d-70

Roland D-70
Super LA Synthesizer

The sequel to the classic D-50 (even though it was really more like an upgrade of the U-20 - or "U-50" as found on the motherboard).

The D-70 is a wonderful synthesizer, that captures the spirit of the classic D-50, and takes it to a new dimension. This is a quality synth from a bygone era.

Great features include 76 keys, sound layering, and a very expressive aftertouch.

Like the D-50, Eric Persing and team did an unbelievable job with the sounds of the D-70. Patches like "Ghosties", "Prologue" and "SpaceDream" are masterpieces of synth sound design. The sounds in ROM have a very punchy, full, "complete" sonic character that sounds great even today. The on-board effects are also of very high quality.

The D-70 is

Roland D-70 audio demos

Factory Performances

Patch audio demo	My comments
11 D Piano+ 1	Solid piano, typical Roland of the late '80s / early '90s
12 Grandioso	Beautiful piano patch, very expressive
13 Rhodes 1	Glassy Rhodes
14 BellRhodes	Nice electric piano
15 Tack Piano	Super cool patch, the typical "saloon" piano sound
16 AcPia+Str	Roland beauty
17 MIDI Piano	Layered piano
18 BandRhodes	Great use of the aftertouch to engage the powerful and great-sounding on-board filters
21 Stirrings	Beautiful string ensemble
22 Slow n Low	Gorgeous string ensemble, Roland really had great orchestral samples coming from the S-series library in those days.
23 JP-Strings	The classic Jupiter-8 strings
24 Pipes 1	Typical Fusion-style flute of that era
25 HornString	Yep
26 StringsVox	Very nice sound
27 Ffflute	Pretty realistic
28 Calliopead	Very nice & happy calliope sound
31 SuperClav	Typical "metallic" Roland clavinet sound of the late '80s
32 StickDecay	Pots and pans
33 DLM Synth	Great use of the DLM feature on the D-70
34 DLM Keys 1	As above
35 Guitivitty	Cool and fun ;-)
36 Quasar	Very good pad
37 Cool Vibes	Jazzy and nice
38 Tibet Bell	Beautiful ambient sound
41 Fuzz Brass	Powerful synth brass
42 EnsmblHorn	Fusion'y
43 SpitBrass1	Fast brass
44 Sax Octave	Realistic
45 SynthBones	A good mix of realistic and synthy
46 Ghosties	Marvelous patch, this is the D-70's Fantasia.
47 Mondo Poly	Huge synth ensemble
48 There Bs 1	Huge, solid, layered synth bass
51 LeadSynth1	Big lead
52 LeadSynth2	As above
53 Lead Vox	Cool
54 DLMoogBs 1	Big!
55 Schizoid	Crazy melange
56 Slap Bass	Quite realistic
57 Jazz Split	Great atmospheres
58 DLMoogBs 2	Almost sounds analog!
61 Prologue	Classic Roland D-70 patch, very powerful.
62 ChorusBell	Queen of Ice
63 NiteSprite	Beauty
64 Freezer	Very good digi-pad
65 SweepSpace	Great filters on this synth.
66 Wow Jet	Very interesting patch which combines "jet noise" fx, and hypnotic choir
67 Mother Pad	Large pad
68 SpaceDream	Fantastic patch, the perfect pad.
71 ClickLesly	Cool Hammond organ of the '60s
72 Organ	Versatile organ patch
73 Perc Organ	Yep
74 12 StrGuit	Nice twelve-string acoustic guitar
75 Big Guitar	Digital Chorus + Digital Distortion = the '80s
76 Funk Mute	Cool!
77 GuitarMIDI	Nice & useful patch
78 Drum Kit	Solid drum sounds, straight from Roland's own R-8 drum machine of that era.
81 Asialon	Really good patch with pitch bending via aftertouch
82 BaliDancer	Nice
83 Hyper Pad	Gorgeous fluty pad
84 Shaku Zulu	Famous D-70 patch, used in ambient music
85 Shuu-Doon	Yup
86 Sweepster	Nice filter action
87 Lab Jet	Cool sci-fi FX
88 G-Finale	Gran Finale

Roland D-70 specs
Year of release:	1990
Polyphony:	24
Sound generation method:	L.A. synthesis / PCM
Preset memories	Performances, Patches, Tones
MIDI:	in, out, thru
Sound expansion capabilities:	yes, via cards
Sequencer	no
Arpeggiator	no
Velocity	yes
Aftertouch	yes
Dimensions
Weight
Keyboard