Roland MKS series of synths

The MKS range of synthesizers by Roland refers to a series of rack-mounted synthesizer modules produced by the company. These modules were designed to be integrated into larger studio setups or used in combination with MIDI controllers and sequencers. 

They are often misunderstood as just a repackaging of earlier Roland keyboards.

They were widely popular during the 1980s and 1990s.

 

MKS-7 Super Quartet

A juno 106 & TR 707 in a box?

the Juno 106 albeit with voices shared across three timbres (Bass, Chord and Melody). 

4 part multitimbral synth

The Melody section: 2 voice polyphony, 100 presets; 

Chord section: 4 voice polyphony, 100 presets; 

Bass section: monophonic, 20 presets; 

Rhythm section: 11 PCM sounds from the TR-707

Presets are accessible from the front panel 

controllable via MIDI and System Exclusive messages for editing. 

MKS-10 Planet-P

 released in 1984 by Roland.

16 voice

It has just eight preset sounds: two Piano sounds, two Clavi sounds, two Harpsichord sounds, and two Electric Piano sounds. The sounds can be freely combined and stored in any one of the 128 memory patches.

This is a totally analog sound module which is why i really like module.

There are plenty of modules you can buy today that sample and emulate real pianos extremely well.

The MKS-10 being all analog has a sound all its own.

Sounds can be tweaked, but only slightly from the front panel.

These are Master Tune and Volume controls

There is a Brilliance control to adjust the brightness of the sound, and short and long release time settings. 

The effects are pretty basic:

Chorus, Flanging and two different Tremolo.

These can be adjusted using the Rate and Depth controls. 

All effects, filter and envelope settings can be stored into patch memory.

The MKS-10 can respond to MIDI velocity as well as MIDI control change messages for expressive playing and realtime tweaking via your MIDI keyboard controller or sequencer.

MKS-20 Digital Piano

The MKS-20 is a digital piano module that emulates the sound of the Roland RD-1000 stage piano.

The earlier MKS-10 was all analog.

The MKS-20 ses a technique called SAS  (structured adaptive synthesis)

It offers a realistic piano sound along with additional electric piano and harpsichord tones

16 note polyphony.

8 presets for piano and other keyboard instruments (electric piano, harpsichord, vibraphone, clavinet), with 56 variations. 

The first two piano sounds have been likened to a German grand piano sound; the third has been called similar to a Yamaha CP-70 or CP80's piano sound.[

Noteable users were Thomas Dolby & Elton John.

MKS-30 Planet-S

1984-86

a MIDI rack module version of the JX-3P with some enhancements.

MIDI is basic:  the main info it accepts is program change, pitch, key velocity, hold-pedal, pitch-bend and modulation. No aftertouch.

two DCO's (digitally controlled oscillators) per voice, six voice polyphony, it responds to velocity, and has 64 internal and 64 cartridge memory patches. 

 It can be controlled by the PG-200 programmer

MKS-50 Alpha Juno

c1987

It's the rack-mount version of the Alpha Juno-1 and Alpha Juno-2 synthesizers.

6 voices

There is 1 DCO per voice: Pulse, Sawtooth, Sub, noise waveforms. 1 sub-oscillator.

The memory has 64 User slots. there are 64 presets which you can backup to cassette.

There is a 24db analog lowpass filter

Get the  PG-300  programmer if you can find one.

It will give you slider control  over lots of parameters incluing the DCOs (digitally controlled oscillators), LFOs, PW/PWM, high pass filter, VCF (filter) with freq/env/res/LFO/kybd, VCA envelope, chorus, etc.

Or just control it from your DAW via midi.

Velocity and aftertouch are mappable to VCF or ENV

MKS-70 Super JX

c1986

It's a rackmount version of the JX-10 synthesizer which combines two JX-8P synth engines

Get the PG-800 programmer if you can or use MIDI to control.

The MKS-70 does send and receive tones and patches over SysEx

12 voice

2 DCO's per voice (24 oscillators)

MKS-80 Super Jupiter

 The MKS-80 is perhaps the most iconic synthesizer in the MKS series. 

A jupiter 8 in a box?

Its probably closer to a Jupiter 6??

Maybe call it a jupiter 7

These are the most expensive of the MKS range.

Use the MPG 80 programmer to get slider control over its parameters.

MIDI control is pretty basic.

MKS-100 Digital Sampler

The Roland MKS-100 is a 2U rack (velocity sensitive), 8 voice, 12 bit, sampler, featuring a 4 stage envelope, vibrato, 2.8" Quick Disk drive, guitar mode, arpeggiator, auto-bend, and MIDI. Four samples can be recorded at 15|30kHz (32kB per sample). Sample editing includes auto-loop, combine, mix, reverse, level-adjust, and resonant low|high pass filter.

MKS-900 Signal Indicator