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A new instrument: Roland's RS string machines (RS-101, RS-202, RS-09, RS-505) #44

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opened 2026-10-12 21:26:53 +00:00 by bcox · 2 comments
bcox commented 2026-10-12 21:26:53 +00:00
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Ben asked on 2026-10-12 which Roland families are missing entirely, and for an issue for this one. Everything below is from recollection, with no manual read; issue #20's list was wrong in several places for the same reason, so read the manuals first and correct this.

Roland's string machines. engine/divide_down.h was written for the Omni so that the next string machine would be built on it, and this is that. ARP's String Ensemble and Quadra are issue #36 and are another instrument.

  • RS-101 Strings (1975): recalled as strings and brass from a divide-down tone generator, 61 keys, with no ensemble effect of its own worth the name.
  • RS-202 Strings (1976): recalled as the same with an ensemble, a bucket-brigade chorus of the kind the Jupiter-4 has (ensemble.on on mini-JP), a split of the keyboard with a volume for each half, and a slow attack and sustain.
  • RS-09 Organ/Strings (1979): recalled as 44 keys, an organ section of four footages and a string section of two, with an ensemble in two modes. The VK-09 and the Saturn SA-09 are of the same line and Ben has said to ignore them.
  • RS-505 Paraphonic (1978): recalled as three sections under one keyboard: strings; a paraphonic synthesizer section with one filter and one envelope for every key, as the Omni's has; and a bass on the lower keys; with an ensemble in several modes.

To decide and to find out:

  • One instrument or more. The RS-101, RS-202 and RS-09 look like settings of one. The RS-505 with its synthesizer section and bass is to them as the Omni is to a Solina; by the Omni's precedent it is probably the instrument and the others settings of it.
  • What each tone really is ahead of its voicing filters, which is what was left undone on the Omni for want of the schematics.
  • The ensemble: how many lines, their rates and depths. The Jupiter-4's is a placeholder on mini-JP, and one figure-true ensemble in engine/ would serve both, and the VP-330 (see its own issue).
  • Whether the keys have an envelope each or one for all, on each model.

None has a ROM, memory or MIDI.

Ben asked on 2026-10-12 which Roland families are missing entirely, and for an issue for this one. **Everything below is from recollection, with no manual read**; issue #20's list was wrong in several places for the same reason, so read the manuals first and correct this. Roland's string machines. `engine/divide_down.h` was written for the Omni so that the next string machine would be built on it, and this is that. ARP's String Ensemble and Quadra are issue #36 and are another instrument. - **RS-101 Strings** (1975): recalled as strings and brass from a divide-down tone generator, 61 keys, with no ensemble effect of its own worth the name. - **RS-202 Strings** (1976): recalled as the same with an ensemble, a bucket-brigade chorus of the kind the Jupiter-4 has (`ensemble.on` on mini-JP), a split of the keyboard with a volume for each half, and a slow attack and sustain. - **RS-09 Organ/Strings** (1979): recalled as 44 keys, an organ section of four footages and a string section of two, with an ensemble in two modes. The VK-09 and the Saturn SA-09 are of the same line and Ben has said to ignore them. - **RS-505 Paraphonic** (1978): recalled as three sections under one keyboard: strings; a paraphonic synthesizer section with one filter and one envelope for every key, as the Omni's has; and a bass on the lower keys; with an ensemble in several modes. To decide and to find out: - **One instrument or more.** The RS-101, RS-202 and RS-09 look like settings of one. The RS-505 with its synthesizer section and bass is to them as the Omni is to a Solina; by the Omni's precedent it is probably the instrument and the others settings of it. - What each tone really is ahead of its voicing filters, which is what was left undone on the Omni for want of the schematics. - The ensemble: how many lines, their rates and depths. The Jupiter-4's is a placeholder on mini-JP, and one figure-true ensemble in `engine/` would serve both, and the VP-330 (see its own issue). - Whether the keys have an envelope each or one for all, on each model. None has a ROM, memory or MIDI.
bcox commented 2026-10-16 18:06:53 +00:00
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Ben's word on 2026-10-16:

  • The SA-09 (Saturn 09) is in: not excluded. By second-hand listings it is the RS-09's organ section alone (44 keys, 8', 4', 2', 1', an organ or a piano-style attack), so it is expected to be settings of this instrument with nothing, or next to nothing, added. Its manual decides; if it has a filter it is a little more.
  • The VK-09 stays out for now, at least out of this engine: it is a drawbar organ (two sets of six, percussion, chorus/vibrato), not a string machine.

Work on the rest of this issue has begun with a search for Roland's manuals and schematics.

Ben's word on 2026-10-16: - **The SA-09 (Saturn 09) is in**: not excluded. By second-hand listings it is the RS-09's organ section alone (44 keys, 8', 4', 2', 1', an organ or a piano-style attack), so it is expected to be settings of this instrument with nothing, or next to nothing, added. Its manual decides; if it has a filter it is a little more. - **The VK-09 stays out for now**, at least out of this engine: it is a drawbar organ (two sets of six, percussion, chorus/vibrato), not a string machine. Work on the rest of this issue has begun with a search for Roland's manuals and schematics.
bcox commented 2026-10-16 19:44:07 +00:00
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Done, merged to main as 77a6f15: mini-RS (minirs, .mrs, port 8816), Roland's RS-101, RS-202, RS-09, RS-505 and the Saturn SA-09 as one instrument, each model settings of it; the VK-09 out of this engine for now. Built from Roland's service notes for all five and the owner's manuals of the RS-101, RS-09 and RS-505 (no RS-202 or SA-09 owner's manual found), listed in docs/references.md. A shared ensemble, engine/bbd_ensemble.h, holds each model's figures from the schematics; its depths and rest points are placeholders. Ben played it on the Pi on 2026-10-16 through the Scarlett Solo and found it works for him. CLAUDE.md's Open decisions lists every unconfirmed choice.

Done, merged to main as 77a6f15: **mini-RS** (`minirs`, `.mrs`, port 8816), Roland's RS-101, RS-202, RS-09, RS-505 and the Saturn SA-09 as one instrument, each model settings of it; the VK-09 out of this engine for now. Built from Roland's service notes for all five and the owner's manuals of the RS-101, RS-09 and RS-505 (no RS-202 or SA-09 owner's manual found), listed in docs/references.md. A shared ensemble, `engine/bbd_ensemble.h`, holds each model's figures from the schematics; its depths and rest points are placeholders. Ben played it on the Pi on 2026-10-16 through the Scarlett Solo and found it works for him. CLAUDE.md's Open decisions lists every unconfirmed choice.
bcox closed this issue 2026-10-16 19:44:07 +00:00
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