Roland Atelier
Landmark Organ Sound, Performance, and Luxury
Roland AtelierLandmark Organ Sound, Performance, and Luxury
by Bill Ryder
This article focuses on one of the most dynamic new features of the AT-900 — Articulation Voices. There are four instruments in this group — violin, cello, trombone, and saxophone — and they can be found by touching the “others” button in the solo division of the upper keyboard. Press the red box in the screen and a menu listing all the voice families will appear. The Articulation Voices category is located in the lower right corner of the list. Simply touch “Art. Voices” to reveal the instruments. Select violin and press Auto Set. A pop-up screen appears telling you what effects will be incorporated into the sound. These effects are activated either by exerting extra pressure on the keyboard or using the kick-switches on the expression pedal. Simply press OK and you’re ready to play.
Next time you are watching a violinist, notice how he slides from one note to the other by sliding his fi ngers up and down on the strings. He also changes the character of the sound by exerting pressure on the strings with the bow or fi nger pressure on the strings to create vibrato. All these effects are possible with the Atelier’s new Articulation Voices.
Here’s how to get started using these effects using the song “Over The Rainbow.” While holding the left kick-switch on the expression pedal, play the fi rst two notes of the song – C and C (an octave higher). You can make a distinct break between these two notes (staccato-style) or connect the notes (legato-style) and listen to the slide effect. Notice that the slide uses just the right amount of notes to authenticate the effect and is very effective when there is a large separation between notes. Release the kick-switch and continue to play the song. Look for another measure where there is a large separation between notes, hold the left kick-switch and repeat the process. Press down a little harder on the note that you are holding and notice how the vibrato increases. With a little practice, you’ll be using these features very effectively.
It’s important to remember to be selective as to where and when to use the slide feature. If you use it everywhere in a song, the music will become sloppy and lose its character. Use the “large separation between notes” rule as your guide to get started using this feature. As you become more comfortable, you’ll be able to insert the slide and vibrato in the right spots and sound like a concert violinist.