A contemporary music workstation with intelligent backing-track functionality.

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The Roland GW-8 keyboard is the next generation of Roland's GW-series workstations with intelligent backing-track functionality. With its fresh, contemporary sound-set and expressive musical styles from pop to rock, plus authentic ethnic styles and a multi-format USB Memory Player feature, the GW-8 workstaton will bring a world of music to your fingertips.The Roland GW-8 is especially well-suited for one-man-band performances.

Flagship Sound Engine with Easy User Interface

Having Roland's renowned sound technology at its core, the GW-8 rivals its peer workstations with its rich, expressive sound. The GW-8 comes loaded with hundreds of the freshest and most essential sounds culled from Roland's top sound modules. In addition to its authentic sound set, the GW-8 is equipped with many user-friendly control devices, such as the expressive D BEAM and the Analog Modify knob, which instantly adjusts sounds to suit your taste. The GW-8 is perfect for live entertainers who play multiple roles in their performances.

Intelligent Backing Styles

The GW-8 is packed with a huge collection of styles, representing a broad range of music genres, from contemporary rock, pop, dance, jazz, and beyond. The excellent library of contemporary sounds and styles is accompanied by ethnic instrument sounds and authentic regional musical styles. Each backing style has four intros, four main patterns, and four ending progressions for you to craft your own arrangements live.

USB Memory Player Feature

The GW-8 also has one of Roland's most popular features is built into it—the Multi-format Song Player that allows song data to be played directly from USB Flash memory (accepts MP3, WAV, AIFF, and SMF format). It also has a Center Cancel function that minimizes main vocals from pre-recorded songs for karaoke-style performances or music practice.

Style Converter & Playlist Editor

Bundled with each GW-8 is Roland's Style Converter software for PC, which lets you convert your own MIDI data into GW-8 backing styles via commercially available USB Flash memory devices. Also included is the Playlist Editor for customizing the order of songs. Users can easily create a dedicated Playlist for each gig.

Roland GW-8 Keyboard Workstation Features:

Contemporary music workstation with high-quality 128-voice sound engine derived from Roland's renowned sound-module lineup
Wide variety of contemporary sounds and intelligent backing styles, plus additional banks of ethnic sounds and styles from around the world
USB Memory Player feature allows direct playback of MP3, WAV, AIFF, and SMF files from USB key; Center Cancel feature for audio files enables karaoke-style singalong
Newly designed graphical display, plus Style Select button, Analog Modify knob, and D BEAM
Style Converter and Playlist Editor software included
Onboard 16-track sequencer for saving your interactive performances
61 keys (with velocity)

Sound Generator:
Maximum Polyphony: 128 voices
Parts: 16 parts + 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

Backing Track:
Backing type: Style, Song, USB Memory Player
Tempo (MIDI): 20 to 250
Style variations: 4 Intro, 4 Main, 4 Ending, 4 Fill In, Sync Start, Stop, One Touch Setting
Song (16-track Recorder): 16-track, Rec 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

Other:
Controllers: D BEAM Controller x 1, Pitch Bend/Modulation Lever x 1, Control Knobs x 2
Display: 240 x 64 dots white graphic LCD
Connectors: Output jacks (L/MONO, R), Ext Input jack, Headphones jack, MIDI connectors (IN, OUT), Hold Pedal jack, Control Pedal jack, USB connectors: Computer (supports USB MIDI) / Memory (supports USB 2.0 Hi-Speed Flash Memory)

Accessories:
Owner's manual
CD-ROM, (Style Converter 3.0, Playlist Editor)
AC Adaptor (PSB-1U)
Music layer pad
USB memory protector
USB (MIDI)

Roland GW-8 Keyboard Workstation Specifications:

Operating System:
Windows: XP Home SP2 or later/Windows XP Professional SP2 or later/Windows Vista (does not work with the 64-bit Edition of Windows Vista)
Power supply: DC 9 V (AC Adaptor)
Current draw: 1,000 mA

Dimensions: 41-3/16"W x 4-1/16"H x 12-9/16"D
Weight: 13 lbs. 4 oz.