Roland MSQ-700, Bit 99 and TR-505
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- Jamming with the Roland MSQ-700, a simple but effective hardware sequencer from 1984. A (Crumar) Bit 99 offers the synth sounds, and a Roland TR-505 provides the beat.
In the days before DAWs, hardware sequencers were often used to build the structure of synth-based songs of the '80s.
I actually bought a lot of my vintage stuff back in the '80s and '90s via "old school", pre-Internet newspaper ads. It was much cheaper, back then (i.e. my TR-909 cost $250, PolySix $100, JP-8 cost $1,200 w/ MIDI etc.) These days, I buy and sell on eBay / craigslist like many other people do.
yep.." the recycler" and the "pennysaver" were gold mines
505 sounds good to me.
It it just me or is the MSQ-700 really pretty? I just love that Roland 80s look. 505 luv! :)
+Die, Master Monkey (Die, Master Monkey) I agree.
You're not alone in that thought!
I agree! I had one.. lovely machine
Yagga97, good point about the technical "limitations" of the devices of the '80s - gear back then was much less complex and powerful, but that didn't prevent the users to make great music. Actually, you can replicate the feel of hardware sequencers with a PC by hard-quantizing (8th & 16ths are the common quantize resolutions used in the '80s) and keeping arrangements "simpler" and less busy than today's music. Very cool that you are 10 :) I have a son of your age.Thanks for watching the channel.
This is the most accurate reproduction of 1980's sound ever recorded on youtube. Very well done!
Thanks and yes, the MSQ-700 has input quantize - see that horizontal slider in the middle of the unit? You can set it to real-time, 1/32, 1/24, 1/16, 1/12, 1/8, 1/6, 1/4, 1/2 . Of course for this it was set at 1/16 so I could do the typical fast sequenced lines in the last part of the video.
I just bought the MSQ-700. I'm excited to make some good old 80's music now. Thanks for all the inspirational videos. You do such a great job. Take care, Sam.
Thank you - they are different (arguably "colder"), they remind me more of the alpha-Juno / JX / MKS series - however they are more versatile with two oscillators, velocity, split etc.
The Crumar bit series synths are instant Italo Disco in my opinion. Great demo!❤️🎹
Thanks - yep, it was much simpler back then - now we arguably have too many options in our DAWs! :-)
They certainly make it very easy to add loads and tons of *things* into a song that the song doesn't need.
Helps to take a step back every so often to think and make sure you know what it is that you're making, so that you can keep making the ever-so-important decisions of what it's not.
And while I'm not in a position to say what writing or production was like before my time, I am pretty sure that thinking makes most things better.
The 505 might be the most underrated drum machine ever. I love mine so much :-)
with some effects , like in this vid, it is great indeed!
I had one back in the 80s. Useless - the tempo drifted all over the place.
@@chockergram Thats crazy because it doesnt, lol.
@@kensmechanicalaffair I guess some do and others don't.. Mine does have a little tempo drift going on, but i usually just use a sequencer so it doesn't do much for me. Love the sounds though
Hi, the sequencer played back what I had recorded in real time - I cut half of the video frames of the recording phase from the video because it would have taken too long to show at low speed, but then it plays back the complete jam at fast speed at the end. I'm only using one MSQ channel out of eight, I could have made it more complex by using the other channels but didn't have much time to record yesterday. I'll do another video soon
Thank you - not that I play Italo style only, but it's the music of my teen years in Italy so I remember it fondly
love that bit 99 brass sound..... (mucho 80 ties !!)
Heck yes!!!! Its great!!
I have always loved the sound of the BIT99. Those are very hard to find!
i had a white crumar bit99. i didn't keep it because it wasn't an oberheim but it did have some good sounds on it.
How do you get the 505 to start once you load? And how do you get the 505 to sync with msq? I just got one and I’m having difficulty syncing my 626 to it
The Roland MSQ-700 was one of if not the first polyphonic multitrack hardware sequencers available. Quite useful given its equipped with Rolands DIN Sync and MIDI. At one point Greg Hawkes (keyboardist with "The Cars") used two MSQs to drive "The Cars" many sequence based songs. I moved onto the Roland MC-500 (later the MkII) which was/is an amazingly piece of hardware being powerful and rock-solid reliable. Ten years constant use performing and it never failed not once - amazing.
Would you say that the 'sound' of Italo changed when MIDI sequencers came out? I guess it was easier to create Italian Hi-NRG with MIDI in the mid to late 80s than it would have been with CV and gates at the beginning of the 80s.
many use a SX 64 as midi sequencer with lengeling or steinberg sequencer on stage. SX64 was a portable C64 with include display
Yes. In the following year, in 1986, my friend Gerson Ortega bought the MC500 Roland sequencer. In 1987 I bought my MC500. In 1988 I made a video giving a class to a friend. See: ruclips.net/video/QXjAua0V588/видео.html
i think its more fun to record like how they did in the 80s than easy abelton or pro tools i believe
I got up and danced lol
Think ya betta DAAAAANCE Now!
Grazie - ho comprato la maggior parte della mia attrezzatura negli anni '80 e '90, prima che scoppiasse il boom del vintage, comunque roba come per esempio l'MSQ si trova benissimo - e a poco - sul mercato dell'usato, perche' nessuno li usa piu'...
Hello Paolo, greetings from Finland! Thank you for the awesome and informative videos! I have one question for you: how did you manage to sync the TR-505 with MSQ-700? I'm curious to know where that yellow MIDI cable is connected? I'm struggling to connect my Juno-106 and TR-505 to my MSQ-700. As far as I know, the TR-505 does not have a DIN sync output. I would appreciate your help in this matter!
Hello, Night Driver - Very easy: the 505 has MIDI, so it's easily connected to the MSQ-700 --- just go from MSQ-700 MIDI Out to the Juno-106's MIDI In, and from the Juno-106's MIDI Thru to the TR-505's MIDI In.
Thanks, I love your videos! How is the bit 99 as aDCO synth when you compare it to juno60 or 106?
I haven't tried connecting more than two keyboards yet (no time until December...) but it should work - you might want to get a MIDI hub or patchbay so you don't have to constantly swap the MIDI cables
in 1986 I had the same instruments, but i used Yamaha MX computer as sequencer .... great !!!
Thank you - I used just one channel ouf of eight due to time constraints - I plan to do another video using all eight channels and more synths / drum machines.
Do you have the source of that info, like an article, book, interview etc? I'd love to read it
Why am I not subscribed to you? This is the jam.
Ha :-) I remember Falco very well. Which of the three parts in this demo reminds you of him?
I agree: A huge number of resources is not the best for creativity.
Actually there is quantization, the MSQ was set up at 16ths -
Very cool, looking forward to reading the interviews! thank you
How is this being sync'd to the 505? MIDI?
I agree, the MC-500 series software was great and rock-solid
i got a chance to grab one of these.. im kinda thinking i should just grab it.. the msq that is
+Chris Nova777 Do it
The last part is definitely sounds like The Flirts - Passion. Love this.
Yoghurt
Hey, great video! can you record new sequences on the fly with the MSQ700? as in whilst the sequence is playing record a new part? I have been looking for a Midi sequencer for live use so i can improvise lines on synths and either leave what last played looping, or else overdub something new. Im not sure if you have to stop the sequence each time you finish a recording or if you can just punch in / punch out. Also is it possible to mute particular midi channels, as in in your demo could you on the fly mute the RH and leave the LH bass going, or would you need to record a new sequence of just bass and toggle between them? Thanks! (sorry for the random long comment!)
Thank you very much for the info :)
It's a perfect musuem...did you buy all devices?
Mindbogglingly brilliant! Keep up the great videos! :@D
I was looking for hardware MIDI sequencers, and I stumbled across your video. Your video triggered kind of some nostalgia in me (a neat thing!). I am a church organist and pianist, and I'm hoping to find a set-top MIDI sequencer that is more universal, to where I can work on things at home and play them in church when needed.
I was also listening to your music. It really ain't too bad. I MUCH rather listen to your music than that awful heavy metal and other CRAP using the stupid distorted electric guitar!
May God's peace be with ya--in the name of JESUS!
From John Nozum, a fellow musician
how did you connect them all, MIDI wise? MSQ MIDI Out to Bit99, Bit99 MIDI thru to TR-505 MIDI In????
More MSQ videos please!
mmmmm love that sound!!!! i grew up in this era and the synthesizer always my favoirte and it still is :-)
yes, I used MIDI to sync the 505
Very nice. Bit 99 sounds great! :)
The later MC-80 is extremely advanced compared to the MSQ-700 however the aesthetics of the MSQ-700 are incredible, love hitting those chunky big buttons!
Thanks
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
Could be a sound track to most 80's movies...nice work
Yo this goes so hard bro srsly
I own a Juno 106, msq-700 and Tr-707 but I find trouble controlling the Tr-707 via the Sync function of the msq. Can you help me out? Nice video btw :)
Nice, can this setup synced with a taperecorder or a DAW to record audio?
Greets Peter
Peter, yes, it syncs to MIDI
via MIDI clock
Absolutely brilliant demo. Loved it. Italo disco ftw.
I think I like it slow lol
Faved
Super cool vintage sounds and vintage sequencing :)
So are all the bit 99 midi notes on just one midi track? And the 505 your switching drum sequences but the 505 is not changing the bit 99 midi sequences, right?
nice tunes
I just bought an MSQ 700 but I can't figure out how to set up the input quantize. Maybe it's broken on mine. How exactly do you set that up?
SO SICK
complimenti...quanta nostalgia per questo sound e per l'hardware che utilizzi....Ho guardato molti dei tuoi video ....ma come fai a possedere ancora tutta questa attrezzatura?
what a great machines
omg!!!
Hey Italo-Master :) is it possible to sequence more machines with the MSQ-700 and does it stay everything perfect in sync ? I am planning a dummachine as the master the msq as slave which also sequence 5 other midi Synths/Samples is it possible ? Thanx in advance i think youre the best!
Any way to turn all these into actual tracks? I'd love to have them for daily listening.
my crumar bit one just broke and I'm being asked 250 euros to repair it!! Do you think it's an outrageous price? Cheers
Oh my god the 909s go for >2000€ on ebay now.. I would be extremly happy with a 101 and a sampling drumachine like 505/707and additional a jp-8x; I'm 16.. any recommendations where I can get some Equipment for "cheap"? Thank you for you Videos, really helping me getting into old machines. Do you sell/release your records anywhere?
Very impressive Paolo!!! I've just wondered if those sounds was written separately (as different channel) in to this sequencer, in order to be processed later with a sound effect. (reverb, delay etc)
Nop, these were played live in one take with two hands, just like you see in the video ;)
@@SynthManiaDotCom is it possible to be done? Recording each one take (bass/brass/drums) as different tracks/channel?
@@durion6 Yes, it says it in the name: "Multi Track Digital Recorder"
@@SynthManiaDotCom Thank you very much Paolo!!
@@durion6 Very welcome
This is great, very inspiring. Reminded me of the Kavinsky record. Must...resist...urge...to buy...everything!!
Did that thing have input Quantizing? My first sequencer was the Alesis MMT-8.. My sophomore year in HS! Amazing machines! I STILL use hardware sequencers! My K2600 runs everything in my studio! Post is on the Puter! This is an excellent video into Midi sequencing history!
Cant believe you didnt make a mistake while playing the notes in, and didnt use quantization !? I always need the timing correct function ^^
Cheesy 80's synth pop is definitely the order of the day with these retro gear. Modern music seems to be drawing itself back to these analogue synth bass rhythm.
Hi! In the end of the video it seems like the msq is playing all sorts of prerecorded pattern, or is it one of ypour longer recordings? Or some kind of songmode? That bit99 sound pretty nice! Like the white version too.
Thank god I'm not the only one slowing down the tempo so I could play it easily and not having to quantize anything haha GREAT TUNES!
I used an MSQ-700 back in the early 80's, but quickly moved on to the C64 "SuperSequencer" (from "Sonus"), then a few years later found myself using the Kawai Q-80. I find it interesting that I went from hardware to software, then back to hardware. From the Q-80 I moved on to Emagic Logic on the Mac in the mid-1990s, which is, in my opinion, as close to perfection as a MIDI sequencer can get.
How are Crumar's Bit series in terms of reliability? I know their other stuff tends to be very unreliable.
The song at minute 4:00 is it your creation or there is an actual song for that? anyway is great !
My creation
did u upload it somewhere else?
i want to record on an msq-700.. does anyone know a good 80s tape mixer to record on casset i wanna get one
The drums sound amazing! How did you process them?
Actually, there's no processing on any of the instruments.
@@SynthManiaDotCom Wow, that's crazy! My 505 samples feel so much thinner. What sort of reverb did you use?
Very cool session! Nice sounds and tracks, although it doesn't sound super quantized. Is it just me?
Marco Longo I don't think you can input quantize. I haven't heard back from Synthmania, but I've tried to figure it out on my MSQ700 and it never seems to work. The manual only specifies that it can quantize after the fact. And, at least the unit I have, does a terrible job at quantizing after the fact.
No TR-505 on the Roland Soundcoud.. awwww! Nice Jam, I was born in 1971 and I heard the 505 all the time on the radio. Now I know where some of those drum sounds came from. Keep up the good work! Very inspiring stuff on Synthmania.
Thanks for listening
Love it
how did u sync the 505 to the msq ? since the 505 has no dinsync ?
Cool. But re the note at 0:42, is there really nothing that one owuldn't o these days with a PC/Laptop, rather than with a sequencer unit like the MSQ-700? It's all just MIDI/signals, right - so, other than the tactile experience, and I/Os the hardware vs PC/laptop happen to have - there is no difference/reason to use an old sequencer anymore? Or am I missing something ... ?? :P
Calm yourself. ;) Not putting your toys down, just making sure I'm not missing something ... I'm new to this old stuff! :)
The Roland TR 505 in full glory,it sure packed a punch for its size.
eros ramazzotti style... (terra promessa...)
505 for life! So sick. That MSQ-700 is so sexy lol 😝
At last, a playback video of this rare sequencer! Very nice!
Very much reminding me of Scotch
Vince Clarke called, he wants his song back. lol
amazing piece of kit :) I know howard jones used 2 of these the 500 version on tour