Topic: Help configuring Roland LX-708

Hi,

I would greatly appreciate any pointers on the correct setup of Roland LX-708 with Pianoteq.

Here are some specific questions that I have:
* Do I need any special MIDI mapping or I should keep it at the minimum?
* In my piano settings, Roland offers some configuration of touch sensitivity. I assume I should keep it at 50 (middle point) -- I see messing with it greatly affects the outcome

Are there any other settings I should tweak?

Re: Help configuring Roland LX-708

What a perfect combination!!! Roland LX708 action with Pianoteq!!! There is no better out there!!! I can't help you at your first question, as I am not familiar with Roland (I have a Yamaha CSP-170), but I know that Phil Best has the same set with you. Check him on YouTube, he is great. But for the second question about sensivity, leave the roland to 50 (middle I suppose) and set the Pianoteq's velocity curve. Check some here:

https://www.modartt.com/velocity_curves

Re: Help configuring Roland LX-708

aoganesi wrote:

Hi,

I would greatly appreciate any pointers on the correct setup of Roland LX-708 with Pianoteq.

Here are some specific questions that I have:
* Do I need any special MIDI mapping or I should keep it at the minimum?
* In my piano settings, Roland offers some configuration of touch sensitivity. I assume I should keep it at 50 (middle point) -- I see messing with it greatly affects the outcome

Are there any other settings I should tweak?

I use a HP507, older Roland model.
I didn't change anything except the sensitivity I set to 45. With the staight velocity curve in Pianoteq, it works well for me.

Re: Help configuring Roland LX-708

I appreciate all the responses to guide me to a better solution and I feel I need to state my objectives and questions more clearly (attempting that below)

My Objective

  • Achieve a configuration of my setup that would allow me to practice and develop a technique applicable to playing an actual instrument (I am hoping to get a real piano in a couple of years)


My Setup

  • Roland LX-708

  • Macbook Air running Pianoteq 7

Questions

  • What Key Touch setting should I set in Roland settings? (even the smallest changes there affect how the keyboard responds to piano touch)

  • I made several attempts to calibrate in Pianoteq, but the result is not good. By watching MIDI values I can see that my keyboard's top range depends on the Key Touch setting (e.g. when it's set in the middle between Light and Heavy, top MIDI value is no more than 90, when I make touch lighter the top MIDI value grows all the way to 126). Another concern during my attempts to calibrate is the pedal. The pedal is variable, but it exhibits strange behavior when trying to achieve a "half-pedal" state. Is this normal that when depressing the pedal for what feels like 10% I immediately get MIDI values of 60-70? Anything after that gets me to 126? Should this be accounted for in calibration?

  • In Pianoteq I find that "sustain pedal noise" is completely insufferable -- it's way too loud and very distracting, so I completely turn it off. Is this normal? Is this somehow related to how my pedal is calibrated?

  • I mostly listen through headphones (plugged into Macbook), but I would like to occasionally be able to play through piano speakers. It seems that direct stereo connection from the laptop to the piano lacks the power -- the sound is not loud. Would you recommend any particular amplifier for this purpose?

  • Given my objective, are there any other aspects that I should change in Pianoteq?

Re: Help configuring Roland LX-708

aoganesi wrote:

Questions

  • What Key Touch setting should I set in Roland settings? (even the smallest changes there affect how the keyboard responds to piano touch)

  • I made several attempts to calibrate in Pianoteq, but the result is not good. By watching MIDI values I can see that my keyboard's top range depends on the Key Touch setting (e.g. when it's set in the middle between Light and Heavy, top MIDI value is no more than 90, when I make touch lighter the top MIDI value grows all the way to 126). Another concern during my attempts to calibrate is the pedal. The pedal is variable, but it exhibits strange behavior when trying to achieve a "half-pedal" state. Is this normal that when depressing the pedal for what feels like 10% I immediately get MIDI values of 60-70? Anything after that gets me to 126? Should this be accounted for in calibration?

  • In Pianoteq I find that "sustain pedal noise" is completely insufferable -- it's way too loud and very distracting, so I completely turn it off. Is this normal? Is this somehow related to how my pedal is calibrated?

  • I mostly listen through headphones (plugged into Macbook), but I would like to occasionally be able to play through piano speakers. It seems that direct stereo connection from the laptop to the piano lacks the power -- the sound is not loud. Would you recommend any particular amplifier for this purpose?

  • Given my objective, are there any other aspects that I should change in Pianoteq?

For the keyboard
1. Set the sensitivity so that you can play values from 0-15 when you play very soft to 115-127 when you play very hard. You can see that on Pianoteq. On my Roland the sensitivity is set to 45. The factory value is 50.
2. Adjust slightly the velocity curve in Pianoteq to suit your need by hearing. If the sensitivity setting is ok, this velocity curve adjustment should be minimal.
3. Adjust the Dynamic slider to achieve a realistic sensation. For me, I use values between 37 and 39.
4. Re adjust the velocity curve if needed.

For the pedal
The half pedaling is a difficult effect to use on acoutic pianos.
And yes, the values are growing rapidly when the pedal is depressed. The factory setting on Pianoteq is ok for me.

For the pedal noise
Yes, I also find the factory setting to loud. But it's true that on some pianos, you can also hear it clearly.
I use most of time a value of -5dB. On the U4, I set this noise to -9dB.
Even the keyboard noise is a bit loud for me. I set it generally to -4dB.

For the output power when you plug it to your DP
An external soundcard could be helpfull for that purpose

Last edited by stamkorg (10-11-2021 09:13)