Roland Atelier
Landmark Organ Sound, Performance, and Luxury
Roland AtelierLandmark Organ Sound, Performance, and Luxury
by Rick Morales
Remember those old candy bar commercials? “Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don’t.”
I’m not sure why, but that’s what came to mind when I started thinking about intros and endings. Sometimes we fall into a routine of “always starting on intro 4,” or just leaving the variations wherever the OTP settings decides when it comes to intros.
Mixing it up a bit can make things much more interesting for the listener, and a myriad of intro and ending choices is one of the many things that makes the arranger on the “Next Generation” and “Artist Edition” models so great.
As you may know, there are four variations for each introduction. (There are even more variations depending on the chord you play, but let’s keep it simple for now.) The same buttons that control rhythm variations during the song also determine how simple or complex your introduction will be. Introduction variation 1 is generally a quick one measure lead-in to the style, and 2 through 4 grow in complexity. Some allow enough time for a quick cup of coffee before the main style actually starts!
Here’s what you may not know…even if One Touch Program, Music Assistant, or Quick Registration pre-selects variation 1, you can choose 2, 3, or 4 for the introduction. Let’s assume that OTP has set up the instrument and selected arranger variation 1. If you want a more interesting introduction, just touch variation 2, 3, or 4 before you start playing. You will see that the button you pushed stays lit, while the variation OTP selected is now blinking. This means the instrument will play the introduction YOU have selected, then revert to the style variation OTP has selected to go with the preset. The same is true if the instrument pre-selects a complex introduction, and you prefer a simpler one. The possibilities are amazing!
The same variations are available for endings. Just select the variation you want before touching the ending button. Again, the options range from short and sweet to long and elaborate.
Another interesting option is to use the “fill to ending” feature on the “Next Generation” and “Artist Edition” models. To use this option, first make sure the Fill In “Auto” button is on. When you’re ready to end your song, just touch one of the variation buttons to start a fill-in. If you touch the arranger “Start/Stop” button during the fill-in, it will provide a perfect ending. Again, you’ll get a variety of endings, but they’ll all be quick and musically interesting.
I hope you’ll try these ideas. It’s nice to play the right notes, but sometimes the biggest improvements in the way our music sounds is the way we utilize all the great features on our instruments.
For additional information or dealer location, Contact Roland.