Roland On The Case...
From the original Analog Industries archive. Some links and images from that era no longer resolve.
Details of the long-rumored Roland Eurorack modules leaked today, ahead of the Musikmesse announcement. In a nutshell, four 21HP DSP-based stereo effects units (delay, distortion, “scatter” effect, and bitcrusher/filter) with both 9VDC and Euro power connectors on the back, along with USB for Aira connectivity, and the ability to live as a desktop unit. $299 each.
Now, as my time in the music tech business has lengthened, I’ve gradually stopped putting up editorials about gear on this site, because I have to see all these people at NAMM and various other functions all the time, and I don’t want to be that crabby old man that sits in the corner grumbling. But for these, I’ll make an exception.
Roland is like Stevie Wonder. At one time, a long time ago, Stevie made some records that are ludicrously good. Then, in the mid-80s, he made “Ebony and Ivory” and “I Just Called (To Say I Love You).” And he’s been coasting ever since. As musicians, each and every one of us respects Stevie Wonder, and we all own all those good records and know them by heart. But we willfully ignore everything past a certain point.
Sure, once in a while, Stevie does something that just makes us go “wow.” But on the whole, we’re not terribly interested. If Stevie went back in the studio and made some stinky, funky iteration of “I Wish,” we’d all be like “daaaaaaamn, Stevie still got it!” But for the most part, we’re not too concerned with what he’s up to.
Same thing with Roland.
Talk of Roland snooping around Euro was the main grist for the NAMM rumor mill, at least among the Euro guys. Our general consensus was that either they would come up with something that would move the platform way forward, or they would repackage their guitar pedals.
As we can plainly see, it is the latter case.
I will say one thing: these will be a powerful gateway drug, as they will be a much less threatening introduction to the platform. But for the real Euro user, they miss the mark by a country mile. What a waste of the biggest and best R&D department in the industry.
EDIT:
When I wrote the above, we didn’t know about the System 500. This changes matters quite a bit, and here’s how:
1. Powerful gateway drug? I don’t even. The System 500 is a very, very good thing on that front, as it is a comprehensive and (I assume) well-supported starter system with Roland’s marketing machine behind it. This will really hurt companies that sell full voices for n00b buyers (Pittsburgh, Intellijel, Doepfer, et al) but for those of us that deal primarily in the icing, not the cake, this is a HUGE deal. Especially for us, because I’ll note that we sell the best “Roland-style” sequencer on the market, and Roland didn’t make a sequencer.
2. This system will be in every music gear retailer on the planet, thus bringing the concept of modular synthesis to the masses, in a way that the existing Euro manufacturers could never hope to do.
Overall, I’m like “whatevs” with the digital modules, because they’re by and large pretty dumb and duplicate already-existing Euro products, and not well. But the analog system is, to all appearances, absolutely outstanding, and exactly what was needed.
27 comments
Yeah, these do nothing for me. But, to their credit, these are the least ugly things Roland has made in nigh on two decades.
I'm a little intrigued by the scooper effect description, interested enough to at least reserve judgment until I hear audio from it. Might have potential as a little standalone unit.
"Sure, once in a while, Stevie does something"
To that end, he did some soundtrack work for Spike Lee in the 90s, I remember digging it.
With these and the Pittsburgh Patchbox, I imagine that the eurorack market could change dramatically over the next year.
I chuckle to myself, imagining the first time Roland support has to deal with someone who connected the power cable backwards.
System1 desktop is cool and i'm gonna get one. I have been using 101 and SH-2 plugins and been wishing to have control for those without keyboard. If it also connects to euro it's a nice bonus.
But what about the submodules thing?
"LFO, ADSR, NOISE, SAMPLE & HOLD, RING MOD, FILTER 6dB, FILTER 12dB, TONE, AMP, MIXER, STEREO MIXER, CURVE CONV, GATE DIVIDER, TRIG TO CV DELAY TIME, MIDI CLOCK TO GATE. "
To me it sounds cool to have module that you can edit with computer and load in new code to change it's function. Sure i would love to have all those as separate modules, but it's not something i'm willing to invest my money.
"But for the real Euro user, they miss the mark by a country mile"
I'm one of those non-real Euro users so these might hit the mark. But i also actually make music with my gear and gig with it and that is something that most real Euro users don't do :P
...but , then there is the system 500 .
"I will say one thing: these will be a powerful gateway drug, as they will be a much less threatening introduction to the platform."
Think it like this: every store that currently sale Aira line will soon have Eurorack modules on sale. It's the first time that masses will have chance to play with modulars. Great news for companies like AD ;) Also great news for us consumers. Maybe one day i can pick new AD module from local music store.
As soon as I wake up, a big edit incoming, as the System 500 changes matters quite a bit.
-CR
I have felt the same way you describe about Roland...until now. Here are the reasons.
1. The plug-out concept in the module means you could put virtual software under CV control. That could get really interesting.
2. The system 500 modules. They basically created a path to euro addiction through the System 1, and then onto the 500.
3. The 'FX Pedals' are more than just that. They are like little mini Nord Modulars in and of themselves. There is a lot of potential to explore a sweet spot between what CV can do and what DSP/Midi can do in this system. That kind of excites me.
Long term, I think this is going to shake up the Euro market quite a bit. Having a big company like Roland who can bring true scale to keep the prices down (heard a rumor the 500 modules are going to be $300 each...Find me a good dual oscillator for $300...) that it could bring about a shake down in the euro market that could hurt the cottage industry that it is. Is that good or bad? don't know....Ill have to see. I'm just glad I don't work at any of those companies reading this news...
Hmmm... I'm just not sure I understand the price-point/features here. Most smallish companies (like AD, I presume) have smallish distribution lists and therefore the modules cost what they cost. Why would a large company come in with a similar product to AD/MakeNoise at a higher price-point to many boutique makers?
I can't help but wonder why no R&D guy said "Hang on, the one thing these small companies can't compete on is price!" and created smaller, cheaper modules. Hell, if they can make guitar pedals for 60 quid a pop, they could have sold smaller cheaper modules like hot cakes. Look at what Korg did with the Volcas!
Now I'm not encouraging a "race to the bottom" on price and subsequently quality, but cheap is something that ONLY big companies can sustain. Watch Korg release a 50 quid eurorack monotron and all of us rush to preorder.
"Overall, I'm like "whatevs" with the digital modules, because they're by and large pretty dumb and duplicate already-existing Euro products, and not well. "
Really?
So there is digital FX modules that you can patch with your phone?
It looks like you can do FX that yesterday required modules worth of $2000 with just one module. I'll assume that you can have unlimited amount of sub module. Meaning that you can have delay that has 4 LFO's, 4 ENV's, ring modulator, Gate divider, four filters and mixer (or two). IMO that's forward thinking and makes other digital modules look pretty lame. AND you can have it on desktop!
"I'll assume that you can have unlimited amount of sub module"
Hmm, that seems like a pretty big assumption.
Did anyone else notice the Malekko logo on the System 500 modules?
Sup wit dat?
This is way way awesome news for the exact reason someone already posted - modular into music retailers everywhere. There's no modular in my town at all, despite having half a dozen music instrument dealers - and being a newb with a skinny wallet - buying modules based on videos is not ideal. Very exciting times - bring on the 500.
Roland may be a pretty easy company to mostly ignore most of the time, but their stage pianos are the only ones I've found that have keys that feel the way piano keys should. If I ever have to replace my RD-300GX, it will almost certainly be with another Roland unit.
(I've also got my eye on a System-1, but that's more of a price-point thing.)
Some good comments here, and my initial thoughts were aligned with Chris, ie, who needs the crappy Scatter effect in a Euro format? However, the sub-module programmable element is very, very interesting.
For me, personally, I've looked as some of the Euro modules made by companies such as AD, Malekko and WMD and have absolutely lusted over them, but simply haven't been able to invest the time and effort into going modular, let alone the money.
I have a System-1 and I think the SH-2 emulation is the best soft synth I've heard.
The System-1M will allow me to get an all in one package as a kind of starter, or the System 500 modules (priced excellently), and then get all those Eurorack modules I've desired for a while (such as the DubJr and Sequencer 1).
In my book, Roland - love or loathe them - have forced a win-win situation for anyone into synths.
Great time to be a synth-nerd.
@thatguy Malekko was involved in the design and manufacturing of these modules ( https://malekkoheavyindustry.com/malekko-at-musikmesse-2015/ )
Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing what's possible with the digital modules; I think the concept of programmable submodules is quite clever and hope that they expand on it with oscillators and modulation sources
so glad the 500 series is outta the bag. exhale.
the rest of the year will be pretty interesting in modular land. everyone is working on rad new stuff. just watched the erica synths messe interview.. holy crappers.. some interesting stuff there. and new hotness from all the usual suspects as well. curious you are up to at AD as well! that panel you let slip has a lot going on.
i've seen some variation of this comment many times and in many places:
"that's it. i'm going modular"
@boobs: Check your MW email.
But yeah. I'm seeing a lot of people that have said the System 500 pushed them over the edge. Since we make value-added products for systems, the more systems people buy, the happier we are.
-CR
Pretty freakin' brilliant move by Josh Holley if you ask me.
CR - checked.. i see nothing :(
@boobs: I mailed to sales@
""I'll assume that you can have unlimited amount of sub module"
Hmm, that seems like a pretty big assumption."
Current version of the editor software shows that you can use at least nine submodules at the same time. Not un-limited, but still enough for complex patch. It can be more, but we know when it's released.
Scatter module is actually sampler and ppl who have used it have said it's the coolest module. With sub-patches you can sample something in and mangle that or use the sample to mangle something else.
IMO with sub-patching these FX modules are THE icing on the cake. So Roland is catering both, cake and the rest :P
Editor: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/462339d1429201047-new-roland-aira-modular-mod2.png
Btw, Nick Bat did great interview with Josh from Malekko about 500 modules: https://youtu.be/Y32c9l8Sqc0
System 1m seems to be a sweet spot of "science project" vs patch storage/repeatability. I'll be interested to see how it handles incoming audio rate CV. Add an outboard analog filter or two, or maybe just an Arturia Microbrute, and you could be set for a while for well under $1K.
seems, you are on a constant path away from plug-ins towards modular. which seems perfect, if the numbers are right for you. are there any future plans towards releasing plug-ins?
I guess that everybody else here already has Eurorack in their workflow. I'm piping up as somebody that has never wanted Eurorack because it's not my way of thinking (not good or bad, just is). It's the 'system' part of the Roland gear that's appealing - the one identity as opposed to multiple personalities. If I went for this, I'd choose a case that fit it all neatly and then deal with it as a single thing.
I think that if you drew a Venn diagram of people who rack up and people like me that go for strongly defined systems, the overlap would not be great. You'd somehow have to get the latter to accept a changing sprawl of modules, and that might take quite a different manner of speaking to what works with the current audience.
tl/dr: Roland's audience is not the same audience as the current bespoke euro audience and the cross over influence might not be so great.
@TomE - there are a few manufacturers who make complete systems. a few others who almost have all the pieces in place.
i think this year we'll see a couple more manufacturers offering complete systems.
I think Tom is referring specifically to the Roland _eco_ system, and not what we would refer to as a single-manufacturer voice.
It's kind of funny, because I was reticent about using the Euro stuff in my music, and I tend to go in cycles with it. Right now, I committed to creating an instrument I can actually play, and I'm getting pretty good at it. But at the end of the day, it's still a difficult, complex, and expensive way to make music. Personal satisfaction with your own craftiness aside, Euro is one of the least efficient ways to get sound to people's ear-holes.
But that said, personal satisfaction in my own craftiness is a key aspect of my music-making (and it better be, because it sure as fuck doesn't pay the mortgage.) Right now, I'm greatly enjoying using the Euro. Long-time readers will know that this will eventually wane, and I'll sell the whole rig in a fit of disgust.
To answer the plug-in question from previous, of course, we'll continue releasing software. That is still the majority of our business. I'm working on Ricochet 2 right now.
-CR
I'll take beat mangling and synchronized live looping without an Octatrack for $300, Alex.
Not at all interested in the Eurorack compatibility, but the Scooper module has me intrigued. Hard to find a sinkable stereo looper for this price. Thanks to the virtual sub-module application's ability to fuss things up a bit and reassign the GRF knobs, I'll probably end up with a Scooper running filter and parallel looping duties on my live mixer's master output.
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