Roland BK-5 Backing Keyboard

Full Description

Sound Generator

The BK-5 has been equipped with Roland's premium sound engine, packed with over 1,100 great sounds ranging from full and dynamic pianos, shimmering EP's, nuanced acoustic guitars and dozens of drum and percussion kits. The keyboard has a polyphony of up to 128 voices. It is also compatible with GM2, GS AND XG Lite for a wide range of voicing formats.

Rhythm Functions

The BK-5 has an advanced arranger fucntion which contains four intros, four endings, six fill-ins and four variations per style. Styles are organised into 6 groups to make it easy to find the style you're looking for. Each style also has four one-touch settings which provide preset voices to suit the selected style. You can also overwrite these settings to create your own manual voices.

The BK-5 Rhythm section is expandable, allowing you to load in styles from previous Roland arranger products such as the BK-7M, E-Series, G-Series, VA-Series and KR-series. For advanced users, all styles in the BK-5 can be completely revoiced using the advanced make up tool features, this includes two dedicated multi-fx processors allowing you total control over your sound.

Creative Control

In addition to playing MIDI Files with its internal sound generator, the BK-5 can also play and manipulate audio files. The MP3 or Audio WAV files are easy to play back from a USB stick for seamless backing track performance with your favourite artists. The BK-5's Center Cancel feature can be used to remove vocal lines from songs, meaning you play along with all your favourite tunes.

Complete global performance settings can be saved and named on a USB memory stick by the user; unlimited lists of up to 999 perfomance memories can be stored in one file on the memory stick, so you'll never lose your settings again!

USB Compatibility

To expand the capabilities of the BK-5, a USB port is provided so you can connect to your computer. Using the BK-5's USB MIDI capabilities you can control soft synths and record in your chosen DAW. USB storage is also available for the songs you record from your BK-5, transferring to Audio Files (WAV, 44.1KHz/16-bit linear format) on a USB storage device.

Features

• Self-contained, do-everything keyboard with auto-accompaniment engine and built-in sound system
• Wide selection of sounds, Music Assistants, and Rhythms that cover a wide landscape of musical genres (including East-Europe, Latin-America, Asia, and more)
• Friendly graphical user interface, with backlit LED display making it easy to see on the darkest stages
• Onboard effects, including reverb, chorus, EQ, multi-band compressor, and dozens of multi-effects
• Music rhythm compatibility with Roland BK-7m/E-series/ G-series/VA-series/KR-series instruments
• Compatible with backing formats (SMF, MP3, WAV, and Rhythm) directly from USB memory; instant audio recording onto USB memory
• Automatic chord detection of Standard MIDI Files
• Video output to share SMF/MP3 Lyrics with friends or the audience on an external screen

Specifications

• Keyboard: 61 keys (velocity sensitive)
• Display: 160 x 160 dots Graphic LCD (with backlight)

Sound Generator

• Max. Polyphony: 128 voices (GM2/GS/XG Lite compatible)
• Sounds: 1,172 tones, 60 Drum Sets
• Multitimbral parts: 3 real-time parts (UP1, UP2, LWR) + 16 song parts
• Master Tuning: 415.3 to 466.2 Hz
• Key Control (Transpose): -6 to +5 in semitones (for audio/MIDI data)
• Tempo change: 20 to 250 BPM for SMF and rhythms, 75 to 125 for mp3 and WAV files
• Part mute functions: TRACK MUTE (Rhythms, SMF), CENTER CANCEL (mp3, WAV, AUDIO INPUT signals)

Effects

• Real-time parts (UP1, UP2, LWR), Rhythms/SMF section
• Reverb: 8 types (selectable via Makeup Tools)
• Chorus: 8 types (selectable via Makeup Tools)
• MFX: 84 types for real-time parts (selectable via Tone Part MFX)
• MFX: A & B for rhythm and SMF section (selectable via Makeup Tools)
• Parametric EQ: 6 presets + 1 User memory
• Multi-band compressor: 6 presets + 1 User memory

Rhythm Section

• Rhythms: 305 in 6 "Rhythm" families (localized rhythms for specific areas are included in the WORLD 1 and WORLD 2 families)
• Rhythm Composer: Internal Rhythm Composer, SMF-to-Rhythm Converter provided as PC application (Windows) on the bundled CD-ROM
• One Touch memories: 4 programmable registrations per rhythm
• Rhythm Makeup Tools: Instrument-oriented editing

Songs

• Real-time player: SMF (Format 0/1), KAR, mp3, WAV, mp3+CDG
• Song chord extractor: Automatic chord detection for SMF files
• SMF Makeup Tools: Instrument-oriented editing

Performance Memories

• Performance Lists:
• Unlimited number (storage on USB memory)
• Over 500 "Music Assistant" memories (internal memory)
• 5 "Factory Song" memories (internal memory)