It's a pretty amazing sixteen channel sequencer and I used two of them as the center of my rig for years. I still have one of them packed away that I might sell off so that someone else can enjoy it.
This was one of the first pieces of gear I got...loved it, and this makes me miss it more! You essentially have the JV/XV sound engine, along with endless classic Roland drum sounds, sampling, a great sequencer, chord memory!!! and a great interface.....killer piece of kit. great, now im hunting for one on Reverb LOL
I bought one of these for 500 dollars in Brazil. Expanded RAM, original manual and various smartmedia flashcards. Absolutely astonishing for contemporary electronic music genres that make revival of old synthesizers. Currently I put Linn Drum samples and I'm making music between darkwave, industrial and EBM
Thanks for the nostalgia! I'd used one for a bit in 2006, but not enough to dig in very far. What I'd done is transferred MIDI I had sequenced on the computer to it, reassigned the channels to better sounds, then recorded them back to the computer for arrangement layers. I remember needing to edit out the patch and program numbers from the MIDI file before sending them to the 909, or it would do as the event told it, instead of keeping the internally chosen sound. I still have a bunch of old files still that are appended GM.mid for general midi sound counterparts as well as NoPatchFor909.mid of the same songs with the events stripped out.
Oh shit, I forgot how early 90's the MC-X0X groove boxes patches sounded. That almost M1 bass slap-bass! The COSM effects engine did help wash them a good bit and it was a good affordable sampler that was so much easier to learn to use than the MV-8000, which probably why they are selling for so much more than the MV-8000 now.
I had to choose between this and the similar Yamaha RS7000 or Akai MPC series for my DAW-less setup. All have a good sampler, MIDI sequencer and built-in tweakable synth sounds. With a MIDI-synced multitrack recorder (like my Roland VS2480, or Yamaha AW16G), you have a powerful DAW-less setup to combine samples, MIDI sequences and live audio. The Roland has a better display, including that piano roll editing... whereas the RS has event list only. The MPC has a huge selection of third party sample libraries. But the RS patterns are allowed to have different meters and sequence lengths; I remember this being a limitation of the Roland. I chose the RS, but still wonder where the Roland or Akai would have taken me instead. Sadly most of the modern multirack audio recorders (eg Tascam, Zoom) lack MIDI sync, which makes the combo useless... this is a real frustration... there's a lot of people calling out for a modern hardware audio multirack recorder with MIDI sync, to pair with the modern sampler/sequencers like Digitact or later Akai's.
You taking that apart to show that it accepts an srx card and ram is priceless info! Now I KNOW I want one lol! This would be the Fantom S era machine. So 2002?
I love my MC-909, but I'm definitely not using it anywhere near its potential. I've just started playing it via my MPC Live II. I love how this method lets me get off the grid for beats, but more as a way of stacking synths. I have a couple short clips on my channel, and more on the way
Ah yes, the potential of the 909. I haven't met any person who has said "yep, I've mastered it, I've pushed it to the limit." It's just one of those ageless classics :)
The MC grove boxes were all good. I used a 505 as the centre of my live dawless rig for years. For me the ease you can use midi for outboard gear with the internal dps.
it'd be interesting to put this and their new 707 or whatever side by side and try to do the exact same things till u reach a complete production and compare the 2 distinct realities
I wanted to get the mc 909 as my first piece of hardware but it was still too expensive even used ones so i got the mc 808. Pretty epic and i checked and compared both 909 and 808, they both has almost super similar to the same patches lol. I seen people bash the mc 909 and 808 for its lack of some features (but, i did find hidden features on the mc 808 by holding the [SHIFT] button and pressing random functions lmao) I did load some mc 505 drum kit samples on it cuz i love the cheese factor of it and also with the right mood and groove, you can make the cheesey sound epic! the mc 808 helped me like record keyboard type stuff on it and also helped me get good at piano (practicing and re-recording odd time signature (5/4 and 7/4) weird techno, dnb, jungle, braindance melodies lol) also been looking online for a midi device so i can control mc 808 via my pc so i can make my insane computer music along with the 808, td3 and yamaha emp100 thingy i found for cheap!
I remember when this came out. 1 of it's main competitors was the Yamaha RS7000. Most people who used both say the MC909 had a better synth engine & the RS is the better sequencer. I got the RS & it 's seq is very good, but still want to test out the MC909. I love the sound of my MC707. I would love to see video of the MC909 vs MC707.
I have the MC-707 and its great and less laggy (but the screen is tiny) ... but I think this mc-909 is nice because of its size, great onboard controls and excellent sounds from that era. To me a lot of things from roland, yamaha, casio peaked between 1999 and the early 2000's ... and this one may have been an early bloomer.
@gearfacts untoward people sucked the life out it , to make mummy and daddy proud ..and probably made a big success of their lives after pushing real Artist out the way ..
I hate the sound of it and everybody seems to be deaf about it. That thing has no dynamic. I had two of them, the navigation is amazing, easy to use but everything sounds like a toy. They added functions sacrificing processing. The sounds sound like 8 bit, but the effect gives the stereo image. Sounds tiny like a Roland U 110. It does not matter what card you insert and that has beem my discussion with these illiterate apes on the internet, the processors is used to manage functionality, not stereo image or sound quality. It is not possible this machine costed the same as a JP-8000 back in the day and the JP-8000 was two parts and this one 16 and with more functions.
The bass and drums are very good for classic trance... many of the basses have never been implemented as sounds on other music devices, e.g. Loco Bass (except in the mc 808), but not found on the mc 707 in this form for example ;-).. I think that these sounds are dynamic and that much more classic trance can be produced with bass and drum sequences.. plus a virus ti and a couple of effects :-)
It's a pretty amazing sixteen channel sequencer and I used two of them as the center of my rig for years.
I still have one of them packed away that I might sell off so that someone else can enjoy it.
Well you've got plenty of keen buyers waiting, judging by some of these comments :)
This was one of the first pieces of gear I got...loved it, and this makes me miss it more! You essentially have the JV/XV sound engine, along with endless classic Roland drum sounds, sampling, a great sequencer, chord memory!!! and a great interface.....killer piece of kit. great, now im hunting for one on Reverb LOL
Wow not bad for a first piece of kit!
Ooo! Nice toy! That groovebox is so relevant for today's gigs. Amazed by it's quality of tracks and sounds.
Yeah, it's really surprising how good it sounds considering its age. 100% capable
Fantastic machine. Simple and powerful at the same time. Fun to play with as well.
Yes indeed!
Always wanted one of these it's my dream machine
Cool subbed
I'm an MC707 / TR8S owner, but there is something about these older machines that just oozes character!
Absolutely!
Same here I bought the MC-505 and MC-909 at the same time
I bought one of these for 500 dollars in Brazil. Expanded RAM, original manual and various smartmedia flashcards. Absolutely astonishing for contemporary electronic music genres that make revival of old synthesizers. Currently I put Linn Drum samples and I'm making music between darkwave, industrial and EBM
Sounds like you got a great deal!
Thanks for the nostalgia! I'd used one for a bit in 2006, but not enough to dig in very far. What I'd done is transferred MIDI I had sequenced on the computer to it, reassigned the channels to better sounds, then recorded them back to the computer for arrangement layers. I remember needing to edit out the patch and program numbers from the MIDI file before sending them to the 909, or it would do as the event told it, instead of keeping the internally chosen sound. I still have a bunch of old files still that are appended GM.mid for general midi sound counterparts as well as NoPatchFor909.mid of the same songs with the events stripped out.
Thanks for the demo.
It was a genuine pleasure!
Oh shit, I forgot how early 90's the MC-X0X groove boxes patches sounded. That almost M1 bass slap-bass! The COSM effects engine did help wash them a good bit and it was a good affordable sampler that was so much easier to learn to use than the MV-8000, which probably why they are selling for so much more than the MV-8000 now.
Mmmm, the MV8000 - different approach to sampling, I hope to review one sometime.
my first set up was two mc505s and an sp303, boy how things have changed
I had to choose between this and the similar Yamaha RS7000 or Akai MPC series for my DAW-less setup. All have a good sampler, MIDI sequencer and built-in tweakable synth sounds. With a MIDI-synced multitrack recorder (like my Roland VS2480, or Yamaha AW16G), you have a powerful DAW-less setup to combine samples, MIDI sequences and live audio. The Roland has a better display, including that piano roll editing... whereas the RS has event list only. The MPC has a huge selection of third party sample libraries. But the RS patterns are allowed to have different meters and sequence lengths; I remember this being a limitation of the Roland. I chose the RS, but still wonder where the Roland or Akai would have taken me instead. Sadly most of the modern multirack audio recorders (eg Tascam, Zoom) lack MIDI sync, which makes the combo useless... this is a real frustration... there's a lot of people calling out for a modern hardware audio multirack recorder with MIDI sync, to pair with the modern sampler/sequencers like Digitact or later Akai's.
Agree. Love old-school midi :)
You taking that apart to show that it accepts an srx card and ram is priceless info! Now I KNOW I want one lol! This would be the Fantom S era machine. So 2002?
Thank you! and yep that's about the right vintage :)
I got myself one of these due to needing a drum machine & sequencer, but it basically fills in everything you need on a desktop almost lol.
I'm inclined to agree :)
I love my MC-909, but I'm definitely not using it anywhere near its potential. I've just started playing it via my MPC Live II. I love how this method lets me get off the grid for beats, but more as a way of stacking synths. I have a couple short clips on my channel, and more on the way
Ah yes, the potential of the 909. I haven't met any person who has said "yep, I've mastered it, I've pushed it to the limit." It's just one of those ageless classics :)
It sounds great
The MC grove boxes were all good. I used a 505 as the centre of my live dawless rig for years. For me the ease you can use midi for outboard gear with the internal dps.
Agree :)
it'd be interesting to put this and their new 707 or whatever side by side and try to do the exact same things till u reach a complete production and compare the 2 distinct realities
True. I can see how it might shake out - similar capabilities but a simple differences in 1. computer dependance and 2. Subjective style
I wanted to get the mc 909 as my first piece of hardware but it was still too expensive even used ones so i got the mc 808. Pretty epic and i checked and compared both 909 and 808, they both has almost super similar to the same patches lol. I seen people bash the mc 909 and 808 for its lack of some features (but, i did find hidden features on the mc 808 by holding the [SHIFT] button and pressing random functions lmao)
I did load some mc 505 drum kit samples on it cuz i love the cheese factor of it and also with the right mood and groove, you can make the cheesey sound epic!
the mc 808 helped me like record keyboard type stuff on it and also helped me get good at piano (practicing and re-recording odd time signature (5/4 and 7/4) weird techno, dnb, jungle, braindance melodies lol) also been looking online for a midi device so i can control mc 808 via my pc so i can make my insane computer music along with the 808, td3 and yamaha emp100 thingy i found for cheap!
Agree :) If I still had the motivation that I did when I was 25, I'd be all over the MC909.
I remember when this came out. 1 of it's main competitors was the Yamaha RS7000. Most people who used both say the MC909 had a better synth engine & the RS is the better sequencer. I got the RS & it 's seq is very good, but still want to test out the MC909. I love the sound of my MC707. I would love to see video of the MC909 vs MC707.
I agree - they were the best of the best back then
I got that one but the 505 hits way harder it actually has an analog bass circuit and overdrive where the 909 is just sample based
I did not know that, will have to find out more
I bought this and the MC -505 at the same time
Big investment!
Built like a tank too!
So true - where has that build quality gone, Roland!?
I used to have one and liked it . However mine was prone to bugs and crashing which cause me to lose my work.
Oh that's the worst. My Akai synthstation was like that, and they never did a firmware fix :(
I have the MC-707 and its great and less laggy (but the screen is tiny) ... but I think this mc-909 is nice because of its size, great onboard controls and excellent sounds from that era. To me a lot of things from roland, yamaha, casio peaked between 1999 and the early 2000's ... and this one may have been an early bloomer.
I have a very soft spot for the MC-307 too :)
It have onboard sounds?
Yes, many
Can you upgrade the RAM to like a Gig from the 256 previous upgrade to put the 909 on steroids? Enjoyed your vid.
Glad you liked the vid, but as far as I know it only goes to 256mb. I'm open to be corrected on that of course!
@@gearfacts Ah flip sake. Appreciate your feedback, thank you. Keep up the good work bro.
This must have been true hightech back then - well it still is sort of
It sure was. Color screens were only a year or two away though.
Roland gear looked way better back then
Agree 100%
Hello Switzerland :)
I have a MC-101 and I like it a lot, but I have to admit the MC-909 is peak Roland, everything after that is going downhill.
It's true, that era was a golden age. But technology moves so fast, you have to keep an open mind!
MUSIC IS DEAD!!!..BTW.
It's alive, it just doesn't have a soul anymore :)
@gearfacts untoward people sucked the life out it , to make mummy and daddy proud ..and probably made a big success of their lives after pushing real Artist out the way ..
@@Dathom1986only the mass idiots do that , DJs are trash from what I see
I hate the sound of it and everybody seems to be deaf about it. That thing has no dynamic. I had two of them, the navigation is amazing, easy to use but everything sounds like a toy. They added functions sacrificing processing. The sounds sound like 8 bit, but the effect gives the stereo image. Sounds tiny like a Roland U 110. It does not matter what card you insert and that has beem my discussion with these illiterate apes on the internet, the processors is used to manage functionality, not stereo image or sound quality. It is not possible this machine costed the same as a JP-8000 back in the day and the JP-8000 was two parts and this one 16 and with more functions.
It sounds great it’s isn’t a modern machine
@@KingzofRythm Are you from California? You sounds like a F.
Yep, the instrument has to be an extension of yourself, so it's imperative that people choose what makes them smile.
The bass and drums are very good for classic trance... many of the basses have never been implemented as sounds on other music devices, e.g. Loco Bass (except in the mc 808), but not found on the mc 707 in this form for example ;-).. I think that these sounds are dynamic and that much more classic trance can be produced with bass and drum sequences.. plus a virus ti and a couple of effects :-)
Sounds like you definitely have no knowledge on how to operate the device