Roland Sc 55 Soundfont

Posted : admin | On 15-09-2021

Roland SC-55
Developer	Roland Corporation
Type	General MIDI
Release date	1991
Platform	IBM PC, PC-88, PC-98, Sharp X68000
Predecessor	Roland MT-32
Successor	Roland SC-88
Related articles	Roland SC-8850

The Roland SC-55 (Sound Canvas) is a GSMIDIsound module released in 1991 by Roland. The SC-55 was the first sound module to incorporate the new General MIDI standard. It was the first in the Roland Sound Canvas series.

The SC-55 used both PCM and a cut-down version of the LA synthesis engine, to support 24-voice polyphony with 16-part multitimbrality. It came preloaded with the Roland MT-32's variation bank, but lacked the MT-32's re-programmability. Aimed at PC music enthusiasts, the SC-55 featured 317 instrument patches, including the GS drum kits and additional controllers. The selection of effects includes reverb and chorus.

Alongside the SC-55, Roland released the SB-55 (Sound Brush), an inexpensive MIDI sequencer module the same size as the Sound Canvas. Both the Sound Canvas and Sound Brush could be rackmounted alongside each other.

Stumbled upon this SC-55 -alike SoundFont, that is compatible with General MIDI (don't choose Sound Canvas option in games). As far I could tell this sounds as close to the original SC-55 that I have, and sounds better in Heretic and DOOM 2 compared to the Arachno SF that I have been using so far. Also, I have renamed the 'SC-55' soundfonts in the root folder to be more descriptive where possible, as their original filenames were too similar and confusing. Some included soundfonts do not have all 128 instruments, either due to being unfinished, or by design (like the DOOM SNES soundfont). Patch93's SC-55 v2.2 soundfont is similar to real SC-55, but is poorly balanced: drums are really too loud and some more instruments sounds wrong. Now my last hope for Heretic, Hexen, Strife is Merlin Vienna soundfont (downloaded in Tim Brechbill's Timidity page). Soundfont to mimic the classic Roland SC-55. Developed by user Patch93 on doomworld.com, but only originally provided in the proprietary.sfpack format. Converted to SF2 format. Last known version, posted on October 7, 2016. This soundfont is good for games such as Doom, but it lacks GS support.

Other models with comparable tone generators include Roland CM-300, Roland CM-500 and Roland SC-155 sound modules. CM-300 and CM-500 models lack the LCD screen and extended controls of SC-55. Both models have external appearance nearly identical to Roland's earlier CM-32/64-series modules. SC-155 adds additional slider controls for master and channel level and panning. Additionally, CM-500 includes fully SysEx compatible LA tone generator similar to CM-32Ls.

The SC-55mkII[edit]

A minor upgrade to the original SC-55, the Roland SC-55mkII has increased polyphony (28 voices), more patches, raising the total number to 354 instruments and extended, and improved audio-circuitry in the form of 18-bit audio (versus 16-bit in the original SC 55.)

The SC-55mkII added a serial port as an alternative interface to the MPU-401.

Roland SCC-1[edit]

Patch93's Roland Sc-55 Soundfont

Roland SCC-1

Roland also released the Roland SCC-1, an 8-bit ISA half-size card incarnation of the SC-55 sound module. The sound source is controlled by an on-board MIDI Processing Unit, a variant of the MPU-401 unit. An updated version featuring the SC-55mkII sound set was also released, known as SCC-1A. When bundled with the Band-in-a-Box and BalladeGS software, it's called SCC-1B.

Roland later replaced the SCC-1 with a combination of their MPU-401AT MIDI interface card and SCB-55 Wave Blaster-compatible daughterboard. Roland referred to this combination as the SCM-15AT. The SCC-1 was also sold as the GPPC-N for the NEC PC-98.

CM-32P and MT-32 Emulation[edit]

Since the SC-55 has no programmable memory, CM-32P and MT-32 emulation is done by providing the same sound arrangement as the preset sounds of actual devices. These variation banks are enabled by playing back special SysEx containing MIDI files, for example GS32.MID (included in the SCC-1 Utility Software), prior to loading a software title. These specially arranged tone tables contain the relevant GS sound mapped at either CM-32P or MT-32 program number. Pitch bend range is changed to 12 semitone from GS default 2 semitones. Master tuning and modulation depth are not altered by the emulation. Pan directions are reversed from actual CM-32P or MT-32 devices. CM-32P or MT-32 specific MIDISysEx messages are also ignored by the SC-55.

MT-32 Emulation Samples[edit]

The Roland SC-55's CM-32P and MT-32 emulation is based on using preset sounds of the actual devices without utilizing programmable memory or actual device synthesis techniques. This results in poor emulation for software titles relying on custom programmable MT-32 sounds as demonstrated by the introduction of the Sierra On-Line game Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon.

Software titles supporting the Roland MT-32 but not utilizing its memory are emulated with better results as demonstrated by the introduction song from Origin Systems' Ultima VI: The False Prophet.

Notable Users[edit]

Liz Kitchen (Tweenies, Playdays, Tikkabilla, The Shiny Show)
Francis Haines (The Story Makers, Mr Men, Timbuctoo, The Shiny Show, Tikkabilla, Busy Buses)
Robert Hartley (Brum, Teletubbies, Rosie and Jim, ChuckleVision)
Kim Goody & Alan Coates (Fifi and the Flowertots, Tiny Planets, Mike & Angelo, Roary the Racing Car)
KICK Productions (Sitting Ducks, Fimbles, Rubbadubbers, The Beano Allstars
Bob Singleton (Barney & Friends)

External links[edit]

Roland Sc55 Download

Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roland_SC-55&oldid=973716645'

Dj Tony's Roland Sc-55 1.1 Soundfont

Roland_SC-88.sf2
- 000-000 Grand Piano
- 000-001 Bright Piano
- 000-002 Piano+Strings
- 000-003 Honky-Tonk Piano
- 000-004 E.Piano 1
- 000-005 E.Piano 2
- 000-006 Harpsichord
- 000-007 Clavinet
- 000-008 Celesta
- 000-009 Glockenspiel
- 000-010 Music Box
- 000-011 Vibraphone
- 000-012 Marimba
- 000-013 Xylophone
- 000-014 Tubular Bells
- 000-015 Dulcimer
- 000-016 Hammond Organ
- 000-017 Percussive Organ
- 000-018 Rock Organ
- 000-019 Church Organ
- 000-020 Reed Organ
- 000-021 Accordion
- 000-022 Harmonica
- 000-023 Bandoneon
- 000-024 Nylon-str. Guitar
- 000-025 Steel-str. Guitar
- 000-026 Jazz Guitar
- 000-027 Clean Guitar
- 000-028 Muted Guitar
- 000-029 Overdriven Guitar
- 000-030 Distortion Guitar
- 000-031 Gt. Harmonics
- 000-032 Acoustic Bass
- 000-033 Fingered Bass
- 000-034 Picked Bass
- 000-035 Fretless Bass
- 000-036 SlapBass 1
- 000-037 SlapBass 2
- 000-038 SynBass 1
- 000-039 SynBass 2
- 000-040 Violin
- 000-041 Viola
- 000-042 Cello
- 000-043 Contrabass
- 000-044 Tremolo Strings
- 000-045 Pizzicato Strings
- 000-046 Harp
- 000-047 Timpani
- 000-048 Strings 1
- 000-049 Strings 2
- 000-050 SynStrings 1
- 000-051 SynStrings 2
- 000-052 Girls Choir
- 000-053 Choir Oohs
- 000-054 Synth Voice
- 000-055 Orchestra Hit
- 000-056 Trumpet
- 000-057 Trombone
- 000-058 Tuba
- 000-059 Mute Trumpt.
- 000-060 French Horn
- 000-061 Brass Section
- 000-062 SynBrass 1
- 000-063 SynBrass 2
- 000-064 Soprano Sax
- 000-065 Alto Sax
- 000-066 Tenor Sax
- 000-067 Baritone Sax
- 000-068 Oboe
- 000-069 English Horn
- 000-070 Bassoon
- 000-071 Clarinet
- 000-072 Piccolo
- 000-073 Flute
- 000-074 Recorder
- 000-075 Pan Flute
- 000-076 Bottle Blow
- 000-077 Shakuhachi
- 000-078 Whistle
- 000-079 Ocarina
- 000-080 Square
- 000-081 Saw Wave
- 000-082 Callilope
- 000-083 Chiffer Lead
- 000-084 Charang
- 000-085 Voice
- 000-086 Fifths
- 000-087 Bass+Lead
- 000-088 Fantasia
- 000-089 Warm Pad
- 000-090 PolySynth
- 000-091 Choir Pad
- 000-092 Bowed Pad
- 000-093 Metallic Pad
- 000-094 Halo
- 000-095 Sweep
- 000-104 Sitar
- 000-105 Banjo
- 000-106 Shamisen
- 000-107 Koto
- 000-108 Kalimba
- 000-109 Bagpipe
- 000-110 Fiddle
- 000-111 Shanai
- 000-115 Steel Drums
- 000-118 808 Tom
- 001-018 RockOrgan :
- 001-039 Analog Bass :
- 001-060 Synth Horn :
- 001-080 Sine Wave
- 001-086 Soft Fifths :
- 001-088 SpaceSynth :
- 001-104 Crystal Sitar :
- 002-018 SynthRotary:
- 002-088 Vibrato Pad :
- 128-000 Standard

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