Roland now into VSTi development, beginning with SH-101

[ChiTown24]

Some of you may have been eagerly awaiting Roland's latest XOX hardware boxes, known as the AIRA Series { thread in the hardware section here: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 2&t=395251 }. They employ Roland's own brand of circuit modelling {which they talk about here: http://www.roland.com/aira/#what-is-acb}.

One of their new pieces of hardware is the SYSTEM-1 { which you can be read about here, or discuss in the kvr thread I linked to above: http://www.roland.com/products/en/SYSTEM-1/ }. The SYSTEM-1, besides being it's own stand-alone synth, will be able to HOST what Roland is calling 'plug-out' synths. Synths Roland develop using their ACB circuit modelling methods. Starting with their classic range. The first available will be the legendary SH-101.

The off-shoot of all this though, is that Roland is actually getting into the VSTi development business. These 'plug-outs' for the System-1 will also be bona-fide VSTi's that will be able to run on your computer, which the System-1 can act as a dedicated midi-controller. It remains to be seen if the System-1 will act as a glorified dongle, or if you can use these VSTi's independently of the controller.

Whatever way you dice it, this has to be good news for ITB users with a penchant for classic Roland emulations. A new challenger appears

[EvilDragon]

Those are not actual VSTi plugins as far as it looks, so forget about them being ITB in your favourite DAW. System-1 is a glorified dongle, as you put it.

[ChiTown24]

Those are not actual VSTi plugins as far as it looks, so forget about them being ITB in your favourite DAW. System-1 is a glorified dongle, as you put it.

This is what you think ? or what you know ? better to make it perfectly clear when it's only what you think.

According to the official Roland reps in the video I linked to, they're making VSTs for ITB usage. The SYSTEM-1 acts as a controller, and can also act as a dedicated host. What they don't make clear is if the VSTs will run independently of the controller, and if the controller acts as a DSP as well as a dongle. But one thing is for sure, they ARE making VSTs for ITB usage.... at least if their reps can be trusted, and the Details from the System-1 page.

Unless you KNOW otherwise, of course. Please specify if so...

Plug In and PLUG-OUT

The SYSTEM-1 can control—and even host—software recreations of classic Roland synthesizers.

[EvilDragon]

The way they say that ACB depends on massive DSP calculations in System-1 makes me think that if they do VSTs, they will just be as controllers for System-1, not the other way around.

Utilizing the enormous calculation power of state-of-the-art DSP, ACB not only precisely emulates the analog-specific characteristics or our classic gear, but also delves into areas the original engineers tried to go but ultimately abandoned.

[gamecat666]

interesting that it can be unplugged afterwards - It almost sounds like uploading or flashing firmware to change it.

[V0RT3X]

I wonder what sort of computer is inside these things.

[EvilDragon]

DSPs, probably Motorola or Analog Devices.

[ENV1]

So they finally hired Patrick Kunz?

[ChiTown24]

The way they say that ACB depends on massive DSP calculations in System-1 makes me think that if they do VSTs, they will just be as controllers for System-1, not the other way around.

Utilizing the enormous calculation power of state-of-the-art DSP, ACB not only precisely emulates the analog-specific characteristics or our classic gear, but also delves into areas the original engineers tried to go but ultimately abandoned.

if it shows up in your host as a VST, and can be used as any other ITB VST, with all the benefits of using plugins ITB {project recall, preset management, etc etc}... then it is a VST. that the controller serves as DSP or a dongle or both is merely a technicality.
We still call dongle protected, or DSP powered plugins 'plugins' ... because that is what they are.

most importantly though, in the future it's better to make it perfectly clear when you are stating something you think VS something you KNOW to be fact.

[D-Fusion]

I guess it will be vst versions. If you look at the spec of system 1 it says that max poly is 4 in System 1 mode.

[EvilDragon]

The way they say that ACB depends on massive DSP calculations in System-1 makes me think that if they do VSTs, they will just be as controllers for System-1, not the other way around.

Utilizing the enormous calculation power of state-of-the-art DSP, ACB not only precisely emulates the analog-specific characteristics or our classic gear, but also delves into areas the original engineers tried to go but ultimately abandoned.

if it shows up in your host as a VST, and can be used as any other ITB VST, with all the benefits of using plugins ITB {project recall, preset management, etc etc}... then it is a VST. that the controller serves as DSP or a dongle or both is merely a technicality.
We still call dongle protected, or DSP powered plugins 'plugins' ... because that is what they are.

most importantly though, in the future it's better to make it perfectly clear when you are stating something you think VS something you KNOW to be fact.

Except that's not the type of VSTs that people expected from Roland, like Korg did with their Legacy Collection. That's why I wouldn't call them "proper VSTs". With UAD, for example, you can at least call up more than one instance of a particular effect. I am not convinced this will be the case with System-1 here.

[Gamma-UT]

This is what you think ? or what you know ? better to make it perfectly clear when it's only what you think.

Maybe you could stick to that too when declaring what it is and how it will be a VSTi.

From Roland's own blurb: "The SYSTEM-1 can control—and even host—software recreations of classic Roland synthesizers. That’s right—the SYSTEM-1 gives you access to plug-in versions of legendary Roland synths, and they can be hosted in the SYSTEM-1 itself, with no computer required."

I don't think you can draw any firm conclusion from what Roland has said. There might be a VSTi controller interface – which would make sense if they start doing things like D50 emulations for it – or it might just be a glorified SysEx loader.

The question is do they mean "can be" or "will be"?

[ChiTown24]

This is what you think ? or what you know ? better to make it perfectly clear when it's only what you think.

Maybe you could stick to that too when declaring what it is and how it will be a VSTi.

what ? you mean like this - from my original, unedited post:

It remains to be seen if the System-1 will act as a glorified dongle, or if you can use these VSTi's independently of the controller.

Maybe you should make sure you fully comprehend what has already been posted, before sticking your oar in.

From Roland's own blurb: "The SYSTEM-1 can control—and even host—software recreations of classic Roland synthesizers. That’s right—the SYSTEM-1 gives you access to plug-in versions of legendary Roland synths, and they can be hosted in the SYSTEM-1 itself, with no computer required."

I don't think you can draw any firm conclusion from what Roland has said. There might be a VSTi controller interface – which would make sense if they start doing things like D50 emulations for it – or it might just be a glorified SysEx loader.

The question is do they mean "can be" or "will be"?

I think I'll put my faith in the official Roland Rep, in the video I linked to. He says they will be VSTs. And that the system-1 will serve as a controller to, but also a host independent of the computer. The blurb doesn't contradict him.

Naturally we need more specifics, and I acknowledged that from the first post.

At the end of the day, even in the likely event that the controller is a dongle/dsp... these are still actual VSTs for ITB usage. Source of this info: Roland.
Feel free to think otherwise!

[Gamma-UT]

Maybe you should make sure you fully comprehend what has already been posted, before sticking your oar in.

Last time I checked this was a forum. Sticking oars in is what happens on forums.

The off-shoot of all this though, is that Roland is actually getting into the VSTi development business. These 'plug-outs' for the System-1 will also be bona-fide VSTi's that will be able to run on your computer, which the System-1 can act as a dedicated midi-controller.

So, this wasn't opinion masquerading as fact? Okaaay.

[fmr]

I still didn't understood why ChiTown24 felt the need to create a new topic when this was being duscussed already, but anyway

they also called them VSTs for a reason, if you pay any heed to the Roland Reps in the video I linked to at least.

VST is a commn denominator. I hope you are right, but I don't take Roland Reps very seriously, since usually they know little about what they are talking about (just what their marketing department told them).

Of course, they haven't specified if the VST/plugin versions will operate independently of the System-1 controller. But even in the likely scenario that the System-1 serves as a dongle/DSP ... a VST version is still a plugin, and will still benefit from all the VST/ITB luxuries that are associated with plugins. instant recall per project, preset management etc etc etc. People still call dongle protected VSTs 'plugins'... for a reason.

What the VST benefits is depending on the specific VST - and for what I already read, these will be limited VSTs, at most. Again, I hope you are right, but it's yet to be seen. About the System-1. It's not just a dongle. It's where the plug-in runs - that's why it can be also a "plug-out". So, the question is no longer "if", but how well it's programmed to take advantage of the specifications, and what formats will be supported (32-bit, 64-bit, VST2, VST3, AU, AAX). And for how long. Roland has a long history of abandoned software for hardware support, and maintaining plug-ins updated is a hard task. Let's wait and see. But, as I already told, starting with SH-101 is already falling short of expectations.