Extract text from AdLib music files (ROL)
To convert ROL music files to another format, you need AdPlug or other Audio software.
To convert other file formats to the "Chiptune Module" file type, you need software like AdPlug or a similar tool.
The .ROL extension primarily refers to the AdLib Visual Composer music format, a relic from the golden age of DOS gaming and FM synthesis. Unlike modern audio files like MP3, a .ROL file does not contain recorded sound; instead, it holds "piano roll" sequencing data - instructions that tell the legendary OPL2 synthesizer chip which notes to play.
Because these files are essentially digital sheet music for obsolete hardware, you cannot open them in standard media players like Windows Media Player or iTunes. Furthermore, AdLib .ROL files often require a companion BNK (Bank) file to define the instrument sounds; without it, the music may not play or will sound incorrect. A secondary, less common use of the extension is for PianoDisc systems, which use proprietary data to control solenoid-based player pianos.
To make these files usable today, the best approach is conversion. For listening, convert .ROL to MP3 or WAV to capture the authentic FM sound. For editing or remixing in modern DAWs like FL Studio, convert them to MIDI. Simply drag your .ROL file to convert.guru to identify the format and transform it into something you can actually use.
Use Convert.Guru to open and convert your ROL file.
Users also converted SA2, A2M, AIFF and RON files.
If you want to convert ROL file to RON, MP3, WAV, AAC, FLAC, OGG, WMA, M4A, AIFF, OPUS, ALAC or APE, you can use AdPlug or similar software from the "FM Synthesis Music Module" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert MIDI, AAC, TTA, AU, WV, DTS, MID, FLAC, RA, MP3, PCM or WAV files to ROL, try AdPlug or another comparable tool in the "FM Synthesis Music Module" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our ROL converter.