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The Roger Nichols Gear Collection

Roland GW-8

Item ID: GW8

61-key Workstation with 128 Preset Sounds, 128-note Polyphony, Effects, Sequencer, and LCD Display

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Enhanced for the Performing Musician

The Roland GW-8 61-key keyboard workstation updates their GW-Series with even more features for the performing musician! To start, the GW-8 now boasts intelligent backing tracks for fast song-writing - each style has multiple intros, main patterns, and ending progressions across a wide span of genres. Plus, once you start composing a song, you can easily lay it out using the onboard 16-track sequencer. Play back tracks from USB flash memory onstage, and enjoy full-on performance control via D BEAM on the Roland GW-8.

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Roland GW-8 61-key Keyboard Workstation at a Glance:
  • Leading sound engine onboard
  • Intelligent backing styles
  • USB flash memory player
  • Style converter and playlist editor
  • Karaoke-style sing-along
  • Expressive performance controls
  • Onboard 16-track sequencer
  • Graphic LCD display

Leading sound engine onboard
The incredible sounds on the Roland GW-8 are fueled by Roland's flagship 128-voice sound engine derived from the renowned Fantom-X series. Roland chose the freshest and most essential sounds and took them directly from their top workstations.

Intelligent backing styles
It's up to you whether you use them as a launching pad for writing songs, or as backup for your one-man-band, but the GW-8 includes a wealth of backing styles to suit virtually any genre. Equipped with multiple intros, main patterns, and ending progressions for each style, the GW-8 makes it easy to craft and tailor your arrangements on the fly for even more expressive performances. The styles on the Roland GW-8 range from rock, jazz, contemporary pop, dance, and beyond, and it also includes a host of ethnic instrument sounds with a particular focus on Latin American genres.

USB flash memory player
The GW-8 becomes an even more dynamic performance tool thanks to its onboard USB memory player feature. Via a flash memory stick, you can play MP3, .WAV, AIFF, and SMF formatted files to act as pre-recorded backing vocals, ambiences, and more when you're out performing live on the stage.

Style converter and playlist editor
Another great benefit the GW-8 offers is a bundled style converter software program for PC. You can actually create your very own custom backing styles using MIDI data and then load them onto your GW-8 using a USB flash memory stick so they're right there and easy to trigger during performances. Plus, there's a Playlist Editor included as well that lets you customize the order of songs so you can create a special playlist for each gig.

Karaoke-style sing-along
The Karaoke-style feature on the GW-8 is a valuable tool for any musician performing covers on a regular basis, and also for when you want to brush up on your parts and rehearse without the band. Just load any pre-recorded song onto a USB flash memory key, plug it in, and click the GW-8's Center Cancel function. The GW-8 will instantly minimize the main vocals from pre-recorded songs so you can sing the part and play or add your own parts alongside the rest of the virtual "band."

Expressive performance controls
One hallmark of Roland keyboards is their true performer-friendly features, and the GW-8 boasts just that. Despite its affordable price, the GW-8 is equipped with advanced D BEAM functionality found on the high-end Roland keyboards and workstations. With D BEAM, you can actually wave your hand over an infrared beam of light to send various controller changes, depending on what function you've selected allowing for even more expressive, nuanced performances. Plus, the GW-8 includes a Style Select button for quickly switching between styles, as well as an Analog Modify knob so you can adjust and tweak sounds as you perform!

Onboard 16-track sequencer
Using the GW-8's onboard 16-track sequencer, you can easily save your entire interactive performances or even flesh out full compositions of new songs. Rather than basic 2- or 4-track sequencers, the GW-8's 16 tracks give you a lot more room to exercise your creativity - plus, there's advanced features such as input quantize, and punch in-out so you can really get inside your tracks.

Graphic LCD display
Whether you're playing in broad daylight or in a dimly lit club, the GW-8 makes it easy to see just what's happening on your keyboard with its large, white graphic LCD display and buttons that back-light when you have them currently selected.

Roland GW-8 61-key Keyboard Workstation Features:
  • 61 keys with velocity
  • Maximum polyphony - 128 voices
  • Parts - 16 parts, plus keyboard part
  • Wave memory - 256MB (16-bit linear equivalent)
  • Preset memory - Performances: 128, Tones: 896 + 256(GM2) + World, Rhythm Sets: 32 + 9 (GM2) + World
  • User memory - Performances: 128, favorite performances: 100, favorite tones: 100
  • Effects - MFX: upper and lower / 78 types, Chorus: 3 types, Reverb: 5 types
  • Back type - Style, song, USB memory player
  • Tempo (MIDI) - 20 to 250
  • Style variations - 4 intro, 4 main, 4 ending, 4 fill in, synch, start, stop, one-touch setting
  • Song recorder - 16-track, record mode (mix, replace), count in, punch in-out, input quantize
  • USB memory player - 999 songs, SMF: format-0/1, Audio File: WAV/AIFF/MP3
  • Preset memory - Styles: 130 + World
  • User memory - Styles: 100, Songs: 200
  • Controllers: D BEAM, Pitch/bend modulation lever, two control knobs
  • Display - 240 x 64 dots white graphic LCD
  • Output jacks - L/Mono, R
  • External input jack, hold pedal jack, control pedal jack
  • MIDI I/O
  • USB - supports USB MIDI and USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Flash Memory
  • Power supply - DC 9V (AC Adapter)
  • Current draw - 1,000 mA
  • Accessories - Owner's manual, CD-ROM (Style Converter 3.0, Playlist Editor), AC Adapter (PSB-1U), Music Player Pad, USB Memory Protector
  • Operating System Requirements - Windows XP Home SP2 or later / Windows XP Professional SP2 or later / Windows Vista (does not work with 64-bit Vista)
  • Dimensions - 41-3/16" W x 12-9/16" D x 4-1/16" H
  • Weight - 13 pounds, 4 ounces

The Roland GW-8 is the perfect lightweight workstation to take to the stage!

GW-8 Image Gallery

Specification Detail
Number of Keys 61
Built-in Speakers No
Polyphony 128 Notes
Number of Presets 896 + 256 (GM2) + World, Rhythm Sets: 32 + 9 (GM2) + Wor
Number of Effects 86
Effects Types Multi-FX, Reverb, Chorus
Sequencer 16-Track
USB USB MIDI and USB Memory (Audio & MIDI Playback)
Number of Audio Inputs 1
Audio Input Types 1 x 1/8"
Number of Audio Outputs 3
Audio Output Types 2 x TS, 1 x TRS (Headphones)
MIDI I/O Via USB
Pedal Inputs 1 x Sustain, 1 x Control
Power Supply AC Adapter Included
Height 4.06"
Width 41.19"
Depth 12.56"
Weight 13.25 lbs.
Manufacturer Part Number GW-8

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Reviews

based on 6 reviews

great all in one keyboard, great for solo performers

by yeraldin camacho from Fort Lauderdale
March 17, 2009
Music Background: Active Musician
The best piano sounds you will find for anything under 1 grand, piano sounds come from fantom G boards. 256 Megabytes of high quality wave data, most of them are great.usb player, fully arranger funct... read more [+]ion, good synth features as well. Lightweight, good construction and roland quality, keys are not the best, but feel good.
Brass section is impressive, pads, drums are very good, guitar(strings) voices respond to velocity. close [-]

one of the best keyboard i ever had

by sachin from India nagpur maharashtra
September 1, 2008
Music Background: synthesizer player
excellent synthesizer

know what you want / need

by roach from Texas
November 4, 2010
Music Background: Pro Musician
The reviews on this keyboard are all over the map. People either love it or hate it. So what's up with all that? First this keyboard has many great sounds on-board. People saying the piano sounds are ... read more [+]no good ~ I don't find that to be the case and I've owned/played Steinway'/Hammond/Rhodes/etc and the GW-8 has a big full sound set. As far as the key action goes - this is a synth and has a nice synth action. It's not a stage piano - it won't have a piano action or feel like a piano.

I bought this board to use in a duo. I wanted a board with quality sounds that could do backing tracks if needed. It needed to be light and easy to use. I demoed this board and a Yamaha PSR710 and I decided on the Roland because it was easier to use (way less buttons) and didn't have built-in speakers.

The board is a lot of fun to work with and the controls are actually laid out well. I didn't need the manual to get up and running. Go to YouTube and listen to some of the demos. For the $ this board has hundreds of great sounds, is easy to setup, can provide backing tracks and has a nice synth action. Do your homework and know what you're looking for - this a decent synth/workstation/arranger board and for the $ is a good value. close [-]

Not Much better for recording

by shino from Oman
August 26, 2009
Music Background: Pro musician
Sound quality of GW8 is OK. But when we go little deep Song recording is very difficult. Because we cannot use a tone from our favorite bank. That means we have to record each part with built in tones... read more [+] (without its effects). This is a great drawback of the kewboard. Roland's support to the customer is very poor. close [-]

Why Roland

by Jerry from
August 2, 2010
Music Background: Gospel, Jazz and Caribbean Music.
First the piano sound on this board are plain out horrible,the rhodes are ok organ to. The action makes playing difficult, especially Piano Playing.
Read more reviews

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See Also: Keyboard Arrangers , Roland , Roland Keyboard Workstations , Roland Professional Arranger Keyboards

Roland GW-8

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