Aira Info

UPDATE HISTORY
[ Ver.1.71 ] MAY 2021

MC-101

MC-707

An excellent guide to the MX-1 by Jeff Watkins, including all the mastering options.

Great job:-)

Roland MX-1 Mixing Manual

Basically, register a Zen-compatiable product (MC-101 or 707 for example) and get a year’s access to Zenology Pro, plus a whole heap of other fun looking stuff.

If you’ve not registered your hardware with Roland use this link – Roland Backstage

If you have already registered use this link – Roland Cloud and use your serial number as the key.

Available until 31/1/2021

Been quite impressed with some of the patches that the Random patch function comes up with, so I thought I’d collect some.

There’s 128 patches included in the project, with the first 12 clip lines divided by the randomizer categories and the last 4, er, random. These are pretty much straight from the randomizer, with the only changes made being to the Attack time on the AMP envelope to reduce clicking. Also, there’s not much variation on the Percussion sounds, probably the only sounds that do not randomize that well.

Download HERE.

Finally managed to create some semblance of a Cheatsheet for the MC-707. Hopefully covers all the shortcuts, tho’ sure I’ve missed a few.

ETA: Yes, missed a couple, and also had wrong value for Program Changes.

MC-707 Cheatsheet

Another update for the MC-707 and 101:-)

UPDATE HISTORY
[ Ver.1.60 ] SEP 2020
Additional Functions
Please refer to the “MC-707 Update” for detailed information in the [ Owner’s Manuals ].

Arpeggiator Function Added
USB-Related Functions Added (Generic Driver Function)
RANDOM TONE DESIGNER Function Added
SCATTER Functions Added
Sound Pack/SVZ Drum Import Function Added
Functions Added to the Total Effect Compressor
Sequencer Edit Functions Added
Added Shortcuts

Loving the Arpeggiator and the random function does actually create some nice random patches:-)

Roland MC-707 Download Page

Roland MC-101 Download Site

Another lovely update for the 707 from Roland:-)

Roland MC707 Support Page

UPDATE HISTORY
[ Ver.1.30 ] MAR 2020
Additional Functions
Please refer to the “MC-707 Update” for detailed information in the [ Owner’s Manuals ].

Clip Chain Function Added
MIDI Input/Output Functions Added
Auto Channel Function Added
Audio Insert Function Added
Note Repeat Function Added
SMF Import Function Added
Display Method Added for Clip Mode
Sample Edit Function Added
Function Added to Edit WAV File Before Loading
Step LFO Editor Added
Note Utility Functions Added
Motion Drawing Function Added

Loving the Clip Chain, but the ability to change the CC numbers for the FILTER, MOD and FX knobs is really nice to see too:-)

The Alesis Quadrasynth was my first (and only TBF) 76 key synth which went astray in a mate’s attic for about 20 years. About three months ago I got it back and it’s as good now as it was then, tho’ I must admit I never knew its filter didn’t have resonance. If I’d realized that back then I probably would never bought the thing, but you know, it was the early 90s and digital was everywhere!

Anyway, I wondered about putting some sounds on the MC-707 from it, so I sampled the drum kits and some patches ending up with a project containing as many as I could fit in.

In the project file, there are two drum tracks with the drum samples, two drum tracks with the patches (sampled C0 thru’ C7) applied across the pads and four tone tracks of patches made with the synth samples. The QS has only eight drum kits by default, so the drum tracks have four clips of each drum set. The patches are a combination of some of my own as well as some factory patches.

In addition to the project file, all the samples used on the MC-707, plus a few extra that I couldn’t fit in the MC’s memory, are in the download so you can use these without loading up the project.

Download HERE.

I created a short three-step guide to programming the Behringer TD-3. Being a clone of the Roland TB-303, it has the same method of programming and this has long had a reputation of being dumb-foundingly complicated. In reality it’s not really that bad – first input the notes and then set the timing of those notes by specifying whether a whole note is played, whether a note is tied or if there is a rest. In addition each note can be transposed up or down an octave, have an accent or a slide.

The guide shows these stages as three separate shots of the keyboard and what buttons are needed to apply the relevant functions –

1. Notes – Press PITCH MODE and enter notes on the keyboard
2. Transposing – Press PITCH MODE again to reset the sequencer, then press WRITE/NEXT to advance thru the sequencer. Hold WRITE/NEXT to apply transpose, accent and/or slide. The notes input in 1. will light up.
3. Timing – Press TIME MODE and apply note, tie or rest to each step in the sequence. When the last step is completed the TD-3 returns to NORMAL mode

Hope it helps.

Download here

Note also that this guide can also apply to the original TB-303 and the Roland boutique TB-03 (if in OG mode).

The 1.20 software for the MC-707 introduced some extra MDI functionality so the knobs now can transmit CC messages but. by default it’s switched off. I was getting a bit fed up having to go in and enable it for every new track, so I created a template project, with eight tracks created and their MIDI settings turned on*. In addition, all the tracks have their Sound Source set to CLIP, giving all possible 128 clips their own individual sounds or drum kits.

Tracks 1 and 2 are Drum Tracks, 3-7 are Tone Tracks and 8 is a Looper. There are no clips created so you have a blank canvas to play with.

*The MIDI settings for each track are as follows:

Download HERE.