D-50 memories

[16251]

When DX7 came out I said goodbye to lugging my Rhodes around. Then I added the MKS-20, triggered by DX7. Then the Roland D-50 came out to complete my keyboard set up during the late 80s.

 

 

[Jose EB5AGV]

Yes, I watched it yesterday!. A nice synth. I should take mine from storage and play it (BTW it sits almost side by side with a DX-7)

[ABECK]

This vid found me yesterday...outstanding playing.  The D50 still sounds great (is it as noisy as people always say?)  The work that Persing and team did on the programing was first rate.  Very musical.

[Sundown]

An absolute classic, and one of my favorite instruments... I never owned one, but I have its little brother (D-20).

 

I’ve thought about getting the VSTi but I’m disappointed that the polyphony isn’t higher. One of the advantages of recreations is the ability to break through barriers, and I can’t fathom why Roland didn’t allow, 32, 64, 128 voices, etc. like many of its competitors.

 

Todd

[CEB]

I still have the D-50 I bought in 87. I haven’t used mine in some time.  My LCD display has started to fail.  
 

The D-50 does a decent approximation of OB-synth brass and strings, plus everything it’s known for. 
 

I take my D-05 out sometimes.  I use the D-05 to add D-50 pads to my Kronos rig.   The D-05 audio output is more pristine. I prefer the D-05.  I thought I would prefer vintage audio mode but I didn’t.   Only downside in the D-05 is the audio output volume is weak. I turn the volume to max.  
 

my favorite webpage.
https://www.thekyotoconnection.com/cultofd50/
 

Great resource if you wish to still use the D-50/D-550/D-05.  I downloaded the entire Valhalla library from here. I have all my old sound cards on hard disk plus a few I didn’t have before. 
 

Keep the D-50 alive. 

[sunspot]

You will pry my D-550 (rackmount version of D-50) from my cold dead hands...

[zxcvbnm098]

I think I got mine in 1988, the first time I had ever purchased a synth new. It was soooooo revolutionary....built in effects changed everything. Amazing.....still!

[David Emm]

11 hours ago, Sundown said:

I’ve thought about getting the VSTi but I’m disappointed that the polyphony isn’t higher. One of the advantages of recreations is the ability to break through barriers, and I can’t fathom why Roland didn’t allow, 32, 64, 128 voices, etc. like many of its competitors.

 

I've never even noticed. The basic sound is inherently so full that I don't feel the need for more voices. I tend to favor it as a layering resource, overall. Like the Mellotron, it fits a certain slot beautifully and lifts the entire piece. The more classical, non-synth-y brass is awesome. There are solo strings and bells that stand alone nicely, but I wouldn't play stride on its best piano. Your send a D-50 to do a D-50's job. Its a unique creature.

[ProfD]

I bought a Roland D-50 hot off the press back in the late 1980s. Gigged with it a short while.

 

Traded the D-50 for an Ensoniq VFX-SD mainly because it had a sequencer.

 

KB gear seemed to change fast and furious back in those days.😎

[Moonglow]

Huge fan. Had a D-550 in my rig for over 20 years. One of my favorite applications was to MIDI a D-550 airy/choir pad with some Jupiter strings. Bliss.

 

Also made good use of the “Fanfare” patch and some of the organs. Never used the famed “Digital Native Dance.”

Still have the D-550, but haven’t fired it up in years.

 

I immediately procured a D-05 when they became available. VERY faithful replication, I really can’t tell the difference. Thought I would use it live more than I do, probably due to a combination of laziness and a D-50-ish patch or two in my existing boards that are “close enough.”

 

 

[Sundown]

3 hours ago, David Emm said:

 

I've never even noticed. The basic sound is inherently so full that I don't feel the need for more voices. I tend to favor it as a layering resource, overall. Like the Mellotron, it fits a certain slot beautifully and lifts the entire piece. The more classical, non-synth-y brass is awesome. There are solo strings and bells that stand alone nicely, but I wouldn't play stride on its best piano. Your send a D-50 to do a D-50's job. Its a unique creature.

 

That’s fair … A complete recording is a collection of parts, and often those parts are a note or two simultaneously. 

 

But to me, it’s such an easy limitation to blow past with modern computers. And Roland didn’t do it for some reason. 

 

Todd

[sunspot]

I'm also a Trekkie and love that the D-50 was heavily used on ST: TNG:

 

https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/notes/box05_disc01.html

 

80's/90's pop songs, 90's TV soundtracks...it's on the Mt Rushmore of synths for me.

[16251]

Found a pic of my rig from late 80's.  <We had a drummer, but no guitar player. I was responsible for important guitar parts in addition to keys. Those two, kicked butt singing and bass playing.>

 

[Motif88]

Yeah, my late 80’s slimmed down rig was the D-50 on top the KX-88 triggering the MSK-20 and TX-7. Much easier on the back than the Rhodes.

[16251]

24 minutes ago, Motif88 said:

Yeah, my late 80’s slimmed down rig was the D-50 on top the KX-88 triggering the MSK-20 and TX-7. Much easier on the back than the Rhodes.

You reminded me that I shortly updated my rig and sold DX7 and MKS-20 for a Korg SG-1d. I liked the MKS-20 but missed having a weighted action. Yes, it was heavier but still not as heavy as Rhodes, which I was dragging around for many years.