Roland MC-101 User Manual

Owner’s Manual (this document)

Read this rst. It explains the basic things you need to know in order
to use the MC-101.

PDF Manual (download from the Web)

5 Reference Manual

This explains all parameters of the MC-101.

Owner’s Manual (this document)

Read this rst. It explains the basic things you need to know in order
to use the MC-101.

PDF Manual (download from the Web)

5 Reference Manual

This explains all parameters of the MC-101.

Owner’s Manual

To obtain the PDF manual

1.

Enter the following URL in your computer.

http://www.roland.com/manuals/

Before using this unit, carefully read “USING THE UNIT SAFELY” (p. 20) and “IMPORTANT NOTES” (p. 23). After reading, keep the document(s) where it
will be available for immediate reference.

© 2019 Roland Corporation

2.

Choose “MC-101” as the product name.

Panel Descriptions

Top Panel

2

1

3

5

1

Common Section 1

[VOLUME] knob

Adjusts the volume of the OUT jacks.

[SHIFT] button

When you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press a
button that’s labeled with a function name (such as

), that function is executed.

2

4

[PROJECT] button

6

Accesses the project menu screen.

Here you can load a project and make settings for it.

When used together with the [SHIFT] button, this func­tions as the [CLEAR] button.

By using the [CLEAR] button together with other but­tons, you can clear the recorded contents of the step
sequencer or the contents of a phrase.

TRACK SEL [1]–[4] button

Select tracks.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [SEL]

button, the track settings menu appears.

& For details, refer to “Reference Manual” (PDF).

MEASURE [<] [>] buttons

Move to the measure that you want to edit.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press a

MEASURE [<][>] button, the measure length edit screen

appears.

& For details, refer to “Reference Manual” (PDF).

Measure display indicators

The four indicators show the measure that you’re editing.

[p] (play/stop) button

Starts or stops playback.

[t] (rec) button

Turns on/o recording of your performance using the
pads.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [t]
(record) button, QUANTIZE turns on.

& For details, refer to “Reference Manual” (PDF).

2

Master Eect Section

[MULTI FX] button

Turns the selected eect on/o.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the

[MULTI FX] button, the MULTI FX edit screen appears.

& For details, refer to “Reference Manual” (PDF).

[FX PRM] [FX DEPTH] knob

Adjust the eect depth.

3

Mixer Section

Level faders

Adjusts the volume.

Panel Descriptions

4

Control Section

[C1]–[C4] knobs

Necessary functions are assigned to these knobs de­pending on the operation.

[SOUND] button

Assigns the [C1]–[C4] knobs to control the SOUND
parameter of track 1–4.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the

[SOUND] button, the sound edit screen appears.

& For details, refer to “Reference Manual” (PDF).

[FILTER] button

Assigns the [C1]–[C4] knobs to control the FILTER param­eter of track 1–4.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the

[FILTER] button, the UTILITY screen appears.

[MOD] button

Assigns the [C1]–[C4] knobs to control the MOD param­eter of track 1–4.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [MOD]

button, the MOTION screen appears.

3

Panel Descriptions

[FX] button

Assigns the [C1]–[C4] knobs to control the FX parameter
of track 1–4.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [FX]

button, the COPY screen appears.

5

Pad Section

Pads

(16 pads)

The operation of the pads depends on the pad mode
that’s selected.

Common Section 2

Display

Shows necessary information for various operations.

[VALUE] dial

Turn: Edits a value or scrolls the screen. The operation

depends on what is shown in the screen.

Press: Conrms the editing value or executes the opera-

tion.

4

[EXIT] button

Returns to the previous screen.

In some screens, cancels the currently-executing func­tion.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [EXIT]

button, the TAP screen appears.

[TEMPO] button

If the [TEMPO] button is lit, you can use the display and
the [VALUE] dial to change the TEMPO setting.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the

[TEMPO] button, the WRITE screen appears.

PAD [CLIP] button

Switches the pads to CLIP mode. In CLIP mode, you can
use the TRACK SEL [1]–[4] buttons to switch clips in the
selected track.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [CLIP]

button, you can then make settings related to CLIP

mode.

PAD [SEQ] button

Switches the pads to SEQ mode (p. 15). In SEQ mode,
you can use the lit pads to step-record a melody or step­record drums.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [SEQ]

button, you can then make settings related to SEQ mode.

PAD [NOTE] button

Switches the pads to NOTE mode (p. 14). In NOTE
mode, you can use the lit pads to play a melody or
drums.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the

[NOTE] button, you can then make settings related to

NOTE mode.

PAD [SCATTER] button

Switches the pads to SCATTER mode. In SCATTER mode,
you can use the lit pads to apply the SCATTER eect.

If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the

[SCATTER] button, you can then make settings related to

SCATTER mode.

Panel Descriptions

Front Panel

A

A

PHONES jack

You can connect a set of headphones here.

Bottom Panel

Installing the Batteries

As an alternative to USB bus power, you can use commercially available
AA nickel-metal hydride batteries or alkaline batteries to power the unit.

* If USB bus power is being supplied, the unit uses USB bus power

even if batteries are installed.

1.

Remove the battery cover.

* When turning the unit over, be careful so as to protect the but-

tons and knobs from damage. Also, handle the unit carefully;
do not drop it.

5

Panel Descriptions

2.

Taking care to observe the correct orientation of
the batteries, insert the batteries into the battery
case.

Rear Panel (Connecting Your Equipment)

* To prevent malfunction and equipment failure, always turn

down the volume, and turn o all the units before making any
connections.

3.

Close the battery cover.

* If you handle batteries improperly, you risk explosion and uid

leakage. Make sure that you carefully observe all of the items
related to batteries that are listed in “USING THE UNIT SAFELY”
(p. 20) and “IMPORTANT NOTES” (p. 23).

Battery replacement indicator

When the batteries run low, an indication appears in the
screen.

When this occurs, install new batteries.

6

B

[POWER] switch

&

“Turning the MC-101 On”
(p. 7)

C

O

(USB) port

Computer

SD card

E

MIDI port

Connect MIDI devices.

D

F

OUT jack

Panel Descriptions

B

[POWER] switch

Turns the power on/o.

C

O (USB) port

Use a commercially available USB 2.0 cable (type B)
to connect this port to your computer. It can be used
to transfer USB MIDI and USB audio data. You must
install the USB driver when connecting this unit to
your computer. For details, refer to Readme.htm in
the downloaded le.

& https://www.roland.com/support/

* If USB bus power is being supplied, the unit operates on USB

bus power.

D

SD card slot

With the factory settings, the SD card protector is
fastened with the included SD card inserted. If you
want to take out the SD card, remove the screws.

The SD card contains various data (settings, sounds,
samples, etc.) for this unit.

* Never turn o the power or remove the SD card while the SD

card is being accessed.

* Some memory card types or memory cards from some manufac-

turers may not record or play back properly on the unit.

E

MIDI port

Connect these to external MIDI equipment to
transmit and receive MIDI messages.

F

OUT L/MONO, R jacks

These are audio output jacks. Connect them to your
amp or monitor speakers.

If you’re outputting in mono, connect the L/MONO
jack.

Turning the MC-101 On

1.

Power-on your equipment in the order of MC-101

0

connected equipment.

2.

Power-on the connected equipment, and raise
the volume to an appropriate level.

Turning O the Power

1.

Power-o your equipment in the order of con­nected equipment 0 MC-101.

7

An Overview of the MC-101

MFXMFX

MFXMFX

MFXMFX

MFXMFX

MC-101

Project

Drum Kit/

Types of track and their internal structure

Type: Tone Type: Drum

Tone

Clip 1 Clip 1 Clip 1

Clip 16 Clip 16 Clip 16

8

Tone/

Looper

Track 1–4

Drum Kit

System Setting

Project Setting User Sample

EQ

Type: Looper

Looper None

Type: None

Track Mix

Track 1–4

Track 1–4

Reverb

Chorus/

Delay

Preset

Browser

(Load)

Multi Eect

ToneDrum Kit

Master

Compressor

MASTER FX Setting

SD Card

Project DataAudio Data

Equalizer

Save

Load