Roland SH-4D 1st Look - Sonic LAB

[@tekis0]

What a fantastic presentation, both from Roland and the presenter!

[@niceheartwhitesuit]

Honestly, this may be one of the best things I have seen Roland drop in a dogs age. Enough of a nod to legacy tones, but really forward thinking and hands on. This is a pretty tempting desktop box...

[@kellymerrill5294]

$600 for a dsp box seems steep. I was hoping for at least an analog filter. Definitely will sit on the shelves at that price.

[@niceheartwhitesuit]

@@kellymerrill5294 I’m not an electrical engineer, but I think in order to have a analog filters on a machine like this: a) the polyphony would have to be reduced dramatically, or b) the cost would be in the thousands of dollars and the desktop case would be considerably larger.

[@kellymerrill5294]

@@niceheartwhitesuitArturia did it with the freak, perhaps not as much polyphony but digital filters sound like crud IMO.

[@normdurkin6425]

a full collection of Roland digital cheese in one box..🤣

[@EnochDark]

@@kellymerrill5294 I guess but that doesn't apply to guys like me who have an Electrix Filter Factory and a Xone:23 mixer. Not to mention the digitals like my Line 6 FM4 rackmount and pedal or my first gen Kaoss Pad...

[@7177YT]

Finally someone releasing a multitimbral desktop polysynth. Since Digitone came out no big player came out with one. More machines of this kind please!

[@bubuAudio]

I agree at 100000% need more of these polyphonic multitibral machines !!

[@lib747]

It's also nice that Roland finally discovered a format other than huge, or tiny.

[@christianthompson1473]

Back in the day before the DAWns of time they had 16 parts

[@KiR_3d]

@@bubuAudio yeah, you'll get more overpriced cheapies if you'll pray enough )

[@KiR_3d]

I'm not an Elektron's fan and their "tone" to own users pisses me off actually. But their analog machines are much more superior to this "another gear" from Roland. OMG... in the past the same company did released the holy Jupiter 6 and 8! Where are their resources now?

[@jamest.135]

They say its not a groovebox but 64 steps per part and you can have 4 parts separately recorded and an awesome rhythm section with lots customizeable options is just sick. I dunno its like a desktop minilogue competitor/groovebox all in one. And the sounds are just awesome and sit in the mix absolutely exquisitely. What an awesome bit of kit.

[@summerlaverdure]

its like a MC-101 with better synth editing but somehow $200 more 0_o also screw the terrible motion controls lol

[@303machine]

Minilogue is more powerfull soundwise if you want pure analogue synth sound.

[@kylekemp4776]

I bought the sh4d after the watching all the videos. It sat on my shelf for almost a year then I discovered it. It really is worth every penny when you want something portable and a pair of headphones.

[@KingzofSwing]

I take it to park with my Pro DG 603i

[@steventaylor3789]

Feels like a different approach for Roland with a real emphasis on accessibility, playability and fun at a really good price. Great presentation as well.

[@dfreeman120]

Nice

[@Jason75913]

looks like a watered-down alternative to the MC-707 without being a tiny menu-diving hell called "MC-101" 🤣

[@steventaylor3789]

This has far more hands on control than the 707 so it could be argued that the 707 is watered down in some ways compared to this. If you can get past the fact they’re both multi timbal Roland desktop units they appear to aimed at very different audiences. Maybe that is why some 101 and 707 owners aren’t interested. It’s for the rest of us.

[@EnochDark]

they just went back 20-25 years really... reminds me of old Emu, Yamaha, Korg and even Roland itself.

[@SynthOSphere]

Roland still lives in the past… But without the goodness of the past (analog tech) although they keep using references to that times after times (in this case, SH-4 with the same lettering style as the SH- 1, 2, 3 , 5, 7 and 9). At least this one has hands-on controls.

[@samhvidberg5612]

I feel like an instrument like this should have been made a long time ago, since its so well designed and condenses so much into such a simple and intuitive layout. It seems so obvious now, and yet it has never been built. Definitely adding this to my wish list.

[@scott21113]

I have one of these and use it everyday on every track I make along with a Keystep 37. Such an awesome combo. Jorb’s video on patch design sold me. Best $ spent on the studio since my Microfreak.

[@martin_the_artist_]

Roland nailed this one. Sounds great and that interface looks like allot of fun

[@dougie6897]

Real 5 pin din MIDI… and not the minuscule boutique form factor….this is finally a step in the right direction 👍👍

[@davidsharp3110]

Great job Andy! Looking forward to this Roland desktop. Thanks Nick!

[@rayderrich]

Andy is one of my heroes, and the SH-4D goes on the wishlist as it could give me some much wanted Roland sounds without the overhead of their large synths.

[@Jason75913]

MC-101 and MC-707 could give you a lot more, but no wavetables.

[@rayderrich]

@@Jason75913 I have plenty of wavetable synthesis in other places, just the good Roland sounds plus sound design options would be fine for me.

[@nigelprice4799]

....what a stellar demo! Musical as always...your output is brilliant Nick!

[@sonicstate]

That's kind but I had nothing to do with the music in this. It was all Andy

[@djmattplay]

Love it! Everything I love about my old SH-32 and more

[@reazallykhan8614]

Man……I regret getting rid of my sh32……the retro space looks….. tbh I didn’t understand music or groove boxes properly back then…….it’s been a learning process for me …..but as a og tr8 owner ……I had the whole aira set ….only kept the tr8,tb3 and the mx1 which died on me,I’ve been contemplating…….I’ve been thinking about copping the tr6s ……erm now it could be this….. looks like more fun for jamming…….I’m gonna look for a 2nd hand one….I love jamming on the ea1/er1 …..

[@kiko1935]

Ok! I'm gonna temporarily put down my Roland pitchfork and say this synth looks solid. Even this presenter seems really excited to demo this thing as opposed to other Roland products. If I had one critique I'd say the complete lack of color in the UI is a little underwhelming - HOWEVER, I have to give them props for not making it an ugly green abomination. This synth looks practical and fun to use. Good job Roland!

[@els1f]

You said it! Every damn thing I was thinking lol. When they're right, they're right-pitchforks down for a bit😋

[@synthshoot1026]

As for green abominations go. I guess black or grey is neutral, and no matter what other color they choose, someone will criticize.

[@christianthompson1473]

Bring back GREEN

[@puristproductions1813]

I'm loving what Roland are doing with new gear these days. I want one. Gaia 2 also!!

[@Jeremyelrick]

Andy really selling this with some fantastic sounding demos. Appreciate some folks will be down on the lack of zencore and digital nature of this but it sounds amazing

[@NatLifeSounds]

Yeah, it sounds so Zenologyes) I worked much time with Zen Core synthesis and they all sound the same) So I found that new Roland sh-4d sounds also same just after the first notes :) I don't know it's good or bad, but I'm personally want to hear something analog from Roland.

[@happylittlesynth]

@@NatLifeSounds Yep Zencore and anything zen related is ZZZZzzzZZZzzzzzz for me.

[@inthefade]

I hear nothing to get down on this over. The filter sounds great. It all sounds great. The price is very good. It would be cool if it did splits natively though. That's an obvious feature to add with a firmware update.

[@NatLifeSounds]

@@inthefade it's a matter of taste. for me, such a sound is already boring, and it beats too much on the ears. I'm more inclined towards a softer sound.

[@RundFyrkant]

Sounds and looks really good. Love the layout on the panel. Very straightforward. Keep it up Roland!

[@nickpritchard7130]

Most Impressed by this bit of kit.Great demo. Thanks Nick and Sonicstate.

[@cillobillo1059]

Ooh. That play out is impressive.

[@TripianaVids]

Great demo as usual from SonicState.

[@AdamTheAd-vanc3d]

Wow was not expecting this. Can't wait to dive into this vid 🤸🏾‍♂️

[@vaspers]

This handsome young lad is a fantastic synth explainer. Not that common to see actually. Excellent video. I'm very interested in this product. Seems really cool.

[@xander_fox]

In the beginning, you seem to let the sequencer be controlled by a kind of single finger Chord input to pitch shift the sequence in real time is this because you played an Arpeggiator pattern or can you do it with every pattern that You program on the SH 4D also simultaneously all of the four Synth engines together?

[@LFOVCF]

Clearly, Roland are not pissing about on this. Killer kit! Your man here knows his onions!

[@hamsterbrigade]

Top notch advice. I love that you keep giving prescriptive advice in the form of things like using existing song structure to build your own.

[@ANTheWhizkid]

The set of features is plentiful with some new approaches to it, the wf seems smooth and the visual representation on the display has a simple and appealing look. Looks like really good product with a small footprint.

[@hoover2615]

Great demo... and a great synth! 👍🏻🏆

[@raffitchakmakjian]

dang, wasn't expecting the sick outro jam, my man killed it.

[@dillipphunbar7924]

Well thought out and powerful all-in-one box. Nick looked visibly excited.

[@ilutolextron3632]

It’s funny because Loopop seems not quite as excited.

[@dillipphunbar7924]

@@ilutolextron3632 Perhaps he has been spoilt for choice. The amount of gear he has reviewed, it would be hardly surprising. Under the hood, this does seem to be a very capable device, especially at the price.

[@VacancyOfDisco]

The Visual Arp and Wavetable engines are wonderful add-ons too! Great job Roland

[@Pulse2AM]

Great demo gentlemen, I've seen a few this is the best one so far. It reminds me of a JD_XI but on super steroids, nice concept.

[@wendelynmusic]

I know when you leave the visual arpeggio screen it turns off but can you record the visual arpeggio?

[@Digiphex]

If they add an OP-1 style tape recorder sim it would be more than a keyboardless Jupiter X.

[@RayR]

Finally a feature rich, great sounding, small desktop unit to compete against Korg and Elektron.

[@Planetugm]

Could listen to this all night! ❤

[@Sequenceserenade]

I got this to pair with my digitakt for creating a live show. The 4 synths being able to save all of the sounds is nice when you turn everything off. Definitely some freshish sounds in there too. Now I just need a fader fox that’s $700 to complete the live compact dream I have!

[@r-m-c]

Great presentation! Always nice to see and hear new Roland products. But at least one pair of cv and gate outputs should have been there too in my opinion. Whatever Roland hardware has never let me down, only the missing drivers for "older" products and "newer" operating systems.

[@ilutolextron3632]

Looks and sounds great, and the price is about right. Hopefully build quality is good

[@pilkam]

Great review 👏🏼 Just a question: Has Roland JDxi similar “attitude” ?

[@Jason75913]

ya

[@NigDub]

This looks interesting! Would pair nicely with my Deluge and Syntakt.

[@luisbarrera5740]

Legitimately good and compelling release from Roland. Didn't think they'd come back. Good for them.

[@SingularityMedia]

even a stopped clock is right twice a day

[@rorz999]

​@@SingularityMedia nah I don't think that's the saying that applies here. Roland has actually made some great products over the last few years, and their support for those products has mostly been really good as well

[@peterfuzz3887]

so you have a four channel mixer, with those cursors ? curosr also do ADSR ?

[@LesterH25]

Andy, the song at the end......bravo man! I remember you from PMT Manchester. Humble skillful demonstrator.

[@DataBroth]

very interesting, rare original roland product always love seeing new grooveboxes

[@dep1001]

Good job, Roland! I like it! Can’t wait to hear Nick have a go with it :)

[@We.Are.Lockhart]

I wish Roland would implement a Nick Batt triple PWM oscillator with the next update.

[@Jason75913]

layer PWM patches in MC-707 or Fantoms

[@sooperheep]

Andy does a great job, lots of info to express, especially with Nick Batt-erring him with questions😄

[@sonicstate]

He does

[@ParadiseVibe]

There will be custom Skins made soon, for sure, I need it haha. Like, we could ask Style Flip, or those who made Behringer synth skins, the Neutron skin overlays are the schillibop. The SH-4D buttons need accents around them, navigation and keyboard. The rest will stand out in dim light with the original white calibrations, but I could jive with radioactive neon-glow colors. Maybe a USB powered overlay pulsing with the tempo, sweet.

[@neonblack211]

you know its a good interview when the guy interviewed and answeres like "NNnnnnnnnnnnooooo OH yes!"" 22:44

[@MS7.7]

Arpeggiator part was awesome. Creativity generator.

[@djjuno106]

Well done Roland this looks brilliant and the price is right it’s a must buy for me

[@alderpublishingllc4702]

Looks like a lot of fun. When I started out with an MC-202 and Sh-101 we utilised CV. I modded a Dr. Rhythm to sync to the sequencer, experimenting with the tempo potentiometer!

[@christopherrichards-ou6ud]

#dropbassnetwork

[@technodrone313]

just got mine. built like a tank. most of it is really intuitive.

[@MaxOstrovtheheadyhive]

Just got mine and it’s so much fun alongside my JD-Xi! 🫠

[@gaborb6577]

"Just" a quadrupled mc101, which is amazing. Now with fast direct access tone parameters. Good job Roland& Sonicstate.🎹👍

[@coolo73]

I believe the ladder filter, wavetable drawing, and drum synth implementation are unique to SH-4D, so that's probably not an apt comparison.

[@milk_bath]

No sampling/sample import here. IIRC.

[@coolo73]

@@milk_bath Yeah it's a different breed than the MC-series. To call it a groovebox is a bit misnomer: no sampling, basic sequencing., etc. It's a Zen-Core based desktop synth, plain and simple. Pretty good deal for the price IMO.

[@LousyFacelift]

It's more like a modern version of the SH-32.

[@muzikman2008]

Tasty New kit from uncle Roland... sounds groovy baby! 😎

[@inthefade]

It's crazy that the system 1 was around the same price at release. Are Roland actually trying to kick some ass here or what? I'm actually loving it.

[@cortwashburn86]

Nice of Andy to immediately cut to the chase @5:23 and confirm that it does PWM

[@mynameistechno]

uff, iam excited for a roland product....what a day

[@vaiman7777]

Very impressed. I'm not (thought I wasn't) in the market for anything new. But for the price, what it's got and the ease of use is almost got me.

[@gmac7346]

SH-32 happy days... Very advanced bit of kit for the time and at this price ! Still have mine 🙂and once and again, squezze somme of it's sound on a new track. Desapointed so far, with Roland mid-range kit, this one migth change my mind... By the way, thanks Sonic Lab for your reviews.

[@-The-Darkside]

Having seen a few other demos, it's actually a bit of a beast.

[@Synthematix]

So is the price

[@synthseeker]

Question please: can you layer different arp types across each part? Or at the least, can you have different arp timing settings for each part separately?

[@Jason75913]

hopefully, but unlikely

[@gretareinarsson7461]

I hope manufacturers would do more of desktop versions of synths.

[@thablackkat9905]

For real! I always wanted a desktop version of the Korg Kronos.

[@Aetila]

A Kaoss-touchpad to the left (instead of those 4 buttons would have been great for modulations and motion sequencing. Throw in a few more tracks and a bigger display (from Fantom 6) and you got it, lol.

[@bubuAudio]

it sounds amazing and for that price it brings a lot, really

[@volcomwave]

Just wow! Very cool demo!

[@unisonosc1617]

looks great and sounds fantastic. It has the 90's VA sound I just love. This and an Opsix is all i'll need.

[@reidsoundz9905]

Since when is sampling a prerequisite for the title ’groovebox’? The original groovebox - MC-303 did not sample. This is by all definitions a groovebox. Drum, melody, fix, and sequencing all there. This groovebox is dope. Especially at this price point. Instantly shop high on my list

[@djmouglie]

I guess by not calling it a groovebox people cant complain about missing features that they feel a groovebox should have.

[@isaac.anthony]

is it USB class compliant? can i bring audio into an ipad and back into the SH4D like you can with the MC101/707?

[@isaac.anthony]

Wavetable synthesis, wish the MC had that!

[@isaac.anthony]

What an odd product, so much overlap with the MC, stepping on their own market, LoL WTF?

[@Jason75913]

@@isaac.anthony not with that wavetable oscillator, or FM osc, or that custom waveform osc, or even the garbage PCM osc that looks so bad next to JD-Xi and all past and present Roland grooveboxes (wtf?)

[@marcelospaiva]

Amazing sound played. So nostalgic

[@robertwyatt-zu6ep]

Great product, excellent demo from someone (Andy) who knows his product and incisive questions from Nick Batt. Best new roland product for some years and at an exceplent price.

[@EannaButler]

The demonstrator was very good. And Nick, as Voltaire said, "Judge a man, not by his answers, but by his questions".. 👍

[@Jason75913]

Answers matter just as much as questions, Voltaire can choke on month-old baguettes. 🤣🤣🤣

[@kelvin_darwin]

I'd get the album. Great demonstration!

[@Dudderlyful]

They found another way to put it in a box!

[@Dudderlyful]

Looks like fun, though

[@Patriotic_Eagle1995]

Now with only 60 voices. Where each oscillator is a voice. I assume that each drum sample takes up a voice too, so if you reserve 16 for drums and have four examples of the four oscillator synths you have 2.75 note polyphony for each synth part. Jesus Christ I defended the JD-XI but even I think that's crap. They aren't even up front about it, it took Nick to push him to half admit that the stated polyphony count is a straight up lie.

[@Dudderlyful]

@@Patriotic_Eagle1995 four, for oscillator synths would be an absolute mess though. Half the oscillator section and double the polyphony for each layer. I'd have maybe 2 dual oscillator mono layers and a chord seq and play over it with some spare room. Whether that kind of allocation is possible though I'm not sure. I'd like a 4 layer stack though, that'd be nice!

[@Dudderlyful]

Four, four osc synths I mean

[@modeswitching]

At least they seem to have put some thought into the interface and panel, this looks hands-on and not too divey.

[@rodequis6014]

2 more physical audio outs and this machine would be a 5/5 star. Yep, this is the new sh32, good work Roland!! 👍👍

[@peterkadarmusic9728]

This paired with an SP-404MKII or an MPC Live would be deadly. I wonder if you can set up key splits and call up multitimbral performances quickly for live work.

[@peterkadarmusic9728]

That was an impressive outro. Damn.

[@VacancyOfDisco]

WOO! Im a sucker for Roland grooveboxes and groovebox adjacent products! Thank you for putting Drum Synthesis in there and not just samples!

[@IntiAlonso]

After owning a JD-Xi, the toyish synth ever made I promissed myself to never get a modern Roland product again... but this, well, It got me thinking. Maybe it is a replace to my current live setup?

[@MaxOstrovtheheadyhive]

I love this partnered with my JD-Xi (among others)… 😂

[@Mr_ToR]

Nice for live play probably. Why no multi out?

[@ilutolextron3632]

It look and sounds really good. I’m reserving my GAS until the Soniclab review. What’s the built quantity like?

[@Nachtdwaler]

It reminds me a bit of the 2003 Electribe EMX workflow. I really wish they would bring back a machine with the hands on workflow and capabilities that box had, the next-gen Electribes really didn't fill that space in my opinion.

[@DRRNNDGL]

Would be great if the rhythm section could output midi to trigger external sounds from the internal drum sequencer, Looks great though.

[@louisik1]

Yeah and that strikes me as just one of the many features that they chose not to implement. Seems like classic Roland m.o. leaving out a bunch of functionality that they already have the tech for. I dont get excited about sounds anymore. Everyone/everything can make good sounds these days. It's functionality and interoperability that I look for these days. And this unit looks like another Roland dead end street.

[@MaxOstrovtheheadyhive]

@@louisik1 It IS pretty sweet that you can take this into the middle of the woods or on a beach and jam. Def a good tool for fun, inspiration, and sketching, at the very least. But that’s just my biased opinion… 😊

[@visible7044]

wow the best thing they have done in decades

[@CallousCoder]

Now I want it! But it’s not yet in stock anywhere. This is everything I wanted in a groove box. Hands on sound design, good classic synth sounds nice interface. 5 parts is great to start a catching ideas on the go.

[@trippypages7309]

Look preety like a Jupiter XM. 👍👍🏻👍🏼👍🏽👍🏾👍🏿. Since it is Roland i bet is well build.

[@ksqmusic]

Coolest Roland product I’ve seen in ages

[@IspettoreClouseau]

It sounds really really good. Classic Roland sound at his best

[@mikesnay9264]

Roland finally listened and got a screen you can actually see ... This is the screen that shoulda been on the 8s

[@agerven]

Ooooh, with the arpeggiator you are restoring some Yamaha Tenori-On fun! Now you've got my attention!

[@troypol343]

I wonder if there will be an SH-4 (keyboard version)?

[@Curious_Skeptic]

Got my attention Roland. Nice kit! Priced right as well? 😮❤

[@danwhite7629]

Nice product. Very tempting.

[@carlbdfrd]

Manchester Massive....Looks a great gigging box with lots of possibilities.

[@JudgeFredd]

Well done Roland with this one

[@wul01]

They are as vague with the oscilator creation as they were 20 years ago with its dad the sh32.

[@josh4590]

I'm buying it just for Pong!! 🎾

[@YouTubeSupportTeams]

26:09 wow, wasn't expecting that eargasm to follow!

[@EnochDark]

Go figure, I've been sitting around wondering what to GAS for next but aside from the "new" Slicer (SL-2) pedal, drawn a blank and started thinking about playing guitar again. Something I haven't done in nearly a decade. Always been an SH fan and one of my few regrets in life is passing up on an original that was like a couple hundo (15 years ago.) I did end up with an 01a (blue) in recent times but a bit irked that I have to use my Bass Station 2 to control the thing since it lacks many controls until...

[@80iesDude45]

Yes! Oversized Filter knob, love it. Preordered, can't wait ;-)

[@Jason75913]

Not oversized enough, it blends in with everything else. It took me a minute to realize that the filter cutoff knob is bigger 🤣

[@80iesDude45]

@@Jason75913 Yes, the Cutoff Filter knob on the miniNova is unbeatable ;-)

[@Jason75913]

@@80iesDude45 Ultranova has the filter knob separated rather than that much bigger, haha