Roland D-50 D-550 demos, tips, patches, transfer

[The Architecture]

Just picked myself up one of these todays at my local music store with a memory card and manual along with an Alesis Datadisk for 250. Sure it may not be a JD990, but its definitely a classic synth!

Can't wait to make some awesome noises on this thing.

[alexp]

I love the D50.... Classic stuff.

[henryrobinett]

Yep. I still have a D-50 and a D-550. I don't often fire them up but I'm not planning on getting rid of them either! Love 'em.

[The Architecture]

right now Im having difficulty trying to do a midi dump of all of the data on my D-550 right now, like it will dump 13 bytes into midi-ox, then thats it. maybe I have a bad data buffer setting that doesnt agree with it or something.

I dont have the manual just yet, I still have to get that from the original owner.

[imselfemployed]

actually I just picked up the same thing a few days ago as well..Im loving it.
Very hard to edit though

[Dirty Halo]

Now let's go make some "Enya"

Funny what was once over-used and out-of-style is cool again (and yes, I too JUST bought one not long ago )

-andrews

[The Architecture]

I just can't get this synth to accept any of my midi dumps to it. Anybody know how to do it right? Im using midi ox to dump the files.

[Farshad]

I got mine a few months ago. Very cool synth but I think it sounds very different than the JD990.

[The Architecture]

I know theres a huge difference, but what it is giving me is some really nice ambient pads, which was my main attraction to this synth.

I just need the programmer for it, software editors just dont do it for me. Im just happy I got something that can give me the digital etheral sounds that I have been craving for my music.

[chrisso]

I admit I use presets and 3rd party sounds on my D550.
The programmer is quite expensive and rare to find on it's own.
The D550 is more a utility for me, not one of my main synths.
I can see how someone would get a lot out of programming this synth, but I'm just saying there are some very nice program banks out there. thumbsup

[alexp]

Originally Posted by Farshad

I got mine a few months ago. Very cool synth but I think it sounds very different than the JD990.

Well yeah! Its like 10 years older than the 990.......


I have a soft spot for Linear Arithmetic synthesis... It has a really warm sound to it, but still retains a brittle digital character. God I miss Native Dance!!!


alexP

[dan p]

I used my d-50 back in the 80-90's to play live,but now it gets used in my studio exclusively.I'm sure glad i did'nt sell it.funny how whats old is new again.
I have to keep remembering that these old keyboards tend to retain some their value.
Keyboards i had and regretted sellin,
Arp oddysey
Prophet V
OB xpander
Roland super jupiter mks80
Arp Solina string ensemble
Hohner d6 clavinet
Fender Rohdes Suitcase

I have seen those d-50 programmers for fifty bucks at dif times over the
years.
Bottom line here,keep them older synths.

[chrisso]

Originally Posted by dan p

Keyboards i had and regretted sellin,
Arp oddysey
Prophet V
OB xpander
Roland super jupiter mks80
Arp Solina string ensemble
Hohner d6 clavinet
Fender Rohdes Suitcase

Wow, a pretty nice keyboard set up in it's own right (if you still had them).

[shadowfac]

Take a look at the Roland/Edirol PCR line of controllers. Apparently, some of them already come with templates to control some old Roland synths, including the D-50, D-550, and Alpha Junos.

Check it:

EDIROL PCR-Series Control Maps

[Don Solaris]

Originally Posted by The Architecture

right now Im having difficulty trying to do a midi dump of all of the data on my D-550 right now, like it will dump 13 bytes into midi-ox, then thats it.

D-50 and D-550 have two modes for sending data.

• Handshake More: it expects D-50/550 to be on the other side of the OUT cable.
• Non-Handshake Mode: it will dump everything without questioning.

You are probably using the handshake mode, thus your D-50 is waiting for the confirmation from the other side of the MIDI cable, which obviously isn't happening since you connected it to computer.

To figure out how to use each mode, get the manual from:

http://media.rolandus.com/manuals/D-550_OM.pdf

Look for non handshake (manual) SYX transfer mode.

If using MIDI-OX, don't forget to slow down the SYX speed a bit.



By the way, welcome to the club !!!

Those who don't have a D-50, don't know what they are missing! Some demos, please:

Linear Drift - Roland D-50 only. Demo by Analog Kid
Seashore Morning - Roland D-550 only. Demo by Don Solaris
Green Crystals - Roland D-50 only. Demo by Paolo Di Nicolantonio

[dan p]

Originally Posted by chrisso

Wow, a pretty nice keyboard set up in it's own right (if you still had them).

Ay Chrisso!
Yeah,those keys make a good vintage setup for sure.Of course they came and went at dif times in my life.I always thought i was trading up,but you never know until time goes by.
Currently Vintage stuff in my studio are Minimoog model D with roland mpu101 interface,D-50 i bought back in the 80's,E-mu Morpheus,Couple of roland samplers,750 and 760,Dont know if the samplers are considered vintage or not.Old jv 880 Still lyin around but does'nt get much use,and a korg tr rack.Newer Stuff,Access virus C,Nord ii rack,and a few softs i use often are Stylus rmx and synthogy ivory.I'll augment stylus with Superior2.0.I have worked with ez drummer before at another studio and it works pretty well.
Bottom line,i have been infected with the GS virus,I like to call it Particulitis cause i get particular about the way things work and sound much like the rest of us ay,but i luuuvvvv it!


Dan P

[Farshad]

Originally Posted by chrisso

I admit I use presets and 3rd party sounds on my D550.
The programmer is quite expensive and rare to find on it's own.
The D550 is more a utility for me, not one of my main synths.
I can see how someone would get a lot out of programming this synth, but I'm just saying there are some very nice program banks out there. thumbsup

Hi Chris,

Ho do you upload banks to your D550? Any good place to download some banks? I have got some but they are in LIB format, not SYSEX. Any ideas about that?

Cheers

[shadowfac]

Originally Posted by Don Solaris

Those who don't have a D-50, don't know what they are missing! Some demos, please:

Linear Drift - Roland D-50 only. Demo by Analog Kid
Seashore Morning - Roland D-550 only. Demo by Don Solaris
Green Crystals - Roland D-50 only. Demo by Paolo Di Nicolantonio

Nice demos! Take that, analog purists!

I've never used a D-(5)50, but it's one of my top-5 digital HW synths, along with the Wavestation, FS1R, Nord G2, and Waldorf XT(k).

[The Architecture]

analog gets soooo boring to me after a while. There is only so much you can do with a saw sine square and triangle wave, but when you have far more complex waveforms, thats when things get interesting to me.

I've been a huge fan of digital synths just because of the complex timbres you can pull off with them. If anything, they are a great compliment to the rest of my analog and vitural analog setup.

[lazzaro]

Good set of demos for each preset sound here:

D-50

Good article in Sound on Sound at the 10-year anniversary of its release:

SYNTH SCHOOL

[chrisso]

Originally Posted by Farshad

Hi Chris,

Ho do you upload banks to your D550? Any good place to download some banks?

I bought some a few years ago from a US sound supplier (Kid Nepro?).
I use an Alesis datadisk to save and upload sound banks. These days you can just use your computer I think.
Anyway, I'm sure there are hundreds of sounds out there.
Check out Roland or Roland D50 user groups, or Yahoo Groups perhaps.
BTW, mine is an 'analog synth' bank. Some of the basses and pads are fantastic.

[chrisso]

I had a D110 and it was way less than a D550 in my opinion.
I wouldn't compare them.

[crufty]

V-synth has d-50 built into it for what its worth...

[The Architecture]

Now I am a JD990 owner on top of it!

Gheez! I feel like I acquired all of this stuff way too quickly!

[Don Solaris]

Originally Posted by DivineChemical

Aside from the effects section, do you feel that the D-50 is superior to Roland's other LA synths? If it's monotimbral, and worth the effort of programming, I might trade something out for one.

Never had any other LA synth except D-50, then another D-50 and now the D-550. I do have the D-70 Super LA synth, but that isn't LA synth at all. It is actually a U-50. Fantastic synth, but certainly not "LA synth". Based on that experience i dare not to commend D-10 or any other "LA synths".

I do however know what D-50 is a timeless classic with totally unique sound which is amazing for a digital machine. Take Tritons, Motifs, Kontakt etc - they all sound just the same. They have different samples and patches, but sound is the same. Their D/A converters are simply too perfect. There is no coloring of any kind. D-50 at the output turns everything into crystal / glass. And as pointed by someone at VSE - The key to the sound of the D-50 is how it tries to emulate something else, but misses the mark.

As of its sound. Check demos above and be the judge.

[Hossegor]

I just bought a d-550 with a ram card on ebay.

I really look forward towards getting it here...i cant wait to check out those pads

Does anyone have some good patches for it ?

cheers


Marc

i loved this demo of the D-50 on youtube...

YouTube - Roland D-50 Part 1

[totty]

Linear Drift - Roland D-50 only. Demo by Analog Kid
Green Crystals - Roland D-50 only. Demo by Paolo Di Nicolantonio
Seashore Morning - Roland D-550 only. Demo by Don Solaris



I'm amazed by those demos, makes me really want one!! I thought that it wasn't much different to my D110 or JD990 - They are nothing like the sound of a D50!

[dlmorley]

One of those synths I never liked... I tried too, but I could never get it to fit in a song. It just stuck out like a hissy sore thumb!

[Hossegor]

Originally Posted by totty

Linear Drift - Roland D-50 only. Demo by Analog Kid
Seashore Morning - Roland D-550 only. Demo by Don Solaris
Green Crystals - Roland D-50 only. Demo by Paolo Di Nicolantonio




I'm amazed by those demos, makes me really want one!! I thought that it wasn't much different to my D110 or JD990 - They are nothing like the sound of a D50!

I have a JD-990 too and i have always wanted a d-50. It sounds different but in a good way. maybe more "foggy" ?

[totty]

Originally Posted by Hossegor

I have a JD-990 too and i have always wanted a d-50. It sounds different but in a good way. maybe more "foggy" ?

Yes it does have a more "blurry" sound, at the same time it is very glassy as has been said before. One day when I have some spare cash I'll try and pick one up. It's a shame Roland aren't into plugins. I'd love some of their older digitals in virtual format!