Someone on GS confirmed the pads don’t sent midi notes yet. So I tried my hand at using the sequencer and my SH01A. I also tried the looper for the first time this morning. It’s my new favorite thing. I have all kinds of ideas for what can get recorded into them
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I just wrote a little text in the “Gear you absolutely did not like” thread, let’s now jump in a thread dedicated to this unit I think is an absolute keeper 
It’s actually my first Roland gear ever, sure the aesthetics isn’t really on point but you can feel there’s a solid background in machines making there. It’s really deep. I am having a hard time with some UX parts in because I am so used to Elektron workflow and I can only reach the machine after long hours of work + parenting (still haven’t figured out how to save a sound as preset. Anyone ?) but at no point I feel frustrated.
The looper part for now is the weakest one I believe, I guess I won’t sample much from it but the sound engine is a joy to work with. blending VA, PCM and your own samples any way you like up to 4 parts, it goes far far far. and the sequencing part is solid, although Elektron remains the real deal here.
I have been interested in the groovebox concept for years but couldn’t find a machine fitting, here is the one. You can go really far within the box itself and it’s easy to interface it with your favourite selection of pedals for instance, I don’t need much more to have loads of fun.
If you try it at a store, don’t let the awful demo projects fool you, it’s a really solid machine at its core.
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Pretty satisfying set up right here. 8S writes the patterns and the 707 does the performance
Patterns on the 8S get recorded into the Looper tracks. Then from there you just jam.
I love you can record different takes into different clips. On one clip I have a kick, on the same track, but different clip, I record a snare roll. Instant breakdown. Easy 
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I love Ableton Live but now I’m back on the hardware. I’d like to add a “sample player” of some kind to record loops into the 8S.
I have a MPC Live but the midi sync timing is really bad. I’m curious if a the Mode: Samples has super tight midi timing.
The 8S is super tight with the MC707. When I look at the sample edit page of the 8S recordings, there’s really no gap at the start of the sample. Compared to the MPC Live, there’s a huge gap.
You can’t. What you can do is save your sounds in a project and reload those sounds from other projects. (so basically using projects as sound banks).
Thanks ! that’s indeed what I figured out, a bit odd to me in the first place but I guess I’ll just get used to it
The ability to route the Return input to a track really makes using external synth way easier and more nicely integrated. Of course if you want to use the send/return for FX it’s an issue. I really hope that they add the ability to route the standard input to a track AND the ability to route left & right channels separately.
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Did you try using the MPC live as MIDI master? I’ve always had subpar results when slaving it
MC-101//
it does sequence notes out, but not when ur just pressing the pads … hope they l fix that
u have to set the track to output midi notes: shift + track set Value to Tx USb midi and/ord Tx Midi Out: ON
+1
Anyone using the MC-101 purely as a sound module controlled by the A4 with the new midi out? I’m considering this and just wondering about any potential problems with such a setup.
I wonder why you’d want to do that. Isn’t the sequencer one of the cool things about the mc101?
in fact, I’ve been thinking about the same thing. Only instead of an A4, I would instead use a squid to sequence 101 as an addition to my DN. 
Simply because the 101s compact size and price. I haven’t found a sound module with that amount of quality drums, synths and flexibility anywhere near that price point.
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i have 707, but also want 101 to do rhythm/pad machine jobs in another ultracompact setup.
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Enjoying just a 101 here.
It has more than a passing resemblance to a DT/DN after a bit of use.
Sound quality is amazing and though not an under-the-hood tweaky synth, plenty to play with to personalise its sound at a track and master level.
Sequencer is missing a few things, but you can get around it.
No observations to share beyond those many have already said.
Except to emphasise: the VAST number of presets and wide range of track and master FX are really exceptional. You can lose yourself for hours on a single track clip, messing with the seq, preset selection, preset configuration, track and master fx. And that’s just one track.
10/10 as couch/horizontal composer tool. 4 tracks is plenty.
707 tempting but maybe a 101 + DT/OT is even more than the sum of its parts…
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how much can you do with the synth engine? Are there at least some macro controls or is it only presets?
song mode, all devices controlled from a single point, master transpose function 
The seq on the 101 is no match for an elektron
the tone sounds are quite poorly editable, I’d say frustratingly so. Especially if we consider all that is possible on the 707.
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thanks.
The machines seem to sound very good.
But using only presets on the 101 seems a bit too limiting.
Guess I wait till the 707 prices go down and then have another look