Roland SC-88 Pro User Manual download pdf (Page 2)

Introduction

As the Roland Sound Canvas grows in popularity and evolves into a greater variety of models,

the number of users desiring to compare notes grows. However, since not all Sound Canvas

modules are identical, certain adjustments might be necessary in order to allow a MIDI

sequence to sound the same on different modules.

Furthermore, many Sound Canvas users have upgraded to a “more exalted” model only to

discover that their older creations do not sound the same on their new Sound Canvas. Several

thoughts strike them when they discover this.

“I do not like this newer module, I want my old one back,” or, “You mean this is what users of

this model thought my creations sounded like!” Some who thought they lost all the sounds they

were used to, sell their upgrade and repurchase an older Sound Canvas, others go about trying

to figure out what needs to be done to get the old sound back on the new module.

Some solutions for upward compatibility have already appeared, but a few of them are poor

solutions because they go too far too achieve compatibility. The SYSEX approach to change

address 40 4X 01, for example leaves certain SC-88’s and SC-88 Pro’s in a crippled state that

they can not recover from easily. As those users learn how to “heal” their crippled units they can

make some costly mistakes loosing all their user modified sounds.

Take hope. There really is a simple way to create MIDI sequences on your Sound Canvas so

that it will sound the same on any one else’s Sound Canvas so long as they have either an

equivalent model or a more advanced model.

The techniques to accomplish this are not as obvious as they could have been, but they are

straight forward and very simple. Every Roland Sound Canvas is completely compatible with all

other Sound Canvases from the same or later generation right out of the box.

Unfortunately, the Roland manuals actually suggested ways of applying the internal logic of these

units in a manner that creates incompatibilities where they need not exist. The result

unintentionally complicates upgrades and sharing.

So with the assistance of 8 other members of SCUG (Sound Canvas Users’ Group) I offer this

manual to facilitate smooth transition for users who upgrade and smoother workability for users

who share their creations with each other. See the acknowledgment section in the last section to

learn more about those who assisted me.

This text has more details than you need. Those of you very familiar with several Sound Canvas

units and several MIDI sequencers can go immediately to chapter three and ignore the rest.

However, because so many different sequencers and other MIDI devices used by SCUG

members reuse or misuse terminology, the simple ideas of this text can be difficult to

communicate.

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Roland SC-88 Pro User Manual Page 2