Roland never had anything that would play different riffs depending on complexity of chords, or how fast you were playing.
You CAN do a certain amount of Part 'switching' using the dynamic arranger, because the controls for how strong the effect is can be inverted and made to only sound after a certain velocity, so it's possible to set up two Parts with the same sound to play only in their assigned velocity range. But of course, by doing this you use up two Parts for one sound, and you only get the six ACC Parts (plus Bass and Drums) per style, so using the feature fully reduces the number of Parts that can sound at any one time. But it does (if styles are created for the feature) offer the possibility of quite complex variations in the one Variation depending on force of playing.
But this brings up yet another gripe I have with Roland... They have a nasty habit of adding features to their arranger, but making NO factory ROM content (styles or Performances/OTS) that use them! Consequently, people playing them for the first time get a bit underwhelmed, because no styles actually USE the feature. We arranger players are, on the whole, pretty much 'switch it on and play' kind of players (don't get mad! I know those that bother to post about arrangers tend to be more advanced, but let's be honest - we ARE in the minority!) and if a feature isn't showcased in the factory content, it tends to be ignored.
In this fashion, functions like Technic's one or many, many Roland ones tend to wither. The manufacturer sees few using a feature and decide to drop it, all the while unaware that it was THEY who caused few to use it by not demonstrating effectively how good it was! A self-fulfilling wish!
Right now there isn't a single Roland factory Performance or OTS that uses the Dynamic Arranger. And I wouldn't be at all surprised at some point in the future the feature get dropped, because few use it! But few are using it because even Roland didn't use it!
And don't get me started about the Key Audio loops feature. By FAR the easiest way to add synced and transposed audio loops to play along with our styles and SMF's... Up to seven audio loops can be loaded instantly from the USB2 stick when you call a Performance, to add all kinds of groovy magic to the style. Breakbeats, burbly synth things, live drumming or real percussion, the uses are endless... Guess how many loops Roland give you when you buy a BK-9? Guess how many factory Performances use these loops...
ZERO
Yep... Roland's most groundbreaking, practical and innovative feature on the BK-9 has not one single piece of factory content that uses it! No demos, no nothing. You cannot get to hear it in action until you go out, buy a loop library (or find some free ones) trim them, set tempo, and create a Key Audio set yourself
How do these morons think you can sell a feature, with no content to demonstrate it?
And, you watch... without at least SOME factory demos of it, some styles and Performances preset up to use it, half the people (at least) using a BK-9 will never use it. And Roland will drop it in the future because they will say 'no-one used it', all the time, once again, unaware that it was THEIR laziness that caused the feature to be low on everyone's radar.
There are times when I wonder if some arranger manufacturers' R&D personnel really want to succeed! Or are they just going through the motions, all the while hoping to get transfered to the more sexy synth and workstation divisions?!
For the few that roll their own, sure, these kind of features are great. But I always have my heart in my mouth waiting for the shoe to drop on any beloved feature if the factory content doesn't use it...
Not just the intensity of the notes already in the pattern, but extra stuff altogether that isn't there in a quiet passage..!
