Roland MC-101 : Version 1.60 Update // New Features!

This video takes you through some of the new features in the MC-101 firmware update (version 1.60). Timestamps below:
0:00 Intro
0:21 Installing the update
2:22 New Arpeggiator
4:12 Random Patches
6:35 Example track with random cowbell
7:05 Sub Steps (Tone Tracks)
8:01 Other new features
8:25 Outro (Cowbell Track)

[@GabeMillerMusic]

You're the man. Looking forward to giving this new stuff a go once I have more time. Thanks for showing how it works!

[@teabreakbeats]

Wow - thanks for checking my video out! Look forward to watching more of your groovebox videos - liked that trance jam you uploaded yesterday!

[@Tiffers963Hz]

Thank you so much for making this easier and quicker than following Rolands written instructions. You're the best. ❤

[@teabreakbeats]

No worries - I am going to make one for the new 1.8 update soon! Stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@lukejessop4617]

Easy to follow... Nice one.. 😎

[@teabreakbeats]

Thanks for the support - if you like this, watch my v1.7 update video too!! Cheers

[@jefffuller3460]

This was fantastic!!! Thank you so much!

[@teabreakbeats]

No worries Jeff - thanks for watching!

[@Unifono2012]

Great video, thanks

[@teabreakbeats]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching

[@MikeH_PR]

Really appreciate this video 👍

[@teabreakbeats]

Cheers Mike !

[@cheapnoiseinthehouse5578]

Would the sub steps on tone tracks let me place a note on the first substep, the second note on the second sub step etc. to create a strum effect or quick video game arpeggios? I really need micro step edit on tone tracks and can't find a way to do it.

[@teabreakbeats]

I think it just repeats the same note for the sub-step. A work around I can think of is to double the tempo and that will give you more "steps"!

[@thedeadpm]

great video! what do you think the possibilities are when connecting this to an iOS device?

[@teabreakbeats]

Thanks for watching - I think it depends on the apps you use on the iPad / iPhone. I think it loads up as an audio interface, so you can record the output of the MC-101 directly to the iOS device (e.g. if you use a recording app). It also has midi over USB so another use case is to use a sequencer app to play the MC-101 and use the MC-101 as a soundbox. I need to get the usb to lightning connection kit so I can give it a try!

[@GeorgeHzMusic]

Grate vid! Maschine user here and looking for going mobile (just not with the M+). The MC101 looks incredible. Is there a way to adjust the scale? i.e. To play a lead sound on F#minor for example

[@teabreakbeats]

Hi - yes, that is exactly why I got it! I used to be a maschine user, but sold it for an MPC Live - however, that was massive and pain to carry around (always got held back by airport security when scanning it through the x-ray!). I use the MC-101 so much more than the MPC Live now and thinking of selling the Live to go back to Maschine. A scale performance function was added in firmware 1.2 (so the pads are locked to a scale you choose -e.g. F#minor)! Thanks for watching!

[@cesarvalentim9796]

Hi, do i need to take out the batteries in this mode? Thanks for your vídeos

[@DjSuess]

Nice. Almost sounded like Stranger things for a minute on the arp..And yes please show more!

[@teabreakbeats]

Thanks - will do, the video was getting a bit long so think it's best to chunk it into two parts. I'm also new to and slow with video editing so please bear with me! Love how Roland add new features every few months.

[@DjSuess]

@@teabreakbeats well they seem good to me bud. I subscribed to ya

[@garyusinger]

It looks like you actually answer questions which I can't say is the case with all KZbinrs. I am planning to use my MC-101 with my Roland DJ 707M controller in a live performance situation. I am also planning to use an Akai MPK249 to control the MC-101. To complicate the situation, I am also mixing in my MPC Live to the mix. So I want the tempo clock from the 707M to pass through the MPC Live and on to the Akai MPK249 and then to the MC-101. I have seen ways that I can use the Akai MPK249 to control the MC-101 controlling MIDI 1thru 4. I just want to make sure that I can still have global tempo control over everything. I know this is a complicated set up. Can you advise?

[@garyusinger]

I wish there was some way to key match from the Roland DJ 707M to the MC-101, but I will have to do that manually to make sure that whatever I play on the MC-101 is in the same key as the tracks on the DJ controller. I plan to use the MPC Live for pre and live recorded voice overs so don't need to worry to much about the key here.

[@teabreakbeats]

Hi Gary - That is a lot of devices!!! Sounds like fun. Let me have a think about your set-up. Unfortunately I don't have that many devices or MIDI cables, but I’ll play around and I will get back to you. In the meantime, off the top of my head, I think on the MC-101 the settings you should be playing with are: Shift+Filter (to enter utility) ->"System"->"Sync Src" - I think you will need to set this to MIDI to get the clock from the 707M (in my experience AUTO seems to be really unstable). In this same SYSTEM(MIDI) menu there are Track Ch1 (to Ch4) -> by default there are set to CH1 to CH4, so make sure that the MPK is sending MIDI on each of these channels to send to a specific track. There is also new setting called “Auto Ch” - which if you set your MPK to this, it will send to the currently selected track on the MC-101. Also I think you need some sort of MIDI through enabled on everything in the chain to get the clock from the 707M all the way through to the MC-101. Thanks for watching. If I can figure a setting somewhere close to this (I also have an MPC Live, and could use a MiniNova in place of the MPK, and a Maschine+ in place of the 707M) I'll make a video as it will be probably easier than trying to explain via messages!

[@teabreakbeats]

You are right, I don't think there is a way to change what "scale" you are in on the MC-101 via Midi.

[@garyusinger]

@@teabreakbeats Thanks so much for your detailed explanation with respect to my situation. I haven't received the Roland DJ 707M or the Akia MPK or for that matter, the MC-101 yet, so I will know more when I have these items in hand, and can explore exactly how they work together, but it is great to get advise in advance and thank you for taking the time to help me. I have really enjoyed all of your videos, and find your in-depth replies to be refreshing. Not all KZbinrs are this responsive. Look forward to hearing from you and see any videos that you can come up with.

[@teabreakbeats]

@@garyusinger Cheers Gary, thanks for watching and your support. I actually don't mind responding and helping to figure things out as it forces me to learn my gear and gives me new video ideas at the same time!

[@xharderx2814]

promptly, thanks!

[@teabreakbeats]

Wow - thanks for watching so quickly after I uploaded!

[@waltecno1]

Hi brother! The arpeggiator function only Works in the pads, but when I play my Midi controller keyboard the notes are played normaly with no arpeggiator effect... Do you know How to fiz It? Greetings from Brazil

[@ACABSTUDIOS]

That's because the arp is the midi that is controlling the notes. If you use the 101 to control your keyboard, the arp will work on the keyboard's sounds. Or if your keyboard has an arp, you can use it to control the sounds on your 101.

[@waltecno1]

@@ACABSTUDIOS thank you brother

[@teabreakbeats]

@@waltecno1 Sorry for late reply - I could not find a work around - PISTOLWHIPTICHIES is correct, the ARP is sending MIDI and being controlled by the PADS only.

[@DavidDeLuge]

This looks to be a great bit of kit but I have a Deluge and so I really don't think this brings anything that I can't already do, apart from the random sound generator.

[@teabreakbeats]

The Deluge looks amazing, probably more powerful than the MC-101 overall and it was on my shortlist while considering what to get. However I got the MC-101 mainly for the portable form factor and battery operation as I was travelling a lot (when travelling was a thing!). Also, now that I've used the separate 4 stereo outputs over USB - I love the flexibility that gives me to polish things up over my other gear with only Stereo outputs.

[@DavidDeLuge]

@@teabreakbeats remember, the Deluge is also battery powered and it lasts around six hours 👍🏼👍🏼😜

[@teabreakbeats]

@@DavidDeLuge True! although I went for the super small box as I originally was flying with an MPC Live, and it was killing me (every time I went through airport security I was called back for them to do additional checks on it!) - maybe one day in the future I'll pick up a deluge!

[@franciscoramoncleriguesrov7187]

Thank you, i have firmware 1.0 and i can go to versión 1.60 ?? Withn out others versións : 20,30 50 ?? Sorry i’m not speak inglés.( is a problem for my) i delete some projects and songs for mistake, for not having manual in español.

[@teabreakbeats]

Hola! - you can go straight to v1.60! Enjoy the MC-101

[@worf500]

nice vid! more plz

[@teabreakbeats]

Thanks! Will make more!

[@davidh1156]

Amazing stuff! I don’t know why the mc101 gets so much neglect from the Roland team in terms of demos.

[@teabreakbeats]

Agreed, maybe they want us all to buy their flagship stuff! - but I'll do my best to demo. I'm happy that they try and keep the features the same between 707 and 101 with all the updates.Thanks for watching.

[@Fuzzstatic]

Doing a factory reset doesn't delete any of your projects does it?

[@teabreakbeats]

Hello - thanks for watching. It did not delete any of my projects, but always back up first to be safe!!!

[@Fuzzstatic]

@@teabreakbeats thanks for the reply! Keep up the great videos!!

[@tasose]

Can I do this from iPad? Thanks

[@tfstart3968]

Does anyone know whether or not the bug where when you save a project it saves it randomly. That is it does not save projects alphabetically or numerically it just puts them anywhere. So when you’re ready to Load a projects it’s hard to find the project that you saved because it didn’t save it alphabetically or numerically and of course this is a problem if you have 50 or 100 projects not organized in any particular order

[@teabreakbeats]

Just checked my unit and it's all alphabetical...hope it gets fixed, seems annoying

[@anakamhi7097]

I did it on my Mac air and it said no new update 😱, I did everything u said and followed the manual. Do I need a pc instead or something???!!!!

[@teabreakbeats]

Hi Ana, thanks for watching. I used a mac too. I didn't show in the video, but maybe you need to unzip the firmware file first and move the file called "MC101_UPA_up.bin" the correct file ends with .bin and not .zip?

[@anakamhi7097]

@@teabreakbeats yessss! That’s exactly what happened. I used the zip instead of the bin 🙈 thank you for your fast response! I really find your channel and comments on other channels critical 🤗

[@teabreakbeats]

@@anakamhi7097 No worries! Glad to help. Enjoy the new features of the update and feel free to share your creations!

[@anakamhi7097]

@@teabreakbeats ❤️

[@anakamhi7097]

Will do. I spent all of yesterday trying to install the drivers into my Mac OS high Sierra laptop so it recognizes it for use w a daw and was unsuccessful. I did all the steps and my old laptop won’t recognize my little circuit killer 😢. So I am eyeing the new Mac mini. It’s about time anyway. Btw idea for a new episode: could you teach the different ways of creating melodies or bass lines in mc101? I have seen a few channels on this and they aren’t very clear on it. Your videos are the easiest to understand. Just an idea 🙏🏼 from a total newb.

[@EmilioNorrmann]

Hi ! can I control this module via an external midi keyboard ?

[@teabreakbeats]

Hi Emilio - yes you can control it via external midi keyboard!

[@waltecno1]

But the arpeggiator function will not work with a Midi keyboard...

[@Solidsoundfx]

Yes plz

[@teabreakbeats]

Thanks for watching - will make more!

[@alexhodge3636]

Does anybody know why pressing the note button once on a tone track makes the pads green then pressing it again makes it back to yellow? Does this affect anything? lol

[@teabreakbeats]

Hi Alex, green = chord mode! Thanks for watching

[@alexhodge3636]

@@teabreakbeats Makes sense! I can hear the difference now haha, thank you :)

[@teabreakbeats]

@@alexhodge3636 no worries! You can edit the chord that each pad plays to hear more of a difference!

[@DavidBagshaw]

Good video, but I came for details on the new Scatter features...

[@teabreakbeats]

Thanks; sorry, the video was getting a bit long. I'll add it to the to-do list! However, the new feature: It's basically like my subtle scatter video (you can assign scatter to impact only one track) but instead of only one option which applies for all of the scatter pads - you can now set it to be different for each pad (e.g. Pad 1 scatter is placed on the whole mixout, Pad 2 scatter is placed only on track 1, Pad 3 scatter is placed only on track 4 etc..)

[@DavidBagshaw]

@@teabreakbeats Thanks for this - there's a lot to learn in the first few days, this helps!

[@ILGpify]

Nice update! But I expected more from Arp... if i used a keyboard controller the Arp don't get there.

[@toine2121]

I was hoping for that too

[@teabreakbeats]

That sucks! If I find a work around I'll let you know! Thanks for watching

[@ACABSTUDIOS]

@@teabreakbeats I don't believe midi works like that. Arpeggiations are midi, so you don't use external midi to control it, but you can use the arp to control the sounds of an external keyboard if you run midi in the other direction

[@teabreakbeats]

@@ACABSTUDIOS Yea I agree with you - I was just hoping it worked a bit like a midi insert VST in a DAW - i.e. if we send a note via midi to the MC-101 it would be before the ARP (but linked in the same as hitting a pad on the MC-101) that would then trigger the ARP on the MC-101. It looks like the ARP is not linked to the MIDI-IN port, but instead only triggered by the Pads.

[@valley_robot]

Just ordered mine , I have much better gear , but this is just too cute and portable , looking forward to hitting its limitations and working round them

[@teabreakbeats]

Exactly - I use mine mainly when travelling or out of the house and not have to worry too much about it...whereas I was super paranoid about my MPC Live getting wet when next to the pool on holiday! Hope you enjoy it!

[@valley_robot]

@@teabreakbeats got it today having fun making 4 track drones with samples drenched in effects

[@teabreakbeats]

@@valley_robot amazing - if you make any songs, I'll check them out! Glad you are having fun with it!

[@x8cookiemonster8x]

Sik one

[@diegod369]

Hi, I have a quick question. I updated to 1.82 and somehow my MC is showing 1.80 instead of the new one. Is that normal? TIA