Roland R-8M Owner's Manual page 6

INTRODUCTION
Thank you
for
purchasing the
Roland
R
-
8M
Total Percussion
Sound Module.
The
R
-
8M
is
a
digital
rhythm sound module
capable of producing high quality sounds.
In
order
to take
full
advantage of
the
R
-
8M
and enjoy long and
trouble-free use. please read
this
manual
carefully.
HOW
TO USE
THIS
MANUAL
This manual
is
divided
into
the following five chapters.
If
you
arc
using
MIDI
for the
first
time, please read
"About
MIDI"
(
a- page
68).
Chapter
1
Try outthe
R-8M
This explains
how
to hear the demonstration
song
in
ROM,
and
how
to play
each of the instruments
in
the
R
-
8M.
Chapter 2 Before
you
modify the settings
This explains the organization and basic operation
of
the
R
-
8M.
Please
be sure
to
read this section before
modifying the
settings.
Chapter 3
How
to
modify the settings
This explains the functions
of the various Patch, Feel Patch, and
setup parameters,
and
describes
how
to
modify them.
Chapter 4
Utility
mode
functions
This explains
how
to
use a
RAM
card, transmit exclusive mes-
sages,
and use other
convenient
functions.
Chapters Appendix
This
contains basic information about
MIDI,
advice for trouble-
shooting, parameter
lists,
and
the
MIDI
implementation chan.
The
index included
at the
end can be
referred to
when
you
come
across
an unfamiliar word.
*This manual
will
refer to panel buttons
by
the
name
printed
on
the panel.
If
a
single
button
has two names,
we
will
use the
name
that applies to
the
function
being
explained.
<Examp!e>
Edit/Exit button
-^
|
EDIT
|
Note number/Jump button-*
NOTE #
MAIN
FEATURES
•The
68
built-in
instruments
(drum
sounds) are
sampled
at
44.1kHz with 16
bit
dynamic range
for
high
quality
sound.
•
In
addition
to
adjuslable pitch/decay/pan for each
instrumeni.
the
nuance
setting
can be
adjusted to
simulate playing strength
(for
drum
sounds), or striking position (for
cymbal
sounds).
This allows detailed control
over
the tone.
•
32
different
drum-sets,
each containing instrument assignments
and
settings for
each instrument,
can be
stored in the
R
-
8M
as
Patches.
In
other words, a
single
R
-
8M
allows
you
to create
32
different drum-sets.
You
can
prepare a Patch appropriate
for
each song,
and
instantly
change drum-sets by selecting another
Patch.
• ROM
cards
(SN-R8
series
sold separately)
provide
additional
instrument sounds.
The
R
-
8M
allows
you
to
use up
to
3 of
the
sound
ROM
cards
at
once.
They
can be used
freely
in
con-
junction with the
internal
instniments
to
create a
wide
variety of
drum
-sets.
•
The
R-8M
features
the Feel Function
which was
highly
acclaimed
on
the
R-8. The
Feel Function allows
you
to
combine
Regular
Feel
and
Random
Feel to realistically
simulate
the playing
of an
actual
drummer. The
R
-
8M
can
remember
16
different Feel Patch settings.
Regular Feel allows
you
to
choose from
two
types;
Groove,
which
modifies the
sound
in
a regular pattern synchronized
to
MID! Clock messages from
an external device,
and Velocity
Feel,
which
modifies the
sound
according to the velocity value.
Random
Fee!
adds unpredictable variation to the sound. This
does not simply
modify
the
sound
in
a
haphazard way,
but
creates natural variation
in
tone using
the "!/f
Fluctuations"
thai
appears
in
many
aspects of the natural
world.
Simply
by changing
the Feel Patch settings, the
same drum
performance can be given
a surprisingly
wide
range of
expres-
sive variation.
•
A
wide
variety of
MID!
functions
are
provided,
allowing
the
R -8M
to
be used
not
only
as
a conventional rhythm sound
module, but also as
a
melodic synthesizer. Control
change
message can
also
be used
to control the
sound of a
specified
instrument.
•
A
RAM
card
(M-2S6E
sold separately) can store
32
Patches and
16 Feel Patches,
in
addition to the internal
memory
of the
R
-8M.
RAM
card Patches and Feel Patches can be
selected
instantly
while
playing.