ROLAND MV-8800 PRODUCTION STUDIO SAMPLER

The new flagship MV-8800 is a fully equipped sampler and synthesizer with parameters that can be edited and automated with the assignable sliders and/or with an optional VGA monitor and mouse. It's also an advanced multitrack recorder equipped with an automated 24-channel stereo mixer and mega effects processor. Mastering tools are provided as well, including a parametric mastering EQ, enhancer, expander, multiband compressor, mastering limiter, and soft-clip algorithm with output dithering.

Realtime BPM matching allows producers to synchronize hundreds of loops, hits, or vocal phrases at once by simply tapping the tempo into the MV. With the new MV-8800, creating loop-based tracks on the fly, all locked together in perfect pitch and time sync, has never been so easy.

The MV-formatted sound library that's preinstalled on the hard drive allows users to start composing right out-of-the-box. Over 50 newly created drum kits are provided, including a special collection of 16 vintage drum machines including the legendary Roland TR-808 and TR-909. Acoustic and electric pianos, strings, guitars, horns, synth basses, and other essential instruments are also included.

Designed to be a complete production solution, from beat creation and multitrack recording to mixing, mastering and CD burning, the MV-8800 is the latest incarnation of the MV-8000. The original MV-8000 was a coveted centerpiece for many of the world's greatest hip-hop and R&B producers, and the MV-8800 is poised to continue that tradition. Like its predecessor, the MV-8800 support the connection of a VGA monitor and mouse, merging the best of the software and hardware worlds. The MV-8800 is destined to set a new standard for production power and flexibility.

An incredible lineup of modern and vintage effects is built into the MV-8800, including models of classic Roland SRV reverbs, SDD-320 Chorus, 325 Flanger, Boss BF-2 and HF-2 pedals, and the legendary RE-201 Space Echo. The MV8800's multi-effects processor includes an Analog Modeling Bass that turns the MFX engine into a virtual SH-style bass synthesizer.

Roland MV-8800 at a Glance:

• Synthesis, sampling, recording, mixing, and mastering all in one box
  
• Sound library onboard
  
• Amazing pitch and time control
  
• Vintage and modern effects onboard

Synthesis, sampling, recording, mixing, and mastering
The MV-8800 is a fully equipped sampler and synthesizer with parameters that can be edited and automated with the assignable sliders and/or with a VGA monitor and mouse (VGA monitor optional; mouse included). It's also an advanced multitrack recorder equipped with an automated 24-channel stereo mixer and mega effects processor. Mastering tools are provided as well, including a parametric mastering EQ, enhancer, expander, multiband compressor, mastering limiter, and soft-clip algorithm with output dithering.

Sound library onboard
With the MV-8800 you can create your own sounds or load up to 128 instruments or drum kits at once from the MV-formatted sound library that's preinstalled on the hard drive. Newly created drum kits are provided, including a special collection of 16 vintage drum machines such as the legendary Roland TR-808 and TR-909. Acoustic and electric pianos, strings, guitars, horns, synth basses, and other essential instruments are also included in the MV-8800's sound library.

Amazing pitch and time control
The MV-8800 lets you load hundreds of loops, hits, or vocal phrases at once, all with realtime BPM matching. Just tap the tempo and all the samples lock to your new tempo! You can match the pitches of melodic phrases just as easily. Create loop-based tracks on the fly, all locked together in perfect pitch and time sync.

Vintage and modern effects onboard
An incredible lineup of modern and vintage effects is built into the MV-8800, including models of classic Roland SRV reverbs, SDD-320 Chorus, SBF-325 Flanger, Boss BF-2 and HF-2 pedals, and the legendary RE-201 Space Echo. The MV-8800's multi-effects processor includes an Analog Modeling Bass that turns the MFX engine into a virtual SH-style bass synthesizer. All MFX knob tweaks can be automated as you mix.

A New Integrated-Studio Standard

Features

Since 2003, Roland’s MV-8000 has been a coveted centerpiece for many of the world’s greatest hip-hop and R&B producers. With its powerful hands-on features, and its ability to incorporate a VGA monitor and mouse, it brought the best of the hardware- and software- based production worlds together. Today, Roland sets a new standard in production power and flexibility with the MV-8800.

• Complete production solution, from beat creation and multitrack recording to mixing, mastering and CD burning
• Tight integration of drum machine-style pattern recording and DAW-style linear recording
• Realtime control of audio pitch and time, groove quantize, and pattern/song arrangements — great for both studio and stage
• World-class sound library pre-installed on the internal hard drive
• Legendary Roland instrument and effects models onboard, including TR-808, TR-909, SRV reverb, SDD-320 Chorus, SBF-325 Flanger, Boss BF-2 and HF-2, and RE-201 Space Echo
• Three MIDI ports (IN x 1, OUT x 2) for connecting external MIDI devices
• Color LCD with icon-oriented interface
• Accepts external VGA monitor (optional) and optical mouse

Roland MV-8800 Features:

• Drum machine-style pattern recording and DAW-style linear recording
  
• Realtime control of audio pitch and time, groove quantize, and pattern/song arrangements
  
• World-class sound library pre-installed
  
• Legendary Roland instrument and effects models onboard, including TR-808, TR-909, SRV reverb, SDD-320 Chorus, SBF-325 Flanger, Boss BF-2, HF-2, and RE-201 Space Echo
  
• Three MIDI ports

REMIX MAGAZINE REVIEW:
Jul 1, 2007 12:00 PM, BY STONI

Producer/Remix author Stoni banged out this track on the MV-8800 while working on the review. Find out more about Stoni and hear more on her music at www.stonisndz.com.

Roland has rolled out the red carpet to introduce the MV-8800, the latest addition to its MV-Series. With the look and feel of a master sequencing machine, the MV-8800 does more than just catch your attention. Designed to take your project to the next level, the MV-8800 covers all spectrums of music production. It's fully equipped with newer features that include a bright color display screen and a built-in VGA monitor connection. It also allows you to sample, sequence, record vocals, mix and burn your project to CD. Pre-stocked classic library sounds and drum kits include TR-808 and TR-909 classic Roland modules. Roland also stashed many of its signature effects models onboard, such as SRV reverbs, SDD-320 Chorus, 325 Flanger, the RE-201 Space Echo and Boss BF-2 and HF-2 pedals.
PUSHING WEIGHT

When you first turn on the machine, the bright and colorful built-in LCD display screen, centered at the top of the workstation, lights up. As a new feature, the MV-8800 displays a color screen with or without an external VGA monitor connected. A Contrast button sits directly under the bottom right of the LCD screen, and the viewing area measures approximately 320-by-240 pixels.

The Controller section has all the MV-8800's knobs, buttons, sliders and pads that make the MV-Series come together. There are five function keys [F1 to F5] positioned underneath the LCD. These buttons correspond to functions displayed at the bottom of the screen, giving you direct access to the same functions that live on the external monitor display for quick editing capabilities. Anyone who uses a laptop or other computer system knows how important the F keys are. To the left of the F keys are three function buttons: Sampling, Import and Menu.

The Sampling button puts you in sample mode to give you access to the MV-8800's audio inputs for sampling; the Import button engages the Import mode, which allows you to access the internal hard drive and sounds; and the Menu button will display a menu on a particular working screen. If there is a menu option available, it will be indicated by an “M” icon at the left of the function display area.

Positioned to the right of the F keys are the Exit, Undo/Redo and Shutdown buttons. Exit quits the current function and then returns to the previous screen. For example, if you are not sure what screen you need to view, you can simply start over. By holding down the Shift and Exit buttons simultaneously, you can switch back and forth between the LCD and external VGA monitor. Many other buttons on the MV-8800 also have multiple functions, but I will go on record in saying that the Undo/Redo button was most important for me when I needed to put down my ideas while recording and producing. This button allowed me the freedom to try different takes. When the Undo function is available, the button lights up orange. After you undo, the Undo/Redo button will blink to indicate that redo is available. To turn off the MV-8800, you must perform the Shutdown operation. If you do not save your work before you press Shutdown, all of your work and or projects will be deleted from the internal memory.

There is a Master volume knob as well as knobs for headphone level (Phones) and the input gain of the left and right channels of the stereo audio input (SENS L/R).

There are two rows of function buttons on the right-hand side. The first row consists of the Mixer button, for accessing the mixer section; the Project button, for calling up the project menu screen to load or save projects from your hard drive or CD; the Song button, for accessing the song screen used to play, record and mixdown songs; the Pattern button, for the pattern screen used to play and record patterns; and the Mastering button. You'll find the mastering toolkit necessary for adding finishing touches to the 2-channel audio data (WAV file) created by mixing down the sequencer's playback.

In the second row, when you press the Assignable Slider button, it triggers the eight assignable sliders that can be used as controllers to transmit MIDI messages. The System button accesses the system menu screen, for changing the system settings. In this row, the Sampler section has two subfunction buttons: Instrument and Audio Phrases. Instrument accesses the instrument screen, where audio data recorded using the sampler or imported from another source can be prepared for use as an instrument. These instruments are managed as patches and can be recalled for use at any time. Audio Phrases accesses rhythm patterns of a set amount of measures. You can also manage and edit audio phrases. The Disk/USB button allows you to perform maintenance on the internal disk, use the CD player function and communicate with your computer via USB.

Eager to do what I do best, I immediately spotted the 16 infamous grey Velocity-sensitive pads. I may use a different drum machine each time I'm producing a track, so it's important for me to get the right feel from the pads. While working with the MV-8800, the pads felt solid, with adjustable sensitivity and Aftertouch. Additional buttons that are dedicated to the pad functions live above the pads. The Multilevel button allows you to play a single sample across all 16 pads at different velocities. The Fixed Velocity button plays a sample at the same level every time you hit it, no matter how hard or soft. When recording data sequences, you can erase a specific note message by holding down Event Erase and pressing down on the pad that is assigned to the unwanted note messages.

To the left of the pads are the following six additional minipads. Pad Banks is used to scroll through the six pad banks, and Quick Edit is used for partial edits and phrase edits. Clip Board copies a sound to the clipboard to store it temporarily. For the Delete function, hold down Delete and hit the pad that you want to delete. If you hold down the Roll button and strike the velocity pad, you can produce a drum or sample roll. This Roll function is usually found in drum machines but not in many computer programs. Hold is for holding or looping a sound.

To the right of the pads, the basic transport section includes Stop, Play, Record and Return buttons. The Top button brings you to the beginning of a sequence, and the Jump button helps jump to step markers or measure events. Auto Punch automatically enters and exits Record mode over a specific region of the sequence. Quick Set indicates the current measure as the beginning of the loop. There's a BPM/Tap button to set sequencer tempo, and pressing Shift + BPM/Tap stores markers in the sequence data. Numeric keys are used to input parameter values as numbers and names in letters.

SHIPPING INFO: 31 lbs. 24 x 24 x 11