BOOcast - Synth of the Month: Roland MC-202
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- Опубліковано 2 тра 2023
- This is taken from BOO-cast episode 12 (bit.ly/boocast12).
Tubbutec MC 2oh2 upgrade for the MC-202: tubbutec.de/mc-2oh2/
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Mc 202 is pain in the ass to program, but eventually a real beast if you allow yourself enough time to tame it.
I used to program the hell out of it in the mid 90s, but I guess my brains have gotten old and squishy... Perhaps next year I will lock myself in a room with it, and not let myself out until I have attained understanding again!
Agreed.
I use my Kenton 5 Skt Retrofitted TB-303 to master my 4 Skt Retrofitted MC-202, which has the benefits of bypassing the quantising of the usual built int CV limitations of the 202.
The 303 is easier to program.
I do have 2 Kenton USB Solos which helps with DAW integration on both.
In the early 80s, I loved my MC-202. Coupled with my SH-101 and TR-606, they were the frontline gear in my setup... ahh halcyon days indeed!
Tape sync makes a 4 track your synth ally
Indeed it does! However I used to record all the backing tracks onto the 4-track and then just sing n play live over the top... syncing is ok in the studio but didn't feel confident enough to rely on it in a live situation.@@dr.feelicks2051
I was watching the KLF doco film... & realised it was a mc-202 that was being used by them, for the acid sounds & sequences of their tracks. My friend had one & I played with one in the early to mid 90's. When I saw the KLF tweaking theirs in the studio. It was actually really much more obvious to me it definitely was a 202 doing the acid tracks. 'What Time Is Love' is so a 202 acid techno track. If folks want a good demo for the mc-202's worth for acid tracks. Listen to that KLF track
My very first sequencer…..loved it!
that vcf is nice.
Very cool thanks 😊
Thank you!
Iv got the Roland S1 the t8 to but having one of these would be a great addition to my set up
The design and workflow are like a hybrid of the SH-101 and the TB-303! Pretty interesting.
Blue and orange are an oddly-recurring colour scheme for synths (they're complementary colours, so it's not THAT odd, I just seem to see it more than red and navy, or yellow and turquoise, for instance)
Edit: BTW, would appreciate the link to the sequencer mod to be in the description, since you put the effort into placing it in the frame! Though in my case, it seems OCR I didn't even know was in my OS saved me from typing it in.
Good idea! I'll pop that in tomorrow! Thanks.
That last sequence you have going is spectacular Chris! Well done considering the sequencer on the MC-202 is notoriously difficult to use.
I don't own an MC-202, but my synth tech does and did the Tubbutec MC 2oh2 upgrade and he says it's a game changer and worth the purchase. It turns it into the machine it should have been.
Ah, thank you very much sir, that's very kind of you. Still considering the Tubbutec upgrade... Haven't had the spare time or more importantly, the spare cash to pull the trigger as yet... If it happens, expect a video update!
cool !
i still have the MC202 data cassette sadly the mc 202 is long gone.
Great channel.
Thank you!
To see tempo bpm hold the tempo/cycle button whilst playing ;)
Wow, thank you!!
@@BOOelectric My pleasure, great video anyway 👍 BTW Tubbutec CPU mod is dope, I have it and it really expands the 202s possibilities.
I had one of these, I loved it. Two sequencer channels, controlling the internal voice and an SH-101. For me, the MC had a slightly different (nicer “smoother”) sound than the SH. A great combo.
This was back in 1984. A few years later I sold it for all of about £60 or so :(
Ouch! 😢
@@hoagy_ytfc oh no!!
noice..
didn t know you can play 2 sequences at a time...
plus the second cv/gate out.
The sequencer in 303's are no worse but limited to just 16 steps or 1 bar length... Most people would have preferred Behringer had not stuck to a similar method of sequencers as original 303's used, in their clones. The 303 was easier to fluke a result for a baseline sequence, that many still got to work for tracks, without learning it's step sequencer properly tho. The 202 was the misunderstood, but otherwise great classic too. It's a better 303 sequencer that can be more learning & time spent programming than 303's... mainly if u are wanting to have longer length sequences from programming the 202's. But I'm a fan of these more so now watch thru this. I played with one in my youth & friend owned one. Always thought it was more misunderstood as a good vintage item, & I've only used 303 clones... But I never was convinced on hearing 303's as being something that 202's are poor relations off. I prefer that very 101 nature to it... It's still good at bass & high res acid stuff. The portamento, accents ties etc of notes sequenced on these 202's... Seem to be very capable to create or mimic that of the 303's. Those things are more important to mimic a 303, than it's 3 pole 18db/Oct filter response is. But the 202 is a good lead synth, if it's not everything as good to fuss about as 303 bass is... for the purist opinion of them both. The 202 is great, but still is relatively cheap vintage Roland, not cause it's a crap 303 or 101... It for needing a bit of time to learn & understand its very capable & powerful step sequencer... Which is pretty reasonable to use & program for tech like this at that time imo. That cut down 101 synth in it, still has that 101 presence for cutting thru in any mix, like 101's do... This video has convinced me I was right back in the 90's for being impressed by how these sounded, & generated a immediately techno driven vibe. I was trying to make horrible digital synths stripped of the analogue philosophy of subtractive methodology... That u had to program in backwards ways for attempting techno analogue sounds. So hearing a 202 was eye opening, there was reasons to why some vintage gear was spoken for as being perfect instruments to just be right at home, making this new dance techno sounds & music from... The digital invasion of synthesis had not made synths easier for making better dance music at all.
I use my TD-3 in a way now that I would've liked to have used my old TB-303 for back in the day if it'd had midi. I use the TD-3s sequencer as a writing tool. I'll tap in a bunch of random notes, slides, accents and rhythms. And once I've got a bunch of patterns that i like, I'll record a bunch of the one bar sequences from the TD-3 as Midi into my DAW via USB. I'll then turn off the TD-3s clock and sequence it from Cubase using an Expert Sleepers USAMO via 5 Pin Din. This way, I retain the 303 sequencer vibe, without really having to think about it, I can introduce 16th note swing, change a bunch of different patterns all to the same key/scale, harmonize the patterns far more easily. Plus, when it's sequenced from Cubase via Din with the USAMO, I have zero clock, jitter or latency issues when recording it as audio.
I guess I’m one of the few nerds who like this sequencer hahaha/ cool video !
Good for you sir! I liked it in the 90s, and I sort of like it now, I just don't understand it! 😂
I too love the sequencer on this just like the mc4 but without the fun buttons
Not bad sound.. nice reso filter... but unreasonably high price at the moment
Yes, it's getting quite silly now. The S1 is inexpensive, and pretty close sound-wise, and it's 4 voice poly.... could be an option?
I used the MC-202 along with a TB-303 and TR-606 in my early 80's setup, using the 202 as melody voice, see here: ua-cam.com/video/9MNau4kHRP0/v-deo.html
That's absolutely lovely, thank you for sharing it with us.