Uploaded May 2014 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
A short comparison of a few instruments on the Roland Sound Canvas; real hardware and software Virtual Sound Canvas.
The Virtual Sound Canvas is Roland's software emulator of the SC-55. The VSC sounds a little different from the real SC-55, most noticeably the synthy instruments.
Credits: The VSC recordings are by me. The real SC-55 recordings are by MusicallyInspired, and are from sc55 dot duke4 dot net, with the exception of the DOOM 2 music, which was recorded by LogixDeLuxe. All the music is composed by Robert Prince, except for "Watz Next?" which is composed by Lee Jackson.
Songs and main instruments compared in this video:
0:05 - DOOM - E2M2 - Halo Pad
1:06 - DOOM - Victory - Halo Pad
1:45 - Rise of the Triad - "Rise" - Synth Strings 2
2:29 - Rise of the Triad - "Watz Next?" - Sweep Pad
3:00 - DOOM 2 - Map05 - Synth Bass 2
Note: The "accuracy" of the VSC to a real SC-55 depends on the music being played and the instruments used. Some songs and instruments will sound very close to an SC-55, and others will not sound the same at all. For example, the VSC appears to use the same Power Drumkit samples as the SC-55. The electric guitars however, are not the same. The VSC's distortion guitar samples are completely different from the SC-55's samples.
Here is a comparison of the Synth Drum on the real SC-55, the VSC, and the MS Synth: youtu.be/FOcvvrHt4k4
Here is DOOM E1M1 and E3M1 music played with the VSC: youtube.com/watch?v=dkcjX2_BcBw
A short comparison of a few instruments on the Roland Sound Canvas; real hardware and software Virtual Sound Canvas.
The Virtual Sound Canvas is Roland's software emulator of the SC-55. The VSC sounds a little different from the real SC-55, most noticeably the synthy instruments.
Credits: The VSC recordings are by me. The real SC-55 recordings are by MusicallyInspired, and are from sc55 dot duke4 dot net, with the exception of the DOOM 2 music, which was recorded by LogixDeLuxe. All the music is composed by Robert Prince, except for "Watz Next?" which is composed by Lee Jackson.
Songs and main instruments compared in this video:
0:05 - DOOM - E2M2 - Halo Pad
1:06 - DOOM - Victory - Halo Pad
1:45 - Rise of the Triad - "Rise" - Synth Strings 2
2:29 - Rise of the Triad - "Watz Next?" - Sweep Pad
3:00 - DOOM 2 - Map05 - Synth Bass 2
Note: The "accuracy" of the VSC to a real SC-55 depends on the music being played and the instruments used. Some songs and instruments will sound very close to an SC-55, and others will not sound the same at all. For example, the VSC appears to use the same Power Drumkit samples as the SC-55. The electric guitars however, are not the same. The VSC's distortion guitar samples are completely different from the SC-55's samples.
Here is a comparison of the Synth Drum on the real SC-55, the VSC, and the MS Synth: youtu.be/FOcvvrHt4k4
Here is DOOM E1M1 and E3M1 music played with the VSC: youtube.com/watch?v=dkcjX2_BcBw
