E-4 Voice Tweaker as an Effects Box!

E-4 Voice Tweaker as an Effects Box!
Today I'm finally using the Roland E-4 Voice Tweaker as an effects box! The E-4 is a fantastic portable vocal processor, but with the proper TRRS splitter, it can actually apply those great effects to all of your synths and drum machines as well! This makes it an incredibly versatile device, especially considering that it only costs $199 USD! Enjoy the video :)
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Roland E-4 Voice Tweaker: amzn.to/3P00ymS
Arturia Microfreak: amzn.to/3yWGv2W
TRRS Splitter (This SHOULD Work): amzn.to/3IuzaLb
Zoom Livetrak L-12 (audio recorder): amzn.to/3PmXCAG
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[@ianmcmurchie6636]

I would not have known about that line-in trick. Thanks this helps a lot.

[@YOYOJIN]

super informative and super fun to watch all the gears that you showing on the channel!! :) yay!!! I ordered one immediately to try with my project (even though I'm not into music hehe):)

[@FreeBeat]

Nice! What's your project?

[@david_pilkington_music]

I've just recently purchased the Roland E-4 and your video highlights another novel way of using it. Thank you for taking the time and effort. I'm not sure what all the fuss regarding 'splitter leads' is about though. OK, so the 'mix out' on the E-4 can be used by headphones with a built in microphone to input your voice (hence the icon). Personally, I would not put a synth directly into this socket through a splitter as it's designed primarily for microphone input (the signal format will be incorrect). Also, there is nothing to be gained as it renders the 'Mic in' on the front of the E-4 useless (the E-4 will only take one mic input correctly). Instead, I would run the synth through a DI box (to convert the signal format) into the standard 'Mic in' socket on the front. According to the manual (page 39) this socket accepts a standard stereo jack (or mono). Having said all that, I really enjoy your videos and keep up the good work.

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@synthesauriov3195]

wish the E-4 could process the stereo output coming from the In mix, would be an instant buy for me, those scatter effects looks so fun for live performance

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah, I agree!

[@pyko5100]

Roland MX-1 does scatter effects

[@wiggesobk]

This is really cool i have to try that out too! 👍

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks!

[@delmeteor717]

I own both pieces of gear and as always found your video really entertaining. Going to give the setup a try. I was wondering. Could you also use a 1/4” to 3.5 TRS to connect the two using E4 main mic input?

[@FreeBeat]

Yes you could, you'd just want to be careful and get the levels set right.

[@Soundthesis]

Very interesting. I did the same simply using a mic adapter on a normal cable from the headphone audio of the Microfreak into the MiC in on the E4. I did a video on my channel.

[@Trig242]

This is one of the things I was hoping to use the E4 for. Thanks for the demo!

[@FreeBeat]

It's super cool haha, thanks for watching!

[@anthonytalley55]

Me also

[@f3d3sacchi]

Hello! Thank you for your video. I tried several TRRS splitters with no luck, finally I found that iRig 2 works perfectly. The only cons is that synths will become mono. But just a question: is there a way to use splitters and keep stereo signal? Thank you.

[@BassWorkENTRTNMT]

My understanding is, that a stereo signal is not possible. A TRRS splitter has only three audio connector lines and two are for L and R and one is for MIC.

[@tonywharton5220]

Hey FB. Hope you are keeping well my man. Can this save samples or would i need to use an external recorder please? Love from the UK ✌️

[@FreeBeat]

Doing well! Sadly the E-4 can't save any audio. Thanks as always :)

[@tonywharton5220]

@@FreeBeat Cheers bud. That's a bloody shame. It's not really a problem as I have a decent zoom recorder. Just wondering how you managed to get on with the Shearan pedal board?

[@julianespino222]

Hi, im not very good at english so first I have to say sorry for that. I tried this with my volca keys and it works, but for some reason when I try this with my volca drum it doesnt sound. I tried mono and stereo cables and nothing happen. I have the correct splitter, Ctia Trrs Y. As I said, its so strange because it works with my volca keys. Anybody have and idea of what is happening here?

[@re8et355]

Seriously Roland is asking people to mod the unit with this TRRS hidden input. What were they thinking?? Why?? Just... why?? Add a minijack with an input volume knob please to that unit Free Beat!!

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah that would be pretty nice lol, thanks for watching!

[@goomdoom3244]

The splitter is unavailable. Does any one has found one that works?

[@s.mendez7160]

Is the MicroFreak output line level?

[@edtraylen8581]

Your experiments inspired me to use the audio out from a mini kaoss pad 2S into the E4’s mic input and then plug a microphone into the line in on the Kaoss pad. I’m then using 1 of the Aira ports to put USB audio into the MX1. Triple effects!😂

[@FreeBeat]

That's awesome, thanks for sharing!

[@matth9359]

Have you done much playing with the looper?

[@delmeteor717]

I tried this setup last night with my Roland Aira j6. I found the only way I could get it to work was to plug a 1/4” cable into the 1/4” mic jack of the E4 before the TRRS splitter would be recognized. Have you tried using your E4 with the J6 and did you find same situation?

[@BassWorkENTRTNMT]

I have the same problem with the Roland T-8 and the TRRS splitter. But it's quit odd that is works with my Volca sample and the splitter...

[@1980belo]

Hallo, so the input signal is mono or stereo? Thanks

[@jabzinaut]

You may have answered this already/seems obvious but I presume you can still use the mic plugged into the Roland e4 along with the microfreak for even more mayhem? Love your vids, man!

[@FreeBeat]

You can only apply effects to one audio source at a time, sadly. Also, those sources either have to be the 1/4" mic in, or the mix out/headset in jack. You could route the microfreak through the "mix in" jack, but you can't apply effects to that audio. It's a bit silly honestly haha. Thanks for watching!

[@tylon2999]

@@FreeBeat Could the E4 be used in the send/return on a dj mixer ?

[@slimpyman]

pretty neat. thought those devices from roland were 100 bones... oh well.

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah, they're $199. I think they're worth it though, at least the E-4!

[@zloboslav_]

Dude!!! There was this trick to harmonize mono synths with the old digitech vocalist to make them poly! This E4 with a midi controller can it do this? If it can, can we see it in video, because it's really amazing!!!

[@FreeBeat]

I honestly have no clue if it can do that, sorry!

[@johnwethekylow]

Man, i'm so close to buying one of these but everyone else was having to do more elaborate setups to make synths work with the mic input, which was really putting me off of it, but a cheap adapter from amazon? I'm getting a LOT closer, except everyone bought your exact amazon listing so I would have to try a few others just ensuring it's trrs and only splits into one mic and one stereo output instead of just a pure mic/stereo splitter. But I also haven't gone through EVERYTHING in my new Zoom MS70CDR yet, (or my old mini-KP for that matter) so i'm getting way ahead of myself with gear acquisition, which is something we can all relate to i'm sure. I already got a J-6 and that thing is great for limited-talent-wannabe-musicians like myself. I'm not MAKING music, I just like to jam and tweak knobs and it's got a fun looking knob on it for sure.

[@FreeBeat]

If it helps you decide one way or another, I am having an impossible time getting the headset line in to work with any adapter. Even the one that worked in this video no longer works :(

[@spacemonk7544]

Great video. Unfortunately I still struggle with hooking anything to the E-4. I already bought three different splitter cables (microphone/headphones) like the one in your video but I cant hear a sound from the device I am trying to connect. I am trying to hook the Roland J-6 to it. Mix-Out Jack goes to Microphone of the Splitter cable and my headphones go to the Headphone socket of the same splitter cable. Is there anything else I should do or be aware of?

[@FreeBeat]

Mine only works intermittently now, I have absolutely no clue why. It seems a lot of folks are having issues with the audio in. Wish I had something helpful to add :(

[@monsterlogostudios]

Impressed with how versatile the E4 is.

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah, it's great!

[@houseof50]

I have the TC Helicon VE. Very similar.

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@christopherb.2277]

You cant loop it ?

[@donaldchilnerjr175]

I guess you can use it on inserts than

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@azeriustv]

Can U make a Video how i can record my Po? Want to Share what i got

[@FreeBeat]

I actually am working on a very basic video for recording gear! Thanks for watching :)

[@azeriustv]

@@FreeBeat Great to hear =)

[@peterkruize8804]

That”s a great tip!!! I will ure try it out with my behringer sustem 35 for sure👏👏👏👏

[@FreeBeat]

Awesome!

[@thxpower]

why you didn't use the mix-in or the mic-in jack?

[@FreeBeat]

I did use the Mic in jack haha. The mix in is just a passthrough, doesn't actually apply effects.

[@websherpa]

Went to try this with another TRRS mic/headphone splitter and could not get it to work (the splitter in the description is no longer available). But what I discovered was that it WOULD work if I plugged a dummy (unconnected) 1/4" TRS balanced jack into the main 1/4" input (an unbalanced TS did not work). That tells me the two are connected but plugging in one has an effect on the other (similar to the way headphone jacks are set up to disconnect speakers). Still even with this I found the levels low and effect unpredictable, so maybe something else is at play. Not sure why @Freebeat worked as it did though.

[@astrofreq]

Can you use the TRRD cable and the mic in at the same time to give it two inputs? Thanks.

[@johnruschulte2593]

Why can’t you just go in mic jack with a quarter inch cable is it just to hot? Can you turn synth way down maybe?

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah it sounds awful no matter what I do haha.

[@naturalbornrigger]

DI Box will do.

[@KEENERtheDJ]

Does anybody know how to change the master tempo? (130.0 default)

[@krazywabbit]

I looked in the manual and I do not see an option where you can do that.

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah I can't find a way to do it :( That's definitely an interesting missing feature.

[@martinaleksandrov7080]

pretty cool! A side question: when you connect a mic to the input, does it lift it to line level or I still need to connect the effects box to mic in in my mixer?

[@FreeBeat]

You don't need anything else if you plug in a mic, at least I'm pretty sure haha.

[@martinaleksandrov7080]

​@@FreeBeat so i can connect the MIX OUT to LINE IN and have sufficient level?

[@rayderrich]

YES you finally did it, and YES it was fun to listen to.

[@FreeBeat]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@TrickmanTerry]

Thanks for the cool FX vid and the link to the correct cable!

[@FreeBeat]

Of course, thanks for watching!

[@adeevision1297]

What about using the mic input and the mix in does that work ? and adding the effects on both..

[@anthonytalley55]

Do you have the new micro freak

[@FreeBeat]

Do you mean the Minifreak? If so, I don't have the hardware, but I have the software version. I've done a few videos on it as well.

[@lalione]

This is cool. Can the output from microfreak go to E-4 via a 3.5mm to 1/4 cable? The splitter with Amazon is no longer available.

[@Gungan42]

Stop buying from Amazon mate. It’s not musician oriented, higher prices and not part of our industry… it just steals us resources

[@hunterfrederick2731]

Can you use a mic at the same time?

[@FreeBeat]

I don't believe so :(

[@jeremytufts2837]

I just got one, I can't see anywhere how to adjust the tempo which seems to be locked at 130bpm, you did mention that you needed to did deeper into that. Have you figured out how to adjust it yet?

[@bricelory9534]

I believe you can clock its tempo with the "sync" jack - using midi, I believe - I could be wrong, but there are ways to sync its clock. So, theoretically, you should (I think!) be able to use the Microfreak (in this example) to send MIDI clock to it, so they'd be on the same tempo.

[@tomarchertech]

You can receive audio via the usb-c port too.

[@FreeBeat]

Yeah! I have to try that next haha.

[@krazywabbit]

In my testing, you can't "mangle" that audio coming via USB-C port. That would be a nice firmware update!

[@CmdrMic]

Great stuff, pal.😊

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks so much :)

[@anthonytalley55]

Thanks bro

[@FreeBeat]

Thanks for watching!

[@chk_yt3345]

Hi Freebeat! Hi all! Tried 7 trrs splitters from Amazon and never was able to plug my synths in the E4 😩 Anyone found a splitter that worked? The one linked on the video is not sold on my Amazon shop

[@FreeBeat]

I'm sorry to hear that :( Hopefully you can find one that works!

[@tylon2999]

@@FreeBeat So basically you can't use the fx on external audio as Roland advertised.

[@krazywabbit]

I ordered several and they arrive Thursday. If one works, I will let you know.

[@chk_yt3345]

@@krazywabbit that would be awesome! As an alternative, I have managed to use the regular mike input instead of the headphone out. I had to turn sensitivity quite low, so that the sound was not too hot. It was really good to be able to use the scatter function etc

[@krazywabbit]

@@chk_yt3345 that was my work around too! Works great for iPads with the headphone Jack.

[@delmeteor717]

My unit only works with mic plugged into 1/4” input and then the splitter works in the mic output jack.

[@christopherb.2277]

What is a 1/4 input ?

[@delmeteor717]

That is the microphone input at left. Just plug a guitar cable into it

[@Lala-cw7ez]

How to connect the E-4 to the model cycles?

[@hunterfoxen]

3:45 starts the demo

[@FreeBeat]

I always try to include a basic explanation of the topic, as well as a simple walkthrough of the cables and routing, as I know I have a lot of newcomers to electronic music watching my content. I should probably start pinning a comment with the "start" of the playing for the more experience viewers though, thanks!

[@livetips2491]

Whats the difference microfreak vocoder vs roland e4?

[@BuellStreetBlaster]

Does the looper timestretch when sync ed to external clock?

[@FreeBeat]

I don't believe so, but I could be wrong.

[@BuellStreetBlaster]

@@FreeBeat ordered one today, should arrive tomorrow, I'll report th results on this comment.

[@BuellStreetBlaster]

@@FreeBeat Got it today. It does not time stretch but it maintains the original pitch by adjusting the length of the loop to make it fit. This thing is insane synced to the Volca Drum. Crazy glitch grooves from just sampling radio static. These 2 pieces make a killer compact combo.