🎹 Roland RD-88EX EXPOSED: Is This the ULTIMATE Stage Piano?! 🎹

#rolandrd88ex#rolanddigitalpiano#bestdigitalpianos

Welcome to Merriam Pianos on YouTube! In today’s video, we’re diving into Roland’s all-new RD-88EX stage piano. We’ll explore how it stands out from the original RD-88, who it’s best suited for, and why it’s a game-changer in its category. Be sure to stick around until the end for a special speaker test, giving you a first-hand experience of the sound quality. Let’s get started!

Overview of the RD-88EX
The RD-88EX is a mid-tier stage piano designed with live performers in mind. Stage pianos are built for convenience and versatility during live shows, and the RD-88EX excels in these areas. It offers:

Wide Onboard Sound Library: Over 3,000 onboard sounds and 400 scene slots, allowing you to customize and save presets for any performance.

Easy Layering and Controls: Three simultaneous sound parts with independent volume knobs make managing layers intuitive.
Advanced Connectivity: A built-in USB audio interface for seamless integration with recording setups or live sound environments.
Portable Design: Lightweight and compact, ideal for gigging musicians.

Key Features and Benefits
Unmatched Sound Variety The RD-88EX boasts one of the most extensive sound libraries in its class, including:
Over 300 lush presets with incredible motion and depth, perfect for pads and ambient tones.
Exceptional electric piano sounds, a hallmark of Roland’s design.
Enhanced acoustic piano tones with the newly included EX expansion pack.

Performance Flexibility
The RD-88EX’s 400 scene slots and 100 favorite slots (organized into 10 banks of 10) make preset management straightforward and efficient.
Built-in USB audio functionality allows direct recording or playback without additional hardware.
Built-In Speakers Unlike many stage pianos, the RD-88EX includes onboard speakers. While they’re not powerful enough for large gigs, they’re perfect for home use or rehearsals.

Comparing the RD-88 and RD-88EX
The main difference between these models lies in the acoustic piano sounds. The RD-88EX includes an additional expansion pack, addressing one of the RD-88’s limitations: a smaller selection of acoustic piano tones that weren’t editable. This upgrade makes the RD-88EX a more compelling option for musicians prioritizing acoustic piano quality.
Aside from the sound pack, both models share the same action, circuitry, and tone engines.

Challenges and Limitations
While the RD-88EX is packed with features, there are a few quirks to be aware of:
Complex Menu Navigation: Accessing effects and editing settings can require navigating multiple menu layers.
Limited Onboard Editing: Deep sound editing must be done offboard using Roland’s ZEN-Core software.

Who Should Buy the RD-88EX?
This stage piano is ideal for musicians seeking versatility and an expansive sound palette. It’s particularly suited for live performers who need a reliable, portable instrument with rich presets and quick access to customized setups. If you’re focused on acoustic or electric piano sounds with exceptional layering capabilities, the RD-88EX is a standout choice in its price range.

Speaker Test
To demonstrate the RD-88EX’s sound quality, we set it up in a larger space with a stereo condenser mic positioned 10 feet away. The results speak for themselves! Check out the video for an in-depth speaker test showcasing the instrument’s dynamic range and clarity.

Final Thoughts
The RD-88EX is a versatile, feature-packed stage piano that addresses key limitations of its predecessor while maintaining its strengths. Whether you’re performing on stage, rehearsing, or recording, this instrument delivers exceptional value and performance.

Thank you for watching our review of the Roland RD-88EX. If you enjoyed this video, please consider subscribing to Merriam Pianos on YouTube. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments, and we’ll do our best to respond. See you in the next video—take care!

Connect with Merriam Music:

[camerademuzica]

I see a strong improvement on the video quality, good job!

[Zoco]

It's good to see another Merriam video with Stu. More and more, we see that emulating an acoustic piano is not really the main function of a stage piano - not anymore. Now that "portable pianos" are getting so good, pianists often choose those for gigging instead. They tend to be lighter, cheaper and quicker to set up, and they come with music rests and monitor speakers. That the RD-88 was cheap and had monitors shows how it was kind of a merger between two piano categories. Nevertheless, Stu himself rightly suggests that some pianists may be better off with simpler portable pianos from the FP and ES series. He could have said P series too except that Yamaha doesn't offer a P model in the price range and weight category that he is discussing. So why hasn't Yamaha released a P-256? Some of us keep asking this question. Meanwhile, I'm making sure that my P-255 lasts as long as possible.

And what is left for stage pianos? Well they are wonderful stage keyboards really, which double as portable pianos. Yamaha got that concept right with the CK-88, proudly hailed as a "stage keyboard".

The RD-88 was a wonderful instrument offering tremendous value. It seems to be disappearing from online catalogues now, so I hope that the more expensive EX version comes down in price before too long. Then the likes of myself can be tempted once again by all the lovely dials and buttons. But my problem is that I'm one of those pianists that Stu is talking about - I only use piano patches nowadays. Perhaps the new piano editing facilities will win over some of us pianists.

[odmusicman]

I upgrade my RD88 to the new EX pianos/E-pianos. VERY worth it, they are superb and lifts the RD88 up to pro level pianos, just what I wanted. PS, I chose the RD88 based on your review Stu and I adore the action and everything about it, thank you, I play it everyday with pleasure.

[kateskeys]

Youre reviews are top-of-the-line. Thank you.

[EduCamargoOficial]

I'm seriously thinking about buying the RD-88EX in the future, but I'm also thinking about this DAW integration. Basically I'm planning to use it to control both its sounds and virtual instruments, but I'm also looking forward to make it programable in a sense that I don't even need to touch the computer to manage things on the fly. I see it is already integrated with MainStage, but if you want to program other DAW to do the same, is it possible? Or, do you have other suggestions to use a keyboard with DAW on live situations?

Great video and thanks in advance for the tips.

[supergroove-zq]

6:11 really wish that Stu would've then turned around to play the upright to give us a reference point to how loud the Roland is compared to it, picking up from the same mics. Missed opportunity right there😊

[myHorribleMusic]

Cheers dude, this is super useful. Nice playing too

[vicmartinez]

Thank you so much for the video I would really appreciate if you could do all your demos like minute 2 for every single mother that comes up

[SmorcTV]

i have some questtion, Did you ever test rd 88ex with iPad? The iPad can record sound from rd 88ex? and the sound on iPad can send back to Rd88ex speaker? All of it connect by using usb type b direct to ipad Thank you in advance

[JD-xoxz]

I owned an RD-88 several years ago, and loved everything about it except for what I found to be overly heavy keys for me. I never had much finger strength.

[nukenoly]

So good ❤Bought this after watching this video 😅

[Justdrawingit]

Can it be connected to an ipad to edit the sounds ?
And awesome video 🙏🏾🙌🏽

[f]

Thank you very much! Very useful review, You are the best in YT in that, for detailed information and honest comparisons!
Just a question: what's your opinion about CK88 compared to the RD88EX, for soul, gospel and rithm&blues music? I love dynamic sounds and I don't like piano sounds that are too short and harsh.
Thank you again for your job!

[EdPin_]

Yes! Visual storytelling.
Those few steps during the intro are magic.
Mrwhosetheboss often "drops in"
Joe Scott always "turns in"
and so on, examples are countless.
Camera work and editing will pay off
0:38 live performance
This insert is like exponentiation for the words 💯
0:51 live show environment
Again 😃
0:57 connectivity
Pictures flow with words, and it feels good.
1:01 this passage!
You guys are storytellers, it's almost cinematic.
5:47 dynamic look from the microphone perspective, there and back.
7:08 standing final thoughts
Very good, but here I would experiment with a different lens, can't put this in proper technical terms but it feels somewhat distorted - disjointed from all other shots. (I'm nitpicking here)
Anyway, you guys are going in the right direction, and it shows.
...
For the next year, I'm gonna throw at your wall all my confabulatory s#!t, wondering if anything sticks, will be prodding and poking with wild nonsense.
My force of disruptive uncertainty seems to spice your work quite well.
At least that's what I want to believe in...
Best wishes, live long and prosper

[ajaycbaby]

I prefer the Kurzweil SP7 stage piano. It samples a 9 foot german grand, has hammond organ with leslie, eps, string, pads, and more. Plus you can layer up to 16 voices at one time 256 poly notes, touchscreen. For $1499. It sounds amazing

[楽士-lh]

Should I buy this Roland piano? Or should I buy the CASIO pxs6000? I was torn, but I felt that the sound of the piano bounced on the Roland speakers. I think it would be fine if I connected it to an amplifier, and the added piano sounds are great. I always watch Stu's videos to decide whether to buy it or not. Thank you as always, Stu!

[andy]

I had the original RD88 and was excited when I first tried it but eventually had a couple of issues with it - clicking sound on many of the black notes...Was a grease issue and apparently a common problem with the PHA4 on these RD88s. And the SN piano sound was far inferior to the FP30X which I had before, despite it being tagged as SN - I wasnt really impressed. The decay on the RD88 piano sample was the main issue why ended up going back to the FP-30X. Additionally the speakers on the RD88s (6W x 2) are also rubbish compared to the FP30X (11W x 2). Theres hardly any difference in weight between these 2 models, all you're essentially adding for the RD88EX (compared to the RD88) is an additional piano sample, which from what I've read still is miles away from the piano sound on the FP-30X. If Roland are marketing the RD88 / RD88EX as a "stage piano" then why do you need the 3000+ zencore sounds ! Just my opinion.

[楽士-lh]

Always a great performance
Thank you for the review!

I'm from Japan
The keyboardist
Every time a new model comes out
I have to buy a new one...
I hope it can be used for many years like a guitar.
Improved piano sound
I think I can buy the app
I wish such a time would come
I think so.

[rhythmn]

does the rd88ex let you change the tuning (not the tranpose) from 440hz to like 441 or 439?

[tangopaparomeo]

Stu how does the PHA-4 action here compare to the PHA-50 action (e.g. on the FP 90X)? I know the key length is a bit shorter.