Classic, Simple, & Still Very Special // Roland's SH-101

[@p3k1n0]

Grew up listening to Rephlex and '90s Warp stuff, and the 101 sound was everywhere. The sound of my teen years. A 101 with a lush reverb is a sound I will never get bored of.

[@adamarmstrong9408]

Same here 🤙 love the 101 boards of Canada, aphex ,Dave monolith love using the 101

[@delatronics3257]

The SH-101 is special as it was my first synth bought new with an MC-202. 5 years later I became senior engineer at Roland and was able to play with JP-6, and Junos that were out of my reach financially (My dream job really)

[@mikemeengs5720]

Nice!

[@ericMT]

That is really cool. My first analog synth was a Juno-60 that I got for $200. I regret selling it so much. I do still have my blue SH-101 and I’ll never sell it.

[@hankfowler8194]

Still have it? Wanna sell it ?

[@delatronics3257]

@@hankfowler8194 Nope, sold in 1987

[@NateHorn]

The elctronic duo Bicep do some amazing things with the SH-101, brilliant instrument

[@KozmykJ]

I got my SH-101 around 1987. It came in as a repair job. Beer had damage a couple of components. I fixed it for mates rates but he sold it to me instead ... I used to run it with a TR-606, which I foolishly sold later. I added CV inputs for Filter Cut-Off and Modulation. Bought a Kenton MIDI-to-CV converter when PC Sequencers became a thing. More recently I've been enjoying running the internal sequencer against the 'ever-so-slightly' unstable timing of the Envelope circuit and getting random variations from that. Cool Beans !!! ❤

[@DaveAndStuff]

I just got an S-1, and you've given me some good ideas for it. I zoomed in and copied the params from that thing you play in the intro. The subtle VCO modulation really does it! Thanks!

[@eleven9286]

I fell in love with this synth after listening to Boards of Canada..

[@hekji__7934]

same here! BoC and the sound effects of select ambientes 85-92

[@stephenridolfi6464]

When I was in high school back in the 80's, a friend of mine had gotten some extra money and ended up buying a SH-101 and let me play with it. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen! I had no idea how to play or even how analog synths worked, but I had so much fun playing with it. Unfortunately, my friend decided to return it and got into electric guitars instead, but this many years later and I have gotten into synths and own several , but I still miss the SH-101.

[@jameshancox1]

Back in the day, I learned synthesis on an sh101 and too this day still know it inside out. I remember running it through loads of guitar pedals and using spring reverb. Killer synth, I remember taping the transpose button down with the sequencer.

[@breadwarandcircus]

Best "coffee table" synth ever

[@atetraxx]

My buddy got one for $20 back in the late 90s at a yard sale. Wish I would've bought more synths and kept them back then. Always wanted the 101.

[@kiehtoo]

The main feature in the sequencer is the capaility to separate the rhythm from notes using the trigger input. When the trigger sequence has a different amount of steps than the sequenced notes, it creates interesting living notation. A bit like polyrhythm, but not exactly. I'm lucky I got mine cheap before internet was used by most people.

[@Gainn]

The Behringer MS-1 Mk2 will be around any time now.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Oh I didn't know there was a mk 2

[@Gainn]

@@JorbLovesGear It was mentioned a little while ago, but I think it's getting close to a release.

[@KimchiBagels]

I think it being close to official announcement would be a better guess.

[@maxspencerkarinen6463]

My first synth was the behringer clone. Fantastic way to learn synthesis, I sold it because I found it a bit limited but it's amazing how quick and intuitively you can dial in some great sounds, it's very hard to make it sound bad.

[@theturtleproject]

had one of these way back, awesome synth , played many a trippy gig with this baby

[@KRAFTWERK2K6]

I'm glad Behringer brings this thing back with a Mark II revised version of their Clone. Despite its limitations in the architecture, the sound this synth produces is not really easily reproducable with other synths. And i love sliders over knobs. Overall better for the overview of your parameters. I can totally see why this synth became so popular in the 80s. It's ridiculous how something so simple can be so versatile. That's basically the definition of a perfect design.

[@kgbinfo]

Such a beautiful sound. I know people say the Juno 6 / 60 is like a polyphonic version of the 101, but I don’t quite buy that. There’s something in the sound of the 101 that I do not detect in the Junos. It is a very special machine for sure.

[@SURCOlive]

My favorite! The one retro synth I own and I use it ALL THE TIME. Good choice of color too!

[@JorbLovesGear]

It's a perfect fit for you! Especially in gray😁

[@AgustinDavidF]

I love simple, yet very capable synths. They make from creativity a very fun process

[@UrbanGarden-rf5op]

I bought the Aira S-1, partly because of your video on it. And I'm really pleased with it. It just sounds great. I would recommend using it with a proper keyboard though. But I'm a keyboard guy and, as usual, it's horses for courses. So thank you for the history lesson and the the explanation of the layout and the basic concepts of that little beast. The flip-flop thing blew my mind also. Now that is proper engineering. To me the flip-flop has long been a source of irritation since Boss uses it on the switches of their pedals. Using that circuit, with the tolerance of the components being used, makes it impossible to predict if the pedal will "boot up" in on or off mode. So if you, like me, prefer them to be off when you apply external power, you'll have to try the specific item before you buy. ✌✌

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

A classic for sure. Have been looking at new synths up to $2000. One that I find impressive is the Roland Fantom 06 at about $1500 as the Moog GM at about $1000 and Subsequent37 at about $1500. Popped up in my mind due the cost of vintage gear that I often times find way too much and money can be spent in better ways.

[@joserancel6255]

You are right..and the money that you spent in calibrare or repare..i have a SH-101 and i spent money for repair it...but ..i konw that if want so sell it..ill get the money back...i boughted 5 years ago 800 Euros...now ..are more than 1200 Euros..but...i wont sell this synth never...i really love it.....

[@sidefish8362]

Behringer's "clone" adds filter FM from the Oscillator which vastly increases its sonic possibilities.

[@jessewarren817]

Great timing, I recently became obsessed with this synth and then you make this video :)

[@legitimatefrenzy]

Really bummed you didn't demo this standing up wearing the synth

[@JorbLovesGear]

Missed opportunity. I even have a leather Roland strap 😅😅😅

[@charlesflint9048]

I had one in the ‘80s with the soft gig bag also. I loved it, and wish I still had it. In some ways you had to be more creative then, but what with my Wavestate, and I bought an Akai MPC 37 recently; I still have a lot to learn.

[@davidmiles329]

Thank you, wonderful video. I defenetely prefer to see more like this in future!

[@JayKaufman]

I had a mint condition blue one with the mod grip and sold it for $400 CAD in the early 2000s. To this day I regret selling it! You're right in that they're very versatile for what they consist of. You can make great leads, effects, bass and percussion sounds with them. That said, are they worth the going rate these days? Hell nah! I've come to the realization that unless I score one for a decent price by some small miracle, I'm likely to 'replace' mine with the Behringer MS-101 MKII that's about to drop. It adds a few extra features and the bonus of USB MIDI/MIDI for around what I feel the OG versions are worth.

[@drsamurai009]

The 101 was my first synth. I got it used in 83'/84' I believe. Super simple and fantastic interface, yet very flexible sound creation. I picked up a Novation Monostation a couple years back as my personal replacement. Not identical but very close. One thing I always thought was cool about the 101 was that the grip control "added" to the bender control range. If you were moving the bender up or down an octave, the grip mod dial would add an octave to whatever direction the stick bender moved. Being fully analog, it must have been an increase to the bender CV. Not something you could easily play on the fly, but if you had an arp or seq running you could do some crazing divebombs or high screaming bends. It gave this 2 1/2 octave synth insane high and low range.

[@Luap-ls3ix]

With every classic synth Jorb walkthrough that I watch, I am slowly realizing that I need a Strymon Volante 😂

[@JorbLovesGear]

Trruueeee (El cap gets you 90% of the way there)

[@wyatthensley9812]

My favorite instrument... ever!

[@VarionJimmy]

I remember seeing this synth when it was new. I was 9 years old and it looked so cool. (I was very interested in every synth that came out.) Later when I was about 16 (around 1990) someone in school wanted to sell one. The price was $40 but I didn’t buy it. 15 years after that, I tried a vst version and didn’t like it. 😂 It’s first now, from the experience with the Juno 106 that I started to appreciate the simplicity in combination with what it’s capable of. And .. Now after your video I’m finally sure: I want one. Am I slow? Yes! 😁

[@CentaurusRelax314]

I bought a guitar in 1985 and the store (Akron, OH) was giving away Roland SH-101s with purchases over $500. I really enjoyed that thing-my first synth. I let a friend borrow it while I was in college and I never saw it again…. I keep thinking I should buy the Behringer version.

[@Jocepos]

I bought my 101 for £65 in 2000. It's a pity I had to sell in 2009 - I really miss the hands on experience. Now using Roland System-1, the sound is 100% (blind test I would probably not notice) but the hands on creativity is not the same. Would like to get a red or blue (if there is any old stock left) mostly to collect, keep and occasionally play. There is only one thing that can top and complement the sound of a 101, and that is two of them layered. It's huge!

[@Windowserrorsong]

I only have the poor man’s SH101. The Yamaha CS01. This Roland is a very cool synth! Thanks for showing us around it!

[@JorbLovesGear]

Been eye balling those Yamaha monos...some day!

[@gunark]

101 had the sound but the 09 has a vintage take on the same sound AND an audio input with an envelope follower circuit.

[@jaybird3745]

SH 101 taught me how to synthesize. Got a blue one, used. Remember the contact cleaner!

[@l1fef0rm]

The condition of your SH-101 is shocking, it looks new. One of my favorite monosynths. I could never choose between my 101 and Bass Station II.

[@phillymopwater]

original retail in 1982 was $495. Translates to about $1500 today. They are still ‘affordable’.

[@JorbLovesGear]

I mean, relative to the sub 300$ synths we have today, it's not at all.

[@tommyball1863]

Nice to see it with the mod-grip

[@meilstone]

This synth is pure magic, really meditative... 👍 It reminds me of a Didgeridoo.

[@electronicdancearchive5878]

Brilliant, buddy. Thanks!

[@FursAndMasksMusic]

Serious about getting my hands on the new MKII Behringer clone. Apparently the chips they've used make it more authentic. Mad these originas flopped on initial release. The 101 came under radar with the very early Hot Chip stuff, years before I ever owned a synth. It always encapsulated everything I find special and aesthetically alluring about old synth gear. Thanks for yet another gem Jorb x

[@eleven9286]

Is this Mk II clone different from the original Behringers? I have an older Behringer MS-1 and I just can't quite get authentic SH101 sounds.

[@johnmiddleton4291]

@@eleven9286 It's got a clone of the original vca chip supposedly and they tweaked the glide a bit adding "dual glide". The vco and vcf are the same as before. Same sequencer based on the M-32. I'm dubious how different it's actually going to sound. It's definitely an incremental change that has only come about due to needing to do another production run of the synth.

[@eddievanheinous666]

@@johnmiddleton4291 I'll bet they simply can no longer get the chips they were using on the MKI, and so have "updated" with the 662 chips.

[@johnmiddleton4291]

@@eddievanheinous666 They recreated the 662 for the 100m modules and are using it here because they have it already available. I think the coolaudio chip might be a clone of the Rpar AS662 which appeared shortly before in the same soic. The filters do use these as an op amp, so it should help, though it's more essential to the sound of SH-02 or 09. We'll have to see. The original Roland chips had lots of variance in them and need to be matched in many applications.

[@gizka6816]

pairs pretty well with the volante too

[@JorbLovesGear]

Many things do!

[@gan9e]

sold mine for £50 in 1989 which I then used to go to Israel where I started the underground dance movement over there in 1990... I came back to the humdrum mundanities of normal life and became embittered, a dank UK dulled my emotions, I just wear the same old trousers these days...

[@samplethesilence202x]

I bought a 101 from a music shop in Idaho for $220 in 1999. I performed most of the Novamods on it in late 2007, plus a few additional mods like pulsewidth being modded by sub-oscillator, adding CEM3340 Triangle waveform to the audio mixer and a CV Input that was routable to numerous sources by dial-switching. The CV input was useful because the LFO eventually stopped working(due to crappy circuit board material and my bad soldering skills). Anyway, I like that the 101 is still well regarded. In the 90's, on the Analogue Heaven mailing list, it was generally seen as an inferior Roland product; sounding too "plastic"; the controls being too simple. But you and I both know it has its own loveable character and is a real standout for bass and percussive sounds. These days I just wish it was more compact like other modern monosynths! I still love my 101 too!

[@BBfanfun]

add an MC-202 & TB-303 to sync together ? ha ha ! just great to have Vintage synths that still work , good job , Jorb !

[@quantum_ocean]

Actually the price of vintage synths is largely the same as then they first released. The difference in price is usually almost wholly attributable to inflation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, $495 in 1982 (when the SH-101 was released) has the same buying power as approximately $1,516.93 in 2024.

[@thurstonmurru]

Exactly!

[@h2o1969]

Great vid on this. Love your style. I have a system 1, but none of the plug outs. This vid has me thinking on trying the sh 101 plug out.

[@quantum_ocean]

Here are the key takeaways from the video about the Roland SH-101 synthesizer: - The SH-101 is a classic monophonic synthesizer from 1982 with a simple yet flexible architecture consisting of one oscillator, a sub oscillator, mixer, filter, single envelope, LFO, and VCA. - Despite its simplicity, it offers a lot of sound shaping options through the oscillator waveshapes, sub oscillator, and ability to mix them. The sub uses a flip-flop circuit to generate square waves at 1 or 2 octaves below the main oscillator. - The filter is the famous Roland IR3109 24dB lowpass also used in the Juno synths. It has resonance and keyboard tracking. - The envelope can be routed to the VCF and VCA separately. VCA can be gated to allow decoupling the filter and amp envelopes. The LFO has several waveshapes. - It has basic performance controls like portamento, master transpose, and a bender that can control pitch or introduce LFO mod. - The built-in sequencer and arpeggiator were advanced features for 1982. The sequencer allows real-time input and legato playing. - Contextually, the SH-101 came out the same year as the Juno 6/60 and leveraged Roland's experience to make an affordable, modern monosynth following their more expensive polysynths. - Original price was low but it now commands high vintage prices around $2000 due to its sound, history and legacy, though more affordable modern recreations exist. Note on price added by me: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, $495 in 1982 has the same buying power as approximately $1,516.93 in 2024. In summary, the presenter feels the SH-101 is a special and important synthesizer that he has bonded with, exemplifying Roland's ability to make legendary, accessible instruments that helped shape electronic music.

[@ilovecatsandsynths9702]

I feel like Roland never anticipated this little, inexpensive, basic plastic synth they released in 1982 would be so sought after 40 years later! They could reissue an exact modern version of it, same case, features and sound (analog please!!) but with some modern add-one like midi/USB and probably sell a TON of them. Roland did such a great job designing a basic synth to sound great and flexible. Junos are the same way… one oscillator basic synths but wow… they sound a lot bigger than one oscillator should.

[@harmlesscreationsofthegree1248]

The Behringer MS-1 is exactly the clone you’re looking for. Best $500 I have ever spent on gear.

[@ilovecatsandsynths9702]

@@harmlesscreationsofthegree1248 The MS-1 appears to miss in some ways, such as portamento behavior and it uses the standard Behringer arp/sequencer instead of the simpler, fun one on the original 101. They just announced a MS-1 mkII, hopefully they made it even better sounding and fixed the portamento issue.

[@NiamorH]

16:40 Wild Joël Fajerman appeared! Jorb used Flower's love. It is very effective!

[@mwarsell]

You're my new fave synth guy

[@JorbLovesGear]

🙏🙏🙏

[@LukeKillen]

It's the one synth that i owned and sold and absolutely regret selling. such a compact and complete architecture.

[@devondetroit2529]

I have the sh01a and it sounds unreal, other than the Medusa it’s the one synth I always come back to to make music. Sh01a is 4 voice poly also

[@chinmeysway]

Wait. It is? How so

[@nebulance4289]

@@chinmeysway it has a poly mode, its very cool.

[@cloudrun654]

nice work, Jorb

[@JorbLovesGear]

Thanks for listening

[@SolarDeathRay]

I used to own the Behringer clone, but sold it because there was simply too much sonic overlap with my Bass Station II. The clone is also already worth more than what I sold it for. The BSII really has that SH DNA though and it's been through hell and back, so I'll never ever part with that one. I'm simply hooked on the meow like most people here.

[@spaceted3977]

I bought my Roland SH101 Brand New for about £400 in a Music Shop in 1980 approximately. I find it a Bit Dull Without Sound Effects. With my Orange Squash Amp Delay and a Flanger it sounds like Tangerine Dream !!!! It's not easy to change key with the Sequencer Running. You can muck it up if you are a fraction of a Second Out !!! Mine Works Fine as I keep it in a Wardrobe when I'm not using it. I'm not much of a Musician but I can make some Fantastic Sounds on it. The Sound Effect stuff gives a thicker Sound like chords on a Polysynth.

[@macronencer]

I've had one of these for some time now. Sadly it developed a fault, which I've yet to get repaired due to some logistical issues (long story). I'm hoping to get it done next year. I really miss its awesome sound, and I never want to sell it.

[@synkrotron]

I bought a SH-101 when they first came out back in the 1980's but I was young and really couldn't afford it and within a year had to sell it, along with a Bassline and Drumatix

[@lucid484]

Man, I used to own an on old MC-202 I got years ago for $350 and was basically this same sound engine plus a two track sequencer and minus the keyboard. Sold it because I needed some quick cash and it was a pain to sequence. Now they are over $2000 and I have plenty of CV gear to play it properly lol.

[@Gummo22]

Best mono synth ever. Tied with the MG1

[@johnnysamba5443]

I used to use that in the 80s with my sequential tom....the tom had a trigger so i could run a triggered sequence in the tom

[@cal-scot]

Would love to hear your thoughts on the 'micromonsta 2' if you can get your hands on one

[@JorbLovesGear]

I'll tell midlife hes got the buzz going! would love to try one

[@BenColemanUK]

Regarding the legendary intangible-ness to the sound, I definitely think there is. I don't know the reason; the filter, the super snappy ADSR, the shape of the portamento curve could be all factors - but it definitely has a unique sound. I've got a MicroBrute and other single oscillator monosynths and they sound nothing like the 101 does. "greater than the sum of it's parts" is a bit of a cliché, but I can't think of a machine that epitomises it more than the SH-101 Fantastic video, loved the framing of a "minimal viable monosynth"!

[@PaulHarrisonmusician]

Sold mine for £200 in 1996, when I was a student and needed the money to pay rent. Damn.

[@popcycles]

So you can use an external clock, which allows the LFO rate and sequencer tempo to be seperate?? Well that opens up some more possibilities!

[@apislapis]

Sadly I don't have the mod grip, I bought mine when no-one wanted them in 1987 for £78. It's still one of my favourite synths today. I bought an MC-202 to sequence it and by duplicating the settings with the 202 you can get some lovely fat sounds. I borrowed the idea from producer Gary Stevenson, saying he used the same trick with two SH-101s on the bassline for Go West's We Close Our Eyes (Sound On Sound Mar 1986). Quality as ever Jorb.

[@benmcc7729]

I swapped mine for a Roland Dj2000 which i wish I still had but the SH101 has gone up in value much much more

[@bibnakladnistvo]

I had the same synth, along with that small handle... Dumbest mistake ever was to swap it for korg poly 800 II

[@billB101]

My first even synth, bought from a music shop in Newcastle UK for £60 in 1989. I've owned 3 of them in various colours since. The first thing I remember doing was setting up the seq to do the main riff from Donna Summers I feel love and transposing it up the keys. Hours of fun :)

[@suitandtieguy]

Would you have preferred the Juno 6 if it had the wave mixer of the 101 and its suboctave waves?

[@JorbLovesGear]

It's interesting to think about it in a polyphonic context...I would of course never mind more options! I understand the effort to streamline, but faders for levels of more than just the sub oscillator would be welcome

[@enochroot9438]

don't sell, nothing will ever fill the void...I speak from experience unfortunately

[@synthkingmusic]

Just got an SH-101, great synth. Looks like mine has the known issue where the power switch is effecting the tuning when slightly tapping on it. Did you replace your power switch?

[@KNHSynths]

No emulation/clone has the sound signature of the SH 101. One of the most interesting mono synths. Really simple but capable of so fantastic sounds. I love this machine. Used market is too high priced unfortunately. But nothing sounds the same.

[@mareikemacinnes7764]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXuld6KOnNl7rKc Greetings from Germany

[@LousyFacelift]

The SH-01A comes incredibly close, there are many comparison vids on KZbin - I don't hear a difference. Not saying this is always the case with any imaginable comparison, I'm sure even two originals can sound slightly different from eachother but it's the one Boutique I would always recommend. It is not too small for my (average size) hands and it also has the better extended feature set compared to the Behringer imho. Mono- or four voice poly- unison- or chord- mode, MIDI synchable LFO with additional waveshapes and selectable extended rate for simple FM, patch and sequencer memory banks, audio in, og sequencer... love this thing!

[@synthetic24]

@@LousyFacelift That is absolutely correct. The SH-01A is the one and only real reissue of the SH-101 by Roland.

[@commodoor6549]

Sounds great, but I don't understand why they are asking so much for a 1 oscillator synth, historical value notwithstanding.

[@Goettel]

People paying 'vintage' prices don't make great music. No source.

[@Jocepos]

I was going to click like but I noticed it was at 101 😁

[@uweschnitzler9551]

Still I love my 101 so much …hopefully I never have to sell it .

[@Rickyeldiablobobby]

Ugh I had been doing so well with managing my G.A.S. lately but now I really want one😂

[@BlackToof]

In my circles these where seen as toys and treated as such, most important it wasn't a "real" analogue as the SH-2, and laughed at because its meant to be played as holding a guitar lmao, no one liked em until eurotrash and happy-hardcore happened Edit : The Sh-09 had one oscillator, the Sh-2 had 2, they are both legendary and I miss my Sh-2 dearly. They both produced much beefier tones than the Sh-101, which became really popular in the 90's euro techno scene (early prodigy, the Orb etc)with alot of distortion, classic 90's rave sound and this little gray fellow was on a lot of those records.

[@iancain6647]

Hey is that the ebay sh101!?

[@JorbLovesGear]

The very same!

[@iancain6647]

I've been crossing my fingers I'd run into a deal like that! It's like the garage sale Gibsons people always tend to find...

[@popcycles]

17:37 funny you mention the solution to the problem you state immediately after.

[@heusker]

Nice A168!

[@AnthonyAnthony-tk4ye]

I love the SH-101 but I’m way happier with my MS-1 and the little xtras they added

[@SteveClarkeSongs]

In all honesty, I thought the SH-101 sounded like a toy compared to the SH-09. The filter on the 09 was something special.

[@RuiMaia]

Probably my favorite Bass Synth - the 09!

[@pixelee3890]

great video to watch while i get ready for a gig today!

[@thechadbuddha]

ok groomer

[@dan-h2g]

JORB is cool. He should do something with the synthpunk,

[@eliash.6142]

Nice video, cool synth. I have to ask, what the hell is going on with your voice? it sounds sped up or warped in a nasty way.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Is your KZbin player in 1.5x speed?

[@eliash.6142]

No, but it seems to have disappeared now, no worries.

[@TheSnowLeopard]

People want way too much money for these in Australia, I'm talking $500 more than a JX8p with the programmer box.

[@sibariba]

Is Jorb a name? 😂😂😂

[@i.q_music]

👍👍

[@JorbLovesGear]

👍👍

[@johncarter2741]

I bought one in 1986. £60

[@greatgrandpabeebe2736]

💛🖖✨️

[@reazallykhan]

I bought one on eBay for £850

[@Heathcliff_hensel]

It also helps when you have a $400 effects pedal though.🤘

[@project-95]

It sounds good through cheaper pedals too

[@bradleyboswell4875]

can't believe Roland ripped off the Novation Bass Station II with this one smh

[@atommachine]

tubutec mod

[@earlsfield]

Ugh, you people are turning budget synth into a legend. Yes, countless great musicians used it. Because it was the cheapest analogue mono out there. Take Pro 3, or Subseqent 37 and these would do all this with way more character. SH is a nice synth, iconic even, but for the application rather than the sound.

[@LousyFacelift]

Hmm... sorry but "MORE character" doesn't make much sense to me. The SH-101 is a character synth (like the TB-303). And yes, of course many modern synths can sound similar and have more features but one thing they cannot do is deliver more authenticity than a well known original. I understand not everybody gives a damn about authenticity (for me personally the SH-01A is perfect) but all these advantages you get from these modern synthesizers have nothing to do with character.

[@earlsfield]

@@LousyFacelift ok we can agree to disagree. For me, that whole era of Roland was churning out budget products that failed to land, only to be picked up later on by some of the most creative people looking to create music without high budgets, using what’s easily available. Let me ask you something, as you say “more character” doesn’t make sense to you - what is it exactly that you find so appealing on SH101? (and lets put aside that it was used by… basically every legendary electronic musician of any genre). Asking genuinely. Filter? Overall sound? I have Jupiter 6. I love that synth for more than 20 years now. And I can tell you what I like about it and what I find dull. Filter, for instance. What is it about SH101 that gives it character? There is one oscillator with mixed square/pulse and saw, and one of the dullest filters ever on a synth.

[@LousyFacelift]

@@earlsfield Maybe we have a different understanding of "character" of a synth. To me it means a (depending on its use) rather recognizable sound and overall concept that is not easily found anywhere else. Best example to me is the TB-303 - it has its very own signature sound and a truly unique concept to it. The 303 does even less than the 101 but it simply stands out. Some still pay crazy money for the OG because it is (or was) so unique they feel like they cannot replace it with anything else. That's what defines "character" for me - uniqueness that's recognized and appreciated. And in the case of the 101 (or actually for me I'd have to say 01A) much of the same is true. It may not be quite as recognizable as a 303 because it's not always used in a way that gives away its character so obviously but when some of its tricks are applied and tweaking parameters you just know it's a 101. And for me that's mostly when you have a certain combination of modulations, the envelope on the filter (and VCA) and a tiny little bit of detune coming from the LFO on the VCO while its also (rhythmically) messing with the envelope and a little portamento programmed in the sequence to give you that signature "bubble gum sound". Some synths have disappointing filters but in my book the 101 is not one of them - I love its filter! All in all I would say it has a unique sound to it and an extremely immediate concept for its workflow. It's a synth that helps you learn synthesis and I believe instruments like that are often very close to our hearts. I would not say it's hard to make it sound bad though - I have no idea why we hear that so often. There are lots of things that can mess up the sound imho, for example dialing in the perfect rate for the LFO to make it work with the tempo of the sequencer can become quite a challenge and there is no tempo sync on the OG. But compared to other synths it is quite easy to use and it sounds unique which I believe explains the fascination for it, at least that's what I like about it so much. Congrats on owning a Jupiter 6 btw. - an amazing synth, I wish I had one!

[@project-95]

What other synth could've been used on Tha or Kaini Industries and matched the 101? I'd love to hear that demo.

[@earlsfield]

@@project-95 umm... any other analog or digital synth? RDJ did so much amazing music with crap gear. not saying 101 is crap, actually you are proving my point - people are connected to this synth because you hear it across Warp catalogue and then some. I am sure any of those guys in their twenties would swap 101 for minimoog, but it was just not possible. And that sound can be done with any, like , any mono synth out there. There is nothing special about SH101 except for the fact that it has been a budget synth for so many over the top creative people.

[@jaderington]

£259 back in 1982 = £ 1,300 in 2023.....

[@Inoneearandouttheother]

Less talking, more playing

[@4711shaun2]

I'd rather the synth did the talking.

[@JorbLovesGear]

Then don't watch my stuff thanks

[@robertsteinberger5667]

If it is such a great synth, why use pedals with it to show how it sounds?

[@JorbLovesGear]

The Volante is off for like 90% of the run time, I don't know what you're asking. That I used it to loop in the intro? Could I do that on just the synth?