The Roland XP-50 was a workstation synthesiser designed to offer high-speed performance and comprehensive sequencing capabilities within a single unit. At its core, the instrument utilised a 32-bit RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) chip, a processor technology favoured across various industries for its advanced processing capability.
This hardware foundation allowed the Roland XP-50 to manage its complex operational flow with accurate and rapid response to performance data, ensuring that the individual sections of the workstation could assemble and operate effectively together. The inclusion of this specific processor type was intended to provide a smooth control environment, allowing musicians to maintain a high level of creativity without being hindered by system latency or operational delays.
The sequencing system of the Roland XP-50 was built around the newly developed MRC Pro, which delivered the advanced editing functions of the industry-standard Super MRC software sequencer while emphasising realtime production. This system was designed to facilitate spontaneous musical creation, allowing users to concentrate on performance rather than getting bogged down in operational steps.
The MRC Pro track structure comprised 16 Phrase Tracks, a Tempo Track, a Beat Track, and a Pattern Track containing up to 100 patterns. Each of the 16 main tracks could control up to 16 MIDI channels, providing a robust framework for complex arrangements. The system supported both realtime and step recording methods, with a resolution of 96 ticks per quarter note.
To aid in the composition process, the Roland XP-50 included several versatile functions. Loop Recording allowed users to create basic patterns by looping a specific range of measures while inputting notes in sequence, enabling smoother song creation without interrupting the musical flow. Pattern Paste accelerated the song creation process by allowing users to paste pre-created patterns, with the unit capable of storing up to 100 customised patterns as pattern tracks.
The instrument also featured a Preview function that helped speed up editing by allowing users to check out groove variations in realtime, eliminating the need to repeat steps in the editing process when trying out different approaches.
Quantisation options on the Roland XP-50 were extensive, catering to different musical styles and preferences. Grid Quantize provided conventional alignment of manually input data with the beat. For a more subtle feel, Shuffle Quantize allowed users to set variations in 1% increments. Groove Quantize offered a template-based approach, allowing users to assign phrases to templates that contained timing and minute velocity differences. The system provided 90 grooves, including intricate dance and Latin styles.
The available Groove Quantize template types included 16 Beat Straight, 16 Beat Light Shuffle, 16 Beat Medium Shuffle, 16 Beat Heavy Shuffle, 8 Beat Straight, 8 Beat Light Shuffle, 8 Beat Medium Shuffle, 8 Beat Heavy Shuffle, Double Time Swing, Swing, World Music, Tuplets, Constant Shuffle, Getting Slow, Offsetting 2nd 16th note, and Offsetting 4th 16th note.
Performance features were enhanced by Realtime Phrase Sequencing (RPS), which allowed users to assign full patterns to keys. This enabled the triggering and playback of various phrases, such as fill-ins and obbligatos, to enhance songs and live performances. The Roland XP-50 also addressed the data load, memory, and playback limitations often experienced with conventional sequencers through its Quick Play function.
This feature allowed users to insert a disk, select a song, and play it directly from the disk with no waiting time, as data was read and played directly. Songs could be played one after another with no awkward intervals. Additionally, Chain Play allowed users to play back songs on a disk in any preferred order. The unit could use a single 2HD disk to save and play approximately 180,000 notes.
Data compatibility was a key aspect of the Roland XP-50’s design, ensuring that users could utilise their existing data assets. The instrument was Standard MIDI File (SMF) data compatible and featured a tone map that was General MIDI compatible, allowing virtually any popular commercial song file release to play back on the XP-50 alone.
Furthermore, the Roland XP-50 could instantly convert Super MRC format data from sequencers such as the Roland MC-50mkII Micro Composer. The loadable song types included Roland XP-50 Songs (MRC Pro), Standard MIDI Files (Format 0/1), and S-MRC Songs for MC-500/300/50/50mkII. Savable formats included Roland XP-50 Songs (MRC Pro) and Standard MIDI Files (Format 0/1).
The sound source of the Roland XP-50 was designed to cope with sophisticated playing techniques, comparing favourably to the reference-quality JV-1080 synthesiser module. It featured 64-voice polyphony, which allowed for demanding playing requirements such as fast passages and damper pedal usage. The instrument was 16-part multitimbral, with Part 10 designated as the Rhythm Part, enabling it to cope with full-orchestral sequence data using multi-instrument arrangements.
The internal memory comprised 8 Mbytes, equivalent to 16 Mbytes in 16-bit linear format, offering 448 internal waveforms. These waveforms ranged from super-realistic acoustic instruments to rich and warm analogue textures in the lows and mid-range, as well as brilliant digital sounds and a large assortment of percussion sounds.
Sound design on the Roland XP-50 offered flexible capabilities through its tone structures. Users could combine up to four tones to configure a patch as desired, utilising 10 different tone structures. Each structure could include two wave generators, Time Variant Filters (TVFs), and Time Variant Amplifiers (TVAs), as well as a ring modulator and a booster. The preset memory included 512 patches, 64 performances, and 8 rhythm sets, while user memory provided space for 128 patches, 32 performances, and 2 rhythm sets. The internal song memory could hold 1 song of approximately 20,000 notes, with a maximum song length of 9998 measures.
Expansion capabilities were provided through four slots for SR-JV80 Series wave expansion boards. Each board offered 8 Mbytes of additional memory, allowing the total memory capacity to expand to an immense 40 Mbytes or as many as 1,660 patches. The SR-JV80 Series included titles such as Pop, Orchestral, Piano, Vintage Synth, World, Dance, Super Sound Set, and Keyboards of the ’60s and ’70s. Each Wave Expansion Board included Patches and Rhythm Sets that made use of the waves on the board, allowing users to add the latest waveforms according to their musical preference, level, and budget.
The Roland XP-50 was equipped with a complete range of digital effects to provide finishing touches to the sound. This included eight digital reverb types and one digital chorus, along with 40 other insert effects. The 40 effect algorithms included STEREO-EQ, OVERDRIVE, DISTORTION, PHASER, SPECTRUM, ENHANCER, AUTO-WAH, ROTARY, COMPRESSOR, LIMITER, HEXA-CHORUS, TREMOLO-CHORUS, SPACE-D, STEREO-CHORUS, STEREO-FLANGER, STEP-FLANGER, STEREO-DELAY, MODULATION-DELAY, TRIPLE-TAP-DELAY, QUADRUPLE-TAP-DELAY, TIME-CONTROL-DELAY, 2VOICE-PITCH-SHIFTER, FBK-PITCH-SHIFTER, REVERB, GATE-REVERB, and various serial and parallel combinations such as OVERDRIVE→CHORUS, DISTORTION→FLANGER, and CHORUS/DELAY.
The physical interface of the Roland XP-50 included a 61-note keyboard with velocity and aftertouch sensitivity, enhancing playing expressiveness. The bender was redesigned for a larger lever diameter with a longer modulation stroke, providing more responsive control for subtle nuances. A large, 40-character, two-line LCD display made it easier to create sounds and edit data, with orange backlighting that enhanced visibility even on dark stages.
The control layout included Volume, C1 and C2 sliders, octave controls, sequencer transport controls, and Loop, Locate and Tempo/Beat Track controls. Connectivity options included Mix Output Jacks (stereo), a Headphone Jack (stereo), a Pedal Hold Jack, MIDI In, Out and Thru connectors, and rear-panel Pedal 1 and 2 connections. The unit measured 97mm in height, 1023mm in width, and 348mm in depth, with a weight of 9.3kg.
Features
- 32-bit RISC processor and MRC Pro onboard sequencing system with advanced editing functions derived from Super MRC.
- Sixteen phrase tracks, each supporting 16 MIDI channels, plus separate pattern, tempo and beat tracks.
- Loop Recording for recording repeatedly over a selected range of measures, and Pattern Paste for assembling songs from patterns.
- Grid Quantize, Shuffle Quantize with 1% variation increments, and Groove Quantize with 90 grooves incorporating timing and velocity variations.
- Preview function for checking edits and groove variations in realtime.
- Realtime Phrase Sequencing (RPS) for assigning patterns to keys and triggering phrases during performance.
- Quick Play for reading and playing songs directly from disk, and Chain Play for playing disk songs in a selected order.
- Standard MIDI File compatibility, a General MIDI-compatible tone map, and conversion of Super MRC song data.
- PCM sound source with 16-part multitimbral operation and 64-voice polyphony.
- Up to four tones per patch, with ten tone structures incorporating wave generators, Time Variant Filters, Time Variant Amplifiers, ring modulation and a booster.