The Roland P-330 is a digital piano module released in 1988. It's a more affordable and compact version of the MKS-20, using Roland's Structured Adaptive (SA) sound engine.

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Virtual Roland P-330

ROLAND P-330

Overview

The Roland P-330 is a digital piano module released in 1988. It’s a more affordable and compact version of the MKS-20, using Roland’s Structured Adaptive (SA) sound engine.

Key Features

  • Release Year: 1988
  • Price: 158,000 yen (MSRP)
  • Form Factor: 1U rack space
  • Polyphony: 16 voices (10 for Harpsichord, Clavi, and E.Piano 2)
  • Sounds: 8 distinct digital tones
  • Patches: 64 user-editable patch locations

Sound Library

  • 3 Piano sounds
  • 2 Electric Piano sounds
  • Harpsichord
  • Clavinet
  • Vibraphone

Sound Editing

  • 2-band EQ with parametric high and low
  • Chorus: type, depth, and speed
  • Vibrato: type, depth, and speed
  • Attack Mute function
  • Editable release time

Notable Features

  • “Stack” function for expanding polyphony with multiple P-330s (up to 8)
  • Editable patch names with both capital and small characters
  • Transposition can be stored with each patch
  • Smooth and dramatic velocity response

Comparison to MKS-20

  • Lighter weight and more compact (1U vs 2U rack space)
  • Similar sound quality with slight differences in velocity response
  • Less punchy chorus and tremolo, but with less noise
  • 2-band EQ vs MKS-20’s 3-band EQ

Legacy

While not as popular as its predecessors due to the release of PCM-based pianos like the U-110, the P-330 remains appreciated for its unique SA piano sound and smooth velocity response.