Roland

Digital Sequencer And Sound Module

OWNER'S MANUAL

GENERAL -~

Information When you need repair service, call your local Roland Service Station or the authorized Roland distributor in your country as shown below.

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As of Jun. 28. 1993

Roland

MT 120 Digital Sequencer And Sound Module

IBM PC i~ a registered trademark of the International Business

Machines Corporation.

Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

DaynaFile is a trademark of Dayna Communications Inc.

Copyright © 1993 by Roland Corporation

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Roland Corporation.

1

Contents

Panel Description ....................................................... .4 5. Recording Along with a Song on the Disk.. ............. 22

Accessories ................................................................... 4 Recording the Right Hanel ................................... ..'..'

Control Functions .......................................................... 5 R<:>duing a Recording ............................................. 23

Introduction .................................................................. 6 R<:>cording the Left Hand ....................................... 24

About this Milnuill ......................................................... 6 Listening to the Song You have just Recorded ........ 24

MT-120 Features ........................................................... 7 6. Playing Piano with the MT-120 as Accompaniment .25

With the MT-120, You Can ........................................... 7 Select a Song with MT-120 Accompaniment ......... 25

Basic Precautions .......................................................... 8 Adjust the Volume of the MT- I 20 .......................... 25

Using Disks ................................................................... 9 Music Minus One: Playing the piano part yoursell.25

Inserting a Disk ........................................................ 9 7. Recording a New Song ............................................ 26

Removing a Disk ..................................................... 9 Calling up d lllank Song ........................................ 2b

Write Protecting Your Disks ..................................... 9 Recording Along with the Metronome ................... 26

Floppy Disks: Handle with Care .............................. 9 Recording without the Metronome Sound ............. 2B

Recording each Hand Separately ........................... 28

1. Operating the MT-120 .............................. 11 8. Saving Data onto a Disk .......................................... 29

1. Making the Connections ......................................... 12 Formatting a Disk .................................................. 2lJ

2. Turning the Power ON ............................................ 13 Saving lo a Disk ..................................................... { 1

3. Listening to a Song on Disk ..................................... 14 9. Turning the Power OFF ........................................... 32

Inserting the Disk ................................................... 14

Selecting a Song .................................................... 14

Starting Play .......................................................... 15

2. Playing the Sounds of the MT-120 ............ 33 1. Tuning the MT-120 to Your Digital Piano (Tune) ...... 34

MT- I 20 Tuning ...................................................... 34 Stopping Playback ................................................. 15 Tuning Your Digital Piano ...................................... 34

Start/Stop Using the Pedal ................................. 15 2. Enjoying the Sounds of the MT-120 (Sound) ............ 35

Starting Playback Again from the Beginning ........ 1 h Selecting the MT- I 20's Sounds .............................. 35

Starting Playback from the Middle of the Song .... 16 About Part 10 (!he Rhythm P,1rl) ............................. lb

Transposing the Key of the Song .......................... 16

4. Playing Along with a Song on the Disk ................... 17

Selecting a Song .................................................... 17

Changing the Volunw of a Parl ............................... Jb Turning Pilrt Mute On or Off ................................... ~b

When You Want lo "Lock in" the Changes for Part Volume ................................................... 37

Adjusting the Tempn .............................................. 17 Returning to the Piano Sound ................................. \7

Right Hand Practice (Mute the Right Hand Part) .... 18 3. Recording an Ensemble Song ................................... 38

Left Hand Practice (Mute the Left Hand Part) ......... 18 Calling Up a Blank Song ........................................ 38

Going Back to the Original Tempo ..................... 19

Playing without Tempo Changes (Tempo Mute) ... 19

How to Set Up for an lnscmble .......................... JB Recording the Drums ............................................. 39

Selecting the Rhythm Part. ................................... 39 Playing Along with the Metronome ..................... 19 Loop Recording .................................................... .40 About the Count-In ............................................. 20 Recording the Bass ................................................ .42

Practice the same Section Over and Over Selecting the Bass Part. ........................................ 42

(Repeat Play) ....................................................... 21 Recording the Bass Part ....................................... 43 Recording the Chords and Melody ......................... 43

2

3. Handy Features ......................................... 45 7. Appendix .................................................. 81 1. Playing Songs on the Disk One After Another 1. Contents of the Demo Song Disk.. ........................... 82

(All Song Play) ...................................................... .46 Profiles of the Demo Song Composers ................... 83

2. Changing the Metronome Resolution 2. Selecting Functions .................................................. 84

(Metro Beat) ......................................................... .4i 3. Data List .................................................................. 85

3. Marking Places in the Music (Marker A and B) ........ 48 4. Tone List .................................................................. 86

Using the Marker Featurc ....................................... 48 5. Troubleshooting ....................................................... 91

How to Set a Marker ........................................... .48 6. Messages ................................................................. 92

Setting Marker Resolution ..................................... .49 How to Set a M,irker ............................................. .49 MIDI Implementation Chart ........................................ 94

Deleting a Marker .................................................. 50 Specifications .............................................................. 96

lumping to a Ma1·ker .............................................. 50 Index ......................................................................... 9i

4. Recording Pickup Notes .......................................... 51 Printed Music for "Minuet" .......................................... 99 5. Playing in Sync with Other Instruments .................. 52

Getting Ready ........................................................ 52 Synchronized Pl;iy ................................................. 52

Playing with Count-In On or Off ............................... 101

Recording with Count-In On or Off .......................... 102

Starting and Stopping Playing on Other lnstruments ........................................... 53

Ending SynchmniLed Play ...................................... 53

4. Disk Handling ........................................... 55 1. Saving a Song onto Disk ......................................... 56

Saving a Song onto the Disk (Save) ........................ 56 Saving it as a New Song (Save As) .......................... 57

2. Copying a Song on the Disk (Song Copy) ................ 59 3. Copying All the Songs on a Disk (All Song Copy) .... 60 4. Deleting Songs on a Disk (Song Delete) .................. 62

5. Making Use of Many Kinds of Data .......... 63 1. ism music data (3.5-inch Disks) ............................... 64 2. Standard MIDI Files ................................................. 65 3. Trying Minus One Play ............................................ bi

Using an Electronic Piano to play the MT-120's internal sound source ..................... 67

Using a Guitar or Keyboard (with its own sound source) ................................... 69

6. MT-120 Ml DI Information ........................ 73 1. About MIDI ............................................................. i4 2. The MT-120's Sequencer ......................................... i5 3. The MT-120's GS Sound Source ............................... 76

About the Number of Sounds that can be Played Simultaneously .................................................... 77

About Songs made on the MT-120 ......................... 77 4. MIDI Diagram of the MT-120 .................................. iB 5. MIDI Switching (MIDI) ........................................... 79

3

Panel Description Front Panel

Front Panel

il'.5)

Rear Panel

Roland

~IT 120 ~~~:;~M::~

Disk Drive IP!Ji

Mar>.er O O O Clear A~Marke1~B Aopaat Volume

CJ CJ CJ CJt '-_ _._, ..... , 1..> ... , _....,

Power Switch W n 32)

lnpul Seleclor SW (P.69) lnpul lacks (P.69)

o\115:myPt..iy M1t1u,,Onc,

_9ona oCJ CJ

',, Sound 0,~J...!1rna, . :•... BeatC i CJCJ

- Vwluc +

CJCJ CJ CJ ,.., ... O CJ

L...:Eriter

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CoLn! In M<=lrur,1.111.c

CJCJ Track. O O

CE:] ~~ Reset l:3wd Fwd

Stop Play Rec

Making the Conneclions (P.12)

,L..-0_0_ -0-, -+i--r1--+---~---r .• ; O OG"'~"·@~"""O) 0 (O"'P~ 6 0

Piano SW

Me!ro11ome (P. 1]) Voh ... rnu

Ou! In --MIDI--

lnpul Volume Conlrol (P.69)

Accessories

AC adaptor ( 1)

(J DC/DC cable ( 1 J

~ P11mo

~ fat ffimJ Int

P.19

MIDI cables (2)

Demo Song f)isk (1)

4

Audio cables (I)

Owner's Manual t I)

Supplement ( 1)

Control Functions

Track huttons P.18

If you press J hulton so thdl the green

light is turned off, 110 sound will be

heard. WhC'n thC' MT-120 is in the

1·ecordi11g stand hy mode, these buttons

determine' which tr,ick will be recorded

on

Reset button P.16,-

Rest-ts a song to tlw beginning.

Volume sl icier P.15, 25

Use 1hi, lo adjust the ovn.:ill volume

of the MT-120.

Transpose button P.16

Press to chJngC' thC' kC'y of J

pC'rformance.

Tempo button P.1 7

PrPSS to SPI the tempo.

Beat bullon P.27 i--

Press to set the beat.

Song button P.14

Press to select a song.

Sound button P.35

This sPlects the Part to be pl;iyed

by the electronic pi;ino ;ind sets

Tcmes for each Part.

All Song Play button P.46

This plJys ;ill the songs on J

disk, one ;ifter another.

Disk/Tune button P.55/34 -

This is used lo execute disk­

related functions, and to set

tuning.

Minus One button P67

This is used for Minus One

play.

+ / I

~o~J' F-''_ -' ' . ."..'.'.~ '<~· "'" Beat~)

~ ~ IJ I Measure Beal.. empo nspose 1

~ ~ .= l "" ~-----·--·------ -~ c::J O b

c:::::::J I • r .. ;ck i'°I' I

Sound o,sk/Tune/

L.,._ c::J c::J I

- Value +

c::J c::J

~~~ O ._0

... O LE~er

L__-----t-----"\ [!:] G:J G:J ~ CJ o~

Counlln M~~

Marker O O Clear A-Marker-B

0 Repeal

\.. Track O "1-01u111e

r+-CJ CJ CJ LI __ .._, _.(~l-1..I ----''

Fil I o ,.., C O I R:.I I I'--,._·_..,

I

Repeat button P.21, 40

Activates the Repeat

function.

Marker buttons P.21, 48

Sets Markers A and B.

Marker Clear button P.21, 50

Clears Markers A and B.

Stop / Play

Stop button r. 1 5

Press to stop playback.

Play button P.15

Press to start play. -Rec button r.22

This button puts the MT-1 20 in

the recording standby mode.

Count In button P.20

Activ;ites the count in function.

5

0

• A'~~ 1/I Bwd Fwd /r l

7/ __ ....._ Bwd button

Fwd button P.16

Used to locate J specific

measure within a song.

Metronome button P. 1 9

Turns the metronome on

and off.

Value buttons

These buttons change

the value at the cursor

"111·" position. ...

Introduction

We'd like to take a moment to thank you for purchasing

the Roland MT-120 Digital Sequencer and Sound

Module.

The MT-1 20 features an easy-to-use 5-lrack sequencer for

recording and playback, as well as a 16-part multi­

timbral GS sound source.

Concerning this Unit's Sound Sources •General MIDI System

GENERAL The General MIDI System is a set of

fflliJI recommendations which seek lo provide a way ior

going bc>yond the limitations of proprietarv designs,

and standardize the MIDI capabilities provided by

sound generating devices.

If you use a sound generating unit which carries the

General MIDI logo, you will be able to faithfully

reproduce any song data which also carries the

General MIDI logo.

•GS Format ~< The GS Format is Roland's universal set of

~ specifications which were formulated in the interest

of standardizing the way in which sm111d generating

devices will operate when MIDI is used for the

performance of music. If you use a sound generating

unit which carries the GS logo, you will be able to

faithfully reproduce any commercially available song

data which also carries the GS logo.

This unit's sound source supports both General MIDI

and GS. Song data which carries either of these logos

can he accurately reproduced (when the Piano switch is

set to Int) .

About this Manual

Chapter 1 contains information on how to listen to the

songs recorded on the disks and practice along with them

on the piano, and how to record your piano songs and

save them onto a disk as well. These are the most basic

things you'll need to know to operate the MT-120.

6

The MT-120 was specifically designed for use with ,1

MIDI keyboard, and ior Roland Digital Pianos in

particular.

' Roland also offers the .MT-200, dc>signed ior 111-1ki11g d,1l.i iu1

conductors.

Concerning the Sequencer in this Unit

ISffl This unit is capJble of plJying "ism music dJta"

( L'i inch floppy disks}.

This unit is capable of playing Standard MIDI

SMF Files, such as "SMF Music Data" (720

KB/1.44MB formal 3.5 inch floppy disks).

Concerning the Demo Song Data of this Unit

Ism The datJ on the demo song disk can be played

on any unit that supports "ism music data" 13.5

inch floppy disks).

The song data on the demo song disk is

designed to be played on any unit which carries

the GS logo.

* The demo song disk is write-protected. As a result, its contc>nt

cannot be altered when used with the MT-120.

~ Note also that although you are allowed to make a copy of

the data on the> demo song disk, no further copies can lie>

made from that copy.

With this information, you'll be able to play an arnazing

variety of sounds on the MT-1 20. Check out Chapter 2

and later chapters for practical examples of combining

these sounds to make ensemble songs and

accompaniment, or using song data from other disks, and

a wide range of other applications.