Roland MC-101: build a kit

13 drum sounds this box makes on its own, in the order to build them.

Record each hit with the sampler, recorder, or DAW you use.

This block draws on the MC-101 Reference Manual eng01, pp.37-47; its values are starting points.

Everything else about the Roland MC-101

  1. 1KICK 1Tight kick, tuned down, no tail on it

    kick · hard

    Routing — OUT ASSIGN DRY keeps the kick clear of whatever the kit MFX is doing

    • LEVEL118(0…127)
    • KEY OFFSET-2st(-24…24 st)
    • CUTOFF OFST24(-100…100)
    • DECAY OFST-34(-100…100)
    • RELEASE OFST-46(-100…100)
    • OUT ASSIGNDRY(DRY, MFX, COMP1, COMP2, COMP3, COMP4, COMP5, COMP6)
    • REVERB SEND0(0…127)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as KICK 1.

  2. 2KICK 2Long low kick that owns the bottom of the kit

    kick · dark

    • LEVEL122(0…127)
    • KEY OFFSET-7st(-24…24 st)
    • FINE OFST-12c(-50…50 c)
    • CUTOFF OFST-18(-100…100)
    • DECAY OFST42(-100…100)
    • EQ SWITCHON(OFF, ON)
    • LOW GAIN4dB(-24…24 dB)

      Hold [SHIFT], press [SOUND]

    • LOW FREQ63Hz(20…16000 Hz)
    • OUT ASSIGNDRY(DRY, MFX, COMP1, COMP2, COMP3, COMP4, COMP5, COMP6)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as KICK 2.

  3. 3SNARE 1Flat, forward snare with the tail cut short

    snare · hard

    Routing — OUT ASSIGN MFX puts this pad through the kit effect; the kick stays DRY

    • LEVEL112(0…127)
    • KEY OFFSET1st(-24…24 st)
    • ATTACK OFST-28(-100…100)
    • DECAY OFST-24(-100…100)
    • CUTOFF OFST18(-100…100)
    • REVERB SEND14(0…127)
    • OUT ASSIGNMFX(DRY, MFX, COMP1, COMP2, COMP3, COMP4, COMP5, COMP6)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as SNARE 1.

  4. 4CLAP 1Wide clap sitting above the snare

    clap · bright

    • LEVEL104(0…127)
    • PAN9(-64…63)

      Shown as L64-0-63R; negative is left

    • CUTOFF OFST38(-100…100)
    • FINE OFST18c(-50…50 c)
    • RELEASE OFST22(-100…100)
    • REVERB SEND34(0…127)
    • DELAY SEND10(0…127)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as CLAP 1.

  5. 5RIM 1Dry rim, hard left, nothing on it

    rim · clean

    • LEVEL78(0…127)
    • PAN-34(-64…63)

      Shown as L64-0-63R; negative is left

    • KEY OFFSET3st(-24…24 st)
    • DECAY OFST-62(-100…100)
    • OUT ASSIGNDRY(DRY, MFX, COMP1, COMP2, COMP3, COMP4, COMP5, COMP6)
    • REVERB SEND0(0…127)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as RIM 1.

  6. 6TOM 1Low tom, pitched down, long enough to bend

    tom · dark

    • LEVEL100(0…127)
    • KEY OFFSET-9st(-24…24 st)
    • CUTOFF OFST-12(-100…100)
    • DECAY OFST36(-100…100)
    • REVERB SEND26(0…127)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as TOM 1.

  7. 7CLOSED HAT 1Short closed hat, choking the open one

    closed-hat · clean

    Routing — Same MUTE GRP as the open hat, so one cuts the other off

    • LEVEL88(0…127)
    • PAN-14(-64…63)

      Shown as L64-0-63R; negative is left

    • MUTE GRP1(OFF, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
    • CUTOFF OFST46(-100…100)
    • DECAY OFST-52(-100…100)
    • RELEASE OFST-58(-100…100)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as CLOSED HAT 1.

  8. 8OPEN HAT 1Half-open hat, more air than sizzle

    open-hat · dark

    Routing — Same MUTE GRP as the closed hat

    • LEVEL84(0…127)
    • PAN16(-64…63)

      Shown as L64-0-63R; negative is left

    • MUTE GRP1(OFF, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
    • CUTOFF OFST-22(-100…100)
    • RELEASE OFST-14(-100…100)
    • EQ SWITCHON(OFF, ON)
    • HIGH GAIN-5dB(-24…24 dB)

      Hold [SHIFT], press [SOUND]

    • REVERB SEND20(0…127)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as OPEN HAT 1.

  9. 9RIDE 1Ride let ring, cutoff opened off the kit

    ride · bright

    • LEVEL96(0…127)
    • KEY OFFSET0st(-24…24 st)
    • CUTOFF OFST62(-100…100)
    • RESO OFST12(-100…100)
    • EQ SWITCHON(OFF, ON)
    • HIGH GAIN5dB(-24…24 dB)

      Hold [SHIFT], press [SOUND]

    • OUT ASSIGNMFX(DRY, MFX, COMP1, COMP2, COMP3, COMP4, COMP5, COMP6)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as RIDE 1.

  10. 10METALLIC 1Detuned metal hit, resonant and slightly wrong

    metallic · dirty

    • LEVEL92(0…127)
    • KEY OFFSET7st(-24…24 st)
    • FINE OFST-34c(-50…50 c)
    • RESO OFST58(-100…100)
    • CUTOFF OFST30(-100…100)
    • EQ SWITCHON(OFF, ON)
    • MID GAIN6dB(-24…24 dB)

      Hold [SHIFT], press [SOUND]

    • OUT ASSIGNMFX(DRY, MFX, COMP1, COMP2, COMP3, COMP4, COMP5, COMP6)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as METALLIC 1.

  11. 11GHOST PERC 1Quiet percussion filling the gaps, half of it missing

    ghost-perc · soft

    Routing — MTE is a *mute* probability: 0 sounds every time, higher drops more hits

    • LEVEL56(0…127)
    • PAN22(-64…63)

      Shown as L64-0-63R; negative is left

    • CUTOFF OFST-30(-100…100)
    • DECAY OFST-44(-100…100)
    • DELAY SEND22(0…127)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as GHOST PERC 1.

  12. 12NOISE 1Noise pad struck on the grid, resonance up and top end open

    noise · dirty

    • LEVEL88(0…127)
    • KEY OFFSET0st(-24…24 st)
    • CUTOFF OFST48(-100…100)
    • RESO OFST64(-100…100)
    • EQ SWITCHON(OFF, ON)
    • MID GAIN4dB(-24…24 dB)

      Hold [SHIFT], press [SOUND]

    • OUT ASSIGNMFX(DRY, MFX, COMP1, COMP2, COMP3, COMP4, COMP5, COMP6)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as NOISE 1.

  13. 13IMPACT 1One-shot crash marking the top of a section

    impact · hard

    • LEVEL116(0…127)
    • KEY OFFSET-3st(-24…24 st)
    • RELEASE OFST64(-100…100)
    • CUTOFF OFST26(-100…100)
    • REVERB SEND52(0…127)
    • OUT ASSIGNMFX(DRY, MFX, COMP1, COMP2, COMP3, COMP4, COMP5, COMP6)
    • SHUFFLE0(-50…50)

      One setting for the whole clip, not per step

      Hold [SHIFT], press PAD [CLIP]

    Record one hit with your recorder as IMPACT 1.