The Roland / Boss SP Sampler Series - Episode 4 - The Boss SP-505 Groove Sampling Workstation

The Roland / Boss SP Sampler Series - Episode 4 - The Boss SP-505 Groove Sampling Workstation
Welcome back, my friends, to another episode in my exploratory series of the Roland and Boss SP line of music samplers, where we look at the features that make each device a fun and unique production tool. In this episode we look at the often over looked SP-505, a spiritual successor to the SP-808 which added unique sampling controls, chopping, pitching and a 4 track sequencer.
This episode is a bit longer this time as I had a lot to cover and this one does lean more towards a tutorial than an overview. I hope you find it interesting a helpful.
If you've not checked out the other episodes, I urge you to do so.
My newest album 'Passage' is available here (made almost entirely on the SP-404sx) :
robotsagainstchildren.bandcam...
Hey, let's connect on socials too!
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&
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Happy music making,
Matty G.
00:00 Intro
00:36 SP-505 Overview
01:33 BPM/Loop Sampling
06:30 Auto Re-Sampling
07:28 Chop & Pitch Banks
08:03 Auto Chopping
10:29 Delete Utility
11:47 Pitch Chopping
14:43 Sample Bank Error
15:34 BPM Adjust / Time Stretch
17:07 4 Track Sequencer
19:24 Cons & Pros
24:10 Final Thoughts
25:26 Outro Beam/Jam

[@MattmanAZ09]

This is the sp to get if....you’re sampling and then re sampling into your daw, or bouncing loops from your daw to make use of the awesome sound signature with effects. Making everything from start to finish in the 505 takes patience. It’s the cheapest sp with the good vinyl sim too btw.

[@Pastel_Purple_]

Note* auto chop only works for mono samples.

[@ushnicyuvnikof2748]

This is the best SP. If you use an 18mb card this unit is lightning fast, don't go for the biggest card you can get it slows it down.

[@nafelbood2343]

.. amazing and intuitive sampler machine !!! 👍🙏✌️ eazy and strong .. just awsome !!! .. when amplifying !!!

[@garyknight4424]

If you press micro when sequence is not playing you can edit each note in the track parts. Also in wave edit move down select "single" instead of "phrase". It's vinyl sim is dope sampling in Lofi sound really good.Great video

[@MattGreerMusic]

Thanks for watching and for the tips.

[@jamesdoctor8079]

thanks for this man! huge help having this

[@davidc8985]

You can sync any sample to any bpm you just have to change the sample parameter from phrase to single and it will sound correct and any BPM. I love this machine and I still mess around with mine from time to time.

[@gokugoma3258]

I got this a year after it came out and I still use it to this very day.. I love this SP sampler 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@NullFX]

Just purchased one today! Looking forward to using it and adding it to my ever growing SP family

[@MattGreerMusic]

Congrats.

[@els1f]

I really loved that 505! Had i known, i would have held onto it

[@wighttoan]

Thanks for the video! I've been using the Sp-505 very basically for my music. My first and only sampler, got it last summer.

[@MattGreerMusic]

No prob. Thanks for watching.

[@kBarBeats]

great video and an awesome piece of kit! just got mine a while ago and i love it. regarding the auto pitch chop function for those starting out with this video: SOLO L = single note in the lower range (e.g. bass notes) SOLO H = single note in the higher range (e.g. trumpet, some piano and guitar notes) MUSIC = harmonic musical samples or chords, but this function is somewhat limited, but can produce interesting sounds on accident sometimes all in all i would recommend using another sampler for time stretching or a DAW for some more complex operations, but you can more or less do everything you need on the device it self. p.s. really cool channel

[@lawrenceonethree6872]

This thing has a great sound, and workflow. Not many people know about it. You just need one of these and a Po-33 and you’re set.

[@gwEmbassy]

Nice series

[@andrewstanworth529]

I wish id had this video when the unit came out!! Could have saved a LOT of arse ache! 😂 Cheers, great video!

[@MrAnselm77]

Love the SP SERIES 🔥🫡🇨🇦👊🏿

[@MattGreerMusic]

Thank you for watching, friends. Also thank you for the tips and tricks I always receive in the comments. Sharing knowledge is what it's all about. On the next video we'll be digging into the SP-606, the bigger brother to this machine but with some key differences. Stay tuned and happy beat making!

[@ZentakuDo]

Tell me please. Samples from the "CHOP bank"can be recorded in a sequence or not? I can't do it)

[@maximerobin]

I'm use to not liking the music in videos about hardware to make music. I don't know why this dislike. But the music you make at the end is real nice as much of the music you make in your videos. So kudos!

[@MattGreerMusic]

Thank you so much.

[@IRNFZT]

Thank you for making this video. A good friend of mine lent me his 505 after my laptop crapped out on me a year ago. He didn't tell me how to use it and there were no videos at the time so I couldn't do much with it. I'm gonna pull it out and see what I can do with it PEACE

[@MattGreerMusic]

Thank you. I'm happy that I could help inspire.

[@imnotadj8897]

Awesome video man I've had a 505 sitting in a box for yrs I really want to use in my dawless setup and this has inspired me I just ordered a smart media card on eBay. You ever decide to make an in depth tutorial sign me up.

[@djprovisions7151]

Ay man if you ever wanna get rid of that 505 let me know!!!

[@alexanderbrustinov2205]

Thanks for all the helpful info. I was wondering how to turn off the metronome in the sequencer after the loop is recorded (instead of having to stop the recording process)

[@txddyfarquh3916]

FmL, my cousin gave me this very unit 8years ago....iv never fully used it and wanted to use it for boombap but was too use to using FL Studio....I need to pull it out now and dust off thee old webs lol

[@mastercylinder1939]

I see that as a benefit, you see the delete button is quite close to where your hands would rest if you were programming a beat. It’s very easy to delete a beat with it there, if you fall asleep. I’ve done it twice, deleting a beat in my sleep!

[@tomblaze2]

Thanks homie

[@themainman3900]

Great and comprehensive video. Do the pitch banks also work well with bass sounds for making basslines? Or mainly leads?

[@chickenslothstudios699]

Recently got a 505. The FX knobs are fukt, thankfully replacements are available and I'm not afraid to solder. It's a cool unit. It's a bit slow to chop, but it's a cool hardware unit to add to my setup. The ability to record one shot drums using the auto start feature (whatever it's called). I read somewhere a smaller card works better and use a 16mb+ internal and still have room. It's a bit disorganized vs using FL studio, a sample, and slicer-- but I kind of like the limitations. Currently using it with an XR20 and a Microfreak, and it fills the missing void--samples :)

[@rashodlewis2918]

I think it’s cool the Roland SP machines all have different features. I have a SP 202, 606, and 404A. The 505 have a few features my 606 don’t have. The 505 & 606 are both workstations. I always thought the 505 layout looked ugly. lol But since I’m older I don’t care what it looks like. I have some knowledge on music gear now so looks don’t matter as much. I would like a SP555 over SP505 since I have a SP606.

[@MattGreerMusic]

I agree with you on the looks. Aesthetically it never appealed to me. That's probably why I got this one last. I have all of the SPs now and I do think the 606 is the better machine but I'll be getting into that in the next episode. The 555 is dope, too. It's like a 404 on steroids basically.

[@MattmanAZ09]

The 505 auto saves on every edit correct? Could this account for the slow processing? I have a zoom sampletrak too and it’s a fast machine to work with. The saving and loading process is slow (smart media).

[@jamesdoctor8079]

how does one move chop bank samples to a user bank for use with the sequencer? can you move the samples all at once??

[@fjufbjdhhfhgrjhh8621]

When sampling with the lo-fi grade (sample rate) can you pitch down the sound to get that crunchy aliasing sound like on the SP 202?

[@gerbrandlampe509]

Question: do I need to save the samples I created on the SP 505 before I change to another sm card? (My 16mb is full and I want to get another 32mb in the SP) or can I pull it out and after using the 32mb change back to the 16mb card. Until now I don't have any selfmade patterns/songs, just samples. Hope you can help me out, because the manual isn't very helpfull in this.

[@Dork2099]

Amazing video. Hopefully my 505 will arrive any day now! Quick question: Can you help me understand how the celebrated “4-track sequencer” on this differs from the 64 “tracks” I have on my MPC 500?

[@MattGreerMusic]

Ah nice one. I have a 500 myself (some vids on the channel if you're interested). So for the sequencer They don't differ all that much in terms of basic function. You can set the BPM, number of bars, etc. like on the MPC, then you play in some pads to the beat and it will add those events to the sequencer. Pretty much the same. The difference is that where as the MPC has up to 64 tracks (which I've never used anywhere near that many) this only has 4 tracks of separate sequencer layers. So track 1 might be drums, track 2 would be bass, 3 = chords, 4 = leads/vocals, etc. However you want to do it is fine. Truth be told the MPC is the clear winner in terms of sequencing power. The 505 is all about the grungy effects. It will also show waveforms in the screen so that will make chopping easier. A lot of folks with MPCs and SP's use the MPC to build the beat but bounce samples through the SP to add effects and then bounce them back into the MPC to compose. OR.. you can make a whole beat on the MPC and just run it through the SP-505 for master effects. The compressor is mean.

[@Dork2099]

@@MattGreerMusic WOW thanks for the quick and thoughtful reply. I do occasionally use up to 7 tracks on the MPC when I’m feeling fancy, like breaking out the hats or a clap on their own track. But I can 110% see how my littlest MPC and this 505 could play well together. Frankly I am just drooling at the thought of FINALLY seeing a waveform on my hardware! Haaaa thanks again man, great channel.

[@MattGreerMusic]

Happy to help. Thanks for checking it out.

[@lionelluney3063]

I always favored the 505. I liked to use mine with the hated Korg ES2

[@MattGreerMusic]

The new gen of Electribes get way more hate than they deserve IMO.

[@lionelluney3063]

@@MattGreerMusic True Korg brought it on them selves when the orig OS didn't have start and end point trimming. So if you decided to take advantage of the dope AD/DA you had to time yourself like the old Gemini samplers

[@user-jx3jv6zd8e]

Buenas una pregunta esa batería me serviría para trabajar en vivo con un grupo, ya q yo trabajo con una drum machine boss dr880. Pro ando buscando algo parecido pro q tenga sampler un poco más moderno

[@josju7747]

Does the sp u08 has the first loop explanation is a perfect take? Loop in black and yellow out with recorded extra kick?

[@MattGreerMusic]

I don't understand the question. Sorry.

[@wellfedstarvingartist]

The delete thing reminds me of MPCs

[@mikeclark7834]

Great Video! Do you feel as if the 505 has the same effects/colour as the 303? Also, would you recommend a 505 over an original 404?

[@MattGreerMusic]

A lot of people say the 303 & 505 have the same exact effects but to my ears, they sound different. I've also never used the OG 404 but my 404sx is probably my favorite of the bunch.

[@mikeclark7834]

@@MattGreerMusic That's so strange that they sound different considering they were released so closely together. I've gotten into these samplers because of Panda Bear of Animal Collective who was big on the sound of the 303, and it seems like the ease of use on the 404 might be worth the tradeoff if the 505 and 303 don't sound alike.

[@jamesdoctor8079]

@@mikeclark7834 i got mine bc of panda bear as well. i have an og 404 and just bought the 505. 303 is too expensive now and while they may not be exactly the same, the 505 approximates the sound of the 303 more than a 404 does!

[@D1777YB0T]

Does this have pitch control for individual samples?

[@riverwave]

@matt Greer Music Can you add effects to an external source while recording and or just playing an external source? like an effect processor?

[@OPdbx]

Yep!

[@riverwave]

@@OPdbx just bought one✨lol ty

[@CarlitoM77]

@@riverwave how much did you pay and how do you like it?

[@dpdilla]

Mattern... I see what you did there...

[@goonknox]

Hey nice vid bro, Do the pads have gate and trigger?

[@MattGreerMusic]

Yep. Gate, trigger, loop. All the expected pad modes are there.

[@goonknox]

@@MattGreerMusic thanks man I got one coming in the mail 💪

[@MattGreerMusic]

Nice. Enjoy.

[@souzsifu]

how do i delete patterns once ive recorded them, or individual sounds in a pattern either or..

[@jonandersgaasland4241]

You can copy/delete patterns under the "system" button.

[@philtyrich1]

Nice machine just doestn have poly / mono so youcan make long samples cut off each other

[@kBarBeats]

yeah, bummer... but if u have good timing u can cut off the trigger manually, or set it to gate and hold it as long as u need. not perfect, but it helps make ur timing better hehe

[@philtyrich1]

@@kBarBeats I ended up getting a606

[@brokemanmusic2587]

So when you hit wave edit, do that mean you can trim your samples? & also you got put a BPM every time when you sample

[@MattGreerMusic]

Yes, that's correct. After you press Wave Edit then select "Loop" with the F1 button. You can then define the start and end point of your sample.

[@brokemanmusic2587]

@@MattGreerMusic thank you Mr green & please when you get a Change check out my beats

[@brokemanmusic2587]

@@MattGreerMusic you just help me out a lot in buying my next sampler & it going to be the sp 606

[@ramonepoo5290]

really digitakt

[@brokemanmusic2587]

Thank you for showing how this machine works oh & also this machine do not have U.S.B.

[@MattGreerMusic]

You're welcome

[@calculatingbeats5425]

Do you need the smart media card? Or is that just a backup for save files and exporting?

[@MattGreerMusic]

It's expanded storage in all ways but mostly it's for larger sample memory. The on board storage is like a minute of sample of time (or something like that) while the card expands that to 30 minutes - an hour. That's The main reason for having a card but you can also save projects to them.

[@calculatingbeats5425]

Oh ok awesome thankyou for letting me know i havent been able to find alot of info! Lucky im a subscriber to your channel

[@MattGreerMusic]

Word. Huge thanks for subscribing.

[@briansanders3860]

I am unable to record patterns using the chop bank. Is this normal? Is there an easy way to resample a chop bank as a user bank so that I can use it to record?

[@leftcloud9]

It is normal, unfortunately. When I get chops I want to use...I use the clipboard function to move it to one of the "normal" user banks, i.e. bank 10. Then it can be used in a sequence.

[@briansanders3860]

@@leftcloud9 thanks. I’ll have to look into how to use the clipboard function.

[@adeevision1297]

is this any good for playing guitar and vocal samples through ?

[@MattGreerMusic]

Definitely. Tons of cool effects in all the SP range.

[@IRNFZT]

Quick question, how do I get a chop to cut off when I hit the pad? Any help would be greatly appreciated

[@MattGreerMusic]

Do you mean having different samples "choke" the others or do you mean the sample stops playing when you take your finger off the pad?

[@IRNFZT]

@@MattGreerMusic Choke. Someone told me that they don't think SPs have that but he wasn't sure about it

[@MattGreerMusic]

@@IRNFZT Gotcha. Some SP's do have what they call Mute Groups which will allow yo to choke the samples like that but unfortunately the SP-505 is not one of them. I was disappointed when I figured that out.

[@middknight5202]

I saw that if you use the gated effect or mode on this you can get the same results. Could be wrong though

[@therealselfcare]

The 808 and 202 have analog pitch adjustment. That’s why they are smoother and more acurate. No artifacts

[@MushyBrainBeats]

Sp505 vs Sp606 wich one would u go for?

[@MattGreerMusic]

The 606 for sure.

[@calculatingbeats5425]

How did you change the pattern name?

[@MattGreerMusic]

If you press "record" button once it takes you to the record pattern setup screen where you adjust tempo, bar length etc etc. There will be a soft menu button that says "rename". This will let you rename your patterns :)

[@calculatingbeats5425]

@@MattGreerMusic oh wow thanks for that!

[@MattGreerMusic]

@@calculatingbeats5425 no worries.

[@heebone]

What about the effects

[@AnubisProd]

Thanks! Nice overview, there's one available for 375$ in my area...is it worth it?

[@MattGreerMusic]

Personally I wouldn't pay that much.

[@CarlitoM77]

@@MattGreerMusic What's the most you'd pay? There's one nearby me for $300. 🤔

[@MattGreerMusic]

$300

[@AnubisProd]

@@MattGreerMusic good, 375$ CAD so this was indeed a good price, I missed it

[@CarlitoM77]

@@MattGreerMusic Thanks for the demo and response! I'm picking it up tomorrow.

[@justinwilson178]

Any chance you could make a backup of the factory sound presets of the SP-505? I did a factory update and lost all my presets and now get a warning "Warning Please update presets" It's a brick until I can load up the factory sounds.

[@MattGreerMusic]

I'll see what I can do.

[@johnchesters81]

Mattern 🤣

[@dopedrums]

8 polyphony tho 😬

[@legend1143]

I wouldn't buy it to long wait time

[@dubbro222]

Shit

[@thirdstar9255]

Hey man, ANY IDEA ON HOW to have other sample pad banks play via MIDI IN, besides Bank 1? This seems to be a HUGE MYSTERY how to get your user banks (5&6 especially) to trigger! It's insanely frustrating!