■The Roland MS-1 Digital Sampler is  a compact, 16-bit digital audio phrase sampler from 1994 as an inexpensive, entry-level device. Later replaced by far more famous Boss SP-202 sampler. 

■ It a features small LCD display (no backlit), eight rubber pads that triggered individual samples assigned to them. The eight pads were arranged into five banks for a total of 40 sampled sounds - 16 sounds (divided in banks A & B) with the built-in flash memory (28f400bx / TC511664BJ) and up to 24 (banks C, D & E) expanded with a PCMCIA memory card (quite rare today). Without a card, only banks A & B could be used. 

■ maximum sample time (mono or stereo) mode depended on the frequency quality selected that was selected during recording: "High", "Standard," "Long-1," or even more lofi "Long 2." (see table below for more details).
The internal  memory held approximately 20 seconds on the High setting, or nearly a minute on the Long-2 setting. 

 ■ Edit  samples can  be pitch controlled, playback start-and-end points could be edited, also truncated or split to pads 

■  no built-in audio effects

■ single track sequencer which triggered only the internal sounds and  up to four sequence patterns can stored in memory (approx 900 entries)

■Brand: Roland
Model: MS1
Type: digital sampler R-DAC (Roland Digital Audio Coding KY32-CS4231-KL)
Made In :Japan
Date Produced: 1994
8 Onboard Trigger Pads

■ 16-bit Stereo Phrase Sampler
4 Sampling Frequencies
• High: 44.1kHz-32.07kHz
• Standard: 32kHz-23.27kHz
• Long-1: 22.05kHz-16.04kHz
• Long-2: 16kHz-11.64kHz

■Single Track Sequencer
RPS (Real Time Phrase Sequencer)
MIDI In/Out

■The machine was also portable and powered either by AC adapter or batteries. 

■Dimensions W:218mm(8.625in) H:156mm(6.1875in) D:36.5mm(1.4375in) 
Weight 0.65kg(1.4375)  

■ USER MANUAL DOWNLOAD
■ SERVICE MANUAL  DOWNLOAD

ROLAND MS-1 TURBO FACTS
The Roland MS-1 Digital Sampler is a 16 bit stereo Phrase sampler incorporating R-DAC (Roland Digital Audio Coding). R-DAC provides maximum sampling time without compromising sound quality. The MS-1 has built-in flash RAM memory to store samples, even when the power is off. Memory can be expanded using flash RAM cards. The MS-1 has 8 pads available in two internal and three external banks, and RPS (Real Time Phrase Sequencer) to playback the phrases assigned to the pads. Battery power and a compact design make it perfect as a portable sampler for multiple applications. A 74 minute Audio Sampling CD is included.

Sampling from a CD

Use the bank A-D buttons to select the desired pad bank for sampling. Pressing C and D simultaneously will access pad bank E (Banks C,D and E are available on a Flash RAM card only)
Press REC. When the "Select Pad 1-8 display appears, press the pad you wish to assign a sample.
After you select the pad, the (Gain:) display will appear. Start the CD player, and the sound will be heard through the headphones or amplifier.
By using the +/ - buttons, set the level so that the "*" in the meter lights up occasionally.
Press the REC button shortly before playing the CD to begin sampling. When the sample is finished, press REC to stop sampling.

Auto Mode Sampling from a Microphone
You can use the Auto mode to initiate sampling when a sound is detected on the audio inputs.

Plug the mic into the MIC input.
Use the bank A-D buttons to select the desired pad bank for sampling. ( Pressing C and D simultaneously will access pad bank E).
Press the REC button. When the "Select Pad 1-8" display appears, press the pad you wish to assign a sample.
When the "GAIN:" meter appears, press the> button once. The display will read LINE MONO. From this point, you can change from LINE to MIC by pressing the "+" button once.
Press the > button two more times and you will come to the Man/Auto settings.
Press the + button to set the MS-1 for L1 (Level 1)
Press the < button to return to the level display. Use the + or -buttons to set the level so that the "*" in the meter lights up occasionally.
Press REC. The screen will display "Standby." When you speak into the microphone the MS-1 will automatically start recording. When you are finished, press REC to stop sampling. (The amount of sampling time available will be graphically displayed.)

Turning Loop On/Off & Setting Loop Points
By setting the loop point, you can alter the way a sample is played. Setting the loop to ON, the sample will play as long as you hold down the pad. Setting the loop to OFF, the sample will play only once, regardless of how long you hold down the pad.

After a sample has been recorded, press the EDIT SAMPLE button. Press the > button to set the desired loop parameter ( loop on S-E; will loop from the start point to the end point; Loop on L-E will loop from the loop point to the end point. Loop OFF will play the sample as recorded without looping.Use the "+and ­" buttons to switch between parameters.
After the loop has been set, press the > button to get the loop start point display.
Press the to go between the parameter numbers for Loop Start (Loop P) and Loop end (End P).
Use the "+ and ­" buttons to change the value. You can press the pad of the sample you are editing and hear the changes for the loop settings as you change the parameter settings.
You can vary between making large and small edits on the parameters by moving the cursor to the far left side of the parameter number for major edits and to the far right side for minor edits.

Truncating a Sample
The Truncate function removes unwanted material from the beginning and ending of a sample.
To truncate a sample:

First, set the loop settings using the previous instructions on "Setting the Loop Points" for the sample.
Press the EDIT UTILITY button. Use the buttons to select the Truncate: display. Press the pad you want to truncate.
Press the pad you wish to truncate.
Press the (REC) YES to execute the procedure.

NOTE: You can cancel the procedure by pressing the EXIT/NO button.

Recording a Phrase Sequence

Press the FUNCTION (SEQ) button to enter the sequence mode.
Press one of the four upper pads to select a sequence.
Press the REC button to enter record mode (recording will actually begin the moment a pad is pressed).
Press the REC button, again, to stop recording.

Playback a Sequence

Press the FUNCTION (SEQ) button to enter sequence mode.
Press one of the four upper pads (labeled Seq 1-4) to select a sequence for playback.
Press the PLAY pad to play the sequence.
The sequence will stop when it reaches the last recorded bar, or you can press the STOP button.
Pressing the reset pad will return the sequence to the beginning.

NOTE: When you press pad 8 ( the repeat pad), the sequence will repeat until the STOP pad is pressed.

Setting the Sample Grade
The Sample grade will affect audio quality and sampling time length. You can select between High (44.1Khz), Standard (32Khz), Long 1 (22.05Khz) and Long 2 (16Khz). The higher the quality the shorter the sampling time.

Press the EDIT SYSTEM button. Use the to access the Grade parameter.
Press the +/­ buttons to select the desired grade of sampling.
Press EXIT to return to Pad Mode.

Formatting a Memory Card

With the power OFF, insert the card into the card slot, and turn the power on.
Press the EDIT UTILITY button. Use the "+ and ­" buttons to access the "C. Format" display.
Press the > button to edit "backup files." The +/- buttons are used to change the value.
To initiate the formatting procedure, press the REC button. The display will read: "Formatting."
When the card is formatted, the display will read "Completed." The normal display will return automatically.

Saving to a PCMCIA Flash RAM Card
Besides being able to sample directly to the Flash RAM card, you can also store your internal sounds and sequences to Back Up Files on the Flash RAM card.

Press the EDIT UTILITY button. Use the buttons to select "Save? :BUF1." This will save what is currently in memory into the first back up file location on the disk.
The "+ and -" buttons are used to select the correct backup file.
Press the (REC) YES button to save the data.

Loading from a PCMCIA Flash RAM Card

Press the EDIT UTILITY button. Use the buttons to select "Load? :BUF1."
The "+ and -" buttons are used to select the correct backup file.
Press the (REC) YES button to load the data. This will overwrite what is currently in the A and B banks.

About Flash RAM
The MS-1 uses Flash RAM PCMCIA cards available from SunDisk. Cards are available in 1.8 Mb, 2.5 Mb, 5 Mb, 10 Mb and 20 Mb sizes. Contact your local Roland dealer, or Roland Corporation U.S., for additional details. At STANDARD Sample Grade, these cards will add about 75 seconds per Mb. ©1998 Roland Corporation