Roland Sound Canvas

Roland/Edirol Sound Canvas lineup is a series of General MIDI based PCM sound modules and PC sound cards primarily intended for computer music usage, created by Japanese manufacturer Roland Corporation. Some models include serial or USB connection to computer.

Sound Canvas SC-88 Pro

Products

Sound Canvas

In some cases also sold as "Edirol" rather than "Roland" as the brand name.

ModelYearStandardsPartsVoicesTonesDrumsetsoutput resolutionNotesReferences
Roland SC-55 1991 GM GS 16 24 317 9 16-bit @ 32 kHz Half Rack unit, first product of the line, units without GM logo technically not GM compatible (GM reset interpreted as GS reset, capital tone arrangement not fully consistent with GM spec). [1]
Roland SC-155 1992 GM GS 16 24 317 9 16-bit @ 32 kHz Table top version of SC-55 [2]
Roland SC-7 1992 GM 16 28 128 6 16-bit @ 32 kHz No display, introduced serial port for PC/Mac connectivity. [2][3]
Roland SC-55mkII 1993 GM GS 16 28 354 9 18-bit @ 32 kHz Half Rack unit. A minor upgrade to the original SC-55.
Roland SC-55ST 1993 GM GS 16 28 354 9 16-bit @ 32 kHz Half rack unit. Lower cost version of SC-55mkII. No display and only one MIDI input. [2][4][5]
Roland P-55 1993 3 28 32 0 Piano module, with a limited set of instruments.
Roland SC-50 1994 GM GS 16 28 226 9 18-bit @ 32 kHz SC-55mkII without the Roland MT-32 patches, only one MIDI input. [2][6]
Roland SD-35 1993 GM GS 16 28 223 8 16-bit @ 32 kHz SC-50 with integrated MIDI sequencer. [7]
Roland SC-33 1992 GM GS 16 28 226 8 16-bit @ 32 kHz Table top version of SC-50, rebranded as BOSS Dr. Synth DS-330 (fewer tones). [2]
Roland SC-88 1994 GM GS 32 64 654 22 18-bit @ 32 kHz Half rack unit, additional height for more controls, introduced multiple triggering and EQ, SC-55 map support (with differences). [2][8]
Roland M-GS64 1995 GM GS 32 64 654 22 18-bit @ 32 kHz A 1U rackmount version of the SC-88. [2][9]
Roland SC-88VL 1996 GM GS 32 64 654 22 18-bit @ 32 kHz Smaller sized version of SC-88, with a same size and panel layout as the SC-55. [10]
Roland SC-88ST 1996 GM GS 32 64 654 22 18-bit @ 32 kHz A black plastic box, with LEDs for MIDI activity. 2 MIDI ins, 1 out. There is one single button on the front panel for switching between SC-55 and SC-88 modes. [2]
Roland SC-88 Pro 1996 GM GS 32 64 1117 42 18-bit @ 32 kHz SC-55 and SC-88 map support, introduced Insertion EFX and unofficial XG compatibility. [2][11]

[12]

Roland SC-88ST Pro 1997 GM GS 32 64 1117 42 18-bit @ 32 kHz A black plastic box, with LEDs for MIDI activity. 2 MIDI ins, 1 out. There is one single button on the front panel for SC-55/SC-88/SC-88 Pro modes.
Roland SC-880 1998 GM GS 32 64 1117 42 18-bit @ 32 kHz A 1U rackmount unit similar to the SC-88 Pro, but with an enhanced "patch mode" and a newer DAC. [13][14]
Roland ED SC-8850 1999 GM GS GM2 64 128 1640 63 24-bit @ 32 kHz Desktop module that can connect via USB. Contains a new native map as well as SC-55, SC-88, and SC-88 Pro maps for backwards compatibility. However, compatibility with these units is flawed due to modifications made to the synthesis engine as well as improper mapping of older instruments. [14][15]

[16]

Roland ED SC-8820 1999 GM GS GM2 32 64 1608 63 24-bit @ 32 kHz Mobile MIDI device with no LCD display, successor of the SC-88ST Pro. USB-powered, but does not act as a full USB audio device. A software editor such as GS Advanced Editor is required to edit sounds. Despite similarities, patches and effects occasionally play differently from the 8850 - some samples on the 8850 are stereo while the 8820 versions are mono and vice versa. [14]
Roland ED SC-D70 2001 GM GS GM2 32 64 1608 63 24-bit @ 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz Digital audio-oriented desktop module version of the SC-8820. Contains A/D inputs as well as USB audio functionality when connected to a host system. This is also the only Sound Canvas module to have digital audio ports built in. The output can be selected either 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz.

Sound Canvas Personal Computer Products
ModelYearStandardsPartsVoicesTonesDrumsetsoutput resolutionNotesReferences
Roland SCC-1 1992 GM GS 16 24 317 / 354 9 16-bit @ 44.1 kHz PC based ISA card (8-bit). The SCC-1A and SCC-1B (different software packed with card) revision upgraded the board to 354 tones. First model technically not GM compatible (GM reset interpreted as GS reset). [2][17][3]
Roland RAP-10 1993 GM 16 26 128 6 16-bit @ 44.1 kHz PC based ISA high-end Soundcard. Includes two-channel 16-bit digital audio support. [3]
Roland SCB-7 1995 GM 16 28 128 6 16-bit @ 32 kHz Daughter board to attach to a Soundcard Waveblaster port. Also sold as SCD-10 and SCM-10 in bundle with MPU-401/AT.
Roland SCB-55 1995 GM GS 16 28 354 9 18-bit @ 32 kHz Daughter board to attach to a Soundcard Waveblaster port. Also sold as SCD-15 and SCM-15 in bundle with MPU-401/AT. Internally 18-bit resolution, will be limited to 16-bit because of daughterboard connector, unless a hardware modification is performed (L/R external connectors or as an external unit). The SCD-15 was installed in Charlie Lab Megabeat One MIDI devices as well. Charlie Lab was very popular in southern Europe back in the 1990s/2000s.
Roland SCP-55 1995 GM GS 16 28 354 9 18-bit @ 32 kHz PCMCIA card to insert in notebook/laptop computer
Roland GPPC-N 1993 GM GS 16 28 354 9 16-bit @ 44.1 kHz NEC PC-9801 card to insert in computer

Computer Music Products
ModelYearStandardsPartsVoicesTonesDrumsetsoutput resolutionNotes
Roland CM-300 1991 GM GS 16 24 317 9 16-bit @ 44.1 kHz "Computer music" version of the SC-55, no screen. A beige box with a volume knob and two LEDs on the front, technically not GM compatible (GM reset interpreted as GS reset).
Roland CM-500 1991 GM GS MT-32 16 24 317 9 16-bit @ 44.1 kHz A beige box with a volume knob and two LEDs on the front, technically not GM compatible (GM reset interpreted as GS reset), combines the CM-300 with a CM-64.

Sound Canvas and Keyboard

The following combine a sound canvas module with a built in MIDI keyboard

ModelYearStandardsPartsVoicesTonesDrumsetsoutput resolutionNotesReferences
Roland SK-50 1994 GM GS 16 28 226 8
Roland SK-50 IV 1997 GM GS 16 28 226 8
Roland SK-88 Pro 1999 GM GS 32 64 1117 42 18-bit @ 32 kHz SC-880 with 37 key MIDI keyboard [14][18]
Roland SK-500 2000 GM GS GM2 32 64 1608 63 24-bit @ 32 kHz SC-8820 with 49 Key MIDI keyboard [14][19]

Edirol

Roland sold GM/GS products under its Edirol brand. The samples contained in the ROMs of these units do not in all cases mirror the original SC-7 / SC-55 GM/GS samples. GM2 is downward compatible with GM. The SD line was also sold under the "Roland" brand.

ModelYearStandardsPartsVoicesTonesDrumsetsNotesReferences
SD-20 2002 GM2 GS 32 64 660 23 [20]>
SD-50 2009 GM2 GS 32 128 1125 32 [21]>
SD-80 2002 GM2 GS 32 128 1050 30 [22]>
SD-90 2001 GM2 GS 32 128 1050 30 [23]>

Virtual Sound Canvas

There is also the VSC, Virtual Sound Canvas, range of PC software which provide GM and GS synthesis on Windows PCs. Many versions of Cakewalk's Sonar software came bundled with a copy of VSC, though from Sonar 4 onwards they ship with the improved TTS-1 softsynth, which Roland has sold previously through its Edirol subsidiary as the HyperCanvas.[24]

ModelYearStandardsPartsVoicesTonesDrumsetsNotesReferences
VSC-55 1996 GM GS 16 128 226 9 [2]
VSC-88H3 2000 GM GS GM2 16 128 902 26 With SC-55, SC-88 and SC-88 Pro compatible instrument mappings. Most of the instrument samples are from the SC-55. [25]
VSC-MP1 2001 GM GS GM2 16 128 902 26 With SC-55, SC-88 and SC-88 Pro compatible instrument mappings. Most of the instrument samples are from the SC-55. A multipack containing the standalone MIDI synthesizer, a DXi plugin and a VSTi plugin. This is the only Windows NT OS family compatible version (Windows 2000/XP). [14][26]
SOUND Canvas for iOS 2015 GM GS GM2 16 1600 63 iOS MIDI player app without patch editing. [27]
Sound Canvas VA 2015 GM GS GM2 16 64 1600 63 VSTi/AU plugin based on the SC-8820. [28]

[29]

Distribution

North America
  • Roland Systems Group U.S.

Europe
  • EDIROL Europe Ltd., London, UK

References
  1. - Synthman - SC-55
  2. Sound on Sound - The History of Roland Part 4
  3. Weksler, Mike; McGee, Joe (October 1993). "CGW Sound Card Survey". Computer Gaming World. pp. 76–83. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  4. Tokai Music - SC-55ST Specification
  5. http://xv2020.s14.xrea.com/
  6. Sound on Sound - Review of SC-50
  7. Synthman - Roland SD-35 specification
  8. Sound on Sound - Review of SC-88
  9. M-GS64 details DEAD LINK
  10. Toslink mod for somes SCs
  11. Sound on Sound - Review of SC-88 Pro
  12. 1996年、Roland GS音源の最高峰として登場したSC-88Pro
  13. Sound on Sound - Review of SC-880
  14. Sound on Sound - The History of Roland Part 5
  15. Sound on Sound - Review of SC-8850
  16. Roland ED SC-8850 - The First USB Synth! (Sound Profile Review)
  17. Crossfire Designs - Review of SCC-1
  18. Sound on Sound - Review of SK-88 Pro
  19. Synthman - SK-500 details
  20. https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/SD-20_OM.pdf%7CManual%7CManual
  21. https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/SD-50_OM.pdf%7CManual
  22. https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/SD-80_OM.pdf%7CManual
  23. https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/SD-90_OM.pdf%7CManual
  24. Sound on Sound - Exploring Sonar 4's TTS1 Synth
  25. Roland - VSC-88H3 details
  26. Roland - VSC-MP1 details
  28. http://www.roland.com/products/sound_canvas_va/
  29. https://www.rolandcloud.com/catalog/legendary/sound-canvas-va
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