2011 (Windows)

Chapter 9: Roland VSC3 Software Synthesizer46
Chapter 9: Roland VSC3 Software Synthesizer
Roland VSC3 Sound Synthesizer Included
An important part of “Band-in-a-Box” is the band that you actually hear – this
is determined by the MIDI driver that you use for output. Most people use
either an FM or Wavetable sound card or a software synthesizer. Roland has
been making, in our opinion, the best quality software synthesizer – the Roland
Virtual Sound Canvas (VSC). The quality of the sounds has greatly improved
in the latest version of the Virtual Sound Canvas– dubbed the “VSC3.” The
sounds are so good that we put them to the test as a “blindfold” listening test
on our web site (www.pgmusic.com/blindfold_compare.htm).
We made recordings of the VSC3, various popular MIDI sound cards, sound
cards with enhanced sound fonts and hardware modules. They were all playing
the identical files (Classical, Jazz and Funk). The winner as voted by the
visitors to the site was the Roland VSC3 – beating out hardware modules and
sound cards, including those with enhanced sound fonts! So now you can hear
all of your MIDI Music with the new VSC3, since it works with Band-in-a-Box
and most any other MIDI program that you have.
You need to install the Roland VSC3, which is a separate install from the
Band-in-a-Box program. When you install the Roland VSC3, you'll see a
“Roland VSC 3.0” MIDI Out driver listed in the Options-Driver section of
Band-in-a-Box. You will also have a program called VSC-88.exe in the
location c:\Program Files\roland\vsc30\ on your hard drive.
You can use the Roland VSC3 with Band-in-a-Box and any other MIDI
program that supports MIDI Drivers (almost all of them do).
To use the Roland VSC3 for your output sounds, choose “Opt. | MIDI driver
setup...” and select the “Roland VSC 3.0” as the MIDI Output Driver.