Roland RD 2000

Roland has long been on the cutting edge of digital piano research, and they've poured their engineering know-how into their newest stage piano. The RD-2000 features not one, but two state-of-the-art sound engines. The acoustic piano sounds are based on the company's flagship V-Piano modeling technology, and they're absolutely splendid. Keyboardists here at Sweetwater are blown away by the dedicated acoustic engine's full-keyboard polyphony, for performance without compromise. Included are newly developed re-creations of two Roland innovations from the 1980s: the RD-1000 (the first RD stage piano), and the MKS-20 sound module.

Roland spec'd the RD-2000 with a second SuperNATURAL-based sound engine that makes use of proprietary SA technology to deliver over 1100 additional sounds covering virtually any style of music, plus a broad selection of classic electric pianos from the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. These EPs are so authentic-sounding, they are instantly recognizable from the hit records that immortalized them. Also on tap are vintage effects that include the BOSS CE-1 Chorus and Roland SDD-320 Dimension D.

With authentic hammer action and escapement, the RD-2000 keybed communicates every nuance of expression in your playing. Roland's premium PHA-50 keyboard action combines wood and molded materials for a superior feel and durability. This, along with the RD-2000's advanced sensor mechanism, provides the perfect platform for playing the RD-2000's responsive acoustic and electric pianos.

As a master controller keyboard, the RD-2000 is a godsend for the performing keyboardist. Equipped with extensive features that make it ideal for commanding a large-scale live setup, the RD-2000 lets you seamlessly integrate its internal sounds with software-based instruments, hardware modules, and more. Simply put: the RD-2000 is a professional mission control center for the most advanced stage shows. The RD-2000's USB audio/MIDI interface makes it simple to integrate your virtual instruments and DAW in the studio, or a laptop running your favorite host software onstage. Use zones to control soft synths along with internal sounds, and route everything through the RD-2000 to create a powerful hybrid rig. The interface accommodates 24-bit audio at rates up to 192kHz, letting you preserve the fidelity of your highest quality sounds.

Navigating the RD-2000 in live performances couldn't be easier. Equipped with eight dynamic encoder knobs and nine faders, the RD-2000 gives you comprehensive control over your sounds, FX, and more. The knobs have LED indicators for precise adjustment and instant visual feedback, and they're velocity-sensitive, so you can execute precise adjustments with slow scrolling and quickly move through parameters with fast movements. The RD-2000's eight assignable zones let you map sounds to different key ranges, or create combo patches with up to eight layers. And with the handy Scene function, you can save 100 snapshots of your entire keyboard setup, and recall them with a press of a button. The RD-2000 is not only outfitted with Roland's classic pitch/mod lever — it also has two independently assignable wheel controllers for detailed sound tweaking while performing.

It is a given that Roland's latest cutting-edge stage piano will offer world-class acoustic and electric pianos, but the soundset on tap in the RD-200 is more akin to what you'd expect of a serious workstation, with more than 1100 non-piano sounds that let you cover any musical genre with just one keyboard. Roland's SuperNATURAL technology delivers deeply expressive Virtual Tone Wheel organs, vintage and modern synthesizers, clavinets, strings, brass, and much more. And there are more sounds being added all the time on Roland's Axial website; killer patches you can load into your RD-2000's two wave expansion slots. These include sounds from previous RD keyboards — and if you're upgrading from the RD-800, you'll be happy to know that all your Live Sets are 100% compatible with the RD-2000.

Roland RD 2000 User Manual