Roland Sound Canvas VA: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox module
{{Infobox module
| name = Roland Sound Canvas VA
| name = Roland Sound Canvas VA
| image = [[File:Roland-SC8850-Front.jpg|320px]]
| image = [[File:RolandSoundCanvasVA.png|340px]]
| type = GM/GM2/GS Software Synthesizer
| type = GM/GM2/GS software synthesizer
| manufacturer = Roland
| manufacturer = Roland
| releasedate = 2015
| releasedate = 2015
Line 11: Line 11:
| drumpresets = 63 + 2 user presets<ref name=rolandedsc8850-manual>[https://cdn.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/SC-8850_OM.pdf# Roland-ED SC-8850 Owner's Manual, page 247]</ref>
| drumpresets = 63 + 2 user presets<ref name=rolandedsc8850-manual>[https://cdn.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/SC-8850_OM.pdf# Roland-ED SC-8850 Owner's Manual, page 247]</ref>
| effects = Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Two-Band global EQ, Global insertion FX based on BOSS effect units.
| effects = Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Two-Band global EQ, Global insertion FX based on BOSS effect units.
| notes = <references group="infobox" />
}}
}}
The '''Roland Sound Canvas VA''' is a [[Roland Sound Canvas|Sound Canvas]] Software Synthesizer released in 2015, Notable for its solid attempt to bring the de facto standard desktop sound module into the modern era, the Roland Sound Canvas VA is available as both a VSTi and AU software synthesizer for contemporary computers.
'''Roland Sound Canvas VA''' (popularly abbreviated as '''SCVA''') is a software synthesizer in the [[Roland Sound Canvas|Sound Canvas]] series released in 2015. It contains a faithful software recreation of the [[Roland-ED SC-8820]] hardware module's synthesis engine. It is the most sophisticated Sound Canvas and [[Roland GS]] software synthesizer to have been made; the highest-end SC model, the [[Roland-ED SC-8850|SC-8850]], has never seen a software variant.


Roland Sound Canvas VA was first released standalone, then included with the Roland Cloud software-as-a-service subscription. This was discontinued on the 1st of September 2024, where it was no longer available for purchase.
Sound Canvas VA was available as both a VSTi and AU software synthesizer for modern computers. Sound Canvas VA was first released standalone, then included with the Roland Cloud software-as-a-service subscription. It was discontinued on the 1st of September 2024, and is no longer available for purchase.


== Oddities ==
== Changes and Bug Fixes ==
Sound Canvas VA is a recreation of the SC-8820, using EEPROM files of the original hardware, but the synthesis engine has been modified to act more like an SC-88Pro.
While several bugs that occurred on the 8820 have been fixed, some new issues were introduced as well. Below are some of the notable changes and bug fixes.


=== Discrepancies between Roland Sound Canvas VA and Roland-ED SC-8820 ===
=== Changes ===
The Roland Sound Canvas VA is a software-based emulation of the SC-8820 Sound Canvas unit, utilizing the EPROM files from the original hardware. This means that the Sound Canvas VA is designed to be a theoretically identical software replica of the SC-8820, offering the same sound and functionality in a virtual format.
 
* The user drum<ref name=sc8820userdrum>[https://cdn.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/SC-8850_OM.pdf## Roland-ED SC-8850 Owner's Manual, page 241.]</ref> presets are not referenced in Sound Canvas VA manual, but will still work perfectly fine if programmed via another utility (such as GS Advanced Editor). Changes will, however, not be saved so it is best advised that the custom drums are saved as a .mid or .syx file to be referenced later if desired (or simply save the plugin's state if your tool of choice allows for this).
* The amount of available parts has been reduced, from 32 on the original hardware to 16.
* The unofficial XG mode cannot be entered directly, as the VSTi blocks the XG reset.
* The filter's range has been considerably narrowed, acting more like the SC-88Pro.
 
=== Bug fixes ===
 
* On a drum channel, if a patch is played which has a filter envelope, such as Space Worms from the SC-88Pro RhythmFX kit, followed by another patch with a different envelope such as SawLFO from the same kit while the first is still playing, the second patch no longer inherits the envelope of the first.
* The envelope of the short Udu on the SC-88 Ethnic kit has been corrected, starting at a lower pitch and bending up, rather than starting at a higher pitch and bending down.
* The filter  no longer adds an attack to the beginning of tones in certain situations.
 
=== Newly introduced bugs ===
 
* Sound Canvas VA does not properly handle assign mode. It is always set to full multi. This is most noticeable on the SC-55 map, where choked cymbals, such as those that appear in Doom's "At Doom's Gate," do not work.
* The TVF Attack value will be randomly shifted on a per-note basis.<ref name=scvarandomresonanceattacks>Tested by the following users:
* [[User:MJG0117|MJG0117]], [[User:Purps|Purps]] and [[User:Valley Bell|Valley Bell]] has tested and found that SCVA sometimes shifts the TVF Attack value randomly on a per-note basis.</ref>
 
== References ==
<references />
 
[[Category:Roland Sound Canvas devices]]
[[Category:Roland GS devices]]
[[Category:General MIDI devices]]
[[Category:General MIDI 2 devices]]
[[Category:Software_Synthesizers]]

Latest revision as of 15:54, 12 March 2026

Roland Sound Canvas VA
Type GM/GM2/GS software synthesizer
Manufacturer Roland
Release date 2015
Standards General MIDI
General MIDI 2
Roland GS
Parts 16[1]
Max polyphony 64[1]
Normal presets 1608 + 256 user presets[2]
Drum presets 63 + 2 user presets[3]
Effects Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Two-Band global EQ, Global insertion FX based on BOSS effect units.

Roland Sound Canvas VA (popularly abbreviated as SCVA) is a software synthesizer in the Sound Canvas series released in 2015. It contains a faithful software recreation of the Roland-ED SC-8820 hardware module's synthesis engine. It is the most sophisticated Sound Canvas and Roland GS software synthesizer to have been made; the highest-end SC model, the SC-8850, has never seen a software variant.

Sound Canvas VA was available as both a VSTi and AU software synthesizer for modern computers. Sound Canvas VA was first released standalone, then included with the Roland Cloud software-as-a-service subscription. It was discontinued on the 1st of September 2024, and is no longer available for purchase.

Changes and Bug Fixes

Sound Canvas VA is a recreation of the SC-8820, using EEPROM files of the original hardware, but the synthesis engine has been modified to act more like an SC-88Pro. While several bugs that occurred on the 8820 have been fixed, some new issues were introduced as well. Below are some of the notable changes and bug fixes.

Changes

  • The user drum[4] presets are not referenced in Sound Canvas VA manual, but will still work perfectly fine if programmed via another utility (such as GS Advanced Editor). Changes will, however, not be saved so it is best advised that the custom drums are saved as a .mid or .syx file to be referenced later if desired (or simply save the plugin's state if your tool of choice allows for this).
  • The amount of available parts has been reduced, from 32 on the original hardware to 16.
  • The unofficial XG mode cannot be entered directly, as the VSTi blocks the XG reset.
  • The filter's range has been considerably narrowed, acting more like the SC-88Pro.

Bug fixes

  • On a drum channel, if a patch is played which has a filter envelope, such as Space Worms from the SC-88Pro RhythmFX kit, followed by another patch with a different envelope such as SawLFO from the same kit while the first is still playing, the second patch no longer inherits the envelope of the first.
  • The envelope of the short Udu on the SC-88 Ethnic kit has been corrected, starting at a lower pitch and bending up, rather than starting at a higher pitch and bending down.
  • The filter no longer adds an attack to the beginning of tones in certain situations.

Newly introduced bugs

  • Sound Canvas VA does not properly handle assign mode. It is always set to full multi. This is most noticeable on the SC-55 map, where choked cymbals, such as those that appear in Doom's "At Doom's Gate," do not work.
  • The TVF Attack value will be randomly shifted on a per-note basis.[5]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Roland Sound Canvas VA Owner's Manual, page 111.
  2. ↑ Roland-ED SC-8820 Owner's Manual, page 186
  3. ↑ Roland-ED SC-8850 Owner's Manual, page 247
  4. ↑ Roland-ED SC-8850 Owner's Manual, page 241.
  5. ↑ Tested by the following users:
    • MJG0117, Purps and Valley Bell has tested and found that SCVA sometimes shifts the TVF Attack value randomly on a per-note basis.
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