MC-4 Hack – Defective Records

Videos from early beta versions below - first is converting MIDI file to MC-4 file, second shows MC-4 playing back the same sequence.

Another incredible classical demo (the Spring Movement of Vivaldi's Four Seasons), from Teenage Engineering's Jesper Kouthoofd's drool-inducing studio!

Flight of the Bumblebee!

A software application that lets you program your Roland MC-4 sequencer with your computer!

New version 1.2 available! See Documentation for more info

Features

• Convert a MIDI file to an MC-4 sequence
• Edit MC-4 sequences on your computer, not on your MC-4’s little screen & keypad
• Easily copy patterns between the MC-4’s four channels
• Preview MC-4 sequences with built in General MIDI synth

Requirements

OS X 10.11.6 – 12.x (Monterey compatible, runs on M1 chip via Rosetta 2)

Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11; 64-bit only

Try It

Free Demo (it’s fully functional except it will only allow you to program one of the four MC-4 channels, and will only allow you to program eight notes on that channel)

Buy It

$40 USD

Documentation

• Read the full documentation

Who’s using it

Jesper Kouthoofd, CEO and Co-Founder, Teenage Instruments

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Tom Carpenter, Founder, Analogue Solutions

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Thomas Heckmann (Trope Recordings, A.F.U.)

Alex Ball (Alex Ball Music)

The Roland MC-4 and MC-8 were always curious inventions to me, but I never intended on owning them. A funny turn of events meant that I wind up owning both and I found myself down a rabbit hole of rarefied sequencing methods from the dawn of digital technology. Whilst the OG machines are still incredibly powerful, function rich and machine-gun tight, the programming involved does involve a lengthy setup with obvious practical implications. MC-4 Hack completely solves that problem by allowing MIDI to be converted into MC-4 speak and transferred into the unit seamlessly, giving it life in the studio for years to come. A stunning achievement of coding that has made us passionate nerds very happy indeed!