Roland TR-727 Owner's Manual PDF

2021 Roland Corporation 01

Owners Manual

Software Rhythm ComposerTR-727

2

Introduction For details on the settings for the DAW software that youre using, refer to the DAWs help or manuals.

About Trademarks VST is a trademark and software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. Roland is a registered trademark or trademark of Roland Corporation in the United States and/or other

countries. Company names and product names appearing in this document are registered trademarks or trademarks of

their respective owners.

3

Screen Structure

[OPTION] button Lets you make various settings, or authorize the software.

[HELP] button Displays help.

[ABOUT] button Displays information about TR-727 Software Rhythm Composer.

[EDIT] button Shows the edit window.

[SHUFFLE] knob Adjusts the amount of shuffle (swing).

* This is multiplied with each instruments shuffle setting in Pattern Edit. If the instruments shuffle setting is 0, shuffle is not applied even if you turn this knob.

[POSITION LOCK TO DAW] button Sets whether the pattern playback of the TR-727 is synchronized with the DAW transport (playback/stop/ playback location) or not. When this is ON, the TR-727 pattern plays back and stops along with the DAW. Turn this OFF when you want the sounds of the TR-727 to be triggered by the DAW track.

[A][H ] buttons Switch the variation (AH) that plays. To make a multiple selection, hold down the Shift key. The currently playing variation button blinks.

[DRAG&DROP] button Sets whether the variation performance data is placed in the DAW as MIDI data or as audio data.

[SUB OUT] button Accesses the settings to output each instrument to the sub outputs instead of the main output (stereo).

[SCALE] button Specifies the length of notes in a step.

Cartridge [M-64C] button Shows the Memory Select window.

Kit edit section Edits the kit.

[PANEL] button Switches the display of the kit edit section.

ORG (ORIGINAL PANEL)

PANEL 1

PANEL 2

Pattern display Shows the pattern. Click this to show the edit window.

Level meter Shows the output level.

Instrument pads Sound is produced when you click these.

[START/STOP] button Plays or stops the pattern.

[LIST] button Displays the Memory Select window.

PTN [] button Edits the name of the pattern.

Pattern name Shows the name of the selected pattern.

KIT [] button Edits the name of the kit.

Bank name Shows the name of the bank.

Kit name Shows the name of the selected kit.

PTN [] [] button Recall the previous or next pattern.

PTN save button Saves the pattern.

KIT [] [] button Recall the previous or next kit.

KIT save button Saves the kit.

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Kit Edit Section

ORG (ORIGINAL PANEL)

PANEL 1

PANEL 2

AC (ACCENT) slider Sets the strength of the accent.

BO (BONGO) slider Sets the bongo volume.

HC (HI CONGA) slider Sets the high conga volume.

LC (LOW CONGA) slider Sets the low conga volume.

HTB (HI TIMBALE) slider Sets the high timbale volume.

LTB (LOW TIMBALE) slider Sets the low timbale volume.

AG (AGOGO) slider Sets the agogo volume.

CS/MC (CABASA/MARACAS) slider Sets the cabasa/maracas volume.

WHIS (WHISTLE) slider Sets the whistle volume.

QUIJADA slider Sets the qhuijada volume.

CHIME (STAR CHIME) slider Sets the star chime volume.

VOLUME slider Sets the overall volume.

[PCM CLK] knob Adjusts the read clock of the PCM waveform. Adjusting this changes the overall pitch. The center position is for the original clock. Turn this counterclockwise to decrease the clock, and turn this clockwise to increase the clock.

[TUNE] knob Adjusts the pitch of each instrument.

[DECAY] knob Adjusts the decay of the sound. Turning the knob toward the left makes the sound more crisp, and turning it toward the right produces a longer decay.

[FX] knob Alters the sound by changing how the PCM waveform is read. Turn this all the way counterclockwise for the off setting, and all the way clockwise to strengthen the effect.

[GAIN] knob Adjusts the gain.

[PAN] knob Adjusts the pan (stereo position).

[LEVEL] knob Adjusts the volume of the instrument. This operates the same as the slider when the kit edit section is ORG.

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INST

INST Parameter

BG INST

Parameter

HC INST

Parameter

CHIME

KIT Parameter

KIT

BANK

PATTERN

B STEP data

H STEP data

A STEP data

VARIATION

Pattern Setting

BANK 1

Patterns Kits

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3

Pattern 128

Kit 1 Kit 2 Kit 3

Kit 128

128 patterns 128 kits

BANK 2

Patterns Kits

Pattern 1 Pattern 2 Pattern 3

Pattern 128

Kit 1 Kit 2 Kit 3

Kit 128

128 patterns 128 kits

There is no limit on the number of banks

Sound Engine Structure

What Is a PATTERN? The performance data that you record is called a pattern.

Each pattern can have eight variations (AH).

You can use the [A][H] buttons of the main window and MIDI messages (p. 9) to switch variations while a pattern plays.

What Is a KIT? The 11 instruments are collectively called a kit.

The pattern plays the instruments of the currently selected kit.

What Is a Bank? A bank is a set of 128 patterns and kits.

By switching banks, you can recall a large number of patterns and kits.

You can save a bank as a file (p. 10).

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Edit Window Parameter Value/Explanation

EDIT VARIATION SELECT buttons AH: Select the variation that you want to edit. CURRENT: Select the currently playing variation.

[SCALE] button Selects the scale. The scale changes each time you press the button. The vertical stripes that are the background of the step buttons are spaced at quarter-note intervals.

[LAST STEP] button Specifies the length of the pattern. You can set this individually for each instrument.

[ALT] button

When you input a step with this button turned on, you can use the alternate sound. In this case, the input switches in this manner: alternate sound normal sound off.

Alternate sound You can choose different sounds for each step for the following instruments.

CABASA / MARACAS

HI / LOW AGOGO

MUTE / OPEN HI CONGA

HI / LOW BONGO [WEAK] button Turn this on to enter weak beats.

[FLAM] button Turn this on to enter a flam.

FLAM TYPE Sets the flam interval for each pattern. Click the text TYPE. TYPE1: 0 msec TYPE29: Specify a spacing of 2048 msec in 4 msec units.

[SUB STEP] button Turn this on when you input a sub step. For the sub steps you input, you can also divide the steps to create rolls or repeated strokes.

SUB STEP TYPE

Sets the type of the sub step to input. Click the text TYPE.

* You can input different types of sub steps for each step button. TYPE1: Duplets TYPE2: Triplets TYPE3: Quadruplets

TOTAL ACCENTHI / LOW BONGO

The total accents and instrument names are shown. When the pattern length (LAST STEP) differs depending on the instrument, an instrument name is outlined in red and that instruments accents will match the TOTAL ACCENTs accented steps during playback. The instrument outlined in red can be switched by clicking other instrument.

Variation indicator This indicates the variation AH that is playing for each instrument. Even if different instruments have a different LAST STEP setting, and the variations being played do not match, this shows the currently playing variation for each instrument.

[M] (mute) / [S] (solo) button Specify mute/solo settings for each instrument (solo has priority).

[SHUFFLE] slider Specifies the amount of shuffle (rhythmic bounce) for each instrument. If the shuffle setting in the main window is set to 0, this has no effect.

Step buttons

These buttons set how the sounds play for each step. These buttons light up white as the respective instruments play during playback.

TOTAL ACCENT Illuminate the steps that you want to accent.

RIDE CYMBALBASS DRUM 1 / 2 Sets whether the instrument plays or not. When the step buttons are lit, the instrument plays.

7

Edit Window

Specifying the Pattern Length (LAST STEP)

1. Click the [LAST STEP] button The [LAST STEP] button blinks purple. The default is 16 steps.

2. For each instrument, press the button that you want to specify as the last step; the button blinks.

Inputting Steps 1. For each instrument, input steps by making the step buttons lit or unlit.

Lit steps produce sound; unlit steps are silent.

Inputting the Total Accent (TOTAL ACCENT)

The top row of step buttons are for inputting the total accent.

1. Make the button light for each step at which you want to apply an accent. An accented note is heard for all instruments that sound at a step whose total accent button is lit.

MEMO

The strength of the accent is specified by the ACCENT [LEVEL] knob in the main window. (Accents apply to the same step of all instruments.)

Inputting Weak Beats (WEAK)

1. Click the [WEAK] button. The [WEAK] button is lit white, allowing you to input weak beats.

2. Turn on the steps that you want to play as weak beats. The steps for which you input a weak beat are lit dimly.

MEMO

Even without making the [WEAK] button lit, you can input a weak beat by clicking a step while holding down the Shift key.

Inputting an Alternate Sound (ALT)

1. Click the [ALT] button. The bottom right diagonal half of the [ALT] indicator lights up red, letting you input an alternate sound.

2. Turn the steps on for instruments that play, which have an alternate sound. The bottom right diagonal half of the steps for which alternate sounds are inputted light up in color.

MEMO

You can combine WEAK, FLAM and SUB STEP input.

Specifying a Flam (FLAM)

1. Click the [FLAM] button. The [FLAM] button is lit yellow, allowing you to enter flams. Click FLAM TYPE to select the flam spacing.

2. Turn on the steps at which you want to play a flam. You can enter flams in combination with weak beats.

MEMO

You can right-click to switch between flams and sub steps, without making the [FLAM] button light.

Inputting Sub Steps (SUB STEP)

1. Click the [SUB STEP] button. The [SUB STEP] button is lit, allowing you to enter sub steps. Click SUB STEP TYPE to select the sub step type. Depending on the sub step type, this is lit light blue (duplets), green (triplets), or dark blue (quadruplets).

2. Turn on the steps at which you want to play a sub step. You can enter sub steps in combination with weak beats.

MEMO

You can right-click to switch between flams and sub steps, without making the [SUB STEP] button light.

8

Edit Window

Editing a Variation Right-click the EDIT VARIATION SELECT button to use the following functions.

Function Explanation

Copy Copies the patterns of all instruments in the selected variation. Paste Pastes the copied variation to the selected variation. The variation is overwritten. Clear Erases the selected variation. Swap Swaps the selected variation with another variation you specify.

Editing an Instrument Right-click an instrument name at the left side of the edit window to use the following functions.

Function Explanation

Copy Copies the pattern of the selected instrument.

Paste Pastes the copied pattern to the selected instrument. The instrument is overwritten.

Clear Erases the pattern of the selected instrument. Invert Exchanges the steps that sound the selected instrument with the steps that are silent. All Turns on all steps of the selected instrument so that they all sound.

Placing a Pattern in a DAW Track Performance data from the variation [A][H ] buttons can be placed in a track of your DAW, either as MIDI or audio data. Use the [DRAG&DROP] button or [OPTION] button to choose whether youre placing MIDI data or audio data.

Drag and drop

9

Edit Window

DAW Multi-Out Support If youre using this plug-in with a host application that supports multiple output, you can use a different output for each instrument. The output assignment for each instrument is as follows.

Output Instrument

Main out Mix Sub out 1 HI/LOW BONGO Sub out 2 MUTE/OPEN HI CONGA Sub out 3 LOW CONGA Sub out 4 HI TIMBALE Sub out 5 LOW TIMBALE Sub out 6 HI/LOW AGOGO Sub out 7 CABASA / MARACAS Sub out 8 SHORT WHISTLE Sub out 9 LONG WHISTLE Sub out 10 QUIJADA Sub out 11 STAR CHIME

* For more about multi-output settings in your host application, refer to the help or owners manual of your host application.

How Note Numbers Select Sounds or Variations Note numbers received by TR-727 Software Rhythm Composer select the following sounds or variations. Note number Sound/Function

2431 Variation Select AH 32 Start step sequencer 33 Stop step sequencer 60 HI BONGO 61 LOW BONGO 62 MUTE HI CONGA 63 OPEN HI CONGA 64 LOW CONGA 65 HI TIMBALE

Note number Sound/Function

66 LOW TIMBALE 67 HI AGOGO 68 LOW AGOGO 69 CABASA 70 MARACAS 71 SHORT WHISTLE 72 LONG WHISTLE 73 QUIJADA 74 STAR CHIME

* When switching variations using note numbers, the variation switches right away without waiting for the next measure to start.

* Also, when switching variations using note numbers, you cant use the [VARIATION] button to change the variation until playback is stopped.

About CC (Control Change)

TR-727 Software Rhythm Composer receives the following CC messages.

CC# Parameter

7 VOLUME 9 SHUFFLE 19 PCM CLK 20 BG TUNE 23 BG DECAY 24 BG LEVEL 25 HC TUNE 28 HC DECAY 29 HC LEVEL 46 LC TUNE 47 LC DECAY

48 LC LEVEL

49 HTB TUNE 50 HTB DECAY 51 HTB LEVEL 52 LTB TUNE 53 LTB DECAY 54 LTB LEVEL 55 AG TUNE 56 AG DECAY 57 AG LEVEL 58 CS/MC TUNE

CC# Parameter

59 CS/MC DECAY 60 CS/MC LEVEL 62 WHIS S.DECAY 71 ACCENT 80 WHIS TUNE 81 WHIS L.DECAY 82 WHIS LEVEL 83 QUIJADA TUNE 84 QUIJADA DECAY 85 QUIJADA LEVEL 86 CHIME TUNE 87 CHIME DECAY 88 CHIME LEVEL 96 BG FX 97 HC FX 102 LC FX 103 HTB FX 104 LTB FX 105 AG FX 106 CS/MC FX 108 WHIS FX 109 QUIJADA FX 110 CHIME FX

10

Patterns/Kits and Banks 1. Click the [LIST] button.

The Memory Select window opens.

The selected memory is highlighted.

[WRITE] button Saves the edited pattern/kit as a memory in the bank.

[RENAME] button Renames the selected memory.

[NEW] button Creates a new empty bank.

[DELETE] button Deletes the selected bank.

[LOAD] button Loads a bank from a file.

[SAVE] button Exports a bank as a file.

[READ] button Loads a memory from a bank.

Switches between patterns and kits.

i symbol When you place the mouse cursor (mouse pointer) over this, a list of shortcuts appears.

Bank A bank contains 128 patterns and 128 kits. By switching banks, you can access a large number of patterns or kits. A bank can be saved as a file.

Changing to Other Bank

1. Click the Bank field. The bank list window opens.

2. Click the bank that you want to recall. By pressing the [] [] buttons located at the right of the bank field, you can switch to the next or previous bank.

Exporting the Bank Heres how to export a bank as a file.

1. Click the [SAVE] button. The file name input window opens.

2. Enter a file name and save. The file is exported.

Importing a Bank

1. Click the [LOAD] button. The file selection window opens.

2. Select a file and load it. The bank is loaded.

Bank

1 1

Pattern Kit

2 2 3 3

128 128

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Patterns/Kits and Banks

Creating/Deleting a Bank

Creating a bank Click the [NEW] button to create a new empty bank.

Deleting a bank Heres how to delete the selected bank.

1. Select a bank as described in Changing to Other Bank (p. 10).

2. Click the [DELETE] button. A confirmation message appears.

3. Click [OK] to delete the bank.

Renaming a Bank

1. Select a bank as described in Changing to Other Bank (p. 10).

2. At the left of the bank field, click [] button.

3. Edit the name and press the Return (Enter) key.

Patterns and Kits TR-727 Software Rhythm Composer manages 128 patterns and kits as one bank.

Loading a Pattern or Kit Heres how to load a pattern or kit thats saved in a bank. When you load a pattern or kit, its settings are shown in the edit area, allowing you to edit the settings.

1. Click the number of the memory that you want to load.

2. Click the [READ] button. Or press the Return (Enter) key. The pattern or kit is loaded.

* You can also load a pattern or kit by double-clicking the pattern or kit number.

Saving a Pattern or Kit Follow these steps to save your edited pattern or kit to a bank.

1. Click the number of the memory in which you want to save the sound.

2. Click the [WRITE] button. The pattern or kit are saved in the bank.

Renaming a Pattern or Kit

1. Click the number of the pattern or kit that you want to rename.

2. Click the [RENAME] button.

3. Change the memory name. (Up to 16 letters)

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Patterns/Kits and Banks

MIDI Learn Function Heres how to associate a MIDI control change with a sound parameter, so that the parameter can be controlled by that MIDI message.

Procedure

1. Right-click the sound parameter controller (knob or slider).

2. Choose Learn MIDI CC.

3. Operate your external MIDI device to transmit a control change message.

NOTE

You cant associate more than one MIDI control change with a single controller. Only the most recent setting is used.

Cancelling

1. Right-click the sound parameter controller (knob or slider).

2. Choose Forget MIDI CC.

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Setting

Option

1. Click the [OPTION] button.

2. Select items. A is shown for the selected item.

Item Explanation

Layout

Original (Normal): This is the conventional screen layout. Compact (Normal): The screen is shown in a smaller format, without using extra space. Original (Aged): Displays a well-worn and faded-out panel image. Compact (Aged): Displays a well-worn and faded-out panel image in a smaller format.

Edit Window Button: Displays a screen with the step buttons. LCD: Displays a screen with an LCD-like design.

Zoom You can change the size (zoom factor) of the main window using the mouse.

Initialize MIDI Control Mapping

Returns the MIDI control change mapping to its default state. About CC (Control Change) (p. 9)

Clear MIDI Control Mapping

Clears all MIDI control change mapping.

Position Lock to DAW

Sets whether the pattern playback of the TR-727 is synchronized with the DAW transport (playback/stop/ playback location) or not. When this is ON, the TR-727 pattern plays back and stops along with the DAW. Turn this OFF when you want the sounds of the TR-727 to be triggered by the DAW track.

Drag & Drop Pattern as MIDI

When you place variation performance data in your DAW, it is placed as MIDI data.

Drag & Drop Pattern as Audio

When you place variation performance data in your DAW, it is placed as audio data.

Optimize for Lower CPU Usage

Turn this ON if CPU usage is high, and clicks or pops occur.

Sub Output... Specifies how each instrument is output from individual sub outputs rather than from the main output (stereo). Send Pattern to TR-8S Sends pattern data to the TR-8S. Get Pattern from TR-8S Receives pattern data from the TR-8S.

Setup...

Specifies MIDI settings used when sending or receiving data to or from the TR-8S. When the Setup screen appears, set MIDI CTRL Input: TR-8S CTRL MIDI CTRL Output: TR-8S CTRL Flip Scroll Direction: Inverts the direction of rotation when using the mouse wheel to edit a value (Only on Mac). The direction is inverted if Flip Scroll Direction is set to ON.

Roland Cloud... Displays the Roland Cloud site.

Authentication... Performs user authentication for the TR-727 Software Rhythm