Roland FP-30X Digital Piano | 12 FAQs Including Its Features, Performance, And Overall Value

My son has been using a Casio CDP-130 for several years but knew he needed a more, "gig-ready" unit. That and the fact his "work" piano is a baby grand acoustic made sense to upgrade his practice piano to have a similar action. After playing the FP30X, he ordered it. We can't complain about that old Casio, however, as it has survived many gigs without issue. People are often surprised a Casio can sound so good. Some claim it's been "modified" to sound better. As my Dad always said, "It's not the arrow, but the Indian."

Thanks for the review mate!
I can not find the answer anywhere but.. is there a driver implementation for windows to use MIDI over Bluetooth from Roland ? Or do they limit it to their proprietary app?
The MIDI implementation chart they provide is really complete, and it sends all of the necessary messages to use it as a full controller; But does it work?

I must say, for this price range to have this sort of feel and action is bonkers. The competition isn't even close, or to be clear, there really isn't any competition even still.

Is there a video out there that describes how to download other sounds to the FP30X? For instance, 3rd party VSTs? I saw a comment where the Garritan CFX and Knotaki Noire can be downloaded. Would like to see how it's done, how it sounds.

I just paid 649 for mine. Pretty happy with the purchase. I am no Chopin so I will never get better than the FP-30X can afford me.

Hey Brent! Thanks for your insight about the FP-30X, I'm excited to get my hands on it now! Any suggestions or tips that can help improve my experience with it?

Is this digital piano for professionals? If not which would you recommend me? Thé Roland fp 30x has sensibility in the pedals

Thanks for the piano reviews, I spent about 8 hours researching and think I'll be set with the FP 30X, your reviews have been really good!

great review, just bought an FP=30X and that was an excellent all round out of the box run through of what I have acquired

I’m seriously considering an FP-30X….If the app support is “discontinued without notice” what features are accessible from the front panel and display without the app? I’m mainly concerned about single note tuning as I’m a piano tech, and I often don’t particularly like the out-of-the-box tuning on digital pianos (including the Yamaha P-125)….The ability to tune note-by-note is a real selling point with me…

Hi, if practising by Roland FP-30X, is it sufficient for ABRSM all grade?

Hi!

I will probably buy this piano very soon and this video was very helpful, so big thank you for this!

There is just one more question I have regarding this piano and the roland app and I hope you maybe can answer it.

If you use the Roland app and find a specific sound that you really like. Can you store that sound on the piano itself so you don't have to log in to the app everytime you want to play with that sound?

Does anyone know if its possible to add voices in anyway (VST or other), via midi usb in anyway beyond the generic pre-programmed voices in the FP-30 or FP-30x? Sorry if this is a clearly defined solution somewhere that I have just not found.

Stu! Hi there from Scotland! I started looking for a replacement for a Yamaha P120 I've had for years and fancied an upgrade. Finding your channel has been an epiphany! Brilliantly done, I've learned an enormous amount about the current digital piano market after a few days you tube feasting. I'd really appreciate your opinion on my potential choices for a new piano. I have a small project studio, play drums and record myself and fellow musicians. Whilst I enjoy tinkering and playing around the piano, I'm no piano player myself, but often get people in to record "proper" piano. One fellow musician and friend in particular is a pro piano player, classically trained. I'd love to have a piano that she and others can enjoy playing and get the best performances from her. Whichever piano I choose will remain in the studio, I have no plans to gig it.

I've been looking at a new FP30x, but a few miles away, there's a used FP90 private sale in immaculate condition. The FP30x in the UK is the equivalent of $910 Canadian, whilst the FP90 is $1,209 Canadian. I can see from your tremendous videos the main differences between the two (albeit it's not a "like for like" comparison) probably the newer chip set on the X model being the major factor. I'm not too bothered by the lack of physical controls on the FP30x, quite happy to use the app to get under the hood. I'll very rarely need (if at all) to reach out and change volume or EQ settings in a live situation. I think I just need a nudge in either direction from a fully informed and seasoned pro! What would you recommend? Thanks in advance :)

I love the reviews and analysis! What a great service Merriam Pianos is doing for people interested in buying a regular or digital piano! Stu Harrison in an awesome reviewer!

I had the Yamaha F45 for years and I slowly started to distance myself from playing piano. One day I step into a Guitar Center with a lady I was trying to impress, so I sat down and started to play on a Roland FP30x they had on display and immediately fell in love. About 4 days later, I didnt talk to her as much so to make me feel better, I went back and bought it. Now I play more than ever because I love this keyboard so much lol blessing in disguise I guess 😅

If I hook up the FP30X with a PC, is the polyphony count still restricted to 256?

Thank you so much for this great job! You are brilliant and brought some more serenity to my decision about buying this wonderful instrument. Thanks and all the best!

Thanks very much for your great information. I am looking for a piano like that, seen from the size of it, but because I am a professional pianist, the action should be very similar to a real grand or upright. I use an plugin, so the functionality of sounds on the e piano is not that important. Do you think this Roland was a good choice? Thanks!

And my best compliments for your great professional skill with which you make your reviews! More and more interesting and rich of tech details!! 👏👏👏👏👌👌👌👌👍👍👍👍

Hallo Stud, I send my best wishes of Merry Christmas to you and your Family! 🎄🎅✨

If they had a fader as volume control, I'd immediately get one.

I am most interested in Audio interface stuff. I plan to get rp701 and I think that model also have Audio interface. The main thing that I want to use this for is to play other vst instruments and piano software trough the piano speakers. I am not sure if this is totally possible but from my understanding this should be doable. Like playin pianoteq vst and hearing it on the build in speakers of piano all with one usb cable... If somebody can confirm this that would be great.

Is there an adapter that converts the Roland "USB MIDI" to a standard MIDI pin connection? I want to connect my FP90X to my Yamaha Rack XS. They both have female USB-A ports. I've tried a few USB adapters and a coupler. I'm kind of surprised they left the standard port, or didn't utilize the pedal connection as a dual port. I found the Roland MIDI cable, but it doesn't seem right. Or will the Kieth McMillan MIDI expander work?

This keyboard is currently $749.99, can you think of a better keyboard anywhere near this price point?
Thanks in advance

I tried out maybe 10 digital pianos ranging from lower priced to higher priced. Casio, Yamaha and Roland. The sales person was pushing through Casio 870 on me pretty hard, it felt like a toy compared to the Roland FP30x. I have to say the Yamahas I tried were pretty great too, but something about this one.. so I bought it and I bonded with it instantly. I can’t stop playing it.

Hey Stu, Shardul here.
Your videos have been incredible, your skills are amazing.
I have been trying to make a decision on the Roland FP-30X (vs the Yamaha P125 vs the Roland FP-10) and your videos have given me real in-depth feel of all the keyboards.
I am coming from something as different as the Yamaha PSR E-413, but I tried the FP-30X and it's really closest to the feel of a piano. Also has versatility and good tech. I'm preferring it.
Conflicted because the Yamaha P125 actually feels familiar when I play it/hear it.
Hope to graduate to a good acoustic piano in the future.

Which keyboard would you suggest?

FYI these are currently sold by Amazon for only $750 USD.

Finally a review that explains the feature and what the feature is for.
I've been looking for reviews for true beginners like me who dont understand what those features are for. It helps seeing how USB connects to the computer, or how the bluetooth is turned on and connects to the app, than just saying theres a bluetooth that you can connect to app which is the kind of description you can usually get just by reading spec sheets.
I do wish there are reviews that are solely targeted for beginners learning piano. I liked that he explained what the weighted key is for and why it's a feature for digital piano other than just emulating the feel of an acoustic piano. Although, I still dont know what escapement is, and I wish there is a demonstration of recording it to a computer and recording it to a phone.also what the use is recording in midi instead of audio. I did a little reading on what midi is but still dont know what it's really useful for. I wish it had shown how the 1/4 inch jack is connected to an external speaker, whether it needs an amplifier or not. Basically demonstrating how each feature is used.
As a beginner I may not use a lot of the feature for awhile, while it's a relatively budget kind of entry level item, I'd like to know what I can get out of it in the future other than playing on it.

Thanks for all this reviews! I watched quite a few by now. I currently have a yamaha p45 and I'm thinking about getting this one. Is it worth the upgrade? More specific: is the feel significally better than a yamaha p45, can I get better dynamics out of it and does it work in full velocity as a midi controller? (Last point is something the yamaha lacks). Thanks in advance!

i have a px-160 is it better to replace it with the fp30X

Is it just my FP30X doing this? Use the record function on the FP30X and play something while using the sustain pedal. Then store the song to USB. Then use something like MuseScore and import the MIDI file there. On playback the pedal action is missing. Can someone confirm this? Is this normal behaviour?

Thanks for another great video, Stu! My FAQ: How much lag would there be using the FP-30X as a controller for another keyboard (or a sound module) The total latency, going out the FP-30X's USB MIDI OUT, into computer (a Mac Mini in my case) back out a different USB port, and into the external instrument?

Acceptable lag? (I hate lag, so it would have to be close to imperceptible for it to be acceptable for me - like less than 15ms)

Any inexpensive, low latency way to use the FP-30X as a MIDI controller? (Not for software instruments, for things like a Roland Integra-7 or a Yamaha MX-49)

(That PHA-4 action with a huge pallete of quality voices would be wonderful, but even a sight lag drives me crazy. I know there's the Fantom-08 out there, but I don't like paying for a sequencer and sampler because my DAW (Ableton) does all that)

Such a thorough video! Wish I had this 8 mos ago when I bought my Fp 30x but I did learn some stuff in this video. Thanks alot :)

There's a mic input on the FP-30X???? I thought that was just the FP-60X? The specs on Roland's site only mention that for the FP-60X . . .

If you make the same FAQ video about the Roland FP90x, I'd like to ask whether there is a possibility to mute the internal sound of the Roland in order to use a "clean" VST sound and (most importantly) how this can be saved as a preset once you turn on the piano, so that I don't have to scroll all the way up to mute the sound before playing the piano. Thanks for your answer and all of your videos! I really enjoy watching them.

I'm gonna leave a question here for another piano in case you ever continue this series and do a video about it:
Am I correct in assuming the kawai CN39 and the ES920 (and the same for the CN29 and ES520) are basically the same piano? Same action, same samples, same onkyo sound systems, though the CNs have the speakers facing down and the ES have them facing up..... Am I correct in assuming the only differences between those pianos are aethstetic? the CNs have the consoles and triple pedal units built in, while the ES are lightweight and have the advantage of being portable?

Sounds like a toy piano !!!! I kind of like the Kawai MP11SE I believe the model is called and the Yamaha counterpart to it … Brilliant review as always from your good self …

The fact that Roland claims it's FP-30X has a better piano sound than its predecessor, makes probably the biggest lie ever told in the history of marketing lol!
There's absolutely no difference between the two piano sounds, except for the tremendous variability that the FP30X brings to its owners.
One thing that really changes in terms of sounds, is the fender Rhodes. FP30 had the most terrible Rhodes ever inside a digital piano; followed closely by the Kawai ES-110. The fender Rhodes you'll find on the FP30X is the same you'd find on the FP90X, no doubt!
So some differences that perhaps Stu, (whom we love to hear playing and speaking), left aside:
•The number of sounds: The FP30 has 35. It's replacement has a few hundreds.
•The electric piano section: Strongly updated on the newer model.
The FP60X won't give you many extras either, but for as much as there are people with no clue, they'll definitely sell well.

It would be nice if you could do this for every model in the FP-NNX series. Thanks.

There is one feature that no Kawai digital piano has, at any price point: a built-in USB Audio Interface. This feature is common in almost all Yamaha keyboards and digital pianos, and now available in the Roland FP30X (the Yamaha P125 had it back in 2018 and their cheap arrangers have it). Their new releases, the ES120 and CN201/301, don't have it either. This should not be confused with Bluetooth Audio or USB Audio record/playback, which are features Kawai digital pianos do have. A built-in USB audio interface is such a useful feature if you want to record to your computer. I wonder why Kawai chooses to skip this feature in all their products.

not sure how it's possible you do not have 100k subscribers... great job!

i need that piano ... My daughter is lerning with an old Yamaha PSR340, i hope soon can purchase the Roland FP30x, seen a lot of videos i think this is the Best option in this price. Thanks.

I wonder why I don't like the Roland PHA4 action that so many people enjoy. I wonder if I owned one I would feel differently. I wonder if I could rent one for a month?

You made the video right when I needed it! I'm a beginner who's looking to buy first piano and I was looking at fp-30x but couldn't make a decision. You helped me a lot!