In this article, we’ll be reviewing every aspect of Roland FP 30, providing detailed information about both the advantages and disadvantages of this digital piano.
Roland is one of the top instrument manufacturers that can compete with the Casio and Yamaha brands. There are several series of digital pianos from Roland, and the FP series is one of them that is famous for portability and professional performance.
Roland doesn’t have many digital pianos under $1000. Roland FP-30 is one of them that is popular among gigging musicians, beginners and intermediate players for its multiple realistic instrument sounds and other powerful features including authentic weighted action, Bluetooth connectivity, and internal recorder, etc.
An Overview of Roland FP-30
Roland FP-30 Specs
- An 88-key fully-weighted hammer-action digital piano with ivory feel
- Weighted action: PHA-4 Standard Keyboard Action
- Sound: SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine
- Touch sensitivity: 5 levels and off
- Polyphony: 128 notes
- Voices: 35 instrument sounds
- Modes: Dual, Split, Twin Piano (Duo)
- Educational Features: Music lessons available on Piano Partner 2
- Recording Function: Built-in 1-track recorder
- Connections: Built-in Bluetooth, USB to Host, USB to Device, sustain jack, 2 headphone jacks
- Speakers: 12 cm x 2
- Amplifiers: 11 W x 2
- Weight: 31 lbs (14.1 kg)
- Dimensions: 51.2″ wide x 11.2″ deep x 5.8″ high
- Accessories: AC Adaptor, A sustain pedal, Music Rest, Owner’s manual
- Colors: Black, White
General Review of Roland FP-30
This piano combines the premium quality, 88-key weighted action, and realistic sound, which you can get not only pleasant listening experiences but also feels authentic to the touch. The FP-30 gives you a close feel as playing on an acoustic piano and affordable price is very appealing.
Additionally, this digital piano is also marketed as one of the best stage pianos on the market. It offers acoustic piano sounds and several other high-quality instrument sound thanks to Roland’s SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine and a powerful speaker system. The portable design is great for taking it to gig and travel with, and also you can lug it from gig to gig.
Another outstanding feature would be connectivity. It comes with all the essential connectivity as well as an impressive built-in Bluetooth connectivity that is a function you don’t often see in this price range. You can use it to connect other devices wirelessly. Plus, Roland has created Piano Partner 2 for learning and operating.
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There are several features that you’ll find useful and help you to get inspired. Let’s dig them out in the following content.
Features of Roland FP-30
Roland FP-30 is a high-end digital piano with 88-key fully-weighted keys. What’re the main attributes of this digital piano and what does it offer?
There is no doubt that the two biggest parts of digital pianos are the sound quality and keys. So, let’s get started with these two factors.
1. Sound Quality
Roland FP-30 is equipped with Roland’s famous SuperNATURAL Piano engine. It has become one of the main features of Roland’s digital pianos, which generates impressive sound.
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Sound Engine
SuperNATUAL technology offers one of the finest piano sound samplings in the world of digital pianos, aiming to create natural sounds like the original instruments.
The sampling of all the instrument sounds (not only the piano sound) was recorded from original instruments that create the features and responsive aspects of each instrument. Also, every note was recorded multiple times at different velocity levels to capture nuances of playing dynamics, allowing the digital piano to respond naturally and expressively to every delicate touch.
The sound of Roland FP-30 doesn’t only depend on the samples. It’s also designed to offer great details of tonal character, string resonance and stereo width. Therefore, the sound can be generated with full of realism and expressiveness.
I was impressed by the sound of Roland FP-30 deeply when I first time played this digital piano. In my view, I like the sound mostly because the notes in the bass registers are rich and deep as well as the high notes are genuinely crisp and bright. I’ve ever played on multiple digital pianos and acoustic pianos. From my experiences of playing, the higher-end notes on some digital pianos and even acoustic pianos are very weak or too light to hear. However, all the higher-end notes on this digital piano possess a perfect sonority. It’s enjoyable to listen to the sound.
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Polyphony
Another thing that contributes to the quality of the sound is the polyphony number.
Polyphony number means the maximum number of notes a digital piano can produce simultaneously. It usually works with sustain pedal and sound effects. When you use sustain pedal, the notes need enough polyphony number to keep all the notes sounding as you continually add more notes. Additionally, sometimes a digital piano needs two notes for one key to generate sound because of the use of stereo samples.
Roland FP-30 is loaded with 128-note polyphony, which is the average of polyphony number on digital pianos in this price range.
Enough polyphony number allows you to become a more sensitive player. Therefore, the more, the better. For Roland FP-30, 128-note polyphony is an average number and it’s enough for beginners and intermediate players to play most songs except for some really complex classical pieces.
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Speakers
Roland FP-30 is equipped with 12 cm x 2 onboard speakers and 11 W x 2 amplifiers. It’s one of the shinning parts that contribute to the quality of the sound.
In this price range, most digital pianos are equipped with no more than 8 W x 2 amplifiers, such as Casio Privia PX-160, Yamaha P125, and Kawai ES110. The powerful speakers deliver more impressive and powerful sound.
Overall, Roland FP-30 comes with an authentic sound that satisfies players from all levels. It delivers rich sound and the higher-end notes have a perfect sonority thanks to the powerful speakers and the SuperNATURAL sound engine.
Watch the video below and you can feel how incredible the Sound of Roland FP-30 is.
2. Keys
Roland FP-30 comes with PHA-4 Standard Keyboard Action, which is a professional level of weighted action and key touch. It has been used in many more advanced digital pianos as well.
Weighted keys are that when you press the keys, there is some resistance responding to your finger and you can feel some natural weight.
It offers a progressive hammer action, which means you’ll have heavier touch in the low registers and the higher up the registers you go, the lighter it feels to hit the keys. This feature is to simulate the same feel as playing on an acoustic piano.
PHA-4 keyboard comes with ivory feel keys. It provides natural texture and tactile feel to your fingers while playing, which is way better than plastic feel to my view. Plus, ivory key surfaces can be a moisture-absorbing material that let you avoid slipping off the keys.
Besides, the PHA-4 standard action of Roland FP-30 uses three sensors to catch the dynamics of your playing, giving you authentic playing experience like real.
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Touch Sensitivity
Roland FP-30 comes with 5 levels of touch sensitivity. If you’ve been doing some researches of digital pianos, you probably have known that most digital pianos come with 3 levels touch-sensitive keys.
Touch sensitivity means the sound is not volume-controlled. The harder you press the key, the louder sound you’ll hear. So, you can feel melodies going up and down by hitting the keys harder or lighter. It’s important for players from all levels because every piece of music has weak tones and strong tones to express certain emotions.
Not only does it express certain emotions, but touch-sensitive keys can also be adjusted to suit your playing preferences.
To conclude, this technology of keyboard action is unbeatable in this price range. Roland FP-30 provides a superior feel of touch and authentic weighted action. I personally prefer the touch of Roland’s PHA-4 standard keyboard action rather than Yamaha’s famous GHS weighted action as it’s heavier and more realistic.
3. Design
From its appearance, Roland FP-30 looks modern and stylish. It has a clean board, there are not that many buttons to confuse you.
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Colors
Roland FP-30 is available in black and white finishes.
The black finish has a piano-like style. It looks like an exquisite upright digital piano on a furniture stand. And the white finish of Roland FP-30 looks stylish and modern.
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The Weight and Dimensions of Roland FP-30
Roland FP-30 is a digital piano from Roland’s FP series and it’s marketed as a stage piano. So, this model is designed to be portable and compact.
Though it’s slighter heavier than its competitors like Casio PX-160 or Yamaha P125, the FP-30 weights 31 lbs, which is considered to be great to take it with you anywhere without troubles.
Additionally, this model is compact as well. It’s ideal for fitting into small places. The dimensions of Roland FP-30 is 51.2″ wide x 11.2″ deep x 5.8″ high. Not like the weight of the FP-30, compared with its competitors, the size is smaller than others. If room space is one of your concern, it can be a solid option for you.
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Roland FP-30 Bundle
Roland FP-30 comes with several accessories:
- AC Adaptor
- A sustain pedal (DP-2)
- Music Rest
If you want to get more accessories to use, you should consider buying a bundle. Roland FP-30 has two bundles available on Amazon, the furniture bundle and the portable bundle.
In the furniture bundle, it includes:
- A furniture stand (KSC-72) & A furniture bench
- A three-pedal unit (KPD-90)
- An instructional DVD
- A dust cover & A polishing cloth
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By putting your Roland FP-30 on the furniture stand, you can get a delicate upright piano in your home. It could be a focal point that fit your room décor.
The sustain pedal (DP-2) doesn’t come with good quality. It could be fine for Beginner players but advanced players may struggle with it. Therefore, you probably need to buy a better pedal to use with your Roland FP-30. In this bundle, there is a three-pedal unit included. It is essential for players to get the same playing experiences as playing on an acoustic piano.
In the portable bundle, it includes:
- An X-style stand & An adjustable bench
- A sustain pedal (DP-10)
- An instructional DVD
- A dust cover & A polishing cloth
The portable bundle is a great choice for gigging musicians, it’s much easier to move around and you can use it on the stage.
The instructional DVD included allows you to get some tips for learning, which is great for beginners.
View the Portable Bundle on Amazon
4. Outstanding Features
There are several features of Roland FP-30 that you can’t often see in this price range.
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Roland FP-30 Bluetooth Connectivity
Roland FP-30’s Bluetooth connectivity is one of the most outstanding features that make it shines. You can use to wirelessly connect other devices like your tablet or computer.
By using Bluetooth, it could be very useful for using the digital piano with popular apps for learning, editing, and creating, etc.
As for MIDI, you can use it to work with MIDI music apps or music-editing software as a MIDI controller as well as transfer MIDI data to your computer without an adapter.
There are 2 headphone jacks on the front of the keyboard, allowing you to take piano lessons privately or play a duet.
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Roland Piano Partner 2
Roland has created an app called Piano Partner 2, which you can use it for free.
Piano Partner 2 offers many user-friendly and interactive functions. Firstly, you can use Flash Card on the app for learning music basics and your favorite songs. Flash Card offers an interactive game, allowing you to learn how to read notes on the staff and train your ears. There are 3 levels of difficulty for you to choose from. Secondly, there are many onboard songs and rhythms for playing along with or using as accompaniments that follows your chords. In addition, I think one feature that would be very useful is the ‘Diary’ function. It can capture and store your daily practice automatically. You can later review your performances or compare to your latest performance. The ‘Diary’ function can also collect data of your practice duration and all the songs you play. It could give direct summaries for you to track your progress.
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Instrument Voices
Roland FP-30 is loaded with 35 instrument voices, including:
- 4 Pianos (3 grand pianos, Ragtime Piano)
- 3 Electric Pianos
- 3 Strings (Decay strings)
- 2 Harpsichord
- 4 Organs (Jazz, Church)
- Vibraphone
- Other Voices (Thum Voice, Fingered Bass, Celesta, etc.)
Roland FP-30 provides a wide range of instrument voices for you to use and explore. Each of them comes with a high-quality original instrument sound.
Things You Need to Pay Attention to
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No Line Out Jacks
There is no line out jacks on Roland FP-30. It seems to be a real concern for some players, especially gigging musicians. But in this case, you can use one of the headphone jacks instead. So, it couldn’t be a dealbreaker.
Roland FP 30 vs Other Models
1. Roland FP-30 vs Yamaha P45
Yamaha P45 has been a super popular digital piano on the market because of its features and affordable price. This model is from Yamaha’s ‘P’ series which stands out for portability.
Well, these two digital pianos have sort of considerable difference. First of all, Yamaha P45 is an entry-level digital piano for beginners whereas Roland FP-30 is designed to be a mid-range digital piano for more advanced players.
Yamaha P45 is equipped with AWM sound engine which recreates the sound of an acoustic piano. But 64-note polyphony makes the sound less rich and spacious as opposed to the 128-note polyphony of Roland FP-30.
When it comes to the weighted action, Yamaha P45 uses Yamaha’s GHS which is marketed as an entry-level weighted action. But it may be too light for advanced players compared with the weighted action of Roland FP-30.
As for other functions, Roland FP-30 is loaded with many powerful functions, including built-in recorder, Bluetooth connectivity. In contrast, Yamaha P45 is mainly designed to have high-quality pianist essentials without bells and whistles to distract you.
Considering the price, the Yamaha P45 is about $250 cheaper than Roland FP-30. At the same time, there is an Amazon-exclusive model Yamaha P71, which is completely identical to the P45 yet the price is $300 cheaper than Roland.
If you’re looking for a digital piano for beginners, Yamaha P45 or P71 is really worth considering.
2. Roland FP-30 vs Yamaha P115
Yamaha P115 uses the Pure CF sound engine, which delivers realistic sound. The sampling was recorded from Yamaha’s famous CFIIIS Concert Grand Piano.
However, The P115 is criticized by some pianists for its weak speakers whereas Roland FP-30 is equipped with more powerful speakers. To my view, the sound of Roland FP-30 is brighter and crisper than the P115.
However, Yamaha P115 is being discontinued from 2019. But Yamaha released a new improved digital piano in 2018, which is Yamaha P125. It has inherited the advantages from Yamaha P115 having several improvements in sound and features.
3. Casio PX160 vs Roland FP-30
Casio PX 160 is an 88-key weighted digital piano from the Casio Privia line. It has been listed as one of the best digital pianos under $500.
Both digital pianos come with an impressive piano sound and a realistic weighted action. But the sound of Roland FP-30 is slightly more realistic than Casio PX-160 thanks to the powerful speakers.
As for other features, it’s difficult to say which one is better. Each digital piano comes with special features that suit players’ needs.
Casio PX-160 comes with Built-in lessons and ivory & ebony key surfaces. It also has a 2-track recorder whereas FP-30 only has a 1-track recorder. On the contrary, Roland FP-30 comes with Bluetooth connectivity and a powerful Piano Partner 2 app which you can’t find on Casio PX-160.
In addition, Casio PX-160 is slighter lighter than Roland, which weighs 25.5 lbs.
Overall, both digital pianos are portable and suitable for players from entry-level to intermediate and gigging musicians. Well, Casio PX-160 has a more affordable price. But if you want a digital piano with Bluetooth connectivity and more realistic sound, it’s ideal to go for Roland FP-30.
Roland FP-30 Review
Roland FP-30 Overall Score: 8.5
- Impressive high-quality sound
- Amazing weighted key action
- Ivory feel keys
- Powerful speakers
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Portable and compact design
- Built-in recorder
- Piano Partner 2.0 for learning and exploring
- No line out jacks
- No built-in lesson function for learning
- The weight is a bit heavier than its competitors
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Final Words
Roland FP-30 has one of the top-quality sounds among the digital pianos under $1000. There are many outstanding features on the digital piano with lots of hidden treasures locked as well.
It delivers superior sound quality and realistic hammer action for you to enjoy. Together with the powerful Piano Partner 2 app and Bluetooth, you can use this model for multiple uses.
Well, I’d recommend Roland FP-3o whether you are a beginner or an intermediate player. Additionally, it’s also a solid option for gigging musicians thanks to the portable design.
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