIGITAL CROSSOVER PLATFORM FOR CREATING POWERFUL SOUND
When it comes to synths for performance, power and stage
presence the combination of JD-XA and JD-Xi is hard to
beat. Based on Rolands analog/digital crossover engine, both
DAW AUDIO models offer genuine analog sound generationmono for the
INTERFACE JD-Xi and four-part for JD-XAas well as powerful and
versatile digital parts complete with DSP-based effects. The
JD-XA is a sound designers dream, thanks to the generous
array of knobs, sliders and controllers and with a powerful
engine underneath the hood, you have the power and control to
create your killer sound set.

WITH THIS KEYBOARD RIG YOU GET

197-voice polyphony (1 analog + 128 digital, 4 analog + 64
digital)
A keyboard rig that sounds like no other
The warmth and power of analog, with the broad versatility of
digital
Super-programmable, encourages experimentation but
simple to use
Vocoders

JD-XA CROSSOVER SYNTH + JD-Xi CROSSOVER SYNTH

Analog polyphonic synth with real analog components (Oscillators/Filters/ Analog monophonic synth with real analog oscillator
Amps) Digital synthesizer with 128 voice polyphony / SuperNATURAL technology)
Digital synth with INTEGRA-7 SuperNATURAL synth part and powerful DSP Easy to use step sequencer with backing tracks
sections Onboard vocoder with gooseneck mic included
16-step Sequencer
Onboard vocoder
Audio/MIDI interface with low latency drivers and CV/Gate outputs

ROLAND KEYBOARD RIGS

NICK RHODES
JD-XA / JD-Xi [DURAN DURAN]

Few synth players have made a greater impact on British music

than Nick Rhodes. As co-founder of new wave legends and
national treasures Duran Duran, his classic lines powered early-
80s mega-hits like Rio, Girls On Film and Hungry Like The Wolf,
while his trusty Roland Jupiter-4 and Jupiter-8 rode shotgun as
the band took on the stadium circuit. Since then, Nicks visionary
approach to sound has helped Duran Duran to move with the
times. Last years acclaimed 14th studio album Paper Gods
featured some of his most ambitious synth parts to date, while the
associated world tour saw him recreate them using the crossover
analogue/digital sound engines of the Roland JD-XA. Wherever
synth technology goes next, expect Nick Rhodes to be on the
front line.

ARTIST PATCHES AVAILABLE FROM WATCH VIDEO

AXIAL.ROLAND.COM
 KEYBOARD RIGS

ADVANCE D KE Y B OARD RIGS

When you the need the very best tool for each job.
ADVANCED KEYBOARD RIGS

These days, if youre a professional keyboard player you have to be

versatile and adaptable. Tours and gigs are becoming increasingly
complicated, with each show placing large demands on the
musicians on stagefrom technical, musical and performance
perspectives.

Recreating the sound of the record is essential and if youre

working with an artist who likes to experiment during the show, you
also have to be prepared for any eventualityand able to quickly
master a wide variety of musical scenarios. Then theres the small
matter of reliability and being able to make things happen quickly
and easilycritically important when youre playing in front of
thousands of people who have paid to be entertained. Finally, of
course, theres the sound qualityyou need to be able to fill some
pretty big spaces with rich, powerful sound.

Go to any large gig and if theres a keyboard player on stage,

theyll usually have more than one keyboard in their rig. There are
a few reasons for this, most obviously they may need to play more
than one instrument at the same time. And sometimes the "jack of
all trades" design of some workstations mean that some essential
features may be buried in menus and sub menusnot ideal when
you quickly need to change the sounds in the middle of a set list.
Or sometimes you just need the absolute best piano sound you can
find, but you also need the best organ or synth sound available as
well; and that could mean two different keyboards as one keyboard
rarely does it all.
RIG #5 / ADVANCED RIG
88-NOTE PRO-GRADE SOUNDS WITH ANALOG/DIGITAL CROSSOVER POWER
The perfect choice for a professional synth player with a piano
background. Through its 88-note weighted-action keyboard, the
FA-08 delivers top-quality bread and butter sounds alongside
sample import options while the JD-XA is perfect for detailed sound
DAW AUDIO sculpting and unique sound design possibilities. You can send the
INTERFACE
analog parts directly though the analog output section, or route it
back into the digital effects bank and stack up with the digital parts
to truly blow the roof off. S ince m any p ro-players o ften h ave a
laptop full of music software on tour, both instruments include low-
latency audio/MIDI interfaces with numerous mappable controllers
on the front panels

WITH THIS KEYBOARD RIG YOU GET

196-voice polyphony in total (4 analog + 64 digital, 128
digital)
Easy sample expansion (FA-08)
Key technologies: analog/digital engines, SuperNATURAL,
Tonewheel
Huge amount of controllers
Step sequencer & 16-track sequencer
Vocoder

FA-08 WORKSTATION + JD-XA CROSSOVER SYNTH

Over 2000 sounds from the flagship INTEGRA-7 sound module 4-voice analog poly synth with real analog components (Oscillators/Filters/
16-track sequencer with non-stop loop recording Amps)
Onboard sampler based on the SP-404SX features 16 pads x 4 banks and di- Digital synth with INTEGRA-7 SuperNATURAL synth part and powerful DSP
rect recording/playback via SDHC cards sections
Studio quality DSPs (16 independent MFX, six COMP+EQ for drums, TFX, global 16-step Sequencer
EQ, Chorus and Reverb Onboard vocoder
Dedicated DAW mode Audio/MIDI interface with low latency drivers and CV/Gate outputs
Ivory Feel-G hammer action keyboard

ROLAND KEYBOARD RIGS

RIG #6 / ADVANCED RIG
THE ULTIMATE STAGE PIANO WITH THE ULTIMATE SOUND DESIGN TOOL
The perfect keyboard rig for the ultimate playing experience on
live stages. The RD-800 Offers the most authentic grand piano
feel and sound on the market, whereas JD-XA provides limitless
DAW AUDIO sound-sculpting possibilities due to advanced analog and digital
INTERFACE crossover technology.

WITH THIS KEYBOARD RIG YOU GET

Top-class piano and synth keybeds
Huge selection of controllers
Several key technologies: Analog, digital, SuperNATURAL,
Tonewheel
Intuitive step sequencer
Audio/MIDI Interface with low latency drivers
Vocoder

RD-800 STAGE PIANO + JD-XA CROSSOVER SYNTH

New amazing Concert Grand piano from V-Piano Grand Analog polyphonic synth with real analog components (Oscillators/Filters/
New SuperNATURAL electric pianos from the 60s, 70s, and 80s as well as Amps)
Virtual Tone Wheel Organs Digital synth with INTEGRA-7 SuperNATURAL synth part and powerful DSP
PHA-4 Concert Keyboard action with no compromise touch-sensing resolution sections
Individual per note voicing (Volume, Pitch and Tone character) 16-Step sequencer
Convenient user interface with color screen and backlit knobs Onboard vocoder
Over 1,100 sounds Audio/MIDI interface with low latency drivers and CV/Gate outputs
Modulation FX 4 systems, Trem/Amp simulator 4 systems, Reverb, Delay,
Master comp and EQ

ROLAND KEYBOARD RIGS

PETER GORDENO
[DEPECHE MODE]
JD-XA & RD-800

Even now, after two decades in the music industry, Peter Gordeno
is still a man in motion. As producer and songwriter, his credits
include artists like JLS, Il Divo and Seal, while his work as a top
session keyboard player, arranger and musical director has brought
him into the orbit of U2, The Who and George Michael. In perhaps
his longest-running role, Peter has toured with electronic legends
Depeche Mode since 1998, ensuring that synth-pop classics like
Personal Jesus retain their dark majesty in the modern age. As an
analogue aficionado who lived through the digital revolution not
to mention a self-confessed piano snobit takes a special kind of
keyboard to catch Peters ear. Look out for the new Roland JD-XA
and RD-800 in his setup when Depeche Mode hit the road.
KOLA BELLO
JD-XA, JD-XI & RD-800 WATCH VIDEO

[ELLIE GOULDING]

Sound engineer. Programmer. Musical director. Kola Bello has

worn plenty of hats since he broke onto the British music scene at
the tender age of 16, but its probably his talent as a keyboard
player that takes top billing. Since 2013, Kola has worked with
Gentlemans Dub Club on the Big Smoke album, and toured with
British DJ Naughty Boy, but things really went stratospheric when
he joined pop superstar Ellie Gouldings lineup to visit 22-plus
countries on the Delirium World Tour. As an open-minded modern
synth player with a flair for sampling and triggering, its no surprise
that Kola chooses the trailblazing Roland JD-Xi, JD-XA and RD-800
to recreate the epic tracks from Delirium on the stage. Look out for
him in a stadium near you.

ARTIST PATCHES AVAILABLE FROM

AXIAL.ROLAND.COM
MIKE LINDUP / JD-XA & RD-800
NICK RHODES
[LEVEL 42]
JD-XA / JD-Xi WATCH VIDEO

[DURAN DURAN]

The slap-bass of Mark King might have taken top billing, but
British new wave legends Level 42 would never have exploded
without the thrilling keyboard work of Mike Lindup. As the band lit
up the late-80s with all-conquering albums like Running In the
Family, Mike marked himself out as one of the scenes most
adventurous players, forging new sounds on a rig that included
everything from the Roland MKS-20 to the JUNO-6. Times
change, and Mike has moved with them, returning to the studio
with Level 42 for 2013s acclaimed Sirens release, and recreating
the classic hits live using the Roland RD-800 and the crossover-
tech Roland JD-XA. For this iconic synth man, its all about lots of
colors, and his palette has never sounded so full.

ARTIST PATCHES AVAILABLE FROM

AXIAL.ROLAND.COM
TOBY CHAPMAN / JD-XA / RD-800
NICK RHODES
[TOM JONES / SPANDAU BALLET / IL DIVO]
JD-XA / JD-Xi
WATCH VIDEO

[DURAN DURAN]

Toby Chapmans three decades at the top of the music industry is

testament to his talent and versatility. As an established writer and
producer, he has a proven midas touch, enlisted by an array of
major labels to collaborate with both breaking artists and
established stars. As a first-call session keyboard player and
trusted musical director, meanwhile, Toby has toured alongside
many of the scenes biggest names, joining Tom Jones, Spandau
Ballet, Il Divo, Kylie Minogue and more, for triumphant stadium
tours around the world. A musician this flexible needs a setup that
bends the rules, and recent times have found Toby drilling into the
Roland RD-800 stage piano and the crossover JD-XA synth that
he describes as a sound designers dream.

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