Roland MKS-7 Super Quartet

Also available in “ivory” (without rack ears)!

4-part multi-timbral analog DCO synth module with sampled drum sounds.

Synths sections are derived from the Juno 106 and rhythm PCM samples from the TR707.

• mono bass part (with 20 preset sounds)
• 4 note poly chords part (with 100 preset sounds)
• 2 note poly melody part (sounds as per chords part, except without noise source)
• 11 note rhythm section (TR707 sounds – kick, snare, 3 toms, rim, clap, open &amp closed hi-hat, crash &amp ride)

Whole Mode

The MKS-7 has a "Whole Mode". The Melody and Chord sections are combined and act as a six voice synthesizer. In this mode there is no sound from the Melody Section. To turn on the Whole Mode, use the following procedure:

1. Press the MIDI CH button so the RHYTHM, BASS, CHORD and MELODY buttons are flashing.
2. While holding the CHORD button, press the MELODY button.

NOTE: The CHORD and MELODY indicators under the LED display should now both be lit.

3. Press the MIDI CH button to exit.

Contrary to popular belief you *can* edit the MKS7 from the front panel (via engineer mode) but this is very tedious (see here). Thankfully a full sysex spec allows detailed patch editing over MIDI. However, some genius at Roland decided against a backup battery for user RAM (no flash RAM back then!) so all patches are lost on power off.

The rear panel features four seperate mono outputs for each section plus mono & stereo out. MIDI In & Thru only. Modulation and bender sensitivity can be adjusted from the rear panel.

Owners Manual (9Mb PDF)

Preset Patch Details

Melody/Chord Section:

 00 Piano Plus           10 Trumphet             20 Arco Violin
 01 Electronic Piano     11 Trombone             21 Quick Violin
 02 Celesta              12 Horn                 22 Pizzicato Violin

 03 Mellow Piano         13 Mute Trumphet        23 Cello
 04 Harpsichord          14 Rez Trumphet         24 Rez Viola
 05 Chorus Piano         15 Bright Brass         25 Slow Attack Strings
 06 Kaleidoscope         16 Mute Brass           26 Medium Strings
 07 Harp                 17 Soft Brass           27 Pizzicato Strings
 08 Pulse Width Piano    18 Fat Brass            28 Lower Strings
 09 Clavinet             19 Rez Brass            29 High Bright Strings

 30 Flute                40 Jazz Organ           50 Baritone Solo
 31 Clarinet             41 Rock Organ           51 Peak
 32 Oboe                 42 Cool Organ           52 Square Wave
 33 Sax                  43 8' Organ             53 Organ Lead
 34 Baritone Sax         44 Church Organ         54 Punk Tom
 35 Rez Lead             45 Human Voice #1       55 Fuzz Orchestra
 36 Flute Lead           46 Human Voice #2       56 Effect Sound #1
 37 Soft Lead            47 Pulse Width Shout    57 Rez Clarinet
 38 Baritone Lead        48 Accordian            58 Wood
 39 Fat Lead             49 Pan Pipe             59 Solid State

 60 Pick Wood            70 Synth Brass #1       80 Filter Flow
 61 Pick Width           71 Synth Brass #2       81 Delay Lead
 62 Rez Pick             72 Wah Brass            82 Dawn
 63 Mosquito             73 Wah Lead             83 Mirage
 64 Glockenspiel         74 Fat                  84 Tension
 65 Baritone Pick        75 Synth Lead #3        85 Effect Sound #3
 66 Short Pick           76 Synth Lead #4        86 Effect Sound #4
 67 Effect Sound #2      77 Space Miaow          87 Effect Sound #5
 68 Synth Lead #1        78 Funky Strings        88 Funky Drum
 69 Synth Lead #2        79 Funky Clavinet       89 Star Chime

 90 Effect Sound #6
 91 Effect Sound #7
 92 Electric Twitter
*93 Electric Tom
*94 Bomb #1
*95 Bomb #2
*96 Big Wave
*97 Blizzard
*98 Effect Sound #8
 99 Silence


NOTE:  The tones with an (*) use Noise.  Therefore, they do not sound at all
in the Chord section.  The tone colors from 80-89 use VCF oscillation, therefore
exact pitches cannot be expected.  Tone #99 "Silence" can be effectively used
when you want no sound.


Bass Block:

00 Medium Bass                          10 Electric Bass #3
01 Wood Bass                            11 Electric Bass #4
02 Arco Bass                            12 Synth Bass #1
03 Tuba                                 13 Synth Bass #2
04 Organ Bass                           14 Synth Bass #3
05 Pizzicato Bass                       15 Synth Bass #4
06 Rez Bass                             16 Synth Bass #5
07 Wah Bass                             17 Synth Bass #6
08 Electric Bass #1                     18 Synth Bass #7
09 Electric Bass #2                     19 Synth Bass #8

Engineer Mode

Engineer mode is used to edit each paramter of the MELODY, CHORD, BASS on
the synthesizer

Entering engineer mode

While holding down one of the sound source selector buttons – MELODY, CHORD
or BASS to be edited, depress the midi MIDI CH. The button flashes,
indicating the machine is in engineering mode.

Editing

1: Using Tables 1 and 2, find out the number corresponding to a parameter
to be altered. Eneter the number on the numerical pad. The display shows
the number.

 

2: DYNAMIC SENS serves as an edit knob, and the new number is represented
in the display window as a number between 00 and 127. The numbers above
100 are in lower two digits (eg 123 = 23)
In the case where paramters functioning in place of switch, a parameter can
effectively open or close the switch when the value exceeds the
predetermined figure. For example, CHORUS is turned ON when the value
decreases below 63, and OFF when above 64.

Returning to normal mode

Push the MIDI channel button to Normal Functioning.

(from machines.hyperreal.org)