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 Post subject: Roland MC-09 Phrase Lab
PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:04 pm 
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has anyone here had any experiences with this machine?

looks interesting:
http://news.harmony-central.com/Newp/2002/MC-09.html


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 11:06 pm 
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Yeah, I've got one. It's pretty cool for what it is... basically a TB-303 clone. Forget its "sampling" or "looping" features as these are implemented rather poorly. It's a DSP monosynth that gets some good TB-303 and Juno sounds. One of its appeals is its step pattern sequencing that is modeled after the TB-303 sequencer. Kinda hard to get used to, but it can be mastered. Roland should have marketed it as a TB-303 clone (seeing the Ebay demand for these) instead of a loop sequencer/sampler. Just my 2 cents. If you need some Acid bass lines and can cop it for under 4100, then grab it.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:01 am 
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yeah man, those looping and sampling features look like an afterthought. shame that they devoted so much of the physical interface to them.

i plan to sequence this via MIDI and use it for basslines and leads, using the filter and decay knobs to twist live. am i able to apply the box's effects to the sounds if i sequence externally? i read somewhere the effects can only be used when the synth has been looped into phrases...


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:15 am 
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You're right...you can't use the effects unless you've looped the phrase. I never used the effects on the box, as they always seemed weak to me. Unfortunately, the looped phrases have digital artifacts that are pretty audible. The looped phrases may be okay for live work, but I would never record with them. If you're looking for a box to use live with effects, I'd opt for an MC-505. Much easier and you can use the effects in real time.

On the plus side, the monosynth does sound pretty great on its own. You can choose the waveform, create accents and slides, plus tweak those knobs for some great bass or leads. I definately think the MC-09 could have been great had Roland not tacked on those unnecessary functions. If you can look past its shortcomings, it's probably the best TB-303 clone you can get for little cash. Anyway, I always feel more inspired on machines that have limitations. It forces me to be more creative.

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PostPosted: Fri Jun 29, 2007 12:51 am 
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thenightgoat wrote:
Anyway, I always feel more inspired on machines that have limitations. It forces me to be more creative.


definitely man, amen.

Quote:
If you can look past its shortcomings, it's probably the best TB-303 clone you can get for little cash.


sweet, that's what i'm after, a box which can provide some fat basses and leads to complement the drums and samples in the 404.


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PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:59 am 
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hey man,
can you tell me if the MC09's knobs can control MIDI Out parameters?
ie can i control soft synths in my PC using the knobs of the MC09?

thanks


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PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 4:49 pm 
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Yes, you can use it as a MIDI controller. I've used it to tweak basslines I sequenced on my Roland D2.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2007 4:26 am 
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got this last friday

i've been having great fun with the synth. the bass tones sound serious and go well with drums coming out of the 404. apart from playing with basslines as patterns i have also used external MIDI sequencing to create some great synth lines. there's heaps of parameters to craft a synth with

the effects patterns seem good too. bpm-locked filter sweeps can always come in handy


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 Post subject: Re: Roland MC-09 Phrase Lab
PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 5:09 am 
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Yeah, the sampler on my 09 doesn't even work. But you can't do much with 6 seconds anyway. I'm just going to use it for the 303esque synths it can do. It's a shame they don't have any delay for this baby, but I can hook it to my MOFX, and then that problem is solved. I needed some cash, so I put it in the pawn store for now.

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