Let's face it, they were the only ones who could in the 1970s."
and sample-based synthesis."Īctivist 4: "Yeah, yeah, that's something that we would really miss if the Rolands left."Īctivist 1: "And they made analogue synthesizers that were reliable!"Īctivist 3: "Yeah, they certainly know how to keep things working. But apart from the Jupiter 8, the Space Echo, and programmable rhythm units?"Īctivist 4: "Playable electronic drum kits?"
Obviously programmable rhythm units, programmable rhythm units go without saying, don't they. Stan: "Yeah, all right, I'll grant you that the Jupiter 8 and the Space Echo are two things the Rolands have done."Īctivist 3: "And programmable rhythm units." remember what echo units used to be like?" they did give us that, that's true."Īctivist 1: "Oh yeah, the Space Echo. The Judean Peoples' Front (or was it the Peoples' Front of Judea?) might well have replied as follows.
I think that it was one of the staff who wrote for Roland's in-house magazine in the 1980s who first posed the question, "What have the Rolands ever done for us?", with apologies to John Cleese. As founder Ikutaro Kakehashi approaches his 75th birthday, we begin a journey through the company's extraordinary history. The Roland name is almost synonymous with music technology - there can't be an SOS reader who hasn't made use of their instruments at some time. That can be a costly mistake, especially if it ends up requiring a new piano instead.Ikutaro Kakehashi, founder of Roland, at the 1964 NAMM show with the Ace Electronics R1 and Canary. Because most manufacturers void the warranty if work isn’t performed correctly, its easy to quickly do damage beyond repair. When in doubt, the best solution is to bring your piano in to a reputable piano dealer for repair. Do not attempt to reset if you have saved your own songs, styles, etc, without saving the data first, as it will restore operation to factory default. Check out the “initialize” or “factory reset” procedure in your user manual, or check on the manufacturers website for more detail. If your piano is freezing, locking, or simply won’t turn on properly, it could need a simple rebooting. Avoid using WD40 or any other chemical cleaner as they can do more harm than good. Most contacts are made of graphite, and a proper cleaning will generally solve the problem. If the problem is a contact issue – some of the notes won’t play, or the volume is uneven or too loud – it’s a sign the contacts need to be cleaned. And if the new part is no longer available, it could mean having to purchase a new instrument instead. If you bend or break a contact beyond repair, a new contact board will be required. However, remember that pianos are delicate by nature, and by applying too much pressure trying to fix it yourself could actually do more damage than good. In many cases, the repairs are fairly simple in nature, and can be completed quickly.
The most common problems with digital pianos are: But there are occasions when things go wrong and you must get it repaired. Digital pianos and keyboards are usually sturdy instruments that will provide years of joy and entertainment if properly maintained.