Roland MC-202 |
|
| Manufactured by | Roland |
|---|---|
| Dates | 1983–1985 |
| Price | $595 |
| Technical specifications | |
| Polyphony | Monophonic |
| Timbrality | Monotimbral |
| Oscillator | 1 VCO |
| LFO | 1 sine |
| Synthesis type | Analog Subtractive |
| Filter | 1 resonant lowpass |
| Attenuator | 1 ADSR |
| Aftertouch | No |
| Velocity sensitive | No |
| Memory | 2 tracks |
| Effects | None |
| Input/output | |
| Keyboard | {{{keyboard}}} |
| External control | CV/Gate |
The Roland MC-202 (MicroComposer) is a monophonic analog synthesizer/sequencer released by Roland in 1983. It is similar to the TB-303 and SH-101 synthesizers, featuring one voltage-controlled oscillator with simultaneous saw and square/pulse-width waveforms. The unit is portable and can be operated from batteries or an external power supply.
Contents |
The internal synthesizer features one voltage-controlled oscillator with simultaneous saw, square/pulse-width and sub-octave square waveforms. Additionally there is a 24dB Low Pass filter, an LFO and a single ADSR envelope generator.
In terms of circuitry, it is nearly identical to the earlier SH-101 synthesizers but lacks the noise generator, choice of LFO shapes and modualtion/pitch bend controls. However, unlike the SH-101, it does include a delay on the LFO. The two units also share a design aesthetic in terms of the control layout, casing, lettering, knobs and slider caps.
The MC-202 includes a sequencer that can play back two separate sequences simultaneously. Two sets of CV/Gate connectors on the rear of the unit allow for routing the sequences to external synthesizers. One of the two sequences is used to control the internal sequencer. The sequencer is programmed much like Roland's early digital MC-4 and MC-8 Microcomposer sequencers, whereby notes are entered with pitch, length and gate length. Additional, each note in the sequence can be an accent and slide, which is similar to the TB-303 and allows for so called acid sequences.
The sequences are lost if the unit is powered down, however a tape interface is provided so that sequences can be stored to and recalled from an audio tape recorder.
There are DIN sync inputs and outputs which allow the unit to synchronise playback, either as master or slave, with other DIN sync-equipped instruments such as the TB-303 or the Roland TR-808. The unit can also generate and sync to frequency-shift keying signals from a tape recorder.
The MC-303 was built in 1996 and is a digital successor of the MC-202.
In 1997, Defective Records Software released MC-202 Hack, a software application that enables programming of the MC-202's sequencer on computer. It works by creating audio that is routed into the MC-202's cassette input port. This eliminates the need to use the MC-202's buttons to enter sequence information. In 2009, the software was updated to version 2.0, including the ability for sequences created on the MC-202 to be exported to MIDI format.