Roland RS-50 owner manual Main Features

Main Features

A broad range of new, high-quality sounds

Careful attention has been paid to refining the most important sounds for a live keyboard, such as piano, organ, strings, and brass. In addition, the latest cutting-edge sounds are also included.

The General MIDI score conforming to General MIDI /General MIDI 2 is also supported with high-quality sounds.

Quick and easy sound editing

To edit the sounds (patches) of the RS-50, you simply choose from the wide range of “tones” (pre-programmed instrumental sounds) and edit them. Editing is easy; you can adjust the brightness (filter), attack and decay, modulation (LFO), and effects, or layer two tones to create a rich sound.

Numerous phrase/arpeggio templates

In addition to an arpeggio function, the instrument also features “phrase templates,” which allow you to activate performance techniques geared toward a particular sound as well as typical phrases simply by pressing a key---great tools for music production.

Multi-chord memory function

The Chord Memory function lets you play a registered chord by pressing a single key.

You can register different chord forms to each key, and recall multiple chords together.

Several sets of chord progressions that typically appear in one song have been registered as presets.

Compact and easy to carry

The RS-50 is compact, light, and easy to carry. It’s an instrument with great sounds and professional-level functionality that can be easily carried between your bedroom and the stage or studio.

Dedicated sound editor is included

The dedicated sound editing program “RS Editor” (Mac and Windows versions on a hybrid CD-ROM) is included, allowing you to use your computer to create and rearrange sounds quickly and easily.

D Beam controller

The D Beam controller gives you control over a variety of effects, simply by moving your hand. In conjunction with the visual element, this can be a powerfully impressive addition to a live performance.

Rhythm Guide function

As an alternative to the metronome, you can use more realistic rhythm patterns as enjoyable backing for your playing.

General MIDI

General MIDI is a set of recommendations which seeks to provide a way to go beyond the limitations of proprietary designs, and standardize the MIDI capabilities of sound generating devices. Sound generating devices and music files that meet the General MIDI standard bear the General MIDI logo ( ). Music files bearing the General MIDI logo can be played back using any General MIDI sound generating unit to produce essentially the same musical performance.

General MIDI 2

The upwardly compatible General MIDI 2 () recommendations pick up where the original General MIDI left off, offering enhanced expressive capabilities, and even greater compatibility. Issues that were not covered by the original General MIDI recommendations, such as how sounds are to be edited, and how effects should be handled, have now been precisely defined. Moreover, the available sounds have been expanded. General MIDI 2 compliant sound generators are capable of reliably playing back music files that carry either the General MIDI or General MIDI 2 logo.

In some cases, the conventional form of General MIDI, which does not include the new enhancements, is referred to as “General MIDI 1” as a way of distinguishing it from General MIDI 2.

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