Roland T-8 User manual

T-8 (Version 1.02)
Owner’s Manual

Table of contents
2
Table of contents
Panel Descriptions ....................................................................3
Top Panel.................................................................................. 3
Rear Panel ................................................................................ 6
Selecting Patterns and Setting the Tempo .....................7
Using the Rhythm Sequencer...............................................9
Using the Bass Sequencer................................................... 15
Using Delay and Reverb....................................................... 19
Functions, Menus and Shortcuts...................................... 22
Connecting to a Computer or Mobile Device..............27
Backup and Factory Reset ...................................................28
Main Specifications ................................................................29
Signal Flow ................................................................................30
MIDI Implementation Chart................................................31

Panel Descriptions
3
Panel Descriptions
Top Panel
1. Jacks
Controller
Explanation
CHARGE
indicator
When charging via USB port:
Orange (lit): Charging.
Green (lit): Charging is completed.
Green and orange (blinking): A charging error occurred. Please contact your dealer or a Roland customer
service center.
https://roland.cm/service
When not charging via USB port:
Red (lit): The remaining battery power is low. Charge the battery.
*The unit powers down within 30 minutes.
SYNC IN jack
Use this jack to input synchronization signals from an external device.
SYNC OUT jack
Use this jack to output synchronization signals to an external device.
MIX IN jack
This is the audio input jack.
The sound from connected devices is output from the MIX OUT jack.
MIX OUT jack
This is the audio output jack.
You can plug a pair of headphones into this jack.
[VOLUME] knob
Adjusts the volume of audio coming from the MIX OUT jack.
*Use cables with monaural mini phone type plugs to connect to/from the SYNC IN/OUT jacks. Do not use cables with stereo
mini phone type plugs, as these cables do not work.
*Do not connect an audio device to the SYNC OUT jack. Doing so may cause a malfunction.
*If an external device is connected to the SYNC IN jack, the unit synchronizes with the clocks inputted to the SYNC IN jack,
regardless of the MIDI Clock Sync setting.
*Use cables with stereo mini phone type plugs to connect to/from the MIX IN/OUT jacks. Do not use cables with monaural
mini phone type plugs, as these cables do not work.

Panel Descriptions
4
2. Common
Controller
Explanation
Display
This is a four-digit, seven-segment LED display.
[TEMPO/VALUE]
knob
Changes the values shown in the display.
[SHIFT] button
Use this in combination with other controllers.
[PATTERN] button
Switches the unit to pattern selection mode.
[ø](PLAY) button
Plays the pattern.
Press the button again to stop playback.
[ó](REC) button
Switches the unit to recording standby.
Recording starts when you play the pattern; and when you press an instrument button, notes are recorded
in the step sequencer.
Press the [KYBD] button to input a bass note, accent or slide.
3. BASS DRUM
Controller
Explanation
[LEVEL] knob
Adjusts the bass drum volume.
[TUNE] knob
Adjusts the pitch.
Press the [DECAY] button to change how long the bass drum resonates (the decay
length).
[DECAY] button
Edits the function controlled by the [TUNE] knob.
[BASS DRUM] button (instrument
button)
Selects the bass drum.
4. SNARE DRUM
Controller
Explanation
[LEVEL] knob
Adjusts the snare drum volume.
[TUNE] knob
Adjusts the pitch.
Press the [DECAY] button to change how long the snare drum resonates (the decay
length).
[DECAY] button
Edits the function controlled by the [TUNE] knob.
[SNARE DRUM] button (instrument
button)
Selects the snare drum.
5. TOM/HAND CLAP
Controller
Explanation
[LEVEL] knob
Adjusts the volume for both the toms and the hand clap.
[TUNE] knob
Adjusts the pitch of the selected instrument.
[HAND CLAP] button (instrument button)
Selects the hand clap.
While this is selected, you can adjust the pitch with the [TUNE] knob.
[TOM] button (instrument button)
Selects the tom instrument.
While this is selected, you can adjust the pitch with the [TUNE] knob.
6. HIHAT
Controller
Explanation
[LEVEL] knob
Adjusts the volume of both the open and closed sounds.
[DECAY] knob
Adjusts the decay length of the hi-hat sound.
[CLOSED HIHAT] button (instrument button)
Selects the closed hi-hat.
[OPEN HIHAT] button (instrument button)
Selects the open hi-hat.

Panel Descriptions
5
7. BASS
Controller
Explanation
[LEVEL] knob
Adjusts the bass volume.
[PITCH] knob
Adjusts the pitch.
[DECAY] knob
Adjusts the decay length.
[CUTOFF] knob
Adjusts the cutoff frequency, which determines the brightness of the sound.
[RESO] knob
Adjusts the harmonics around the cutoff frequency.
[ENV MOD] knob
Adjusts the intensity of time-based change to the cutoff frequency.
[BASS] button (instrument button)
Selects the bass.
[KYBD] button
While this is on, you can use the keyboard buttons to play the bass.
8. DELAY/REVERB/ACCENT
Controller
Explanation
[DELAY] knob
Adjusts the delay volume.
[REVERB] knob
Adjusts the reverb volume.
[ACCENT] button
When you select this while a rhythm instrument is selected, an accent is set for the rhythm part.
When you select this while the bass is selected, an accent is set for the bass part.
9. Step buttons
Controller
Explanation
Step buttons
Using for switching patterns and banks, and inputting rhythm and bass.

Panel Descriptions
6
Rear Panel
A. [POWER] switch
Turns the power on/off.
B. USB port (USB Type-C®)
Use a commercially available USB 2.0 cable (Type-A to C, or Type-C to C) to connect this port to your computer.
This is used to transfer USB MIDI and USB audio data.
*Do not use a USB cable that is designed only for charging. Cables used for charging only cannot transmit data.
C. MIDI IN/MIDI OUT jacks
Use TRS/TRS connecting cables (BCC-1-3535 or BCC-2-3535, sold separately) or TRS/MIDI connecting cables (BMIDI-5-35, BMIDI-1-
35 or BMIDI-2-35, sold separately) to connect this unit to an external MIDI device.
You can make this unit play in sync with a MIDI device by connecting the devices with a commercially available MIDI cable.
*Do not connect audio devices to these jacks. Doing so may cause a malfunction.

Selecting Patterns and Setting the Tempo
7
Selecting Patterns and Setting the Tempo
Switching between patterns
1. Press the [PATTERN] button.
The [PATTERN] button lights up, and the buttons are in pattern select mode.
The step buttons function as pattern numbers 1–16.
Pattern
Explanation
Playing
Lit
Playing next (up next)
Blink
Pattern exists
Lights up dimly
Pattern does not exist
Unlit
2. Press a step button.
The selected pattern plays next (set as “up next”).
The rhythm and bass pattern numbers are recalled as a set.
Switching between banks
1. Hold down the [PATTERN] button and press a step button.
The unit enters bank select mode.
The four leftmost step buttons function as bank numbers 1–4.
Press a step button to change to the indicated bank.

Selecting Patterns and Setting the Tempo
8
Saving a pattern
1. Hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [SLIDE (WRITE)] button.
2. Use the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to select what to save.
Ptn
Saves the currently selected pattern.
ALL
Saves all patterns.
3. Press the [C# (ENTER)] button.
This saves the pattern(s).
*Once the power is turned off, any unsaved patterns are reset to their last saved state.
Setting the tempo
The tempo is always shown on the display.
1. Turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob.
2. Hold down the [SHIFT] button and turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to fine-tune the value in decimal
points.
The tempo settings are common to all patterns, and are saved in this unit.

Using the Rhythm Sequencer
9
Using the Rhythm Sequencer
Basic operations (basic steps for inputting notes)
1. Press the button of the instrument you want to input.
The button lights up and the instrument is selected.
2. Press the step buttons of the steps you want to input.
The steps you select light up, and the notes are inputted.
Press a step button that’s lit up to delete that button’s note.
Switching between pages indicated on the panel
This unit can handle up to 32 steps (two “pages” of 16 steps each) per pattern. The steps are displayed separately in groups of 16
steps.
1. Press the [SHIFT] button (and keep the button held down until the operation is finished).
While you’re holding the [SHIFT] button, STEP [1–16] lights up and STEP [17–32] blinks (when steps 1–16 are selected); and
STEP [1–16] blinks and STEP [17–32] lights up (when steps 17–32 are selected).
2. Press the STEP [1–16] or STEP [17–32] button.
Doing so switches to the respective page.
If the last step is 16 or less and you press the STEP [17–32] button when steps 17–32 are empty, the last step is automatically
set to 32, and the contents of steps 1–16 are copied to steps 17–32.

Using the Rhythm Sequencer
10
Inputting an accent
1. With the rhythm instrument selected, press the [ACCENT] button.
The [ACCENT] button lights up.
2. Press the step buttons of the steps you want to accent.
The steps you select light up, and the accents are inputted.
*Accents are applied to all rhythm instruments.
Adjusting the accent strength
1. With the rhythm instrument selected, turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob while holding down the [ACCENT]
button.
This sets the rhythm accent.

Using the Rhythm Sequencer
11
Setting the probability
This shows how to set the probability for notes to play back. You can use the probability feature to make a pattern play in different
variations, while that same pattern keeps playing back.
1. Press one of the step 1–16 buttons (and keep holding the step buttons until the operation is finished).
The probability value (P.0–P.100) is displayed.
2. Turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to set the value.
Inputting sub steps
You can divide the steps you input to create rolls or repeated strokes using the sub step function.
1. Hold down an instrument button and press one of the step 1–16 buttons.
The status of the current sub step is shown.
2. Hold down the instrument button and press one of the step 1–16 buttons again.
This changes the sub step setting. The settings cycle through in this order: OFF Ó1_2 Ó1_3 Ó1_4 ÓFLAN.

Using the Rhythm Sequencer
12
Setting the sub step probability
Here’s how to set the probability for sub steps to play back.
1. Hold down an instrument button and press the step 1–16 buttons. (Keep holding down the instrument
button until the operation is finished.)
The setting for the current sub step (OFF–FLAN) is shown.
2. Press the [ACCENT] button.
The probability value (P.0–P.100) for the sub step is displayed.
3. Use the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to set the sub step probability.
Setting the velocity
This shows how to input the velocity (how soft or loud the note plays) for the steps of each instrument.
1. Press one of the step 1–16 buttons (and keep holding the step buttons until the operation is finished).
The probability value (P.0–P.100) is displayed.
2. Press the [ACCENT] button.
The velocity value (v.0–v.10) is displayed.
3. Turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to set the value.

Using the Rhythm Sequencer
13
Master probability
You can add a value that affects the probability of the entire sequence.
ØFor more details on probability, refer to “Setting the probability”.
*This has no effect if the individual probabilities are not set.
1. Hold down the [PATTERN] button and turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob.
This sets the master probability.
Looping specific steps (step loop)
You can make a selected step or steps play back in a loop during pattern playback.
The rhythm instruments that are played back by the selected step all play back in a loop.
Only the rhythms play back in a loop.
You can make more than one step play back in a loop at the same time.
1. Hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [PATTERN] button.
The [PATTERN] button blinks, and the unit enters step loop mode.
2. Press a step button.
3. When you are finished, press the [PATTERN] button.

Using the Rhythm Sequencer
14
Real-time input (tap input)
1. Press the [ó](REC) button.
The [ó](REC) button lights up.
2. Press the [ø](PLAY) button.
The [ø](PLAY) button lights, and recording begins.
3. Press an instrument button.
This inputs a note into the step during playback.

Using the Bass Sequencer
15
Using the Bass Sequencer
Basic operations (basic steps for inputting notes)
1. Press the [BASS] button to select the bass.
The step buttons to which notes have been input light up. Step buttons for which a tie has been input light up dimly.
2. Press a step button.
If the step is empty, either a C2 note (default value) is inputted, or the note you inputted just before deleting the note is
inputted again.
If the step is not empty, its contents are deleted.
Information for the note (n.oFF, n.C0–n.C7) or tie (n.tie) is shown while you hold down the step button.

Using the Bass Sequencer
16
Checking and editing what’s in a step (step mode)
1. Press one of the step buttons (and keep holding the step button until you’re finished editing).
The step’s note is displayed.
2. Use the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob while holding down the step button to edit the note’s value (n.oFF,
n.C0–n.C7, n.tie).
3. Press the [ACCENT] button while holding down the step button.
The accent setting (A.OFF, A.On) is displayed.
4. Press the [ACCENT] button again.
Displays the slide setting (S.OFF, S.On).
With each press of the [ACCENT] button, the setting value cycles as follows: note Óaccent Óslide.
5. While holding down the step button, use the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to edit the accent or slide setting.
Using the step buttons as a keyboard (keyboard mode)
1. Press the [KYBD] button.
Keyboard mode is activated for the step buttons.
If a rhythm instrument is selected, the unit switches to bass.

Using the Bass Sequencer
17
Editing the steps (keyboard mode)
1. Press the [KYBD] button while the sequencer is stopped.
2. Press the [ó](REC) button.
If the [
ó]
(REC) is unlit, press a step button while holding down the [KYBD] button to start editing from the step you want. In this
case, you can only edit the step you want, even during playback.
The [KYBD] button blinks, and you can use the step buttons to edit in keyboard mode. The note, octave and slide information
is indicated by how the buttons are lit up.
The step numbers are shown in the display (such as “St. 1”), and you can use the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to move between
steps.
Keyboard (note)
buttons
Pressing a keyboard (note) button inputs a note into the step you’re editing.
How notes are
displayed
You can distinguish the different notes by looking at how the keyboard and octave buttons are lit.
[OCT-] / [OCT+]
button
Press the [OCT-] and [OCT+] buttons to shift the octave of the note for the step you’re editing.
[SLIDE] button
Turns the slide effect on/off for the note in the step you’re editing.
Turn slide on when you want to a note to smoothly glide into the note in the next step.
[ACCENT] button
Turns the accent on/off for the note in the step you’re editing.
Inputting a tie
Press the [SLIDE] button while holding down the [KYBD] button to make the note of the previous step
sustain into the current step.
When a tie is inputted, the [SLIDE] button lights up dimly, and the keyboard button corresponding to
the note that’s set for the previous step also lights up dimly.
3. Press the [ó](REC) button or the [KYBD] button to exit edit mode.
There are two ways to input notes in real time, as shown below.
Inputting only the timing where notes sound
When the [ó](REC) button is lit and the [KYBD] button is unlit, you can input notes in real time using the [BASS] button, just as
when inputting with rhythm instruments when playback starts.
The note that’s input in this case is fixed at C2.
Inputting notes in real time using keyboard mode
When the [ó](REC) button is lit and the [KYBD] button is blinking, the unit switches to the steps to be edited one after another
once playback starts. At this time, you can input notes, ties and slides in real time by using the step buttons in keyboard mode.
Press the [OCT-] and [OCT+] buttons to shift the octave of the notes you play using the keyboard buttons.

Using the Bass Sequencer
18
Setting the accent strength
1. Press the [BASS] button to select the bass.
2. Hold down the [ACCENT] button and turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob.
Inputting accents and slides using step input
Besides inputting accents and slides in step mode or in keyboard mode, you can also input them all at once.
1. Press the [BASS] button to select the bass.
2. Press the [ACCENT] button.
“b.ACC” is displayed, and you can use the step buttons to input the bass accents.
3. Press the [ACCENT] button again.
“b.SLd” is displayed, and you can use the step buttons to input the bass slides.

Using Delay and Reverb
19
Using Delay and Reverb
Configuring the delay
Adjusting the delay volume and feedback
1. Turn the [DELAY] knob.
Setting the delay time
1. Hold down the [SHIFT] button and turn the [DELAY] knob.
When Delay Sync is ON, the following text is displayed when you turn the [DELAY] knob.
1_32: Thirty-second note
16t: Sixteenth-note triplet
32d: Dotted thirty-second note
1_16: Sixteenth note
8t: Eighth-note triplet
16d: Dotted sixteenth note
1_8: Eighth note
4t: Quarter-note triplet
8d: Dotted eighth note
1_4: Quarter note
2t: Half-note triplet
4d: Dotted quarter note
1_2: Half note
1t: Whole-note triplet
2d: Dotted half note
1_1: Whole note

Using Delay and Reverb
20
Setting how much signal is sent to the delay
1. Hold down the [SHIFT] button and press the [C (DELAY)] button.
“d.Snd” is displayed.
2. Press the button of the instrument you want to set.
The current value (0–127) is shown on the display.
* Press the [ACCENT] button to set the send amount for the signal received via USB.
3. Turn the [TEMPO/VALUE] knob to set the send amount.
4. When you are finished, press the [C (EXIT)] button.
Configuring the reverb
Adjusting the reverb volume
1. Turn the [REVERB] knob.