8 MUST KNOW shortcuts for the SP404-MK2

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In this video I show you some of my favourite shortcuts on the SP404-MK2. I hope you find this video useful and if you have any of your own feel free to drop them in the comments below!
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0:00 - Intro
0:54 - Zero Cross Points
2:43 - Start/end points trick
4:03 - BUS 3 & 4 mute
5:26 - Stop all sounds
6:35 - Delete all samples in a bank
7:29 - Preview sounds in Import
8:33 - Switch to pad without triggering
9:53 - Keeping MFX parameters on screen
10:41 - Wrap-up
#sp404mk2 #sp404mkii #sp404

[@mpchead]

That start and end point tip is really welcomed, thanks

[@spvidz]

Yo man, thanks for dropping in! Glad to help you with that one! 🙌

[@MrSunnyBra]

Oh thank fuck for this. Thanks bruh 🙏🏾

[@krammulla2620]

Marlow Digs and SPVIDZ, two of my favourite beat making senseis!

[@hasan7786]

Holy hell, thank you. I'm still trying to figure out how to do those quick mark start/end points like the sp404 sx. Maybe im missing something but it was just hitting the pad then hitting mark to set the start/end point. Anyone got any help for this?

[@Rompler_Rocco]

They should add one macro shortcut, where we just mash our palms down on all the pads at once to bring up this video 👍

[@spvidz]

😂 I’ll have to speak to Roland

[@mpchead]

That last tip of the fx staying on also great, thanks a bunch 🙏🏼

[@spvidz]

any time ma guy! Keep up the sick beats and videos 👍

[@rorz999]

Yeah that one is really going to help. It was driving me mad before

[@scouthanamura2380]

We don't deserve you but you still share your knowledge, king

[@spvidz]

I’m here to serve my man! 🙏

[@chipfilmstv]

Thanks so much for doing this video! Im a old head and the MK II is my first SP, there is so much this unit can do. Learning everyday.

[@mrbigh95838]

Me too!

[@constantinflux]

If you’re editing start and end point and hit remain so it… remains… lit, then you’re snapping to zero crossing points all the time when moving your start, end and loop start points. Hit it again to disable snap to zero point. 🤙

[@spvidz]

Nice 🙌

[@XFCTR22]

extra tip: if you're looking at your wav file in start/end mode and do shift + push enter it'll give you a menu it'll show you a numerical length for your sample and you can plug in your start/end/loop point. great use if you wanna make sure you're samples are the same length

[@spvidz]

Nice! Thanks for that

[@XFCTR22]

@@spvidz it's one of the things the SP555 does a bit better, which is part of why i keep it around, but glad to have found this out

[@geebee44]

thank God they updated the sample preview specs in the 3.0 update. the behavior now is how it should be, preview as you scroll through without any extra button pressing. they need to add a real note repeat function equipped with triplets in the next update...

[@chrisament9962]

I’ve read about a lot of people getting an “Unsupported File Type” message when they upload their drum kits. You can batch convert your kits to 24 point sinc for free in audacity!

[@mickeydonalds2106]

I believe that they will add a feature to convert samples automatically.

[@chrisament9962]

@@mickeydonalds2106 I definitely hope so

[@nickcossart6342]

You can also hold [exit] and press the pad you want to stop, useful when you want to stop one pad while multiple are playing

[@spvidz]

Nice I’ll have to try that 👍

[@daniel_dumile]

These are super useful. I just want to say how much I love my sp404 🥰

[@joonoonoo9643]

Zooming in to the start/end point is a lot!! Thank you

[@mickeydonalds2106]

Deleting recorded samples from a pattern: -Enter in [PATTERN SELECT] -Select a pattern, press [DEL] - this will highlight all samples recorder inside the selected pattern -Select those you wish to delete -And finally press [VALUE] to confirm.

[@spvidz]

Big time saver 👍🙌

[@ridiculousrusty]

at 7:00 when you hypothesize that it's fast because it uses internal memory: internal memory might be slightly faster, but most flash erase operations are all but instant. This is because most of the time on flash memory just marks the data that you used to have as junk, but doesn't do any actual erasing. Erasing should be almost identically fast on the memory card, which is also flash.

[@rorylee9626]

2nd tip is a game changer for me thank u

[@dennystreet2454]

Even this device is hard to manage I want to have it. It is very old school item. Love it

[@spvidz]

Its really fun to use once you get past the learning curve at the start

[@r_a_k_u]

SHIFT + EXIT !!!!!!!!!!! This instantly made my life better

[@spvidz]

Nice. You can also use the mark button as well to hop between them. Found that out later

[@JuanelosLibre]

Great tips. Thanks 🙏🏽

[@JAdeWii_]

I learned something new :D stay fly

[@earthboundboy]

Some really helpful stuff here! 🙌🏼

[@XFCTR22]

super super super useful. thank you for sharing

[@oldservantrecordings]

Nice one man! Thanks!

[@AcidSh33tz]

great tutorial video, this is definitely going to improve my workflow thank you!

[@el_a_nonimo]

Very good Data! Thnks!!!!

[@issmodissmo1485]

Thanks for all the information. Super sweet. Especially the remain button trick for effects.

[@vivescalle]

thank you this is really useful!!!

[@alefillman]

Very useful stuff here, man. Thank you!

[@thatlazybeatmaker]

thank you, really helpful tips

[@thetropiki]

Great! Few I’ve already known but some will speed up the process 🤝

[@hugohannoun8769]

Super useful, Thanks man !

[@GeorgeL909]

Thank you so much!

[@dja.selekta]

Very useful, Thanks! I'm about to grab one to pair up with the MPC Live

[@spvidz]

Nice! Enjoy 🎉

[@tripper2077]

Nice!! Great vid, Thanks!

[@beakbeak1682]

start end tip is a gift, thank you!

[@spvidz]

Glad to help! 👌

[@Galacticat_]

Very helpful video. Some of these things were driving me crazy and I'm glad there are easy solutions. Thanks!

[@spvidz]

Glad to help!

[@sailortomb9307]

Huge... actually huge tips here but the biggest thing is how you're communicating them. I feel like every time I watch one of your vids on the SP404MKII you're shaking stones from my shoes that were irritating my flow! Much appreciated dude, Happy New Years!

[@spvidz]

So glad to hear that bro! Happy New Year to you too!

[@dmitriysviatashov1966]

Hey Thanks Friend!! Was helpful 2 me- just became a happy player of this beautiful Toy

[@spvidz]

Welcome to the gang!

[@wiggesobk]

This is pure gold!👍

[@arki4066]

thank you!!

[@ventarfield7115]

Coming off 10+ years of DAW after my MacBook Pro exploded the MK2 is really challenging and confusing to my spoiled little laptop brain. Thank you so much. You have answered a number of questions I have after messing around with this thing for a week. Subscribed and looking forward to your excellent vids

[@spvidz]

Nice one man! Welcome to the SPVIDZ gang 🤙

[@anthonycotto9251]

So so useful

[@zanza_the_rewolverine]

Great tips! Thanks

[@spvidz]

No problem!

[@andystandys]

These are all good to know.

[@DmiBeats]

Helpful so much! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@spvidz]

Glad to hear it 🙌

[@lindasson]

Learned something new today with deleting the entire bank. Great information my friend, love what you bring to the community!🙏🏾✊🏾💚

[@lindasson]

The MFX tip was a new one for me as well!!

[@spvidz]

SIck man, glad to help you out!

[@sorrynotcyborg]

@7:33 I've been hoping that in an update they will add auto auditioning so you can scroll through the samples rather than hitting sub pad for EVERY sample you want to preview *maybe you can slip that into a feature query to Roland ;) Thanks for sharing your knowledge, this video cleared up the remaining shortcuts I was desperately looking for.

[@bradbeat]

Nice shortcuts there! thanks for the video start/end point trick and hold the mfx fx on screen def making my life easier! heheheh! thanks again!

[@BacaBaconi]

Thanks 🙌 Nice 👌

[@spvidz]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@sounddesires8506]

YES you are a BOSS!

[@spvidz]

Thank you sir!

[@nelio123]

Awesome shortcuts, solved a lot of problems for me! ❤😊

[@spvidz]

Great to hear that!

[@commonbeats]

Thank you 👊

[@spvidz]

🫡

[@CALITRIXfitness]

Mate have you made some sort of quick reference sheet of all these things you keep teaching us? I learn every time I watch your vids but I only retain half the info and have to keep going back and rewatching 😅

[@spvidz]

Sorry bud I need the views 😂

[@CALITRIXfitness]

@@spvidz haha i expected this response 😁

[@mikemeengs5720]

Great tips...thanks! Import sample audio preview works automatically now just by scrolling...no need for me to hit the button.

[@spvidz]

Yup - glad they made that update

[@prospero808]

picked up the mkII a few months ago, your channel has been very helpful, thanks for the content. Already thinking about another software update. Wanted to run a few ideas by you and all mkII users, with hopes these ideas may reach Roland at some point. The sp series is best known for its live performance/fx. Overall I've been impressed with the mkII but, have some ideas that relate to live performance. 1. HOME SCREEN. Obviously, the bpm display is a call back to earlier sp's but, I don't think its an effective use of the screen space. I would much prefer a display of sample names as they sit on the pads. This could look similar to the mfx menu. A four by four grid that displays sample names. I think it would be possible to do this as well as including the bpm and a progress bar on screen. This would eliminate the need for cueing. Along with this, the ability to name and rename samples from the editor software would be useful. 2. FX PERFORMANCE MODE. There is a lot of menu diving involved with all the fx buses. I am imagining a single menu that lists the five effects buses. Since there are five, perhaps the pad bank buttons could be used to toggle the effects on and off for each bus. For example pad bank A button toggles input effect on/off, B for bus 1, etc. This menu should also connect to FX settings menu. So whatever bus is highlighted in this screen should link to the fx settings. So pressing a bank button would toggle an effect off/on and highlight that effect, you should also be able to use the encoder to highlight a bus (without turning it off or on) to access the fx setting for that bus. I am imagining a new fx setting screen. One that combines the best features of the bus1/2 menu and the input, bus3/4 menu. Both rows available from one menu like the bus3/4 menu but, easier to navigate like the bus1/2 menu. Maybe just turning the encoder to flip between settings row 1 and 2. Holding the encoder down is awkward. Also have the fx settings screen stay on till you press exit or another bank button would be helpful. A progress bar on the main fx performance mode screen would be helpful as well. Perhaps the existing EFX SETTING menu could be tweaked to enable these features. Its software so, of course, there are a lot of different ways these things could be accomplished. Another thing I've noticed is, if you customize the direct fx buttons, the original effect "disappears". For example, if I change the delay button to scatter and then go back to the mfx screen scatter is still visible but, delay has "dissapeared". Why not just switch them out? So, in the previous example, if I change delay to scatter, then go back to the mfx screen, I will see delay where scatter was located before. Another thing I've noticed is that I can't trigger samples when im holding down the encoder to access the second row of effects settings, this seems like a bug to me. 3. MORE FX. I am a long time sp user, I have the 202 and the 808. I was hoping to down-size my hardware setup with the mkII but, the 202 and the 808 can make sounds the mkII can't. The fx in the 808 are impressive, even to this day, and I can't give up the echo and delay algorithims in that unit. As an example, both units have a tape echo but, they sound very different. The mkII is perhaps a more accurate emulation but, the 808 tape echo is warmer and not as harsh, By tweeking the settings I often use the 808 tape echo to create a bed or pad to layer sounds on top of. I haven't been able to do this with the mkII. I have read similar posts from other users of the sp series. Each unit has a following and certain favorite effects. So, more classic sp fan favorite fx, please! This is my first experience with the roland djfx looper and its fun but, I can see doing a lot more with this effect or creating variations of this effect. What about adding a filter or other effects/parameters to the djfxlooper? What about a djfx looper II, the present max length is 0.23 seconds. What if the length was the full length of the sample. For example, say you have a four bar loop that is 15 seconds in length. So the max length of the looper is 15 seconds. As you turn the length knob the time cuts in halves. So first you hit 7.5 seconds, a two bar loop. Then you hit 3.75 seconds, one bar, etc. until you reach one step looping. From one step and down it could operate like the original djfxlooper. Ok, and finally, the unit already has downer and backspin. Why not just do a "scratch mode" effect. I am seeing this laid out similar to dj mode. As an example, lets say you can assign four samples to this mode. Pads 1-4 are for sample1 and so on. pad 1 could be "play from start", pad 2 could be "play from present location" pad 3 "push forward" pad 4 "pull back". Then you could use a knob to control the speed of your "push and pull" . In this kind of set-up you could "scratch" a sample, do a backspin, a downer or almost any other kind of turntable tricks. 4. SAMPLE EXPORT. The ability to drag and drop samples from the mkII to a mac or pc. From what I can tell you can easily drag and drop any sample into the mkII from the editor software but, you cant drag them back out, so you have to rerecord to export a sample which is doable but, not ideal. OK, thats it. I welcome any other feedback or other ideas. Thanks!

[@constantinflux]

Hold Copy and hit Exit to copy whole banks.

[@spvidz]

That’s a good one. Should have included that 🙌

[@sebarbe7499]

Thx bro

[@spvidz]

Np 👊

[@dashlaru2]

Have you done a video on the Roll feature?

[@RoofElmao]

thanks for the video! didnt knew some of new features. is there a way to resample a presise 4/8 bar loop without struggling finding and cutting an end point?

[@spvidz]

As far as I know you cannot resample specific lengths of sample at this moment in time no. Try putting a kick at the end where you want to cut and then use that as a reference point in your waveform

[@GrootsieTheDog]

I think it would be helpful to have a mixer mode where the knobs become volumes for the rows of pads/samples. I like to blend and mix the samples - not just turn them on/off. Thanks for the select pad without sounding tip!

[@spvidz]

You can adjust the volume of each individual sample? Press pitch/speed and it’s the right hand dial.

[@GrootsieTheDog]

@@spvidz ya, I know how to adjust the volume of an individual pad but it would be cool to be able to adjust the volume of more pads at once to blend them in and out like you would with a mixer. Right now it’s not very performance friendly as far as that goes :) Obviously they created the dj mode to somewhat address this but not really the same as simply just having a mode where you can quickly adjust individual pad levels - and more than one level at a time.

[@spvidz]

ahh right I see what you mean, yeah nothing like that at the moment unfortunately

[@GrootsieTheDog]

@@spvidzAfter giving this a little bit more thought - I think one of the most utilitarian ways to implement this without making the functionality convoluted would be much like the chromatic mode where the pads have a completely different behavior. So for one ex. when you switch to mixer mode, when you press a pad you are only selecting it (not turning pad on off) and each one of the three knobs adjusts 1 of three parameters like volume, eq high, and eq low. Or volume, efx send, and filter. Or it could be that you can choose three pads at a time and adjust their volumes with the three knobs. This would be super helpful for on the fly performance and give another option for improvisational technique besides pads on/off and efx manipulation.

[@robertoriggio117]

I haven't used it yet, but there's apparently a way to insert the sound from a different pad into a sample on the sample edit page, lower right corner.

[@spvidz]

Hmmm not heard of that tbh. I’ll have a look into it

[@Guacamole1000]

I don't have a MK II but watched the whole video anyway, now I want one🥴 It seems like Roland literally improved everything about the SP404-SX. Honest question, is there a single thing the 404sx does better (in your opinion)?

[@spvidz]

Honestly no. The MK2 beats it in every single category imo

[@Guacamole1000]

@@spvidz frankly that's a testament to Roland actually listening to their user base and not just shipping out another non-upgrade (see SP-404A, lol). Keep up the good work bro these vids are a life saver/workflow enhancer for people who have a MK II🥲

[@n0manarmy]

Any tips on getting the details of a pad selection when building a complex pattern? Say I'm putting down piano samples on 16 bars, as I shift the effects on a sample in the progression, I may want to go back and check what I had previously. Is there anyway to see the settings on an entry in the pattern without turning off (resetting) the pad?

[@theincredibleillmo9385]

Is there a way to fix the scroll wheel to be more precise. Mine sometimes feel kind of loose. I’m not sure if it only me or my Roland came with this defect.

[@RobotClinic]

Shared the skin with my daughter to buy me one for Xmas, please hold one for me dude!

[@muppetpaster]

Shift and exit was available from the beginning....😉

[@martronimous5607]

Great video!! I was wondering if there is a way to scroll through audio when choosing start and end points rather than listening to an entire sample. Thanks!!

[@spvidz]

Don’t think so. It’s one of my pet hates. Find it really annoying when you are adjusting a start/end point

[@martronimous5607]

@@spvidz damn, thats corny lol. Thanks for the reply tho!!!

[@tientienyao]

Thanks for this vid. I have been watching your tutorials on SP404SX. Now I am at the crossroad between the Roland Verselab MV-1 vs the SP404mk2. Do you have any experience with the MV-1?

[@spvidz]

I don't have any experience with that sorry no

[@starluxstudio619]

While I'm listening to a long sample on the SP-404 can I move the playhead aka scrub (in video) to listen to the sample in different places without moving the start and end point and restarting the sample playback?

[@jaredforney2372]

Great list, the start and end point one especially. There's one other one I heard about but have since forgotten: is there some way to selectively remove every instance of a pad from a loop _without_ having to hold them down along with delete and wait for the loop to cycle through? That's one that I've always found a bit annoying.

[@spvidz]

> Go to your patterns > Press pattern edit > Select the pattern you want to delete samples from > Press and hold delete and it will highlight all the samples in the pattern > Keep holding del and press the pad that you want to completely remove > Keep holding del and hit the value wheel which (if you look at the screen) deletes those samples

[@jaredforney2372]

@@spvidz awesome, thank you so much! The value wheel seems to have a lot of embedded functionality when it comes to these shortcuts. Much appreciated!

[@makesenz]

I'm an oldskool mpc guy, but now i think i want a sp404 mk2 and that's your fault! lol. It looks way handier than the old machine that i got

[@spvidz]

lol its a great machine. I tend to use it more for FX processing and performance these days but its perfectly capable of making full beats if thats what you want to do with it. It would make a great companion for any older MPC. I use it with my 2000xl

[@makesenz]

@@spvidz I just want a machine that’s portable and sounds fresh, the gear that I’m using sounds great, but I need a new approach to making beats if that makes sense. The fx in these machines are great and I want to keep it “in the box” as much as possible, without using floppy disks lol. You just pointed out that it’s capable of making full beats, plus it can sequence, so i’m sold

[@I.O.M.]

Slick skin 👍

[@matthewwilson3673]

what microphone are you using? looks cool

[@spvidz]

Its actually pretty old/cheap. Its a Sontronics STC-2X. Think I've had it about 6/7 years now. Its always done an ok job so I've never upgraded

[@heiner_kruse]

is it possible that its not possible to set this to 175 bpm? .... I study this for ages cause i believe in some ideas, then I feel ready to start from zero and the first thing that happens to me is I cant set an imported loop nor the general tempo to 175.(correction: except if i set project tempo or bank tempo before)....

[@theloreoffilm2229]

do you know if the MKII has a better pitch effect i haven’t seen an mk2 video that dives in or compares the sx/A model to the MK2

[@spvidz]

Check out my video about pitch here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpzVfKB_bteshtE

[@ronflynn1947]

Is there a way to turn off gate when previewing samples to import?

[@spvidz]

dont think so man no

[@ronflynn1947]

@@spvidz finger is getting sore from holding it to hear the tails of the snares and kicks 😂....videos are awesome man..always informative and insightful 🙏

[@pyrox2518]

Think they should just add a feature that the fx page you select stays on until you get out of it. Or to set a timer on it if that's too much to ask for. There is literally not much other information on this thing what's necessary to be shown when you're tweaking fx. Also really shitty when it end up messing up your start or end points.

[@spvidz]

Hold remain and hit the MFX button or the FX you are using at the top of the device, the params screen will then stay on

[@n-spired]

Is there a shortcut to listen to the pads before delete? Back on the sx you hear the sound before you delete.

[@spvidz]

Don’t really understand what you mean by that. Just hit the pad first to listen, then just delete it?

[@n-spired]

@@spvidz I mean if I’m not sure which pad to delete is there a way to listen in delete mode like on the sx. Without going back.

[@spvidz]

Ah right I see - Once your in delete mode I can't find a way to trigger the samples no. you just have to come out of it and make sure its the right one before. Bit annoying that one it would be good if it sounded when you pressed it in delete mode! Hopefully that will come in a future update

[@n-spired]

@@spvidz thats the only thing I’m missing from the sx.

[@biokode]

[@junelopez9520]

deletes these nutz

[@XenonOrion]

ESSENTIAL knowledge. thanks dawg. not as easy as i thought it would be comin from the SX but you are a big help with these hidden shortcuts!

[@spvidz]

Yeah man there’s a bit of a learning curve with this one but it pays off when you get good with it. Glad to hear my vid helped you though

[@XenonOrion]

@@spvidz 💕