EMUSIC-L DIgest Volume 7, Number 3b Today's Topics: Roland D-20 Manual (3 messages) Roland D-series synths (2 messages) Hi, I'm new here Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Aug 89 15:01:36 EDT From: "Mark Edward Toomey " Subject: Roland D-20 Manual I purchased a Roland D-20 last December and have as yet to have made any substantial progress in utilizing it's potential. As a forward let me state that I am primarily a guitarist who enjoys composing on the keyboard and yes, I know that the D-20 is a bit noisy, has no after- touch sensitivity,etc. but the price was right:-). What I NEED! is an understandable manual i.e., in English...not the pseudo-Japanese-translated-english the bundled manual contains. I haven't seen as poor an example of technical writing since my college classes on how NOT to produce technical documentation. Thanks in advance. Mark Edward Toomey Computer Services Specialist University of Georgia BITNET: MTOOMEY@UGA ------------------------------ = Date: Thu, 17 Aug 89 13:06:00 PDT From: Willis Dair Subject: RE: Roland D-20 Manual If your music store carries the Alexanders series of books, they publish a D-10/D-20 manual. It is pretty easy to understand and explains things in simple terms. It is quite pricey though; I think it is $27.95, but I think it is worth it if you want to get more out of you D-20. If you can't find the book in the stores, take a look at a Keyboard magazine. The Alexanders publishing people frequently run ads there and other synth-type magazines. BTW, I have a D-10 and have contemplated getting rid of it. Everytime, I pull it out I fall in love with it. I enjoy using the D-10 as a composing tool also. There are enough useful sounds to experiment with when arranging a piece of music. Have fun- Willis Dair System Programmer Academic Computing Center Santa Clara University ------------------------------ = Date: Thu, 17 Aug 89 16:17:38 EDT From: "Mark Edward Toomey " Subject: RE: Roland D-20 Manual Many thanks for responses re: D-20 manual..especially Mario Vergona and Willis Dair. Hopefully I'll be moving from consternation to composition soon. :-) "What is the sound of one tine on a tuning fork ringing?" - Mr. Ed Mark Edward Toomey Computer Services Specialist University of Georgia BITNET: MTOOMEY@UGA ------------------------------ = Date: Fri, 18 Aug 89 15:36:55 CDT From: "David M. Stowell" Subject: Roland D-series synths Well, kids, my resistance has broken down...a little. I find myself being drawn toward the Roland D-series, which involves both analog synthesis and (eeeck!) PCM samples. So, I need some guidance. Would the Roland experts explain the details of Roland's method (I already know the skeleton) and specifically, enumerate the differences between the different D-series instruments? Thanks (blush...) |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| | David M. Stowell | I'm the one that's doing this, | | University of Illinois at Chicago | Keep the enemy out of it; | | BITNET: U30422@UICVM | I'm a child who's taking charge...| | Internet: U30422@UICVM.UIC.EDU | | | | | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------ = Date: Mon, 21 Aug 89 13:37:15 BST From: Nick Rothwell Subject: Roland D-series synths 18 Aug 89 15:36:55 CDT <4042.8908190616@lfcs.ed.ac.uk Well, the Roland D-series "involves" analog synthesis in that the DSP hardware provides a simulation of an analog synth. This isn't the same as a real analog synthesiser, of course; for example, you can't drive the filters onto self-resonance, and the sound isn't nearly as rich. A "bare" D-series patch sounds pretty uninspiring as a result, hence the on-board effects processing. I'm not sure what you want to know other than the "skeleton". I think the machines basically split into the D-50 (/D-550) and the 10/20 machines. The '50 has on-board EQ, chorusing and so on. More importantly, the voice architecture is more sophisticated; upto 6 LFOs, TVF/TVA/PWM/pitch modulation, and so on. The 10/20 machines only have pitch modulation. So, I think the D-50 sounds much richer and more interesting than a D-10/20/110; but the 10/20 machines have an excellent multi-timbral spec. though, the D-50 (sans 3rd-party mods) being bi-timbral. (hence I have both.) I don't know too much about diffs between the 10/20 machines; things like sequencer, drum programmer, disk drive etc. Before going for a D-series, check out the Roland Super-JX rackmount (MKS-70) as well. This is a true analog unit, 12-voice, smooth as silk and quite capable of the bright sounds associated with digital instruments, like metal chimes, electric piano, and so on. Only bitimbral, although a more versatile spec. than the D-50. Going for peanuts at the moment, especially for you lucky folks in the US. Nick. -- Nick Rothwell, Laboratory for Foundations of Computer Science, Edinburgh. nick@lfcs.ed.ac.uk !mcvax!ukc!lfcs!nick ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ ^^ Fais que ton reve soit plus long que la nuit. ------------------------------ = Date: Mon, 21 Aug 89 18:44:16 EDT From: "T. Shawn Johnson" Subject: Hi, I'm new here Hey people : This is all incredibly fascinating to me ! Although I dont understand a lot of the terminology , I can get the 'jist of what everyone's saying with the limited background that I do have :-) . I'm sure with reading AND my course in electronic music in the fall , I'll certainly have the knowledge I need to progress . Now , I have a bit of a concern/anxiety : You all talk about your Juno's and your Rolands and stuff :-) . Well , being a student , I dont have the resources to really afford all the good stuff , although I do have access to our electronic studio at school , still I dont know what kind of equipment they'll have , and it would be nice to play with something at home :-) . So.... I have two basic questions for you : 1. Here's what I do have : -one of those nifty casiotones with enough keys to keep me happy . It's Midi compatable , but has only pre-set sounds (quite a few actually) . Its equiped with those wonderful rythms and one finger touch chord functions , that I really could care less about . I can make my own chords thankyou :-). I can provide more detailed info later ... like make no. etc.... -a Tandy Colour Computer 2 . I've seen Midi Packages available for it in its magazine : Rainbow. -a smaller casiotone that has mini keys and a sampling ability , and a very simple synthesizing ability based on overtones and a selection of ADSR waves to choose from . question: what great things can I do with that , and/or what can I do to upgrade this stuff at minimal costs ? (ok , so thats two questions in one .... stand by for number 2) 2. What equipment could I get that would be satisfactory to start with ... what could it do .... how much would it cost (hopefully reasonable) ... and where could I go from there ? I'ld really appreciate help here :-) I'm sure I've sent to the right place . In the mean-time , prior to my enlightening personal and classroom studies , I hope you'll all have the patience to put up with my inadequacies in jargon and understanding :-) . It shouldnt be too long though :-) Give me a month or so :-) -bye for now -T. Shawn... End of EMUSIC-L Digest **********************