MC-202
MC-202 tech specs
Roland MC-202
- Released: 1983
- Clearance price: £159[1]
- Company: Roland
- Types: Digital step sequencer; monophonic synthesiser
- Polyphony: Monophonic
- Timbrality: Monotimbral
- Synchronisation: DIN sync; tape sync
The MC-202 (short for MicroComposer) was a monophonic synthesiser released by Roland in 1983. It's essentially an SH-101, but replacing the keyboard with a more advanced — if notoriously less intuitive — digital step sequencer.
Quotes
It's batty, totally upside down, but it's brilliant to use once you understand the numbers.
— Sean Booth, Autechre, 2004[2]
Notable users
- Atari Teenage Riot[3]
- Autechre[4][5][2]
- Biosphere[6]
- Coldcut[7][8][9]
- Daft Punk
- Gimmik[10]
- LFO[11]
- Speedy J[12]
References
- "Soho Soundhouse" Soho Soundhouse (Vendor), Electronics & Music Maker, Feb 1986, p. 70
- "Autechre" Paul Tingen, Sound On Sound, Apr 2004
- "Teenage Kicks" Phil Ward, Music Technology, Oct 1993, pp. 18—19
- "Aural Technology Redefined?" Simon Trask, Future Music, Jan 1995, pp. 51—53
- "Autechre: Techno-logical" Christopher Holder, Sound On Sound, Nov 1997
- "In the Studio With Biosphere" Headphone Commute, Jan 2021
- "Mixing Lessons" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Nov 1988, pp. 40—44
- "What's That Noise?" Tim Goodyer, Music Technology, Aug 1990, pp. 30—34
- "The HEX Guide To Multimedia" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Oct 1993, pp. 36—38
- "In the Studio With Gimmik" Headphone Commute, Jul 2022
- "Deep Vibrations" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Aug 1991, pp. 60—65
- "Warp Factor 8" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Nov 1993, pp. 32—33
Further reading
Reviews
- "The MC-202 MicroComposer" Electronics & Music Maker, May 1983, pp. 70—74
- "Roland MC202 Microcomposer" One Two Testing, Dec 1983, pp. 10—88
Retrospectives
- "Roland MC-202" Tom Carpenter, Sound On Sound, Aug 1995
Encyclopedias
- The A-Z of Analogue Synthesisers, Part Two: N-Z Peter Forrest, 2003, ISBN 0-952437-73-2, pp. 115—116
Downloads
Documentation
- "MC-202 manual" Roland, May 1983
- "MC-202 service notes" Roland, Aug 1983
Digital step sequencers: MC-202 | MS-1 | RD-6 | SH-101 | TB-303 | TR-606 | TR-808
Hardwired synthesisers: CZ-101 | Juno-6 | Juno-106 | MC-202 | MS-1 | Minimoog | Model D | Polivoks | RS-101 | RS-202 | SH-101 | Solina String Ensemble | String Ensemble | TB-303 | VC340 | VP-330
Monophonic synthesisers: MC-202 | MS-1 | Minimoog | Model D | SH-101 | TB-303
Roland: Boss | DCB | Edirol | JV-1080 | Juno-6 | Juno-106 | MC-4 | MC-8 | MC-202 | MPU-101 | R-8 | RS-101 | RS-202 | SH-101 | SN-R8 series | SN-U110 series | SO-PCM1 series | SR-JV80 series | System-100 | System-100M | TB-303 | TR-606 | TR-808 | TR-909 | U-110 | VP-330 | W-30