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Draft:Roland SC-88

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  • Comment: As a product, this must show notability through sources meeting this criteria. CNMall41 (talk) 20:07, 4 August 2024 (UTC)

Roland SC-88
Base model SC-88
ManufacturerRoland
Dates1994
Technical specifications
Polyphony64 voices
Timbrality32-part multitimbral
LFO2 per instrument
Synthesis typeSample-based synthesis
Filter1 TVF per instrument
Attenuator1 TVA per instrument
Aftertouch expressionYes
Velocity expressionYes
EffectsReverb, chorus, delay, 2-band EQ
Input/output
External controlMIDI (IN, OUT, THRU)[1]

The Roland SC-88 (Sound Canvas) is a General MIDI GS-compatible sound module released in 1994 by Roland Corporation. It is the second major sound module released for the Roland Sound Canvas series. Being released as the successor to the SC-55, it retains the same PCM synthesis but expands upon its predecessor in several aspects.[2]

Features

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The SC-88 has more than double the instrument count previously present in the SC-55, boasting 654 instrument patches, and adding up to 24 drum kits.[3] It was also upgraded to have 64-voice polyphony and 32-part multitimbrality. Alongside its reverb and chorus effects, The SC-88 also introduced 10 new delay effects and a 2-band EQ.[3]

The SC-88 features backward compatibility with the SC-55, deriving its sound sets from it,[3] allowing for accurate playback of songs made with the SC-55 or SC-55 mkII, albeit with slight differences.

Module Mode

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With its expanded 32 parts, the SC-88 can be configured to play as one module or two virtual modules simultaneously through two MIDI IN ports, with additional configuration via SysEx messages.[2]

User programmability

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The SC-88 gives users the ability to store up to 256 user instruments at once, with each of the 128 patches offering 2 free variation locations to choose from. In addition, 2 user drum kits can be made and uniquely named,[4] although parameter editing capabilities are relatively restricted to user instruments.

Models

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SC-88

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Originally released in 1994, the base SC-88 appears as a standard half-rack but is half a unit higher to accommodate for extra buttons dedicated to editing instrument parameters. Additionally, it provides 256 user instrument memory locations and 2 user drum kits.[4] Compared to its subsequent models, it also sports a higher quality 18-bit DAC.[5]

SC-88VL

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In 1995,[6][7] a 1U half-rack version was released called the SC-88VL. It offers virtually the same functionality aside from the absence of user programmable instruments.[6] Some units were sold under Roland’s former "desktop media" oriented line Edirol, being featured with a white color scheme and having a Edirol brand in place of Roland.[8]

SC-88ST

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The SC-88ST is a stripped-down version of the SC-88 launched in 1996.[7] It lacks the LCD and several buttons from the original model,[9] serving as a simpler, cost-effective option for the SC-88. Like the SC-88VL, it also lacks user programmability.

See also

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Roland SC-8850

References

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  1. ^ "Roland SC-88 MIDI Sound Generator SC-88 Owner's Manual" (PDF). Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Roland SC-88 MIDI Sound Generator SC-88 Owner's Manual" (PDF). Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Roland SC-88". Vintage Synth Explorer. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Roland SC88". Sound on Sound. Archived from the original on 25 December 2011.
  5. ^ "Roland GS History". xv2020.s14.xrea.com. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  6. ^ a b "Roland SC-88VL". SynthArk. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b "機種別経過年数&修理対応期間一覧". Roland Pro A/V (Japanese). Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Roland Sound Canvas SC-88VL Edirol". Reverb. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Roland SC-88ST". SynthArk. Retrieved 22 July 2024.