Technically they are the opposite of a MIDI controller; they’re MIDI sound generators. (MIDI controllers produce MIDI data, sound generators consume them.)
As to whether they’re “early”… they range from circa 1986 to 1999. The ’86 module probably counts as early, the 1999 one definitely not.
From Top to Bottom :
1. Roland ED SC-8820
2. Yamaha FB-01
3. Roland SC-55ST
4. Roland SC-88
5. Roland CM-64 (the CM-32P looks identical from the front with the model information airbrushed out, but is not compatible with DOS games.)
They look like some kind of early MIDI controllers…
Technically they are the opposite of a MIDI controller; they’re MIDI sound generators. (MIDI controllers produce MIDI data, sound generators consume them.)
As to whether they’re “early”… they range from circa 1986 to 1999. The ’86 module probably counts as early, the 1999 one definitely not.
From Top to Bottom :
1. Roland ED SC-8820
2. Yamaha FB-01
3. Roland SC-55ST
4. Roland SC-88
5. Roland CM-64 (the CM-32P looks identical from the front with the model information airbrushed out, but is not compatible with DOS games.)
All correct of course, and I would expect no less from you… although the question has been correctly answered on the main article page a while ago 🙂