You can support the channel by checking out SH-4d in stores here: EU: thmn.to/thoprod/561268?offid=1&affid=623 Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/sh4dPC Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/oeQ5yo *Affiliate links support the channel at no cost to you
!have you used mc909 they should of kept up maken that box i could do two hour set with just one machine then they stoppped maken it and made something you had to use pc with ..and it was awful
Is there any way I can credit you with the purchase post order? I got the order from Sweetwater. I did buy it after viewing your demo. Btw hope to see more demos on the SH-4D with a deep dive here or on your Patreon page.
one thing I've found that I wish Roland would implement when saving patches/patterns/songs would be just a "New" button, which automatically takes you to the next empty slot to save, rather than having to scroll through.
I just got mine today and I have to say, that if y’all you think you know what this machine can do, you don’t. I own lots of synths and this is up there with my Virus and Tasty Chips GR-1 in terms of sound quality and versatility. I got this thing squelching out sounds I haven’t heard in any of these videos. Not even trying to use it as a groove box, but rather a sound design tool. All I have to say is I’m super impressed.
@@BoBeats I hope my comment doesn’t come off as being conceded or anything. I just see a lot of feed back from people saying that this is just another repackaged Roland product/groovebox that will end up on an episode of Bad Gear eventually, and I think that’s far from the truth. I have to admit that I was skeptical at first myself, but I can hear something unique going on in the videos you and other reviewers are doing. Upon receiving the unit yesterday, my assumption was right, there is something totally awesome going on here and people shouldn’t right it off just yet. I’m really blown away by its potential, not to mention how amazing it sounds when it’s pushed into different territory other then the typical groove box genres. The filter and FX are pretty impressive and everything is so hands on. But the sound that its capable of is sonically different from other Roland gear of the past. It’s gonna be interesting to see what the future of its online content will be down the road. Thanks for your response and I hope to see more videos from you and other TH-camrs on the SH-4D 🙌🏼
@@thedeepblueskys I expect what you boast about. Their FX algorithms don't sound as dated starting with these Zen-core products they've been churning out. Then it has all these versatile oscillator types, including several that are new to Roland's product range (better late than never), so I expect a hell of a synth. I just saw a video showing off the wavetables in this thing, much more interesting than what the Mininova and Ultranova come with.
@@Jason75913 Yes, the opportunity to dig in with all the oscillators is one reason I wanted it. After the time I’ve had it, I simply love the filter. I don’t think you will be disappointed. Im at the end of my gear collecting journey and I almost didn’t get it because Im not a huge fan of Zencore, but there was something different this time that caught my ear. Turns out I was right, it’s a cool little synth capable of big sound. I can see my self using it a lot on future tracks with my own designed patches. Your right, the FX are definitely better on the 4D. I can see Roland adding more FX and Oscillator types in the future. One thing I have not done yet is save anything. I hear it’s a pain in the ass. I will find out. The button keys are useful, but I hook it up to a Keystep 37 and find that more enjoyable.
Workflow has always been Roland's achilles' heel, and it looks like they are taking a huge step in the right direction with a more immediate interface and "fun"/engaging display (following companies like Elektron and Arturia)! I also think they're following another important trend of multi-timbrality and groovebox-like features for what is at the core a synthesizer module. It makes it appealing for a wider audience of musicians. One trend where Roland is still catching up, however, is sequencer thrills and fun, creative features: parameter locks, conditional trigs (1:2, 1:4 etc), randomized tones, sequences, etc. I predict that most grooveboxes will have this in the future as they're heavily saught after by their users. It's part of the "fun, happy accidents and inspiration" part of grooveboxes that is a key reason why people look outside of the DAW these days. Roland is taking some steps here but they need to push harder.
@@recloose2041 Yeah, I should have emphasized on conditional trigs and most importantly parameter locks. Those are the unique aspects of the Elektron sequencer that is making all the difference because it allows you to create really complex and interesting sequences that turn those 64 steps into a potentially endless pattern. The % chance of a note playing is something even Roland itself has had for years, it's in the MC-101 too, but that's unfortunately the least interesting thing in this context (if you ask me, anyway).
As a child of the 90s who always lusted after the MC505 and ended up with a RM1x, this looks very interesting to me. I don’t do a lot of sampling and use apps on my phone (Reason Compact, Synth One, etc…) as sketch pads. I’ve looked at the MPC as a portable option but this looks like a viable option as well. Thanks for making this video!
I've got an SH-32 as well and also felt this was an iteration of this box (along with other machines). The filter and resonance on the 32 will take your head off if you're not careful, lol. Not sure if you have the same experience. It's a good box for sounds 👌.
Brace yourselves. Someone’s gonna complain this isn’t for them and tell us. Once you get through those comments, there was a demo and review done that gave pros and cons. Job well done Bo.
Not liking something is fine. Personally I'm not blown away by this gadget at all. Might scoop one up later on the used market but there's nothing about this that screams "buy me" or "must have."
People missing the point of what this can do, which you cannot do on the MC707 and that is the immediacy and less menu divey workflow. I hated the MC707 and sold it, it's more of a workstation than a grove box. This little thing screams play me, and it seems fun too. Thx for the upload Bo.
good points for future improvements. Will wait and see if Roland does work on software updates for this unit. It could then really become one of the better roland grooveboxes.
Nice video and demos ! It looks to me like this is a stripped down Jupiter XM with some improved i-Arpeggio. Not sure which one I prefer, but this one looks easier to use than the other.
Maybe if Roland, as Akai did with the MPC firmware, kept adding more engines in the future, say, a TB or a granular synth - this indeed could be a close to perfect instrument. 🥰
hey Bo. great video! i have a question: i use keystep pro and want to keep that but need a small travel instrument (my selfmade synth weighs 60kg) i want an instrument which i can run all 4 sequencers from keystep pro with. so it would need to be able to receive 4 different midi channels at the same time. and also i want to record automation without recording midi! is that possible? it kinda works with OPZ. but it doesn't sound that great especially if you use all instruments at once. thank you. would be nice to get an answer. best wishes.
I am very intrigued by this synth! It seems to have enough of a feature set for my very 1st Hardware type of synth and I’m glad you have gone through its many features so I could use this video as a guide if I decide to buy one… it beats studying the Manual! I’m a little disappointed that you can’t save your own patches to an SD Card; maybe Roland could add (via a Software Update) the ability to plug in an SD Card reader to its USB socket so you could then have a back-up of your own patches… still at least it has some Internal Storage! I hope Roland sees this comment ;)! Thanks for doing this!
sweet vid Bo...thanks. although im not a groovebox kinda guy I did really enjoy the vid and the work you put in...and that camera angle is so good...my screen is completely filled with synth😆awesome jams too! ✌
Wow it seems like they carved out a really unique space in the groovebox world, not just in features but also filling a gap between price ranges. Excited to see more of these and get my hands on one to try it meself :D
@@MistyMusicStudio You started using the term groovebox, so it should be on you to define it. But still, as you are asking, with a groovebox one can create complete tunes by chaining sequences. Btw. even Roland says the SH-4d is not a groovebox.
@@MistyMusicStudio Wow, you're calling me a troll, because my answer to your question doesn't meet your expectations. It's quite clear who is the troll here.
That layout gives me liven vibes. Sweet. Great video. Pretty sweet overall but for $650, the apparent lack of multiple outs is a deal breaker for me personally.
Just got this and have been playing with it. I love what Roland did with this one. It can def use some improvements but it’s great as a groovebox even with its limitations. If roland spends some time developing this product and adding more models, sequencing capabilities, and workflow features, it’s going to be a hell of a machine. For some reason they do not want to call this a groovebox. many people are approaching it as one. And it sure acts like one.
Hi Bo, Is the Roland SH-4D good as a first synth for a beginner? I was looking at the Minibrute 2S but ever since I saw the SH-4D I fell in love with it.
Good demo here As always from Bo. Step in the right direction of what a groovebox must be nowadays. Fully configurable with a deep complex settings to make and huge sound.
Great review Bo! It would be fun to see how it functions with a DAW. For example, synchronising arpeggio parts with Logic Pro X or simply dumping them onto it. The arpeggio and step modulation function is pretty good (I think a bod from Roland demonstrated this recently).
Look cool but as Roland's fan. I don't know if this one is different from all I already got. Ok, the package is different but at the end of the day, same sound. I can't hear the differences between this and the other hardware I got. Sure, it's maybe for the people who not got other synths from Roland.
Why didn't they just update the JD-Xi? Functionality wise it is doing many of the same things. There is already a large community of fairly happy JD-Xi users that would love to upgrade to something with a 5th track, better effects, and more sound sources.
You are totally right. I hope one day Roland make something like a JD-Xi mashed with the GAIA 2 user interface, and give it PolyAT a bit of a sampler, custom wavetables and an extra octave while they are at it. Hehe, well I can wish.
How do you load or backup individual pattern and tone presets? I have only seen the full backup and restore. Had a Quick Look at the midi implementation and didn’t see anything either. Would like to see an editor like the one for the TR-8S.
I’ve been wondering if I should save up to by the SH-4d or not. I’m going to hang on to my money for a while, but I’m very interested in this groovebox.
This is super big if my pre-coffee brain is processing correctly. Instantly tempted. It's a nice Swiss army knife of engines. A Microfreak for Roland fans.
Hey Bo, just love your video on this one. Did you found out how to use the MIDI-OUT on the SH-4D? A topic lacking with other videos and the manual believe it or not.
Hi Bo, any chance of contacting Roland technical support to bring to their attention that the SH-4D hasn't any drivers available for people running Windows PC below 10 and 11. Iam currently running Windows 7 currently and my Roland FA-06 is supported no problems there. But the SH-4D isn't which I think is really silly because Roland will lose customers if they don't write drivers for older versions of Windows to run the SH-4D for DAW applications.What do you think? 🙂 I look forward to your reply.
MC-707 user and lover here. One of the big complaints of the 707 is that sounds you design stay in the project, which is why I think they made the saving of sounds and kits a separate thing than the patterns and projects. Was this a good move? We'll see. Could they have done it better? Of course! A top level menu item or button combo to save takes you to a screen asking if you want to save the sounds outside the project that takes you through that flow if you say yes. Same on kits. If you say no, then they stay in the project which you can open and then save from later on.
@@jandostalik6290 You've been able to import a clip from another project for a while, including the sound and midi. I've setup several projects that are handpicked sounds so I can do this, but I'm not aware of a way to design a sound and save it to the presets without tying it to a project or clip. This is what I was referring to.
i had an mc-707 that i found too difficult to work with so i sold it. i've been looking for a new groovebox with great sound that's easier to play. is this the one? or should i just explore the mc-101?
This is surely Zen-core in the end, just less param access like the 101 used to be crippled with. And it doesn't have access to import the other models (yet). And it's most def. not ACB. And the drums are just samples. This is just an MC-101 repackaged in a SH-32 form factor.
If I understand this question correctly, you can use effects and tweak sounds for individual drum sounds (hi-hat, kick, etc…), as well as for the entire part.
Didn't expect this release. Love the form factor and the fact that it can be battery and usb-c powered! That's always been the missing piece of the Syntakt for me. And this thing sounds really nice. But four tracks is always a bit limiting, even though one track is basically the entire drum kit. And I would really miss sample playback. So, to me, the MC-101 is still the better Syntakt companion to me, but the hands-on synth interface here is really compelling. 😊 Bo, excellent review as always!
@@BoBeats Yeah that's why I love the Syntakt the most. Everything is a button press away. I only like the MC-101 as a companion for the Syntakt, i would vastly prefer the SH-4d over the MC-101 if I could *only* have that device. But with the Syntakt as the main machine, the MC-101 comes across as a bit more manageable and flexible (thanks to the sample playback). Just my thoughts. 😊
Roland does Electribe basically. Not saying that's a bad thing but that's what I think of. A lot of similarity to an E2 or EMX-1 but still some more modern DSP tricks of course. Syntakt seems like the closest current competitor. Because it's Roland I expected it to cost more.
What I like: less menu diving, more hands on. I think I'll stick with my MC-707 for Zencore sounds though. Roland removed a lot of the sounds hence the price of this being cheaper than MC-707.
Well, at 600 EUR, that is a no-brainer! Knob per function, little display, classic models, experimental stuff, sequencer, battery powered, what else? That's crazy value! The rythm section alone with all the 2 OSC x0x-models sounds like a Tonic emulation. Just crazy, really! One question: Are the filters model dependent?
Good review, all the negative points are well thought about! microtiming would be nice, GATE length also adds a lot to rhythms. And why did ROLAND again limit to 4 bars? Their MC303 had 32 bars. 30 years ago. It would be so great, if one of you "influencers" would make a video in which companies are asked, why they limit their sequencers to 4 bars which means, long notes GET CUT. It's a weird mystery. And a shame, because soundwise this thing is quite ace!
Great review, Bo. Looks great, sounds great, but I don't know how (1) It would fit into my workflow, and (2) (more importantly) I could convince my wife I need this. Please show me some awesomeness that cannot be done with a Minilogue XD module (I just bought one, but my wife hasn't discovered it yet) and a DAW.
You just said it yourself. Roland already have the cloud models. There also even is some type of zen-core in vst-form with even more stuff than here. And you (like me) already have the great Minilogue XD (I have the keyboard version) which has some real analoge oscillators and filters in it (plus what I think is a great sequencer).
Muy largo para ver a estas horas, pero muy interesante. Lo guardo para vero mañana. Gracias por compartir tus conocimientos. Tus pruebas son muy completas y esclarificantes.
At first glance, the SH-4D is ticking all the boxes... 90's looks, lots of knobs and buttons, sounds really good too. I was a bit anti-ASB before this review, but man it sounds great! So the question is: can this weird 80s/90s/2020s mashup really deliver the goods to us fussy, entitled synth nerds?!
I just got mine. How do you switch patterns without effects getting messed up. Hopefully a firmware update will fix this. I wish this would save and load projects like the MC-101, but I suppose storage is limited. Does sound Great, but until we can change pattern without effects dropping out then it won't be something you can build multipart songs with. Might be perfect for external sequencing though.
It seems cool.. individual MFX per “track” and 12 Audio tracks over USB C. I just wanna know how many projects/patterns it holds but. I think this will be a purchase for me later this year.
Thanks for the review, it’s very useful. I'm not sure I understood the saving system: you can save the tones, the patterns, but is it possible to save the entire project with all the parts ? it would therefore not be possible to recall a "project" with the 5 parts directly without loading each part individually...It seems essential to me to be able to recall everything on stage
yes you can save and load EVERYTHING in one go. The problem is that it overwrites the sound patches so any other project using the same sounds will have its sounds affected.
Yes. Very similar beast. One less track (4 vs 5), less effects, but it is pretty darn easy to use, inviting to play, and a ton of fun with lots of great sounds (and a vocoder)! I had just gotten back into jamming with my jd/xi when the SH-4D came out and thought it was a perfect evolution for my gear and have not been disappointed (although, hoping for some updates). I have other, more powerful tools and synths for different things and actually completing songs. But this is def one of my favorite pieces of gear and still have a lot to explore. I think time will show that this one initially went under the radar and that updates and/or future iterations could make this absolutely splentacular. I also still love my JD/XI and play with it often. Very easy to get dope loops going and can get someone who’s never used a synth before into a sweet jam in minutes with it. Hope this helps! 😊
I truly hate dumping on this historic company but they disappoint SO much these days...but damn, I think they really knocked it out of the park here...praise where praise is due. The sound, form factor and aesthetics, ALL on point. Feels like they're listening again
I really like the workflow and sound of this. The combination of a JX08 and TR06 would probably be my choice. The JX08 has split and unison and the TR06 has song mode.
Appreciate the deep dive, adds nicely to Roland's substantial overview video. I sold my Jupiter Xm due to needing to menu dive for OSC tuning, so this solves that x2. The other beef was the resonance on the filters in the zencore was harsher than the ACB on the boutiques. My ears are hearing an improved resonance and VCF filter more akin to ACB, does that sound true to your ears?
If they've tweaked it, its different. Thus the question. The latest JX engine in zencore was much better sounding than earlier models to my ears as well. It's a new ladder filter and so far sounds better than any filter I've heard since the ACB models.
It also isn't compatible with the current zencore models, so I am thinking (hoping) this is more substantial than a “tweak”. I suppose when I tweak the knobs myself I will now how tweaked it is. :)
@@nonsequitur4704 Right, but it's still Zen at the end of the day, and so can only be so much different and is only capable of so much. ACB changed over time too, where the TB-03 is known to be not quite as quality as later ACB units.
@@nonsequitur4704 That could be political or not yet implemented. Bear in mind that the ACB System 1 and 1M don't have access to all the models that the System 8 does, despite being exact same engine (minus effects and poly). And the 101 has the exact same Zen-core engine as the 707 but didn't but didn't have access to nearly as many params until recently. Sure that's same sound, but shows a marked difference in the implementations. Also, the filters behave different on all models, whether ACB or Zen. On Sonic State the Roland rep explicitly said that this unit is Zen.
Nice review. Oh boy I wished Roland would make it possible to assign individual chords to the keys, i.e. making it possible to create user defined chord sets. -That would make it 1000 times easier to play! I'm not a fan of these tiny buttons! :-) -An Idea: What If you could select the a chord using the current chord function, and then long-press a kbkey, and then the chord is assigend to that specific kbkey..?
39:30 - there might be some trickery to get alternate sounds by putting 2 sounds in the same mute group, find out which one plays when both are on the same step, then reduce the probability of that sound. But yeah - would be cool to have a "random sound group" or even a "velocity group".
Great and fun review ! Maybe I give this one a try...though only 2 analog outs are a bit of a disappointment for a five-part-instrument. But I'm glad to hear that Roland does leave the Zen Core path with this one. Now, what I would suggest here is to implement the Arp like in the Uno Pro, since we have 16 buttons which can be utilized to make arpeggio patterns very easily. And my question would be, are there individual arps for every track, or is there only one ? I couldn't figure that out from the manual. Another criticism: I would recommend to all synth vendors to overthink their timing of presentations and availability (in noteworthy numbers) for their products. I remember having seen a demo of the Korg NTS-1 and then it wasn't in stores for months. With the SH-4d, big T says "available in several months". Huh ? I probably will have another synth then.
Can someone please answer me if the sh 4d can be conncted to an external midi keyboard so i can use the keys for "melody" and drum pads for drum sounds. And how do i connect them to make that work? And if i want the sound out to speakers how do i connect that? Thank you...loving this synth but not the keys.
@@ktreier I had the 707, now the Force. New plugins like FabricXL and OPX4 are very comparable to the Zen-Core. The rest is still better on the Force. It's considered as the best groovebox workstation right now for a good reason. The 707 is still cool, but imho not worth 1000 bucks.
@@m-stat9 Except those plugins are not free. I sequence and sample everything with my Akai Force but as a physical box with the Zencore engine and literally dozens and dozens of expansion packs on Roland Cloud for $20/month I find my 707 useful. Such a shame the 707 can’t run n/zyme but I suspect either the CPU is not good enough or it’s a marketing decision.
Curious how long will Roland just creating new HW cases for Zen Core derivatives :))) .. Also in my opinion ACB engine they used in older boutiques was sounding MUCH better than ZendCore - i would appreciate it in box like this one to make it a bit more different sonically from 101/707. Also typical Roland, they make audio IN but you can't do anything with it (not even apply build in delay / reverb so it will be useable for processing external synths).
"Curious how long will Roland just creating new HW cases for Zend Core derivatives" errrrr, that's EXACTLY what this is. Might as well get a MC-101 over this repackage. I'd rather have small form factor for bread and butter sounds anyway. Who needs VCA encoders and the like for Zen-Core?
Hi Bob, thanks for this video. Really wondering how this stacks up to the sh01a and ju06a boutiques. I have both and kinda hope this can replace them. Could you design the same sounds on this as on the boutiques?
Mi piace molto questo strumento! Soprattutto l'interfaccia, non è un problema se suona analogico o no, la polifonia è ampia, c'è anche la drum e il sequencer, 600 è un ottimo prezzo
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*Affiliate links support the channel at no cost to you
That page look like scam! That send you just embelop to you zip code
!have you used mc909 they should of kept up maken that box
i could do two hour set with just one machine then they stoppped maken it and made something you had to use pc with ..and it was awful
Is there any way I can credit you with the purchase post order? I got the order from Sweetwater. I did buy it after viewing your demo. Btw hope to see more demos on the SH-4D with a deep dive here or on your Patreon page.
one thing I've found that I wish Roland would implement when saving patches/patterns/songs would be just a "New" button, which automatically takes you to the next empty slot to save, rather than having to scroll through.
I pity the fool without a data dial for scrolling. 🤣
Totally
I just got mine today and I have to say, that if y’all you think you know what this machine can do, you don’t. I own lots of synths and this is up there with my Virus and Tasty Chips GR-1 in terms of sound quality and versatility. I got this thing squelching out sounds I haven’t heard in any of these videos. Not even trying to use it as a groove box, but rather a sound design tool. All I have to say is I’m super impressed.
Awesome to hear!
@@BoBeats I hope my comment doesn’t come off as being conceded or anything. I just see a lot of feed back from people saying that this is just another repackaged Roland product/groovebox that will end up on an episode of Bad Gear eventually, and I think that’s far from the truth. I have to admit that I was skeptical at first myself, but I can hear something unique going on in the videos you and other reviewers are doing. Upon receiving the unit yesterday, my assumption was right, there is something totally awesome going on here and people shouldn’t right it off just yet. I’m really blown away by its potential, not to mention how amazing it sounds when it’s pushed into different territory other then the typical groove box genres. The filter and FX are pretty impressive and everything is so hands on. But the sound that its capable of is sonically different from other Roland gear of the past. It’s gonna be interesting to see what the future of its online content will be down the road. Thanks for your response and I hope to see more videos from you and other TH-camrs on the SH-4D 🙌🏼
@@thedeepblueskys I expect what you boast about.
Their FX algorithms don't sound as dated starting with these Zen-core products they've been churning out.
Then it has all these versatile oscillator types, including several that are new to Roland's product range (better late than never), so I expect a hell of a synth. I just saw a video showing off the wavetables in this thing, much more interesting than what the Mininova and Ultranova come with.
@@Jason75913 Yes, the opportunity to dig in with all the oscillators is one reason I wanted it. After the time I’ve had it, I simply love the filter. I don’t think you will be disappointed. Im at the end of my gear collecting journey and I almost didn’t get it because Im not a huge fan of Zencore, but there was something different this time that caught my ear. Turns out I was right, it’s a cool little synth capable of big sound. I can see my self using it a lot on future tracks with my own designed patches. Your right, the FX are definitely better on the 4D. I can see Roland adding more FX and Oscillator types in the future. One thing I have not done yet is save anything. I hear it’s a pain in the ass. I will find out. The button keys are useful, but I hook it up to a Keystep 37 and find that more enjoyable.
Which firmware minus shows itself to be a biggest minus from workflow perspective after 10 months?
Interesting, this seems like plenty of value for the money. Nice UI as well!
Great demo video once more, thanks for putting the work in.
Workflow has always been Roland's achilles' heel, and it looks like they are taking a huge step in the right direction with a more immediate interface and "fun"/engaging display (following companies like Elektron and Arturia)! I also think they're following another important trend of multi-timbrality and groovebox-like features for what is at the core a synthesizer module. It makes it appealing for a wider audience of musicians.
One trend where Roland is still catching up, however, is sequencer thrills and fun, creative features: parameter locks, conditional trigs (1:2, 1:4 etc), randomized tones, sequences, etc. I predict that most grooveboxes will have this in the future as they're heavily saught after by their users. It's part of the "fun, happy accidents and inspiration" part of grooveboxes that is a key reason why people look outside of the DAW these days. Roland is taking some steps here but they need to push harder.
Just a note - SH-4d does has probability on both rhythm and synth parts.
@@recloose2041 Yeah, I should have emphasized on conditional trigs and most importantly parameter locks. Those are the unique aspects of the Elektron sequencer that is making all the difference because it allows you to create really complex and interesting sequences that turn those 64 steps into a potentially endless pattern. The % chance of a note playing is something even Roland itself has had for years, it's in the MC-101 too, but that's unfortunately the least interesting thing in this context (if you ask me, anyway).
ermmmm this is basically an SH-32 from 30 years ago. LOL This is a throwback, not a huge step forward.
@@alexwestconsulting Did you even read my comment? 😊
@@alexwestconsultingIf Mountain Dew could make internet comments
Love this, instant buy. No traces of Aira green either
This seems like the "boutique" we all wanted in the first place. It might look disappointing as a groove box, but it's pretty great as a synth +.
Great point
I think this unit will be classic one day. So much sounds in a small package. Ideal for Deep House
As a child of the 90s who always lusted after the MC505 and ended up with a RM1x, this looks very interesting to me. I don’t do a lot of sampling and use apps on my phone (Reason Compact, Synth One, etc…) as sketch pads. I’ve looked at the MPC as a portable option but this looks like a viable option as well. Thanks for making this video!
😅 bruh I remember the rm1x I made a few bangers on them sold everything now all I got now is the Verselab mv 1 - which is all I need
The JX-305 was the MC505 to have - I recently re-purchased one, having sold mine in the 2000s 😬
@@BrianTaylorDit’s basically the mc 5o5 but with 61 keys
@@chosensmusic I know, I have one!
Gotta love the MC-505 ♥
I really like my old SH-32, so this seems like an interesting upgrade from that. Will wait and see if they add any new tricks via firmware.
I've got an SH-32 as well and also felt this was an iteration of this box (along with other machines). The filter and resonance on the 32 will take your head off if you're not careful, lol. Not sure if you have the same experience. It's a good box for sounds 👌.
@@alfonsodiaz6235 Yeah, the filter has teeth. Great for sound effects though.
i still really like my MC-505 :-)
@@juliprivate715 the 505 is one of the only Roland grooveboxes I don't have any more. Sold it on when I managed to find a mint jx-305.
Love that sweater! And, I have to say this is the 1st roland I have seen in about a decade that I actually like, at face value!
Brace yourselves. Someone’s gonna complain this isn’t for them and tell us.
Once you get through those comments, there was a demo and review done that gave pros and cons.
Job well done Bo.
Exactly...people just gotta be as cliche as possible, thems the rules
MC 707 owners are allowed to feel offended LOL
Not liking something is fine. Personally I'm not blown away by this gadget at all. Might scoop one up later on the used market but there's nothing about this that screams "buy me" or "must have."
The tracks you made are amazing!
This looks and sounds incredible Bo ~I like where Roland are going with this. Thank you for your presentation.
Thanks Bo👍
Have a Good Day!
People missing the point of what this can do, which you cannot do on the MC707 and that is the immediacy and less menu divey workflow.
I hated the MC707 and sold it, it's more of a workstation than a grove box.
This little thing screams play me, and it seems fun too.
Thx for the upload Bo.
Yes! This is it
Great review! It looks exciting.
Will it work with the MX-1?
hehe, that was the first question I had in mind. 😅
good points for future improvements. Will wait and see if Roland does work on software updates for this unit. It could then really become one of the better roland grooveboxes.
Nice video and demos ! It looks to me like this is a stripped down Jupiter XM with some improved i-Arpeggio. Not sure which one I prefer, but this one looks easier to use than the other.
Just got mine today--thanks for the really helpful overview of the workflow!
Hope u have fun!!
wow looks interesting,would be nice to have this display on the next TR8S mk2 🙏🏻 great review Bo !
Are we gonna get a TR8S mk2?
I hope so just speculation
Maybe if Roland, as Akai did with the MPC firmware, kept adding more engines in the future, say, a TB or a granular synth - this indeed could be a close to perfect instrument. 🥰
And as I responded: LAS. D-50, JD-800 and JD-880 synth engine. Roland's own technique. It would be so logical.
Or just more pcm to be on par with the mc101 or jdxi
@@Max10_B this, possibly the most practical upgrade, it will depend on the memory SH-4d has, though
Roland been nailing it for many decades, this is another gem in their range thnx Bo for showcasing it cheers from Australia
The only thing they've been nailing for decades is unintuitive UX
not really objective, im a big roland sound fan, i say sound cause for the rest they are just repacking the same stuff over and over
Brilliant review and demo Bo!
sounds freaking awesome if you ask me
hey Bo. great video! i have a question: i use keystep pro and want to keep that but need a small travel instrument (my selfmade synth weighs 60kg) i want an instrument which i can run all 4 sequencers from keystep pro with. so it would need to be able to receive 4 different midi channels at the same time. and also i want to record automation without recording midi! is that possible? it kinda works with OPZ. but it doesn't sound that great especially if you use all instruments at once. thank you. would be nice to get an answer. best wishes.
I totally agree 100% on the improvements you mentioned.
looks quite tempting - good review - thank you.
Great review and demo as always Mr Bo
Thank you Kyle
I was never a roland fan, but this thing is REALLY cool! Reminds me of the analog four which is my favourite synth!
Yeah in this case this device just mimic to be analog.
@@fjfrancois Yes! But in a pretty good way. It has knob per function. This is actually huge. If I didnt own an a4, I would give this here a try!
I am very intrigued by this synth! It seems to have enough of a feature set for my very 1st Hardware type of synth and I’m glad you have gone through its many features so I could use this video as a guide if I decide to buy one… it beats studying the Manual!
I’m a little disappointed that you can’t save your own patches to an SD Card; maybe Roland could add (via a Software Update) the ability to plug in an SD Card reader to its USB socket so you could then have a back-up of your own patches… still at least it has some Internal Storage! I hope Roland sees this comment ;)! Thanks for doing this!
Thanks for the review, very nice! They really should have a patch editor librarian with this as an app.
Agreed!
sweet vid Bo...thanks. although im not a groovebox kinda guy I did really enjoy the vid and the work you put in...and that camera angle is so good...my screen is completely filled with synth😆awesome jams too! ✌
Hi bobeats, thank you for your nice videos. A question, if you had to choose between the SH4D and the minilogue Xd module, which one do you choose ?
If you want a groovebox or multitimbral synth then sh4d. If u want a good and easy to use analog synth then XD
Thanks for your fast answer.
Hey @BoBeats , does it include every sound from the 606, 707, 808 and 909?
Wow it seems like they carved out a really unique space in the groovebox world, not just in features but also filling a gap between price ranges. Excited to see more of these and get my hands on one to try it meself :D
They could have carved out a really unique space in the groovebox world if the SH-4d was a groovebox, but it isn't.
@@tedraven9214 Define groovebox?
@@MistyMusicStudio You started using the term groovebox, so it should be on you to define it. But still, as you are asking, with a groovebox one can create complete tunes by chaining sequences. Btw. even Roland says the SH-4d is not a groovebox.
@@tedraven9214 **rolls eyes** Go back go guarding bridges, ya troll.
@@MistyMusicStudio Wow, you're calling me a troll, because my answer to your question doesn't meet your expectations. It's quite clear who is the troll here.
That layout gives me liven vibes. Sweet. Great video. Pretty sweet overall but for $650, the apparent lack of multiple outs is a deal breaker for me personally.
Just got this and have been playing with it. I love what Roland did with this one. It can def use some improvements but it’s great as a groovebox even with its limitations. If roland spends some time developing this product and adding more models, sequencing capabilities, and workflow features, it’s going to be a hell of a machine. For some reason they do not want to call this a groovebox. many people are approaching it as one. And it sure acts like one.
Hi Bo, Is the Roland SH-4D good as a first synth for a beginner? I was looking at the Minibrute 2S but ever since I saw the SH-4D I fell in love with it.
i just made a video on this very topic giving my top 6 beginner synth picks :)
Good demo here
As always from Bo. Step in the right direction of what a groovebox must be nowadays. Fully configurable with a deep complex settings to make and huge sound.
not as deep as MC-707, and now MC-101 because Roland finally caved in to people requesting full editability of MC-101
The PCM and Cross-FM stuff sound great. We need more stuff like this, and fewer analog-sounding things.
For PCM, it is best to go with MC-101, MC-707, Juno-DS61, FA-06, or Fantom-06.
Great review Bo! It would be fun to see how it functions with a DAW. For example, synchronising arpeggio parts with Logic Pro X or simply dumping them onto it. The arpeggio and step modulation function is pretty good (I think a bod from Roland demonstrated this recently).
And it can sound something like a VST, nice 👍
Also overdated ;)
@@montazownianr1 thanks you’re right.
Look cool but as Roland's fan. I don't know if this one is different from all I already got. Ok, the package is different but at the end of the day, same sound. I can't hear the differences between this and the other hardware I got.
Sure, it's maybe for the people who not got other synths from Roland.
Why didn't they just update the JD-Xi? Functionality wise it is doing many of the same things. There is already a large community of fairly happy JD-Xi users that would love to upgrade to something with a 5th track, better effects, and more sound sources.
You are totally right. I hope one day Roland make something like a JD-Xi mashed with the GAIA 2 user interface, and give it PolyAT a bit of a sampler, custom wavetables and an extra octave while they are at it. Hehe, well I can wish.
How do you load or backup individual pattern and tone presets? I have only seen the full backup and restore. Had a Quick Look at the midi implementation and didn’t see anything either. Would like to see an editor like the one for the TR-8S.
I’ve been wondering if I should save up to by the SH-4d or not. I’m going to hang on to my money for a while, but I’m very interested in this groovebox.
is there a way to solo and record the rhythm parts elements individually?
This is super big if my pre-coffee brain is processing correctly. Instantly tempted. It's a nice Swiss army knife of engines. A Microfreak for Roland fans.
Best description yet!
Isn't it true that the Microfreak only sequence one patch at a time? If so, this is quite a different, and more powerful box in that regard.
They’re all the same (zencore) synth engine, just arranged slightly differently and branded with “JUNO106” or “SH101” to rake in the $$$ for Roland
Trying to hold out till they turn up on the used market but have a feeling i maybe waiting a while!
Me too me: “you don’t need another piece of Roland gear”
Also me watching Bo’s review: “GODDAMN IT”
😂
Sorry!! 😅👍
Hey Bo, just love your video on this one. Did you found out how to use the MIDI-OUT on the SH-4D? A topic lacking with other videos and the manual believe it or not.
Hi Bo, any chance of contacting Roland technical support to bring to their attention that the SH-4D hasn't any drivers available for people running Windows PC below 10 and 11. Iam currently running Windows 7 currently and my Roland FA-06 is supported no problems there. But the SH-4D isn't which I think is really silly because Roland will lose customers if they don't write drivers for older versions of Windows to run the SH-4D for DAW applications.What do you think? 🙂 I look forward to your reply.
Hi Bo, your channel its one of my favorite, Can the Sh 4d be seen as a groovebox?
Yes i think it can
@@BoBeats thank you Bo !
MC-707 user and lover here. One of the big complaints of the 707 is that sounds you design stay in the project, which is why I think they made the saving of sounds and kits a separate thing than the patterns and projects. Was this a good move? We'll see. Could they have done it better? Of course! A top level menu item or button combo to save takes you to a screen asking if you want to save the sounds outside the project that takes you through that flow if you say yes. Same on kits. If you say no, then they stay in the project which you can open and then save from later on.
Good points!
Nope, not true, as from last fw, on mc707 you can export clip with sound or kit and use it in another project
@@jandostalik6290 You've been able to import a clip from another project for a while, including the sound and midi. I've setup several projects that are handpicked sounds so I can do this, but I'm not aware of a way to design a sound and save it to the presets without tying it to a project or clip. This is what I was referring to.
i had an mc-707 that i found too difficult to work with so i sold it. i've been looking for a new groovebox with great sound that's easier to play. is this the one? or should i just explore the mc-101?
This is indeed easier than the 707 but not as deep. Also lacks sampling
Nice review Bo 👍 Liking this very much, just needs some tweaking with updates. This would work well with other instruments in the studio too.
This is surely Zen-core in the end, just less param access like the 101 used to be crippled with. And it doesn't have access to import the other models (yet). And it's most def. not ACB. And the drums are just samples. This is just an MC-101 repackaged in a SH-32 form factor.
Those drums are pure Roland
Great as usual! Question is, the drum parts use the same send effects, or are there effects on each drum part separately? thanks!
Same send effects
If I understand this question correctly, you can use effects and tweak sounds for individual drum sounds (hi-hat, kick, etc…), as well as for the entire part.
Didn't expect this release. Love the form factor and the fact that it can be battery and usb-c powered! That's always been the missing piece of the Syntakt for me. And this thing sounds really nice. But four tracks is always a bit limiting, even though one track is basically the entire drum kit. And I would really miss sample playback. So, to me, the MC-101 is still the better Syntakt companion to me, but the hands-on synth interface here is really compelling. 😊 Bo, excellent review as always!
Thanks! Still dig the MC101 but the SH is my kinda jam. I think its because theres less menus overall.
@@BoBeats Yeah that's why I love the Syntakt the most. Everything is a button press away. I only like the MC-101 as a companion for the Syntakt, i would vastly prefer the SH-4d over the MC-101 if I could *only* have that device. But with the Syntakt as the main machine, the MC-101 comes across as a bit more manageable and flexible (thanks to the sample playback). Just my thoughts. 😊
@@sinewaymusic Makes sense!
Battery and MIDI = great! TRxS and 505 are my favorite Rolands now
It's 4 synth + 1 drum if I'm not mistaken. which is ok-ish
They been nailing it
Roland does Electribe basically. Not saying that's a bad thing but that's what I think of. A lot of similarity to an E2 or EMX-1 but still some more modern DSP tricks of course. Syntakt seems like the closest current competitor.
Because it's Roland I expected it to cost more.
What I like: less menu diving, more hands on. I think I'll stick with my MC-707 for Zencore sounds though. Roland removed a lot of the sounds hence the price of this being cheaper than MC-707.
I kind of want a mash up of this and the 707. Kind of a modern mc505
Csn u shift multiple patterns simultaneously through chord/scale intervals on the fly like squarp hapax???
No
Perfect compagnon for my MC-101
Well, at 600 EUR, that is a no-brainer! Knob per function, little display, classic models, experimental stuff, sequencer, battery powered, what else? That's crazy value! The rythm section alone with all the 2 OSC x0x-models sounds like a Tonic emulation. Just crazy, really! One question: Are the filters model dependent?
Loving the clicky buttons. Beats rubber ones every time. Especially 20 years down the line.
Good review, all the negative points are well thought about! microtiming would be nice, GATE length also adds a lot to rhythms. And why did ROLAND again limit to 4 bars? Their MC303 had 32 bars. 30 years ago. It would be so great, if one of you "influencers" would make a video in which companies are asked, why they limit their sequencers to 4 bars which means, long notes GET CUT. It's a weird mystery. And a shame, because soundwise this thing is quite ace!
More bars!!! #freefrom64steps
@@BoBeats it's you guys who could/should ask the companies about this limit
Great review, Bo. Looks great, sounds great, but I don't know how (1) It would fit into my workflow, and (2) (more importantly) I could convince my wife I need this. Please show me some awesomeness that cannot be done with a Minilogue XD module (I just bought one, but my wife hasn't discovered it yet) and a DAW.
You just said it yourself. Roland already have the cloud models. There also even is some type of zen-core in vst-form with even more stuff than here.
And you (like me) already have the great Minilogue XD (I have the keyboard version) which has some real analoge oscillators and filters in it (plus what I think is a great sequencer).
Muy largo para ver a estas horas, pero muy interesante. Lo guardo para vero mañana. Gracias por compartir tus conocimientos. Tus pruebas son muy completas y esclarificantes.
At first glance, the SH-4D is ticking all the boxes... 90's looks, lots of knobs and buttons, sounds really good too. I was a bit anti-ASB before this review, but man it sounds great! So the question is: can this weird 80s/90s/2020s mashup really deliver the goods to us fussy, entitled synth nerds?!
Nailed it! 😂
Is it possible to turn off quantization when live recording, or is everything always on the grid in the sequencer?
Always on grid!
Ah ok, that’s a bit of a shame. I hope they add this and micro-shifting notes in a future firmware update.
Am I right in thinking the arp only applies to played notes? Eg you can't arpeggiate sequenced notes? (Like mc707)
Correct! It applies to the keyboard not to the sequence, and arp can then be recorded as a sequence
I just got mine. How do you switch patterns without effects getting messed up. Hopefully a firmware update will fix this. I wish this would save and load projects like the MC-101, but I suppose storage is limited. Does sound Great, but until we can change pattern without effects dropping out then it won't be something you can build multipart songs with. Might be perfect for external sequencing though.
Definitely sold. 🙌🏼🙌🏼
I wish there were more 1/4nch outs. Is there an easy live work around for the drum sound individual outs (without using a laptop)?
At 6:49 it sounded like you could sidechain things to the kick….true? Thx
I tend to prefer separating where I work drums from other instruments but this sounds fantastic. That ring module in particular had my eye
It seems cool.. individual MFX per “track” and 12 Audio tracks over USB C.
I just wanna know how many projects/patterns it holds but. I think this will be a purchase for me later this year.
you don't have to use the drum track if you don't want to, plus it doesn't seem to have EQ per part, either
Thanks for the review, it’s very useful.
I'm not sure I understood the saving system: you can save the tones, the patterns, but is it possible to save the entire project with all the parts ? it would therefore not be possible to recall a "project" with the 5 parts directly without loading each part individually...It seems essential to me to be able to recall everything on stage
yes you can save and load EVERYTHING in one go. The problem is that it overwrites the sound patches so any other project using the same sounds will have its sounds affected.
@@BoBeats
thank you very much for the answer, it is indeed a particular system and you must keep that in mind !
Great review 👏🏼 Just a question: Has Roland JDxi similar “attitude” ?
Yes. Very similar beast. One less track (4 vs 5), less effects, but it is pretty darn easy to use, inviting to play, and a ton of fun with lots of great sounds (and a vocoder)! I had just gotten back into jamming with my jd/xi when the SH-4D came out and thought it was a perfect evolution for my gear and have not been disappointed (although, hoping for some updates). I have other, more powerful tools and synths for different things and actually completing songs. But this is def one of my favorite pieces of gear and still have a lot to explore. I think time will show that this one initially went under the radar and that updates and/or future iterations could make this absolutely splentacular. I also still love my JD/XI and play with it often. Very easy to get dope loops going and can get someone who’s never used a synth before into a sweet jam in minutes with it. Hope this helps! 😊
I truly hate dumping on this historic company but they disappoint SO much these days...but damn, I think they really knocked it out of the park here...praise where praise is due. The sound, form factor and aesthetics, ALL on point. Feels like they're listening again
My thoughts exactly!
They don't disappoint...
The Bashin Come from Synth snobs.
All the last Roland product are top notch
@@jeremjerem that's how I feel as well
this thing sounds geil and you can create amazing sounds with it
Doesn't look bad. Having all those models onboard is great.
Thank you for this great demo, Bo.
Can a synth sequence (bass line for example) be transposed via an external keyboard?
This I do not know. I am unsure if thats available over midi.
using pitch bend or if the arpeggiator is running the bass line, then most likely
sounds perfect for the adult film industry music producers
Oh ja! Ist gut.
Ha ha, you've nailed it. Exactly what I thought, too. 😅👍
80s film score machine. Not a bad thing.
You’re right step bro
Lol😂literally exactly what it sounds like … someone called about rusty pipes….
I really like the workflow and sound of this. The combination of a JX08 and TR06 would probably be my choice. The JX08 has split and unison and the TR06 has song mode.
Appreciate the deep dive, adds nicely to Roland's substantial overview video. I sold my Jupiter Xm due to needing to menu dive for OSC tuning, so this solves that x2. The other beef was the resonance on the filters in the zencore was harsher than the ACB on the boutiques. My ears are hearing an improved resonance and VCF filter more akin to ACB, does that sound true to your ears?
They might have tweaked it but it's still Zen-core.
If they've tweaked it, its different. Thus the question. The latest JX engine in zencore was much better sounding than earlier models to my ears as well. It's a new ladder filter and so far sounds better than any filter I've heard since the ACB models.
It also isn't compatible with the current zencore models, so I am thinking (hoping) this is more substantial than a “tweak”. I suppose when I tweak the knobs myself I will now how tweaked it is. :)
@@nonsequitur4704 Right, but it's still Zen at the end of the day, and so can only be so much different and is only capable of so much. ACB changed over time too, where the TB-03 is known to be not quite as quality as later ACB units.
@@nonsequitur4704 That could be political or not yet implemented. Bear in mind that the ACB System 1 and 1M don't have access to all the models that the System 8 does, despite being exact same engine (minus effects and poly). And the 101 has the exact same Zen-core engine as the 707 but didn't but didn't have access to nearly as many params until recently. Sure that's same sound, but shows a marked difference in the implementations. Also, the filters behave different on all models, whether ACB or Zen. On Sonic State the Roland rep explicitly said that this unit is Zen.
Nice review. Oh boy I wished Roland would make it possible to assign individual chords to the keys, i.e. making it possible to create user defined chord sets. -That would make it 1000 times easier to play! I'm not a fan of these tiny buttons! :-) -An Idea: What If you could select the a chord using the current chord function, and then long-press a kbkey, and then the chord is assigend to that specific kbkey..?
39:30 - there might be some trickery to get alternate sounds by putting 2 sounds in the same mute group, find out which one plays when both are on the same step, then reduce the probability of that sound. But yeah - would be cool to have a "random sound group" or even a "velocity group".
velocity and micro timing. essentially the "feel" parameters the R8 had iirc.
Let’s congratulate Roland. They are finally out of ancient 2x20 displays and moved to new 128x64!! OLEEED, OLED-OLED-OLEEED!
Feeling hot hot hot!
Great and fun review ! Maybe I give this one a try...though only 2 analog outs are a bit of a disappointment for a five-part-instrument. But I'm glad to hear that Roland does leave the Zen Core path with this one. Now, what I would suggest here is to implement the Arp like in the Uno Pro, since we have 16 buttons which can be utilized to make arpeggio patterns very easily. And my question would be, are there individual arps for every track, or is there only one ? I couldn't figure that out from the manual.
Another criticism: I would recommend to all synth vendors to overthink their timing of presentations and availability (in noteworthy numbers) for their products. I remember having seen a demo of the Korg NTS-1 and then it wasn't in stores for months. With the SH-4d, big T says "available in several months". Huh ? I probably will have another synth then.
Can someone please answer me if the sh 4d can be conncted to an external midi keyboard so i can use the keys for "melody" and drum pads for drum sounds. And how do i connect them to make that work? And if i want the sound out to speakers how do i connect that? Thank you...loving this synth but not the keys.
so the drum parts dont each haved their own track, but can have their own effects per step?
Roland, Korg, and Yamaha gear never separate drum parts on individual tracks, you have to take care of that yourself in a DAW.
Great demo tunes BoBeats!
Sonically, nothing that a Studiologic Sledge can't do. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching!
The price point is pretty great. This could be the "syntakt for people who want deeper synth options but still want a groovebox"
$300 more gets you more tracks, a Ableton like grid and a full Zencore Engine in the MC-707.
707 still sucks compared to the mighty Force.
@@m-stat9 I own both. The synthesis engine on the 707 is better. Sampling and clip management is better on the Force.
@@ktreier I had the 707, now the Force. New plugins like FabricXL and OPX4 are very comparable to the Zen-Core. The rest is still better on the Force. It's considered as the best groovebox workstation right now for a good reason. The 707 is still cool, but imho not worth 1000 bucks.
@@m-stat9 Except those plugins are not free. I sequence and sample everything with my Akai Force but as a physical box with the Zencore engine and literally dozens and dozens of expansion packs on Roland Cloud for $20/month I find my 707 useful. Such a shame the 707 can’t run n/zyme but I suspect either the CPU is not good enough or it’s a marketing decision.
Curious how long will Roland just creating new HW cases for Zen Core derivatives :))) .. Also in my opinion ACB engine they used in older boutiques was sounding MUCH better than ZendCore - i would appreciate it in box like this one to make it a bit more different sonically from 101/707.
Also typical Roland, they make audio IN but you can't do anything with it (not even apply build in delay / reverb so it will be useable for processing external synths).
ACB is definitely better sounding than Zencore. 👌
"Curious how long will Roland just creating new HW cases for Zend Core derivatives" errrrr, that's EXACTLY what this is. Might as well get a MC-101 over this repackage. I'd rather have small form factor for bread and butter sounds anyway. Who needs VCA encoders and the like for Zen-Core?
I don't care for the FM part but I like it a lot.
Nice demo!
Hi Bob, thanks for this video.
Really wondering how this stacks up to the sh01a and ju06a boutiques. I have both and kinda hope this can replace them. Could you design the same sounds on this as on the boutiques?
Yes
Mi piace molto questo strumento! Soprattutto l'interfaccia, non è un problema se suona analogico o no, la polifonia è ampia, c'è anche la drum e il sequencer, 600 è un ottimo prezzo