EXPONENT
Roland XP-10 Multitimbral Synthesizer (1995)
The XP-10 is a General Midi / GS Format keyboard that can produce up to 28 notes simultaneously and can be used as a multi-timbral sound source with a sequencer. With very limited functionality as a synthesizer, the main value is in the ability to layer sounds, which can create some nice pad textures, as well as some interesting arpeggiator options.
You get limited control from the front panel over the initial filter cutoff and resonance; the vibrato rate, depth and delay; envelope attack, decay and release; chorus, reverb and overall level of the voice; as well as some keyboard, midi and arpeggio settings.
There are two “Combination Palette” sliders next to the volume control, which by default control filter cutoff and resonance, but can be set to control LFOs, attack and release, chorus and reverb, or portamento. The keyboard can be split into a lower and upper voice, or layered in Dual or X-Dual mode. In X-Dual mode, the sliders give you control over the relative volume balance of the ‘lower’ and ‘upper’ voices (alternatively, this can be assigned to the mod wheel or a pedal), as well as the overall left/right panning.
This video gives a flavour of some of the sounds on offer.
The full length version of this track can be found on my Bandcamp.
LINKS
