This was such a great demonstration. You understood that this is a multi-timbral synth first, the sequencer is just a bonus. Would love more SH-4D content.
I can relate, I pre-ordered it soon as I seen it, and have had it for a month give or take. It lives up to the notion of it being something different then what usually comes from Roland.
Mine is being delivered tomorrow, I can hardly wait. The kicker for me is that the SH4D looks just perfect for a tiny setup like mine, where I do want to be able to fully sculpt my sounds. The only other device I have in active use is a Polyend Tracker, which I love, because it's perfect for my way of working. I can just plug the SH4D into the Tracker's line-in without needing the space for an additional mixer, and with these two I'll probably have everything I need: Tracker for song building and sampling, four parts SH4D for my sounds and effects, and then I even have a drum part as an additional bonus.
Nice, I’ve been intrigued by the SH-4d ever since it was announced. Seems very cool. Demo 3 was my fav, love that spaced out vibe compared to some of the more acid style demos that seem to be the staple for this lil buddy.
Dude I'm so glad you love gear. Thanks for this modified tutorial, please show more sketches with this thing if your pressed for time and need a "quick" vid.
I just got mine a few weeks ago and plan on creating a portable rig with it and my Deluge! Only thing I would like to add to that setup would be a vocal FX unit of some sort and then I will have all my bases covered. It's fun to play in the studio but there's something really nice about going outside and using different settings as inspiration!
I think this is gonna be my next investment. Seems like a Swiss Army Knife. I remember I use to have a GAIA SH-01 like 5 years ago, and yoooo that was perfect for the Electronic Hip-Hop type shit I'd create it was just too big for the desk and i was in a tight space so i had to let it go. But this! This looks like its right up my alley! Biggest selling point for me is its footprint! deskspace is everything! Thanks for this video Jorb! safe travels, G!
I had the SH-32 back in the day so the first thing I thought of when I seen the 4D crop up. I really like the 4D, and I had to have it for sound design. I don’t really think of it as a groove box, or the SH-32 as well. Thanks for making this video, because I was starting to feel alone on the 4D as a sound design tool, rather then groove box. Also, I’d love to see an editor and some firmware updates in the future to improve on things. Plus added FX and more options for them.
All of the SH-4d demos made me want a 707. So I picked that up, and have really enjoyed it after the updates. I really like the hands-on controls on the 4d, and the new engines, but the lack of clear/powerful sequencing feels like a dealbreaker for a lot of uses. Nice to see the way you're using it though. :)
Owned the 707, it doesn’t have enough panel controls. It’s simply not fun to program. It’s okay if you are only using presets, but i’m not into presets. After 6 months i sold it and bought an MPC and i’m not sad about that.
Hey man, welcome to my lands! Awesome! You’ve chosen a great route unfortunately misses out my city but I’ll forgive that. Enjoy the amazing drive Jorb. If you find yourself accidentally in Christchurch give me a shout
dammit, i told myself i didnt need this and then you had to make that insane first patch pretty incredible to have a groovebox with this kind of power combined with that quality of sound
I love how you and others are pushing this further as its been out a bit longer. I've been searching for someone who's done a demo using this with a Novation launchpad. Seems like this is exactly what the 4 track launchpad has been waiting for! If you own a launchpad I'd LOVE to see how you could use the internal sequencer in combination with live performance on the launchpad etc. Am I missing something or doesn't this seem like a fun DAWless combo??
We made some great DAWless hot dogs on my DAWless porch. My friends came over with a DAWless movie and we watched it on a DAWless video projector. My friend got a call on his DAWless phone in the middle so we had to pause it with our DAWless remote. But the whole night was amazing because there was no DAW ever! Sure, this synthesizer is running the same software you might run in a plugin in your DAW. But it’s super important to always be DAWless! Rock on DAWless bros!
Not sure where you got to in your road-trip, but I really hope you got to Zorb in Rotarua. "Jorb in a Zorb" sounds like something that just has to happen. And it's fun, and surprisingly calm for an "extreme sport".
Thank You Jorb! I wasn't fully aware of this synth - I mean, I was aware it existed, but I wasn't aware of what it really is, and most importantly - that it might fit my style and expand my setup perfectly. So thank You for that. Also, now there are *two* synths in similar price range that I would like to buy and so now I need to decide between them, so thanks for that >_> (and no, I can't buy two at the same time, my budget is thin)
Yeah more PCM's namely darker pianos , strings , and for us Waxtrak era influenced musicians them big gated ,power and, TD7 kits would be highly welcomed
It's now 7 months after this was posted and I just got this. They have actually added more mod destinations! There's a variety of LFO destinations and its rate can be modulated by either envelope *and* the second LFO when using the 3D model. (You can even have the same LFO as source and destination! Which I haven't found any useful means for, but it's possible.)
This is a much better iteration of their previous groove boxes. Workflow is paramount here, sounds good too but you're not stuck in pages and pages of menus like the MC series. They may sound different but if you want quicker workflow, MCs are not the device you should be looking for.
Oh man I really don't need it but this is a cool device, loving the walkthrough. If it had existed years ago it would have been the ticket for quite some time! Still glad I went the Elektron route in the long run but I feel like this is going to be a top recommendation for new synth folks for some time. Seems great!
I'm thinking this might fit along side my elektron setup perfectly. Have the mc101 still,.. but the hands one controls of this for real sound design is definitely preferable
Loved 'demo 3' on the plane. I've tried taking music gear and making sounds or tracks on long flights with mixed results, you nailed it here. I'm really enjoying the SH-4D so far, with so much hands on controls the temptation to over tweak is always there but that's just a self control issue. I echo the disappointment on the PCM model, just a handful of pretty naff samples and no Roland rompler classics to be heard, a missed opportunity (maybe that model will be updated)
Im praying they add more pcm. there is so much in the mc101/707 line. really changes the game to be able to easily blend 4. gets in to roland jd800 territory. I'm also just a sucker for the roland sound canvas line and nostalgic pcm video game sounds via sound canvas or jv1080 anyways. was sad when they did away with the ipad app version. Roland please, a pcm boutique remake of soundcanvas or revamp of any kind in hardware form
Could have been great without the drum side of things, having the TR8S renders that side of it redundant, a purely synth module would have been so much better, imo of course
Really like the look of this, it hits me in my groovebox heart. Looks like it will fit right in with my EMX-1, Model Cycles, and my MPC-1000 (i feel super bad i'm slacking on my MPC One but my brain just clicks with the 1000 and JJOS, i think ill come around to the ONE eventually). Since I don't have a ton of room I buy these desktop synths, that either have no keys or little buttons and i hook in my Microkorg or my Launchkey Mini mk3. Tho I am considering a deepmind 12 or digitone keys just to have a bigger keyboard. I'll make sure everyone knows when my wife leaves me, but before that im looking into side chaining!
Oh, Jorb! Interesting question: For portable sound design, which is your pick: I already have an 11” iPad Pro, so… Drop $400ish on a Reface CP and use that for portable writing paired with GarageBand soft synths and the Moog model D app, or drop $650 on the SH-4d. Which is the better portable pick?
super different experiences. Do you just want one unit to sit and use, or are you down with a keyboard plugged into a dongle? actually does the reface do midi over usb, or would that be an additional midi > usb dongle, then midi cable, then the reface break out? becomes unwieldy quick
The location looks a bit like Gorges du Verdon in Provençe France. Kayakking, swimming, bungy (pont D'Artuby) etc. That Roland is a great combo with another synth (workstation of some sort Fantom 06 or Nautilus 61), and then on the go it is its own thing. For roughly $2000-2500 you can have a lot of things going. I love internal fx.
Sounds awesome, kinda wish they had made the keyboard with pads instead of those silly buttons like the old emu mp7s but then it would be massive. I guess you could just midi it to a drum controller. Apologies kinda thinkin out loud here😂 Thanks for review 👍
Playing it for a week. One complain so far, I don’t have any pans in sight for a vacation LOL it will be perfect for that! It’s definitely more approachable than 707, much more handy than VerseLab. I sold MV-1 for not enough sound design. SH-4D really missing song mode MV-1 has. I did make good loops SH-4d but lacking of at least pattern chaining, makes you hook it to studio. It makes usb ground noise, but one wire connecting as interface for multi-track direct to Ableton works as a charm. The thing is, I don’t need it in studio where have much serious/deeper gear. Lacking project, song mode, ability to freeze/record, import sample to keep developing a track on the device, stops you at a 64-bar loop of 4 sounds+drums. Hard stop for me. Hate good ideas wasted. It goes back to store or at least to dusty shelve, until a vacation or retirement with unlimited walks in the park ha-ha, which it is perfect for. Roland really moved forward on device body, more knobs, balance between simplicity and depth of sound design in a small package. It’s me not having enough of environment for it. Cheers! Great presentation Jorb!
The "Fat" parameter is in the MC707 as well, and yes, you can use an LFO to modulate it via Matrix Control. What I can't get working on my MC707 is the "LFO modulates LFO" thing. It's there, you can select it, but it doesn't seem to do anything. Did you have to do something tricky on the SH4D to make that work? Maybe the trick for the MC707 is the same...
Same situation with JD-XA, in that mod destinations mainly go to the effects, not synth settings, though it differs between digital and analogue voices.
I actually got it to work, so the "LFO modulates LFO" aspect is also in the MC707. Or, for that matter, in the JV-1080 from 1994. I couldn't actually try since I don't have one, but it certainly has "LFO rate" as a target in the mod matrix. So this is "vintage retro" as far as ROLAND is concerned, not a new feature.
As much as I want to get this as a dedicated FM and Wavetable module, I really want to see an update with an XV 5080 engine or D50 engine on this thing. Like you said the on-board PCM samples are really lacking in variety. I want those choirs, guitars, strings, ethnic instruments etc. If the Jupiter X/Xm can have them...why can’t this?
Great video - thank you so much. Massive Roland fanboy here, so would love to demo this one with 88 note keyboard, loads of pedal and all 4 parts layered. Love to play keys nowadays, sheet music and all that good stuff.
I love this! 😍So cool to see you out in NZ! 13:26 was so cool hearing this with your road footage - your sound design is pure genius - I really appreciate your detailed process explanations! 🙏 PS - Can you split up your keyboard to play different sounds on each half? eg 106 on lower half, FM on upper?
Cheers, really appreciate all that. Not the button keyboard built into the unit, and i dont believe you can define ranges for an external one. But you can assign the tones to different midi channels, so if you have a keyboard that can split its outputs, you sure can.
@@JorbLovesGear Ah thank you Jorb! This is great to know! I sort of see many similarities to the Korg Wavestate in this - you mention at 20:23 - having dedicated Filter/Amp/LFO & Effects knobs is SO powerful! It leads to really hands-on experimentation In the Wavestate you can assign keyboard ranges too which would make the Roland SH-4d perfect IMO, but your suggested workaround is gold, thank you again! The SH-4d's workflow is just so intuitive, whereas the Wavestate has hectic menu diving - it's got an MS20 type filter which is a lot of fun though! 😍
@@smguy7 - sounds like you need a Digitakt! I’ve got the A4, Digitone, RYTM and DT. Messing about with samples really opens up your creative possibilities 👍
I feel the same. Elektron has the best sequencer but their sound sucks compared to a lot of other synths. I own or have owned every Elektron box and their sound is what always keeps me searching for other options. Unfortunately their midi sequencer is pretty weak. 1 LFO, no arp, no r-trigs… Octatrack has some of these but the Digitakt workflow is much more enjoyable. My point in in regards to Jorb’s comment, as weak as the Roland sequencing might be, I think it’s native sequencer it probably more powerful than Elektron’s external midi sequencing. This SH-4D sounds amazing though, I am very intrigued.
I put mine next to my OT and pretty soon I was using the OT’s MIDI channels to sequence the 4d. The buttons alone make this better 😂, but that means I can’t plock parameters realistically, so I’ll probably end up using a bit of both. The other thing I like to do with the OT is point more than one MIDI track at one 4d track, for example as a bass and a lead. Also, I’m building my own hardware sequencer.
They can yes, all 4 tones and the rhythm part can be assigned their own channel. AND a channel for "control" which is sending notes like using the on board keyboard, but also where you can send program and bank messages
Great demos and nice sound design. This synth sounds so flat and uninteresting to me, but you were able to massage a lot of life into it regardless. It’s too bad Roland keeps coming up with cool ideas and then making it so difficult to achieve studio-quality sound…
I’d love to replace my Nord 2X with one of these but I’m super annoyed by not having individual outputs for each part. Not that this synth requires external effects to sound good but I want the option to use some pedals without effecting everything.
yeah been messing around with mine for about a week now definatly agree about the effects not going through the mod matrix situation you would think it would be posible just want to modulate the delay through a filter one of my favs on my analog 4
Should I get one of these to replace my JD-Xi? It seems like a superior synth, the only problem is that I like the drums on the JD-Xi. I'm not hearing those 808s that I like. I fear if I get the SH-4d I'll end up keeping the JD-Xi, which would of course defeat the purpose.
The SH-4d has 808 drums, and you have filter+amp envelopes for each drum. Plus resonance, FX wet/dry, pitch, and other parameters per drum. Manuals are available online for pretty much every device nowadays, so any questions you have can be answered there.
No motion recording for the drums?? wtf that kinda sucks. Too bad, since almost everything else about it seems to be so excellent. Maybe they'll address that in a future firmware update, I can't imagine it's a hardware issue.
Not being able to run external audio thru the effects is a bummer for me but otherwise seems like good value Somehow I still think there will be a Bad Gear episode about it in ~2-5 years just on principle but I won't ask you to speak on that after securing the Roland bag 😉 kudos
Bro you gotta visit Hobbiton! My senior trip went to New Zealand in 2013 and the butt holes from a different school didn’t want to go. So we literally flew to the other side of the fucking planet to come within 10 miles of the place but not quite close enough. Biggest regret ever I’m not ditching them and going on an adventure!
I'm sure it's a nice synth, but the MC-707 has 8 tracks, drums, sampling/looping and a great sequencer, which makes it way more interesting in my opinion.
Many thanks for providing such a comprehensive demo of what sounds like a great instrument. As someone watching with no sight, could you answer the following questions: Does this have a keyboard? Are the controls touch controls or physical switches/buttons? Thanks.
Hi, I’m not sure if you’ve found your answer yet. But yes, it does have a keyboard, but it consists of a series of buttons separated into the different intervals of a piano. And it is 2 octaves. The buttons are very similar in feel to the step sequencing buttons. Same size and all. They are also similar to the start/stop, arp and D-motion buttons. But the aforementioned ones are smaller in size.
How would you rate this in terms of user experience/ease of songwriting compared to a MC-101/707? I know you're focusing on sound design but what I have always wanted out of groovebox experience is the ability to easily make different song parts then link them in a song mode. I have an MC-101 and the zen core stuff sounds great, and with the newest firmware you can finally get into the sound design, but the actual song arrangement is incredibly tedious. Thoughts?
I had a 707, it was horrible workflow, the SH-4d is a ton better as you have more surface controls rather than 3 assignable knobs per part. Now Zen is much more complex than this offering, you only get to use the partials of Zen core, where as in the MC series, you have 4 parts, 1 part is made up of partials of Zen, the SH only can be 1 partial per part, so 4 parts = 4 partials if this makes sense? You could always use the SH as a MIDI controller to get access to the 101 features but you will find it less menu diving than the 101 for sure. I sold my 707 due to workflow, it didn't matter if it had all those features, if it was hidden behind menus and sub menus, forget it.
@@dankeplace Currently using a Roland Jupiter Xm, which itself has nightmarish user interface, with a Novation SKL MKIII and loving it. Just wish there were something easier to sequencer multi-part songs in a fool-proof way.
The MC-101/707 were made more for live performance/jamming not songwriting per se. The MV-1 Verselab is the Zen-Core box focused primarily on song arrangement. Funny thing is some folks complain that it's doesn't have the live-focused features of the MC-grooveboxes plus you don't (currently) have full synth editing with the MV. There's really no Roland product that does it all....a Fantom maybe. Roland seems to focus each Zen-Core-based device on a different case use, which makes sense as the Zen-Core engine is currently so many products. So if you're trying to write parts, arrange them, record vocals on top, and mix it in the box...then Verselab. If you want to make some grooves, interact with them live, and do a little bit sound design...then MC-101/707. If you want primarily hands-on sound design with just a little bit of sequencing....then SH-4D.
Actually it is really odd that despite how popular the iconic the D50 was Roland seems to never really incorporate it into any of their newer synths. You figure Digital Native Dance would be a preset on every single Roland workstation or the D50 would be an expansion option for the Jupiter X/Xm but it’s not.
I really wanna like this enough enough to pull the trigger. I wanna use this exclusively for sound design (synthwave, arps, pads, sequences etc) and im trying to decide bwtween this or the minilogue xd. Strictly for the sound design aspect i feel like this is more of a Microfreak in terms of possibilities vs the one sound engine on the xd. What would your advice be?
Totally agree, I didn't articulate it totally right, but especially because it's missing persistent controls for tone mixing, that would be extra appreciated EDIT : YOU CAN DO INDIVIDUAL TONES OVER USB
Hey Jorb! Have you ever used the Roland SH-32? If so, how does it measure up to the SH-4d? I ask cos the SH-32 is one of my prized synths and sound design-wise, it's amazing and extremely underrated in my opinion. That is, despite it's clunky interface and tiny alien language digital display. Anyhow, the SH4d and the SH-32 seem to be very similar in some ways, not just in name lol. And in others, 2 completely different animals.
