The Roland RD-800 is Roland’s flagship RD stage piano and is powered by Roland’s world-famous SuperNATURAL piano engine. You get concert quality patches, 88 fully weighted hammer-action keys, you can customize the pianos and EPs on the color LCD (making it easier to play on stage). Layering and switching between the various instrument sounds is easy. The keyboard itself is easy to use.
Roland RD-800: Pros & Cons
PROS: Amazing sound quality (stellar acoustic piano sounds, vintage electric piano and Clav sounds, excellent strings) and key action. Easy sound editing and organization. Provides balanced outputs, cuts through the live mix very well. Aesthetics. Robust Build
CONS: Keys don’t transmit aftertouch. Takes (more buttons to push) to create layers/splits on the fly. Heavy. Longer learning curve
Who Is It For?
Roland RD-800 is perfect for the ‘pro’ keyboardists/musicians, for the musician on the road, and for the musician who wants to create their own music.
This can be used for:
- Concerts
- Live Performances
- Playing With Band/Accompaniment
- MIDI / Recording
Roland RD-800 Review
The Roland RD-800 is a wonderful upgrade from the RD700NX. Its a professional instrument and sounds and feels like a top quality piano. Compared to the RD700NX, this one is around 10 pounds lighter (makes a world of difference). It has got plenty of features to help you create the exact piano sound you like (you don’t have to fall back on VST).
A high-end stage piano, the RD-800 boasts an advanced SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine, deluxe PHA III Ivory Feel Keyboard with Escapement, a unique Sound Focus feature, and a newly improved user interface with a large, high-resolution LCD. Doesn’t matter if your performance requires piano or world sounds, the RD-800 is a dream instrument for the stage. A high-end stage piano that can be used by the beginner piano learner or by the best keyboard player around.
Looks professional
The RD-800’s quality is evident right out of the box. Looks futuristic, design is aesthetic and simplified without losing any feature from its predecessor.
Everything about the keyboard screams super high-quality – larger-than-needed color display screen, design of the encasing, from little accent LED rings around all of the knobs.
Authentic Key Action
The keyboard uses real wooden keys with ivory-textured key-tops. That, along with the keybed, offers an authentic feel even to the most discerning keyboardists. The keys also have that extra “bottom click”, which real grand pianos have, when you play a key at the bottom of the bed.
Amazing Sounds
The sounds in the library are all clean, bright, and faithfully reproduced. The RD-800 employs Roland’s SuperNATURAL sound technology which makes use of mathematical models to create incredibly detailed sounds, with surprisingly no drawbacks (usually associated with sample-based technology).
The RD800 also utilizes Roland’s “V-Piano” technology that is available only on their most expensive keyboards. In addition, each key can be “voiced” independently from one another lending an incredibly realistic sound
Customization
The “Piano Designer” software on-board allows you to customize every aspect of the piano (perfect for the control freak in all of us). You can customize damper noise, hammer strike, string resonance, tonal color, key nuance, even the sound of the dampers lifting off the strings when the pedal is depressed.
The Virtual Tone Wheel
This stage piano uses virtual tone wheel organ technology for accurate representation of classic organs, along with virtual drawbars and a PCM (sample based) sound engine, which covers just about any instrument you could want.
Powerful Effects Processor
An extensive effects processor is included with over 80 effect types. Sounds can be recorded and saved in Live sets, which allow multiple sounds to be layered with sound parameters and effects setting, making it easy to switch between settings, especially useful when playing live.
MIDI File Player
A great feature for the solo gigger or for practicing alone, the RD-800 contains a MIDI file player or audio file player so you can play along by simply connecting a USB memory device.
Great Digital Piano
The Roland RD-800 uses PHA III Ivory feel keyboard for that authentic grand piano experience. With balanced XLR outputs, and a robust build, its a must have for any gigging pianist.
Roland RD800 Video Review / Demo
Here’s video review of this piano:
Roland RD-800 Specs
Here are the key features:
- SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine, wide selection of top-quality acoustic pianos, electric pianos and clavs with authentic vintage sound and feel
- Over 1100 additional sounds for versatility on stage, including Virtual Tone Wheel organs, vintage keys, modern synths, and many others
- Top of the line PHA-4 Ivory Feel concert Keyboard with Escapement, for that REAL piano feel
- Storage for 100 Live Sets (combinations of layers, zones, effects, and various tone parameters). Useful when performing live.
- Intuitive interface (and dedicated controls) designed for easy operation while performing, with fast access to essential functions
- Tone Color knob provides complex tonal manipulation in real time with a single control
- Color LCD and panel knobs with LED indicators provide easy visibility on dark stages
- Extensive multi-effects processing options to further enhance the sound
- WAV recording/song playback and user memory backup with optional USB flash memory
- Master MIDI control features; four external pedal connections (Damper, FC1, FC2, and EXT)
- 1/4-inch and Balanced XLR outputs; convenient 1/8-inch stereo input for connecting a music player or other device; USB ports for data storage and audio-play functionality
- Dimensions: (W x D X H) 55 1/8 x 14 1/2 x 5 7/16″, Weight: 47 lbs. 14 oz.
- Roland RD-800 user manual
Competition Check
I compared the RD800 with the Yamaha CP4 and a few other pianos. The CP4 sounds good, action is also nice, but it comes across as a cheaply built piano. The RD800 on the other hand is like a rock, and you actually feel the overall quality when you play it. The Roland RD-800 comes across as a more professional keyboard, as compared to the Yamaha CP4.
Roland RD-800: Buying Links & Prices
If you’re a gigging pianist, I’m sure this one would be there on your wish list. Robust and incorporating cutting edge technologies, the Roland RD800 88-key piano is everything that a keyboard player could want.
Buying Options
Roland RD-800 piano has excellent key action, powerful effects and rich, exquisite sound – an excellent stage piano.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
I was keen to buy the Yamaha CP4, when the Roland RD800 released. RD800 is a far better instrument for a little extra money. The action is authentic, the sound is top class, Acoustic and electric pianos are the best I’ve heard to date. If you like piano sounds, this is the board for you. Incredible stage piano, with powerful features.
As a classical pianist, key action and sound quality are very important to me. The Roland RD800 has great sound quality, heavier key action, aesthetics, etc. I think this is the ultimate keyboard in this price range. If you’re on the fence with Nord, Kurzweil, Yamaha, Kawai, or Korg, I’d say go with this one. The RD-800 is a home run for Roland.
All Kawai and Yamaha keyboards have music rest option, why not Roland? I know it’s not necessarily a significant feature for some, but it’s important for me.
How could Roland not give a sheet music stand for music notes/sheets? Although its a gigging keyboard, I am sure you would agree that we all need a stand for our music notes. If I knew before that it didn’t come with a music stand, I would not have bought it.
you can use a sheet music stand placed behind your keyboard, work wells and it won’t shake the music sheets when you dig into the keyboard.
I have seen several Yamaha players use music stand, although it means carrying additional gear to the gig.
Sound comparison between CP4, RD700NX, and Artis.
https://soundcloud.com/sonic-sense-pro-audio/sets/kurzweil-roland-and-yamaha