Roland EP-9 Digital Piano

A piano in surf music? Think Pipeline and Misirlou...

Roland EP-9 Digital Piano
...comments by Duke

     What a surprise to find an email asking about the Roland EP-9 Digital Piano! I wrote about it several years ago. I believe the piano has been out of production for some time, so I am surprized that there is still any interest. I decided to dust off this old review and update it a bit for those who may be looking for a low cost, high quality piano. They can still be found. I recently spotted some for sale on Ebay and Craigslist.

     The Roland EP-9 Digital Piano plays well and sounds excellent. The weighted keys feel similar to an acoustic piano. Throughout its 88-key range the EP-9 is smooth and accurate both in touch sensitivity and note production. I play everything from rock and blues to jazz and classical. The EP-9 is adept at most genres and never seems to be out of its element. Its 28 note polyphony keeps notes from being lost or chopped while playing arpeggios, glissandos and tremolos. It has a built-in recorder that allows you to record four different songs.

     The EP-9 has eight voices:

PIANO 1 (Grand Piano)
PIANO 2 (Mellow Piano)
E.PIANO (Electric Piano)
VIBRAPHONE
HARPSICHORD
ORGAN (Pipe Organ)
STRINGS
CHOIR

     If you're into Bach, you'll enjoy the Pipe Organ. It should be noted, though, that the only organ setting is the Pipe Organ. Keep this in mind if a more contemporary organ sound is important to you.

     If you press two settings at the same time the voices will be mixed together when you play. There's a chorus setting that sounds like several of the same instrument being played in ensemble.

     The piano has a reverb setting, a key transposing feature and a tuning knob that allows you to adjust the pitch.

     A pair of headphone jacks allow for quiet sessions. The extra jack might be handy for four-handed (duet) playing. It has built-in speakers and doesn't need an external sound source, unless you intend to perform in something larger than your house. Two output jacks are included so you can plug it into an amplifier if you want.

     The EP-9 also has a couple of input jacks that allow you to plug in an external sound source such as a CD or tape player. This is a neat feature because whatever is being input to the EP-9 will be mixed with what you play. It really helps when you want to practice or jam along with your favorite music.

     There's a damper jack for sustained notes and a soft jack for softened notes. Check to see if your prospective piano comes with the pedals.

     The EP-9 is MIDI capable.

     The Roland EP-9 is an excellent, durable, full 88-key piano. Mine has been in use for nearly 20 years and still works as well as the day it was purchased.

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SPECIFICATIONS as listed in the 1992 Owner's Manual:

KEYBOARD	88 weighted keys with touch-sensitivity.	KNOBS/SLIDERS	Tuning Knob (TUNE), Volume Control Slider (VOLUME), Piece Selection Slider (PIECE)

VOICES	Eight (Piano 1, Piano 2, Electric Piano, Vibraphone, Harpsichord, Organ, Strings, Choir)	CONNECTORS	AC Adaptor Jack (DC IN), MIDI Connectors (IN/OUT), Pedal Jacks (DAMPER/SOFT), Output Jacks (L(MONO)/R), INPUT Jacks (L(MONO)/R), Headphone Jacks X 2

EFFECTS	Chorus, Reverb	SPEAKERS	12cm X 2

RECORDER	Provides for recording and playback, as well as tempo changes. (Can record a maximum of 4 pieces, or approximately 1,600 notes)	OUTPUT	5W X 2

MASTER TUNING	+/- 50 cents	DIMENSIONS	1295(W) X 339(D) X 100(H) mm 51 (W) X 13 3/8(D) X 3 15/16(H) inch

BUTTONS	Tempo Adjustment Buttons (TEMPO), Recording Button (REC), Playback Button (PLAY) , Voice Buttons (PIANO 1, PIANO 2, ELECTRIC PIANO, VIBRAPHONE, HARPSICHORD, ORGAN, STRINGS, CHOIR), Chorus Button (CHORUS), Reverb Button (REVERB), Demonstration Button (DEMO), Power Switch (POWER)	WEIGHT	12kg 26.5 lbs (Without AC adaptor)

MAX. POLYPHONY	28 notes	POWER CONSUMPTION	1200mA (DC9V)

SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES	Damper Pedal, AC Adaptor, Music Stand, Keyboard Stand, Owner's Manual, MIDI Guidebook	OPTIONS	Headphones: RH-120, RH-80, RH-20 Pedals: DP-2, DP-6