Roland MC-8 Microcomposer

The Roland MC-8 MicroComposer by the <a href="/facts/Roland_Corporation/S6FG8UfS">Roland Corporation</a> was introduced in early 1977 at a list price of US$4,795 (¥1,200,000 <a href="/facts/Japanese_yen/Txz0CFhd">JPY</a>). It was one of the earliest stand-alone <a href="/facts/Microprocessor/Fx9CaQht">microprocessor</a>-driven <a href="/facts/CV%2fGate/UE97WhJC">CV/Gate</a> <a href="/facts/Music_sequencer/VhLzSPhr">music sequencers</a>, following <a href="/facts/Electronic_Music_Studios/mGz2zWPa">EMS</a> <a href="/facts/Electronic_Music_Studios/mGz2zWPa">Sequencer 256</a> in 1971 and <a href="/facts/New_England_Digital/UQRmYBw7">New England Digital</a>'s <a href="/facts/Synclavier/6fwfDWwH">ABLE computer</a> (microprocessor) in 1975. Roland called the MC-8 a "<a href="/facts/Computer_music/2bS14C3D">computer music</a> composer" and it was considered revolutionary at the time, introducing features such as a <a href="/facts/Keypad/Hr7K6hhd">keypad</a> to enter <a href="/facts/Musical_note/spIQyV4T">note</a> information and 16 <a href="/facts/Kilobyte/jIe6t4yv">kilobytes</a> of <a href="/facts/Random_access_memory/DuD4bxh6">random access memory</a> which allowed a maximum sequence length of 5200 notes, a huge step forward from the 8-16 <a href="/facts/Step_sequencer/VhLzSPhr">step sequencers</a> at the time. It also allowed the user to allocate multiple pitch CVs to a single Gate channel, creating <a href="/facts/Polyphony/obub59bA">polyphonic</a> parts within the overall sequence. Due to the high price, only 200 units were sold worldwide, but it represented a huge leap forward in <a href="/facts/Music_technology/aEAKLjhh">music technology</a>.

Roland MC-8 Microcomposer open-in-new

Roland MC-8 Microcomposer