Roland FP-30X FAQ | Features, Performance, And Overall Value | Digital Piano FAQ

 

The Roland FP-30X is easily one of the single most popular 88-key digital pianos currently on the market, known for its killer combination of key touch, piano sound, features, connectivity, portability and very reasonable price point.

Now, if you’re considering the FP-30X and are in the midst of research, there’s a chance that very specific questions about this piano have come up in your mind, the answers to which aren’t readily apparent in the FP-30X’s marketing literature, specs sheets or various online piano reviews.

Fortunately for you, we’ve scoured the internet and created this Roland FP-30X FAQ - compiling the 12 most commonly asked questions. In today’s article and companion video, we’ll be providing answers to these commonly asked questions to help fill in the missing pieces of your research.

Roland FP-30X FAQ - 12 Most Commonly Asked Questions

FAQ #1: What is the Difference Between the FP-30 and FP-30X?

First of all, we have done a video on this exact question over on our YouTube channel, where we go through every detail point by point. If you want a super in-depth breakdown, we’d recommend checking that video out.

But to quickly summarize, Roland has improved in several areas with the FP-30X that are very meaningful. For one, they’ve upgraded the sound chip architecture to Roland’s new BMC chip which is able to render a far more complex version of the SuperNATURAL piano sound engine - the improved sound quality is easily apparent when playing the FP-30 and the FP-30X side-by-side even though the amplifier power is the same.

Secondly, courtesy of the new BMC chip, the polyphony has been doubled from 128 to 256 notes. Thirdly, they’ve added 1/4” line outputs which is a huge deal as it firmly establishes the FP-30X has a gigging option for professionals and means no more messing with the headphone outputs. Number four, Bluetooth audio has been added to the mix as well.

Finally, the FP-30X also adds a built-in USB audio interface which is going to be a really nice bonus for anyone working with DAW software.

As you can see, to call the FP-30X an improvement over the FP-30 would be a grand understatement. 

FAQ #2: What Does the USB Audio Interface Do?

The built-in USB audio interface allows you to transfer audio information directly from your FP-30X to a DAW without the need for an external audio interface. This cuts down on additional gear and clutter in your workspace.

 

FAQ #3: Is the Roland FP-30 Digital Piano Discontinued?

Yes, the FP-30 is technically discontinued and the FP-30X is its replacement. Roland does not overlap production when a new model replaces an older model as you see in other industries, such as video game consoles for example.

This means that when you’re doing research, be sure to include the “X” in your searches to ensure you are in fact learning about the FP-30X as opposed to the FP-30.

While Roland is no longer manufacturing or shipping FP-30s, you can most definitely still find them on the second-hand market.

 

FAQ #4: How much does the FP-30/FP-30X Cost?

How much is the FP-30X versus the FP30? As is typically the case with new models, there has been a price increase with the FP-30X, in this case, by around $100 USD in most markets.

The exact cost will depend on your geographic region, but in general, an increase of $100 USD can be expected.

 

FAQ #5: Does the Roland FP-30X have MIDI?

The answer here is another “yes”. Virtually, all modern digital pianos work on a MIDI-based framework, meaning that the signals that the keys send to the tone generator are all based on MIDI language.

Most digital pianos and keyboards are built in a way that allows you to externalize MIDI information to both send and receive said information with other devices. The FP-30X has both Bluetooth MIDI and USB Flash Drive MIDI.

 

FAQ #6: Is the FP-30X Good for Beginners?

The answer to this question is an emphatic "Absolutely." Of course, this needs to be considered within the context of affordability and budget. If you’re comfortable in the price range of the FP-30X, it’s without question a fantastic option for beginners.

If you’re working with a budget in a lower price range, there are still a number of 88-key weighted action digital pianos available that will also be fine for a beginner starting piano lessons.

Why is the FP-30X a fantastic beginner option if the budget allows? Most significantly, because of the presence of Roland’s excellent PHA4 Standard action (also found in the more expensive FP-60X) - the top key action available in the price in our opinion here at Merriam Pianos due to its triple sensor, escapement, adjustable touch sensitivity and ivory feel key tops.

Add in a great piano tone, speaker system, multiple connectors, features like split, twin piano, transpose and metronome, compatibility with education apps, included damper pedal (sustain pedal) and the option to add the KSC-70 keyboard stand and KPD-70 triple pedal unit, all of which adds up to an incredible total package.

 

FAQ #7: Does the Roland FP-30X have Weighted Keys?

The Roland FP-30X most definitely has weighted keys. If you’re not familiar with the concept of weighted keys, it essentially means that the keys are designed to replicate the weighting of an acoustic piano key in terms of how much force the player has to provide to get the key in motion.

You’ll probably hear piano teachers or people you know with piano experience harping on the fact that the digital piano you choose needs to have weighted keys if you’re serious about learning piano. This is because weighted keys are necessary to learn the nuances and sense of control necessary to play an acoustic piano.

 

FAQ #8: Does the FP-30X Come with a Music Stand?

The FP-30X (and all FP-X series portable digital pianos) ships with a free plastic music stand (sometimes called music rest) in the box.

It’s lightweight, easily removable, and can definitely accommodate standard sheet music and music books.

 

FAQ #9: How Do You Connect the Roland FP-30X to a Computer?

There are two ways to connect the FP-30X to a computer. The first way is through a standard USB cable, and this is going to be the most stable method. Simply plug one end of the cable into the USB port on the FP-30X, and the other end into the USB port on your computer, which results in a MIDI connection.

If your computer is Bluetooth enabled, you can also connect wirelessly via the FP-30X’s Bluetooth MIDI function.

 

FAQ #10: How Do You Record On the FP-30/FP-30X?

The FP-30X has an internal USB audio connection, so you can record audio information (WAV) directly to a DAW by simply connecting via a USB cable. The FP-30 doesn’t have this feature, so to record to a DAW, you’ll have to use the headphone jack to run a splitter that then runs a 1/4” jack into an external USB audio interface.

Secondly, on both pianos, you can record MIDI files wirelessly via various apps available for Android and iOS

Thirdly, both pianos have basic internal recorders that can be activated with the press of a button (further instructions are available in the owner’s manual here.)

 

FAQ #11: How Do You Connect the Roland FP-30x to Bluetooth?

The first step to connecting your FP-30X to a device via Bluetooth is to ensure that the Bluetooth MIDI connection is actually turned on. To turn the connection on, hold the function button and press the lowest A - this turns the Bluetooth function on.

Next, press and hold the function button until it starts to blink in a blue color. From there. launch the Piano Every Day app on your Smart Device. The app will automatically begin searching for a piano, and shortly after the FP-30X will appear which you can select.

Once connected, you can start using all of the various features of the Roland Piano Every Day and Piano Designer apps. You can also navigate and control the various functions and sounds of the instrument through your Smart Device, easily scrolling through various grand piano, synthesizer and electric piano sounds (the e-piano sounds are especially nice.)

Apps like Apple’s Garageband and others that offer arranger keyboard-like functionality are also accessible.

 

FAQ #12: Is the FP-30/FP-30x Good or Live Performances?

The FP-30 was certainly capable of being used as a performance instrument, but it wasn’t ideally or particularly suited for this purpose.

The various upgrades to the FP-30X make it a much more capable performance instrument, especially with regards to the upgraded polyphony and of course, the inclusion of discreet 1/4” outputs meaning no messing around with adapters is the biggest reason why the FP-30X is a legit performance instrument.

The build quality and overall durability were already present with the FP-30, but these improved features take it one step further.

 

Roland FP-30X FAQ - Wrap-Up

We hope this article covering the top 12 Roland FP-30X FAQ has been helpful. Stay tuned for more entries in this series where we’ll cover other Roland instruments such as the Roland FP-90X, as well as instruments from other manufacturers such as the Yamaha P-125, Kawai ES-120 (coming soon), and Casio PX-S1100.

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Roland FP-30 vs Roland FP-10 Digital Piano Comparison

 

 Today we’ll be comparing the specs and performance of two entry-level models of the Roland FP lineup as we see how the FP-10 and FP-30 compare.

We’ll cover all of the critical differences between these two pianos that really do much of the heavy lifting for Roland’s digital piano lineup considering how affordable they both are so that hopefully if you’re looking within this general category for your next instrument, you’ll be able to make a more informed decision.

With that in mind, we’ll jump in to see exactly how the piano actions of these two pianos measure up to one another.

Discontinued Model: The Roland FP-30 Digital Piano has been replaced by the FP-30X, please see our YouTube review here.

 

Piano Action: Roland FP-30 vs Roland FP-10

This will actually be the easiest and most straightforward part of our comparison because the action utilized in both pianos is literally exactly the same.

PHA-4 Standard Keyboard Action with Escapement

Roland puts the PHA-4 Standard Keyboard action with escapement and ivory touch into both the FP-10 and the FP-30, and there’s really no difference between them.

The PHA-4 hammer action is equipped with a triple sensor, although some of the marketing literature doesn’t necessarily make that very clear. This means both pianos will have exactly the same MIDI accuracy and touch sensitivity, so the real differences are going to come down to sound-related aspects and some of the features.

Interestingly, you’ll also find the PHA-4 action in the next model up in the FP series – the FP-60. Roland also uses it in the F-140R, the RP501R, and the RP-102.

Basically, it’s the go-to Roland action for their beginner and mid-range lineup. This means you would need to spend almost three times as much money as the FP-10 before you got any sort of meaningful improvement in the action.

For people out there who are focused on a good-feeling practice instrument or something that’s going to deliver the best touch in as portable and as inexpensive a package as possible, it’s really hard to dispute that either instrument, but especially the FP-10 as delivering fantastic value.

We’ve got a lot of experience with this action over at Merriam Music, and it’s an action that we’re very fond of it.

It’s not at all a clunky action so there isn’t an overabundance of mechanical noise or anything like that, it hits the key bed a little bit harder than say a comparable Casio, Kawai, Korg, or Yamaha action.

 

Key Texture

We really like some type of texture on the keys when it comes to digital piano actions as it adds some extra grip, which is especially helpful in more humid playing environments. The ivory feel here actually winds up absorbing a little bit of that extra moisture that sometimes gets generated.

The escapement, feature or some people call this let-off, is a simulation of the feeling you get on a real acoustic piano when the hammer comes off the knuckle. When you’re playing in the softer dynamic ranges such as pianissimo, the escapement is a nice feature to have. It actually adds a lot of authenticity to the experience.

There’s no question we’ve got a great-feeling action here that we would say is well suited for contemporary repertoire, and it works really well for jazz. For somebody just starting out in the classical world, we think you’d have no issues working up to medium difficulty repertoire with this action until you might want to consider an upgrade to an acoustic piano or high-end digital piano.

 

Piano Sound: Roland FP-30 vs Roland FP-10

Now we’ll be able to get into some real differences between the FP-10 and the FP-30. Let’s start with the speakers.

 

22-watts vs 12-watts Speakers

The FP-30 has 22 watts of speaker power while the FP-10 has 12. Given the FP-10’s size and price, those 12 watts actually give quite a bit of horsepower – certainly more than what any of us were expecting the first time we sat down at one.

There’s actually a fairly decent amount of body and depth to the sound, along with some adjustable reverb settings. It’s probably only going to be sufficient for situations where you’re really playing by yourself or maybe playing along with one other person as it’s not enough sound to fill up a medium room nor would it be enough for a performance situation.

Ideally, you might want to get the amplifier setup going or invest in a solid set of headphones to take advantage of the SuperNATURAL sound engine that the FP-10 is equipped with.

 

FP-30's SuperNATURAL Piano Sound Engine

The FP-30 is also equipped with the SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine, but there is a slight difference in the chipset between the FP-10 and the FP-30.

 

96 vs 128 Polyphony

The FP-10 has 96-notes of polyphony, whereas the FP-30 has 128. What does that actually mean for someone playing both pianos? For starters, you will hear a slight difference in the richness or complexity of the tone. The FP-30 sounds a little bit thicker, and you can especially hear that difference once you compare the treble ranges.

Unless you’ve got them side by side comparing the default grand piano tone though it’s going to be pretty hard for an average listener to tell the difference between these two in terms of the piano sound that it produces aside from the extra volume the FP-30 has at its disposal.

 

Onboard Sounds

When it comes to the sheer quantity of the different types of sound presets that each instrument has on board, there are about three times the number of tones on the FP-30 than on the FP-10. There are a few more acoustic pianos, electric pianos, and definitely more in the generic “other” category which is going to include things like strings, pads, vibes, synths, etc.

 

Features & Connectivity

Bluetooth MIDI

When it comes to features and connectors, both pianos are equipped with Bluetooth MIDI. Roland makes a few of their own music apps which both pianos are compatible with, and while they work with both Apple iOS and Android devices, things seem to run a little bit smoother with Apple devices. Bluetooth wireless technology isn’t a given in the price range, so kudos to Roland here.

Roland’s Piano Partner 2 and Piano Designer are compatible with both pianos, but you’re given more parameters to work within Piano Designer on the FP-30.

There are of course other great apps out there such as Garageband as well.

 

Standard Functions

Standard functions like a metronome and twin piano mode are covered on both instruments, but while the FP-30 also has Split, the FP-10 does not.

In terms of other features, the FP-30 has a recorder function and the ability to playback USB audio (SMF, WAV) through the USB flash drive on the back while the FP-10 doesn’t have either one of those functions.

 

Headphone Jacks Differences

Another difference – we’ve got two headphone jacks, a 1/4-inch, and 3.5-mil on the FP-30 to choose from while the FP-10 has a single 3.5 mil headphone output.

Neither instrument has a line out to connect to an amp, so you’ll need to use the headphone port if you plan on doing that.

 

Pedal Systems

Another important difference has to do with the pedals, and this is probably going to be one of the biggest deals for people with piano experience or who plan on taking piano lessons. The FP-10 does not have a port for the three-pedal unit option, whereas the FP-30 does.

While you need the KSC-70 designer keyboard stand for the KPD-70 triple pedalboard to function, just having that as an option will be a huge deal for some people.

At the very least with the FP-10, you’re going to want to upgrade yourself to the DP-10 Roland sustain pedal since it only includes a basic switch pedal in the box. A proper damper pedal makes all of the difference.

Both instruments come with a music rest for your sheet music as well as a power adapter.

 

Closing Thoughts

So, we’ve covered all of the key areas where these instruments are similar and where they depart from one another. The one that’s probably going to be the biggest sticking point for a lot of folks is the fact that the FP-10 doesn’t have the triple pedal option.

Both instruments are extremely good value, and for folks that just need as good action in as affordable and compact a package as possible, the Roland FP-10 will really stand out here.

If some extra sounds, more speaker power, a few extra features, and that triple pedal option are important, the FP-30 is well worth the extra few hundred dollars.

If there’s one area we’d like to see improved in the future, it would be to have each instrument have a dedicated line output as a traditional stage piano or synthesizer does.

Thanks for reading! Visit Merriam Music for more piano reviews and Articles. Also, visit our Youtube Channel for more in-depth piano covers.

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Yamaha P125 vs Roland FP-30 Digital Piano Comparison & Demo

 

Welcome to another piano comparison here with us at Merriam Pianos. In this piece, we'll be comparing two titans of the under $1,000 portable digital piano category as we look at the Yamaha P125 vs Roland FP-30.

Thousands of these instruments wind up in homes all around the world every single year as best sellers in the beginner to intermediate category (especially on Amazon for the P125) thanks to the combination price, unintimidating user-friendly minimalistic design, and musical punch they pack.

They are very different musically, however, which is why we'll be comparing the sound engines, actions, and other important features to see what kind of musical experience each of these 88-key digital pianos has to offer.

We also have in-depth individual Roland FP-30 and Yamaha P125 reviews, as well as reviews of other similar pianos from Casio, Kawai, and Korg.

Let's start by comparing the sound engines. 

Discontinued Model Notice: The Roland FP-30 has been replaced by the new Roland FP-30X. See our review on YouTube here.

Yamaha P125 vs Roland FP-30 Piano Sound

Polyphony

Let's start with the FP-30bk. The FP-30 has a polyphony count of 128 notes and 22 watts of speaker power courtesy of the dual 11-watt speaker system.

That 128-note polyphony is certainly an improvement over what you get on the Roland FP-10 with 96 notes, but it's a spec that most people shouldn't be too concerned with since it just refers to the maximum amount of notes a sound engine can play at once.

We're drawing attention to it here because the P125 has 192 notes, and that might lead people to believe that the P125 then has a more complex piano tone made up of more sample layers.

That's actually not the case here, and when you look at the waveform that the P125 with their Pure CF Sound Engine (sample of the CFIIIs Concert Grand Piano), versus the FP-30 and its SuperNATURAL Piano Sound engine, there's actually a more nuanced, such as a more believable damper resonance and string resonance, going on with the FP-30's tone.

 

Speakers

Part of this is probably also due to the speakers, as the Yamaha P125 has a noticeably weaker amplifier with 14 watts of total power (though it's a 4 speaker system with 2 tweeters). The extra speaker power from the FP-30 is just adding extra warmth and presence, especially in the lower register.

Now, all of this being said, there's very seldom a right and wrong when it comes to the type of piano sound you prefer, and these two engines do sound distinctly different.

Despite the P125 not sounding as warm or complex as the FP-30, some people will absolutely still prefer the brighter sound of the P125, which is quite representative of Yamaha digital pianos in general. Check out the video review above to hear exactly how both pianos sound.

 

Acoustic Piano Sounds

Moving on from the acoustic piano sounds, both of these instruments are nicely equipped with a good selection of presets Neither one has the full general MIDI 2 sounds, but you're still getting 24 sounds with the P125 and 35 on the FP30.

 

Electric Piano Sounds

Now, let's dive into some electric piano sounds. In some ways, for a keyboard player, the electric piano sounds can be even more revealing in terms of the level of authenticity than the acoustic piano tones.

In general, both pianos do a great job with their e-piano tones, particularly the P125. Things like organs, strings, and synthesizers are all quite nice here too.

 

P-125 Additional Sound Features

A couple of other things worth mentioning - the P125 has a couple of other cool sound-related features including a Table EQ, Sound Boost mode, Stereophonic Optimizer, and Intelligent Acoustic Control.

Let's move on to the action.

 

Roland PHA-4 vs Yamaha Graded Standard Piano Action

FP-30 PHA-4 Standard Keyboard

The FP-30 uses Roland's PHA-4 Standard Keyboard with Escapement and Ivory Feel. This is the same action with weighted keys that Roland puts in the FP-10 and more expensive FP-60, as well as some other models like the F140R and RP501R.

It's essentially Roland's staple mid-range hammer action that they deploy throughout the lineup until you get into the high-end portion of their offerings.

It's a very well-known, proven, and well-liked action out in the marketplace that also happens to be quite durable, and boasts triple sensor detection for a high degree of accuracy. There's a nice micro texture on the black keys and an ivory texture on the white keys, both of which add some extra grip by absorbing moisture.

 

Escapement Feature

The escapement feature is quite nice as it helps improve repetition speed - this is definitely something gigging musicians will notice and appreciate.

 

P-125 Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) Key Action

The P-125 is using Yamaha's Graded Hammer Standard key action, or GHS for short. This is an action that's been on the market for quite a while, and it's probably one of the least advanced parts of the P125 with a dated dual sensor, though there is some adjustable touch sensitivity to accommodate different playing styles.

The action feels solid in the sense that there's not a lot of mechanical noise, and part of that is due to the fact that it's a more simple design than the PHA-4. There's no escapement on the GHS, and while there is a matte finish on the black keys, there's nothing on the white keys, meaning your finger can get slippery when moisture develops.

But you feel really sure-footed under, this action, and it can be quite forgiving. And there's not a hands-down winner between the two, as they do feel quite different.

Generally speaking though, the GHS is probably due for a bit of an update, so we wouldn't be surprised to see Yamaha coming out with some type of an update to that action in subsequent P-series models in the near future.

 

Features & Connectivity

The P125 has a couple of very cool features that we like about it. First of all, it's got built-in quarter-inch stereo outputs which make it very easy for you to be plugging into amps and PAs without eating up a headphone jack - a great feature for the price range.

This is a key connector for gigging musicians that is not present on the FP-30, where you'll have to settle for one of the headphone outputs as your line out.

The P125 and the FP-30 are both available with matching keyboard stands, as well as 3 pedal units. They both also come with pretty basic sustain pedals of the footswitch style, but we would actually highly recommend upgrading them, regardless of which piano you choose. The upgraded damper pedal options from each manufacturer are just so much more substantial.

One of the things that the Yamaha is missing that the P125 has is the Bluetooth connection. The P125 does not have any Bluetooth MIDI, but it does have a USB connection, so you can connect to an iOS device (iPad, iPhone) for music apps like the Yamaha Smart Pianist App that way.

The P125 has a really well-done onboard auto-accompaniment function. There are quite a few rhythms on here to choose from.

Rhythms are accessible via Roland's Piano Partner 2 app, but they are not built-in directly on-board like the P125.

Beyond that, we've got kind of the normal complement of all of your basics, like transpose, metronome, split mode, layer mode (duo), and Twin Piano Mode. Both of them have the ability to do that quite nicely.

 

Closing Thoughts

Let's do a quick summary here of the comparison between these two pianos. In terms of the speakers, the FP30 wins here by virtue of its extra power, even though it's using a 2 speaker system versus a 4 speaker on the P125 which does result in some extra clarity.

In terms of the tone engines, the FP30 is using the SuperNATURAL engine with 128 polyphony, versus the Pure CF engine with 192 notes of polyphony on the P125.

Then we've got the P125's GHS action with no texture on the white keys and no escapement, versus the PHA-4 where we've got a nice texture, escapement, and a triple sensor. They both come with music rests and power adapters (power supply) and are available with matching stands and triple pedals (KPD-70 and KSC-70). The P125 has a discreet AUX out, whereas the FP30 does not, but the FP30 has Bluetooth, and the P125 does not.

We hope this comparison of the Yamaha P45 vs Roland FP-30, two immensely popular musical instruments has been helpful. Thanks for reading!

The post Yamaha P125 vs Roland FP-30 Digital Piano Comparison & Demo first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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Roland FP-30 Digital Piano Demo & Review | Merriam Pianos

Introduction

The anticipated Roland FP-30 portable 88-note digital piano is finally being reviewed by Merriam Pianos own Stu Harrison. The FP-30 digital piano is the perfect piano for players who don’t have the space or budget for a full-sized instrument.

The FP-30 is ideal for boasts a huge number of modern features normally found on high-end digital instruments that allow the pianist to broaden their musical experience. The acclaimed sound quality, SuperNATURAL Piano Sound Engine, Bluetooth® wireless support and popular music apps, are only a few points we are reviewing for the Roland FP-30 in the thousand-and-under category of digitals.

Stu Harrison is going to showcase and demo some of the stellar features that make this piano unique and how it stacks up against a Kawai ES110 or Yamaha P-125 in the same price range. Watch our video review and find out if the FP30 digital piano is right for you.

The Roland FP-30 Digital Piano Review - Video Transcription

Discussing The PHA-4 Key Action

As piano players, how it connects to us as an instrument has so much to do with our sense of its mechanism and how we physically communicate with the instrument. So, we're going to get started. Here we go. The action on Roland digitals have always been one of their strong suits. I've been playing Roland for many, many years, both personally and professionally, and I know them as generally having quiet keyboard action, and something that always hues pretty close to that of a real piano.

The instrument that I gig with right now, full-time, is the Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano, and I've played FP-50s in professional settings and on-stage performances - so I know it well, and makes it easy to compare the FP-30, something I've played it plenty of times in the showroom. I've also used it a few times on a couple of sort of impromptu recording sessions. So, I've spent many, many, many hours behind this instrument.

One of the things that I notice between playing a Roland generally versus, say, a Kawai, generally, digital piano, is that I do find the Roland action to be a little more forgiving. And this has both good implications and maybe for some people bad implications. It's forgiving, because I am able to be a little less accurate with it.

So, when I'm playing in, let's say, a non-classical setting, like, I'm playing in a pop setting or I'm playing in a jazz setting, I find that I can focus a little less on my fingers and on what I'm doing, and the Roland just intuitively feels like it's following me a little bit better, and quite frankly the number of wrong notes just sort of seems to somehow reduce itself.

The 88-note PHA-4 standard keyboard is what I'd describe as a very forgiving action. They've designed it that way. I don't think Roland is per se going after the hardcore acoustic classical piano market so much as Kawai is trying to intercept that customer. I think they fully realize that the majority of people who are purchasing and considering Roland digital pianos are definitely musicians, but perhaps not a classical pianist first and foremost.

It's probably more of a contemporary musician, or a new student perhaps who is looking at these instruments. So, first of all, the texture of the keys is nice. This is something that Roland does, probably at a lower price range than most others. They equip it with ivory feel keys, giving it even more of an authentic piano touch.

It's nice and comfortable for the fingers. And no matter how quietly or how loudly you press the key, the range of dynamic output is well-controlled. So, whether you're really banging on it or playing quietly, it really does give you a very nice almost slightly compressed dynamic output to it.
The physical feel of the key is definitely different than the Yamaha or Kawai as well. When you're playing the Roland, one of the things you do notice is that the key tends to hit the bottom of the keybed with a bit more of a thud than the Yamaha or the Kawai. Now, again, in some settings that's actually something that… The tactile sensation is pretty satisfying, to know that you're really connecting well with the key, and it's not something that's feeling mushy or inaccurate.

So, there's definitely a rhyme and a reason for why they've designed the hammer action keyboard that way. Now, the other thing that this does have, I believe, because I am feeling it a little bit, is this does feel like there's a bit of escapement on it. And the other thing that I notice is the keys compared to, say, a Roland FP-90 or a Roland FP-60, that just the key action overall is a little bit looser.

I'm not sure whether that's by design or whether it's just simply because for, you know, under a thousand dollars it's hard to get perfection every single time, but it does have a bit of a looser feel. So between, say, an ES-110, the Kawai, and this one, if I was to be doing anything that required some precision, and particularly anything if I was going to be doing some solo piano work, think I might default to the Kawai, whereas if I was going to be playing in a band setting or an ensemble, or something where the absolute precision wasn't going to be quite as particular, the Roland would be a strong consideration for me.

So, that's the PHA-4 Action - generally a great piano experience. So, now let's get into this pianos sound engine. Roland really prizes itself, and it should, on its ability to create really quite authentic, realistic tone and rich sound across a huge instrument rage. The FP 30 boasts Roland's renowned supernatural piano sound engine, that is the same programming found throughout the FP line and in some of their HP series and other high-end instruments.

I mean, they do everything from virtual accordions to organs to pianos to drum patterns, and their rich piano sound has definitely continued to improve over the years. I mean, I think one of the biggest Roland products that I've ever used was actually the Fantom-X8, which was this huge monstrous workstation, and that was back in the mid-2000s, and at that time, the piano tone on it was absolutely fantastic.

The Sound Engine / Tone Generator

The piano had lots of color, lots of dynamism to it, and it's something that I still think that the Roland FP-series delivers very, very well. I think the range of color that it gives, so I'm talking about specifically the shape of the sound as it changes from playing softly to playing loudly, is probably not quite as dynamically broad as what I might get on the Kawai ES-110, but nonetheless is an impressive sound and a responsive tone.

However, there are times in which you just want a really nice, consistent, easy-to-mix tone through a board or through a set of headphones. Specifically, if you're talking to a sound engineer and you're looking at the Roland curve, what tends to be intentionally omitted there is a lot of mid-range sort of thickness to the sound. You get it through the onboard speakers, as well as the headphones output.
So, this is designed to cut through a lot of noise quite easily. It's designed to be clear in your ear, but what you might feel a little bit is a lack of warmth. And so, this really comes down to personal preference. I have virtually an equal amount of people who sit down in front of a Roland FP-30 digital piano and the ES-110, and they'll, you know, fifty people will say, "Oh, the Roland sounds more authentic," and fifty people will say, "Oh, the Kawai or Casio feels more authentic." But bottom line the FP30 has a powerful amplifier, delivering a meaningful wattage for its size and price.
So, of course these are all very subjective things, but I do think for tone production, those two, although they are different, they focus on different things, really are the strongest offerings within this price range. Now, that's the acoustic piano we've talked about. There's of course a number of different acoustic pianos that you can play on here. They've got several options. In terms of specs, the polyphony on this tone engine is 128, and that's consistent across all the piano tones as well as the reasonably wide selection of other sounds like the organ, pads, strings, harpsichord, and electric piano sounds.

And I should also mention that this is being recorded actually through a couple of condenser mics on the floor. One of the things that is a little bit annoying about this model, and it's not going to apply to some people, it may apply to others, is there's not an independent audio out.
So, in other words, the only way to get a line out of this, is to take it out of the headphone jack, which automatically defeats the local stereo speakers. So, you either have it plugged in and you can't hear it, or you don't have it plugged in and you can hear it. And, of course, I need to hear it so that you and I can, you know, have this little FP-30 chat. And so, we can't have it directly plugged in. So, we're actually using an external microphone to plug it in.

Besides that, no effects, no EQ, no reverb. It's just what you're getting straight out of the instrument. So, beyond the acoustic piano you've got some really great electric piano sounds. It's got a nice decent crunch to it. And, of course, there's a whole other set of different sounds that fall into the 'Other' category which you can access through that, but we're going to lead right into one of the things that Roland really kind of helped to pioneer in the industry, which is the integration with other digital products like an iPad or an Android tablet using Bluetooth wireless connectivity.

Connectivity, Accessories, and Bluetooth

It's very, very easy to connect with Bluetooth, and Roland has a set of popular music apps that you can download for free off the App Store or the Google Play Store. And I've got one called Roland Piano Partner, and what this allows me to do, is instead of having to fiddle with the buttons on the menu, it actually allows me to select the sounds that I'm playing right off an easy-access screen.
So, if we're looking to play the Grand Piano, it's right there. Or if I want non-piano sounds I can play a synth bell, or strings, which is like a harp. So, integrating an iPad into this instrument turns what might've been a bit of a restrictive interface into a very easy-to-use, easy-to-understand, easy-to-connect digital interface that you can use within a device you already have.

So many of us already own smartphones or iPad or Android devices, so it's important to know that this isn't just working with tablets. You can actually connect smartphones to the piano via Bluetooth as well - the FP30 is fully wireless ready. So, you don't need a big device. You can even use this with a relatively small device. On top of that, the FP-30 has the usual suite of other, let's call it, like, fundamental basic features, such as transpose, you can split the keyboard. Roland also allows you to connect with other popular apps such as GarageBand, piaScore, Sheet Music Direct, Metronome, and many other sheet music apps.

You can turn on dual/split mode which allows you to blend two sounds together at once, and also a nice feature, you have the ability to actually play midi files (referred to as SMF files sometimes), MP3 or WAV tracks off of a USB-key. So, people who use this for some live performance, or even as a practice tool, you can connect USB memory stick in there and have sort of an audio backing track and you can play along with it, which is also pretty cool that Roland offers USB support. There's an onboard SMF recorder as well that allows you to make quick playback tracks / internal songs for yourself. The FP30 also offers Twin Piano mode which is ideal for lessons, letting student and teacher play side by side in the same octave ranges. It also has some basic on-board recording functions that provide a very convenient way to review your own playing, and overall just provides an expanded musical experience.

The FP-30 is very light - as we've mentioned - this bring very easy mobility with the instrument. And just like the ES-110, it's in the 30-pound range, so whether you are taking this to a gig or whether you are, you know, at home and you just need to save on a little bit of square footage, that part also works very well.

The FP-30 comes in a slab-format like we're seeing right here, and comes with a high-quality damper pedal, which will give you your basic sustain pedal function. It's a beautiful lightweight body that's easy to transport and provides easy mobility. But you can also get it with the optional matching stand called the KSC-70 and three-pedal unit, called the KPD-70, and Roland offers all of those, I believe, for 200 dollars a piece. So, for an extra 400 or 300, depends on what country you're in, you're able to add that. To keep it on the less-expensive side, you can always use a standard keyboard stand like an X-stand or z-stand. Please keep in mind that to use the KDP-70 pedal board, you'll NEED to purchase the KSC-70 stand, it cannot be used on its own.

Just obviously contact your local retailer. They will give you the pricing on what it costs to add the stand and add the pedal, but for people who really like the price range, this is a nice way to get a Roland product in your house even looking like sort of a permanent digital piano for just over a thousand dollars. So, here's the Roland FP-30. Thank you so much for watching.

Again, here's an instrument that is quite ideal for people who are either just starting out, wanting to keep the price point low. I'd say it also works really well for professional musicians that this compared to another one of the other two, you know, Yamaha P-125 or ES-110, for whatever reason. You don't need a reason other than it's your own preference. You like just a slightly crisper, slightly sharper tone overall.

It isn't too warm and it cuts through really nicely. I think that's where the FP-30 digital piano really shines. A nice, clear, crisp tone. Very forgiving action, and generally an all-round versatile instrument for a very attractive price point. So, thank you so much for watching.

Again, my name is Stu Harrison, and this is Merriam pianos.

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