Roland MC-4: The 1981 Music Computer

video upload by Alex Ball

"A look at the Roland MicroComposer / MC-4 from 1981.

In 1977 Roland introduced the first ever microprocessor controlled digital sequencer, which was the MC-8 designed by Ralph Dyck. The MC-4 was the successor and was one of Roland's few CV/Gate digital sequencers before they moved over to MIDI shortly after.

Both when it was new and many years after it was seemingly obsolete, numerous artists swore by it and they're now sought after. In the video we explore why.

With thanks to Pea Hicks for the MC-8 footage and images.

0:00 Intro Jam
0:41 Origin of the MC series
2:54 Interlude
3:31 Demonstration of how it works
10:20 The end result
10:47 Summary of the experience
12:09 Others ways to program
13:16 Experiments & explorations
19:03 MC-4b etc
19:39 Who used it, when and why?"

Roland MC-4B Micro Composer 4 Track CV Gate Sequencer SN 160586

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Pics of the inside below. A search for Roland MC-4 on the top right of the site will bring up additional posts including demos.

"This is an advanced 4 channel V/Oct CV / Gate Sequencer with an extra CV2 for i.e. VCF or VCA control and an MPX gate control for i.e. drum triggers, external modular gear aso. All switches work fine and key 1 and 2 are triggering double sometimes, but that's easily addressed with the back button or more usage. It can be programmed by the keypad or an external CV / Gate keyboard. There's also a modern way of programming it with the MC4 Hack program for Mac & PC."

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Roland MC-4 Microcomposer

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Operator202 demo of MC-202 sample pack for Teenage Engineering OP-1 and OP-Z

video upload by darenager

"Get the pack here https://payhip.com/b/eM34c

All sounds in the demo track are from this pack, recorded direct from OP-Z into iPad via USB with no post processing or external trickery. 9 sounds from the pack are used, 3 drum sounds, 6 synth sounds, 1 pattern. There are many more sounds included in the pack, details below.

Video made with iMovie and OP-Z photomatic. No Commodore 64 was harmed in the making of this demo. More audio demos on soundcloud here:

https://soundcloud.com/daren-ager/rol...

Classic Roland MC-202 sounds for your OP!

Compatible with both Teenage Engineering OP-1 and OP-Z

Made from over 700 individual samples, consisting of:

3 Drum Kits each containing 24 samples

*25 Tone kits each 24 samples, one for each note

47 Synth samples, specially formatted for OP-1 and OP-Z

Check out the demos for an idea of the sounds possible.

May contain a bnus!?

A really great collection of sounds, drums, basses, leads, arps, pads, plucks.

*The 25 tone kits are to load into tracks 1-4 for additional melodic sounds, greatly expanding potential!

Use the OP synthesis - filter, LFO, envelope, fx to further sculpt the sounds.

Suitable for techno, house, electro, synthwave etc."

KEEP YOUR COOL | Roland VT-4 + Prophet-6, OB-6 & DX-7

video upload by MR TUNA Music

"Don’t confuse me babe
You know this ain’t my speed
I was staring in the mirror
And something took a hold of me
I know you live an interesting life
You worship at the altar underneath the city lights
Just keep it moving
Just keep your cool
Tell me why you always run away the minute I come through
Just keep it moving
Just keep your cool
I had the strangest dream of what could be
and nothing else will do

Gear used:
Sequential Circuits Prophet-6 analog synthesizer
Sequential Circuits / Oberheim OB-6 analog synthesizer
Yamaha DX-7IIFD FM synthesizer
Roland TR-808 analog drum machine
Roland MC-707 groovebox
Squarp Pyramid hardware sequencer
Roland MX-1 mixer
Roland VT-4 vocal transformer"

Honeysmack Live: Synth Stream - Rave at Home 4

video uploaded by Honeysmack

"Live improvised performance recorded at my studio for Synth Stream - Rave at Home 4. Originally streamed on May 29, 2021.

As with all my performances, all unrehearsed, improvised and recorded in one take. Key gear in use for this performance:
Roland TR-8
Roland TB-303
Roland MC-202
Elektron MachineDrum
Elektron Analog Four MkI
Elektron Octatrack
Elektron Analog Heat
Abstrakt Instruments Avalon Bassline
Moog DFAM x2
Playdifferently Model1 DJ Mixer
Modular gear (there wasn't much just a few modules that I can remember): Entity Bass Drum, Wogglebug, Metron, SY0.5 and Rainmaker.

Follow here for more improvised Acid Techno performances:
http://www.instagram.com/_honeysmack_
http://www.facebook.com/Honeysmack303/
http://www.youtube.com/user/Honeysmacked"

Roland MC-09 Phrase Lab

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"A misunderstood classic! I’m a groovebox addict and this is one of the coolest! tb-303 tr-909 and a whole monosynth engine in this thing!"

Drum kits from the user manual:

1 808 Kit
2 Clap Kit
3 Funk Kit
4 Standard Kit
5 Rim Shot Kit
6 BreakBeats Kit
7 909 Synth Kit
8 Electro Kit
9 Cowbell Kit
10 Latin Perc. Kit

It's a fun little box once you learn how to use it.

Roland MicroComposer MC-4

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Roland MC-4 Hack demo - Vivaldi Four Seasons, Spring Movement

video by dnigrin

"Roland MC-4 playing 4 track sequence of Spring Movement of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, programmed using MC-4 Hack, software created by Defective Records Software. https://defectiverecords.com/mc4hack"

The MC-4 is sitting on an Analogue Solutions Colossus no less. Apparently the video is of Jesper Kouthoofd, CEO of Teenage Engineering.

dnigrin is the man behind Defective Records, who brought us the Fauxmo Ensoniq Fizmo editor / librarian, Cyclic sequencer in collaboration with Mutable Instruments, the M-185 software sequencer, and Klee software sequencer. You can find them all in various posts here.

Roland MC-4 Hack made it's first appearance here on MATRIXSYNTH on August 18, 2011.

MC-4 Electro Jam

video by ALM TV

"The Roland MC-4 was an early microprocessor based sequencer released by Roland in 1981.

In this patch Pam is synced via Din Sync to the Roland MC-4 clock. Pam is then used to sequence a drum pattern using mainly the Squid Salmple (and Akemies Taiko).

The MC-4 CV outputs are used to provide melody and some modulation to 3 MCO's."

Cover Versions by Debukas

Cover tracks by new supporting member, Debukas - https://linktr.ee/debukas

Featuring Moog Prodigy, Roland SH-101/MC-202/TR-909/Jupiter 6/MSQ-700, Yamaha DX-7, Kawai XD-5, Akai MPC2000XL, WEM Copicat, Joemeek VC2, Drawmer 1960, API 512c/525, Zoom 1201, TC D-Two, Sennheiser 421

Playlist:
1. Debukas - I Love You - A cover of the amazing Yello track.
2. Debukas Tribute To Aaron-Carl - My House

A tribute to Detroit house legend Aaron Carl, who died on 30th September 2010. This is a version of his tune, "My House", or more specifically the Dennis Ferrer remix.

3. Debukas - E-Vapor-8 - A cover of the amazing Altern 8 tune from 1992.
4. Debukas - Jupiter Jazz (UR) - Version of a classic Underground Resistance number.
5. Debukas - Join In The Chant! - Debukas plays Nitzer Ebb's "Join In The Chant". Recorded live, with added chant.

LoRrE-MiLL DoUblE KnOt V2, HeRbs aNd StOnEs LiqUid FoAm, RoLanD MC-101 = Who's on my "BoOKShelf" !!

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video by rhampton1914

"Semi-Modular Synth on Bookshelf Jam
Gear used: Lorre-Mill Double Knot V2 - Herbs and Stones Liquid Foam - Roland MC-101- Ornament & Crime Hemisphere Suite - Zoom G1 Four Multi-effects processor."

Lorre-Mill Double Knot V2 Meets O_c, Roland MC-101, Pocket PO-12, NanoSynth NS1 & Bastl Kastle


Found the above via the listing below.

via this auction

"Unique synthesizer / Sequencer. This is an incredible piece of Musical Technology. It's call the Lorre-Mill Double Knot V2. Comes with 7 Banana Cables (good quality ones too), Original Box, Power Adapter, Printed Manual & Unit. Start using right out of the box. If you never owned one of these before, then your in for a Sonic Shock as you Patch & tweak the 2 Sequencers on board.

You may be asking what is this?

Well the Double Knot is a Semi-Modular synthesizer/Sequencer & is a collection of some analog blocks and simple digital logic blocks to construct Electronic sound patterns. The interface is made up of knobs, switches, and banana plugs for patching. Inside the Double Knot synthesizer there are two voices.

Each voice consists of a Triangle/Square wave oscillator, a shift register sequencer, an enveloper and a voltage controlled amplifier. To set the tempo of the shift registers there is a clock. Functional blocks associated with the clock are an XOR gate and a binary counter. One of the aims of this design is to provide the most flexibility while still having some shape to the piece. The envelopers are triggered by the shift registers unless the trigger inputs are used. The triangle outputs of the oscillators are fed to voltage controlled amplifiers. This makes the Double Knot semi-modular. This system can be used to make complex textural sounds and FM Drones, or Techno Drums at Polyrhythmic Intervals.

This is the V2 version which has enhanced and newer features such as newer enveloper design with mode switch to set trigger mode, loop mode or off. wide range cv input can nearly halt envelope mid-decay for sample/hold type output. trigger input in lieu of the fill input from the previous model.

The shift registers on this unit are CD4015 with 4 bit R2R DAC on the first four stages and logic outputs on the last four stages

Also to add to the percussive effect we can shape the envelopers by feeding the outputs back to the CV inputs and then tweaking the knobs to get the shape to a more dramatic slope. ● Lengthen the decay by turning the decay knob counter-clockwise and add positive modulation by turning the CV level knob clockwise. Now you are bouncing.

One amazing Feature on this unit is the FM Modulation. The FM section allows easy modulation of one oscillator to the other or both at the same time. with a knob for FM amount, a CV in jack that allows control of FM index and a toggle switch to set the modulation routing

This is indeed an amazing piece of Technology. I truly enjoyed this and will miss it a lot. I have a few Youtube Videos so feel free to browse my more recent Videos. just go to youtube and type in the search engine rhampton1914 and my latest is there. An open box Video is on this link."

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CLOCKING THE ROLAND MC-202 FOR PLEASURE (IF NOT FOR ONE STEP PER PULSE)

video by Sunshine Jones

"My beloved Roland MC-202 is my main squeeze. I love the SH-101 much more (I have two of them) but because of its size, I travel and perform live with the 202.

One of the real disappointments about the MC-202 is that it doesn’t have a sequencer which can be played or advanced with an analog pulse or trigger. The MC-202 works like a 303, 606 or 808 and it requires sync 24 (din sync) to be clocked.



Fig.1 COMPLEX SEQUENCER
I hear a lot of complaining about the 202 sequencer. It’s very straightforward and pretty typical of analog step sequencers. There is also a real time mode. It’s complicated if you don’t read the manual and make some notes, otherwise (as you can see) it’s pretty straightforward.



Fig.2 FREESTYLE

No sync. DJ style. A total pain in the ass. Not recommended.


Fig.3 SIMPLE CONVERTER

Here’s the midi clock out of a boutique TR-06 converted to sync 24 with a simple box.
Works great.


Fig.4-5 ELABORATE CONTRAPTION

Here I’m doing the same thing with the SBX-10.
What’s cool about using a more capable box is having multiple outputs to sync more than one din sync friend with midi clock.



Fig.6 A TASTE OF THE OLD COUNTRY
Here the TR-606 is sending sync 24 out into a little project box I built which repeats - turning one clock output into three clock outputs - and driving the TB-303 and the MC-202 from one clock.
Personally the old ways are usually the best ways. Analog sounds far better to me than digital, and analog clock feels much better to me than digital does. I’m willing to put in the work, and do things the slow, difficult way to get the results I like best. Close enough isn’t anywhere near good enough for me. That’s why I drag all that gear around and it takes me an hour to set up and break down. Time well spent. Based on the results, it’s the only way for me to fly my spaceship.



Ultimately it’s all about collaboration, bringing things together and meeting in the present tense, and playing live now.
In that spirit, this is a little insight into some of the ways for an MC-202 to join the conversation."

Rimsky4

splitradix

"Prince Gvidon Saltanovich via Eurorack"

Roland MC-4 MicroComposer & Eurorack playing Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight Of The Bumblebee. .

Dinsync Gilbert Analog Synthesizer

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"DinSync (Paul Barker) is the DIY synthesizer genius behind the RE-303 replica of the Roland TB-303. The Gilbert is his own design to recreate the sounds the equally famous Roland SH-101. Yes, it sounds just like the originals - AMAZING!

Professionally built and fully calibrated using precision equipment. This is a backup unit that has been in storage. It's only been used twice and has been fully tested and is ready to rock.

Use Gilbert with the sequencer of your choice! Use it with a MIDI sequencer using a MIDI/CV converter (check my other auction: Syntecno Teebee 303 clone with MIDI/CV converter.)

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Roland Phrase Lab MC-09

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- Tabletop synth/audio looper with onboard sequencing and effects

- Analog modeling monosynth creates realistic TB-303 -like basslines, synth-lines, and analog-type rhythm sounds

- 4-Track Audio looper with mixer to create loop variations

- Programmable step sequencer that emulates TB-303 sequencing (slides, accents, etc)

- Easy automatic looping using BPM and measures

- Loop Control function to get wild new phrases

- 4 built-in effects—Filter, Isolator, Phaser and Slicer—that can be manipulated with the Step Sequencer


- SmartMedia slot for pattern/audio storage; MIDI In/Out

Classic Roland Synthesizer: JX-3P and PG200 Demonstration with Roland Jupiter 8 Filter

Electric Cafe

Lots of recognizable riffs in this one. See how many you can recognize. There's no mention of the Jupiter-8 filter. I was curious so I looked it up. See below.

"This video showcases the often overlooked Roland JX-3P classic synthesizer from 1983. It was the first Roland synthesizer to leave the factory with MIDI installed and for quite a lot of money you could buy the PG200 to make sounds more conveniently. With a TR-808, TR-909 hooked up to the onboard sequencer you could make some classic techno, house, trance or any other style of electronic music. The JX-03 Boutique copy was supposed to replace the original for those who didn't want the larger older unit but the sounds are not exactly the same and only four note polyphony it is more limited. The 3P may not have the raw power of the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 but it does have a sound that's definitely professional and powerful enough on any track. Moog, Oberheim, ARP, and other synthesizer manufacturers might have the bottom end you need for some music but the JX-3P is a very underrated machine."

RE the Jupiter-8 filter via Wikipedia: "The VCF was based on the custom Roland IR3109 IC (also used in the filter circuits of the Jupiter-6, later Jupiter-4 and Promars units, MKS-80 rev 4, Juno-6/Juno-60/Juno-106, SH-101, MC-202, JX-3P and packaged in the 80017a chip used in the Juno-106 and MKS-30, among others)."

Interesting. They all sound significantly different though... I owned most of these and the JX-3P seemed to have the most unique sound of the lot. It just has a different character about it.

Roland MC-09 Phrase Lab Modeling Synth with Sequencer and Looper

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"The Roland MC-09 "PhraseLab" is a Roland synthesizer, described as a Roland TB-303 emulator featuring an effects processor and a 4-part phrase sampler."

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Roland MC-505, My User Patterns from 2002-2014

Published on Jun 4, 2020 tiergrinder

"Here is a demo from the all Mighty Roland MC-505 Groovebox, made using my the User Patterns that I've programmed to the sequencer in the years between 2002-2014. The MC-505 was recorded dry and without any external effects or processing."

Gabe Miller Music: Ranking Synths and Grooveboxes - Best to worst

Published on May 13, 2020 Gabe Miller Music

"In which I rank my synths, grooveboxes, and production stations from best to worst (although they're all pretty good).

Sound demos of everything mentioned in this video: [playlist below]

The gear list:
1. Novation Circuit
2. Arturia MicroFreak
3. Teenage Engineering OP-1
4. Korg Electribe 2 - synth version
5. Roland MC-101
6. BOSS RC-202 Looper
7. Teenage Engineering PO-33 K.O."