Artist Bio
Toby Chapman’s three decades at the top of the music industry is testament to his talent and versatility. As an established writer and producer, he has a proven midas touch, enlisted by an array of major labels to collaborate with both breaking artists and established stars. As a first-call session keyboard player and trusted musical director, meanwhile, Toby has toured alongside many of the scene’s biggest names, joining Tom Jones, Spandau Ballet, Il Divo, Kylie Minogue and more, for triumphant stadium tours around the world. A musician this flexible needs a setup that bends the rules, and recent times have found Toby drilling into the Roland RD-800 stage piano and the crossover JD-XA synth that he describes as a “sound designer’s dream”.
Toby Chapman on the JD-XA
"When I first saw the Roland JD-XA I couldn't help being impressed by the aesthetics of this keyboard, the wonderful glowing facia, red backlit dials and sliders against a black back drop! I think my first feeling sonically was the width of sound, and the immediate option to edit a patch without going through a sea of sub menus. I think for me it harks back to the day when I was first introduced to a synthesizer, lots of scope to endlessly trying improve a sound. I was also impressed with the way that within each program is an actual multi-timbral setup, each part of the sound can have it's own key group, effects settings etc. Lastly but definitely not least the filters are outrageous! having three low pass filters makes this a very powerful keyboard indeed.”
Toby Chapman on the RD-800
"What can I say but.. brilliant! I suppose my first love has always been the piano, and Roland definitely delivered with the RD 800. I have it's predecessor the 700nx which I still love but the 800 seems to be a simpler piano/MIDI controller to work with. They have some fantastic new acoustic pianos from there 'SuperNatural' sound engine, along with some massively improved Rhodes patches. Whilst on the subject of vintage electric pianos the 800 has a 'tone color' control which actually morphs between eras of a particular electric piano model.. love it! Another great feature is being able to edit single notes within an acoustic piano setting (or tone as Roland call it) for example, you can vary the sound character, level and tunings to taste, this is without doubt the stage piano for me.”
— Toby Chapman
Artist Video
