From harjoy@elknet.net Sat Dec 04 09:23:49 2004
Subject:Re: VE-RD1 expansion board for A70-90


From: Steve Schow

>I used to own an A-90ex which has that expansion board. The piano
sounds are only ok. Upper mid notes have two short of a decay. But
the main problem with the A-90 is the velocity curves are all wrong.
There are webpages that discuss this problem with the A-90 and I can
attest that its true. I finally got rid of mine for this very
reason. No matter which sample library I used with teh A-90 I never
was able to get the right playing feel...and someone out there deeply
analyzed the problem and finally showed that the midi velocity curves
were just not quite right...

good luck..

As far as the A90 is concerned Willam Coakley, creator of the "Perfect Piano" sample CD's thought that a problem with it was probably in the hammer action and velocity sensors being unable to do the right job.
He aslo mentioned that trying the other Roland curves was of little or no benefit.

I kinda concur- sometimes I try something other than 1 linear and oh man that's good! A day later I hardly know what I saw in that and reert to 1- even switch between them and hardly notice benefit. Or some days changin V sensitivity one number really gets it there- next day I can't notice a 20 number change.
Personally I have occassionally felt that curves that allowed more response at the lower velocities resulted in better piano sounds from getting a little more harmonic content into the played notes. Obviously that would reduce ability to get quiet. Someone smarter than I am suggested that this was perhaps a common problem with a lot of synth acoustic piano- that the sound is way too bland. I used to really hate what I was hearing out of the Eb above mid C on many Ac pianos.

To be fair about the A 70 controller features are great and the Ve expansion board is reasonably good.
As far as the V response I still like the A70 as lower keyboard with the EX5 above it rather than to switch in my setup.

Harold
maybe if I was rich they'd call me eccentric!

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