AMAZING CHANGES! SP404 mk2 Update Walkthrough + Step Sequencer Tutorial 

Check out SP404 in stores here: Thomann (EU): www.thomann.de/se/roland_sp_404mkii.htm?offid=1&affid=623 Sweetwater (NA): imp.i114863.net/ZdKA6X Perfect Circuit (NA): bit.ly/PCrolandSP *affiliate links support the channel regardless of what you buy, and at no cost to you

What a beast of a 404. They really went above and beyond. Great job, Roland!

Man, this update is awesome. Thank you Roland.

The Pocket operator workflow is my most comfortable and now my sp is a giant OP PO!! (overpowered pocket operator)

@ROLAND PLEASE!! PLEASE!! Give me an easy way to export my beats to a DAW for post production, I seriously belive thats will be the FINAL BEST THING to ever happen to this amazing little box (Right now I feel my beats are held hostage on the SP)

this is legit everything I wanted. So pumped to try the firmware. Great vid!

So, they changed the game on a game changing device? Fantastic news! Thanks for the update about the update, Mister Beats!

Wow, this update makes me really want to buy one. If only anyone had them in stock ;)

Great video. These new features are fantastic and I will be updating mine over thee weekend. Thank you for sharing.

I literally got this thing last week and now it’s been updated! Amazing!

Great vid Bo! This is exactly what this machine needed roland really came through with this one.

They've done it...the absolute madlads have done it...polyphonic sample playing....finally my Emulator 2 fantasies have come true (you know I've been asking about that for YEARS lmao) 🙌 Edit: 11:19 dude probably and THANK YOU 😂

Great vid man! Loving this update 🙌

Man you’re early with it. I literally can’t find nothing else on this update at the moment. Good stuff 🙌🏿

whoa whoa whoa whoa!!! This is the closest thing to Breaking News that I can imagine.

I wasn't totally sure about this unit previously, but it seems pretty cool now. Good video.

oooh exciting! .. nice one! thanks for the update vid.

Wow, these are game changers! I love the sound, fx, and feel of the mk2 but these features make it a much more heavy hitter. Seems like you're the first to share these updates. Not sure I can go to sleep now...

I’m never telling Bobeats a secret 🤫 lol 😂

Good to see they have made recording chromatic / poly now def a huge step forward. If you have a way of contacting roland please include the feature of reversing from playhead rather than from the end of a sample. It makes the reverse button a creative tool and means you can make your own ping pong effect at will to extend sections of a sample. The earliest Sp devices all have this ability and the reverse works the same as normal if you press it when not already triggering a sample. Seems like a no brainer and surely not hard to implement

Great work, Bo.

Just got my 404 this week; thanks for the video. I like the polyphonic midi keyboard feature. Being able to sample my mono analog synth and turning it into poly is pretty cool and looks really easy.

Thanks for the information Bo!🙏🏾✊🏾💚

Great! Now if Roland can get the blessed box back in stock so those of us who don't have one can buy it...

Just enough for it to be a game changer. I will be enjoying this machine much more.

Best thing about my Summer Vacation!!

Great update! Great video!

This is a game changer. More features on this device makes it suitable musicians like me. Like the step sequencer and poly sample playback.

I have been having trouble integrating the SP MK2 into my setup. (Digitakt/MC707/RC505) But with the step sequencer and new polyphonics I can use it as a portable sketchpad and sampler on the go, and extra effects unit when it's with it's big brothers! This update is a game changer for me! I might even be able to use the SP for stripped down gigs if I could figure out how to make the sampler work with a midi pedal trigger! Really great job Roland!

Dope update for someone that loves TR style sequencing like myself. Recording chromatically and poly record is a welcomed addition as well. Still doesn't compare to the MPC step recording, but it doesn't need to. I still find value in this completely different tool to justify keeping it. It does things that most other samplers and daws can accomplish, but the 404 is still speedier and more fun to get things done with certain things for me. Now if you could talk them into letting them dump our samples and stems as WAV files that would be great!

Sounds great what you do!

I waited long for the Firmware 2.0 for the SP404mkii and finally it is out now! thank you Roland. the SP404mkii is now an really usefully gear for me. Thank you BoBeats for the Tutorial/-Video.

Super exciting

I spoke with a Rep at Movement Electron Fest in Detroit in regards to the 404 having a TR-Rec mode, and now here it is. This changes my mind on this device. Now it might be something to add to the arsenal.

Great video bo! 🙏😁

lmao this video was suppose to come out on the 30th....

Wow. I actually want one of these now

Incredible news, just got mine a few weeks ago and loved it before this update.

I watched 3 times, for the algorithm 😋

Hellz yeah!!!!

I went to Guitar Center to check out the mc101 and 707 because they have been on my GAS list for awhile. I was meh on them but totally fell in love with the sp404. This addition makes it even more tempting. Maybe once I master the Circuit Tracks. I was surprised at how beefy and heavy it is!

Love my SP 404 MK2 and just updated firmware to v3.0 so looking forward to using it more often live. I found the free app made life way easier to load and manage samples as well as create patterns and configure samples as loops or one offs. Really fun and different than my Octatrack that is better as a studio tool. The effects are great. Now I have my synthwave anime tracks ready for shows!

Massive update, it makes it waaay more versatile. I can see it playing really nicely with my Electribe, and both have different strengths and weaknesses ie electribe sample time vs 404 not running external instruments, so I can see them playing really well together. Definitely makes me want one. Thanks Bo, this video had more nuances than all the other ones I've watched.

Any idea when the update goes live?

Please do more videos on SP404 mk2 !!! So helpful! Such a 🔥 sampler!!

It’s been MPC One or 404 mkii for me. Thanks for the video I want the 404 now

Wow amazing update. Thanks Bo

Anyone knows what version is this? I don't see the new firmware from the Roland website. I only see 1.16 from April.

And then 04/04 happened and it got even more awesome. :)

This update is extremely overpowered I would argue even after the price surge june 9th this device is worth far more than what they are asking for thank you for sharing this downloading tonight 🔥

Some people laughed when I asked about a step sequencer on a facebook group, but for me it made so much sense from an electronic producer perspective!. The polyphonic sample playback sounds like a great feature! 👌. Can you shift notes on the step sequencer?

BoBeats with that exclusive

Love it. But man the shortcuts feel like playing Mortal Kombat

I haven't got through the whole video but I'm too impatient to wait...when's the firmware out Bo?! I'm on holiday and I need it now haha

If it could only export individual tracks, in addition to this update, an ARP and Sidechain, it would be an MPC/ Maschine killer!

ugh.., I haven't even got a chance to play with this toy. Thanks to my wife. So happy to see updates though!

Is the MKII compatible with 44.1kHz sample rate in USB audio compliance yet (it does 48kHz, can it be adjusted to 44.1)?

Awesome, now this will be my new favourite instrument. The step sequencer limitations are not relevant for me, but good to know.

Good step in the right direction… now they need to make the step editable, so you can record live and fix any issue in the step sequencer. Also like elektron and Maschine to be able to automate the effect per step, pressing on the step and editing.

What version is this? I only see 1.16 on the site from April.

Hey Bo so glad they finally added a proper step sequencer is the chromatic mode still pitch only or did they use the proper time stretch chromatic?

Epic hair!

amazing but ya it's weird you have to tap off the samples change value then tap them in again instead of just being able to change it live...

Thanks as always! I think you mentioned in another video that the Digitakt was better for sample mangling than the SP404 mk2. Do you still feel the same way after the update?

Loving the update. Two wishes I have-> Wish it had scale folding when playing in a scale. No point in having empty pads. Syntakt scale fold is really awesome and hoping more devices use that rather than empty pads. Also really wish we could assign samples to midi channels and sequence externally. I've been loving my Syntakt and my Syntakt + SP404 samples, using midi tracks, would be great. I know I can hit one shots over midi, but sequencing chromatic samples over midi isn't possible. Right now it goes C1: Bank A, sample 1. C#1, Bank A sample 2, D1, Bank A Sample 3, etc. Wish we could assign "midi groups" or something. Assign Sample X on Channel 1, Sample Y on Channel 2, etc, and then be able to play them chromatically. Would make external sequencing insanely powerful with it. It seriously would be filthy if we could do that.

Thnx a lot - seems more and more the SP404 MK2 could be very interesting for me to try.....It's just a bit different than the "traditional" stepsequencers for electronic music.....has very fine sampling, good pads to drum, and seems to have very interesting and a little differnt workflow(s) for performing...

Hello, please ask a question. When playing music, the 303 effect of mfx+13 doesn't respond. Is there any operation error? Your video is so great that it has been supported. thank you

is it possible to re-adjust/change the swing strength (or the bar length) of a pattern on the fly in the trs-sequencer mode??? It seems I need to pre-set these and then hope I get what I want from it..

Thanks for the info on the new update! Step sequencer is a really useful feature. I have one question, though. Can you copy/paste steps? I guess not, correct?

Many thanks for this! I was on the fence with getting a mk2 until I saw your video on how the sequencer works, and then picked one up! Do you know how to troubleshoot sync latency issues with Ver. 3? No matter what I do, when syncing the mk2 to my DAW, it is always late no matter what I adjust.

Will there be an upgrade of the pc sample software, to go along with this? Are Roland looking at that?

I’ve managed to keep the GAS away with this thing, until now. I guess it’s for the best that they aren’t super easy to find, lol. Maybe if I save up slowly, they’ll be easier to find by the time I get the $$. This update seems really awesome!

Seeing the keyboard attached. That model has a 5pin out port, right? I have a Komplete Kontrol controller with only a usb connection. Would I need a USB Midi Host to connect my keyboard, then?

hi. a little question: is it possible to edit in tr-rec mode what was recorded in real-time recording mode?

Every time I see this device I think it looks like a cartoonishly huge pocket calculator..haha

So, I can use this in a live performance using a midi keyboard and virtual instruments thru it?

?: Is there yet a way to Mute certain pads while a pattern is playing?

Had to cancel my order months ago, it was never going to be delivered, given up on it now.

What is your current workflow for exporting finished projects to a DAW for further mixing?

Hey Bo.... what app do you use to make your vids..? thx

It's good to see Roland are listening & making improvements. Can't understand what the hell they were thinking with the round screen bezel though. It looks tacky AF. With better layout they could have easily had a screen twice as large without cramping anything.

When does it drop? Still only 1.16 on Rolands site.

It’s a Pocket operator update

Time for Novation to up their firmware upgrade game as competitions getting tougher Tracks and Rhythm : Up to 64 steps , double or quad the amount of patterns and scenes for full / fuller songs . Rhythm specifically :I’ve been trying to campaign for them to work with Sonic Charge to port Micro Tonic as an alternative engine to the sampler . Magnus did a recode port for the PO32 and that is a a power management chip for a dishwasher , so even with my limited dsp experience the chip or soc the sampler and fx engine running on Rhythm would appear to be a few orders of magnitude beyond that . So feel free to tweet them , email them if you agree . Cheers .

Normally I use the Octatrack MK2 as the center of my setup. For interst I bought a used SP-404 MK II and updated it to V 4.05. I found out that the SP cannot exchange the OT in its centerpiece function and therefore I intent to use it "as an extension to my OT". Useful so far is only to sync both devices (SP is clock-slave of OT). The midi implementation of the SP is poor for my understanding. In total the handling of the SP in a usefull way needs a strong learning curve. A lot shortcuts to remember. The manual is quite booring to study. Any suggestions?

Oh boy. I just settled into Koala Sampler land yet I’m in love with the Roland as I have the E4, MC-101, TR6S, DJ707m and just ordered the MC707. What to do!! 😅😅😅😅

Hi. I was wondering if it is possible to connect this to a midi keyboard and use it as a rompler. This would be possible if you could change the midi values of the pads. Imagine sampling a whole piano and playing it live trough the SP404MKii. Make a setting where the midi value starts at its lowest in bank A and increases chromatically all the way to trough to the last bank! Is something like this possible now?

Great video! How did you connect the keyboard? Does it work with usb keyboards or which connection is needed?

I have the KeyStep 37 and I can’t get it to work with my SP404 MK2. I got the midi cable and my keyboard is powered.

Far less eating by Bob than I expected.

Can you upload sounds like a mellotron (just for example) or single notes x key and then connect the 404 to a midi keyboard for play across the keys as a normal synth? In other words I'd like to use the 404 also as a sampling keyboard other than the usual groovebox style use of the 404, but I'm not sure if this sampler is the right choice

Love the vid. I am just getting into it. Is it possible or do you think you can put a word in to be able to record from the mic or ext out onto a pad while playing a pattern? Right now you can do it but not record/sample. When this becomes possible, I believe that turns the sp into a mobile daw. There are work arounds with the skip back but to record would be amazing.

I know it's not good at being a sequencer, but is it better at being sequenced from external gear? If not, is the clock sync at least serviceable? I want to use it with my Monologue.

As someone who (Years ago) jumped into my first DAW/hardware combo, more like midi controller for a DAW with Maschine. I really gravitated towards learning all the ins and outs of it. Fast forward a decade and having hardly touched any devices like this with the exception of a Sonicware Liven Lo-Fi I'm wanting to get back into just making music to pass time and as a hobby. I've watched a ton of your videos around this device and wanted to know your opinion about taking the dive into the 404... Is it still worth it, should I wait, seeing as I left go of most of my previous knowledge its almost as if starting from scratch but have the core basics still in the memory bank for the Maschine V1 era. I cannot decide and of course we do not know what 2024 is going to bring in terms of devices I'm really looking for something to dig my teeth into and really leverage more. The portability aspect is important as I sit in front of a computer all day long and at the end of the day sitting on the couch with a set of headphones on just fiddling around is something that I really gravitate towards. Cannot decide what to do and there is lots of information overload. Suggestions on what to really look at, SP404, EP-133 (nervous about the issues), something like within the novation line? I do really like the screen on the SP and having that visual aid I feel is something that I really need/want..... so many choices

When will the new update be available? It's currently not on Roland's website...

On the Roland website, for some reason I don’t see firmware 2.0 ... only 1.14, 1.16 ...

is there a way to trigger the samples from external gear in a DAW less enviroment. right now i still have my sp404mk2 in the box , i was waiting for the update to make it easier to work with midi. my goal is to have vocal samples on sp404 mk2 triggered/ sequenced by my Keystep Pro. right now i am using midi channel 16 for my drum machine(Roland TR-8S) and still getting the hang of the Roland JU-06A, however i was hoping someone reading this has attempted this soon if not already and can shed light if this works or what? or is even possible yet?

Great update! too bad you can't buy one though.....:(

@Roland Please work on this roll and make it a MPC/SP kind of roll please!

Hello! In the end, which do you love most, the Digitakt or the SP-404 mk2? I watched all iyr videos (and more) and can't make up my mind... I already own (and love) a Syntakt.