Synth Site |  Roland |  MS-1

Sample grade --- Samp. Frequency --- Mono Sampling time HIGH 44.1 TO 32.07 19.8 Seconds STANDARD 30.04 TO 22.08 28.4 Seconds LONG 1 22.05 TO 16.04 39.6 Seconds LONG 2 15.2 TO 11.04 57.2 Seconds

Sample time can be expanded with PCMCIA Memory Cards. For example, with a 5 Meg Card, High grade Mono sampling provides 260.6 seconds.

Obviously, for anything but the most basic uses, you will need a memory card with this unit.

Other features include: system pitch control, front-end-point editing, truncation, sample division, start-loop-end point setting, gate/trigger/drum pad response settings for each sample, standard RCA stereo inputs/outputs, a 1/8" mic input (kind of noisy), footswitch control of several options, MIDI in and out (no thru), DC adapter or battery powered.

This is a good unit for making rap music, or for getting phrase samples from movies, tapes, TV, etc. (i.e. for industrial stuff). This unit would also be good for a DJ when doing a live show.

I only use Stereo - High grade mode, so things sound okay. Standard mode could be used for non-critical samples (i.e. stuff that's noisy already).

I like to trigger it from my Drum machine, sort of as an add-on sound source for drum sounds and other odd sounds or sound-bites.

Note: MS-1's with older bios will only work with older Memory Cards. MS-1's with newer bios will work with newer Memory Cards, I don't know if they work with older Cards. I got a card made by SANDISK (who used to be called SUNDISK) from a computer retailer in California. Try computer equipment retailers to find these memory cards, rather than music stores (unless they are really good, they won't know what you're talking about.)

I got my MS-1 kind of early, so I had an older bios. Roland sent me an new bios (a MIDI file you can play from a sequencer to the MS-1) and they might have a new version on their website (maybe).

This is a cool unit for home musicians, DJ's, and low-budget productions. Not a studio sampler, but pretty cool!