Roland SCWS01, SCWS02 User Manual

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SonicCell

Workshop

Expandable Synthesizer Module and Audio Interface

Using SonicCell with a DAW

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trademarks of Apple Inc. SONAR LE™ and SONAR are trademarks of Twelve Tone Systems, Inc. Ableton Live ™ is a trademark of Ableton. Digital Performer™ is a trademark of Mark of the

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SCWS01

About the Workshop Booklets

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Roland’s SonicCell is designed for modern musicians. Using USB, It adds a huge set of sounds to your digital audio workstation (or “DAW”) without adding to your computer’s workload. It’s also an audio interface that can get signals from mics, instruments, or other devices to DAW tracks for recording. SonicCell’s Editor software allows you to program SonicCell from within your DAW. Onstage, its compact size also makes SonicCell the ideal companion for a laptop DAW, letting you perform and sing along with recorded tracks. Or use it to play back sequences and audio files from a USB memory stick.

Each SonicCell Workshop booklet focuses on one SonicCell topic, and is intended as a companion to SonicCell Owner’s Manual. This booklet requires SonicCell O.S. Version 1.11 or higher. You can download the latest SonicCell O.S. for free from www.RolandUS.com.

About This Booklet

This booklet provides an overview of using SonicCell with a DAW. We’ll also provide instructions for installing SonicCell’s driver and Editor, Librarian, and Playlist Editor software, and for configuring your computer for use with SonicCell. Other booklets get into the details of using SonicCell as an audio interface and of using it with specific DAWs.

Understanding the Symbols in This Booklet

Throughout this booklet, you’ll come across information that deserves special attention—that’s the reason it’s labeled with one of the following symbols.

Each Workshop booklet is meant to be read in order from beginning to end. However, if we mention an upcoming section—and you see this arrow—you can click the arrow to jump there immediately.

The Players in a SonicCell/DAW System

SonicCell

Your SonicCell acts as

• that contributes sounds to a

a synthesizer—

musical arrangement in your DAW.

• that can send live audio from mics and instruments

an audio interface—

into the DAW, and through which you listen to what you’re doing.

• that passes MIDI data from your controller to the

a MIDI THRU box—

DAW for recording, or “sequencing.”

Your Computer

Your computer acts as host for the software you use, including

• in which you record and play back

your DAW—

MIDI and/or audio data.

• in which you select and edit SonicCell’s patches.

the SonicCell Editor—

• you use for archiving SonicCell

the SonicCell Librarian and Playlist Editor—

patches and for organizing files to be played from a USB memory stick.

A note is something that adds information about the topic at hand.

A tip offers suggestions for using the feature being discussed.

Warnings contain important information that can help you avoid possible damage to your equipment, your data, or yourself.

A MIDI Controller

When you play your MIDI controller—typically a keyboard—the controller sends out MIDI data representing your performance through SonicCell to

your DAW, which records the data on a MIDI track. The DAW also passes the

MIDI data is passed

Live audio...

goes to DAW for recording. DAW output is heard...

through SonicCell.

through SonicCell...

...to DAW for recording.

plays SonicCell patches.

MIDI data from DAW...

U S B

MIDI data back to SonicCell, where it triggers SonicCell’s synth, causing notes to play.

You can directly connect a MIDI controller to your computer and DAW if the controller supports MIDI over a USB connection or if you have a separate MIDI interface. In these booklets, though, we’ll assume you’re connecting your MIDI controller to SonicCell’s MIDI IN jack.

The SonicCell/DAW Workflow

While we’ll discuss each of the following actions in greater detail in subsequent booklets, here’s an overview of how you can use SonicCell with a DAW.

Some SonicCell Synth Stuff You Need to Know First

After connecting your SonicCell, computer, and MIDI controller to AC power, you connect

• to SonicCell using a MIDI cable.

your MIDI controller—

• using the included SonicCell USB cable.

SonicCell to your computer—

Here’s how MIDI and audio data moves between the system’s components:

About SonicCell’s Performance Mode

SonicCell is a 16-part multitimbral synth module, meaning that you can play 16 of its patches at once when SonicCell is in Performance mode. This is generally the best mode to use for sequencing. Here are a few things you need to know about Performance mode:

•

Each patch is played by one of Performance mode’s 16 available “parts.”

Parts 1-16 appear in SonicCell’s default startup screen.

Each part has its own settings that determine how its patch plays.•

This is the first screenful of settings for Part 1.

Each part receives MIDI data from the DAW on a specific MIDI channel.•

The MIDI channel to which Part 1 is currently set to respond.

All 16 parts share an effect setup consisting of three multi-effects (MFX 1-3), • a global reverb, and a global chorus.

When you record and play back MIDI tracks in your DAW, the data is sent to • SonicCell on the MIDI channel assigned to the desired part and patch.

To learn more about MIDI, see the Introduction to MIDI InFocus booklet, which you can download from here.

• as audio tracks. You can

You’ll bring your SonicCell sounds into the DAW—

do this as you develop your arrangement, or, since you’ll be able to hear SonicCell’s output as you work, when you’ve finished it.

If your DAW allows you to do a realtime, online bounce to capture your final stereo mix, you don’t have to record SonicCell’s sounds as audio tracks at all. You can simply set up an audio track to listen to SonicCell’s output so that its sounds are included in the mix.

Listening Strategy

About SonicCell’s Patch Mode

If you need only one of SonicCell’s patches, you can use SonicCell’s Patch mode, where all of SonicCell’s effect-processing power is dedicated to making that single patch sound its best. When you use Patch mode, send MIDI data to SonicCell on its Patch Receive Channel (shown as “RX Ch” on the Patch Play screen).

To learn about changing between Performance and Patch mode, see the SonicCell Owner’s Manual.

What You’ll Do with Your SonicCell and DAW

You’ll sequence a MIDI track in your DAW—• for each SonicCell patch you

want to use. For a new song, use SonicCell’s PRST 01 Seq: Template performance, with its 16 parts conveniently set to MIDI Channels 1-16.

• using the

You’ll select, set up, and edit SonicCell’s sounds and effects—

SonicCell Editor plug-in on one of your DAW’s other tracks.

When you use SonicCell with a DAW, the best way to work is to listen through SonicCell. Plug your headphones into SonicCell’s PHONES output, or connect your speaker amp or powered speakers to SonicCell’s L/MONO and R OUTPUT jacks. Once you’ve connected SonicCell to your computer, the DAW’s output will automatically be sent into SonicCell so you’ll hear:

• playing from SonicCell.

SonicCell’s own patches—

• including your already-recorded DAW audio

the output of your DAW—

tracks and soft synths.

• live through SonicCell.

mics or instruments plugged into SonicCell—

This setup provides zero-latency monitoring that allows you to work without hearing any time lag between your patches, live sounds, and the DAW.

If you’re an advanced Mac user, you can take advantage of Audio/ MIDI Setup’s ability to receive audio from SonicCell while monitoring through a different audio interface by creating an aggregate audio interface that includes both SonicCell and that other audio interface.

Setting Up Your MIDI Controller

Connecting the MIDI Controller

First, connect your controller to SonicCell by connecting a MIDI cable from the controller’s MIDI OUT jack of to SonicCell’s MIDI IN jack.

Press the CURSOR/VALUE dial to display the System menu.2

MIDI cable connected to

controller’s MIDI OUT jack

SonicCell’s rear-panel

To learn how to use your MIDI controller, see its documentation.

Configuring SonicCell

Here’s how to set SonicCell to pass a connected MIDI controller’s data to your DAW via USB:

Press SonicCell’s MENU button, and then turn the CURSOR/VALUE dial to select SYSTEM.

The top of the System menu

Turn the CURSOR/VALUE dial to select the USB-MIDI Thru parameter.3

Press the CURSOR/VALUE dial and set USB-MIDI Thru to ON.4

Press EXIT twice to complete the operation.5

To preserve this setting, press USB AUDIO or INPUT, and then MENU, and then the CURSOR/VALUE dial. Select Ok and press the dial again.

Setting Up Your Computer

Installing the SonicCell Driver and Editor

SonicCell works with the following computer operating (OS) systems:

Windows XP™ • • Windows XP 64-bit Edition™

Mac OS X™•

Windows Vista 32-bit Edition™ • • Windows Vista 64-bit Edition™

In the following steps we’ll describe the installation of drivers for Windows XP 32-bit and Mac OS X, the two most common operating systems. (All of the SonicCell driver installers come with installation instructions in any event.)

MENU button CURSOR/VALUE dial

The following instructions assume you’re familiar with the operation of your computer. If you’re not, consult its documentation.

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