Comments on: Roland C-30 Digital Harpsichord

By: Fred

Fred — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:16:10 +0000

When, when, when will this damn thing be available for sale in the US?

By: JohnC

JohnC — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:13:57 +0000

That is really cool. I'm a little disappointed that they haven't come out with a real double-manual harpsichord though. That would be really useful.

By: LifeOnEight

LifeOnEight — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 21:10:23 +0000

The aforementioned Roland C-230 has just appeared on the Roland web site: http://www.roland.com/products/en/C-230/index.html

By: synthhead

synthhead — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:22:16 +0000

I haven’t heard anything about the Roland C-230 yet – sounds like you were treated to a sneak preview!

By: LifeOnEight

LifeOnEight — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:48:09 +0000

Earlier today I saw a demonstration of the Roland C-30 digital harpsichord (or “clavecin numérique” as they say here in France) at the Musicora 2009 exhibition at the Carrousel du Louvre. Firstly, just as a disclaimer: I’m no expert, nor even an enthusiast; in fact, I had never put my hands on a real harpsichord until today. I was quite impressed by the sound of the C-30 under the hands of the talented player there today. I can imagine that this instrument (or should I say “device”?) is ideal for those who live in abodes with high temperature and humidity variations (which can reap havoc on the tuning of an authentic harpsichord) — such as Parisian apartments without air-conditioning in the summer! There’s something about the sound of a harpsichord; one of the only instruments where, if you close your eyes, it invariably transports you back several centuries. The fact that it has MIDI and other goodies almost makes a neophyte like me want to get one!

By the way, there was also another device being demonstrated at this Roland session today: a Roland C-230. It’s a digital organ with a few harpsichord settings too. Apparently, or so it was claimed, it was bieng played for the first time today in front of a public audience. I can’t find any reference of this instrument on Roland’s site, so I would tend to believe that claim…

By: JohnC

JohnC — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:04:41 +0000

I just got one! It’s a really nice instrument, and gives me th ability to play harpsichord music without the need for the space that a double-manual instrument would take.

I actually own a small Italian polygonal virginal, an unfretted late German clavichord, and a grand piano so fitting a French or Flemish double and a fortepiano in the house would be kind of difficult. The sound is very reailistic, and the touch is very close.

By: synthhead

synthhead — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:36:55 +0000

The C-30 has a great feel, looks good and sounds like a real harpsichord.

By: synthwidow

synthwidow — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:53:33 +0000

While the cherubim inside the lid were a little over-the-top, the c-30 is the first thing I’ve ever played that sounded and felt like an actual harpsichord… other than a real harpsichord.

Also, that’s a nice picture of me. Doesn’t my hair look nice?

Do you really see it having a customer base among electronic musicians? I guess if there are electronic musicians developing Bluetooth-enabled viola bows, anything is possible.

I imagine it would be a great find for college music departments. The harpsichords we had in school were ancient and hard to maintain.