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Roland V-Synth XT

January, 2006

Processing external audio over USB.
One of the coolest features of the V-Synth XT is the fact that it’s a USB audio interface as well as an amazing synthesizer. Let’s set it up to accept audio from a computer via USB. We’ll use program 492, “Filter Bank 4” to mangle some audio. To make this work, you’ll need to install the audio drivers for the XT on your computer; you can download them at www.rolandus.com. Obviously, you’ll also need to connect a keyboard or other controller to the XT’s MIDI in.

1. Connect the V-Synth XT to your computer via USB (a) and select it as the default audio interface in the system (Mac: Audio MIDI Setup) settings of your PC (b).

2. On the 10-key pad type in program 492. Press one of the BANK buttons at the bottom of the keypad and it will select “492 Filter Bank 4.”

3. Press the MODE button (a), then press SYSTEM on the touch screen (b).

4. Press the IO tab on the left side of the touch screen (a), and change the External Input Source from ANALOG to USB (b). Press WRITE on the bottom right of the screen and press EXIT twice to get back to the main screen.

5. Now play some audio from your DAW software (or even iTunes or something like it) and every time you press a key to trigger the XT audio will pass through the EXT IN oscillator.

The FILTER BANK programs in the V-Synth consist of 16 different filter inputs spread across the keyboard starting at C3 and going up chromatically. To check out the mapping of all of this, press the MENU tab and select ZONE. Happy tweaking!