Roland SP-555 Loop Capture: Building a Song

[@alexriesenbeck]

I'm glad you enjoyed my videos, I would like to hear what you come up with on the 555! Feel free to ask any questions you have in the future, I've found a few interesting features that are not outlined anywhere in the manual. Don't forget to rock the D-beam,!

[@dvdny]

Thanks for the vid, it's very informative. This kind of seems like a simpler (or maybe more complicated), 16-channel RC-505, no? I never knew this thing existed so long ago... Have you ever compared the two?

[@alexriesenbeck]

+highmay I'm glad the video helped! The 555 will auto-mark sample end points when&where it wants to, even when you're recording with a set tempo. I have found no way around this other than un-marking the sample after you Save To Pad. This can be frustrating when playing live, but as long as you un-mark the sample it will retain the original start & end points. I paired my 555 with an ElectroHarmonix 45000 for live applications, although it only handles 4 tracks + 1 mix down track. Check it out!

[@tronlady1]

There's a lot of button pressing? Surely this would be easier to do using LOOPY HD in realtime?? I can't actually get on with LOOPY but LOTSA peeps can. I'm really interested in getting a microsampler to do looping on instead. However I'm not sure if it will allow me to sample audio from the iPad via the USB??

[@alexriesenbeck]

Loopy HD is awesome. I wouldn't use the MS-1 for realtime looping personally.. Unless you modify it with a pedal input. 555 is great for looping. The 555 will sample audio from USB (as an audio interface for Mac/PC), but only with drivers, so it won't work directly connected USB to the iPad for audio. The MS-1 only does USB MIDI from the USB, no audio. So neither devices will work as you are asking them to, sorry.

[@JIDEHHIGHELEMENTS]

thanks that helps a lot seeing you working !

[@alexriesenbeck]

Thank you I'm glad I could help! Enjoy your music making & feel free to ask any questions!

[@JIDEHHIGHELEMENTS]

@@alexriesenbeck , thx , for long time my SP was just a syren sample launcher , recently get into it as a sampler and even if i have the manual seeing you repeating routines guide me . for 2 days i'm charging the sampler with drums and piano sample etc ... i plane to do same dub music i work for years but into this machine to change some habits and get some new inspiration , i will defenetly keep in touch when i get some tracks done , if i'm stuck one some step in the process , i will ask you , musically . Jideh

[@Sound8VisionVibe]

Funkaaaaaaaaaaay! I wish Roland would either make a new sampler or keep making these like they should have! Why did they discontinue them anyway?

[@alexriesenbeck]

+Sound8Vision I agree... Get it together, Roland!

[@dvdny]

+Sound8Vision New samplers: Boss RC-202 and RC-505.

[@alexriesenbeck]

+Dreux Donelan Thats the loop pedal line... Roland has made other gear since the SP series.. but nothing quite like the 555 or 606

[@jonnybravo4745]

one more ... can you stack sounds like if you saved the piano on a pad then wanted to add cords over top or if you had some sparse textural sounds.. will they record overtop and play with the piano or would it overwrite the original? and how long can you make your loops, is there a limit? Sorry for the 21 questions im just really interested I think im going to buy this now that ive watched your video!

[@alexriesenbeck]

+George Hill You can't 'stack' the sounds, other than recording a sound or a saved pad to the Loop Capture pad and overdubbing. You cannot overdub or add to a pad, which is kind of a bummer. You can 'resample' with Loop Capture running, and play pads, but you cannot 'resample' a live input while playing pads.

[@vforvillain77]

I've noticed you always stop loop-capture play before saving to pad. Does it have to be done this way? Is it not possible to capture a loop and save to pad all while playing? or at least while the sp sequencer still plays? You know, so it can be used more like a live looper pedal but you can save the loops to pads without interrupting the performance. Btw you have the best Sp 55 videos out there. They're more informative than anything else out there. I also really appreciate how you reply and try to help people out. Thanks on behalf of the community!

[@alexriesenbeck]

Thanks for enjoying my videos and the kind words! Any time you use the Save To Pad feature, the SP-555 stops all playback, including Loop Capture, Sample Pads and Patterns. At any time during the Save To Pad process, the Mic and Line In will still feed audio thru the Effects Processor (if selected) and to your speakers/headphones. Again, Save To Pad mode will stop all other playback. It takes priority over anything else. This can be rough in live performance.. Say you have a pattern going and are looping, and accidentally hit the Save To Pad button. Suddenly, everything stops. Hope this answers your question!

[@cesarfernandezmaza3297]

Do you need to pause the loop every time you want to save it on a sampler pad? same as you did saving the different shapes on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd pads, but while the main loop keep going

[@alexriesenbeck]

César Fernández Maza Yes, in order to save the Loop Capture to a pad, the 555 will stop audio before and after saving the pad. You cannot continue to keep a loop going while saving the pad. It needs to process sample data.

[@jonnybravo4745]

hey what kind of keyboard is that im really diggin those sounds!1

[@alexriesenbeck]

+George Hill Thats a Korg MicroSAMPLER, with custom sounds I made.

[@jonnybravo4745]

I have an mpc and man this is so much better in making loops considering you can just free play your loops!! the mpc has been a headache in having to play a part, put it to a pad and then in time trigger it back into the mix... it takes all the feel out of it and plus it slows down the process

[@gronnip]

So i installed the drives. Thats all done. But, now how do I record a sample into my DAW(ableton) and how do I record my vsts into the sp?

[@alexriesenbeck]

+Ethan Babirad In Ableton, you have to select the SP-555 as your audio interface. Then you just record like you would normally on both.

[@Noisybatt]

Thanks! Very help full!

[@alexriesenbeck]

Noisy Batt Glad I could help! :)

[@producer21207]

Hi.Does the Loop Capture on the SP555 Quantize as you record??

[@alexriesenbeck]

Loop Capture records audio, not sequence events.

[@producer21207]

Ok.Thanks

[@slakk5093]

I want a SP-555 now :/ great tutorial

[@alexriesenbeck]

MirEko Thanks ! Out of all the hardware I have owned, the SP-555 is something I will never get rid of. It is a beautiful piece of music gear. Paired with a Korg MicroSAMPLER, oh man, heaven. :) Thank you for watching / commenting

[@slakk5093]

Cubilas yeah that loop capture is what got me. thats exactly how i like to build a song up. I'm going to keep an eye out for one, might trade up from my SP404 :)

[@alexriesenbeck]

MirEko Keep your SP-404, the 555 will make a great companion.. Not to mention in->out+out->in crazy effects .. :) It is worth having both

[@slakk5093]

Cool, ok will try that. Now just to find a 555, they are damn expensive these days :D

[@Sound8VisionVibe]

+Cubilas You mean like a feedback loop between the 2? That makes me want one even more! UGH!

[@skrech_majstor_ljuban]

Hey man how did you set up the pedal to control the record? Can I use any footswitch pedal?

[@alexriesenbeck]

+Ljuban Shrinkovic Yes you can use any sustain-style footswitch. I even used an old tape recorder footswitch and have used a sewing machine footswitch before :) . Note: Yamaha footswitches are recommended. Both of my Korg and Roland switches are the opposite polarity, so when you let off the pedal it triggers, rather when you press the pedal

[@skrech_majstor_ljuban]

+Cubilas Thanks man!!! :D

[@JohnSAitken]

Open the pedal box up and re-wire the points (reverse the cable)

[@paulzavadski3695]

hi! just got one 555 for 300$ , mint !!!

[@rabevier8071]

Just got one yesterday for 400 love it (years later)

[@tronlady1]

Why not just use the MS1 to do all of this?? What made you use the 555 as well? Great vids btw :)

[@alexriesenbeck]

I like both devices for different reasons :) I use the MS-1 mainly for playing instruments, and the 555 for sampling/looping/manipulation.

[@jonnybravo4745]

the only cool part is being able to stack sounds and edit samples and I guess also being able to go back and change your samples with ease... like after you make a song go back and change all the drums with a click just to test new sounds all the while the midi notes stay the same so u still have the same song.. you don't like the new ones oh well just plug back in the old ones and boom there you go your song s right back to the way u had it

[@zanetasieron2313]

Hi! Which sample bank are you using?

[@alexriesenbeck]

+Żaneta Sieroń In this video, I am using the built-in internal memory.

[@brokemanmusic2587]

not bad

[@alexriesenbeck]

Thanks friend

[@andersingram]

man i wish the 404 could do this ....

[@alexriesenbeck]

So do I.... Get a 555! :)