@BabyGrandOz
The sounds of the MT-32 was one of the first projects I worked on after Eric Persing and myself created the initial factory sounds for the Roland D-50. I remember it being quite difficult due to the restricted architecture but a creative challenge none the less. In the end all the sounds were created by myself and a remarkable Japanese engineer.
@LGR
Still really want to get one of these someday, I've never had the pleasure of messing with an MT-32! EDIT: GOT ONE.
@astrosteve
If you weren't alive in 1989, you can't possibly understand how mind-blowingly amazing the MT-32 sounded. I heard one in a store when it was set up as a demo and couldn't believe what I was hearing. It didn't seem possible for a computer game to sound that good. My father would never get a sound card of any kind, so I had to listen to PC speaker my entire youth and I was jealous of any sound card in general, but the MT-32 specifically.
@JorgeAraujo97
It's amazing how MT-32 is still very relevant.
@AndersEngerJensen
Great work, buddy! Glad to see the module and the stuff I sent being put to good use. :D
@linksbro1
The Secret of Monkey Island theme played through the MT-32... Everything is different now that I have experienced such MAJESTY~
@Halterung01
HOLY! This thing sounds good!
@andyblue1991
WOW! The sound differences are worlds away! Thats insane, and really made a difference for people!
@javimm77
I remember when I got a SoundBlaster Pro back in the early nineties. I was amazed at what came from the speakers. I replayed every game I had just to listen to the music. Those were fun times!!
@philscomputerlab
Nice seeing the Roland MT-32 getting some love :) It's truly amazing how awesome these old games sound. Sierra, Lucas and Origin made some of the best games to showcase the Roland.
@patrickmccauley4921
Sometimes I wonder if I am only expanding on the vast library of useless knowledge I possess but the is really entertaining.
@JayBmusic
It's remarkable how much influence Roland had on the General MIDI standard. Especially on the synth and pad sections. Many sounds were already present in the D50, such as Callilope, Chiff Lead, Fantasia, Rain Pad or Atmosphere. And the MT-32 is no exception, adding e.g. Echoes. Also, what I find interesting is playing old game music through modern high quality GM compatible devices. It makes them sound very surreal, because back then noone really cared for realism with game music.
@anjinbeats
I grew up playing DOS games on just the PC speaker, really blows my mind that the sound could have been this good.. might have to get hold of one of these bad bois
@NeonYukon
4:55 the transition to the PC speaker is just... omg lmao
@Evansmustard
Holy crap. I wasn't even alive then but the sounds improvements blew me away today.
@realtrisk
I think it's pretty widely known that the reason the MT-32 lacks a convincing piano attack sample is that its first purpose, before Sierra and other companies used it for games, was as an add-on module for a Roland digital piano. Because convincing piano samples were expected to be already in the host piano, none were added to the MT-32. This is also the reason it defaults to midi channel 2, instead of 1, I believe. This was explained by Tom Lewandowski of Quest Studios, as his wife had the original digital piano and the MT-32 for its original purpose, to add sounds to the piano. He also showed one of the original ad flyers for the MT-32 that proclaimd it as an add-on for your new Roland digital piano.
@Arunav100
That Difference though, Roland MT 32 is epic
@OAleathaO
I always used to stare at the MT-32 in each month's issue of Sierra's Interaction magazine. Unlike most kids that just wanted it for games I wanted one so I could also plug it into my MIDI keyboard. I finally got one about 4 years ago and, at least for me, it still hasn't lost its mystique.
@happyebb
Such fun, beautiful and memorable tech. I spent most of my childhood playing dos games using the pc speaker. One day a friend gave me his sound blaster 2.0 which was mono but the sound was amazing. I replayed all my games again and it made a a difference, breathing new life into them, more depth to offer. The Roland mt-32 was something I only got to hear in recent years, very impressive.
@CristalianaIvor