Roland MC-101 and 707 Get Unofficial Editors: Breathe new life into your ZEN-Core groovebox
Finally you can get around the lack of knobs!
4,6 / 5,0 | 
Third-party developer Benedetto Schiavone has created a deep ZEN-Core editor and librarian for the Roland MC-101 and MC-707 machines – and it’s pretty impressive looking.
Roland MC-101 and 707 Editor/Librarian
The Roland MC-101 and MC-707 grooveboxes debuted in 2020. Featuring ZEN-Core sound engines, they arrived as part of a ZEN-Core hardware ecosystem that also included the Jupiter-X/Xm, FANTOM and AX-Edge. While some instruments got official editors from Roland like the two Jupiters, not all did, with ones for the two MCs noticeably lacking.
Developer Benedetto Schiavone has decided to change all that.
Roland MC-101 and 707 Editor/Librarian: Unofficial but Officially Cool
Although unofficial and in no way associated with Roland, the two library/editor packages are welcome indeed as the two grooveboxes do not officially support MIDI SysEx messages like the other ZEN-Core hardware devices. “In reality,” however, says the developer, “the MC-101/707 are able to receive and send such messages: they respond with completely wrong addressing, with duplicate and incorrect data which however can be corrected and used by the software.”
ZEN-Core editor for MC-101 and MC-707 editor main page · Source: Benedetto Schiavone 
ZEN-Core editor for MC-101 and MC-707 effects page · Source: Benedetto Schiavone 
ZEN-Core editor for MC-101 and MC-707 editor main page · Source: Benedetto Schiavone 
ZEN-Core editor for MC-101 and MC-707 project page · Source: Benedetto Schiavone 
ZEN-Core editor for MC-101 and MC-707 librarian page · Source: Benedetto Schiavone
He hacked it, in other words, allowing the software to communicate bidirectionally and in real-time with the hardware.
Roland MC-101 and 707 Editor/Librarian: ZEN-Core at the Fore
The developer has made a number of editor/librarians for ZEN-Core devices before, including the FANTOM 6/7/8 (now called FANTOM EX), Fantom 06/07/08 and the AX-Edge. Now he’s added two new ones to the collection, one for the Roland MC-101 and the other for the MC-707.
The editor/librarians give you access to six ZEN-Core subsections, where you can modify all of the synthesis parameters as well as effects. It also reveals hidden parameters not directly accessible in the synths, including VCF Gain Correction, Partial LFO Phase Lock, Pitch Down Depth, Pitch Drift and Pitch Drift Cycle Number.
In the library section, you can manage ZEN-Core tones and even convert Model Expansion tones into ZEN-Core equivalent ones.
Lastly, the project section handles editing for individual MC-101 and MC-707 projects.
Roland MC-101 and 707 Editor/Librarian: Price and Availability
The MC-101 and 707 editor/librarians are standalone applications for both Mac and Windows. They are available in two versions: the editor/librarian alone for €29.99 (VAT included) or bundled with a collection of 222 tones for €37.99 (VAT included). These are promotional prices and will go up after September 30.
See Benedetto Schiavone’s Gumroad shop (link below) for more information.
More Information
- Benedetto Schiavone ZEN-Core editor product page
- Benedetto Schiavone Gumroad shop
- All about Roland
- All about grooveboxes
This might also interest you
One response to “Roland MC-101 and 707 Get Unofficial Editors: Breathe new life into your ZEN-Core groovebox”
I wonder if that would also work with the Roland Verselab MV-1 as it also works with ZenCore and presets are inter-compatible. The firmware doesn’t allow partial editing on the MV yet though.