"Hold SELECT and press "Part >" = GM mode
Hold SELECT and press "Instrument >" = GS mode"

Not exactly. Doing this tells the unit to execute a GM or GS reset.
If for example you tell the unit to GS Reset, but then play a MIDI file that contains GM Reset Sysex,
the unit will follow the sysex and execute a GM Reset. Wiping out your GS Reset.

Well, of course a MIDI file can do the same and change the mode, but that's not the point. Besides, you can also switch modes while playback is already running.

derSammler wrote on 2017-11-25, 10:32:

To change GM patches and make the SC-88 Pro sound exactly like the SC-55 or SC-88, you must first enter compatibility mode:

Does it make the sc88pro sound like the original sc55? Or like the mark 2?

I thought the 88 Pro just had mapping for the SC-55, using it's SC-88/88 Pro sounds, but the manual says it has the sounds of 55 and 88 in it's ROM.

ChrisTOTG wrote on 2022-10-12, 02:13:

derSammler wrote on 2017-11-25, 10:32:

To change GM patches and make the SC-88 Pro sound exactly like the SC-55 or SC-88, you must first enter compatibility mode:

Does it make the sc88pro sound like the original sc55? Or like the mark 2?

It uses the mk2 rom versions.

SuperDeadite wrote on 2022-10-12, 03:56:

ChrisTOTG wrote on 2022-10-12, 02:13:

derSammler wrote on 2017-11-25, 10:32:

To change GM patches and make the SC-88 Pro sound exactly like the SC-55 or SC-88, you must first enter compatibility mode:

Does it make the sc88pro sound like the original sc55? Or like the mark 2?

It uses the mk2 rom versions.

Understood, thanks.

Thank you for thai post.
It’s great to have a quick guide to use of compatibility mode of SC-88 😄

I've looked in the manual and I don't get it. Can someone explain to me, what is the difference between choosing a different map and compatibility mode? Looking at the picture from the manual, I don't see differences between the SC-88Pro default mode SC-88 map, SC-88Pro SC-88 compatibility mode default map and the SC-88 map.

They should in theory be the same. There's a lot of duplication and double counting in the way more advanced SC devices consider previous map support.

It'd be much more unlikely that they differ in some ways, because that would require extra waveforms, memory or programming. Chances are it's just multiple roads that lead to Rome. The SC-8850 has even more instances like this.

GL1zdA wrote on 2022-12-07, 22:10:

I've looked in the manual and I don't get it. Can someone explain to me, what is the difference between choosing a different map and compatibility mode? Looking at the picture from the manual, I don't see differences between the SC-88Pro default mode SC-88 map, SC-88Pro SC-88 compatibility mode default map and the SC-88 map.

See here :

derSammler wrote on 2017-11-25, 10:32:

Hold SELECT and press "Instrument <" and "Instrument >" at the same time .... First of all, since most people don't seem to know […]
Show full quote

Hold SELECT and press "Instrument <" and "Instrument >" at the same time
....
First of all, since most people don't seem to know that, just pressing "SC-55 Map" or "SC-88 Map" does not change GM patches! It only changes the mapping of the additional instruments in native mode. For GM playback, this is completely irrelevant. The only difference you may hear is due to capital tone fallback, which is affected by this.

To change GM patches and make the SC-88 Pro sound exactly like the SC-55 or SC-88, you must first enter compatibility mode:

Hold SELECT and press ALL; ALL will be blinking indicating compatibility mode

Now you can use the "SC-55 Map" and "SC-88 Map" buttons to make the SC-88 Pro sound like a SC-55 Mk.II or SC-88.

Changing only a map doesn't give you the same sounds as they should be generated according to the rules as it was in the original SC of which map you selected. You can try this by sending MIDI commands and play the same midi file on different modes and here difference. To here it you have to use original SC or RAW recordings (in WAW format) with hight sampling rate that SC can produce to capture all nuances of sound.

derSammler wrote on 2017-11-25, 10:32:

Since I'm currently playing around with my Roland SC-88 Pro and most people probably don't read the 200+ pages manual, I thought […]
Show full quote

Since I'm currently playing around with my Roland SC-88 Pro and most people probably don't read the 200+ pages manual, I thought I share the most important functions.

Switch modes:

Hold SELECT and press "Part >" = GM mode
Hold SELECT and press "Instrument <" = CM-64 mode
Hold SELECT and press "Instrument >" = GS mode

(ALL = yes, MUTE = no)

Factory reset:

Hold SELECT and press "Instrument <" and "Instrument >" at the same time

(ALL = yes, MUTE = no)

Switching patches:

First of all, since most people don't seem to know that, just pressing "SC-55 Map" or "SC-88 Map" does not change GM patches! It only changes the mapping of the additional instruments in native mode. For GM playback, this is completely irrelevant. The only difference you may hear is due to capital tone fallback, which is affected by this.

To change GM patches and make the SC-88 Pro sound exactly like the SC-55 or SC-88, you must first enter compatibility mode:

Hold SELECT and press ALL; ALL will be blinking indicating compatibility mode

Now you can use the "SC-55 Map" and "SC-88 Map" buttons to make the SC-88 Pro sound like a SC-55 Mk.II or SC-88.

For the life of me I cannot find how to initialize the SC 88 Pro demo songs! How do I play them?

tdehan wrote on 2023-01-29, 16:13:

derSammler wrote on 2017-11-25, 10:32:

Since I'm currently playing around with my Roland SC-88 Pro and most people probably don't read the 200+ pages manual, I thought […]
Show full quote

Since I'm currently playing around with my Roland SC-88 Pro and most people probably don't read the 200+ pages manual, I thought I share the most important functions.

Switch modes:

Hold SELECT and press "Part >" = GM mode
Hold SELECT and press "Instrument <" = CM-64 mode
Hold SELECT and press "Instrument >" = GS mode

(ALL = yes, MUTE = no)

Factory reset:

Hold SELECT and press "Instrument <" and "Instrument >" at the same time

(ALL = yes, MUTE = no)

Switching patches:

First of all, since most people don't seem to know that, just pressing "SC-55 Map" or "SC-88 Map" does not change GM patches! It only changes the mapping of the additional instruments in native mode. For GM playback, this is completely irrelevant. The only difference you may hear is due to capital tone fallback, which is affected by this.

To change GM patches and make the SC-88 Pro sound exactly like the SC-55 or SC-88, you must first enter compatibility mode:

Hold SELECT and press ALL; ALL will be blinking indicating compatibility mode

Now you can use the "SC-55 Map" and "SC-88 Map" buttons to make the SC-88 Pro sound like a SC-55 Mk.II or SC-88.

For the life of me I cannot find how to initialize the SC 88 Pro demo songs! How do I play them?

I believe the SC-88Pro doesn't have any demo songs stored in its ROM, contrary to the SC-55 or the regular SC-88 model. There are demo songs made by Roland but you need to play them through MIDI. Googling around should get you some midifiles to download 😀