Roland D-110 TONE EDITING

The general concept of synthesizers and sound synthesis are explained in “LA Synthesis” – What is LA Synthesis Roland D110

1 . The Basic Concept of a Tone

[Partial and Structure]

A Tone consists of a PARTIAL block and a common block.

Partials are combined in pairs, and two sets of pairs form a Tone. An important COMMON Parameter called “Structure” decides how two of the four Partials should be combined or which sound generator is used, a synthesizer voice or a PCM voice.

[Functions of the Structure]

1) Selects a sound generator to be used for each Partial

The Structure selects which of the two sound generators, a synthesizer sound generator or a PCM sound generator should be used for each Partial.

• Synthesizer Sound Generator

This synthesizer behaves like a conventional analog synthesizer.

• PCM Sound Generator

This behaves like a PCM sampled synthesizer.

2) Determines how to combine two Partials [Ring Modulator]

There are four different ways to combine Partials:
Mixing two Partials.

Sending two Partial sounds in stereo. However, if sending sounds through Multi Output Sockets or using this setting for Patches or via the monaural output, this will have exactly the same effect as above “Mixing two Partials”.

Partial 1 {or 3) is mixed with the ring modulated sound of two Partials (including Partial 1 or 3).

Two Partials are ring-modulated and sent out.

[Ring Modulator]

The Ring Modulator can be effectively used for creating metallic sounds, since it can increase harmonics by multiplying those of two Partials.

[Partials]

Depending on which generators are selected in the Partial Block, greatly different parameters will be used.

Some parameters used for the synthesizer sound generators are irrelevant to the PCM generator.
See the diagram below.

• WG (Wave Generator)

In the WG (Wave Generator), the pitch and waveform are controlled.
(1) Pitch The standard pitch of a Partial (sound generator) at C4 key ( = middle C) can be set here.
(2) Waveform/PCM Wave Number: This selects the waveform of the sound source.
(3) Pitch ENV: This controls an envelope curve of the pitch changes caused by Key On/Off.
(4) LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) LFO controls the vibrato.
(5) Pulse Width This changes the waveform of the sound source.

TVF (Time Variant Filter)

This · filter passes lower frequency harmonics and cuts off the higher ones. By changing the cutoff point and the resonance, the waveform changes.

(6) Cutoff Frequency – This sets the cutoff point.
(7) Resonance – This emphasizes the cutoff point, making more unusual or electronic sounds.
(8) TVF ENV – This controls an envelope curve affecting the cutoff point changes caused by Key On/Off.

TVA (Time Variant Amplifier)

This controls the volume of the Partial.
(9) Level – This determines the volume of the sound.
(10) TVA ENV – This controls an envelope curve of the level changes caused by Key On/Off.

* When a Partial is using a PCM sound generator, the Pulse Width and the parameters in the TVF have no effect.

Roland D-110 TONE EDITING Part 2