The instrument
The analogue RS-101 with 61 non-stroke-sensitive keys is the first string synthesizer from Roland. The five octaves (F-F) offer polyphony and three basic sounds, as well as vibrato control. The RS-101 is the first to feature Roland's ensemble effect, and unlike other string ensembles of the time, it has independent envelopes for the individual voices. It was replaced the following year by the RS-202, which, apart from additional controls, has no significant changes.
Details
The three sounds are all based on the same raw waveform generated by a single divide-down oscillator and can be switched on simultaneously. They are filtered separately. Strings I is a sawtooth sound, Strings II is the same but an octave higher, and Brass with the same fundamental is passed through a different filter. The articulation sounds independently for each key and is controlled by the slow attack switch, the volume switch and the sustain slider. The vibrato influences the depth of the pitch change.