KVR Audio

elxsound · Post by **elxsound** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 9:50 am

New Roland Groovebox

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/roland-sh-4d

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 9:59 am

Nice, Multi-engine, poly, decent sequencer (no song or chain though yet), battery powered option with USB C audio etc, lots of hands on controls, £500ish...will be a hit.

elxsound · Post by **elxsound** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 10:03 am

I was just writing on the Elektron boards that I’m surprised about the lack of song/chain mode. But like you say… not there yet.

It really should be there on release because that to me would make this one of the best portable groove boxes.

SLiC · Post by **SLiC** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 10:30 am

elxsound wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 10:03 am I was just writing on the Elektron boards that I’m surprised about the lack of song/chain mode. But like you say… not there yet.

It really should be there on release because that to me would make this one of the best portable groove boxes.

It is a surprise omission, I think this is aimed more as a 'synth module with a sequencer' but ticks all of the 'groove box' criteria for me other than song/chain mode...but lest face it, we we waited long enough with Elektron and they have to have something to add for their second wind V2 release which has been common with Roland. I'm a Syntakt user so this is in a similar camp, but I think the Syntakt is better in many respects, but I do like the hands on knobby interface on this and I don't currently haven't any Roland hardware so this may be a nice way to add some Roland flavour...

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 4:17 pm

Looks like the most interesting thing Roland has put out in a while IMO (aside from the SE-02, but I credit Studio Electronics for that). Loopop review/tutorial:

Goony · Post by **Goony** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 6:31 pm

Great sounding Desktop, been waiting for something like this from Roland for long time. Pre-Ordered.. ETA 31st March....

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 8:55 pm

Not for me, but it really does look well-featured and can see it being popular. Have to admit their models of old synths recently have been pretty good - and only pedants would be critical. Even their sync/ring mod etc is starting to sound acceptable - an area I find digital fails in horribly compared to analogue. The lack of song mode does seem bizarre, but all the other stuff makes this look quite good. That phone type gizmo to tilt the unit for XY pad stuff is a stroke of genius IMO, it's a gimmick but a bloody good one that even I would fall for. The only other fault I can find is the buttons instead of keyboard - possibly that would add cost, but they've gone to the effort of making what is basically a keyboard with buttons at the bottom, so just a little extra push and it could be a proper little synth that's a full-on Groovebox. Seems like they aspired big but bottled out at the last minute...

Roland have definitely been rising up from zombie state in the last few years. I've started paying attention to them recently, where they were off the radar for pretty well 2 decades of same-old regurgitation. Nice release.

Who's going to give me odds on their usual follow-ups of SH-4DD, SH-40D, SH-400D, SH-404D, SH-404DD(big bazooka edition)...ad infinitum.

BONES · Post by **BONES** » Thu Feb 23, 2023 11:52 pm

If this goes OK, it's possible but if it sinks like a stone, not a chance.

One thing I noticed, or didn't notice, is any reference to velocity modulation or aftertouch. It may be built into some of the models but there is nothing on the front panel. Nor have I seen any mention of a VST editor/librarian to save you from the tiny bult-in screen.

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 1:50 am

Yeah, editor/librarian would make sense, but maybe there's something in there that they just didn't advertise on that promo? There was a section on communicating with DAWs that made it look like it probably transfers stuff easily, but TBH I just skipped over that - looked like it transferred sequences and controller data etc seamlessly, so surely patches etc can be transferred too?

revvy · Post by **revvy** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 2:50 pm

Yes aftertouch.

Cool synth

Schmidi · Post by **Schmidi** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 3:21 pm

Alright, I'm impressed. Four parts of versatile synth, 1x drums, plus a few unique tricks (draw an OSC, "tilt" function {hey, it's better than a D-Beam!}). This is a desktop quick idea/sound machine ala the JDXi (with a VISIBLE color/text scheme!!!).

The one hesitation I have: Every Roland Groovebox I've used has had an underpowered CPU that caused timing glitches and hickups once you get all layers/channels running.

@BONES yeah it would be good to know that info. Roland always puts A LOT inside their menus and an editor would be nice. Hopefully it gets an unofficial editor eventually like most other gear these days.

** Velocity response confirmed @ 9:40 in the Sonic Lab video (see earlier post) by the Roland rep

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:18 pm

Yeah, I checked out a Starsky Carr review and he showed a full menu of midi CCs, so velocity and everything else is in there. Something like this makes more sense to me than the JunoX and other recent Roland repro synths. First off it's way better priced and looks to have more models than the others (at least as standard without buying/downloading more models). The sequencer is better from initial look too. Added stuff like make your own oscillators...it kinda blows JunoX, JupiterX out of the water in terms of value/features. Though obvs the others are proper keyboards. But it does look like a cracking little unit.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Fri Feb 24, 2023 11:55 pm

I will never understand why all these manufacturers keep putting out grooveboxes with no song mode. It just seems like a fundamental feature for any standalone box with a multitrack sequencer. Hopefully, Roland will add it soon, but since the TR-8S/6S never got it, I'm not hopeful that this unit will either (not that I really care, personally, since I don't plan on buying this, but I'm sure a lot of other people will want a song mode).

Goony · Post by **Goony** » Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:00 am

It’s not a groove box, it’s a synthesizer that happens to have a basic 64 step sequencer built in. Lots of other synths have sequencers with no chaining.

Clue is on the case “Sh-4d synthesizer”

revvy · Post by **revvy** » Sat Feb 25, 2023 12:04 pm

Yea, it says 'Synthesiser' and the Roland demo guy on SonicState pointed out it's 'not a groovebox'.

It's got 4 synth parts plus one muli-track rhythm part multitimbrality.

So I say - it's a shame this 5-part synth with sequencer hasn't got chaining. Still sounds good and looks easy to use tho. Cheers.

New Synth/Groovebox: Roland SH-4D