I love it, I've been learning the 404 for live jamming/improv, so speed and spontaneity are important. Being able to quickly shift all my piano chords or pad chord samples to a new key of the song opens up so many possibilities when playing with friends.
great. Best of this video for me is your discussion of use cases. I agree totally. Its a sound palette. I will use this 404 in addition to a dawless environment for ear candys percs and transitions.
Always appreciate your point of view and distinct pronunciation of the words. 😂👌 In the review, it sounded like you were suggesting it might still be useful for someone who already has an MPC/Machine+, but that feels a bit redundant, no? What would this bring to the table that the MPC can't already do just fine? All I could think of is (arguably) higher quality effects like that Juno chorus. But as far as sample chopping, mangling and resampling goes, the MPC does it all in spades. Agree?
Yeah I agree, have no idea what I said in the video but the only way I use it is as a complementary thing, to bring beats n whatnot, whatever else I talked about. The Maschine and MPC does everything and much more, and way quicker.
@@BlezzBeats Makes sense, thanks for clarifying. For the record, I was referring to the part at 23:39 where it sounded like you were saying that if you come from an MPC, you'll probably enjoy this.
Real nice review. Yeah I don’t care about filler fx, I want sidechain. There is some real limitations in this that make it just cheap at the moment cuz they took way too many shortcuts or something.
Just did a 30 Day Beat Challenge solely on the SP-404MK2, and had a lot of fun with it. I think if you've always been a fan of the SPs, it's a beautiful transition, but you're right; if you're a noob, it'll be challenging. I absolutely LOVE it tho🙏🏾✊🏾💚
Another thing Roland needs to add and, improve upon is custom midi mapping with the pads and banks (so that for example you can set them up to match an MPCs). This can be done on the grandfather MS-1 easily. (The midi on the SP-404MK2 feels constrained. We should be able to use 1 midi channel for the banks if we choose to like an MPC`s banks A-J).
I wish skipback was just [Shift]+[Mark] instead of just hitting [Mark].. The [Mark] button should work like the legacy SP's: hit it once for start and again for end point. thats my main gripe with this SP.
I think having the machine run on AA battery is better since it future-proofs it, say if a decade from now the lithium battery goes out and Roland stopped making their proprietary battery. Where as AA battery will probably still be around. Its alittle inconveience but knowing that you can still be making beats when your 90yrs old is cool haha. You mention in the video theres always the battery bank option with a ripcord/usb-c :P
ive had 3 maschines that i love (no standalone units) , but i cant get the same workflow as i get from fl studio... and maschine has terrible daw integration. I'm buying the sp tomorrow with hopes i can use it to record some improv chops and maybe bridge the gap between some of my other hardware
coming from a maschine and using a mpc one for a bit i would argue this fits in the middle, i cant stand the work flow of the mpc one at all, and wouldn't recommend that for anyone myself, this fits right in between the ease of use of the maschine and complex headaches of the mpc onne
This thing clearly very good value and a great breeze through here - for some reason (that being my stupidity) I didn't think of stepping up the pitch change by resampling and repitching. Maybe being a dinosaur coming from the tape age, I fear copies but I have tested resampling on this thing and it doesn't seem to introduce noticeable noise even after many many iterations. But now I wonder i that is not an excellent way to get better quality pitch changes (if quality is what you want) because the digital noise doesn't get multiplied if you resample while it's relatively clean?
im somewhat of a beginner..not entirely..make beats as a hobby since around mid 2020...off and on..i have had mk3 akai..mpc studio black psr yamaha 262..and have pretty much used studio one artist as a daw and have owned a few korg volcas..i really want something bigger..love sampling..and really want one of these but idk...rally want an MPC one or Live 2 and a Digitakt etc...thanks for the video..just not sure what to get here in a week or two...
Honestly I think you'll feel very limited with the sp-404mk2, especially having some experience with the machines you just listed. Its a kawai lofi niche thing for basic sampling n manipulation, cute and portable, very cool sure but only suitable if thats all you need; some sampling, basic sequencing and fx.
@@BlezzBeats thanks for your response..love the channel..47yrs old and love the culture..love music and looking for something within the next week or two as a main source of smplng/production etc...lol,,just kind of lost as to what to get...appreciate your info here..
to this day, no youtuber dares to give a true example of the vocal autopitch mic effect... the only example I've seen is sarah2ill, yet she recorded the entire room noise instead of the aux outs... all I've found is one reddit post from a mk2 user saying "you're better off using a plugin or tc helicon for live autotune". it almost feels like a massive cover up at this point lol, swept under the rug
To each their own! Not very fond of it myself. Don't remember what I said in the video but my main gripe is that I prefer terms that I'm familiar with to shape the sound how I want, rather than frankensteining a combo of fx and calling it something else, kinda like Teenage Engineering. But then again what else was he gonna call them.
@@BlezzBeats I’ve used it for like a dub effect. I’ve also used the zau zau or whatever as a live performance effect and liked it. I think it’s awesome to have all these unique and new mfx that don’t even have a recognizable name yet. I’d rather have effects that push into new territory than 8 different reverbs.
just following up with your for whom section, I use ableton but bought this (still on its way) because I would like to be able to mess around and sequence samples to come up with some ideas when im not on the PC (my philosophy is the more inspiration and tools, just generally being surrounded by music, the better). I didnt expect to make any virtuoso complex tunes on it but i also expect to be able to come up with some cool stuff on it. Is it really that basic and am I lying to myself or does it actually its use ?
I use a Maschine+, and I have been interested in this as an addition to my hardware only composition for effects and sampling. I would love it if you did a video of different ways this can be used in TANDEM wih Maschine+. But great video!
@@BlezzBeats Really? Because it seems like it is using the SP404 as an audio interface. And when I use an audio interface with the M+, it can no longer access its own inputs and outputs.
The MPC to be preferred over this as someone beginning or coming from a DAW like Ableton Live? Lol, I found the MPC anything but intuitive. Quite a bitch that you have to dedicate serious time to in order to really get the hang of it. If the Roland SP-404 MKII is even worse then this confirms my impression that I have little use for it except for being an FX machine next to my MPC Live 2.
Nice video Blezz ! This update is very cool but it prompts for more feature requests, notably the sequencer lacking arp/note repeat. And I find strange and inconvenient assigning FX Buses to sample pads rather than to Channels when in DJ mode. They should also enable the key lock they offer already in the pitch settings for when we hit Sync or adjust BPM in DJ mode. Little things at the end but that would make the new pattern and DJ mode so much more usable.
So glad I went from the grandfather MS-1 to the grandson SP-404MK2 avoiding the other SPs in between. To me it was a logical progression and, the MPCs kept me busy waiting for the birth of the SP-404MK2.
@@johndough4338 I enjoy them both equally. As the Daydream Sound said before in a video, you can combine samplers via midi to make up entire systems of work flows. (The SP-404MK2 for me works great for editing samples, resampling, adding effects, assisting in controlling gear and VSTis alongside my MPC2KXL/One and MS-1).
I think his assessment on who the SP404 MK2 is for is wrong and I think it speaks to his level of learning and understanding more than someone else's. I bought this based on all the positive hype and part of that hype was "how easy" it was to pick up and use. I guess he didn't watch any of those many many videos. I'm one of those dudes with more money than sense so if I see something cool, I get it. A lot of what I "get" gets got and then ends up sitting around for a minute, but not this hardware. In my opinion, this is one of the easier groove boxes / samplers to pick up and use. I think what he really meant to say was that if you wanted to use the SP404 MK2 in it's most basic form, you can, but, when you are ready to advance, the SP404 MK2 is ready and able to go to that next level with you. Even the basic stuff out there has the same basic functionality as this hardware. From the perspective of spending wise // smart money, you want to find the right balance between cost and functionality. You typically want to buy hardware you can grow into. Using his logic, you're going to run into a wall in terms of functionality sooner rather than later, and, you don't want that. I would pick this up, even if a first time user. It's cheap @ $450 on eBay brand new. Or if you want to go the used route, these are $350 and $400 on your local market. I literally knew nothing picking this up first the first time and had a full understanding of the workflow within a few days. My 15 year old Daughter also picked everything up very quickly. We are releasing her first lo-fi album once we get the branding / art back from fivver.
I base it on the range of machines I've had and most of all the people I've helped get started with making beats throughout the years. It might not be complicated to you, your daughter or me, but generally there are way better starting points for beginners - even for the simplest beats like lofi. Especially goes for when it comes to taking your production further once you have the basics down, the ceiling is pretty low if you're keeping it in the box. But I'm happy you found something that sparks your creativity!
I think a big part of the attraction is the small, standalone box idea so it's probably a minority that MIDI it up. What are you interested in about the MIDI capabilities?
@@BlezzBeats thanks for responding. I'm curious as to to how those mini midi Jack's work with a keyboard or another beat machine like an mpc connected to it.
If only they were actually selling these bitches .... For real, it will be a full year before they are available in a normal way. Well at least we'll have the better software straight away.
![The SP-404 MKII is an Ambient Secret Weapon [ Sampling workflow ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Lkj5sqbwO28/mqdefault.jpg)
You wish you knowed but you didn’t knowed
It’s not just more better, it’s betterer
I knowed I could know more by not knowing
@@ciaopete 😆 🤣 😂
Who would've knowed
If you don't know, now you knowed
Whole mute group pitch shift? 😮
I never saw that in the manual. Thanks for showing that off, that's a game changer for me
Yeah the latest update lets you shift even more parameters at the same time if I remember correctly 👌🏻
I love it, I've been learning the 404 for live jamming/improv, so speed and spontaneity are important. Being able to quickly shift all my piano chords or pad chord samples to a new key of the song opens up so many possibilities when playing with friends.
great. Best of this video for me is your discussion of use cases. I agree totally. Its a sound palette. I will use this 404 in addition to a dawless environment for ear candys percs and transitions.
I love the rooting capabilities ☺️
Always appreciate your point of view and distinct pronunciation of the words. 😂👌 In the review, it sounded like you were suggesting it might still be useful for someone who already has an MPC/Machine+, but that feels a bit redundant, no? What would this bring to the table that the MPC can't already do just fine? All I could think of is (arguably) higher quality effects like that Juno chorus. But as far as sample chopping, mangling and resampling goes, the MPC does it all in spades. Agree?
Yeah I agree, have no idea what I said in the video but the only way I use it is as a complementary thing, to bring beats n whatnot, whatever else I talked about. The Maschine and MPC does everything and much more, and way quicker.
@@BlezzBeats Makes sense, thanks for clarifying. For the record, I was referring to the part at 23:39 where it sounded like you were saying that if you come from an MPC, you'll probably enjoy this.
I wish they gonna add double tap shift button to toggle shift functions it will easy to control fine tune or any secondary function
Real nice review. Yeah I don’t care about filler fx, I want sidechain. There is some real limitations in this that make it just cheap at the moment cuz they took way too many shortcuts or something.
Killer review, my dude!
Thank you bro! 👊🏻
This is one of the best reviews of the mk2 that I've seen
Thank you! 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Wassup Blezz, great review my friend!!!🙏🏾✊🏾💚
Just did a 30 Day Beat Challenge solely on the SP-404MK2, and had a lot of fun with it. I think if you've always been a fan of the SPs, it's a beautiful transition, but you're right; if you're a noob, it'll be challenging. I absolutely LOVE it tho🙏🏾✊🏾💚
Great stuff Blezz. Cheers. Lee
Yo anyone who has the balls to put "knowed" on the youtube video title. Deserves my view! great video man!
😂😂 thank you bro
It's been months and I'm still waiting for mine.
Damn bro how many months?
Great video, dude! :)
This dudes accent is actually really fun
enjoyed this review - well done!
absolutely insightful vid! thx Blezz 💯
Another thing Roland needs to add and, improve upon is custom midi mapping with the pads and banks (so that for example you can set them up to match an MPCs).
This can be done on the grandfather MS-1 easily.
(The midi on the SP-404MK2 feels constrained. We should be able to use 1 midi channel for the banks if we choose to like an MPC`s banks A-J).
Agree, should be customizable for any device
Great video! Keep it up.
Thank you I appreciate that!
So funny😂 and yes,thanx for the dope review,for another angle of view. You know what im sayin?
Hey man, great vids 👍🏻🙏🏻 I was wondering what that light square display is next to the SP?
Divoom timebox mini!
@@BlezzBeats thanks bro.. yea I found it in the end 🙏🏻
I wish skipback was just [Shift]+[Mark] instead of just hitting [Mark].. The [Mark] button should work like the legacy SP's: hit it once for start and again for end point. thats my main gripe with this SP.
1000%
100000% ----if it aint broke, dont break it
I hate the mpc workflow, and I think I’d prefer this for pure sampling, I like the labels on the front panel.
Dope video bro thanks
Very clear review, merci
De rien!
Great vid - have been waiting for your magnificent take on that thing. Thanks!
I think having the machine run on AA battery is better since it future-proofs it, say if a decade from now the lithium battery goes out and Roland stopped making their proprietary battery. Where as AA battery will probably still be around. Its alittle inconveience but knowing that you can still be making beats when your 90yrs old is cool haha. You mention in the video theres always the battery bank option with a ripcord/usb-c :P
True that! Or they could have replacable batteries like the Nokia 3310 😁
Problem is just that the AAs run out of juice so quick 😪
@@BlezzBeats they do haha
they should went for a replacable 18650 battery everything else does not make sense
@@grillmeisterflash that would be pretty cool. I use to vape alot and have abunch of 18650 batteries that i now use for flash lights haha
Those FX fillers names sound halarious when you say them. 😆
ive had 3 maschines that i love (no standalone units) , but i cant get the same workflow as i get from fl studio... and maschine has terrible daw integration. I'm buying the sp tomorrow with hopes i can use it to record some improv chops and maybe bridge the gap between some of my other hardware
how did it work out?
I would love them to allow you to rename the sample once you commit to it.
Thanks man.
Nice video! What is the blinking tool on the right? Like it!
Divoom timebox mini! I think theres a link in the description
I like your videos, cheers!
Is this a 'Divoom Pixoo-Max'?
coming from a maschine and using a mpc one for a bit i would argue this fits in the middle, i cant stand the work flow of the mpc one at all, and wouldn't recommend that for anyone myself, this fits right in between the ease of use of the maschine and complex headaches of the mpc onne
I hated my mpc one, I didn’t find it intuitive at all. I’m hoping the sp404 is better, haven’t committed but it’s tempting.
@@TwinCitiesOxygen ive had the mk2 for a couple months now and i can say its aloooot more user friendly
@@BEAT.SWEATS thanks for the info man, I hated the mpc one too
Very good
Great reveiw where did you get the pixel screen bud :)
Divoom timebox mini I think I got it on Clas Ohlson but it's everywhere!
lol leave those new effects for me. ain’t no filler! i luv em
This thing clearly very good value and a great breeze through here - for some reason (that being my stupidity) I didn't think of stepping up the pitch change by resampling and repitching. Maybe being a dinosaur coming from the tape age, I fear copies but I have tested resampling on this thing and it doesn't seem to introduce noticeable noise even after many many iterations. But now I wonder i that is not an excellent way to get better quality pitch changes (if quality is what you want) because the digital noise doesn't get multiplied if you resample while it's relatively clean?
I kinda want to splurge on the digitakt+digitone+syntact
❤ great video thank you! What’s the little square with animations on the right there? I want one!!
Divoom timebox mini!
yo awesome review but whats the track of urs at 7:36? Kinda a banger!!
Thanks man! Just something random I made, I think it's the same in the "Jungle on SP-404 mk2" video
aww brov great review but you forgot the sticker on your hat 😅
🖤✨🌺🤠🤙🌺✨🖤
Gotta keep it on in case i need to return it 😂
@@BlezzBeats i hear that mate! i actually dont take my socks out of the packaging when i wear em 🤤
Yeah same, also keep the 6 piece wineglass set in the cardboard box
@@BlezzBeats 😂👌yup! my mattress is still compressed in its vaccum sealed bag. gosh learning to sleep on a cylinder was something else...
Yeeeeah I’m gonna sell mine😅
im somewhat of a beginner..not entirely..make beats as a hobby since around mid 2020...off and on..i have had mk3 akai..mpc studio black psr yamaha 262..and have pretty much used studio one artist as a daw and have owned a few korg volcas..i really want something bigger..love sampling..and really want one of these but idk...rally want an MPC one or Live 2 and a Digitakt etc...thanks for the video..just not sure what to get here in a week or two...
Honestly I think you'll feel very limited with the sp-404mk2, especially having some experience with the machines you just listed. Its a kawai lofi niche thing for basic sampling n manipulation, cute and portable, very cool sure but only suitable if thats all you need; some sampling, basic sequencing and fx.
@@BlezzBeats thanks for your response..love the channel..47yrs old and love the culture..love music and looking for something within the next week or two as a main source of smplng/production etc...lol,,just kind of lost as to what to get...appreciate your info here..
When I’m trying to move my Slice Markers in the Chop Mode it freezes.
Need this
which would be a better sampler for sound design?
to this day, no youtuber dares to give a true example of the vocal autopitch mic effect... the only example I've seen is sarah2ill, yet she recorded the entire room noise instead of the aux outs... all I've found is one reddit post from a mk2 user saying "you're better off using a plugin or tc helicon for live autotune". it almost feels like a massive cover up at this point lol, swept under the rug
Idunno I think it's more about it not really being worthy of mentioning lol, never even thought of using it seriously. I could make something though
Ko da ma is not wack. Pretty dope, actually.
To each their own! Not very fond of it myself. Don't remember what I said in the video but my main gripe is that I prefer terms that I'm familiar with to shape the sound how I want, rather than frankensteining a combo of fx and calling it something else, kinda like Teenage Engineering. But then again what else was he gonna call them.
@@BlezzBeats I’ve used it for like a dub effect. I’ve also used the zau zau or whatever as a live performance effect and liked it. I think it’s awesome to have all these unique and new mfx that don’t even have a recognizable name yet.
I’d rather have effects that push into new territory than 8 different reverbs.
What is this LED box you got on the right side? I love it!!
Divoom Timebox Mini, super dope. Comes with an app that lets you draw your own pixel art and display it 🔥
@@BlezzBeats Thank you very much sir!!!!😀
Is that a Roli Lightblock? Do you use it much/at all for beatmaking?! Cheers! 😎👍🏼
It's a Divoom Timebox Mini, just for inspo 😁
just following up with your for whom section, I use ableton but bought this (still on its way) because I would like to be able to mess around and sequence samples to come up with some ideas when im not on the PC (my philosophy is the more inspiration and tools, just generally being surrounded by music, the better). I didnt expect to make any virtuoso complex tunes on it but i also expect to be able to come up with some cool stuff on it. Is it really that basic and am I lying to myself or does it actually its use ?
Still on back order maybe get one by next yr
I use a Maschine+, and I have been interested in this as an addition to my hardware only composition for effects and sampling. I would love it if you did a video of different ways this can be used in TANDEM wih Maschine+. But great video!
Check out the video I did, should be in the sp404 playlist. I go through 5 or 6 things at least I think if I remember correctly!
@@BlezzBeats checked it out and it was great! One question left… can you use the inputs on Maschine+ and SP404 mk2 at the same time?
For example, have a mic and mono synth hooked up to the Maschine+ and a stereo synth or drum machine hooked up to the SP404?
Pretty damn sure you can!
@@BlezzBeats Really? Because it seems like it is using the SP404 as an audio interface. And when I use an audio interface with the M+, it can no longer access its own inputs and outputs.
The MPC to be preferred over this as someone beginning or coming from a DAW like Ableton Live? Lol, I found the MPC anything but intuitive. Quite a bitch that you have to dedicate serious time to in order to really get the hang of it. If the Roland SP-404 MKII is even worse then this confirms my impression that I have little use for it except for being an FX machine next to my MPC Live 2.
Well there's less to learn and less to do wrong so not as much but you'll probably feel more inhibited coming from a DAW
Hi Blezz Please change this heading to the correct past tense I wish I knew this....
No
🔥
blezz you think 404mk2 is the best hardware product for a beatmaker in the market rn? imo it is best at least on a price/quality point
No, I wouldn't say so. This is what the review's about lol
@@BlezzBeats yea got it in the end! thanks for review
The MPC Live or One is the best ebst hardware for beatmaker. Hands down.
Add a little synth like my lovely Microfreak and you're on your way 😘😍
Still have no idea how to get hold of one. I’d have bought one a year ago but there’s no stock anywhere in the Uk.
I joined a back order list back in February, am finally getting it at the end of this month.
Nice video Blezz ! This update is very cool but it prompts for more feature requests, notably the sequencer lacking arp/note repeat. And I find strange and inconvenient assigning FX Buses to sample pads rather than to Channels when in DJ mode. They should also enable the key lock they offer already in the pitch settings for when we hit Sync or adjust BPM in DJ mode. Little things at the end but that would make the new pattern and DJ mode so much more usable.
Very good points!
It also needs custom midi mapping for pads and, banks. On the MS-1 (the SP grandfather) this could be done with ease.
What's going on with the midi? No one really talks about it...
Thanks
I knew...
You knowed thats?
So glad I went from the grandfather MS-1 to the grandson SP-404MK2 avoiding the other SPs in between. To me it was a logical progression and, the MPCs kept me busy waiting for the birth of the SP-404MK2.
...so you like the sp 404mk2 better than the mpcs?
@@johndough4338 I enjoy them both equally. As the Daydream Sound said before in a video, you can combine samplers via midi to make up entire systems of work flows.
(The SP-404MK2 for me works great for editing samples, resampling, adding effects, assisting in controlling gear and VSTis alongside my MPC2KXL/One and MS-1).
You know what I'm say 😅
ka know
where tf is Subsonic at on the mkii :C I cant cheat code my subs anymore bro that shit was a way to turn anything into nick mira shit.
Word! That effect could make a thick kick out of a bird chirp or a fart
Broooo batch import!!!!! FUCKKK
*knew
👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻
I think his assessment on who the SP404 MK2 is for is wrong and I think it speaks to his level of learning and understanding more than someone else's. I bought this based on all the positive hype and part of that hype was "how easy" it was to pick up and use. I guess he didn't watch any of those many many videos. I'm one of those dudes with more money than sense so if I see something cool, I get it. A lot of what I "get" gets got and then ends up sitting around for a minute, but not this hardware. In my opinion, this is one of the easier groove boxes / samplers to pick up and use. I think what he really meant to say was that if you wanted to use the SP404 MK2 in it's most basic form, you can, but, when you are ready to advance, the SP404 MK2 is ready and able to go to that next level with you. Even the basic stuff out there has the same basic functionality as this hardware. From the perspective of spending wise // smart money, you want to find the right balance between cost and functionality. You typically want to buy hardware you can grow into. Using his logic, you're going to run into a wall in terms of functionality sooner rather than later, and, you don't want that. I would pick this up, even if a first time user. It's cheap @ $450 on eBay brand new. Or if you want to go the used route, these are $350 and $400 on your local market. I literally knew nothing picking this up first the first time and had a full understanding of the workflow within a few days. My 15 year old Daughter also picked everything up very quickly. We are releasing her first lo-fi album once we get the branding / art back from fivver.
I base it on the range of machines I've had and most of all the people I've helped get started with making beats throughout the years. It might not be complicated to you, your daughter or me, but generally there are way better starting points for beginners - even for the simplest beats like lofi. Especially goes for when it comes to taking your production further once you have the basics down, the ceiling is pretty low if you're keeping it in the box. But I'm happy you found something that sparks your creativity!
Workflow just sucks and is way to slow
And yet still no mention about the midi capabilities. No one speaks on it.
I think a big part of the attraction is the small, standalone box idea so it's probably a minority that MIDI it up. What are you interested in about the MIDI capabilities?
@@BlezzBeats thanks for responding. I'm curious as to to how those mini midi Jack's work with a keyboard or another beat machine like an mpc connected to it.
Wow it's almost as good as the MPC 1000
lol
@5:57 💀???
Your mis-pronounciations are entertaining.
Thank!
If only they were actually selling these bitches ....
For real, it will be a full year before they are available in a normal way.
Well at least we'll have the better software straight away.
ebay Japanese market has em
@@NikoNoxious Ever see the prices in Japan ???? Also needs shipping and taxes. No thanks.
@@Roomer645 got mine for just over 600 shipping included. totally worth it to have had it thusfar
knew*
What's with the idiotic "K- nobs" and "K-now"??
Whats with ur mom?
There is no word in the English language called 'knowed' ... Did you go to school?
Eeh, yes its is.
@@BlezzBeats I am just happy I got educated.. you enjoy your bubble, my friend!
@@ramakrishnamishra8179 I'm just goofing my guy, I think it's funny to abuse language that's all 😁
@@BlezzBeats ok you enjoy!!
🙊
stop abusing my language. That's my culture and heritage. Speak your native language if you can't stop degrading mine
Yeah, nah
@@BlezzBeats based