Andrew
The piano room is as you say really just a different interface. There is no additional technology on the accompaniment, but it does set the instrument up for playing accompanied two handed piano in a single button press, like a super sophisticated registration. It is also a neat graphic and as well as setting up the CVP it gives a reduced list of styles, easily selectable on the graphic, which are specifically chosen to be suitable to back full piano playing.
But it also has some limitations, that don’t exist when you set up using the normal interfaces. For example, you can’t access all the styles, or use custom styles, or start the accompaniment without the one bar metronome sounding first. That last sounds like a small issue but playing an intro or verse freestyle, then kicking in rhythm is a pretty normal pro piano player technique and you can’t do it in Piano Room without that one bar metronome.
There are other downsides, but on balance, it’s a neat interface that some will like, maybe especially people new to arrangers. It would not in itself influence me to buy a CVP because I hardly use it, but I have to admit it seemed really neat when I first tried it in the showroom, so maybe it did influence me!
The big advantages of the CVP ………Piano Room isn’t one of them ……
It’s close to a real piano - good sound, good feel, great for playing/recording two handed piano with full accompaniment.
It’s a nice self contained piece of furniture
It gets rid of the studio / lab look of the portable arranger (which my wife hated)
It still has most of the features of an arranger, certainly all I need.
Downsides -
Price - high compared to TOTL arrangers, (but not compared to quality acoustic pianos)
Not portable
Takes up space - (although that might be an upside for some ??)
Not the right tool for people who want to use the arranger it for very sophisticated music recording and production with connectivity to other equipment like computers, workstations, mixers, sound systems and so on.
I chose it because it suits my needs, and liked it so much I bought a second one. It’s a unique product because there is really no equivalent from other suppliers.
Mike
