NAMM: The Roland MV-8000 reaches V3

US Software update for this popular workhorse 21/01/05

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Roland continues the expansion of the MV-8000 platform with the release of Version 3 software. With linear-based recording already established on the MV, now comes the addition of a complete pattern-style composing mode. It will layer up to 64 tracks “drum machine-style” within each pattern, and chain up to 500 patterns together per project using the pads or via step writing. The new software allows you to combine up to 128 linear tracks with patterns as well. The new enhancements offer pattern-style writing for the main grooves (drum machine-like) and linear style for the instruments and audio tracks (á la software). The new Drum-Grid editor can be used to create beats in a familiar grid/matrix window. Together with the MV-8000’s external VGA and mouse capability, the Drum-Grid editor makes track creation easier than ever before. Audio waveforms and other essential track data can be visually edited as well. A new feature unique to the MV-8000 is its internal analog-modeled bass synthesizer, which can be played from the MV’s own trigger pads or via MIDI. With its two fat oscillators, multimode resonant filter, LFO, envelope follower, ring and cross modulation, delay, chorus, portamento, and more, this synth can inject serious style and spice into a production. Load BMP or JPG files into the MV-8000 and “play” them back on an external VGA monitor from the MV’s pads, or sequence the graphics.