Roland MC-707 Tutorial: Return Input

In this tutorial, I help you get set up and using the return input as an external input for the MC-707. I use the Roland TR-8S as my external instrument and I map it, play it, and record it! Plus, a couple tricks thrown in! Be sure to subscribe to catch all the videos coming! Thanks for watching!!
Midi Notes for the MC-707 pads on a Drum Track is as shown below
37 39 42 46 49 51 54 56
36 38 41 45 48 62 63 64
Enter these values into the TR-8S Inst Note setting in the Utility Menu. Assign each instrument to the pad you want by assigning the number.

[@jeffcarricoguitar]

Almost four years of watching these and I've just now caught that pad gain trick.

[@molineroalicante74.27]

Greetings and Health from Spain ))) I don't speak English but with subtitles in Spanish, I follow your interesting videos )))

[@iiaaiiaannaaiiaaii]

thanks for this video ( and all of them); massively helpful that you listed the note numbers. Yah! Also_ thats a funky lick- nice drums!

[@vutall]

Great job, your tutorials are always helpful. Thanks for everything!

[@Buffenmeyer]

I appreciate you taking the time to share this kind of thing! Very helpful for me.

[@DjThalow]

You are the best with your tutorials! Thank you so much!

[@midiminion6580]

AWESOME. was trying to figure how to do this. this is great stuff!

[@lumyiadark]

:o Perfect combo then :) Thanks a lot for this video Brian !!

[@iamsick678]

Thanks for the midi map above!

[@7177YT]

Cool! Thank you!

[@TheHolyStoneOne]

Nice tip! :) So if I want to add the KaossPad to this mix, then aux send out of the mc707 into the ext in on the tr8s might be a good idea? Have a digitone that i wanted to use in the ext in on the mc707, is it possible to send the ext in out the aux send aswell?

[@UnitE808]

What you say should work. I'm not 100% on the ext in going out the send. I can check when I'm back in studio.

[@domesticmusic]

Thanks for the video - helps a lot!! Is it possible to use this way the internal effects of the 707 for external audio by routing through it?

[@UnitE808]

Yes

[@DjThalow]

@@UnitE808 Thanks for your tutorials! How can this be done?

[@dainiuskilaitis2144]

Hi, will this method work with SE02 instead of a tr8s?

[@ababababeebababa]

Thank you for a very good video, as usual. So when you hook up an external (drum machine or synth, ...) to the ext-in ... do you unplug and plug in the device input you want each time?

[@UnitE808]

I usually set it up a specific way and everything stays plugged in. If I need to change a synth or drum machine, then I just plug the new one in and the 707 stays the same. I hope that's the answer you were looking for.

[@RobertRodriguez-lv1hf]

Hi , thanks for the help .will this work with the DIGITONE keys ?

[@UnitE808]

Yes

[@FuZZbaLLbee]

Can you make an FX chain where you can configure the knobs and faders to alter the fax settings?

[@UnitE808]

Yes

[@AcidAlex]

Can you also route audio from the Ext In to a track? Or does it go direct to master effects?

[@UnitE808]

Ext in goes straight to master with it's own volume control. It cannot be routed to a track, unfortunately.

[@Marcelo-rb4sb]

Can you use Ext In or Return to add reverb to an external source and then route that signal with the fx to the assignable out?

[@AcidAlex]

Marcelo I think you can

[@aliasghar907]

whats the SOFT LEVEL SENSOR in tone common menu ?

[@renekasbergen]

Thanks! I would like to know how to use side chain compression on the 8S on selected 707 tracks and how to route it all. Appreciated!

[@UnitE808]

Route the assign out of the 707 into the ext in of the 8S. Send any tracks you want sidechained to the assign out.

[@renekasbergen]

@@UnitE808 Ok, thanks. And do I route the audio back into the 707 someway or does it go into a mixer together with the 8S mix out?

[@UnitE808]

@@renekasbergen the audio will play out the 8S

[@renekasbergen]

@@UnitE808 Ok! So I’ll need a separate mixer then? I was hoping I could use the 707 as a mixer using its inputs. This would leave me with only one stereo output mix (to usb or speakers).

[@UnitE808]

@@renekasbergen you could route the 8S back into the ext in of the 707

[@marcelsmoorenburg]

So you can assign 11 pads to the TR-8S, but what happens to the other 5 not assigned pads? Can you still use them for internal sounds on the MC-707?

[@UnitE808]

Not if you use the track as the return input. The only sound on that track is the return input

[@marcelsmoorenburg]

@@UnitE808 Clear. Thanks for your reply Brian.

[@ecumesnd]

Hi thanks for this tutorial, I'm searching if it's possible to extract the wet signal of the main output in a DAW.. Have you any idea how to??

[@UnitE808]

You want the 707 main output sent to a DAW, or send audio from computer to 707?

[@ecumesnd]

@@UnitE808 well when I'm using 707 with a daw I have all tracks on separated input, but the internal fx signal is on the main input with all the sounds (input 19/20 if I remember). I wanna record internal fx signal on it own track as a wet signal

[@UnitE808]

@@ecumesnd ah, I see. I'm not sure if that is possible or not. Let me look into it.

[@ecumesnd]

@@UnitE808 looking the block diagram and I think it's not possible 🤦‍♂️so you have a box with a lot of fx, you can record track per track but apparently you can't record fx flux alone... I'm disappointed 😥

[@lucio788]

hello , do you have any idea why I get input external audio on a looper track but when I hit record it wont record the loop? thank you

[@UnitE808]

You need to designate your recording source. Shift+input is the screen you're looking for.

[@gabrielvalentin3106]

Have you tried to record on the ext input like guitar or vocals and adding the internal effects? Having the hardest time trying to figure it out.

[@UnitE808]

It doesn't have a hi-z input, so a guitar would have to go through a DI box. A mic should be no problem. Make sure you set the switch on the back to mic and not line. Then go intoshift+ input to adjust the mic sensitivity.

[@UnitE808]

You will also have to set the ext in to a track to get the fx.

[@UnitE808]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIGchHSjmc6fjsU

[@gabrielvalentin3106]

Thanks for your quick reply.

[@VK3FADU]

Brian will this method work with digitakt instead of a tr8s?

[@UnitE808]

Sure!

[@VK3FADU]

Thanks mate appreciate your help

[@UnitE808]

@@VK3FADU no worries! Let me know if you run into issues.

[@VK3FADU]

@@UnitE808 Will do, I’ll try and experiment with both machines. Thanks again

[@dankefurnichts]

what sucks on the looper is that you can't realy do anything to the looped sample. just forware - reverse, pitch and reverb / delay. No filter or nothing :-/

[@UnitE808]

It's why I choose to record and use the samples on another track besides the looper track.

[@dankefurnichts]

@@UnitE808 what do you mean? but it does not matter anyways. i buy the blackbox for loop sampling and integrate it to the mc 707.

[@UnitE808]

@@dankefurnichts you dont need to use 5heblooper track to record a sample. There is a sampler feature in the latest firmware update. Let's you chop and edit a sample then assign it anywhere.

[@dankefurnichts]

@@UnitE808 i know. and thats fine. i talking about loops. the looper of the mc is bullshit like it is now ^^