General Information

Serial #

271031

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

Sequencer

Patents

N/A

General Description

Sequencer is composed of synthetic materials, wood and metals.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

N/A

Width

N/A

Height

N/A

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Communications

Category

Sound

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Roland

Country

Japan

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

Owned by celebrated Canadian jazz musician Oscar Peterson.

Function

Used to program and play back a sequence of musical tones over a set period of time.

Technical

The Roland MC-4 was an early, pre-MIDI sequencer. It could be programmed using on onboard 10-key “calculator keyboard” or external synthesizer, using the latter’s control voltage and gate outputs. According to the MC-4 Operating Manual, it was “created by a musician to enable musicians and composers to put the majority of their efforts into creativity rather than merely perfecting technique on an instrument. Musical expressions, such as phrasing and dynamics, usually difficult to master, are simple keystroke functions on the MC-4 … By assigning number values for duration, phrasing, dynamics, timbre, and tempo, all of the subtle nuances required of a real ‘human’ performance are easily programmed into the MC-4’s computer memory” (Roland MC-4 MicroComposer Operating Manual, 1981, p. 1). In short, the MC-4 was designed to automate musical expression, by allowing musical ideas to be composed, programmed, and finally performed by a machine. Historically it shares connections with early automated musical instruments, like music boxes and player pianos, and later compositional machines, like MIDI systems and Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs). The MC-4 came in two models – an A (which allowed for the programming of 3900 notes) and a B (which allowed for 12000 notes) – and was reportedly embraced by many influential musicians, among them Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, and Aphex Twin. It has since been described as “both the peak and the end of the CV/Gate sequencing era” (Reid, 2004).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

On the black manufacturing plate on the back of the sequencer: " AC 117 /. 50/60HZ 30W /. ROLAND CORPORATION /. MODEL MC-4B /. SERIAL NO. 271031 /. MADE IN JAPAN " On the black warning plate: " WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD /. - DO NOT OPEN /. AVIS: RISQUE /. DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE /. - NE PAS OUVRIR " The front surface of the sequencer, reads in part: " POWER /. ROLAND /. MICROCOMPOSER /. MC-4 "

Missing

Appears complete.

Finish

Sequencer with a grey coloured metal body. The two sides of the sequencer have a brown wooden panel siding. The sequencer has a black synthetic base and sits on four black rubber feet. The sequencer has numerous metal screws. The main interface has numerous synthetic buttons and various metal knobs. The back of the sequencer has an attached electrical cord with a black coated exterior.

Decoration

N/A