Roland MT-32
The Roland MT-32 Multi-Timbre Sound Module is a MIDI synthesizer module first released in 1987 by Roland Corporation. It was originally marketed to amateur musicians as a budget external synthesizer with an original list price of $695. However, it became more famous along with its compatible modules as an early de facto standard in computer music. Since it was made prior to the release of the General MIDI standard, it uses its own proprietary format for MIDI file playback.
Front view of MT-32 | |
| Developer | Roland Corporation |
|---|---|
| Type | MIDI ROMpler/hybrid synthesizer |
| Release date | 1987 |
| Introductory price | US$695 (equivalent to $1,790 in 2022) |
| Platform | X68000, X1, Amiga, Apple IIGS, Atari ST, IBM PC, PC-88, PC-98, MSX, FM Towns, Tandy 1000, Commodore 64, Macintosh |
| Successor | Roland SC-55 |
Within Roland's family of linear arithmetic (LA) synthesizers, the multitimbral MT-32 series constitutes the budget prosumer line for computer music at home, the multitimbral D-5, D-10, D-20 and D-110 models constitute the professional line for general studio use, and the high-end monotimbral D-50 and D-550 models are for sophisticated multi-track studio work. It was the first product in Roland's Myuujikun (ミュージくん) line of Desktop Music System (DTM) packages in Japan.