Roland Verselab MV-1 - How To Make Your First Beat

Roland Verselab MV-1 tutorial on how to make your first beat. This is the first installment to a continuous series. This drum sampler, sequencer, & portable studio is packed with great features. The best feature's are those 3000+ stock sounds & built-in effects! Let me know if you want more videos on this unit in the comments.
get it here (affiliate link)
www.zzounds.com/item--ROLMV1/...
my review
• Roland Verselab MV-1! ...
0:00 intro
0:59 getting started
2:44 sound selection & browser
4:12 configuring pad velocity
5:05 setting up your bars (measures)
6:36 setting up tempo, metronome, count-in, etc
7:56 recording live, clearing notes & step editing
12:43 note repeating bka style mode (drums)
13:50 melodic scale locking & chord mode
16:16 mixing tracks & track muting
17:33 switching sounds
18:44 changing octaves
19:33 laying out basslines
20:38 adding arpeggios
22:27 adding & changing effects
23:10 changing track properties
24:06 how to save your beat
social media links
djavemcree.net/contact [Contact me here for fastest response!]
/ djavemcree
/ dj-ave-mcree
/ avemcree
#Roland #Verselab #tutorial

[@AveMcree]

Relax guys! I'll have a tutorial on how to sample with this next lol

[@lalo346]

I wonder if you could delete the notes from a track by just keeping the clear button pressed while rec playing (?). I did find out it works that way into my jd-xi

[@fredicagoillanoise1309]

That was my question. Also can you record mutes like on other Roland grooveboxes like the MC 909?

[@lalo346]

confirmed myself

[@petercastle4381]

Ave happy belated by birthday greetings. Please can you make a pop song tutorial on the MV-1, Peter from Roland Verselab - Users Independent Group, Facebook.

[@joshuapembleton8592]

Roland needs to make this the official user guide. No BS.

[@FlatWHDF]

Facts .

[@eternalvernal1286]

And you don't talk in a rush, you speak normal which is what this machine needs for a tutorial. All the other tutorials have it in their mind that you need to speak as fast as possible...why? This is the perfect pace. Thx again.

[@Pizzarules]

Seriously I’m watching this with my verselab in my lap and along with Loopop’s tutorial - this is so so so insanely helpful and clear! There are so many confusing tutorials! You are an artist in music and in breaking down complex concepts into simple, understandable processes! I dunno if it’s a KZbin thing or a scene thing or what, but there’s no end to the KZbin music bro-splaining videos out there - so so refreshing to have found your channel, you’re a talented teacher! And you make good beats!

[@MrAliasdd]

Thank you, thank you so much. Now I can finally understand how to use my Verselab. Great easy to understand video. Right to the point!!!!

[@bisonabisonadiaspora614]

Your video helped me to create my first track with this machine. Thank you.

[@simonc8265]

cheers for putting this up... you really broke it down for me. Loving your work.

[@dmanh5144]

Very nice show-and-tell, you do well at just showing the operation of the features without too much explanation. Really helpful for me, I just bought one and this video helps smooth the learning curve.

[@tobiaslofi]

Thanks! I'm glad I can change the Kick Snar HH track to instruments when needed!

[@tomblaze2]

Comprehensive guide my man. I’ll be studying this video daily until my Verselab MV-1 arrives.

[@allieboy181]

Mpc better

[@marriebandz5769]

@@allieboy181 maschine 🙈

[@Execusiner1000]

For a traveling DAW It beats both machine and mpc.

[@allieboy181]

@@Execusiner1000 nah mpc one the best. Goes in any backpack

[@magnuseriksson8081]

@@allieboy181 What about Vocals??

[@KirklandWilliamsWorkout3000]

Good Job 👏🏿 ! This is the best of both worlds for me Roland/ MPC ... I always wanted an mpc but didn’t feel like learning a new instrument but this has all of the Roland shift functions that I understand coming from the Tr8s and mc101! Thanks for the Tutorial 🔥

[@magnuseriksson8081]

It would be great if it was easy to transfer a track from 101 to verslab

[@FlatWHDF]

Love this piece of equipment

[@terrordome426]

Aye thanks so much my dude! Big Roland fan here, got the unit yesterday and saw ur vid. Thanks so much 🙏 for all the tips, rlly helped me out! Bless you

[@HurveyJones]

This video is off the chart!! I know I'm a little late to the game, but my MV is arriving tomorrow, and I already saved this video because it's the best! Good job man!!!

[@SHLDMusic]

One of the best vid on the MV1! 👍

[@Jesoteric]

Thank you so much, very informative, just got a verselab the other day and this helped tremendously, first time using a hardware groovebox

[@eternalvernal1286]

Good job man. I'm on week 1 of my verse lab and I check out a tutorial or to each day and after 12 minutes in I've learned a few new things that the others didn't explain. For example how you can double up a bass drum or a snare in a single sequential measure. Very helpful. Thx.

[@MoeShinola1]

Great tutorial! My MV just came in the mail yesterday.

[@wolfgangwollschlager7643]

Thanks for the wonderful instructions. I did it.

[@ZETONEproductions]

Best tutorial for beginners!!! Smokin thx 🙏

[@QFthaCre8or]

Great tutorial! Very helpful for me as a person, after years away from music, trying to get their creative juices flowing again. This is perfect!

[@Pizzarules]

Great tutorial thank you!!

[@mickhell1]

Thanks for getting me started on this machine ,your videos are easy to follow thanks for uploading them

[@MartinSc76]

Men, I can‘t thank you enough for putting all the work into these tutorials. I got the MV-1 and the Oxygen after I was convinced by your chilly presentation…Now I appreciate seeing the first steps here after trying putndifferent channels which did not really get to the point. Thank you so much! All the best! ❤️🍀✌🏻👍🏻👏🏻

[@MatthewEnglat]

Wow, thank you very much! Awesome tutorial! Thanks!!!

[@MrSemi009]

Thanks for the info, you broke it down nicely

[@Teddyrobinson]

awesome tutorial!! Really helped me understand the machine

[@anthonytalley55]

Thanks for the walk thru

[@iblamesummers]

Great overview. Thank you.

[@petercastle4381]

Thanks for another video, I have posted your video with source in my Roland Verselab - Users Independent Group on Facebook.

[@dracul74]

Great stuff. You always do great vids. I finally decided do give this product a go. No illusions it is perfect, but might fit my workflow nicely… hopefully:)

[@88keyz]

This is nice I finally bought my first standalone music product I have learned over the years when watching and learning new work flows weather it be a daw or standalone once you understand the different features and how to get shortcuts or just understanding it all its actually easy to get your own work flow down pack I use to think the mpc was difficult to use its not just have to get use to the product especially when I have been using a daw for so long 👍🏾 so this product I think is grate also for a standalone product 😊👍🏾😊

[@88keyz]

Also DJ Ave is very helpful with his grate content with his KZbin channel videos very helpful with the learning curve thanks much appreciated bro 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🔥🔥🔥 keep doing you 🙏🏾

[@stilltrippin6100]

great tutorial ... ✌🏾Ave

[@DavidDeLuge]

Very useful video. I have one on order 😁

[@JasonHader]

I'm so interested in this!

[@jeremyclark8005]

Thanks man much appreciated .

[@simonc8265]

ok apologies for the second (and last) consecutive comment....just wanted to say I had the versalab for a week and your vids rock.... def the best out of all of em...and most fun. its really grown on me. Maschine does a whole lot more...but versalab is more fun....Rolands nintendo switch to NI's PS5. But youre so right about the sounds being one of the best things...they definitely elevate it and put a big sticker on the front saying 'use me'. cyberpunk 2077 OST anyone?

[@sinwithsebastian]

yes - just got mine .. would love to see more tutorials

[@sinwithsebastian]

how do you load a Kit from the Expansions ...and are expansions sound added to the preset category folders? If not how can I sort them by Instrument? Like all my Bass sounds from All expansions?

[@AveMcree]

I answered that question in the video

[@ronaldlundbohm815]

Thank You very informative I'm waiting for mine. The technologies have made it a bit simpler.

[@sykromsmile6303]

Great video

[@stevedotwood]

Very useful and easy to follow, thanks. All new to me. I come from the analog world (multitrack)

[@alexshdvideo]

Thank you for posting. Thinking of diving into the groovebox/daw in a box hardware to get away from working computer... not sure... this might do it. Though I’m interested in the MC 707 as well. Buy better than I need and not outgrow in the 1-5 year period. What do you think?

[@romi2910001]

Awesome vid thank you. I have one question let's say I set the measures to 128 and I stop recording up to let's say 90 measures. Will it go up to 128 or will it loop were I left off? Can you explain if there's such a setting or not.. Thanks in advance

[@bbailey0625]

Good lookin Ave, When u do the sampling tutorial vid, make sure u show us that timestretch also..I pray its bettr than the Sp404??!!!

[@Musical.Maze.1]

Can you record 1/8th & 1/16th triplets in STEP mode? Thanks for the video.

[@DalontaeDavis]

Thank You

[@cresshead]

Nice video , thanks for diving in and doing the wakthru

[@thekariosghost6935]

Could I take an 4 channel audio interface. Route all the inputs to the stereo out which would go Line Into the verselab. Can I LIVELOOP?

[@Imetalman2000]

It’s called the “verse” lab. How do I put down verses on this machine. Laying down verses would be the #1 reason I would buy this, since none of my other gear has ways to recoded and sequence vocals. I hope we can get a video that can go over the work flow of laying down bars.

[@MidniteNation5]

Did you not read the heading? Lol

[@ripskip160]

Does the Zenbeats integration mirror what's going on in the Verselab or it's just USB generic class compliant?

[@AveMcree]

Zenbeat integrated in February

[@digitaldiezel5870]

@Ave Mcree Can you compare the SP 404 MK2 to the MV1?

[@timmiller5975]

Thanks! For the video there is one question I had that no other reviewers talk about how does it work with the iPad softerware and can you import samples via computer or card and build a kit...

[@AveMcree]

I'm doing a sampling video next. You can import, export, record, & chops samples.. You can plugin up your MV-1 to your computer for fast storage too. ZenBeats support is coming in February though

[@porterogden6065]

need that sampling and time stretch video man

[@QFthaCre8or]

I tried to change my kit but it only let's me change the pad. Is there a setting I'm missing?

[@iluxalv]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🚀

[@cdavilany13]

How does this stack up against the MPC live

[@keenanwalker-mr2co]

Could you make a video on how you can make a podcast from the verse lab..

[@Digiphex]

I like the human workflow idea of this machine. For Roland this concept is a VAST improvement. I used to be offended when Roland made the JX-3P and then sold you the rest of it in an editing box. But they are still doing it here. Really the TR-8S, MC-707 and this should all be in one box, with a modern touch screen. This is a beginner toy, which is fine. We all recognize it as such. But adding this workflow idea to a professional machine will be awesome. The question is, why not get Ave Mcree in at the design stage so this can happen??

[@thegreatsiberianitch]

How's it a beginner toy? And "we all see that", lol... Who is "we"? I don't want a new MPC cause my whole purpose of getting off DAWs is to get away from screens. Something like an MPC One looks cool, but to me it boarders on being just another laptop set up.

[@Talentocubano]

Can you import midi files and audio loops? Great tutorial.

[@MarianoPerez]

How do you make a note ring out for something like 10 steps?

[@edasoundgod871]

Change the whole drumkit by pressing edit then drum kit. Then use the data knob to cycle through the different kits

[@darkleks2922]

Спс за помощь бро! Это мой первый пульт, учусь с нуля .

[@ericwells7209]

Great job on this Ave, as I just pick this up, I have the MPC X but wanted to try this out and you make it seem so easy and fun to use, if you have more videos as they have updated it bring them on👏🏿👏🏿🫵🏿

[@SonicScholar]

What I wanna know is can this machine sample? If it can and it’s intuitive then it’s gonna be a hit! Boom bap + Rap verses + Mastering all in one box 📦

[@magnuseriksson8081]

You can but how easy it is I am not sure.

[@pongtrometer]

Great overview, definitely making me reconsider this unit, as Roland units are alien to me 😅…

[@georgenada6413]

Great video! Those pads look annoyingly bright. What do you think, Ave? I prefer MPC style more subdued ones.

[@alz121372]

Do you have a video on interface

[@FlatWHDF]

Had yhis for 2 days and its my favorite piece. Im selling my maschine+

[@magnuseriksson8081]

What about vocals and that you can only use one track for vocals? If you want to add a song with 3 different vocals I guess you need to move it all into a DAW?

[@aliasghar907]

how much more than tr8 u think this worth bro? i let the guy have the adaptor when i let him have the tr8 cuz i felt bad

[@alexandrosroussos]

I like the workflow, they nailed it this time. Happy that Roland listened and improved on this. I see you mentioned a tip to mute tracks quickly, is there a similar quick way to solo tracks ?

[@AveMcree]

From what I've experienced I'm not sure

[@alexandrosroussos]

@@AveMcree Thanks. I guess a firmware update can address it. I understand the unit provides separate tracks through USB class compliant audio interface as well as stem export of each track ? If yes this totally makes the absence of separate outputs virtually a non issue. Very impressive unit. Let's see if NI can step-up the game with some vocal tools for example.

[@cresshead]

@@alexandrosroussos i think non roland driver you get L & R, but with the roland driver you get multi track audio over usb.

[@alexandrosroussos]

@@cresshead quite bad news. I’m pretty sure my MC-101 is capable of sending the audio tracks as separate even in class compliant mode. Why wouldn’t the VL-1 do that ? Of course you can accomplish that by soloing and capturing each track but that will require to do it 8 times.

[@cresshead]

@@alexandrosroussos i don't have the latest zencore based products but previous roland products required required a free roland driver to be installed for multi track audio over usb. note most korg products don't even support audio over usb at all. it's not a big deal just download and install.

[@producer21207]

Great video.Can the MV sequence external midi gear?If not I guess the Instrument track can record keyboard audio along the sequence?

[@gsxdsm]

Yes

[@AveMcree]

yes it can sequence external gear but it's not good for recording that gear into a sequence yet.

[@gsxdsm]

@@AveMcree Why's that? Can't you sample into a Looper track or just Sample in general then drop that sample into a Tone/Drum/Looper - or even Drop the sample into your Vocal Take?

[@AveMcree]

@@gsxdsm you can sample into the looper but its not as streamline as the competition. However, sampling drum breaks and step editing is incredible. Keep in mind, I have all drum machines. So, I have higher expectations than others.

[@AveMcree]

@@gsxdsm either way, you'll see it's true potential when I jungle/DnB it. Possibly breakcore

[@alecsbuga]

Hey man I know that this has slicing based on threshold and not manual. Just like the 707. I had the MC 101 and I used to duplicate pads and adjust endpoints when I wanted to chop a vocal. I know when I did that it referenced the same sample so editing one pad affected the others. I needed to re import the sample on each pad. Which was tedious. When you do the sampling video can you check this workflow please?

[@AveMcree]

that basically the same method of sampling on the SP404SX.. However, that process is worse on the Verselab for some reason. The looper is impressive. Especially for Jungle & DnB.

[@alecsbuga]

@@AveMcree I duplicate pads and edit on Maschine+ also. It's quicker sometimes. But yeah. I remember on the MC 101 was crap. Also slicing a vocal sample on the MV without manual control can be weird. I'm waiting for mine to arrive. let's hope for the best

[@shogunz5038]

I’m trying to figure out how to turn off the MULTIFX for some instruments, I want that Wah on my bass not my beat 😭

[@cresshead]

I think the Verselab mv-1 would be a great companion for my MPC one, adding 7 tracks of Zen core sounds and that vocal processer too with autopitch and hamonies with that mic in.

[@michaeljones3125]

Bro how do you make a eight bar 16 bar because you might have a longer baseline and to be able to change it together to make a song

[@AveMcree]

I talked about setting up the measures at least twice in this video. Even did a bassline with a longer measure in the demostration.

[@michaeljones3125]

@@AveMcree thank you 🙏 I will be receiving my M1 at the end of feb just want to dig into it the way I would no my Motif XF . Thanks for the head up bro keep the tutorials coming Peace love and happiness and God bless thank you

[@prockjetx6584]

Neat! Q: when you played bells in chord mode pressing a single pad, what gets recorded? A single pad note or a resulting chord? Same for ARP, does it records source pads, so you can change style or final arp sequence gets recorded? Does the sequencer 16pads get highlighted when you do notes/chords with instruments tracks?

[@allieboy181]

Obviously chords hence “chord mode”

[@GoDaddy562]

I must've have done something wrong because when I turned the machine back on, the best was all off sounding, like the timing was all over the place, and nothing like it sounded when I saved it.

[@mikenagol69]

Can you layer two drum sounds on one pad?

[@mikenagol69]

I get the feeling that this isn’t as versatile or powerful as the MC-707... Thoughts?

[@itsrelativ3967]

Export to midi function???

[@CapRockout]

Thoughts on this versus the MC-707?

[@magnuseriksson8081]

Got the same question

[@thegreatsiberianitch]

I think what everyone should be asking is NOT why Roland won't give you a screen... But why Akai hasn't given you a mic input.... 💥😳

[@fleadoggreen9062]

Can I plug a guitar into it?

[@EverettVinzant]

With a name like Traptendo (I’ve never seen ANY of your other videos), are you opposed to Chip Tunes. What’s your take on the Deton8 by twisted-electrons? If you’ve covered this, my humble apologies, feel free to point out the bone head in your comments section. Also, have you seen/heard the Gotharmans SpazeDrum. I just got one. ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING! I have nothing to do with its manufacture/production/sale, I just thought you might want to check it out.

[@simon_esse896]

Can we adjust the sounds. For example Strings and Piano with A D S R? Attack or Release? Sustain or Decay?

[@AveMcree]

yes, briefly displayed at 22:45 it's called tone editing

[@locutz]

Ave looks fed up DO IT FOR THE CULTURE BRO lol

[@viejorojo99]

The very first thing you did, change the entire kit instead of one pad at a time, that's what I needed! Except, it doesn't work at all when I follow you exactly! What the heck???!!!

[@mclovin72]

Do a video with roland zenbeats. It's free and it's supposed to have integration. a DAW is a modern necessity, even more pronounced since the screen is so small. Also the zencore plugin is supposed to be good.

[@AveMcree]

I'll cover that when it get's released publicly

[@trevormalcolm4328]

Sampling video, NOW!

[@Madmohawkfilms]

I’m considering dumping my MC-101 for this, more tracks and only $200 more. Was kinda bummed that Akai didn’t announce MPC Studio 3.0 at Virtual NAMM

[@magnuseriksson8081]

Feel the same. Why did I buy 101. The only reason would be it’s something you really can bring with all the time and sit at a cafe and create beats but how to move that across to the verslab if you would like to?

[@Madmohawkfilms]

@@magnuseriksson8081 I dumped the 101 and now trying to grab an MV-1 tho who knows where I’ll go next

[@magnuseriksson8081]

@@Madmohawkfilms The 101 is a bit too technical don't you think? Does not really stimulate creative people, more for tehcnial nerds?

[@magnuseriksson8081]

@@Madmohawkfilms This guy is very good and supportive though and he has 101, 707 and verslab kzbin.info/door/zS8rmxHlz71gXekwDqa-Ew

[@Madmohawkfilms]

@@magnuseriksson8081 I only used as a Sound Module so really can’t say. Worked well as a Sound Module. The update to 1.7 added some things folks that use as a Groovebox as intended some relief I imagine . Still thinking of grabbing a Roland MC-707 or MV-1 Verselab.

[@88keyz]

👍🏾

[@JGW-im3nf]

Does this have a lot synth sounds onboard ?

[@AveMcree]

Over 3000

[@Madmohawkfilms]

3600ish just like the MC101/707 tho hear might actually have some those DON’T have

[@PRODUCEDBYLILDOUG]

@@Madmohawkfilms Yeah, the MV-1 has 2 extra banks over the 101 & 707. The new banks on the Mv-1 are Bank D & E. D i believe is all basses and E contains various instruments. Both banks combined is are 111 new presets.

[@Madmohawkfilms]

@@PRODUCEDBYLILDOUG nice thanks for the info, the sounds in the 101/707 are amazing so the MV-1 must be even nicer

[@dolo747]

damn not in stock til middle of April? wtf

[@RnBGarvey]

sample!

[@AveMcree]

😣

[@rolandboss9045]

@@AveMcree Ha ha. We love you bro.

[@djrek521]

can that thing sample?

[@AveMcree]

Yes

[@gsxdsm]

Can you show step sequencing melodic sequences - both single notes and chords?

[@AveMcree]

You can but it would be a longer process

[@777kis]

Yo bro can you use it with Logic Pro?

[@AveMcree]

I don't have an Apple computer

[@777kis]

Ave Mcree ok I was asking cos I was on line trying to fine out if it dose but I could not fine no info, what Software did you hook it up to your laptop with?

[@recloose2041]

If you have the driver installed you get 20 digital inputs into your DAW - MIX, every track (stereo), and the EXT IN.

[@trevormalcolm4328]

OK, not as featured as the MC-707, but seems to have a much straightforward workflow.

[@magnuseriksson8081]

If I understand this properly this is more for studio recording with an easy to use work flow and you can record vocals while 707 is more performance based? I am looking at both and it seems easier to work with verslab and it got the same synth engine so why buy the more expensive 707?

[@GR33D_3]

How can you tell what your loading or doing? Where's the screen? does it come with a neck brace 😂