I must admit that, when I first set eyes on the monstrous package that arrived when Roland U.K. delivered this system, I feared the worst. Certainly, the heavyweight flightcase this latest offering from Roland's BOSS effects range came in was impressive — how could it fail to be, when it weighed as much as many a combo I've hefted up my stairs? Could mere effects ever justify so much hardware?

Still, I set the unit on my living room floor and proceeded to unfasten it. Inside the flightcase the whole package of effects board, foot controller and coupler control unit was neatly and, I felt, very safely, stored.

But what was it all about? What was I supposed to make of some seven Boss effects linked, one to another, through (presumably) what I took to be the main computer controller? And what was to be made of the rather solemn-looking instruction book which accompanied the whole caboodle? It was a bit like when I first set eyes on the TASCAM Portastudio — but that, at least had the excuse of being 'new technology', what on Earth was the justification for all this fuss over a bunch of mere effects pedals? Gradually, though, as I read the excellent instruction book, the idea behind Roland's strategy began to dawn on me.

What does the modern guitar player do when his sound depends on such a plethora of effects, all differently configured for each song? Obviously, he hits the pedals as and when he needs them. How much easier it would be if he were to use those facilities found on drum machines and synths generally, to enable him to pre-programme the whole shooting-match, so that each song has his effects ready and waiting for him when he begins.

Of course, such facilities cost money — at least today they do. What will happen in a year or so's time is anybody's guess. Right now, the Roland system will cost you around £665 — which does seem rather a lot to pay for such a luxury considering it doesn't include your effects boxes, nor the flightcase — the latter adding another £335 to the price. With a total of £1,000 you'd have to be in the Dave Gilmour class of earning bracket to be able to afford it — and that doesn't say anything about justifying such an expense. Still, on we go, with an attempt to describe the Roland system and how it works.

Overall, the Roland Boss Sound Control Centre is as well made as we've come to expect products from this leader of technology to be. You have a large board, with your effects units fitted onto it (they can either be Roland's own, or from other makers) and these are permanently linked via feeds for signals in and out, plus a 9V. D.C. feed, which means that you can forget battery problems with your effects units if you are using this system.

The effects are thus linked through to the computerised controller, and it is here that the pre-gig work takes place.

Fundamentally what you have is a series of programming options which allow you a choice of up to thirty-two different permutations of pedals. It can fire them off, moreover, by simple push button controls.

Each of the effects units you're using occupy spaces on the board to the left of the controller. These are each given letters from A — G. To try and explain in the most simple terms possible, I'll now move on to what you do if you've already connected your seven effects units up, wired them in via the plug-in jacks for signals in and out and connected them to the optional 9 volt supply which, of course, most effects units employ.

"AND WHAT WAS TO BE MADE OF THE... INSTRUCTION BOOK?"

What you do now is plug your guitar directly into the controller box, and take a lead from that to your amp. Now you set-up each of your effects (switching them to 'on', of course) and arranging the effects amount to the type which you'll want it to eventually be.

The controller itself works from an array of touch sensitive pads which have a reasonably positive feel to their operation.

What you do is now select each effect in turn (using the buttons marked A through to G)
to set your levels so that the effects volume matches that of the normal, uneffected, level. At this stage you can now begin to programme the system to work in the order you want for your gigs.

What you do is press the "Programme Select" button and then begin to set the order in which the effects units will come into play, the gain function level you want to use (more about which in a sec.) and the function which Roland have decided to call "branch", Fundamentally, you are provided with four memory banks, each of which can take up to eight programmes. Each of the controls is clearly marked and so it's quite easy to see that what you have to do next is choose the memory bank you want to employ, select the effects you want to use, dictate which order they will come into operation and, short of setting the gain level (provided on another set of buttons) you're virtually home and dry.

These settings are easily accomplished by just touching the buttons which set the functions, very much as they are described. Once you grasp the basics of the idea it's simplicity itself to use.

I mentioned earlier that there was a facility called "branch" — this is just an option allowing you to either connect a second amp or the second channel of a stereo amp, so that (with a decent stereo chorus pedal for example) you can 'branch' — or run into stereo.

"...YOU CAN FORGET BATTERY PROBLEMS..."

Having set-up your programme all you do now is take the package on stage with you and you're in business. Well, that's not strictly accurate — if you had just scraped-up enough money for the basic unit it wouldn't be a lot of use to you as you'll need the optional foot control module to allow the system to be foot-triggered. Without this (rather essential!) option, you would have to trigger the programmes by hand — not at all the sort of thing anyone would fancy on stage! With the foot controller (a really well made item as, I hope, our photo shows,) you have really excellent command of what you are about to receive (may the Lord make us etc. etc!).

But, if all the options outlined thus far seem amazing — just wait till you see the Roland system's booklet, which goes on to explain how you can do some fascinating extra tricks, like using the one system set for several guitars (each axe having its own programme set for it). The potential seems to go on forever — but what it all boils down to is that, with the complete system, you can now, at long last, computerise your effects to follow you through your act, never needing to worry how you're going to get from that (ever so spontaneous) bit where you jump from the top of your stack, spouting blood, and set fire to your roadie, then leap back in time to switch on your fuzz box, chorus, siren and flanger before you break into that (equally spontaneous) passionate solo. Just hit the one button on the Roland and it'll activate the lot for you — and in a sequence that your befuddled mind could never remember in the heat of the moment!

But, for all that wonder and technological achievement (and have no doubt about it, the Roland Boss system is pretty damned clever) there comes a point when the reckoning has to be made. When all is said and done can any effects system be worth so much money? Maybe to a rich pro it could be. Certainly it does seem a great amount of money. O.K. (you may say) it's no more than the cost of a very average synthesiser — but that's hardly the point, is it?

What really worries me about the whole concept of the SCC system, though, is far more than a price factor. It could only have any meaning to a guitarist who already knew before he stepped on stage precisely what he was going to be playing, exactly when and exactly how. Granted that this is the approach which has tended to dominate Western music since the 19th. Century, but it is an essentially sterile way when compared with that tradition of musical improvisation which has held sway since the Baroque era right through to today's Jazz and Rock free creativity.

Call it feeding off the gig, if you like. To orchestrate everything pre-planned and laid-out before you ever set foot on stage must (surely) imply that there can be no room for live movement in your music. And isn't that just where so much modern Rock has gone wrong these days - from the worst of the synth, bands to the posturing cliches of the most hackneyed metal imitators?

Still, leaving aside the philosophy behind this system, one has to admire the sheer technical ability of Roland in getting this effects computer off the ground. It's very well made and has endless possibilities. Whether it's worth the money to you can only be a matter between you, your bank manager and your need to control your effects units.

All the same, praise is due to Roland for advancing the state of the effects art a large leap forwards. The unit is well made, technically sophisticated and shows, once more, how far this Japanese company have pulled ahead of their competitors.

ROLAND BOSS SCC Sound Control Centre (RRP £465 inc. VAT) & BOSS SC-700F Remote Foot Control Unit (RRP £200 inc. VAT)