1986 | Roland RD-1000

Armed with revolutionary SA (Structured Adaptive) sound source, the Roland RD-1000 was the stage piano that shook the world. Roland had set the challenge of capturing the tone and expression of classic grand pianos – going far beyond the typical ‘realistic’ piano sound – and to achieve this, we used a unique digital synthesis method specific to piano, rather than conventional sampling technology. The resulting piano sounds were enviably organic and smooth across all key ranges, dynamics and tonal changes. The RD-1000 was a milestone release, establishing the RD brand, helping countless artists to create adventurous music, and originating the concept that flowed into later instruments including the new RD-2000 and the MKS-20 (the sound module version of the RD-1000).