Roland MC-101: is it any good for making jungle/dnb? WILL IT...? Ep. 7

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today’s episode is a very special one, because, for the very first time, I’m actually responding to a special request from one of you, my lovely subscribers! ‪@liuchaquan‬ asked if the Roland MC-101 could make drum and bass.
and that's a great question... one I asked myself while learning the ins and outs of this machine, like chord designer, motion designer, clips, scenes, tracks, but most importantly, THE SOUNDS.
tsome of the presets on the MC101 are… how can I say it nicely? quite cheesy? sometimes general MIDI sounding? the great thing is that, for this particular genre? they’re freaking perfect imho.
anyway, here's what we are going to cover today:
00:00 intro
00:43 drums
02:29 pads
04:54 bass & melody
06:08 riser and buildup
09:33 more padssss
10:51 clips, scenes and song arrangement
12:00 jam
13:48 let's vote
#willit #willitjungle

[@BIGUMAMI]

what is up greedy guts? I have a Discord server! come and chat about samplers, software, and leave some suggestions on what videos you want to see next: discord.gg/DMntZNBX

[@ChrisLoos1]

Please keep making more MC-101 content! I share your enthusiasm for this little box of wonder.

[@BIGUMAMI]

I definitely will! keep an eye on the channel kind sir!

[@GeorgeL909]

My secret sauce is the mc101 sampled into the sp404 mk2. I feel like that combo can do almost anything. Neither device is perfect, but together, they are the most fun and efficient semi-portable workflow I've come across in years.

[@BIGUMAMI]

damn George, you spoiled one of my next videos ahahah! you're absolutely spot on. I couldn't agree more. I feel like I'm absolutely content with that combo!

[@tomb6576]

I'm quite curious how you you're using the 404 with the 101! Is it primarily for sample prep / chopping that you then send to the 101 for sequencing? As well as FX? Absolutely love the 101, just got a 404 here but I'm really struggling to understand the workflow! Cheers!

[@GeorgeL909]

@@tomb6576 basically my favorite workflow is like this: I make 8 bars of notes played into the sequencer of the mc101, quantized for drums, usually unquantized for melodies. I edit the patches a little and include live recorded automation of things, like the cutoff or effects. I record the loops on a series of pads on the 404 in 8bar loops per pad. I usually do drums, bass, and leads separately, but you can resample multiple tracks of the 101. I take these pads and resample with many effects and do a ton of sound design on the 404 using the mfx. Then I create an 8 bar pattern on the 404 sequencer and in TR record mode, I place the pad on the first step with gate off, MkII mode in the settings so it loops at the end of the pattern perfectly, and layer the different pads in different combinations per pattern. So I'm only sequencing the start of the loops on the 404. The real magic is I could theoretically layer up to 16 loops on top of each other (instead of 4 tracks on just the mc101, though I never need more than 6 layers before filling the sound spectrum in all honesty) and I can add unlimited FX via resampling. I can't emphasize enough the power of effects resampling. Take a drum loop you recorded from the 101, resample with Reverb on random steps, delay on a every 4th note, bit crush on a single snare, pitch shift, scatter, the sky's the limit. It makes the 404 feel like a synth but itself. You get a very similar effect to the Elektron parameter locks, but you're writing it to audio by live activating the effect and tweaking it during resampling. Another example take a melody you recorded from the 101, pitch it down on the 404 by an octave, reverse it, add distortion and tons of reverb, and suddenly you have a new and different monstrous drone. Add that layer in the sequencer. Then I just take all the patterns and chain them live while I record the whole thing from the 404 into a computer or iPad. There's a pattern chain mode on the sp404, but I often have more than 16 patterns, so I que them up manually while recording. This probably sounds complicated, but it's actually very very fast and easy. Another way to think about it, I compose on the 101, then I use the sp404 to "save state" different loops, and add cheat codes via the mfx. Then I chain it all together as a song on the 404.

[@GeorgeL909]

This is specifically how I use the mc101 with the 404. I actually do take audio and chop it and pitch it on the 404 from other sources, just like traditional crate digging, and combine that with the loops of the 101 as mentioned above. Just gotta get the key right.

[@tomb6576]

@@GeorgeL909 ahhhh I super appreciate it!! Was starting to get the same idea by recording in parts from the 101 but never thought of using the 404 to fully arrange things on top of resampling for FX! Thank you for the explanation! I really appreciate it! I need to learn how to record and resample faster really. I should ask actually does the 404 have an auto trim function to remove the silence or a way to limit the recording to exactly 8 bars? Always my biggest peeve with it is continually having to trim the edges after resampling!

[@connorcarbon]

I cannot express how well-timed this video is haha I'm sitting here looking at old school / atmospheric production techniques and decided that I was about to search for "best groovebox to make old school DnB with" because as much as I love the idea of getting all the old Akai gear but don't have the budget or want to learn all the wired routing, and as much as I love the ease and simplicity of a software-only approach to it, the purpose of wanting to make this kind of music is for comfort, for me, and having a "Gameboy that makes beats" is the pinnacle of music making comfort, but yes, the question and quest is always "but does it play the right games?" and I literally have an MC-101 I was thinking about selling to afford whatever groovebox is best to do this with. Time to watch this video and fate will decide 😁

[@BIGUMAMI]

awww man that feeling of saving somebody's money is always one the best! and you're not the only one in the comments saying this! goes to show that the MC-101 is truly an underrated little machine! Roland is so good at making gear but they're only now (with the sp404mkii) turning a corner in terms of "narrating" gear (if that makes sense) - they need somebody passionate to show that, going past the menu diving, their devices are super duper powerful. Korg has the same problem. but anyway. I'm glad this helped!

[@digitalhillbilly8863]

Had my MC101 for a few years. Great to see you push it in a different direction and teach me something new.

[@Mahenounet]

Hi ! Been watching hundreds of MC-101 videos in the past few years and I must say this is the most comprehensive and convincing one so far, congrats ! Really shows its potential & sounds great :)

[@BIGUMAMI]

oh man thanks so much! I have many more mc-101 down the pipe, so hopefully you'll enjoy them all!

[@wackerburg]

*Awesome demonstration* of what this box is capable of in the right / talented hands 🙌

[@BIGUMAMI]

thank you for the big compliment!

[@heavysystemsinc.]

I have a track that got paid by someone else to get pressed on vinyl and it was made using 90% just the mc101 and the track was a remix of a top 40 very famous 90s UK rave track. The mc101 can do this stuff just fine. ;)

[@BIGUMAMI]

awesome! don't leave us hanging! give us the link (if it's online of course)!

[@zzeebb81]

Great video thanx ! You can also resample your riser(s) and paste it on a drum pad ! Love this MC

[@BIGUMAMI]

yes indeed! I didn't do it in this particular video cos that would've meant locking one of the tracks as a looper track! unless there is a workaround...?

[@fredh9808]

Great track and tutorial, as always, but what I liked the most is your "finger technique" at 12:23 for introducing the melody jajajaja. Thanks for all your work, this channel is one of my favorites. Have a nice day, amigo!

[@BIGUMAMI]

INDUSTRY PRODUCERS HATE ME FOR UNVEILING THIS SECRET TECHNIQUE!

[@BIGUMAMI]

😆

[@into_the_void]

Awesome stuff !

[@BIGUMAMI]

well thank you!

[@Mahenounet]

BTW, regarding presets : there are tons of additional packs for sale from Roland Cloud that are more convincing. Used to be sold at $1 but now there are like 5 to 10 times more expensive !

[@BIGUMAMI]

yes! that's why I make my own ahaha

[@shannontravis2445]

I love seeing you, on the Mc-101… it is okay if you can please make more videos on it?- it would be so cool to see like a beginner tutorial on this thing, also I’d love to have one in the future- and it seems like no one is making videos about the Mc-101 anymore, but seeing your videos.. gave me a bit of hope, cause there’s still ppl out there- who like and use the product, and I’d love to know and see more about it.. So I thank and appreciate you, for putting out really good content for the Mc-101 and showcasing what it could do, these videos will come in handy.. ❤

[@shannontravis2445]

Also, I have a question- I’ve been thinking about which dawless unit to get- being a beginner beat maker/music producer.. and I thought that the MC-101 was possibly a good choice for starters, plus I’ve heard other youtubers say this as well.. So my question to you is: do you care to agree or disagree- would you think or believe, that the Mc-101, is a good product and a good start for a complete beginner..?

[@BIGUMAMI]

I've got one coming out today!!! not really for beginners but hopefully you'll like it!

[@BIGUMAMI]

honestly though I'd start with something a bit simpler that only does a few things, rather than an MC101 that does a LOT of things but due to the size, that could mean a LOT of menu diving and a steep learning cuurve. I would personally start with a volca sample first, something that DOESN't do EVERYTHING but at least it's easier to use. I havent tried them yet but the novation circuits look pretty easy for a beginner. or, yeah get a MC101 and watch all of gabe miller and ben coe videos... and mine as well if you have time left!

[@DJCJ999]

You get a like instantly because, Jungle :D I don't use my MC101 enough tbh... tracks like this is exactly the type of thing I want to make.. 90's... simple.. effective.

[@BIGUMAMI]

glad you like it! yeah man... the MC101 is so goooooooodddd

[@uglyflower608]

Not gonna lie this is amazing but check out that new TE EP 133 KO2 it looks quite promising

[@BIGUMAMI]

you are 100% right, BUT! I'm moving to a new house and money is tiiiiight rn lol also, they're already sold out! might have to start a EP133 PayPal fund ahah

[@Guitarist888]

Nice beat! How do I load drum samples onto my TR-6s?

[@justjoeblow420]

This was an interesting watch especially for me given I've got it's bigger brother the MC-707. I really should do more DnB on it but I mostly do techno with it and a TR8S in combo with it. I'm planning on adding a SP-404 MKII for sample duties to allow more layering on the MC-707 and so I'm not hitting voice limits as well. I love Zen Core as a synth engine as even just the VA capabilities make it a monster of a synth with out touching it's extensive PCM based capabilities, part of why I landed on the MC-707 was because it was super important to me to have full access to the synth engine without needing an editor.

[@BIGUMAMI]

agree with everything you said!

[@beddheddid9424]

I mean you can slice breaks on the MC. It's just really tedious. 😅

[@BIGUMAMI]

ahahaha yes! and funny story, when I wrote the copy for this video, I wrote EXACTLY what you wrote there. then I started shooting and saw it was just too damn long and didn't want to bloat the video so I was like "naaaaah can't do it, I've got the sliced up already somewhere" ahaha

[@tom.quiney]

thats sick! any chance we could see a proper jungle video revisiting the sp404? :D

[@BIGUMAMI]

you know what... that's a GREAT idea. on the to-do list you go!

[@magnuseriksson8081]

I am actually very surprised with how much I like it, I just wish I spent more time to get to know the depth of it and fix my pad that is not working that well anymore....

[@BIGUMAMI]

yeah I bought it in a utilitarian way, like let's get sth for polyphonic synths but I had no expectations... but it's so deeeeeep

[@kelleysylvester5158]

How is this groove box with handling recording vocals?

[@magnuseriksson8081]

Why is this box so forgotten, is there any other portable playable box available that can compete, an iPad?? Tried the MC707, and I think I would have gotten it if it had batteries too, or a portable version of the MV1 would be great as it has pads too, I want that workflow in a smaller box than the MV1, and the full zencore

[@BIGUMAMI]

I fully agree!

[@mikamulperi]

MC-101 forever 🙌

[@BIGUMAMI]

got a new video about it today!

[@frankie5671]

Subbed good vibes music is dance to much chuff these days forgotten about the vibe

[@BIGUMAMI]

thank you!

[@paschenberger]

Thanks

[@BIGUMAMI]

YOOOOO MY FIRST SUPER THANKS! THANK YOU!!!

[@BIGUMAMI]

here's a link to join my discord server, I'll give you a "patron" role! thank you!

[@BIGUMAMI]

discord.gg/DMntZNBX

[@frictionfilms8020]

Will it house video next?

[@BIGUMAMI]

the problem is, I already know the MC-101 is gonna kill it ahaha I'll definitely do it, but it might not be under the "WILL IT" series!

[@opticalman6417]

umami is that a indian name

[@BIGUMAMI]

I'm pretty sure it's Japanese! it's one of the 5 basic tastes along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter

[@aethervagrant244]

yes it is japaese for "savory"