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)
5Reference 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)
5Reference Manual
This explains all parameters of the MC-101.
To obtain the PDF manual
1. Enter the following URL in your computer.
http://www.roland.com/manuals/
2. Choose “MC-101” as the product name.
Owner’s Manual
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
Top Panel
2
1
3 4
5
6
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.
[PROJECT] button
Accesses the project menu screen.
Here you can load a project and make settings for it.
When used together with the [SHIFT] button, this func-
tions as the [CLEAR] button.
By using the [CLEAR] button together with other but-
tons, 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.
Panel Descriptions

Panel Descriptions
3
[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.
4 Control Section
[C1]–[C4] knobs
Necessary functions are assigned to these knobs de-
pending 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 param-
eter 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 param-
eter of track 1–4.
If you hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [MOD]
button, the MOTION screen appears.

Panel Descriptions
4
[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.
[EXIT] button
Returns to the previous screen.
In some screens, cancels the currently-executing func-
tion.
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.

Panel Descriptions
5
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 step-
record 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.
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.

Panel Descriptions
6
2. Taking care to observe the correct orientation of
the batteries, insert the batteries into the battery
case.
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.
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.
SD card
C O(USB) port F OUT jack
Computer
B [POWER] switch
&“Turning the MC-101 On”
(p. 7)
E MIDI port
Connect MIDI devices.
D

Panel Descriptions
7
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
0connected 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 con-
nected equipment 0MC-101.

8
An Overview of the MC-101
MC-101
Project
Track 1–4
Project Setting User Sample
Clip 1 Clip 1 Clip 1
Clip 16 Clip 16 Clip 16
Tone
MFXMFX
Drum Kit
MFXMFX
Reverb
Chorus/
Delay
Multi Eect Master
Compressor Equalizer
Track Mix
Track 1–4
Track 1–4
System Setting
SD Card
MFXMFX
Looper None
Tone/
Drum Kit/
Looper
EQ
MFXMFX
Types of track and their internal structure
MASTER FX Setting
Type: Tone Type: Drum Type: Looper Type: None
Project DataAudio Data
Preset
ToneDrum Kit
Browser
(Load)
Save
Load

An Overview of the MC-101
9
The MC-101 can simultaneously play back up to four
independent tracks.
You can assign up to 16 clips to each track, and switch
between these clips during playback.
What is a Track?
There are three types of track.
Tone: A track that mainly handles clips that have pitch.
Drum: A track that handles drum and percussion clips.
Looper: A track that handles audio loops. You can import
audio data from an SD card, or record sound that’s
input from a track. Time stretch is also supported.
What is a Clip?
A “clip” is a collection of data to be played back by a
track. The data included in a clip diers depending on
the type of track.
Track type: Tone
Clip setting: This contains the name of the clip, and information
and settings for the clip.
Tone: This contains settings for the sound. It also includes
eect (MFX) settings. (*1)
Phrase: This is performance data and data that creates
changes in the sound (MOTION).
Track type: Drum
Clip setting: This contains the name of the clip, and information
and settings for the clip.
Drum kit: This contains settings for the sound. It also includes
eect (MFX) settings. (*1)
Phrase: This is performance data and data that creates
changes in the sound (MOTION).
Track type: Looper
Clip setting: This contains the name of the clip, and information
and settings for the clip.
Looper
sample:
This is the audio data played by the looper.
Looper set-
ting:
This contains settings that specify how the looper
sample is played.
MFX: This contains eect (MFX) settings. (*1)
Phrase: This contains data that creates changes in the sound
(MOTION).
* 1 Alternatively, you can use the track’s settings instead of the clip’s
settings.

An Overview of the MC-101
10
What is a Project?
On the MC-101, data for one song is managed as a unit
called a “project.” Projects are saved on the SD card.
A project contains data for tracks, clips, and tones, and
the data for the samples that are used.
If you want to keep the results of your editing, save the
project.
What is the Browser?
This lets you select the material that you need for the
project that you’re working on.
Selecting preset tones and drum kits
You can browse the preset tones and drum kits, and use
them.
Selecting from a project on the SD card
You can browse clips, tones, and drum kits, and use
them.
Selecting from audio les on the SD card
You can use these as looper samples to be played by a
looper track.
You can also use them as user samples for a tone or
drum kit.