The Roland ED SC-8850 (
Sound Canvas) is a
GS-compatible
MIDI
MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, and re ...
sound module
A sound module is an electronic musical instrument without a human-playable interface such as a piano-style musical keyboard. Sound modules have to be operated using an externally connected device, which is often a MIDI controller, of which th ...
released in 1999 by
Roland under the name RolandED. The SC-8850 was the first sound module to incorporate the new
General MIDI Level 2 General MIDI Level 2 or GM2 is a specification for synthesizers which defines several requirements beyond the more abstract MIDI standard and is based on General MIDI and GS extensions. It was adopted in 1999 by the MIDI Manufacturers Association ( ...
standard.
The SC-8850 uses a PCM sampling engine based on that of the SC-88 Pro, and supports 128-voice polyphony with 64-part multitimbrality. It came preloaded with the soundsets of all older Sound Canvas models, as well as the CM-32 and MT-32. Aimed at
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
users, the SC-8850 features 1,703
instrument patches, including the GS sounds and additional GM2 sounds. The selection of effects includes reverb, chorus, and Roland's own Insertion EFX, which adds effects like vibrato, distortion, tremolo, etc.
SC-8820
Alongside the SC-8850, Roland released the Roland ED SC-8820, an inexpensive cut-down version of the MIDI module, smaller than the 8850. Both SC-8850 and ED SC-8820 could be rackmounted alongside each other.
The Roland SC-8820 model lacks the large LCD screen and extended controls of the SC-8850. Some sounds are different in comparison to the 8850, but has a map that is compatible with the 8850. Both models have external appearance similar to Roland's older models.
Roland later released the SK-500 in 2000, a version of the SC-8820 with a 49 keys keyboard and no MIDI input, requiring users to use either the USB or RS-232C connections to send data.
The Sound Canvas VA plugin emulates an SC-8820 with minor inaccuracies.
SC-D70
In 2001, Roland released the Roland ED SC-D70, which was a SC-8820 with a digital output, among other differences. It had a sampling rate of 44.1/48 kHz, instead of 32 kHz sounds the SC-8820 had. The sample rate could be selected between 44.1 and 48. The SC-D70 also lacks a map select button on the module, meaning you must send SysEx messages to change the map. The SC-D70 is the only Sound Canvas module that had a digital output.
See also
*
Roland SC-55
The Roland SC-55 ( Sound Canvas) is a GS MIDI sound module released in 1991 by Roland. The SC-55 was the first sound module to incorporate the new General MIDI standard. It was the first in the Roland Sound Canvas series.
The SC-55 used both PC ...
References
External links
* http://www.xs4all.nl/~hanwen/personal/synth/roland_supp_notes.html
SC-8850
Sound modules
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