Roland MC - 707 // Long term review

Almost 2 years and 50 projects later, I felt it was time to share my thoughts on the Roland MC-707 and how I have been using (enjoying) it.
This is not a 'full review', but a video about what I think makes the 707 a nice machine to work with and what type of setup I have been using it in.
The jam you see me perform on the MC-707 (plus some friends) was recorded playing live into Reason with the idea of serving as the background video for this review.
It is NOT a spoken review, I might want to try that someday, but for now I prefer typing.
Support me :
If you like this kind of content and want to support me even more (apart from watching this stuff), you can buy me a coffee to make me work harder in the mornings 😁 via www.buymeacoffee.com/montfrooij
Thanks on forehand!
Gear used :
- Roland MC-707 (drum machine, synth, sequencer, FX pedal, sample player)
- Moog Subsequent 37 (lead)
- Moog Minitaur (arp)
- Novation Peak (keys)
- Source Audio Collider (reverb + delay)
- Behringer XR18
Index :
00:00 Intro
00:21 Disclaimer
00:37 General thoughts
00:54 What I like
04:21 What I like less
07:16 Conclusion
07:56 Alternatives
Tags :
#review #mc707 #dawless

[@leoncm100]

What a great review, loved the format.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man. Appreciate it. It's a bit of work, but comments like this make it worth it :)

[@taosophymusic]

Always refreshing to hear users do something fresh with gear. Most of the demos on this unit are 300bpm barely altered built-in preset projects. This is a nice chill refreshing a-typical track. KUDOS!!!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man! Appreciate it!!

[@ronenshmueli]

Wonderful video. Love your approach that you have to have it feeling like a musical instrument. Maybe that’s why Roland always wins for me. I feel they come from an instrumentalists approach all the time 👏 all the best my man, keep doing what u do.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot! Yes, I think that is key for me when jamming. I want to play as I feel instead of click and create. Both can get you there, but for jamming I like this approach a lot :)

[@strykermoonfall2220]

I like this style of review alot. Thank you, this helps in my buying decision.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks. Good to hear. Hook me up if you have further questions!

[@krazywabbit]

Feels like an update is coming to the MC series after the TR updates. If you have the 707 and are frustrated, put it on the shelf and see if Roland does what I think will happen. Nice review and jam.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man! Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised with the fact they issued the TR update. That does give some hope they might fix some things and maybe add a few more. But I’m not frustrated TBH. I do feel the 707 can be improved, but it is a lovely jamming beast.

[@thesesmallboxes]

Great track and excellent summary! I love my 707 but am still plumbing its depths!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks. Yes, I totally get it. Some parts are quite deep (like the sound editing). But for the most part it has grown on me like during the 50 projects I made with it.

[@paulhellings]

Love the jam, great sounds and super dynamic 🙌

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thank you Paul!

[@rootofgreatness.]

Hello guys. I would like to know that as you were making that jam was the 707 recording it live as you manipulate the knobs? That can be really cool. By recording live I mean to say that your work you do with the faders came be saved as a music file, wav or mp3.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yes you can record these things and save them as MP3!

[@njm8443]

Excellent music and helpful info on the 707. Thanks!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thank you 🙏🏻

[@chuckvicious]

Really enjoyed the music. That's basically the style and way I use the mc707, more as a sequencer and composer for my synth orchestra.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! Yeah, I feel that is where it shines the most :)

[@IMakeBeats]

@@tricks-and-tips i wanted to thank you 🙏🏾 for stopping by my channel today! Appreciate the comments as well. We creators have to stick together 👍🏾 i have most of the gear u mentioned- mpc key 61, mpc one, Octatrack, Maschine +, SP404 mk2, MV-1, polyend Tracker & Play. The one I’m most comfortable with is the mpc one- but the one thats starting to feel like home is the MC 707. This feeling started with the MV-1 its get it done workflow- some of the feature i felt it lacks, the MC 707 answered. So keep rocking out 🎧 would love to see you create a whole project form start to finish. 😂🎉🥳🎭 Just subscribed, let’s continue to support each other’s efforts 👊🏾

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@IMakeBeats thanks! Yeah, we should connect and work together more often as creators. I’ll try and see what I can come up with about how I make my projects. I did a video some time ago about how I jam, more on the ‘musical’ side of town.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@IMakeBeats kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2KlaWmVqKd5mpo

[@kenb7540]

Great review. Very helpful and clear 👍🙏

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! This thing seems to be made for me. 😎

[@PaulJohnLeonard]

great review and love the music. i am new to the mc 707 and what you have produced is very inspiring.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks Paul! If you have specific questions, just hook me up. I don't know everything, but I know how I like to use the 707 :)

[@PaulJohnLeonard]

@@tricks-and-tips Cool thanks.

[@mh22xv]

Great tune and review 😊

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks Magnus!

[@e-conrecords4665]

Really nice to hear someone doing something different with the 707.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot! I think I found the best way I can make use of the 707 :)

[@CiabaMusic]

I really liked the jam video/thoughts on the machine. It's really a different approach from the usual chatty videos, and as this format it's not much useful for a typical review, it suits really well to sharing thoughts about the machine your using to make actual music meanwhile. And that's a really cool sounding jam as well! I've got my 707 recently and I'm using it as a pure sound module, sequencing it from a dedicated midi sequencer, and so far I find it to be a great tool. I like that you can cover a really wide range of sounds, from bread and butter synth stuff, to acoustic instruments, through all the classic Roland drums. And with the samples you can set up a dedicated track (or half a drum one) with just one shot effects/vocals/textures or filler stuff of any kind. This box and a proper synth for deep sound design/experimenting, like the mighty Peak there in the background, and you can do almost everything in the electronic music realm. Keep up the good stuff!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot. I wanted to do a 'talking' video first, but I'm not ready for that yet (takes a lot of practice to get that right). But I might try that too someday. I decided to move from that idea to this 'jam + written text' and I'm glad it worked out like it did. Yeah, the 707 has earned its way into my setup and I think it suits my brain just right (or maybe I have warped my brain around it) It's by no means 'perfect' but more than 'good enough' and a lot of fun to work with. So with that in mind, I feel it will be here for quite some time. Thank you, I will!

[@nickcerniglia8234]

Nice. Thanks for reviewing. Cool song too

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thank you! It’s become a good friend of mine

[@combrogos]

Thanks for the informative video and the great music too

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thank you!

[@cafetechne]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts friend!

[@tricks-and-tips]

No problem :) Thanks for the reply!

[@drKrollspell]

Love this ambient track 😀 Great !! Thanks!!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man! Really appreciate it! I always have difficulties creating something ambient (usually it turns out way more energetic) :)

[@smartti1970]

lovely music ... listened to it 100 times

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a 100 times!

[@lamusicasevaaacabar2266]

Excelente recopliación sobre la 707 y un track muy bueno y evocador, Gracias!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Muchas gracias

[@davidmears6940]

Latest update you can record pitchbend from a midi keyboard with the motion record on

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yes, although it does not send the mod wheel messages to an external synth while playing. So you don’t hear what you do until after you record this. Which makes it not very usable. I do hope I’m missing something here.

[@isaacanthonydj4124]

Great video! I highly recommend connecting your iPhone or iPad to the MC, it gives you SO many more options. You can, for instance, add wavetable synth FM synth or virtual Eurorack, controlled via midi from MC, dedicated to a channel or the master mix...

[@isaacanthonydj4124]

i only wish that Roland makes an Auv3 or VST for MC some day....

[@isaacanthonydj4124]

I plug a TD-3 into my MC and then i plug my MC and TR into my Octatrack and that plugs into my iPhone. everything i need, fits in a carry-on bag!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@isaacanthonydj4124 Nice man. I think there is quite a few ways to use the MC. It's quite versatile and can go many ways!

[@sparky3690]

How do you connect your iPhone to it ?

[@ludekkolenaty2209]

Great video! Your music reminds of Tangerine Dream at their best. But they had a whole room packed with devices and you managed to be as good as them with 707 only. My admiration!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! Someone mentioned them before, I think I should check them out!

[@TheRealKingMidas]

Just add an SP404 MK2 for sampling. Together amazing. I prefer the MV-1 for sequencing and vocal performance. Has better fx too. MV is underrated.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! I'm not sure if I want to go that route. For my needs, it seems the 707 has enough sample capacity. I think the MV is great, especially at the current pricepoint. For me the 707 makes more sense with the dedicated knobs per tracks, but if I would get a different sequencer, the MV or 101 are likely to replace it.

[@KingzofSwing]

MV-1 sounds great

[@GrootsieTheDog]

Once I started using in my set up as a sound module (using the auto channel function), that’s when it came alive for me. Having 8 synths in one to improvise with on the fly is incredible. I prefer more performance oriented sequencers and could never connect with the 707 when using it as the brain for my setup/external synths. I sometimes use the sequencer on a track a two for creating an ambient drone or looped backdrop. It’s great for that as well.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah indeed. Although I can live with the sequencer part too (doing structured jams mostly) It really gives me a lot of fun and inspiration

[@GrootsieTheDog]

@@tricks-and-tips Oh ya for sure. The sequencer is very capable. I use it more for specialized duties - like one would use a DAW in a hardware set up - mainly as a sonic backdrop. For example long ambient textured loops for atmosphere. Thatt usually only takes up a track or two. I prefer the novation Tracks as my main performance sequencrr/hub - I use one of the four novation tracks for controlling all eight (at any given time via autotrack function). Very versatile setup.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@GrootsieTheDog Nice! How do you sync those? I had some midi delays when using the MPC sequencer and the MC 707 sequencer together (seemed like both wanted to be the master)

[@GrootsieTheDog]

@@tricks-and-tips that might have been an MPC issue because I have no clock issues. The only issue I encountered was trying to get the auto channel to work without triggering double voices when using a keyboard in the setup. Because of the 707 midi configuration, the only solution was to place my arteria keyboard after the Novation Tracks - Which was an easy solution...but only after the fact - Before I made that simple switch I tried everything! Lol But It really was a paradigm shift in my set up when I thought of the 707 as 8 more synths at my fingertips during a live performance and or improvisation. In my humble opinion I just think the Tracks is ingeniously designed sequencer - it’s so easy and quick on the fly to create patterns, to change them, to randomize them - it’s a sequencer that was designed to be performed Vs the 707, which is a performance instrument more so after all the notes are added to the sequencer.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, maybe the combination of both did not work well. I returned the MPC, so I never fully investigated it. Now I do regret returning it, but that's another story. Yeah, that is where the 707 shines the most. Although I can make something quickly with the 707's sequencer too. As long as it does not get 'in the way' of capturing my inspiration, I'm good.

[@beesting6135]

Love that 707 man

[@tricks-and-tips]

Me too!

[@thestinkyweasel6297]

Sweet jam! I feel the same about mine, though I have less experience with it.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man! I’m ‘just’ at project 50 myself. And I promised to make at least 50 before considering replacing it.

[@JeroenHega]

Excellent video and music

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks J!

[@Recloh]

Great tune!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot

[@MatusFinchus]

I found the 707 surprisingly easy / intuitive to get to grips with. Along with its cousin, the TR-8S. I wouldn't have minded a little more consistency between the two, but otherwise, both superb machines.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, it (707) is quite easy once you understand it’s basics😎

[@3-6-9-6-3]

I would also like a larger display. In my setup I love using the sampling feature. I run a JD-Xi line in allowing me to use the vocoder and great sounds to create some fun loops. I use my Juno DS88 as my main. Between working and fatherhood time to practice is at a premium, but I am making more time and will post soon.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, time is a valuable thing! I’d like to see that in action, I’ll subscribe to stay connected 😎

[@Slowlyburnedelectronics]

Very informative video. I am considering to buy a MC 707 for the same reasons . I was wondering if it is possible to load user samples pcm kind of to each of the 4 partials for a sample based 90s style pads, textures etc

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! I have never done this myself, but you can load (I believe) 1 sample as PCM per partial. I'm not 100% sure if that is what you mean, but

[@dracul74]

Great points. I think if you are only using it as a groovebox you are really selling it short. I’ve used it from my DAW as a sound source (like having a ton of great plugins) and the opposite too… turn it into portable synth with a little midi keyboard to jam with ppl. Also great as a groovebox of course. I have other great gear, but can’t imagine selling my mc 707.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man. Yeah, it can do much more!

[@aikighost]

In my studio the mc707 an MPC live and my modular rack sat next to each other for some time, eventually the MPC live "won" and the mc707 sits back in its box now.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Oh yes, I can see why the MPC can win. It is far more powerful than the 707 :) It's just for me that I feel the 707 is more 'hands on' for my jams and I prefer the layout more. But, I do regret 'having' to send it back (before the return period ended) since I feel I could have become good friends with the MPC too. Who knows. There are some recent rumors about an updated MPC one coming sometime soon. If that has more ram and rom, I might be tempted :)

[@ababababeebababa]

Awesome video and great music! I have a Roland DR-880 drum machine with built in bass and guitar effects. I'm wondering if it would make sense in any way with a 707, or if its redundant. I've been looking at the mc-101, but the 707 had more tracks, better display and better I/O it seems.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man. Well, that depends on what you want to do with it of course. I don't know the 880 very well, but from what I remember it was very quick and intuitive and very good for quickly creating a drum track to play along with your (bass) guitar. The 707 is (in my opinion) something you can perform / jam music on and that can 'also' be used to connect your gear to and jam along with some beat. In many ways the 101 offers the same 'internals' (great sound) but it lacks the I/O and the 707 can be your center piece, where the 101 will lack in that department. So it comes down to what you want to do with it :)

[@getuliosilenzio]

44 Maravilhoso equipamento ... Que belo som , wow !! Parabéns pelo excelente trabalho ! Desejo vasta saúde ! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[@tricks-and-tips]

Muito obrigado

[@IMakeBeats]

Im curious, is the mc 707 class compliant like the mpc’s meaning can it be connected to a usb mixer and route sound out to individual channels on the mixer??? Let me know! Nice video 👊🏾

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks 🙏🏻, only to a PC / Mac if you want multitracks.

[@DawlessHouseMusic]

Love mine.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah indeed. Same here!

[@gorogne]

The track is awesome! 👍🏿😎👍🏿

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! Really appreciate it! Sometimes it just comes together :)

[@gorogne]

@@tricks-and-tips Is it possible to buy the track as an mp3?

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@gorogne No problem at all.

[@maximumgainn4447]

The 1.8 firmware has made it even better.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yes it has. Although I still have not found a way to send my mod wheel information to an external synth while using the mod wheel (recording). (the 707 does seem to be able to record this, but it won't send it through while recording.....)

[@williamwallace6508]

great review i agree its a very good machine. a q . im assigning filters to the 3 effects knobs but finding almost 0 audible effects when applying the filters|! any idea why?

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! There is one filter per track and it has a big effect on most patches. But it is linked to the first knob by default, so you don't have to assign it yourself. So I'm not 100% sure if I understand your question. If you can, share a video with what you are doing and link it in your answer.

[@justjoeblow420]

I've so far found the 707 fairly easy to start to get to grips with since I got it a little under a week ago.The 707 also made me realize I'm faster with hardware sequencers than I am in either one of the two DAWs I have around (Reaper and Bitiwg). Still heavily exploring the machine but so far it helps make up for the huge mistep that was me buying a MS-20 Mini a couple of years ago when I was trying to get back into making music and wanted to go with some hardware. It's not that I didn't like the MS-20 Mini it was just a very bad buy to use along side a DAW and I ended up selling it because of that. Now I do have a few things I'd like to see some kind of improvement with the 707, for one thing I've got about 50 or so of the Zen Core sound packs and would like to see a way to import the sound packs into it's preset banks. As it is I've had to figure out what is where with my Zen Core sound packs some times.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yes, I totally agree. The 707 is quite easy when you surrender to its way of working. And it is not perfect, but I like 95% of what it does for me! Still feel this is my best option right now

[@BurstupTV]

Good review, but I disagree about two things you wrote: (1) I think sample chopping is not so bad on the MC-707. Using a drum track you can even automatically put the chops on all the pads. I've had samplers that are MUCH more complicated than the MC-707. (2) Yes, 707 sound design can be a hassle on the machine, BUT: it's easy and comfortable when you do it in the editor on PC or Mac. Other than that, I agree with your review. I also own a Syntakt and two Electribes, but the MC-707 is my favourite groovebox.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! I have had a bit of experience chopping samples on the MPC Live 2 and that worked better for me (with the bigger screen). But with the last 707 update it did get better for sure! What editor are you using then? TMBK there is no real time editor available, but I could be wrong.

[@BurstupTV]

Roland's Zenology software is for making MC-707 patches on the computer. @@tricks-and-tips

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@BurstupTVis that the one you need a subscription for?

[@BurstupTV]

@@tricks-and-tipsyou can buy a lifetime license, and it's worth every penny. Zenology is a fantastic synth plugin + patch designer for hardware such as the MC-707, Juno X etc.

[@mickydizzal1]

Good job dude 😊 Do you think I could replace my akai mpc ? I rarely sample just use it as my daw / live performance

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thank you. I bought the MPC Live 2 to see if it could add something to my setup, but I returned it because it had a lot of overlap with the 707 and for what I use it for (live jamming) the 707 is more capable. For producing music, I would go for the MPC without hesitation. But I have my DAW for that. Where the 707 adds the most value (for me) is live jamming. Performing. I just finished another jam and man, it's so much fun, I can't see any other box replacing it anytime soon. So it depends on your need. If you want to produce full tracks : not in a long way, the MPC is much better. If you want to perform / jam : YES, the 707 was made for that!

[@mickydizzal1]

@@tricks-and-tips settled - il have both lol 😝

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@mickydizzal1Nice 😊

[@instantnoodle80]

Great video!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! It was apparently just before the new 1.8 update 😂

[@instantnoodle80]

@@tricks-and-tips sods law innit

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@instantnoodle80 Yeah indeed. Now they have added a bit of midi implementation, but (as far as I have tested) it is still not finished. I hope I'm wrong, since it is not really usable this way. (don't get me wrong, I love that they have made an update, but they just did not fix my main thing yet :) )

[@instantnoodle80]

@@tricks-and-tips like you said updates are encouraging but I feel ya. Im not really a groovebox guy but stumbled across and it was worthwhile. cheers

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@instantnoodle80 Check and thanks. What do you use as a brain then? Hardware sequencer?

[@rayderrich]

I would really like to add some classic Roland sounds to my setup and could do it with Roland Cloud but adding more VST's does not help me as I want to own instruments that I can touch as well as VST's. Would you say the MC-707 (or even 101) is good as a multitimbral player as well or are there better options for adding Roland sounds and some knobs to control them live?

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, if it was just for the sounds, I think the 101 is the best option to get that sound. Or even the new SH 4-D, although the 101 is quite a bargain, especially on the used market. If you also need a sequencer, I would get the 707 instead. The 101 is a less capable overall sequencer. But if I ever get a different sequencer, I will probably get the 101 and sell the 707 :)

[@rayderrich]

@@tricks-and-tips This helps, thank you. I think the used market in the Netherlands is overpriced, often people ask close to new prices, and then when I sell something they bid 50% off lol.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@rayderrich Yeah, I noticed that too. Looks like many think they can resell their 'almost new' stuff for 90-95% of the retail price. But after some time, I usually try to negotiate a more realistic price. PS, I notice our purple big retailer has one B stock with a missing SD card (which is rubbish anyway). With 5% extra discount (code : OTG22C) you get 'the best of both worlds' (discount + option to return and full warranty) and a good deal for € 377,- if you ask me. (I'm not trying to sell anything 😄, just looked on Marktplaats and noticed they had one)

[@rayderrich]

@@tricks-and-tips Super nice of you to try and help out.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@rayderrich hence the channel name 😁

[@TheAtheistworld]

Brother, i want a synth (software or hardware) with a Random Sound/pad/noise generator that can generate sounds of various complexity which can be later tweaked/edited and used to play my music. . Is it possible?? Any suggestions?? Gracies!❤

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yes!

[@GrootsieTheDog]

It just might be me but is the ring mod structure pretty weak in mc707? I can’t seem to really get much out of it. There is no ratio parameter...I just end up waisting my time getting interesting ring sounds out of the zen core ringmod structure option.

[@tricks-and-tips]

I'm not sure about that, so far I have mostly been using / tweaking patches instead of making them myself on the 707. I have started to do more sounddesign on my Peak and Subsequent, but they are physical synths with a lot of knobs, which does make life easy in that regard. The only synth that has ring mod in my setup is the Peak, but I have not gotten good sounds out of that option yet. So I'm not sure how I would have to use it. So I really can't comment on that yet. However, I find the Zen core to be really deep and also intimidating to say the least. So I will keep that for a later moment, when I have a much better understanding of what I can and want to do.

[@djkanyon]

Always liked Roland synths but their grooveboxes basically sounds like stock VSTs to me. All the sounds are too lightweight to my ear. I've switched to Electribes and finally got the sound i wanted. But Electribe is much bigger pain with the menu diving! 707 is so much better in this regard, and oh man... faders is awesome. Korg really annoyed me with their "one encoder fits all" approach. I wish somebody would combine two devices in one. Great video, bro, sub from me!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks 🙏🏻 Yeah, nothing is perfect. And Korg makes great instruments for sure! Although I like the 707 sound, especially the additional soundpacks. But with 4 external synths, I have more than enough sound options to choose from.

[@tricks-and-tips]

If you listen to this jam, there are 2 tracks using the internal soundengine (one pad sound and the bell sound). I really like those. Near the end, you hear them almost solo. (just as an example of what I like in the 707 soundengine) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIfHm3qLj52eiNU

[@djkanyon]

@@tricks-and-tipsi forgot about additional soundpacks, actually, another point to Roland!

[@djkanyon]

@@tricks-and-tips Nice jam bro, pad bell were good enough!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@djkanyon They really opened up the 707 for me which much more complex sounds.

[@heavysystemsinc.]

Most of those positives and negatives go for the MC101. I had an MC707 I kept for a couple of months to see if it could replace the RS7K for ultimate jam and composition tool, but it's limitations, despite having superior effects and sounds, got too much in the way. Limits to lengths of patterns was the biggest one for me. Where the RS7K can have 256 bars in a pattern (just one pattern!) and still has the ability to stack patterns of different lengths into it's own 'scenes' called styles (but also has 'scenes' which memorizes all knob positions and settings and volumes and mutes, etc. instead of what clips are playing), it's still more flexible and feels far less limiting for just writing music on the fly. So I traded in the 707 for the 101 so I can still have the sound engine. Due to circumstances of moving and limited space these days, I have become a LOT more intimate with the 101 due to it's size and my gosh, if it's not one of the most fun little boxes to play with that has some of the biggest sounds around. I feel like it's still missing features (basic oscillator settings, can't change type of filter, etc.) but overall, it's a battery powered beast of a machine on it's own and makes for a terrific outboard sound module for something more capable sequence-wise like the RS7K. Anyway, nice write up. I didn't agree with all points made, but certainly a lot of them.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man. Appreciate the insight. We are all (somewhat) different and that's probably a good thing :) I never dove into the RS7K myself (probably hard to find these days) but just know I happen to like the MC-707 workflow a lot. Having said that, it was probably also a matter of forcing myself to spend the time with the machine than anything else. Yes, it has limitations and I'm not defending them (like some will). I would love to have 512 steps per clip for longer lead lines and stuff and a better browser and 'good' midi implementation. Or much more rows of clips. Just to name a few :) But so far I feel I can make what I want for the most part with the 707 and friends and have a ton of fun in the process.

[@heavysystemsinc.]

@@tricks-and-tips Gear of any kind like this is always a love-hate relationship. Just as long as you love it more than you hate it, you'll stick with it and learn it like it's an instrument even if it's not designed like one. :) To each, their personal musical hot rod!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@heavysystemsinc. yeah exactly. And have a lot of fun in the process 😃

[@heavysystemsinc.]

@@tricks-and-tips Whoot! They unlocked the zencore stuff on the 101! (partially, but enough where a lot more sonic possibilities are open without having to use a 707 or the PC software. Also, they finally support recording sustain pedal and pitch bend...why it took this long I have no idea, but better late than never. I'm having a blast exploring all the sounds!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@heavysystemsinc. Yeah indeed. Great update :) One thing I have not figured out yet is how to send the (for example) mod wheel to my external synth WHILE PLAYING on the external keyboard. It does record this information now, but only seems to send it during playback (not during recording) which makes it almost useless, since you don't hear what you are affecting as you are recording it.

[@aorakis5795]

Hi there, nice little and different review! Thanks! Quick questions :) -would you recommand this as a first groovebox for a complete beginner? (or should I go on a novation circuits tracks instead?) -for almost the same price, would you recommand this over the Mc 101 and why? Except the portability, is the 101 making any better than the 707? -is it easy to record a session (tracks) as a .Wav file? (is it like plug-in a stereo cable into the 707 and get to the computer line in and then record the sessions in audacity?) (won't it get noisy that way..?) -is it an obligation to edit / mix the final projet into a daw to complete a track? (as a complete newbies I'm not really good at computer and sound ingeneering...) (like not good at all!) (like never done that...) so is it possible and fun to produce non professional tracks just using the 707 device? Hope you ll read me. Take care and thanks for the review Cheers

[@tricks-and-tips]

Hi, big thanks! And I will try to answer your questions. First the 'small' questions and finally the big question about my recommendation: -would you recommand this as a first groovebox for a complete beginner? (or should I go on a novation circuits tracks instead?) 1. They are not really comparable. The 101 is more similar to the Tracks. The 707 is much more a brain of your small to medium sized setup and a complete groovebox, where the tracks / 101 are more like sketchpads. You can make something nice on those too, but the 707 is much more capable with 8 tracks, more knobs, more inputs etc. etc. -for almost the same price, would you recommand this over the Mc 101 and why? Except the portability, is the 101 making any better than the 707? 2. 707 always for me. Since it is the brain of my setup. The 101 can't be that. It is a nice sketchpad with great sounds. But that is how I look at it (I'm exaggarating a little to make things more clear). -is it easy to record a session (tracks) as a .Wav file? (is it like plug-in a stereo cable into the 707 and get to the computer line in and then record the sessions in audacity?) (won't it get noisy that way..?) 3. You don't have to do it like that. The 707 is an audio interface (it works both ways, to PC and from PC) and can send all 8 tracks separately to your DAW (or the master) via USB. (Audacity only takes stereo audio I think, but that works as well) This is (IMHO) one of the features that set it apart from other brands. But if you want, yes, you can also record the audio via a separate interface without noise (although the USB interface will give better quality) -is it an obligation to edit / mix the final projet into a daw to complete a track? (as a complete newbies I'm not really good at computer and sound ingeneering...) (like not good at all!) (like never done that...) so is it possible and fun to produce non professional tracks just using the 707 device? 4. The 707 has a lot of tools to make a final mix. There is track EQ, track FX, master EQ, master FX, master Compression etc. So yes, you can create a good sounding track on the 707 without anything else. I like to do some mixing in the DAW, but that is because I have more control over the process that way. It is not 'needed' to work with a DAW. And for the big question : do I recommend this thing? First of all, any box you will buy will be complex at first. You will have to put in the time to master any box. After all, the groovebox won't make music. You do that! I don't know how much you know about making music, since that is the foundation of being able to make music (makes sense right?) The more experience you have with making beats, tracks etc., the more you can focus on learning the box itself. And to be honest, any modern groovebox will 'get you there' if you have some musical feeling and a good amount of time to learn the groovebox. There is no 'perfect' groovebox, but for me the 707 ticks the most boxes (pun intended). It can do a lot of everything without getting as complex as an MPC. You can make full tracks on this thing and its biggsest strengths are (for me) the nice sounds, hands on control and the audio interface. So yes, I would recommend the 707, if you know how to make music in general and have time to learn a new way of making music. (these last 2 count for every groovebox of course) I hope I answered your questions, let me know if you have more!

[@aorakis5795]

@@tricks-and-tips thank you so much! To rebound on your answers (If I may bother you a bit more) :) -as musical knowledge. I'm not a musician, I just made a bit of dj'ing back in the days for few years. So.. The only experience I've on that aspect is... I guess the hear...and my taste for electronic music... So don't be afraid to be honest and tell me if getting the 707 seems a bad ideas for a newbie on any theorical music aspect? (I won't take it badly of course :) ) -about the recording method. The easier the better for me :D .Basically the 707 is not capable of recording a session just in one file right? Coz for me that would be somehow enough, at first. Just having one file saved in a audio.file ready to be listened to my smartphone for my own pleasure. I'm Asking coz I'm (especially at first) pretty sure I'm not really the guy into harsh editing those several files, on a computer. -you said the 707 is more of a central brain for you. So, I was wondering if having the circuit tracks in complement of the 707 ( or the opposite if I want to jam on the tracks while having the synth from the 707) would be a nice update ? (While it would also be a funny portative device to take with me while I'm night shifting at my job) -are those two pairing well or is there any better synth solution (I thought the learning curve of the tracks would be easier tho) (asking coz I can also have it on 2nd hands) -or any good cheap 1st setup update coming to your mind instead? (I'm not in a hurry and prefer to 1st learn the 707 box but as I can have the circuit on 2nd hand I was wondering if it would be a good choice with the 707) (for extra synth, and the fun portative box to create sound while not at home, to get inspired and maybe use with the 707) And I think that's it for now. Thanks again, a whole lot!!! Much appreciate Cheers

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@aorakis5795 Yeah, no problem. Glad to share some of my experience. 1. Well, it is not about the 707, circuit or any box. You have to see yourself making music on that. Having a sense of rhythm and melody (what works and what does not work) helps. You can check out my latest 2 videos about how I jam on my 707. The first one shoes exactly how that goes with me. Hammering on the pad, entering in notes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2KlaWmVqKd5mpo Try to envision yourself being those hands and doing what I do. Most grooveboxes will be something similar, where you start with nothing. 2. With the 707, you connect the device to your PC. Then it becomes an audio interface. You fire up Audacity, select the 707 master outputs as a source and start recording. It does not make a wav file itself, but this is as easy as you can have it (no need to move files etc. etc) 3. I never considered myself these smaller (4 tracks) grooveboxes myself, since I wanted something that I could make a full track on. And the smaller the device (usually) the harder to operate them. No screen, tiny knobs, less knobs etc. etc. So I traded portability for a bit more usability and functionality. I though about taking a device with me, but don't feel that is something I would do very often. Apart from when I'm with my band. I always use the 707 in that scenario (taking it with me). But if you want super portable : yeah, there are better options than the 707. Buying 2 grooveboxes would not be my path. In general : having more gear means more connection to make them work togehter. I'd rather get a groovebox and a synth, they work well together. Syncing 2 grooveboxes with their own sequencers is a pain in the.... (only Elektron really nails that part) with the midi clocks that have to be exactly in time 4. You 'can' use the 707 as a multi timbral synth. But the Ciruits are limited in the amount of tracks they can sequence, so it would work, but only for a couple of sounds. I would always recommend getting one second hand. (any of them). That is how I buy my gear anyway. If the price is right of course. I got my 707 for € 650,- second hand. (At that time, they were € 800,-) 5. I would take it one by one. Learning one device, making at least 50! projects before you decide if it works (that is what I did at least) to adapt your brain to the new workflow. You might find gaps after some time that you want to fill and fill that with other gear. No problem. But only if you really know you have these gaps. Make sure you don't fool yourself into believing any instrument comes shipped with talent and experience. If you can't make music on a 707 (or any other groovebox). Most likely it is a matter of the person behind the knobs and not the box. They have their own workflows and I can't tell which one works best for you. You can't tell that right now either. That is what you have to find out :) If you have more questions, let me know :)

[@aorakis5795]

@@tricks-and-tips @tricks-and-tips Hello, once again, thank you very much! About the learning curves you got it right, I might just take the 707 with me at my work as well. (15min from home, not a huge deal) The part I like the most for me, as having deejing back in the days, is that the 707 is looking more of a mixer table.. Knobs, effects and meters. The looks is at first, (at least for me), making me more confortable eyes wise speaking (coz I'm sure the novation is probably easier to jump into) I can have a 707 (still under warranty until 2024) for 550€ (that's why I'm asking so much around to know if it worth my money) -speaking of djing, can the 707 be a midi contrôler for Traktor 2 pro for exemple? Can I "map" the knobs and pots as midi into Traktor? (I guess not.. but would be a fantastic second use for me !) -about making song, well, I think I can see if it doesn't sound good (at least i hope :D) but it is sure it will take a learning curves and time to get used to the device and to making stuff and actually "play" some music (I do a bit of guitar but I'm such a crap at it) (long story about why I'm afraid of playing more on it..) but as I said I have a real connection to electronic music so yeah, I'm aware it will take work, patience, work, work and time! Coz yes, I'm not a musician, at all! -thanks for the explanation around recording. So if I get it well, with USB, I don't even especially need any stereo cable to get a jam session to be recorded on some audacity or the likes?) (the software will detect the USB out and everything will be played out from there?) -about expanding I believe you got it right yes. I guess a synth would be a nice 1st addition once I get used to, and feel stuck on, the 707. -another important question, I've read about the roland soundbank (nor software)(can't recall the name) and some sort of monthly subscribing? What is it? Is that an obligation to get one? Coz it would be a huge "no" for me. Is there a way to get more sound and samples into the box without it? Thanks a lot once again

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@aorakis5795 No problem! Yeah, I got a simple pedal bag from Thomann. Fits like a glove. I take the 707 with me every week. I think the 707 is more easy with the dedicated track columns, step buttons and pads. Everything has 'a' function. (sometimes 2) where with the circuit all buttons have various functions, depending on what you do. You can get used to that too of course, but the 707 was (for me at least) very eays to learn. Wow, that is a great deal. You if it is in good condition, that is a superb deal! You can map the rotary encoders and pads, but (unfortunately for this use) not the sliders. So you can use a lot of the 707 as a midi controller. And I do this a lot for controlling my synths. But not the sliders. Yeah, exactly. You just have to start jamming I guess. And that is where I like the 707 the most. Just make a 4x4 beat on one track, move to the next and add a bass line. Exactly, just USB cable is enough! You won't feel limited by the 707 very quickly, if you use it for what it was intended for. The only thing that is limiting for me is the voice count. If you have a lot going on on all 8 tracks, you can run into its limitations on the amount of 'voices' it can produce at once. It depends on the sounds and how much you play at once, but that is the main limitation for me. So I added 3 synths that I sequence from my 707 and they all go into the 707 (it has 4 inputs) and I can use the 707 as my mixer! You don't need that subscription. It is possible to buy sounds from the Zen cloud. (soundpacks). Also you can get a subscription to get the Zen core editor and design your own sounds there, but that is mainly useful if you want to use these sounds in your DAW. (that is my opinion). I have not gotten a subscription, but I did get some soundpacks some months ago when they were on a big discount. You don't need those to begin with. The 707 has tons of sounds. And you can make your own if you feel like it (on the 707). To wrap it up, I think you can make music on any modern groovebox. For me the 707 fits my brain and situation very well, so I'm happy with that. But I could probably be happy with any modern groovebox. I have just spent a lot of time learning it and it became second nature. I do believe the 707 is the best choice for jamming out and having fun, making something that is 'track worthy' if you feel like that. It has limitations, but the 'right' ones for me.

[@HordurSmariJohannesson]

groovy tunes

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a lot!

[@skyshifter5796]

Is this only the MC-707 we hear or do you use it to control other gear in this beautiful piece of music? Perhaps I missed this in the video.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! I did not mention it in this video, but I did gave away some hints by moving to my synths in the background and turning knobs there. What you are hearing is : 1. Drum track 707 2. Moog Minitaur 3. Moog Subsequent 37 4. Novation Peak 5 - 8 Roland MC-707 tonal tracks. Everything but the Peak and drums is fed through the Source Audio Collider for reverb + delay Everything is sequenced by the 707 and multitracked into Reason for mixing, compression and EQ via the Behringer XR18 I don't do much '707 only' projects, since I love adding my synths, but I have done those too.

[@skyshifter5796]

@@tricks-and-tips Thanks for your clear explanation. You did give some hints indeed. :)

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@skyshifter5796 :) I really enjoy this setup and love jamming on it. The 707 is the brain of it all and fits my 'needs' perfectly. It's by no means perfect, but it has what I need right now.

[@johnnygoodyear270]

Really good. Was a bit taken aback initially with the text-only approach but it worked really, really well and allowed me to properly take in/consider what you were 'saying'. Well done. Just need to figure out how to connect this 707 (which I've done little with so far) with the Maschine Mk3 that's sitting on my desk and I suspect the time will fly :) Thank you.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man. Really appreciate it! I myself was a bit skeptical if this amount of written text would work for a video, but I think it was ok indeed. When I get my hands on a good dynamic mic, I might try spoken stuff too one day, but I'm glad this worked out the way it did! Yeah, the M3 is a midi controller, so you want to connect that via the (PC) software? I'm not 100% sure how that would work (707 as master is possible)

[@dmian4546]

One question : can i connect an external synth and recording a loop onto the 707? Excelent review!

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks! Yes you can.

[@dmian4546]

My intention is mainly using it as a looper. i've recently bought the boss rc 505 Loopstation but didn't like it at all. i'm looking for something like ableton's clips recording in a device. do you think the 707 can help me to create music using mainly loops? thank you

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@dmian4546 I would not suggest the 707 as a looper solution. It 'can' do loops, but only very very very very limited. Just 60 seconds of total loop time if I recall correctly. So what I do, is record my loops and convert them into drum tracks via a wav export. Not something for real time stuff. There are loopers out there (like the 505) that were made for this. But I do have to ask, why use loops? Why not use midi clips to sequence your synth(s)? It is much more flexible and easy that way. I use the 707 like that all the time. 'loop' my synths via midi (and the internal 707 synth as well) Or do you only have 1 synth and need to use that for multiple tracks?

[@dmian4546]

thank you fot answering! i think im not expresing myself clearly. The only way i feel comfortable doing music is by recording short melodies or drums that play over and over and i can overdub over it. thats what i call a loop actually. i think you showed in the video that its the way you create too. i just wanted to know if its easy to record a phrase ( a drum phrase, external or internal synth) and make it play over and over. the limitation to sixty seconds is not a problem for me. thank you very much for your time!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@dmian4546 yes, that works perfectly. Just the midi notes works perfectly.

[@alekseypetrov8655]

🔥🌌🚀👍

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks 🙏🏻

[@mango4two101]

Thanks for the review, I like the format. I'm about to send my MC-707 back. The way the fx work is just plain stupid, especially the reverb due to only being present on the master. There is no way to filter the reverb. Also the fact you can't exclude tracks from going through the master multi fx is a deal breaker for me. Stretching is near to impossible. I had fun playing with it but it's just to limited and I got too many times frustrated. I don't want to spend too much time on workarounds for what easily could be solved with a software update. I really liked the faders though. But with all those knobs not being able to chain fx was really disappointing.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks mate. Yeah, it has limitations for sure. And that won't be working for everybody. Based on what you're saying, I think the Force might be better suited for you. From what I have seen, it can do what you are describing and the layout is still oriented to live music making instead of 'producing step by step' (MPC). When I started with the 707 I was quite frustrated with how it worked. It did not fit my needs and I thought I wanted more. But since I could not return it (2nd hand), I decided to give it a proper go and make at least 50 projects with it before trying to sell it. I was fighting the machine instead of trying to work with it. So I had to let go of my expectations and take it step by step. (letting the 707 dictate how I was going to work instead of trying to do what I always did in the DAW) And then I found a workflow that was so much more fun than the DAW. I did not mind the limitations and the things that frustrated at first were what I started to like more. The main shift was that I was not producing 'tracks' but instead I got inspiration to make 'jams'. And I multitracked them to the DAW, where I could do some mixing and mastering. This is how I have been using the 707 for 3 years now and has been an absolute joy for 95% of the time :) How I like to use the 707 is as a part of a bigger setup, so I am ok with these limitations. I only use the 707 reverb and MFX for the drums. Tonal tracks are sent out of the second stereo pair in my setup. This bypasses the 707 reverb and MFX and I can give the tonal stuff reverb from my reverb pedal (which my other synths get too) and which is longer than the drum reverb (707). And the one thing I have to keep telling myself is this : it's not the box that makes the music. Nor all the options you think you need or are used to having. The brain behind it is what does it. So find ways to get inspired so you will want to keep coming back and dive deeper instead of focusing on what you think you are missing. We are humans, we are made to adapt to new situations. We can do this. As we have done for 10000s of years. Have a great day!

[@mango4two101]

@@tricks-and-tips Thank you for your extensive response. I agree with you on every point and I could see it being useful as a centrepiece in a bigger setup. But since I travel a lot the everything in a box approach was what was appealing to me. I have been looking into the Akai Force and I might go for it. I'm going on a trip for 6 months to Asia and I need that perfect companion. For now I am keeping my Maschine. Besides the workflow it's better at every aspect of beat making for me. I returned the MC-707 today. Have a great day as well!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@mango4two101 Yeah, no problem man. There are a lot of good choices out there. Maybe the Deluge (with the screen) is nice for traveling too as that is more portable than the Force. But yeah, the Maschine (plus?) is great too. I think you can't really go wrong here. It's minor differences between them all and all have good and bad things going for them. I'm wishing you a lovely trip with many good memories!

[@mango4two101]

@@tricks-and-tips It's with the Maschine Mk3, combined with the Maschine Jam and an Akai Midimix that I can almost copy the work flow of the MC-707 with (which I love), with way less limitations, but it's just too much to take all of that on my trip. The Akai is a bit big and heavy and the Deluge is just not appealing to me. I've never worked with Ableton but I'm seriously considering the Push 3. My trip is in 6 months so I still have got some time to find the best solution. Thanks for your sharing your experiences, it's much appreciated. Have a great Sunday!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@mango4two101yeah, push 3 is looking good. But expensive.

[@seanvincent5]

I ❤ this song, please tell me the name and where I can get it. Thank you.

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks a ton. I made it for the review :)

[@jayhill7587]

Really enjoyed the video and the song! I use the 707 to make Hip-Hop beats and I totally feel your gripes about sampling. The looper is useful for immediate capture, but its auto slicer and time stretch are just bad lol. The time stretch can work in a beat if you use its sound with intent like Conductor Williams, but I digress. Hopefully this new update's lazy-chop-adjacent feature makes the workflow that much easier cuz it's what I've been waiting for for years. Otherwise, the 707 is a really fun instrument when you really take the time to understand it. You can make just about anything you want on it if you have the patience and it can sound great out of the box! I like my kicks extra punchy and the per-sample EQ is a godsend. I love this weird lil alien box and plan to get more familiar with the scene chaining so I can bring it onstage to play full tracks along with my SPD-SX. The SPD is way older but has much more fun sampling abilities and works great in tandem with the 707 btw

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man! Yeah, sampling is not its strength. But it is there. Did you see the new update? It seems to address a lot of minor issues. (nothing major new, but I'm fine with that)

[@tricks-and-tips]

Ok, they have added something with slices in 1.8. So at least there is development :)

[@SmallWorldBigThings]

MC-707 is a beast machine! I love my MC-101 but I decided to buy Deluge as a centerpiece of my setup - mostly because of good MIDI implementation, not limited number of tracks and not limited length of tracks. However sound engine in Deluge is much worse than Zen Core in MC-707 so definitely I will keep my MC-101 (great companion to Deluge - both can work on batteries). BTW: there are ways to export tracks from Deluge to computer ;) Good video 👍

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, all have their pros en cons for sure and we are blessed with all these great options! Thanks!

[@DominicJacksonFilm]

I actually thought the sound engine in the deluge sounded better

[@SmallWorldBigThings]

@@DominicJacksonFilm Not even close to Zen Core in MC-707/MC-101... but it has it's advantages.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@DominicJacksonFilm I feel the 707 sounds a bit better, but that is personal and based on 'no' real life Deluge experience. So it might not do the Deluge justice and TBH, the Deluge is much more than just its sound engine (just like the 707 is more than that for me)😃

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@SmallWorldBigThings Thanks. I'll make sure to either keep the 707 or get a 101 once I decide it is time to move to a new 'brain' of my setup :)

[@andreassonnenschein1250]

Great Song. It is more that, what I like to play on a 707. The most Videos of the 707 are tekkno of Club beats, that isn't mine... I think about to buy IT since Sone years... But I get a machine mk3 and Lost in confusion how To handle that 😂... Now I think the same will be with the 707,because I am more a Keyboard Player than a pad Player... But I like to have an Instrument that didnt need a Computer and sounds great...

[@tricks-and-tips]

Thanks man. I mainly use my midi controller (with regular keys) to play the 707. But for this review, I wanted to play the pads instead. Usually I only use the pads for drums (which is where they shine for me). And on stage, when I'm doing simple bass lines, the pads are ok. I fold the pads to a specific key and scale, so I get 2 octaves and then I'm a happy camper because this thing is super small and can deliver quite good basses. (usually I'm doing either sub bass patches or arps on stage) And regarding learning this thing, I feel all these grooveboxes have a big learning curve and if you 'fight against it', by trying to let them do things 'your' way, you will be having a hard time. I almost got rid of the 707 when I wanted it to do what I thought it should do. It was very frustrating. But after a couple of nights sleep, I decided to give it one more go, this time the other way around and let the 707 tell me how to make music on it. Starting small with simple loops and only one thing at a time (technique). My 2 main 'issues' adapting to the groovebox (coming from a DAW) were to let go of the long progressions and focus on the shorter (8 bars is still relatively long for a groovebox btw) and instead creating catchy shorter progressions that work well in a loop. I never did that, so that was a technique that I had troubles with, but it's the only way that works for me on a groovebox. And the next thing is that I had to focus on the quality of the few things that were playing, where I was used to 'just add one more layer' in the DAW, hiding the boring parts in a bunch of overlapping layers. Where I have only 8 tracks on the 707, I had to be careful what to do with them. So what ended up working very well for me is to let go of the idea of 'producing' and instead use it for jamming. But I'm not making short jams with just one loop. They are longer sessions (5-10 minutes) with various sections. Pre planned, but all created while jamming. And this is where I feel the 707 works best. You can use it like it's your private band where you are constantly switching roles while creating your jam and the other 'players' keep playing what you just punched in. I'm over 4 years into this yourney now and still discover new things often. Almost at project 100 and I think these are my best pieces of advice with any (complex) piece of gear: - Don't force your way on the groovebox when you get frustrated, but adapt and try new ways of making music 'with' it (instead of fighting it). - Keep it simple at first. One bar, one instrument, one type of sound generation etc. etc. It's so easy to get lost otherwise - Keep it fun and light. Don't try to produce a masterpiece. These boxes are instruments and meant to be played. And that is where the fun is for me. And when something is fun, you will be motivated to come back and get more experience, which will lead to more fun and better results and the loop to the top is born. It's usually not the gear, but the brain behind the knobs that is the 'hurdle'.

[@andreassonnenschein1250]

@@tricks-and-tips Thanks for this detailed answer. It definitely shows me one thing: that it's really important to you that you really deal with the 707 and don't turn away too quickly in frustration. I hope I get a used one in the next few days and then I'll take your tips to heart and take it slowly. It's true: you want to produce something decent right away and then you quickly get frustrated.

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@andreassonnenschein1250 No problem man. Love to share experiences here. We all learn from eachother! And very true, not just for the 707, but all complex gear that you buy :) If you get lost, let me know!

[@ACCOUNTANTB]

Its actually the most complete Roland hardware leting you have all those Rolands legacy sounds in just one unit. It has zencore library and the other one is system 8 synth

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, love it!

[@williamwallace6508]

Ive assigned cutoff and resonance to mod and fx knobs. Neither have much effect. Odd actually.

[@tricks-and-tips]

I’d like to see that to know what is going on. If you want , you can share the project file so I can check 😊

[@DominicJacksonFilm]

Funny I found this a good device in most ways but very menu divey and I really didn't like the much lauded sound engine. Just had no meat hard to get a punchy bass sound for dubstep or drum and bass ... Now I have a combination of other devices that amount to what this does. Still as you say it is like a Swiss army knife very versatile and can do many things cutting down on the amount of gear one needs

[@tricks-and-tips]

Yeah, it all depends on the way you use it. When I started, I did not like the menu system, but now I don't mind anymore. It happens I 90% of the time don't need to go there. I know the shortcuts to the items that I use often and the only time I need the menu is when I want to change sounds. But that is not very often, as it is not a sound designer tool for sure. So I use other synths to go crazy in the sound design part. It's always a tradeoff for sure, but for me this one fits my current situation very well. Not perfect, but well suited for my brain + situation right now. I think the (paid) soundpacks do the sound engine more justice than the onboard sounds, so I was fortunate to get a lot of those for little money when they were on sale. That really opened up the 707. But I have to be honest here, I 75% of the time start with one of my synths and use them all until I am done with those and feel there is room for more. So it is seldomly 'just' the 707 :)

[@tigerdrum4645]

Tr8s ? Any advice ?

[@tricks-and-tips]

I thought about adding a drum machine for some time, but so far the 707 has proven to be enough for me personally (for drums). I'll probably get 'a' drum machine one day, maybe the Tr8s, maybe the Syntakt, but there is other gear that gets priority first for me.

[@tigerdrum4645]

@tricks-and-tips thanks for your reply . So, as a looper, do I need tr8s or the 707 can do the job ? I'm sorry if I disturbed you with my questions, but I need to buy one machine to use it with my synthesiser . Thank you .

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@tigerdrum4645you mean an audio looper? Or a sequencer that controls your synth and plays drums and melodies?

[@tigerdrum4645]

@tricks-and-tips I'm a looper, I'm using the mininova for melody and I want either tr8s or mc707, I compose and do live performance

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@tigerdrum4645 I make my sequences on the 707 and let them loop. But that’s not like an audio loop. Its midi data that controls synths and drums (samples) The 707 is a very capable groovebox that does a lot more than the tr8s. But the tr8s makes its own drum sounds and is different in that it can’t sequence synths. So it’s 2 different machines really. With a tiny overlap of course, because both can play drum sequences

[@thelibrarian3734]

Can you adjust the attack and decay on drum sounds in real time?

[@tricks-and-tips]

If you want to use this for performance : you can map attack and decay to the 3 knobs. I mainly use this for decay (to make snappy drum sounds during breakdowns) Note that this will affect all drum samples on that track, but that is also how I like it.

[@felipefs106]

I loved the mc 707, but the sequencer feels a bit clunky to me, and the sampler it's almost useless... only for one shots / drum kits. The zen core engine sounds fantastic tho

[@tricks-and-tips]

It def. does not feel like a sampler indeed. (Apart from one shots) I’m ok with the sequencer myself, what alternative do you use for sequencing?

[@tricks-and-tips]

It def. does not feel like a sampler indeed. (Apart from one shots) I’m ok with the sequencer myself, what alternative do you use for sequencing?

[@felipefs106]

@@tricks-and-tips I’ve paired with the mpc one for a while, good combo, but then moved to the Digitakt, and now kindof between Ableton and HW stuff(Sold the 707 because I had to move to another country, now I’ve got the sh 4d)

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@felipefs106 I think the MPC is not as good as the 707 for performing (what I do the most on my setup) so I disregarded that one after trying. It’s a great box but I prefer the 707 with the knobs per track and faders. The elektron boxes are too limited for me. I would need more than one at least to get what the 707 offers. I know they are deeper, but I prefer having an all in one box right now. It is tempting to try one out, but they I realize I can’t replace the 707 with it and I let go of that thought. I really feel Roland got the right amount of flexibility, functionality and sound for a centerpiece of your setup. No other box comes close right now.

[@felipefs106]

@@tricks-and-tips Agree, the mpc one is terrible for performances, everything has to be accessed via a menu or navigating with the touch screen. Elektron boxes are limited but they're good at what they do, that's how I kinda replaced the 707's sampler

[@BassamAbusamra]

I am happy with my 707 and don't think I will consider replacing it but it's frustrating how Roland stopped putting out more updates when the device still has way more to go, it can be much better in the sounds library management and also the sequencer can be improved, why not make it the best it can be is something I don't get, Companies are selling hardware sequencers only with no sound engine and ppl are happy to buy them, why not put out powerful sequencing capabilities and make the machine amazing choice for studio brain and performance instrument at the same time, the device design is the best and the price is very good.

[@tricks-and-tips]

I'm not sure if they stopped (look at the recent TR update that went out) But I agree there is stuff that can be improved and make the 707 even better. Still I feel the 707 is my best option right now and I'm not planning to get rid of it (even though I have thought about it more than once TBH)

[@BassamAbusamra]

@@tricks-and-tips May 2021 was the 1.7 update for mc line, all the other lines have been getting updates!

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@BassamAbusamra We’ll have to wait (as always), but I’m still hoping 😎

[@tricks-and-tips]

@@BassamAbusamra look. We have an update 😎 I swear I did not know about it, so this morning was a pleasant surprise

[@BassamAbusamra]

@@tricks-and-tips It was a nice surprise indeed :)))