Roland D-50 - Technology

Technology

Although the D-50 was among the first non-sampling machines to be able to produce sounds with sample-based characteristics, it was not long before many synthesizers on the market began using similar methods to create sounds. Roland later released a series of lower-priced keyboards and modules that allowed musicians who couldn't afford the relatively expensive flagship D-50 to have some of these sounds (Roland D-10, D-20, D-5, MT-32) Roland also produced the 76-key, 6-octave D-70 (1990), although it has little resemblance to D-50, being named D-70 to rather capitalize on huge commercial success of D-50. D-70 was a sample playback instrument derived from U-20, though multitimbral, with more realistic and natural sounding samples, especially acoustic piano, but missing extensive D-50 sound synthesis tools. There were even rumors that it was originally named U-50, but later changed to D-70 after huge D-50 success. Sadly, the D-70 was rushed in production too early to catch up with KORG M1 and T-series, and it was just too raw to become the next Roland flagship synth. The true successors of D-50 can be named the JV-80 and JV-90, multi-timbral synths with better PCM sound samples and much more capable JV sound engine (found in highly successful JV and XP series synths).

The D-50 produces a hybrid "analog/digital" sound: one can use traditional fat analog waveforms like saw and square (digitally created on the fly unlike competing synths of the time that used PCM samples of waveforms, ala Korg DW-8000) together with PCM samples of actual acoustic instrument attack transients and famous analog synths of the past, filtered through full analog-style processing (LFOs, TVFs, TVAs, ring modulator, effects, etc.). This breakthrough led to the creation of totally new sounds never done before on either pure analog synths or samplers.

Each D-50 sound (tone) was made up of 2 "partials" with 2 tones, making a "patch". The D-50 consists of an upper and a lower tone, both fully featured. Each partial could be either a "synth waveform" (pulse or sawtooth waveform) or a digital PCM waveform (sampled attack transient or looped sustain waveform). The partials could be arranged in a number of algorithms with a combination of either a PCM waveform or synthesized waveform, with an option to ring modulate the two partials together. The synthesized waveforms could be pulse width modulated and could be passed through a digital 4 stage Low Pass filter allowing for subtractive synthesis. The lower and upper part can be split or play in dual on the keyboard. The dual configuration allows an 8 voice polyphony bi-timbrality while only one partial playing, which allows for 32 voices.

Not only the synthesis method was new; D-50 was arguably the first commercial synthesizer to include digital effects such as chorus and reverb, adding to the characteristically bright, rich, lively and sometimes realistic sound, featured on countless records of the period. Each of those effects had 10+ variations with editable parameters usually found in dedicated rack effect processors rather than keyoard synth. It was also on the forefront of the change of the look of a typical keyboard player on stage: instead of being surrounded with multiple instruments, with more versatile instruments and the stronger adoption of the MIDI standard, they were starting to appear with only one or two keyboards, typically a D-50 with either Yamaha DX-7 or KORG M1.

The D-50 was fully MIDI compatible, though it transmits on only one channel. The keyboard was velocity- and aftertouch-sensitive, and the keys were slightly "weighted" with metal for a higher-quality feel. It included 64 patches on board, and 64 more patches were available on the expansion RAM card that was included.

For its sound and build quality, and the unique synthesis method it featured, the synthesizer has remained popular to this day. Its synthesis engine, in more or less updated forms was used in Roland's JV and XP series synths, among others. Furthermore, in the year 2004, Roland released a VC-1 expansion card for V-Synth and VariOS synthesizers. It contained a modeled and updated D-50 synthesis engine and the original operating system, including factory and all Roland "expansion cards" patches. Since newer DAC chips sounded different (cleaner), it included the option to simulate D50s "rougher" output.

The D-550 is a rack-mount version of D-50, with fewer front panel controls, no joystick and sliders. It employs the same sound circuitry (the main circuit board is exactly the same in both, labeled "D-50/D-550")