Over the past 30 years I have bought and sold several Roland "rompler" keyboards (XP80, JV90) and sound modules (U110, U220, XV3080, XV2020) and loved them all for different reasons. But I will never, never sell my XP30. I added the Orch II and Vocal expansion boards and use it for my live "orchestra" board. The unique ability to engage and disengage parts in Performance without the sound cutting off makes it the perfect instrument for seamlessly building orchestral layers on the fly. Plus, apart from the unfriendly pitch bender/mod lever, it is a high-quality MIDI (DIN-only) controller. The action of the XP30's semi-weighted keyboard can't be beat. It's snappy but quieter than say a DX7 keybed. And even the 4 assignable MIDI CC faders and foot switches come in handy, with the ability to assign the control to internal, external or both.
I just bought a xp30 near mint condition for 90 bucks ,it even has the two expansion cards installed .I'm still playing around with it and must say it's the best deal I ever got on a keyboard .I have several boards and controllers and synths but I'm really loving this xp30
I have two Roland XP-80s: One for my studio and one for my live performances. I also had an XP-30, but one night after a gig, a careless driver ran over it while I was loading my vehicle. It was one of my favorite keyboards, but it wasn't a total loss since I also have a JV-1010. I just purchased a XP-30 on ebay last week at the same price I paid many years ago used and I love the patches it has, since I have used this keyboard on several recordings I've done. In my opinion, this is one of the best keyboards Roland has produced. Long Live the XP-30. 🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹
The manual is amazing and tells how much the XP-30 is capable off. Not just soundwise... The arpeggio settings, from page 108 onwards, show just how deep you can go. The speed, note divisions, types like strum and slap bass patterns for instance, can all be adjusted to taste. And if you use layer mode, you can specify which part(s) play that arp and the others will not, which can lead tointeresting musical results! 🙂
hey n- a have a weird problem with the XP30. I have 2 external MIDI tracks in Logic - one sending midi channel 1, one sending channel 2 with the intentions on having different patches played on each track. But if I change the patch assignment on 1 track, the other track changes too!!! even though it's a different midi channel. This used to work for me, but I'm thinming it's something I've changed on the XP 30 that prevents exclusive patch assignments, or the XP 30 needs to be in Performance mode? Any ideas?
The XP-30 still is a great keyboard for all your Roland JV-sounds. Back in that time you could already hook it up to a pc, so a built-in sequencer wasn't really needed. The many patches was the main reason why I bought the XP-30. It has a great keybed and is easy to use and program. Just keep it out of the sun and heat (red epoxy glue under the keys) and it'll play for many years.
I still have my XP30 and use it in my studio and live performance. I have Vintage synths and Bass & Drums expansion boards. Still relevant for me in 2024!
I also have one too..along with a bunch of Roland modules 😄 JV1010,JV1080&XV3080 connected via Roland A880 Midi mixer to my PC, I even made a video about comparing the XP30 vs the new generation XPS30, if you think I'm really old-school I don't think so because right now I sequence on Cubase 12, I also use in my home studio the Korg Kronos (1st edition),Yamaha MODX,etc so maybe I keep the classic rompler for nostalgic reason 😁
Just using the presets is really scratching the surface with this board. Once you get your head around the architecture of the synth engine, it's incredibly powerful and you could spend a lifetime creating your own patches. Mine is expanded with the vintage synth and super sound set. Too many waveforms to choose from. Some say the sound of the XP30 is inferior to the JV models, but for me it sounds fine and sits well in the mix most of the time.
Great video and timely! I've had an XP-30 since about '99. Like you, a number of years ago I tried selling it and all I got was lowball offers that weren't worth considering. The sounds are pretty good, but IMO a bit scattered. I love the feel of the keys but I hate the pitch/mod stick, specially the way the mod works. So hard to push it up, and there's no leaving it in place, comes right back to 0. Love how you got the patch names up in Logic. Wondering how I could do something similar in Studio One. I also use Arturia V Collection and Analog Lab, and for sounds, it really has replaced the XP-30's internal sounds and I just use it as a controller now, which it's not the best at. Again, keybed is great, but only those 4 faders to assign and the pitch/mod control is pretty lousy. Thanks again, great video. Long live the XP-30!
I use a Novation LaunchKey 49 MK3 in the studio, but I’m looking for a good 61 key controller. After testing a lot of cheap keyboards, I’ve come to realize the XP 30 keys are pretty good. Wish somebody would make a 73 or 76 key device with semi-weighted, velocity sensitive with aftertouch….
The same reason you (and I) still own a Roland U-20? ;-) Hold on to your U-20 because WaveRex is introducing RS-PCM cards with USB connectivity so you can use and customise your own samples! I have high hopes for this because they already succesfully introduced PCM-cards for Korg's M1, T-series and Wavestation!
Cool! There are 3 keys on my U20 key-bed that are fluky, it’s difficult to sell, so I keep it as a sound module. I looked into new contacts to fix those keys and they’re not available. The only option would be to buy another U20 for parts. There is some overlap of patches between the XP30 and U20.
@@JeffyG As luck would have it, an XP-30 owner just a few kilometers from my place, has his up for sale. 🙂 Truth be told, that's how I found your very instructional video!
@@JeffyG Will do! I just sold my Korg Micro-X 2 weeks ago, so I'm still a bit on the fence. Do you use the SmartMedia card a lot for storing or backup to your Mac? Although FL Studio has been my DAW for the past 15 years, I keep an open mind. Found out there's a 90-day trial version of Logic I can run inside an OS-sandbox on pc, in case I'd like to use that with the XP-30. Also I'm partly disabled due to surgery on my left shoulder. Recovery is estimated at around 6 months. 🙂First 2 weeks almost passed, and it's slowly becoming less painful. (Thinking of) Creating music is a great outlet now.
@@Hyper5nic stick with FL Studio if that’s comfortable. Logic is very popular in Apple world, but I don’t think the DAW matters as much as your creative skills. I backup my Mac both to a local 8GB HD and via an iCloud account. The Apple iCloud eco-system makes it easy to share songs, presets, samples, loops, etc between my iPad, iPhone and MacBook. There is an editor (free) for the xp-30 that runs on Windows and MacOS. I’m just trying it out now, to see if enhances library and patch management,
I have the JV-1080 which is basically the module version of the XP-30 fitted with 4 SRJV expansion boards including the Orchestral card plus the JV-1080 is also compatible with Roland Sound Library PCM1 cards based on both U-220 and SN-U110 PCM card sounds ( I used to have the Super board but I swapped it out for another board ). I also recently bought the module version of the Roland U-20 the U-220 as well as 3 other modules including an Emu Proteus 2 plus 2 drum machines, an Alesis SR-16 and a Roland R-8 and since 2005 my Roland SC-88 Pro has been my main general midi sound module. The truth is I never stopped using sound modules and I have nearly always used my SC-88 Pro and Yamaha MU50 for arranging and converting midi files of public domain music like Christmas carols although for most other stuff I was moving more towards using VST instruments and working in the box for the past 3 years until I bought my Roland U-220 and this year I have done most of my music using only hardware even though some people may think it sounds dated. I personally use Mixcraft to sequence and render audio tracks from my sound modules, internal keyboard sounds, vocals and acoustic instruments. I personally think the Roland JV/XP still sounds good using only those sounds and maybe those sounds will make a comeback.
I bought mine new in 2000 and used it live. It came with the standard 3 expansion boards, but I guess there’s 2 more slots open. Where would I look for 2 more expansion boards? Used? 3rd party?
@@JeffyG eBay is the place to go for these JV expansion boards. Easily $200+ a piece. Wish I'd bough some of these when they were still on the market. I really want the Vintage Synths one.
That is pretty neat that you can select sounds through Logic. I have FL Studio, would I be able to do the same? I have a Roland JV1000. I probably should not have bought it, but I wanted one when I was a kid and never got it, so I indulged as an adult.
Well.. it’s likely a bit out of the ordinary but here we are 2023 and I’m considering one 😂😂😅 ..which brings me to my question. I am looking solely for XV-5080 and JV-1080 sounds, but don’t want the racks. More so the Multisampled sounds. do we get those sounds with the XP30?
@@JeffyG are there any expansion boards left? I’m sure they don’t still manufacture them but is there some third party company that’s so absolutely in love with these boards that they still make them? Also, have you ever compared the quality of sound this board to that of Roland cloud? Do you hear a difference?
I haven’t produced music since the 90’s. But I still have a u20, an xp30, a tascam 2488, plus an mpc2500. What can I get for my equip if I sell it? , and if I get back into music, besides a new laptop, should I use my old stuff or just start fresh with new technology ?
Great question: It really depends on where you live. In large cities much of your gear is surprisingly in-demand. I check prices on Facebook Marketplace but eBay and Reverb are good too. U20 = $400, XP30 = $400, Tascam 2488 = $300, MPC2500 = $1100. If you’re most skilled with a Windows laptop, Cakewalk is free, as is Waveform 12. You can also download 100s of free virtual instruments and plugin FX. There are also limited versions of the most popular DAWs, Ableton Live Lite and MPC Beats. Regardless, you’ll need an audio interface, headphones, possibly powered studio monitors and a midi controller keyboard (even if you’re a guitar player). I’d budget $1000 for the hardware.
@@JeffyG thanks for the response bro. I’m in South Florida. West palm area so not too far from ft Lauderdale and Miami. I can use windows or apple but I’m going with a MacBook Pro. What’s your advice on working with the old stuff vs going new technology or maybe some combination?
@@mistahmj1275 MacBook Pro is a good choice. In that case, I’d recommend Logic X as your DAW. For $199 it includes dozens on great quality instruments and plugin FX and 72GB of samples and loops - it’s everything you need. The XP 30 is a good sound source, if you like Roland sounds. I personally don’t think the U20 is useful. Same with the Akai MPC, it’s too old. If you like the MPC workflow, consider the Akai MPC Studio. The Tascam is cool nostalgic, but not worth keeping, unless you need an old mixer. Even then, most audio interfaces come with a virtual mixer (and Logic has a useful mixer built in). The Audient audio interfaces are great value with high specs - or - you can go high end with UA Apollo’s like the Twin or x4. Since your MacBook Pro is new, consider a Thunderbolt based interface, or at least USB-C and ideally one with ADAT, in case you want to expand the number of inputs.
This song makes extensive use of the XP 30 open.spotify.com/track/0UckhMz3zP8tUYoaTURqSy?si=YiJiDldnRy6o3-X2cZwlGg
Over the past 30 years I have bought and sold several Roland "rompler" keyboards (XP80, JV90) and sound modules (U110, U220, XV3080, XV2020) and loved them all for different reasons. But I will never, never sell my XP30. I added the Orch II and Vocal expansion boards and use it for my live "orchestra" board. The unique ability to engage and disengage parts in Performance without the sound cutting off makes it the perfect instrument for seamlessly building orchestral layers on the fly. Plus, apart from the unfriendly pitch bender/mod lever, it is a high-quality MIDI (DIN-only) controller. The action of the XP30's semi-weighted keyboard can't be beat. It's snappy but quieter than say a DX7 keybed. And even the 4 assignable MIDI CC faders and foot switches come in handy, with the ability to assign the control to internal, external or both.
I just bought a xp30 near mint condition for 90 bucks ,it even has the two expansion cards installed .I'm still playing around with it and must say it's the best deal I ever got on a keyboard .I have several boards and controllers and synths but I'm really loving this xp30
I have two Roland XP-80s: One for my studio and one for my live performances. I also had an XP-30, but one night after a gig, a careless driver ran over it while I was loading my vehicle. It was one of my favorite keyboards, but it wasn't a total loss since I also have a JV-1010. I just purchased a XP-30 on ebay last week at the same price I paid many years ago used and I love the patches it has, since I have used this keyboard on several recordings I've done. In my opinion, this is one of the best keyboards Roland has produced. Long Live the XP-30. 🎹🎹🎹🎹🎹
The manual is amazing and tells how much the XP-30 is capable off.
Not just soundwise... The arpeggio settings, from page 108 onwards, show just how deep you can go.
The speed, note divisions, types like strum and slap bass patterns for instance, can all be adjusted to taste. And if you use layer mode, you can specify which part(s) play that arp and the others will not, which can lead tointeresting musical results! 🙂
hey n- a have a weird problem with the XP30. I have 2 external MIDI tracks in Logic - one sending midi channel 1, one sending channel 2 with the intentions on having different patches played on each track. But if I change the patch assignment on 1 track, the other track changes too!!! even though it's a different midi channel. This used to work for me, but I'm thinming it's something I've changed on the XP 30 that prevents exclusive patch assignments, or the XP 30 needs to be in Performance mode? Any ideas?
The XP-30 still is a great keyboard for all your Roland JV-sounds. Back in that time you could already hook it up to a pc, so a built-in sequencer wasn't really needed. The many patches was the main reason why I bought the XP-30. It has a great keybed and is easy to use and program. Just keep it out of the sun and heat (red epoxy glue under the keys) and it'll play for many years.
I still have my XP30 and use it in my studio and live performance. I have Vintage synths and Bass & Drums expansion boards. Still relevant for me in 2024!
I also have one too..along with a bunch of Roland modules 😄 JV1010,JV1080&XV3080 connected via Roland A880 Midi mixer to my PC, I even made a video about comparing the XP30 vs the new generation XPS30, if you think I'm really old-school I don't think so because right now I sequence on Cubase 12, I also use in my home studio the Korg Kronos (1st edition),Yamaha MODX,etc so maybe I keep the classic rompler for nostalgic reason 😁
Sounds very cool! You clearly enjoy those Roland sounds 😁
@@jeffagoddard that's because I can't afford a Nord lol 😆
Funny how I stumbled upon this video while I coincidentally acquired one! Lol
Just using the presets is really scratching the surface with this board. Once you get your head around the architecture of the synth engine, it's incredibly powerful and you could spend a lifetime creating your own patches. Mine is expanded with the vintage synth and super sound set. Too many waveforms to choose from. Some say the sound of the XP30 is inferior to the JV models, but for me it sounds fine and sits well in the mix most of the time.
XP-30 sounds better than the JV series in my opinion too!
Because it just sounds better than the later models
Great video and timely! I've had an XP-30 since about '99. Like you, a number of years ago I tried selling it and all I got was lowball offers that weren't worth considering. The sounds are pretty good, but IMO a bit scattered. I love the feel of the keys but I hate the pitch/mod stick, specially the way the mod works. So hard to push it up, and there's no leaving it in place, comes right back to 0.
Love how you got the patch names up in Logic. Wondering how I could do something similar in Studio One.
I also use Arturia V Collection and Analog Lab, and for sounds, it really has replaced the XP-30's internal sounds and I just use it as a controller now, which it's not the best at. Again, keybed is great, but only those 4 faders to assign and the pitch/mod control is pretty lousy.
Thanks again, great video. Long live the XP-30!
I use a Novation LaunchKey 49 MK3 in the studio, but I’m looking for a good 61 key controller. After testing a lot of cheap keyboards, I’ve come to realize the XP 30 keys are pretty good. Wish somebody would make a 73 or 76 key device with semi-weighted, velocity sensitive with aftertouch….
The same reason you (and I) still own a Roland U-20? ;-)
Hold on to your U-20 because WaveRex is introducing RS-PCM cards with USB connectivity so you can use and customise your own samples!
I have high hopes for this because they already succesfully introduced PCM-cards for Korg's M1, T-series and Wavestation!
Cool! There are 3 keys on my U20 key-bed that are fluky, it’s difficult to sell, so I keep it as a sound module. I looked into new contacts to fix those keys and they’re not available. The only option would be to buy another U20 for parts. There is some overlap of patches between the XP30 and U20.
@@JeffyG As luck would have it, an XP-30 owner just a few kilometers from my place, has his up for sale. 🙂 Truth be told, that's how I found your very instructional video!
@@Hyper5nic Neato! If you get it, let me know. I’ll send you my environment file with all the patch names, if you use Logic.
@@JeffyG Will do! I just sold my Korg Micro-X 2 weeks ago, so I'm still a bit on the fence. Do you use the SmartMedia card a lot for storing or backup to your Mac?
Although FL Studio has been my DAW for the past 15 years, I keep an open mind. Found out there's a 90-day trial version of Logic I can run inside an OS-sandbox on pc, in case I'd like to use that with the XP-30.
Also I'm partly disabled due to surgery on my left shoulder. Recovery is estimated at around 6 months. 🙂First 2 weeks almost passed, and it's slowly becoming less painful.
(Thinking of) Creating music is a great outlet now.
@@Hyper5nic stick with FL Studio if that’s comfortable. Logic is very popular in Apple world, but I don’t think the DAW matters as much as your creative skills. I backup my Mac both to a local 8GB HD and via an iCloud account. The Apple iCloud eco-system makes it easy to share songs, presets, samples, loops, etc between my iPad, iPhone and MacBook. There is an editor (free) for the xp-30 that runs on Windows and MacOS. I’m just trying it out now, to see if enhances library and patch management,
I have the JV-1080 which is basically the module version of the XP-30 fitted with 4 SRJV expansion boards including the Orchestral card plus the
JV-1080 is also compatible with Roland Sound Library PCM1 cards based on both U-220 and SN-U110 PCM card sounds ( I used to have the Super
board but I swapped it out for another board ). I also recently bought the module version of the Roland U-20 the U-220 as well as 3 other modules
including an Emu Proteus 2 plus 2 drum machines, an Alesis SR-16 and a Roland R-8 and since 2005 my Roland SC-88 Pro has been my main general
midi sound module. The truth is I never stopped using sound modules and I have nearly always used my SC-88 Pro and Yamaha MU50 for arranging
and converting midi files of public domain music like Christmas carols although for most other stuff I was moving more towards using VST instruments
and working in the box for the past 3 years until I bought my Roland U-220 and this year I have done most of my music using only hardware even though
some people may think it sounds dated. I personally use Mixcraft to sequence and render audio tracks from my sound modules, internal keyboard sounds,
vocals and acoustic instruments. I personally think the Roland JV/XP still sounds good using only those sounds and maybe those sounds will make a
comeback.
Really cool! Somebody told me there’s a 3rd party making sound cards and expansions for the U20?
I still have mine because I paid too much for it. Not selling it for peanuts now. Oh and I love the vocal expansion board.
I bought mine new in 2000 and used it live. It came with the standard 3 expansion boards, but I guess there’s 2 more slots open. Where would I look for 2 more expansion boards? Used? 3rd party?
@@JeffyG yes. Used. Got mine off ebay. Yes only two slots spare I think.
@@JeffyG eBay is the place to go for these JV expansion boards. Easily $200+ a piece. Wish I'd bough some of these when they were still on the market. I really want the Vintage Synths one.
Its 600 worth. Its a populair synth.
Strange that they say its not good sold
That is pretty neat that you can select sounds through Logic. I have FL Studio, would I be able to do the same? I have a Roland JV1000. I probably should not have bought it, but I wanted one when I was a kid and never got it, so I indulged as an adult.
Yes - I believe FL has a Midi Out Plugin, but you might have to type in all the patch names manually. czcams.com/video/xRRaeCw7P2Y/video.html
I still have one too
Do you use it?
Well.. it’s likely a bit out of the ordinary but here we are 2023 and I’m considering one 😂😂😅 ..which brings me to my question. I am looking solely for XV-5080 and JV-1080 sounds, but don’t want the racks. More so the Multisampled sounds. do we get those sounds with the XP30?
Yes!
@@JeffyG are there any expansion boards left? I’m sure they don’t still manufacture them but is there some third party company that’s so absolutely in love with these boards that they still make them? Also, have you ever compared the quality of sound this board to that of Roland cloud? Do you hear a difference?
@@0072gldnfngr I have the minimum Roland Cloud account with Zenology but haven’t done a proper comparison. That’s a great idea!
I have Xp 60...
I haven’t produced music since the 90’s. But I still have a u20, an xp30, a tascam 2488, plus an mpc2500. What can I get for my equip if I sell it? , and if I get back into music, besides a new laptop, should I use my old stuff or just start fresh with new technology ?
Great question: It really depends on where you live. In large cities much of your gear is surprisingly in-demand. I check prices on Facebook Marketplace but eBay and Reverb are good too. U20 = $400, XP30 = $400, Tascam 2488 = $300, MPC2500 = $1100. If you’re most skilled with a Windows laptop, Cakewalk is free, as is Waveform 12. You can also download 100s of free virtual instruments and plugin FX. There are also limited versions of the most popular DAWs, Ableton Live Lite and MPC Beats. Regardless, you’ll need an audio interface, headphones, possibly powered studio monitors and a midi controller keyboard (even if you’re a guitar player). I’d budget $1000 for the hardware.
@@JeffyG thanks for the response bro. I’m in South Florida. West palm area so not too far from ft Lauderdale and Miami. I can use windows or apple but I’m going with a MacBook Pro. What’s your advice on working with the old stuff vs going new technology or maybe some combination?
@@mistahmj1275 MacBook Pro is a good choice. In that case, I’d recommend Logic X as your DAW. For $199 it includes dozens on great quality instruments and plugin FX and 72GB of samples and loops - it’s everything you need. The XP 30 is a good sound source, if you like Roland sounds. I personally don’t think the U20 is useful. Same with the Akai MPC, it’s too old. If you like the MPC workflow, consider the Akai MPC Studio. The Tascam is cool nostalgic, but not worth keeping, unless you need an old mixer. Even then, most audio interfaces come with a virtual mixer (and Logic has a useful mixer built in). The Audient audio interfaces are great value with high specs - or - you can go high end with UA Apollo’s like the Twin or x4. Since your MacBook Pro is new, consider a Thunderbolt based interface, or at least USB-C and ideally one with ADAT, in case you want to expand the number of inputs.
I have one….no regrets….
You also still have a U-20 ? Actually, it has a real nice keybed if you don't have the red glue issue.
I do. I should do a review and walkthrough of the U20.
i want sir