Alan Townsend looks at those little problems that arise even out of the most sophisticated and well-balanced electronic relationships. If you wish to contribute a problem, or even a solution or an idea, write to Alan at Input, Roland (UK) Ltd., (Contact Details).

Control Role

I am soon to add to my keyboard set up and hope to buy a piano. I am particularly interested in the Roland EP50 midi keyboard as I would wish to add synth modules at a later date. I would like to know if the EP50 would be compatible with Roland and other manufacturers modules (especially the Chase Expander) and any limitations the EP50 has as far as being a mother keyboard. I have tried the EP50 on its own as a piano and I congratulate you on its sound quality,

I would be pleased if you could send me the general info on the EP50 (such as dimensions to see if it will fit in my keyboard stand),

Yours faithfully
Mr. A.S. Palmer
P.S, How about some stickers for my flight case!!!!!!

Dear Mr Palmer,
The EP50 would make an ideal keyboard for controlling MIDI expander modules, whether Roland or of any other manufacturer.

The main limitation is that, unlike a proper mother keyboard, there is no facility for remembering combinations of patches or, indeed, for not sending any information at all other than by changing the MIDI channel or by unplugging the MIDI lead. This could of course, be overcome by using volume pedals.

I feel that the EP50 would perform this function as well as any other "non-mother keyboard" instrument on the market,

We enclose information on the EP50.
A.T.

Tempos Fugit

Dear Sir
I have a Roland TR707 drum machine which I use as part of a home recording system, I have discovered some of the machines' rhythm patterns do not operate as I think they should, I find that rhythm No's. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, play at the same tempo, while No. 3 runs much quicker. No's. 7, 8, 9, 10 play at a slightly different tempo from the ones previously mentioned. No's. 11, 12 run at the same tempo but again different from the ones already mentioned. Please advise if this is the way that the machine is supposed to work or if there is a fault. Also I would be obliged if you could explain a little about the prescale settings as I'm not a musician.

Yours sincerely
John O'Hara

Dear John
The problem you are experiencing with your TR707 are due to your lack of understanding of the pre-scale function.

Its purpose is to vary the speed so that bars of different time signature are played at the correct tempo.

For example, a bar of 4/4 would be programmed by using the scale which has a crochet over keys 1, 5, 9 and 13.

A bar of 12/8 would be programmed by using the scale which has a quaver over each key but tied into triplets. The last step in the bar has to be set at key 12.

Notice that the speed of the lights change from one to the other.

By programming in this way you can go from a straight four into triplets and each bar will last the same length of time. For example, four crochets in one scale will take the same time as twelve quavers in the other scale.

I hope this helps.
A.T.

Mother Storage

Dear Sir,
What I do not understand about 'Mother keyboards' is their ability to store programmed sounds. Is it possible for example to store sounds created on another synthesiser such as a DX7, or Juno 106?

Yours faithfully
Dr. P.F. Pearson

Dear Dr Pearson,
The memory in a "mother keyboard" does not store the actual sound of a synthesizer but stores all the information for setting up the particular patch.

The example, you may wish to have the keyboard play the DX7 up to a particular note using its own patch 14 and the Juno 106 playing above the same note using its patch 63. By storing all that information in one of 128 locations it can all be instantly set up by recalling that memory. It is patch change information, therefore, that is stored rather than the actual synthesizer settings.
A.T.

Good Conductor

Dear Sir
For several months now I have been waiting for a Roland programmable metronome to appear on the market.

In July my local dealer said it would be in next month. It still has not appeared.

Can you please tell me if they have arrived and where and when I could get hold of one.

Yours faithfully
D.R. Simnett

Dear Mr Simnett,
The DB-11 Music Conductor has been in stock for several months now and is available in blue, red, white or black.

Being a Boss product it is available from any music shop.
A.T.