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Roland MC-500 Micro Composer

Roland MC-500 Micro Composer

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$140.00

4.5 (7)

1 Critic Review

2 Reviews

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

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Page last updated Jun 26, 2026

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5.0 (2)

$140.00 3 available Used

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Description

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The MC-500 from 1986 is one of the best and reigning stand-alone sequencer and midi recorders around. There's 4-track recording in real or step time and 16 midi channel multitimbrality, a dedicated rhythm track, a built-in 3.5" disk drive with 100,000 note capacity and a large LCD screen. New operating systems including the newer mkII version can be loaded via the disk drive. Editing is intense and precise. The sequencer has 30,000 note capacity, track merging, microscopic editing, quantization and it's relatively simple to use.

Product specs

Brand	Roland
Model	MC-500 MicroComposer
Finish	White
Year	1986 - 1989
Made In	Japan
Categories	Sequencers
Analog / Digital	Digital
MIDI I/O	MIDI Input, MIDI Output, MIDI Through

FAQs

What type of MIDI connectivity does the Roland MC-500 Micro Composer offer?: The Roland MC-500 Micro Composer provides MIDI Input, MIDI Output, and MIDI Through connectivity, allowing it to interface with various MIDI-compatible devices for sequencing and control.
How many notes can the Roland MC-500 Micro Composer store?: The Roland MC-500 Micro Composer can store approximately 25,000 notes in its internal memory, making it suitable for complex compositions and arrangements.
Is the Roland MC-500 Micro Composer suitable for live performances?: Yes, the Roland MC-500 Micro Composer is designed for both studio use and live performances, offering robust sequencing capabilities to manage and trigger MIDI devices during a show.
What are the main features of the Roland MC-500 Micro Composer?: The Roland MC-500 Micro Composer features digital sequencing capabilities, MIDI connectivity, and a user-friendly interface for programming and editing musical sequences.
Can the Roland MC-500 Micro Composer be used with modern MIDI devices?: Yes, the Roland MC-500 Micro Composer can be used with modern MIDI devices thanks to its standard MIDI Input, Output, and Through ports, ensuring compatibility with contemporary gear.

Videos

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Synthead

How to use a Roland MC-500 sequencer

Synthead

Roland MC-500 | The Magic of 80s MIDI Sequencing | Pt.1

Espen Kraft

Roland MC-500 Micro Composer - Rhythm track test

Johnny Sierascky

Roland MC-500 | Pt.2 - Features and Setup

Espen Kraft

Roland MC-500 first test

Vit Kavan

Reviews

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Critic Reviews

Roland MC500 MicroComposer (MT Feb 87)

muzines.co.uk

The Roland MC-500 Micro Composer is a powerful, disk-based MIDI sequencer that has quickly become an industry standard. Its logical layout and informative display are major strengths, along with its robust editing capabilities and expandable design. However, the reliance on disk storage can be inconvenient, and the rhythm programming method is notably cumbersome. With a bit of setup time required before use, it lacks some user-friendly features found in competitors like Yamaha's QX5. Despite these quirks, its open-ended design makes it a valuable tool for professional users seeking longevity in their musical endeavors.

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 2 Reviews and 7 Ratings

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kugupu

1294

over 10 years ago

Roland MC-500 stand-alone sequencer and midi recorder from the 80s

MC-500 (MicroComposer) was released by Roland in 1986 and it was one of the first affordable hardware sequencers at that time. It has been used by many 80s artists and most notable by Detroit Techno pioneer Juan Atkins who even named his famous Model-500 project on his Technoplex label inspired by this machine. It was one of the best and reigning stand-alone sequencer and midi recorders around. There's 4-track recording in real or step time and 16 midi channel multitimbrality, a dedicated rhythm track, a built-in 3.5" disk drive (that you can now replace with HxC SD/USD floppy emulator) with 100,000 note capacity and a large LCD screen. Final operating systems including the newer mkII version can be loaded via the disk drive. Editing is intense and precise. The sequencer has 30,000 note capacity, track merging, microscopic editing, quantization and it's relatively simple to use. In 1988 Roland released MC-500mkII that was equipped with Turbo software. Now there are 8 tracks of recording, 100,000 note capacity, real-time track muting and more. Like "in box" DAW it may not have pretty hi-res screen displays and graphical editing, but sophisticated hardware sequencers, such as Roland MC series, are capable of just about anything you could possibly want to do in the context of music. They also have the advantage that they become extremely fast to use; indeed, many MC500 users can program at amazing speeds, because performing any particular operation always comes down to a sequence of key-strokes which the user unconsciously gets to know after a while (inevitably somewhat faster then aiming a mouse).

alfa_trax

195

over 6 years ago

digital multitrack sequencer

digital multitrack sequencer, 2 midi outputs, floppy drive, tape sync

Roles:

Composer Music Producer Audio Engineer

Genres:

Electronic Pop

Artist usage

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Matt "Fryborg" Jones

Singer, Guitarist

Male Gaze

Verified via Photo

seen syncing a terrifying amount of synths in the secret Jones-Cave of Synth Secrets

Terry Devine-King

Keyboardist, Composer

The Style Council

Verified via Muzines

"Enter stage left the newest addition to the Cutting Crew fold, session musician Terry Devine-King, who was brought in to play keyboards for the tour, and with him a number of useful pieces of equipment, notably the Roland D-50, Korg M-1R, Roland Super JX-10, Akai S-900 and, oh, deep joy!, a Roland MC-500."

Tommy Eyre

Keyboardist, Music Producer

WHAM!

Verified

Keyboardist Tommy Eyre is confirmed to use the Roland MC-500 Micro Composer as part of his onstage setup. This is supported by an article from Musician magazine, published in September 1987, which details that the sequencer is used to drive several elements of his extensive MIDI setup, including Roland 727 and 707 drum boxes.