Roland MC-8 MicroComposer Unboxing & Demo

[zwerty007]

How much did this cost?

[synthead]

Great video! Been looking to get a Roland MicroComposer for my studio sometime soon. I feel like you can't really push the limit of modern DAWs since there really are none, which makes writing music a lot less fun. I have a combination of MIDI and CV/gate synths in my studio (including a Pro-One too!), so I'll probably end up going with a MC-500 and keep using my PAiA MIDI-CV adapter I soldered together. Thanks for the awesome video!

[Raunchola]

Yeah! Cool video.

Kraftwerk used one of these back in the 80s

[bungie091]

@Raunchola: They owned one, but they didn't use it on any recordings. Well at least acording to Karl Bartos who said it was a piece of crap. Seems pretty cool to me, though!

[Raunchola]

@bungie091 i bet he said that... looks ultra-complicated.

[v8metal]

i love the sound of keys !!!!!!!!

[subclonk]

I must also add that meant that I can control my analogue synths with my mpc2500 through a Kenton Pro 4... but using the MC4 is better for me.

[subclonk]

I have an MC-4b. The cycle on that is fine with no pauses. I have the CV out going into my CSQ-100 first, then into my synth, so I can use portamento :)

I have an mpc2500 but I find I get better music from my analogue synths by programming them with the MC-4. Must be the precise hands-on nature by which you have to program each step and gate length along with your cv values. I suppose it inspires me more or something :P

[MaynoDolphin]

I love old sequencers!

[MarsHottentot]

Pea, why are we so obsessed with old hi-tech that frustrates as much as it titillates? Why? I think our brains must be malformed in some manner.

[BaddaBigBoom]

WOW !!! What...a major palaver !

The unit looks great but I never fully realised that's what you had to do in the early 80s to sequence, AND it cost about 8 grand back then!! Look at what we have now in comparison; sequencing that is done straight from the keyboard, quantising/correcting bad notes afterwards. Then there is velocity sensitivity, polyphony, multi-tracking different instruments etc. and all can be done on a basic desktop computer ..we're spoilt.

[DJBonc]

wow it's much more robust than an MC-4!

[MsBarbablu]

its like matrix pattern sequencer of propellerhead

[peahix]

@MsBarbablu actually it's not- the MC-8 is a song-mode sequencer, not a pattern or step sequencer. you work out complete songs with it, not short patterns/loops. that's what made it different from most of the other sequencers available at the time.

[sleestack808]

couldn't you make a short song and loop it?

[peahix]

@sleestack808 yes, you could, but that's not its strong suit, as you'd only have one pattern to work with (and no facility for realtime manipulation other than tempo), and also when it loops around to the beginning, there's an audible glitch in the timing so it's doesn't play totally seamless loops. analog step sequencers are vastly superior for pattern/loop based work.

[sleestack808]

Its no small miracle you could actually understand how that thing works let alone sequencer several instruments into a song. AMAZING. I am impressed with you. You read instructions very effectivley

[peahix]

@sleestack808 thanks, though actually it's not nearly as complicated as it seems... once you get the basic input procedure, entering data is fairly straightforward, though a little tedious!

[MsBarbablu]

ah thanks, I'm Italian and I do not understand English well .... thanks for the correction

[darklorddisco]

Haha, I seriously laughed out loud at the outro.

[darklorddisco]

Nice one, man! I don't know if you remember - but I bought a Korg KPR-77 off you like...8 years ago! Haha...

[waveterm]

Yes you did ! Sell it to me when you don´t want it anymore, ok ?

[waveterm]

Great find ! Did you get it for a nice price ?

[OFR]

They are great for key-entering random values and generating some unique output! Many classic albums were made with these - a step at a time!