Roland RG 1 digital piano review

Most people seem to know Roland for amazing synths and gadgets that make outrageous claims, and actually deliver on those claims and more. There is no doubt that they have helped transform digital technology into musical equipment and are a heavyweight in their field. Ask 100 of the best bands from different musical genres about the equipment they have used or are using and you will find the Roland name many times over.

Due to their presence in the field of music technology with more performance-related instruments, their more traditional range of digital pianos can often be overlooked. The Roland RG-1 Baby Grand digital piano fits into this category for sure. To make comparisons with a similar product from another manufacturer, we should look at the Yamaha CLP 265 Baby Grand digital piano. Yamaha is a well-known brand, especially in digital pianos for the home. At the end of the day, Yamaha and Roland are extremely reliable brands, so there is no point in saying that one is better than the other, it is all subjective.

There is an argument that Yamaha digital pianos more accurately reflect the touch, feel, and sound of a real piano. Comparing the Roland RG1 to the Yamaha CLP 265, I’d be hard-pressed to find a huge gap in terms of sound quality or touch and feel. You would have to be a grade 8 concert pianist to tell the difference and again it will come down to your own preference.

In terms of features, there isn’t a huge difference apart from the RG1 having more sounds and having 128 note polyphony compared to the CLP 265’s 64. The extra polyphony will come in handy for those complex pieces you might play. The additional sounds are probably not that important as the main reason you will buy any of these instruments is for the piano sounds.

One thing I should point out is that both of these items are very heavy and when boxed they are very unwieldy. Never handle delivery yourself and make sure the retailer asks about your residence, ie do you live in a flat? What floor is it on? How wide are the stairs?

If you’re short on space at home or live in an apartment with narrow stairs, the Roland RG1 would be a better choice, as it’s a bit slimmer; however, be sure to check the dimensions and be realistic about whether you’ll be able to get the piano to your home without major renovations and without renting a tow truck.

If you need more details on the specifications of the Roland RG-1 digital piano, I would always recommend speaking to an official Roland dealer, of which there are a few in the UK. Umbrella Music is one of those distributors.

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