my FP5

Just received my Roland FP5. A very astounding machine. Much more than a simple portable piano. The GM2 midi implementation is very good. The keyboard is very reactive despite of a lightly reduced touch course. The pianos sounds are very good and a special wheel organ mode lead to fun rediscovery of many forgotten sounds. Not many buttons but many functions hidden behind combined sequences. Super effects from reverb to phaser like rotating loudspeaker. Pedal has a special half press sensitivity wich is great to give expressive music. I'm going to explore the midi world with the usb connection to my Mac. The only drawback is that the sequencer memory vanish when switched off. Flash memory could have been used to avoid this.

I have an FP5 as well, it is truly a well thought-out digital. The guitar and bebop voice sounds are great fun when company comes over. I've grown a bit dissatisfied with the piano samples however. I am partial toward 'Mellow Piano' #6 which is very Steinwayish in the mid/high treble, but the highest octave is ear-piercingly bright and there's just not enough dynamic range overall. I would like to check out the Technics P50 someday - not nearly as full-featured as the FP5 but I hear the piano sound is unbeatable.