My Roland System-1 Blog
Blog
This is where I will periodically post new things I learn about the System-1.
5/27/2021
So today I got MIDI working with the
System-8 and Ableton in church! I have written about it
more extensively in my System-8 blog, but it
involves synchronizing the System-1 over a MIDI cable from the
System-8, which is getting MIDI clock over USB.
3/28/2020
So in the midst of staying mostly at home
due to the Corona virus scare, I thought about my philosophy on
using the Pro Mars PLUG-OUT. I realized that I mostly
selected this PLUG-OUT because of the Timpani patch Roland
provided for it. So I set about synthesizing my own
Timpani patch for the System-1, so that I was less dependent
upon the Pro Mars PLUG-OUT. Here is the result. I
basically "copied" the Pro Mars sound and then fine-tuned it
while listening to sounds of real Timpani drums on
YouTube. This is what I came up with. As usual,
click on the icon to see the image in full screen.
1/28/20 Ask And Ye Shall Receive
So I recently asked Roland to send me some stickers. I told them I'd offer them "free advertising." They delivered, so I put the stickers on my car and my laptop (because I'll be running Concerto from my laptop for an upcoming gig).
10/2/19
Today I discovered that, when using the System-1 as a MIDI controller, the System-1 transmits every note you press. This means 4 voice polyphony doesn't change its ability to fully transmit all 25 keys over MIDI, if you want to.
Note that FL Studio does not have a dedicated MIDI controller driver for it. You'd have to map any knobs.
By the way, I wanted to drop a review for the Roland Cloud. This service is absolutely worth every penny! It works great!
9/22/19
Today I had quite a bit of fun in church, and several of my patches were a bit more pronounced. Our church has been working on the mix, and I can see the fruits of that labor. First, we performed Hear The Call Of The Kingdom and I was asked to play using the modified BS_ORGAN_BS patch, which I named "BEE 3". Here's a clip of how it sounded in the mix. My patch isn't one of those complex Hammond B3 simulations, but it works for this song.Then we dissolved into a rendition of the hymn Where He Leads Me. You can hear the PD_DEEP_PAD Roland factory preset a lot better. This preset is so awesome, it almost completely justifies buying a System-1!
9/1/19
Today I borrowed a friend's M-Audio KeyStation 61 MIDI controller because I wanted to plug it into the Roland System-1 and test some of the things I've read in passing on various internet groups.First, once I plugged everything in correctly, the System-1 worked (without configuration) with this MIDI controller. So the System-1 is definitely easy to use with MIDI controllers, at least this one.
Second, the System-1 detected key velocity from this MIDI controller and flawlessly interpreted it as change in dynamics (loud notes versus soft ones, etc). I had read some random things on the internet saying that the System-1 incorrectly interpreted velocity as modulation. That is not true. I didn't even need to configure it: it's like suddenly I had a larger keyboard with velocity sensitivity!
Third, the mod wheel worked without needing configuration. But unlike the MOD button on the System-1, moving the mod wheel only a little bit only added a little modulation (usually, as pitch vibrato), and the level of modulation increased as I moved the mod wheel. It's almost like there's this hidden full-fledged synthesizer beneath the System-1's housing that is just begging to be plugged into a full size MIDI controller!
For some reason, this controller didn't seem to respond correctly to octave +/- keys, but I had enough keys that I really didn't need to use them. But this seems to be the controller's fault, not the System-1.
Polyphony didn't change: I still had only four note polyphony to use.
Overall, I was very impressed by how the System-1 responded properly to plugging a MIDI controller into it. The things I read on the internet were completely unfounded. Maybe it was the MIDI controller they were using.
It's almost like there's half of a System-8 buried inside this System-1. And given what people have said about the System-1 and System-8's shared architecture, I think those who suggest the System-8 has two System-1 engines in it are probably right.
8/29/19
Today I spent some time trying to emulate
some of the keyboard/synth sounds of WhiteHeart's song Montana Sky.
The airy pads at the beginning can be done using Roland's
factory preset PD NOISE PAD with the CROSS MOD, OSC 2 COLOR, and
SUB OSC knobs all the way down. Then this patch, I call
"Montana Sky", is for the second keyboard that comes in half way
into the introduction. Enjoy! (Note: likely
Whiteheart used some 80s synthesizers like the Jupiter-8,
Juno-106, and/or JX-3P.)
8/18/19
Today I got a few more clips of the System-1 in church. One of these is of the bells lead in the song Every Praise; one is using the unmodified SY_ORGANIC (organ) Roland patch during the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy; and the other is of PD_DEEP_PAD, my favorite factory pad, during Build My Life.8/14/19
Today I called Roland tech support and
asked a few questions about my System-1. First, does velocity on
an external MIDI controller trigger vibrato, as some online rags
have suggested? The answer from the tech was "I'll go plug one
in and try it, then I'll call you back." That's absolutely
awesome of them, by the way!
Second, I asked, does an external MIDI
controller "take over" the keys on the System-1 or do the native
keys still work?
He called me back 10 minutes later. First, he
said he plugged it into a MIDI controller and velocity did not
trigger vibrato or mod or anything: it functions identical to
any other synth, in that velocity changes dynamics (sound
level). Win, win.
Second, he reported that the external MIDI
controller did not "take over" the keys of the System-1. I could
hear him playing the very distinguishable factory presets of the
System-1 (that one bank of 8 it ships with). So in essence if I
wanted to be cheap and get a 2 octave MIDI controller and plug
it into the System-1, I could do that and have four octaves (if
I set the MIDI controller two octaves down, obviously).
So in theory, if you want a cheap synth with
a full size keyboard, you could go the System-1 + controller
route. It would be cheaper than a System-8 (but have fewer
features, etc).
My experience today with Roland tech support
was absolutely fantastic!
8/11/19
Today I figured out that I can play a G pad on "O Come To The Altar" during the entire chorus because all the chords have a G note in them. So what I mean is I play two G notes on the keyboard (an octave) and press KEY HOLD and go back to playing guitar. That way I can continue playing my guitar. I don't recommend this if you are mainly a keyboard player, mainly because you will be changing chords. Also, I don't recommend keeping pads running during an entire song because that could end up clashing at some point.
8/4/19
This weekend I worked on Great Things by Phil Wickham. I generated a few custom patches that I have included at the bottom which sound close enough. Note that Phil Wickham's band probably has a keyboard player using some crazy complex Ableton + Omnisphere stuff, so you may not get perfectly close to his sound, but you can get plenty close for worship. I made a separate "Lead" patch for the leads. I initially played these on the keyboard in church, but I found the lead patch I made to be too much like a bell, so instead I started playing the leads with my electric guitar. However, the lead patch, if you hold down the MOD button, can play some of the "spinning" sounding stabs or pings you hear on the recording.
This weekend I also got help from DuderinoSaurusRex
on Reddit to build a harp patch. I had been working on the
sound of a harp for a while, but I could never get close.
This patch sounds
a tiny bit like a harp you'd hear in a video game, but it is
beautiful and works well for church (the recording is live, and
the pianist is playing the same notes with me). To get
something that sounds perfectly like a harp you'd either need to
spend a lot of money or get yourself a real harp.
7/31/19
Today I got my Novation Backpack Case 25-key model from Sweetwater. This backpack case for the System-1 will also hold my ME-70!Today I also learned how to make a patch that sounds like a string section using tremolo bowing. Basically you use the LFO section: you turn up AMP and FILTER because this type of bowing results in volume spikes (AMP) and brightness peaks (FILTER). Then you dial in the RATE to taste and you turn the FADE TIME to zero so that it works instantly. What I did was take PD STRINGS 1 and save it to two memory locations. I modified the first one to sound like tremolo bowing and saved it. So on songs like Psalm 46 (Lord of Hosts), I can play the strings in the beginning that are using tremolo, and then without lifting my right hand off the keyboard, I can press the second memory location button with my left hand and the tremolo bowing stops, but the strings are still playing, similar to the recording.
Some more performance notes on this song: I like switching to pad as soon as the verse begins. And during the interlude before the Bridge, I like to switch to Roland preset SQ GLASS ARP that I modified by turning off ARPEGGIO and DELAY. It results in a bright shimmery effect that is a fantastic contrast.
7/6/19
Today I was playing around, trying to imitate some of the sounds I hear on Chillwave. This is what I came up with. Enjoy!
7/3/19
Today I discovered Hillsong's Peter James's
keys masterclass videos part 1
and part
2 on YouTube. I recommend them: even though he
mainly uses software synthesizers, a lot of what he has to say
will teach you not only using synthesizers but also how to play
synthesizers in church.
6/15/19
This blog entry is more of a performance
note. I was practicing "Before The
Throne of God Above" today for church. I noticed
that there really aren't a lot of "airy" pads for the System-1
among the Roland Librarian patches. I was flipping through
the pads I've stored in mine, and found PD NOISE PAD. I
played it and noticed that it's sort of detuned, or atonal,
depending on your ears. But when I looked at how it's laid
out, that's because this patch is using CROSS MOD. So I
just turned the CROSS MOD knob all the way down and suddenly
this patch was much more useful in church.
Listening to this pad at work, however, you
might notice that there's a lot of almost robotic movement going
on. This is because OSC2 is being modified by the LFO
which is in sample-and-hold setting. The advantage here is
that you can save the patch (like the previous paragraph) with
the CROSS MOD off, then keep the OSC2 COLOR knob (which
determines how much of that robot-like movement you hear) where
it is. During performance, one could dial the OSC2 COLOR
knob down to temporarily remove it, then if there's a part of
the song where it is desirable to have this movement going on
(like the introduction or the ending, for example), simply dial
the knob back up.
So if you need an airy (or "noisy") pad,
consider using PD NOISE PAD. I found that it works very
well for me.
6/1/19 Piano Patch
Recently I had wanted to learn to synthesize
a proper piano (not electric piano) patch for use in
church. I went searching on YouTube for a good video and
found this.
Following his instructions, I came up with something very
usable. It doesn't perfectly sound like a piano
(especially because the man in this video has 3 oscillators and
the System-1 has only two) but nonetheless it sounds convincing
enough. I hope you find this useful! Note that the
filter section is used to give a bright attack that gets warmer
as the keys are held.
5/23/19 COLOR Knob
Today I mapped out the COLOR knob, made my
own lead sound, fell in love with the Unison mode, and fooled
around with RING mod. I was trying to experiment with
mixing white noise with pitched tones. I made a patch I
call "Weed Wacker Choir" or "Edger Choir". If, from an
ant's perspective, multiple weed whackers decided to start
singing, this is what it would probably sound like.
5/17/19 Progress
So today I replaced all the pictures, above, with Librarian screenshots. That looks a lot better.Also, yesterday I noted that the Librarian shows a volume output bar at the top of the image in the VST. I used this to go over all the factory patches I had adapted for church use and set up their level of output so that they were all the same.
Thank you, Roland. You rock!
5/11/19 Modified Sounds
So after discovering the patches Roland has for the System-1 via the Librarian, I realized (like I said above in "Initial Sounds") that I was being a bit mild, and that's why what others were doing with the System-1 (that I watched on several YouTube videos) seemed more extreme. I was wondering how they did that, but being a newbie, I wasn't sure how. Now after seeing how factory patches are laid out, I know how. So I will detail, below, how I modified some of the factory patches to make them more palatable for church. Keep in mind that these patches are owned by Roland, so I am not sharing what Roland made, because I respect their creative and intellectual rights. But this is more "How to make the System-1 work for church."5/8/19 Learning
Today I figured out, while experimenting, how to direct oscillators to the various envelopes. Yes, I'm a synthesizer newbie.
I found that if I send, say, OSC1 to the filter envelope (F.ENV), and OSC2 to A.ENV, I can turn OSC1 to saw type (or multi-saw) and set the F.ENV to a more pad-like arrangement, while I can turn OSC2 into triangle type and send it to A.ENV for a more bell-like filter type. This seems to have the effect of doing cute things like you see on keyboards where it's as if you can add a "pad" to other instrument types. However, so far I haven't figured out how to make them sound more distinct and separate as "instruments."
4/1/19 Aira Scatter Function
This morning, I took a few minutes to try to
map out the basics of the Aira scatter function on my
System-1. I didn't bother to fully map it out, like
getting staff paper or recording audio clips, but I figured this
list might help others. Note that in scatter modes 1-5,
the System-1 doesn't seem to alter what you already have
configured via the arpeggio section, but in 6-10 it does.
Note that during this exercise, I had ARP TYPE set to 1 OCT UP
and ARP STEP at 1/8.
| NUMBER |
UP/DOWN |
DESCRIPTION |
| 1 |
DOWN |
Modifies LPF CUTOFF + CRUSHER + HPF CUTOFF |
| 1 |
UP |
Modifies CROSS MOD + LPF CUTOFF + HPF
CUTOFF |
| 2 |
DOWN |
Modifies LPF CUTOFF + RESO + HPF CUTOFF |
| 2 |
UP |
Modifies LPF CUTOFF + RESO + HPF CUTOFF |
| 3 |
DOWN |
Modifies the swing/syncopation of the
notes, less of it |
| 3 |
UP |
Modifies the swing/syncopation of the
notes, more of it |
| 4 |
DOWN |
Slower arpeggios |
| 4 |
UP |
Faster arpeggios. At max, modifies
PORTAMENTO + CROSS MOD |
| 5 |
DOWN |
More sparse arpeggios, and down an octave |
| 5 |
UP |
More notes, faster, and up an octave |
| 6 |
DOWN |
Block chords with different syncopations |
| 6 |
UP |
Faster block chords with different patterns
("Teenage Wasteland") |
| 7 |
DOWN |
Becomes a different pattern ("Days Go By") |
| 7 |
UP |
Becomes different faster pattern ("Teenage
Wasteland") |
| 8 |
DOWN |
Different, more sparse pattern (at max: 1
block chord) |
| 8 |
UP |
Different faster pattern (at max: 2 block
chords) |
| 9 |
DOWN |
Modifies OSC 1 & 2 COLOR + LPF CUTOFF +
RESO + CRUSHER |
| 9 |
UP |
Modifies OSC 1 & 2 COLOR + LPF CUTOFF +
CRUSHER |
| 10 |
DOWN |
Modifies LPF CUTOFF + RESO + HPF CUTOFF |
| 10 |
UP |
Modifies LPF CUTOFF + RESO + HPF CUTOFF |