Roland Compact P-6 Review // Sampling, Granular and Beatmaking Tutorial

[@bigupz6818]

Got one today. Watching this for a head start when I power it up tonight 👍🏼

[@delmeteor717]

Thank You for another wonderful tutorial. I own all the previous Aira Compacts and overall found them quite intuitive to jump in and use. I must confess I personally found this unit has a steeper learning curve and your video has provided immeasurable assistance in understanding the nuances of it. As always thank you for a job well done.

[@loopop]

My pleasure, thanks for taking the time to write

[@SonicVibe]

Now that ya had them all any favorites out the line? I wanted to get this but got the t-8 j-6 for their immediacy to get drums,bass,chords somewhat synth in two boxes seems powerful

[@delmeteor717]

You made great choices. The T8 is my goto for drum and base. The J6 is fantastic with those lush chord sequences. The P6 has wild possibilities but I must admit a bit intimidating with all its deep sample features.

[@SonicVibe]

@@delmeteor717 yeah I wish the granular was a little more intuitive

[@jumpingman8160]

This is ticking all the boxes for a Bad Gear episode

[@pinatacolada7986]

Get your tweezers out 🤣

[@Aetila]

It's a pity that it has no proper display...where you can see what you're doing, lol.

[@pascaljean2333]

This is the most low-cost compact series of comments.

[@filipdsghfghfgh4269]

well if it was teenage enginering i wouldnt even open the video

[@filipdsghfghfgh4269]

but roland quirky maschines are fun

[@zardozjones]

Great review! Finally got around to playing with mine that I bought a few weeks ago. Here are my thoughts - this excels when sampling across the usb cable, you can sample directly from whatever is playing on your PC (youtube, media player e.t.c.) directly into each sample pad. That one single feature makes it amazing for quick ideas. The actual sample PC software sucks - it's clunky and requires a P-6 reboot (which takes time) every new sample. They need to memory map the flash ram - so there's none of this silly max sampling time per pad, each pad should have access to entire free memory rather than fixed slot sizes (5.9x2x44100x48 = 24mb of flash ram I think) - it's 2024 ffs - not 1990. Wish it had more sample pad buttons - that would be great as well. But it's still a great device for quick ideas and it's so much damn fun when ur sampling youtube audio quickly.

[@paulmint1775]

Can't beat a good Loopop Roland tutorial at breakfast !! Cheers mate, nice one !!

[@boorwatermusic8537]

Wonderful piece of gear, does an amazing amount of stuff for the price tag. Worth the price for the granular engine alone. Workflow really is'nt all that bad, quite intuitive really, once you get the way this machine is designed. I had great stuff going on the day it arrived. Roland writes really decent manuals nowadays. Why people can't be arsed to read them is beyond me. For those of us who've been working with hardware a bit longer, all this great, cheap hardware that's been coming out for the last 10 years or so is truly a blessing. Take your time with it, consult the well written manual and have fun creating. Highly recommended!

[@peterkadarmusic9728]

Korg sold their last Volca Sample the day before this came out. This is an incredible unit for the size and price. Remember that with boxes like these, you only need to go as deep as you need to. Many basic functions seem to be close to the surface. This will be an excellent tool for my little Volca rig or for creating on the go.

[@Metamerist625]

This is a huge step up from the Volca Sample.

[@mattierenton701]

Agreed it’s what the V Sample should have been !!!

[@Metamerist625]

​@@mattierenton701and then some! Tbr despite my misgivings about the screen, this is a super cool sampler for the package. 😎

[@fcfc]

yep, almost 10 years have passed

[@FantasticMrBach]

10 years have passed and Korg still hasn’t produced a Volca that can save more than 16 1-bar patterns. Pathetic.

[@findiboy16]

Yeh cant argue with that, this device really hits that need for a small less expensive sampler that is actually really capable

[@Imnotevenapanda]

it's pretty crazy that there's also a whole granular engine in this little box, for this price

[@itsJoel59]

20 voices and 64 step sequencer sounds pretty good!

[@cresshead]

i'm going to guess NO pattern chaining though..mind you there is the ''every other loop'' = elektron type feature to change stuff up

[@jukeboxfandango]

For real, at first I was like maybe I'll replace my texture lab with this thing. Now I'm like maybe I'll replace my polyend play.

[@d3tuned378]

@@cresshead the second half of your comment didnt make any sense

[@cresshead]

@@d3tuned378 fixed i should have checked my typin!

[@quesadillasdemedianoche]

Your videos are honestly the very best, like THE CREAM of the reviews and tutorials. Thank you, truly.

[@shpongled587]

idk about cream butt, but yeah

[@quesadillasdemedianoche]

@@shpongled587 😂

[@christdolphin69]

factory patterns 1-3 & 1-4 are the absolute best factory patterns ive ever heard on any hardware

[@Decoy303]

Well glad to see this. I dig the compact series. All bits of gear are very solid. The menu dive isn't complicated once you know what is what and the sound quality is very nice.

[@SynthfulDuck]

For the longest time I thought "the compact series only needs a sampler" and now we're here. Very interesting.

[@jjbing3]

That’s what I was saying. It was the only thing left.

[@Jux925]

Solid bass synth with 2 osc-s and reverb :)

[@edwardfletcher7790]

It seems like a great little unit. What a shame they went with a horrid 7 segment display rather than a $2 OLED screen though ☹️

[@f90looksnice]

This! So pathetic in 2024

[@phelper4554]

That’s exactly what I thought

[@Wild_D]

It will never break.

[@SynthfulDuck]

They overstocked in the 1980's and need to get rid of them somehow 😜

[@JH-lo9ut]

I absolutely agree.

[@Putrefyx]

this is the first mini roland device that really looks interesting to me as a sketchpad!

[@seanp2k617]

Same, I had very little interest in the previous products like this.

[@d3tuned378]

@@seanp2k617 S-1 is phenomenal

[@HprFcs]

@@seanp2k617 You're missing out... the S-1 Tweak Synthesizer is awesome!

[@PaulOrtiz]

44:24 is such a Burial beat (space apes?)! Dig the micro timings. I haven’t bought any hardware gear in a while but if I did…it’d be this. And because of this video ;) Fun watch either way!

[@pablowentscobar]

This is a cool bit of kit for the $. I'm super happy Roland is turning out gear in this price range. Nice video.

[@Ноук]

i played around with the built in samples a bit, threw in some effects, cut somewhere and played with the pots and keyboard and god i dove in, now i feel like a hungry kid at a buffet and i haven't even started working with it yet, just had a little preview and was looking at your manual along the way. thank you very much for your work, i was sure that my choice was the right one in the end. now some people laugh at this thing, some shake their heads, some stick with their gear, but i think many will change their minds about it, this little thing is like a game console in your hands and has a very big heart.

[@IsshmanGarcia]

HOT TIP: If you own a MPC Live 2 on a stand and own a Decksaver for it, this (and All Aira compacts) fit in that indentation on the Decksaver perfectly. Got my P6 today. Feels great

[@rodolpheponthus2948]

Thanks for this excellent review, as always. You rundown the essantials, so helpful. Honestly for the price this thing is incredible. I wish Roland would release a Deluxe version, full size, with knobs, filters, properl screen. I'd be all over it.

[@gavinpeters9531]

Finally something portable that can sample audio directly but isn't as basic as the PO KO!

[@jumpingman8160]

@@gavinpeters9531 you've been sleeping on Sonicware. Zzzzzzz

[@rorz999]

There is also the Dirtywave M8 which came out a few years ago

[@SonicVibe]

And liven series Sonicware

[@Adjustmentxdisorder]

This video answered so many of my questions. I make grime/drill beats on a po-33. Thinking this will be a massive upgrade for my beat making. Thanks

[@Metamerist625]

I truly wish Roland hadn't gone with the calculator screen though. I do like this series and this sampler looks great, buuutt I have the S-1 (again an excellent mini Synth) and the screen really spoils it. I could happily accept the menu diving as a compromise for the form factor but the calculator screen makes it kinda mind numbing to understand what's on those menus.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

Yeah, the 7 segment screen is hell annoying compared to a nice little $2 OLED screen 🫤

[@SimpleTrax]

But that would be like a computer, just tiny...

[@Metamerist625]

​@@SimpleTraxwelcome to the 21st century pal.

[@enensis]

Yeh should have taken note from Synthstrom. The new OLED screen on the Deluge is a massive improvement over that crappy calculator screen. You can see waveforms and loads of other info. In this day and age the calculator screen is only needed on one thing. Calculators.

[@drwalka10]

@@edwardfletcher7790 how so ?

[@ryanabrams77]

Digitakt II owners (me) are looking at the the granular features any the polyphonic sample playback and dying inside.

[@TheScreamingFrog916]

I have two of the Roland Compact devices, and I like the form factor, better than my Volca stuff. Still I love my Volca FM2.

[@wakinglife7065]

They are great sizes. I have such huge gear and it’s slightly annoying.

[@TheScreamingFrog916]

@@wakinglife7065 me too. I love being able to grab a few, an play with on the couch :-)

[@thegreatsiberianitch]

U can sample ur Volca 🎉

[@TheScreamingFrog916]

@@thegreatsiberianitch True, and that would be useful for some applications, But I would miss being able to use the Volca sequencer/arpegiator, and the knobs/buttons to shape the sound in real time. On the other hand, sampling brings it's own set of tools, to the equation. So I must have both 🎶🙂🎶

[@thegreatsiberianitch]

@@TheScreamingFrog916 okie dokie

[@kerbolax]

Roland has a warehouse filled to the brim with 7 segment displays and they won't stop using them until they're all gone

[@rorz999]

Is it next to Korg's warehouse of micro-USB connectors?

[@RootinrPootine]

Yeah they’re cooler

[@jimlampshady]

Left over from the MC303? Still gutted I sold mine when I started buying "pro" gear...

[@namagenshu]

picked up one of these at the Roland store in Tokyo and have to say there is some sort of immediacy with the P-6 that i haven't had with other similar devices (Polyend Tracker, Dirty Wave M8). might be because it comes off as simpler / less powerful than those devices, but your video showed me that there is a lot more that this little box can do!

[@jimlampshady]

Nice 1 fella. As always, an excellent review/tutorial. I bought one last week and am very impressed with what Roland have squeezed into that tiny box. Keeping the price low was obviously a primary concern when designing the P6, but speaking personally, I would have very happily spent a bit more (like 50 bucks?) to have had a better screen and a metal rather than plastic box. P6 MK2...?

[@stan_solo_ill]

What a great sketchpad! The only downsides for me is the display (can we just have the SP404mk2 display instead?) and the lack of memory card ... Still a great machine for 220 bucks, incredible for travelling, just bouncing the finished stuff onto the field recorder. I can finally leave my SP404mk2 at home time to time. Thank you for an amazing review as usual!

[@sturdyblock]

Hopefully Momo will bring out his usual high standard VST editor.

[@osiris5315]

@@sturdyblock i get that it is handy, but isn’t that a bit going against the whole philosophy of these tiny boxes?

[@rorz999]

​@@osiris5315no because you don't have to use it all the time, if at all

[@ricardomilice2470]

Love this video review……after watching this, I’m definitely getting this. At first I wasn’t interested in another sampler. The work flow is pretty easy.

[@jumpstar9000]

I really like it. Sometimes the 404 can be too much and this thing fits a nice sweet spot for features, portability, possibilities and price. The display doesn't really bother me having used the J-6 and T-8 for a few years, you quickly get used to it, and it isn't every day you need to access every single parameter. I think it is quite a cool little unit and a nice addition to a modular setup.

[@PorchBass]

Fits in any gig bag! Chuck a few samples in at rehearsal!

[@robinr22]

I'm dunno, that screen - oled screens are so cheap, how they rationalise STILL using calculator screens in 2024 is beyond me. Literally every Roland product I've every owned with a screen has been awful because of it and quickly sold.

[@rorz999]

​@@robinr22 yeah, even a 2-line display would have been a massive improvement over this 7 segment one

[@jumpstar9000]

@@robinr22 You are certainly right about the price, maybe even the LED displays like that are even more expensive than small OLEDs at this point. I wouldn't be surprised. Perhaps they were going for a Teenage Engineering aesthetic I don't know. I guess my thing is from what I have seen how you use it, watching the various videos, and knowing how to use the J-6 and T-8, going menu diving is a lot less of a thing than is being speculated. Everything seems to be shift + some button for the most part. If you get into deep sound design it does look like that isn't the case though. I would prefer an OLED too but for a casual device like this it won't stop me getting one for some fun.

[@robinr22]

@@jumpstar9000 that's true, I'm sure it's workable of you get to know it. But it still sucks that you have to work around it - it's enough to put me off. I think companies forget that hands on control is only one side of the coin - easy visualization of what's happening is just as important. If I forget what's going on, there's no real way to find out.

[@Raku777]

Thanks for sharing. I do appreciate your in depth look at the synths you review and go over. I had gotten a Texture Lab and have found tooling around the keyboard to be not so intuitive and am thinking of recycling it as a used item. I have really enjoyed the AIRA compact series and already have two S-1 synths that I have used a lot and have a good workflow with. I can tell by your review that the P-6 has a similar intuitive navigation as the S-1 and the keyboard layout is very similar. What I am learning is that some synths really speak to one's own learning curve and fit how one actually generates music. I gather this is very personal and hard to explain. Your video overviews go over so much and I have found it useful to determine whether a synth fits this. Of course, even this is not the same as testing it for oneself.

[@Raku777]

I made the leap and traded my Texture Lab for a Roland P-6 and am happy with the new synth. I have already composed something on the P-6 and will probably post it on YT soon. Thanks again for this excellent video. I will probably be studying it a lot as I learn how to utilize the full capability of this synth.

[@jftruthseeker989]

Awesome ! I’ll get one for sure to bring to the steel mill in these long working weekends , it will make my time less boring

[@treetopjones737]

Sample some industrial sounds.

[@charlescowper]

A modern SU10 ❤

[@stephane406]

Was exactly thinking the same ! And seems easy to use compared to a sp 808.

[@guiom77]

​@@stephane406👍

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

just got mine today - its a bit overwhelming , i must admit ,- thanx for the lowdown

[@mrsulcus674]

Considering the amount I use the E4 and T8 (S1 also really), I think I'll be getting this before the end of the year.

[@db_030]

I'm just at 15:00 and already blown away by all the functionality this thing has. Are all the compact Roland devices packed like that?

[@jumpstar9000]

I have the J-8 and T-8 and those have quite a lot of cool features and sound very good

[@rorz999]

Yea they are. They all have a ton of features, but because of the size most of them are accessed via menu diving or button combos

[@PorchBass]

The S-1 is good but I have never used the deeper menu options.... Very cryptic LCD sometimes! You cannot turn off velocity over midi which is super annoying

[@JGlassy]

First thought: mixed bag for sure, destined for Florian to cover at Bad Gear for sure. It gives off an overlap vibe into the old MC-101. I’ll stay with my ‘big’ old SP404mk2 for now and see what upgrades are in future.

[@narti6002]

Finally a well priced granular device!!

[@michaelcarlito3399]

Thank you for your review. I have seen you explain many different products and your explanations are very clear. For this uint I see that for me the display would be a big issue for me. But what's inside this unit is very impressive. Thank you again

[@GenocidePanda]

probably an instant classic and any drawbacks will be a feature of its style

[@andrewverran6998]

Roland has kicked this right out of the park. !!! Was worth the wait IMO. !! Could have made the 4 Sample Bank colours different. , say Red, Blue Green and white, which should reflect on the 6 MAIN SAMPLE COLOUR PADS. ✌️

[@SonicVibe]

Good idea 👍

[@stevenwheeler7999]

Hello Florian?☎️”Do you have anything lined up for this Friday?”😂🤣

[@pontram]

At least we have to wait past the end of September since the unit isn't available in stores until then in Germany and Austria.

[@cheapnoiseinthehouse5578]

Great video. Super helpful. You didn't mention anything about pattern chaining or a song mode, does it have that feature. If not, can you select a pattern while another one is playing? If so, woll it wait for the previous pattern to finish?

[@loopop]

Thanks! No pattern chaining or song mode, but yes, you can select a different pattern while playing and it will be in sync when it moves to the next one

[@mm-relaxemusic3864]

Can you export MIDI patterns or audio so you can arrange them in a DAW afterwards?

[@lummsmusik3219]

Even it is much more expensive, the Blackbox by 1010music is my favourite. Very intuitive user experience.

[@SonicVibe]

Lack of FX on it is a bummer this has all the sp 404 fx’s

[@johnsaunders6510]

Excellent review as always. Thanks.

[@d3tuned378]

There is absolutely a granular synth at this price point. Nunomo Qun Mk2.

[@samprock]

Almost a groovebox. I’m in for the compact size, stereo, battery, and editor. Only thing it’s one track device with 48 sounds fixed. Is there a pattern chain or song mode? TNX!

[@loopop]

Not that I saw, though pattern changes are quantized in time and you can set the reverb and delay to be global for smooth transitions

[@pjforde1978]

I would have one of these in my cart except for that insane 7-segment display. It's 2024 and a tiny OLED display would actually be cheaper in their BOM. Handicapping a device like this with a four character display is sadism.

[@damelos4039]

Excellent review. Thx as always. My only complaint here is why does this channel only have 239K subs. That is CRIMINAL. You're a legend in the community. 😊😊

[@richcolour]

239K plus one now

[@brianobush]

music making geeks are not a gigantic population

[@kinetic-cybernetic]

What are you talking about. He got the whole community.

[@TonySmith79]

Whats criminal is that he is an apartheid supporter

[@mikenoface]

I wonder... With the way they integrated Koala sampler with the Sp-404mkII, if they could do that with this box? I could see a nice little back and forth sample mangling, portable setup with P-6 and Koala Sampler running off your phone.

[@santiagomarcano6354]

Well I don’t think proper integration will be implemented because of its niche but you can actually use koala and this over USB because the whole line has audio over USB

[@lundsweden]

The Rolca series? Definitely reminds me of my Korg Volca Sample, although I think this is definitely better. My Volca Sample (it's the mk2 model, which I bought new, has a terribly annoying problem where the memory becomes corrupted over time.

[@jjbing3]

You also can’t actually sample into it. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@lundsweden]

@@jjbing3 Oh yeah, the Korg does have that limitation.

[@SICKCIRCUITS-kr1hd]

Hi, I didn't understand how much I can sample each kind of sampling step. I like your job and explaining too. Thanks

[@loopop]

per pad, at the highest quality (44k), 3 seconds stereo, 6 mono, double that for 22k, double that for 11k etc

[@yakiyaki849]

Could you please suggest how to copy samples and swap locations?

[@jaixiviii]

Modern compacted sp-404, seems more complex menú diving.

[@cyb3rk3v]

This thing is actually pretty friggen cool. Good job Roland.

[@BNLNRD]

This looks pretty amazing tbh

[@dimitrifrolov2548]

48 samples sounds like an absurd limitation 😮

[@NoisyMachines]

Wow, Roland! The P-6 looks like a game changer. The combination of granular synthesis, the Elektron-ish sequencer and the sampling possibilities with a built-in mic in a portable device is Incredible. I'm already imagining the creative possibilities in the top of the hill creating music with that little beast!

[@Tripwelleverday]

Nope 👎 pos

[@hudspace]

Nice review, thanks. Apologies if I missed it, but how’s the quality and feel of the buttons? Are they clicky? Spongy? Along the lines of Digitakt?

[@loopop]

Thanks! I'd say somewhat spongy, not like the Digitakt, not clicky

[@Kuronoichig01]

Ok they NEED to add a granular effect based on this in the 404 mk2.

[@jqmark]

Hard to believe in 2024 they are still using screens from the 1980's. Did they find a stash in the abandoned Colecovision warehouse.

[@jpm9628]

It's $200, dude.

[@jqmark]

@@jpm9628 You can get a 20 dollar toy with a better screen. $200 should be enough to put in a 2 line display.

[@telantas]

Many great musicians will close their eyes to enhance concentration while playing. Reliance on displays should be minimal. Our mobile phones have made us all visuals junkies. We miss the point of music-making when we demand large, colorful displays. IMHO. 😊

[@jqmark]

@@telantas Many great musicians will also want to open their eyes when attempting to truncate a sample or make a program or midi change.

[@rorz999]

​@@telantasthis is a sampler + sequencer, not a piano lol. Good luck using this with your eyes closed

[@shaabaaz3083]

To me as a guitarist beatmaking Guy, this thing is awesome...since it allows sampling while sequencer is running i can overdub my chords/solo/gimmicks which IS killer... + Audio USB...gawd dayum you Can sample Koala back and forth while still have the opportunity to sample audio since it is recognized as an audio interface... I love this little gem Roland is willing to kill Korg 😅

[@saardean4481]

Why do they keep putting the jack sockets on the main panel (on top) i don`t quite get. Real estate is so precious on the top face of the synth. Nice synth range. I am curious if they will bring out a poly in these series. Or maybe one day introduce a „between aira and boutique“ size. Amazing what can be done with such small enclosures. The whole mini aira series are sweet

[@Eli_B3000]

I don't mind a headphone jack on the front, but everything else should be on the back for cable management.

[@saardean4481]

@@Eli_B3000 I would prefer everything on the back. When the phones are on the front panel you either have a hanging cable from your head to the device or you use an extension in order to have more jig so you have more movement freedom in which case The socket might as well be at the back. For me, but I only speak for me personally,, it doesn’t make a big difference if it’s one cable or five cables in the wrong place-in the way. If it was modular or 500 series, I would understand the sockets at the front. If a device is not in these two categories, then I don’t understand it however. Maybe also because the synth is so small that if you have a cable on the front , it will always be in the way

[@Eli_B3000]

@@saardean4481 Yeah, I was thinking one on each, I have no problem with it only being on the back too. Many other small synths I have are made that way, it's never been an issue, but it does keep the cables out of the way on a table, etc. for me.

[@pauldablue]

- 9 reboots to back up the whole thing wtf

[@christdolphin69]

thank you for this. saved me a lot of reading

[@mekitelo]

Great review. Thank you. Do you think that in the future it will be possible for the modified sample to be reset in another pattern? That really annoys me. If I modify the sample, the modification will be reflected in all the patterns where I used it

[@loopop]

Thanks! If I had insight into their roadmap I couldn't say; my general recommendation is not to count on any updates until they happen

[@philippajay6915]

This will be my next purchase - if I can get my hands on one!

[@arunasvadeisa3181]

best tutorial ever

[@orlandourizarocampo3418]

i got a question, can be used to sync tempo a modular synth like the moog DFAM?

[@skyreadersociety6183]

happy that they added alternate loop modes (back and forth), which is crucial imho.

[@joelou]

Using the grainular mode on ambient instrumens would be really cool

[@ohheyitskevinc]

Nice walkthrough! I honestly think Roland are just trolling us now with their screens. Does it passive aggressively tell us to “P.Off” when we switch it off like the boutiques?

[@mikepecchio-gk1bc]

Ok im sold. Just ordered one, but sorry I didn’t use your affiliate link. I wanted to order from sweetwudder to help out our boy bennn jordan

[@loopop]

No worries you supported an excellent cause :)

[@bazrin]

Loving the preset patterns on this. Reminds me of MTV's Amp from back in the day.

[@solarion33]

neat little box , can be used standalone but also play along and be useful in any Dawless setup , but that small screen and menus look daunting.

[@JasonWong-k8u]

Hi, i appreciate you making these comprehensive gear reviews, they are the best ones on youtube! I am trying to find out can i power this unit by leaving it connected to my computer at all times via usb without messing up the battery? Or via wall outlet with a phone charger?

[@loopop]

Thanks for the kind words. Re best practices for battery life, I suggest asking the company to make sure, I have no idea and don't recall seeing anything about that in the manual. Please let us know back here if you find out!

[@GeorgeL909]

Honestly, if aesthetically they made the thing look like a miniature boss-202, with the red and black, vertical layout, I would've bought this thing in a heartbeat.

[@DurtyCardiologist]

Would that have improved its functionality?no.

[@GeorgeL909]

@@DurtyCardiologist you're right. 128 steps and substantially more sample time would have, but I don't think that's what Roland's going for with this.

[@DurtyCardiologist]

@@GeorgeL909 I think they were going for a ton of functionality, stuffed into a tiny form factor, for as cheap as possible. I think they've succeeded. It's a shame they didn't make this part of the "SP" line...it's a worthy addition IMO. Future classic stuff

[@GeorgeL909]

@@DurtyCardiologist thinking about it, I suppose it is a great deal for the price. And I will give Roland kudos for the granular engine, that does give it a an extra bit of uniqueness and identity. I think I just secretly want a reissue of the sp202 or 303 with modern amenities and I'm projecting. It's a very hipster desire, I'll admit, but whenever Roland develops a new sampler I'm reliably gonna be daydreaming about the reissuing the old stuff a little bit.

[@DurtyCardiologist]

@@GeorgeL909 I, too, would love a reboot of the 202. In a form factor like this, with all the original specs + extras? I'd pay double. I mean this thing was so close...just needed the Time stretch, ring mod and the two lower sample rates. And yea, allocating total sample time to each pad as opposed to spreading it across all pads is a very frustrating choice by Roland. I don't understand why. But I suppose that's why I'm not a firmware developer. EDIT: I do think this is a modern upgrade to the 303 though. If only they used the 303 vinyl sim instead of the 404 :(

[@brijjoshi9856]

Wonderfully explained... demonstrated

[@burnerzeroone-o8p]

this is exactly what im looking for from a hardware sampler, my entire workflow is sample based but i wholey buy into the best sampler being a computer and an audio onterface, but as a littl eideas pad this isick

[@pablodados]

This is giving me Roland MS-1 nostalgia vibes (although even that had a better screen). Great review as usual. Will you be reviewing the Ableton Move?

[@loopop]

Thanks! Yes I will!

[@pablodados]

@@loopop Good stuff. I will wait to see it before deciding between the two.

[@aikighost]

I wonder if this means we can expect an AIRA line full sized sampler/granular synth to go along with MC707 TR8s etc?

[@wakinglife7065]

I wish they weren’t so big. Tr8s is amazing and I have the verselab aswell which the size is brilliant. The mc101 and tr6s are too small but I wish they’d invent verselab sized fully functional systems. I’d love the mc707 but I have no clue where to put it

[@mikemeengs5720]

I think that's the SP-404mk2.

[@aikighost]

@@mikemeengs5720 SP404 is not my kind of sampler, and I already have the koala app on my ipad, but a 16 track full sized granular sampler would be cool.

[@HygieneHiphop]

No pattern chain?

[@loopop]

no

[@HygieneHiphop]

@@loopop Thanks Ziv, and thank you for another awesome video!

[@peterjones3100]

This is everything the Volca should be but isn't. Roland upstaging Korg for their entire existence. awesome review, thanks

[@leftmono1016]

It’s a long time since the Volca line began. They set an important trend for cheap, fun, usable synths/samplers.

[@__teles__]

What's with the giant fingers???

[@echobenav8]

Thanks for making another great video! Wish it had a companion app like Seqtrak instead of the 4 character display. Seems like a great companion to the S1.

[@renevanderkraats224]

So, for a cheap sampling/granular device, which is better in terms of sampling/sound quality....Roland P-6 or the Sonicware Liven Texture Lab?

[@loopop]

I've not explored the Texture Lab in depth yet, perhaps someone else will comment

[@magicpigdetective]

Texture Lab is waaaay more capable in terms of granular sampling and sound design in general

[@PhilanderingBastard]

TL is fixed at 6 seconds stereo and not really a groovebox. The granular engine is extremely well specified on the TL, can be sequenced with parameter locks and be applied to outside signals, with or without the sequencer running. It also sounds fantastic imo. The TL only has a shimmer reverb and the file transfer is via SysEx (aargh). I’d say for rhythmic stuff the Roland is ahead, for ambient and soundscapes I’d prefer the TextureLab.

[@jjbing3]

@@magicpigdetectiveI agree but the p6 is smaller and has rechargeable battery

[@Reeceline]

​@jjbing3 plus thr P6 is stereo. That was the killer for me with the Texture Lab sadly given its mono 🫤

[@MS7.7]

I love Aira line, so compact yet big in sound and functions. Really enjoyable device, my gripe with Roland is always the screen. They shoudve introduced P-6 as new Gen Aira with OLED screen that takes out guess work on what word is on screen and referring to the manual every time.

[@notmyrealname9059]

I have all 4 of the other Aira compacts, very happy with 3 of them,and I'd have gone to $300 if it had an SD card but as it is I think I'll stick with my Circuit Rhythm.

[@pablodados]

When using the chop function, is it possible to adjust the start and end points of the individual chops? If so, can you go beyond a chop's predefined start and end points?

[@tazitazi]

hello, I need one information : is it possible to save the projects? Or only the patterns? I wanted to see if I could use it live and recall individual song projects, by projects I mean a number of patterns with all the characteristics of a single project

[@ivanvereyn9685]

Polyphonic granular let’s gooo

[@T_E_music_playlists]

👍 Great indepth tutorial & review. There's a surprisingly huge amount of things to do & settings to adjust for such a small cheap priced sampler. How long did it take you to learn all of this? I just got all of the Aira Compact instruments and have been feeling a little overwhelmed with how much I have to learn so be able to do everything to get the full potential of what these devices are capable of. I think I'll be spending a very long time learning to get to that point but I know it will be worth it.

[@loopop]

Thanks! It takes me about 2 days to learn it, but it's not fair, I'm familiar with this line of products and they share many features, and with synths overall. Indeed don't worry about it, take your time :)

[@ChrispyDubstep]

Reminds me of a small version of the Elektron Model Samples

[@fakefirmware]

Except this can sample 😭

[@TheMinimalEffortBureau]

I'm wondering about a sp404 update adding the granular engine

[@maikvanrossum]

Mk3

[@jimlampshady]

Hi Loopop. So, I've watched this video a bunch of times, and still can't figure out if it's possible to send individual samples to an effect. It's clear that you can choose to *not* send a sample to global effects by assigning it to a bus - which is handy - but inserting FX onto individual sounds at the level you want would offer far more flexibility. Have I missed something? Or has Roland missed something...? Thanks!

[@jimlampshady]

For example, could I send (or insert...) just a bass line part to the chorus while still using the compressor on the whole mix?

[@loopop]

aside from the delay and reverb, you only get one effect at a time, and you can choose which pads go to that effect and which don't

[@jimlampshady]

@@loopop Aha, ok, thanks. I guess the simplest workaround for that is resampling the sound with an effect on it.

[@loopop]

@@jimlampshady indeed!

[@delmeteor717]

I have question regarding Pattern deleting. I create a pattern and delete it using the Shift plus B (pad delete) or C (delete all). I hit enter and it states deleted. I play the pattern and it’s empty. However if I turn unit off and back on the original pattern is back with all sounds intact. Tried a couple of times with same results. Also, you demonstrate playing preset patterns. My P6 came with no preset patterns and Roland states there are no pattern presets.

[@jumpstar9000]

Hey Roland, you should make an AIRA virtual reel to reel tape recorder with knobs to control the motors and adjust the head and tape quality, azimuth and all that. Throw in a looper mode that can do frippertronics and tape delay. Would be amazing. 🙏

[@christianthompson1473]

@@jumpstar9000 with a mixer and 6 inputs. ✌️

[@jumpstar9000]

@@christianthompson1473 Ooh yeah 👍😆❤😎 They are going to need to do something to tie all these cute little modules together nicely.

[@brendanroche7281]

Something tells this isn’t quite roland’s style, but I want this so bad

[@TheZooropaBaby]

I think someone at Roland loves Florian