Roland EM-55 owner manual Features

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Features

Features

Session Partner function

The EM-55’s new Session Partner concept encom- passes three functions: you can switch on/mute the Arranger’s accompaniment parts; you can select from among 8 phrase patterns to be played either in isola- tion or together with the selected Music Style; or you can use the eight Session Partner buttons DJ style: to create remixes of existing phrases.

The Session Partner buttons can also be used for muting and switching on individual tracks of the 16- track Recorder, allowing you to be creative even with your recorded music.

EZ Search & Music Assistant

The EZ Search function allows you to quickly locate the desired Music Style or Tone.

The EM-55 also provides a Music Assistant function for direct access to 100 User Programs (registrations).

Style Morphing and Orchestrator functions

Style Morphing allows you to “create” new Music Styles (accompaniments) on the fly by replacing selected accompaniment parts of one Style with the parts from another Style.

The Orchestrator function, on the other hand, allows you to simplify, add, or leave out accompaniment parts of the selected Music Style. This intuitive way of controlling the arrangements of your accompani- ments is a wonderful assistant for creating just the right atmosphere for the music you play.

Graphic display

Your EM-55 is equipped with a backlit display that keeps you posted about the current status of your instrument. Most functions are represented by means of straightforward icons that provide massive at-a- glance information without confusing you.

64 User Programs

User Programs are memories where you can save your own panel settings. These include the currently selected Style, Tone (sound), tempo, as well as a lot of other parameters. At the press of a maximum of two buttons, you can thus completely reconfigure your instrument.

3,559 Tones and 116 Drum Sets

The EM-55 comes with 3,559 excellent instrument sounds taken from Roland’s acclaimed VA-series sound library. In most instances, there will be several Tones to choose from for the song you are about to play.

The EM-55’s sound source conforms to General MIDI System Level 2 (GM2 for short) as well as Roland’s GS Format.

64 Music Styles

The EM-55 contains 64 Music Styles that will supply a perfect accompaniment for your solo playing. Each Music Style includes several “Divisions” that allow you to vary the accompaniment. Coupled with the Style Morphing and Orchestrator functions, the total number of accompaniment patterns adds up to far more than 64.

Three modes

For enhanced operation, the EM-55 provides an M. Drums, Arranger, and a Piano mode. Pressing one of these button will immediately reconfigure your Inter- active Keyboard.

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Contents EM-55 Features Important notes Contents Panel descriptions Tone button Keyboard Mode buttonsStyle button User PROGRAM/WRITE buttonRear panel Demo songs Setting upFirst steps Playback of a Tone demo songPress START/STOP to stop demo song playback DJ Pad functionPlayback of a Style demo song Musical Games Choosing other setsChord Finder Guess NoteGuess Chord To specify the RootTo specify the Type Starting/stopping the Arranger Press the KBD Mode Arranger button its indicator lightsPlaying with accompaniment Play another chord or note to change the Arranger’s keyStopping Arranger playback Selecting other Music StylesChanging the tempo Automatic playback start Sync StartWorking with Music Styles on a floppy disk Selecting sounds for the right handStyle selection via EZ Search Piano HeavenKey Tone selection via EZ SearchPlaying a different sound with the left hand Split Using the metronomePlaying one sound Piano Press the M.DRUMS button Drumming on the keyboardSelecting other Drum Sets Drumming on the keyboardUsing the D Beam Controller Start recording in one of the following ways Recording your musicListening to your song SionMuting Arranger parts Track Additional Music Style functionsSession Partner functions Selecting another phrase set Value PopAdding yet another Arranger part Style Pad Use the TEMPO/DATA dial to select one of the following setsPress the Music Assistant button Using the EM-55’s Music AssistantOne Touch Changing the Melody Intell harmony type Melody IntelligenceBass Inversion Bass Inv Press and hold the Function buttonOrchestrator Style MorphingStyle Disk Working with Styles on floppy diskSelecting another B Style Press the Style button the Style icon appearsAssigning other Music Styles to the Disk Link memories Link To TempoMore Music Style functions Harpsi Using the Upper 2 partSelect the desired KBD Mode Arranger or Piano More Keyboard part functionsValue Rotary Using the multi-effects processor M-FXPress the Upper 1 button indicator must light Selecting another M-FX typeReverb Value HallReverb and Chorus Assigning the M-FX to other Keyboard partsChorus Value ChorusBalance This selects the CHR functionOctave transposition of the Upper 1, Upper Volume of the Keyboard parts see pKeyboard velocity see p Lower parts see p Master Tune see pKeyboard Velocity Value Kbd VeloPerformance functions Pitch Bend and ModulationBeam functions Footswitch/ExpressionFootswitch ExpressionThis case, the D Beam will play musical notes Pitch and chords of those patterns dependModes Recorder functionsAbout the recording modes What are tracks? Recorder memoryYou can also record without metronome if you like More about ALL modeKeyboard recording mode Press START/STOP to start playback of the old Song data Single recording modePunch I/O Value Sustain Using a footswitch for punching in/outSelecting the Song mode Playback functionsLoop playback Repeat Fast Forward, Rewind, and ResetPlayback before using the √ button To fast forward jump to a measure later in the song, pressChanging the song tempo Press the Song button to switch to the Song modePlaying back Standard Midi Files Shortcuts Editing parameters general procedureFunction menu General Function parametersVolume Upper Rev Reverb Type Rev UP1 FSW Footswitch AssignFX UP1, UP2, LWR Chr UP1Resume Working with User Programs Writing your settings to a User ProgramMode selection Meaning of the Edit messageWorking with User Programs Selecting a User ProgramTo actually select a User Program… Channels Midi functionsMidi Function parameters Sync Rx Midi synchronizationPitchBnd Pitch Bend Style PC Style Select TxRx ChannelLyrics Tx Transmit Lyrics messages Modulatn ModulationUsing the outputs and an optional pedal Loading User Programs from disk Possible error messagesDisk functions Saving files to diskDEL Sng This allows you to delete a song file on disk Deleting files on diskRepeat steps 4 and 5 to enter the remaining characters Possible error messages when using Disk Copy Disk Copy copying an entire diskFormat Initializing your EM-55 Factory MiscellaneousFunctions for educational purposes Deactivating the ArrangerDisk Link via floppy disk SpecificationsMusic Styles 64 in ROM OthersVol Metronome IndexIndex
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