The MC-101 Just Got a HUGE Update

I dive deep into the new firmware updates for the Roland MC-101 and MC-707 grooveboxes, which offer some much requested improvements and features, including complete sound design from scratch on the MC-101 (the partial tone editor), new effects including phonograph, exciter, and JD Multi, scatter step sequencing, MC-707 sample assign, and more.
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00:00 Intro
01:11 Undo/Redo
01:55 Partial Tone Editor
16:12 New MFX
18:49 Cross-compatibility
19:31 Scatter Step Editor
24:07 Other odds and ends
24:34 MC-707 Multitrack Mode
25:18 MC-707 Sample Slice Assign
27:33 The new MFX on the MC-707
28:14 Further viewing

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[terminalavenue]

Just a little correction for whatever it's worth - the function is not called Partial Edit because it is incomplete (although I think there are a couple of utility parameters that are missing from the full engine) but because the architecture of Zen Core and other Roland digital synths is based on Partials, which are essentially each of the four oscillators along with most of the other synth parameters that can be applied globally or on a per-oscillator basis. For example you mentioned that there were 2 LFOs - there are actually 2 per partial so in effect up to 8 depending on how you use them (same with envelopes, etc.). You can enable or disable which partial you're editing using the buttons below the knobs. The manual doesn't really make this clear at all - you could call it a "partial manual" 🙂.

[rorz]

These aren't new machines at this point by any means, so it's awesome and highly appreciated that Roland are still updating the firmware for them. Also, congrats re: Roland sponsorship!

[pshealy]

You can hold down the button under the knob and use the big value knob to get more granular control of the parameter.

[SwiftDreamer]

One thing about the Partial Editor Settings: you can hold the button under one of the four C knobs to use the Value knob to change some of the sounds & parameters

[heavysystemsinc.]

One of the things I found the partial editor didn't have which is essential for fun rhythmic play of filters and such in designing bassline sounds is retrigger the lfo when a new key is pressed so that tempo sync'd lfo's can be triggered in a pleasing way. HOWEVER, the machine is FULL of presets and some of them have retrigger LFO enabled! So what I did was find one of them and create an INIT of my own with all the oscillators off, all the matrix routings off, etc. etc., a blank slate, but has the lfo retrigger set to on 'invisibly' then saved that project alone so I can just load it up into a track by loading a sound from 'project'.

One thing I also found while experimenting with 'resetting presets' is that there is some kind of phase inversion option or something to that effect (It's been over a year since I even looked at an MC707, i sold it that long ago and got the 101 instead) which is also something that can be found by scouring presets built into th emachine if that's something that might be useful for a synth idea.

I'm sure there's other things I'm forgetting that might be findable but the general gist is "If you want it and the partial editor doesn't have it, pull it from a preset and bend the preset around to your idea with the things you CAN edit."

Happy sound hacking!

[justjoeblow]

This update finally got me fully off the fence about the MC-101, it's inability to be programmed on board was always my largest complaint with the thing. Now that you can dig into Zen Core on the device itself easily I plan on picking one up in the next few months. For what I want it's about the best option in my budget range for a device like this. I've found most the other sub 600$ options either too sample focused or not flexible/powerful enough for my needs. Even if the synth editing suffers from a bit of painting through the letterbox, but hey I'm masochistic enough I've programed a DX7 on hardware before in the past so it's got to be easier than that.

EDIT: Update I ended up going with an MC-707 instead, love the thing.

[apexmachina]

Love to see the MC-101 and MC-707 getting new updates. Been rocking the 1.8 update on my MC-707 but the 101 definitely got the biggest update to bring its sound design capabilities on par with its bigger brother. A hybrid setup of MC-101 for on the go sound design and clip creation then share to the MC-707 might be the way 😀

[SwiftDreamer]

Messing with the partial editor in the update, it made me realize that the Zenololgy seems heavily inspired by the JD-800, which recently became one of my favorite synths. The mc101 would be my number 1 groovebox hands down if I had better ways to read & break up audio for sample chopping

[unclemick-synths]

The Partials editing really brings the 101 onto my radar.

[stationstation]

You def have the silliest thumbnails of all the 'surprise, shocked, reaction" selfies on YouTube. I'd love to be a fly on the wall when you're taking pics of yourself and designing them.

[waveforthefrequencies]

Maybe some of my expectations were a bit lofty when I first heard about this update. But, undo/redo is cool. It’s nice that they’re not abandoning this updatable gear.

[SmallWorldBigThings]

Absolutely amazing update of the MC-101.

[sinewaymusic]

I have to say that the partial editor isn't nearly as fiddly as I would have expected. It's actually pretty easy to dial in the changes you want on a patch. Haven't tried sound design from scratch yet but for perfecting already good presets, it's really smooth. By the way I think they mean partial as in the partials (the four oscillators) of a patch, not that it's not a complete editor. One thing you missed is that you can hold down Shift and press the four buttons under the knobs to choose which partials you are editing the envelopes and LFOs on. It's almost like a JD-800 in there. 😊

[B-Boy_Spider]

The trick Ben Coe showed, to use scatter to have 2 extra MFX global lanes is a pure gold.

[jaydeepalmer]

You did it!
Props to roland for this update, it really feels like they listened to us ❤️
This is def a video i'll come back to as a reference (along with Ben Coe's in depth tutorial)
I wonder, can you design a sound and then save it as a preset?
Thanks!

[yourguitarhero]

Feel like this is a step ahead from Roland to show they're supporting the system. Feels like Novation could learn a thing or two after it feels like no updates coming for the Tracks or Rhythm anytime soon...!

[elsantoproductora]

This sound engine is crazy powerful. Thanks for the video!

[Death_By_Media]

As this is based off the Zenology /Zen Core synth engine each Partial should have a key note range so in theory you could make each track be a multitimbral split across the key range, four single OSC synths, two duo OSC synths, one three OSC and a Single OSC synths etc. Obviously each Track will still be constricted to Mono or Poly for the over all track so this isn't a quadrupling of tracks per-se, but it should be able sneak in an "extra part" here and there to expand compositions past a strict 4 tracks . Food for thought .

[RossBarboss]

This tiny little box the size of Volca, just became so much more powerful! I"m selling my Circuit! This is true groovebox!

[JeffHendricks]

The MV-1 got the update as well, but 1. didn't include partial editing, and 2. broke the ability to load drumkits from SDZ files. It did add a bunch of cool features, though, so hopefully they release a bugfix update soon!