Roland revives the SH line (again) with the brand-new tabletop SH-4d synthesizer. Combing virtual analogue, digital synthesis, sample-based drums and a sequencer in one box, it’s packed with goodies! But, is it worthy of the SH name? And now with a 25% discount!

Roland SH-4d on sale with a 25 percent discount!

[Update: 02/21/2024] Only for a short time you can buy the Roland synthesizer SH-4d here at Thomann shop (affiliate) at a special price for only 469.00 USD with 25 % off. You can read more information about the synthesizer below in our review.

Roland SH-4d

Available for $ 469.00 at

Roland SH-4d – Standout Features

• Desktop synth
• Virtual Analogue/Digital synthesis engines
• Sample-based drums/rhythm section
• Dedicated MFX effects section for each slot
• Solid build quality

Roland SH-4d

[from February 23, 2023] Last year was a banner year for Roland, with 2022 being the company’s 50th anniversary. However, Roland didn’t release its first synthesizer, the SH-1000, until a year later, making 2023 the 50th synthesizer anniversary. Fitting then that it should choose this year to give us the SH-4d, a brand new, five-part multitimbral tabletop instrument that combines virtual analogue, digital synthesis, sample-based drums and a sequencer into a clean and compact form factor.

Powering the SH-4d is a new, proprietary sound engine. While there may be some similarities to ZEN-Core, particularly in the fact that there are multiple oscillator models at play here (more on these later), this new synth doesn’t integrate into the ZEN-Core ecosystem. Although I suspect it may share some Zen DNA, it should be thought of as a separate entity.

Look And Feel

Most SH synths, from the original SH-1000 to the uber-popular SH-101 and on up to the most recent, Gaia SH-01, have been keyboard instruments. The SH-4d is a desktop machine and so most closely resembles 2002’s SH-32, the outlier of the series. These days, electronic music producers want boxes for their tables, hence the SH-4d’s keyless form factor. This works perfectly for me as I already have more things with keyboards in my studio than I really need but whether this fits into your workflow will be something for you to decide.

There are plenty of hands-on controls, with knobs for the filter, amp, LFO and effects sections. The oscillator area is special, however, with four mixer-style sliders and buttons complementing the three knobs. Below the synthesis area is a row of LED-lit buttons for the step sequencer and additional parameters, the latter accessible with a shift button. Lastly, there’s an array of buttons across the bottom in the shape of a two-octave keyboard, which is more fun to play than expected. You can, of course, also use an external MIDI controller. An easily visible graphic LCD display completes the front panel.

The SH-4d looks dead cool, with a minimalistic, almost industrial black-and-white design that is miles smarter than many of their recent synths. It appears to have taken some design cues from the Jupiter-X and Xm although with much less colour. You’ll find the same high-quality knobs and buttons as those synths too, with a smooth metal face plate atop a plastic body. There’s a satisfying weight to it though and it doesn’t feel cheap in any way.

Making Connections

Solid build quality continues around the back, with quarter-inch stereo outputs and a headphone jack. There’s a mini jack for audio in (transmitted directly through to the output and not through the filter or effects, sadly) plus another mini jack for taking an external clock pulse. For the old-school producer, there are five-pin MIDI ports, both in and out, with a soft thru option configurable in the settings. Power is supplied by four AA batteries or USB-C, which can also transmit MIDI and audio. There’s no other power supply.

A Multitude of Oscillators

Rather than having just a single oscillator type, the SH-4d instead allows you to select one of 11 different oscillator models for each of the four synthesizers. These include both virtual analogue sound generators as well as traditional digital ones. Much like the MiniFreak, these then pass through filters and an amplifier, although the filter here is digital and not analogue.

Top of the oscillator list is the titular SH-4d model, a four-oscillator construction with various waveforms to mix and match. These include all the usual suspects (sine, sawtooth) plus some of Roland’s greatest hits like supersaw and the modulated sawtooth from the Alpha Juno. Nice.

Next is the SH-3. This a duplicate of the SH-4d model but it replaces one of the oscillators with an LFO. Given that there’s (frustratingly) only a single LFO in the main synthesis section, this is welcome indeed.

Rather than having oscillator sync as a general function, Roland has opted to make Sync its own oscillator model. This virtual analogue oscillator includes a dedicated pitch envelope. They’ve done a similar thing with ring modulation, with a specified Ring model, and chords with Chord.

Analogue Emulations

As it’s done with other recent synths, Roland has also included two popular analogue emulation models. Both the SH-101 and Juno-106 get their oscillators recreated here.

Interestingly, Roland has packed in a whole host of digital oscillator models, including Cross FM (a two-operator FM synth), Wavetable with modulatable wavetable position, a model called Drawing that lets you (you guessed it) draw out your own waveform, plus a small selection of stackable PCM waves.

Lastly, there’s the rhythm part, which is organized into kits of sampled waveforms. More than just an afterthought, the drum section offers north of 480 waveforms, which you can double up, affect with a pitch envelope, and then pass through the filter and amp sections. While it would have been nice to see the FM percussion engine from the TR-8S included, the sample-based system is fairly flexible already.

Working With Oscillators

With such a variety of oscillator engines on hand, Roland has done a commendable job creating an intuitive and adaptable interface for working with them all. When you select an oscillator with the Model knob, the display changes, with pertinent information illustrated graphically. You can make adjustments using the two main parameter knobs plus the sliders, knobs and buttons in the oscillator section, whose functions change depending on the loaded model. It’s all very elegant and goes a long way towards making the SH-4d such a joy to use.

Note that while the SH-4d is multitimbral, there doesn’t seem to be a way to stack all of the tone levels and play them simultaneously like with the Jupiter-X or Juno-X. Think of it as four synths in a box rather than a single, super synth.

Synthesis Signal Path

Once the sound leaves the oscillator section, it passes through the digital filter. In traditional Roland fashion, this includes a dedicated, non-resonant -6dB/Octave highpass filter, and then a resonant multimode filter, with -24dB/Oct lowpass, -12dB/Oct bandpass, and -24db/Oct highpass options. The filter is solid-sounding, with a smoothness that works well across all the oscillator types. For a little more power, there’s a drive circuit for extra oomph. The filter also has a dedicated ADSR envelope, which is always nice to have.

Next comes the amplifier, with ADSR envelope plus pan and level amounts. As mentioned before, there’s only one LFO, although it does offer a variety of shapes, plus a Fade knob for delaying its start. LFO can be sent to pitch, filter and amp. Additional modulation routings can be made with the mod matrix, which changes accordingly depending on the oscillator model. It would have been nice to have a few more LFOs and another envelope at this stage though.

Effects In Effects

You want effects? You’ve got them. There’s an MFX slot for each tone and rhythm section. Going up, the pattern level has a chorus, delay and reverb, plus another MFX slot. If you’re unfamiliar with MFX, it’s Roland’s package of 93 effects, with just about every possible example, from EQ to multis, you could want.

Speaking of EQ, there’s also one for each tone and rhythm instrument, plus an overall system EQ at the end. Throw in a global compressor and this all adds up to some serious tone-shaping possibilities.

Don’t Call It A Groovebox

With the sequencer occupying the top level of the OS, you’d imagine that the sequencer section would be pretty robust. Yes and no. There’s plenty of fun to be had, for sure. You can record sequences up to 64 steps long and input notes via steps or live. It supports probability and ratcheting, making it a solid choice for Berlin School-type jams. You can also record your knob twiddles live or per step.

With four synthesizer lanes plus a rhythm section, you’d be forgiven for thinking of this as a groovebox. So is it? You could certainly use it as such, but without pattern chaining or a song mode, the SH-4d is more geared towards jamming and live performance than song creation. This continues with the arpeggio. Although it’s not a “smart” one like on the recent X instruments, it’s far from dumb as well, with five types plus loads of configurability.

Playful Fun

You might not know it by looking at the workmanlike layout and classic design aesthetics, but the SH-4d has a playful side. Hidden in the main menu is the Visual Arpeggio. Essentially Easter eggs, these offer a variety of scenarios that turn the SH-4d into a game console. Fancy an old-school game of Pong? Wish you could use a synth like an Etch-A-Sketch? Now you can.

More useful, perhaps, is the D-Motion function. Readers of a certain age will remember Roland’s D-Beam controller, where you wave your hand over an infrared beam of light to control synth parameters. D-Motion is similar but instead of waving your hand, you wave the entire instrument itself around in the air, with internal motion sensors reacting to movement. Shake it like a Polaroid picture but don’t lose your grip!

Is The SH-4d For You?

I’m primarily an electronic music producer so after playing with the SH-4d for just a short time, I was hooked. Much like the Juno-X, the sounds, the presets, the focus is on electronic music. Techno pioneer Carl Craig even appears in some promotional materials for the SH-4d. If you don’t techno for an answer then it might not be the instrument for you.

Or maybe it could be. Presets don’t make or break an instrument. And there’s plenty here for even the non-dance music producer to love. With its huge variety of oscillator types, ease of use, and gorgeous sound, it’s sure to find plenty of fans both inside and outside the dance club. It’s also fairly affordable.

If you like to jam DAWless, appreciate a variety of sound types, and don’t need another set of keys, this is the box for you. Just be sure and get a pair of fingerless driving gloves for working with the D-Motion.

Price and availability

You can order Roland’s SH-4d now from Thomann* for 599.00 Euros.

Roland SH-4d

Customer rating:

(4)

Available for 519.00 € at

More information about the Roland SH-4d

• Roland Website
• More on Roland

Videos about the synthesiser

The post Review: Roland SH-4d – now with a 25% discount! appeared first on gearnews.com.

We look into the creative process of world-renowned and critically acclaimed drummer, singer, songwriter, and producer Phil Collins.

After developing a reputation as a session drummer and a key member of the English progressive rock band, Genesis, Phil Collins began his career as a solo artist.

The Phil Collins Sound

He may have been unaware, but looking back, the timing of this foray was ideal. The period in the late 1970s and early 1980s was completely revolutionary for the recording industry, with so many new creative musical tools introduced onto the market.

Another interesting aspect of Phil Collins’ approach to music production is that he never intended to write hits initially. Rather than fame or commercial success, he simply saw his solo project as an artistic outlet that offered him the freedom of expression he wanted.

Roland CompuRhythm CR-78

Introduced by Roland in 1978, the CompuRhythm CR-78 was the first-ever microprocessor-controlled drum machine. Although limited, it has the ability to select and vary 34 different rhythm patterns.

With its intuitive interface, the CR-78 became an absolutely integral part of Phil’s songwriting process. He would start by selecting the rhythm part with the right “atmosphere” as he put it, and setting the tempo to match the feel he had in mind.

With the tape machine running, the CR-78 was always positioned just next to Phil’s drum kit. This way, he could play drums and sing over the unrelenting loops created by the CR-78, building ideas and arrangement concepts as he went.

If you’re looking for the classic CompuRhythm sound with all its familiar drum patterns, the Cherry Audio CR-78 plug-in provides an easy way to recreate it in your DAW.

• The History Of Roland

Cherry Audio CR-78 Drum Machine Download No customer rating available yet

Available for 49.00 € at

Sequential Circuits Prophet-5

When Phil went solo in the late 1970s, there wasn’t a massive range of polyphonic synths available like we have today. That being said, many of us would likely still prefer a Prophet-5 over many modern options.

The illustrious Prophet 5 was still quite new on the market when Phil began work on his debut album. With its simple controls and 5-voice architecture, you can generate anything from innocuous to outrageous sounds.

The beauty of the Prophet is that it’s easy to program, and like the Oberheim OB-8 he also acquired later, it always managed to sound interesting, whether it was placed in the background or the foreground of the mix.

You can hear the famous Prophet-5 chord sequence in the intro of In The Air Tonight, where it becomes the foundation of the song, along with the CR-78. The Sequential Prophet-5 is still in production as a reissue that can mimic the original’s various revisions.

• The History Of Sequential

Sequential Prophet 5

Customer rating:

(14)

Available for 3,799.00 € at

Roland VP-330 Vocoder Plus

The VP-330 Vocoder Plus is another exciting instrument used by Phil Collins on his debut solo recordings, notably on In The Air Tonight. This sought-after instrument combines a paraphonic 10-band vocoder and a string synthesizer.

With the VP-330, you don’t actually have access to control each individual band. However, the presets sound great, and when combined with the BBD Ensemble effect, you can produce a hauntingly beautiful sound.

The fact that the VP-330 is relatively easy to use would have suited Phil nicely when putting together his first record, Face Value. His improvisational song and lyric writing style relies on spontaneity, so highly technical interfaces can sometimes hinder this.

As a modern alternative, the Behringer VC340 gives you the same authentic sound with an almost identical interface. Its limitation could well be a catalyst for creativity when making any style of music.

• More about Behringer clones

Behringer Vocoder VC340

Customer rating:

(106)

Available for 498.00 € at

SSL Listen Mic Compressor

Like most of the creatively groundbreaking aspects of the early Phil Collins records, the ideas came together while simply “messing around”. Similarly, the famous Phil Collins gated drum sound has an origin story that is also unintentional.

In 1979, engineer Hugh Padgham was working on a Phil Collins drum session for Peter Gabriel’s third solo album at Townhouse Studio in London. By accident, the talkback mic was left active while Phil was playing, resulting in a thunderous effect.

As the talkback circuit in the SSL 4000 B console couldn’t be patched into the recording path, Padgham promptly rewired it, allowing his mistake with the Listen Mic Compressor to be used creatively.

What we hear on the subsequent Phil Collins drum recordings is a more evolved version of this, with the addition of the recording console’s noise gate implemented.

• More about Analogue Consoles

SSL LMC+ Download

Customer rating:

(2)

Available for 135.00 € at

AMS RMX16

The AMS RMX16 is a legendary digital reverb introduced in the early 1980s that Phil Collins was an early adopter of. It offered a selection of great-sounding reverbs and ambiences, with the now legendary non-linear algorithm that worked well on drums.

Once again, the interface is certainly Phil Collins friendly, offering easy operation and the ability to save your own presets. This allows the RMX16 to be used creatively rather than clinically, which suited Phil’s songwriting process.

At the time, there simply weren’t microprocessor-controlled reverb units like the RMX16 around that gave you both precision and flexibility. So it’s no surprise that it’s still a sought-after reverb in both plug-in and hardware format today.

In recent years, AMS Neve has created a 500-series reissue of the RMX16 with a similar interface and the same reverb algorithms, a great addition to any studio setup.

• More about 1980s Reverb

AMS RMX16

Customer rating:

(2)

Available for 1,369.00 € at

Which of your favourite artists would you like to see in our Sound-alike series? Please let us know in the comments below!

More about Phil Collins:

• Official Artist Page
• More Sound-alikes

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post I Can Feel It: How To Sound Like Phil Collins appeared first on gearnews.com.

There are some great savings to be had this week for all you rhythm junkies with superb deals on a quality e-Drum kit, a legendary pad unit and a totally unique drum machine.

This week we have something from each electronic drum food group for you to save some serious cash on. Let’s dive in and give you the lowdown and these superb deals.

Gewa G3 Pro 5 e-Drum Kit

There’s a growing trend for full-size e-Drum kits and Gewa is making a serious mark at the upper end of that market. The G3 Pro 5 is a superb entry into their world with a gorgeous-looking kit. It sounds great too, with over 900 sounds, 40 preset kits and space for creating 128 more kits of your own. Each instrument can contain up to 100 multi-samples!

Being of German origin, Gewa took pride in sampling their own sounds in Berlin’s legendary Funkhaus. Their solid drum brain also utilises 3D Sonic Imaging for a realistic surround sound. A slew of effects, compression and EQ are accompanied by a multitude of connections and a built-in, 2in/6out USB audio interface.

The kit comprises multi-zone pads and cymbals and also includes all the stands. The Gewa G3 Pro 5 is a complete package that truly impresses both visually and sonically.

• The Gewa G3 Pro 5 is the e-Drum Deal of the Week at Thomann at €2,297
• More from Gewa

Gewa G3 Pro 5

Customer rating:

(1)

Available for 2,297.00 € at

Elektron Model:Cycles

The Elektron Model:Cycles is an FM-based 6 track groove box from one of the most innovative manufacturers today. Using a similar workflow to other Elektron units (think Digitakt, etc.), the Model:Cycles gives you the punch, power and digital crispness of FM.

But don’t be fooled by its digital leanings. The Model:Cycles can sound thick and warm too. Using dedicated Color, Shape and Contour features, you can mould the sounds to your tastes, whatever genre you’re working in.

The Model:Cycles can store 96 projects onboard with 96 patterns per project. Delay and reverb effects are built-in and any of its six tracks can also be used as MIDI tracks. But it isn’t just drums that the Model:Cycles can handle. You can create melodic bass lines and chords. So this is a great compositional tool and not just a drum machine!

• Save 17.5% on the Elektron Model:Cycles now at €329
• More from Elektron

Elektron Model:Cycles

Customer rating:

(142)

Available for 329.00 € at

Roland SPD-SX PRO Sampling Pad

The Roland SPD pad family has been around for nigh on 40 years. It’s an accepted standard for most live drummers, adding huge range and variety to the sounds they can play. The SPD-SX Pro has built-in sampling which means you can upload almost anything you want.

There are six full-size pads and three edge pads, all of which feature RGB lighting for ease of use in the dark and easy identification of zones. You can even attach a separate hi-hat controller pedal or an expression pedal for even greater control.

The SPD-SX Pro comes with over 1550 samples and sounds, 43 preset kits (which are erasable) and space for 157 user kits. That’s 200 kits in total! It has 32GB of internal storage for your own samples, backing tracks and click tracks.

Navigating the SPD-SX Pro is easy, using its 4.3″ colour display. There’s also an app for Windows and Mac for importing your samples and managing your kits.

• Save 25% on the Roland SPD-SX PRO Sampling Pad now at €895
• More from Roland

Roland SPD-SX PRO Sampling Pad

Customer rating:

(49)

Available for 895.00 € at

*Note: percentage discounts may vary according to your region and currency conversion rates on the day of purchase. Displayed percentage discounts are guidelines only.

**Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post e-Drum Deals: Up to 25% Discount on Gewa, Roland & Elektron! appeared first on gearnews.com.

If you’ve got keyboard skills, or even if you don’t, workstations provide an amazing set of tools for creating music. To help you navigate this process, we’ve selected some of the best workstation keyboards under $2500.

Workstations became extremely popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when producers like Timbaland and Scott Storch dominated the charts with the sounds from workstations from Yamaha and Korg.

As music moved into the button-bashing phase, the keyboard-driven production style waned in popularity. It’s still, however, a very effective way to get a unique and dynamic feel into the core of your tracks.

Choosing the best workstation keyboards under $2500

With the overall sound engine quality as a priority, we’ve selected keyboards based on sound creation and synthesis capabilities, arrangement and production features, as well as live performance functionality.

Yamaha MODX8+

The MODX8+ is an 88-key GHS (Graded Hammer Standard) synth workstation keyboard with Yamaha’s advanced Motion control synthesis engine.

There are 2 parts to this engine, each with 128 voices:

• The AWM2 (2nd-Gen Advanced Wave Memory) section with 5.67 GB of ROM waveforms and an additional 1.75 GB of flash ROM for user waveforms
• The incredibly powerful 8-operator FM-X synthesis engine with 88 algorithms

In addition, the MODX8+ has built-in effects and EQ for both the individual parts and the master section and a bank of over 2000 performance presets.

• More from Yamaha

Yamaha MODX8+

Customer rating:

(7)

Available for 1,699.00 € at

Roland Fantom-08

With the Fantom-08, you get an extremely versatile instrument with features for both music production and live performance. It’s equipped with an 88-key PHA-4 (Progressive Hammer Action) keyboard, 256-voice polyphony, and five sound engines.

Apart from the impressive sound library and sound-shaping tools, you also get a 32-band vocoder, an 8-voice pad sampler, and the onboard 16-track sequencer with step recording and TR drum programming.

The fun part about the Fantom series is you get a great collection of sound from classic Roland synths. When combined with the rhythm pattern creator, arpeggiator, or chord memory function, this can be seriously fun.

• More from Roland

Roland Fantom-08

Customer rating:

(10)

Available for 1,659.00 € at

AKAI MPC Key 61

The AKAI MPC Key 61 is a complete music production and DAW control platform with recording, sequencing, sampling, and synthesis capabilities. Although the MPC Keys can do it all, it can still become the center of your studio or keyboard rig.

With MIDI I/O, CV/Gate outputs, and an additional set of outputs, you can sequence other instruments, connect your Eurorack synth, or incorporate your outboard gear into your workflow.

As an instrument, the MPC Keys allows you to get started immediately with 25 instrument plug-ins, over 6000 preset sounds, and 100 different multi-effects.

• More from AKAI

AKAI Professional MPC Key 61

Customer rating:

(16)

Available for 1,298.00 € at

Korg Nautilus 88

If you’re looking for a complete keyboard-driven music production system, the Nautilus 88 provides creative tools in almost every aspect.

With up to 200-voice polyphony and 9 sound engines including SGX-2, EP-1, HD-1, AL-1, CX-3, STR-1, MOD-7, MS-20EX and PolysixEX, you’re well equipped to take on most modern music styles.

Apart from the 16-track sequencer, the Nautilus also provides sampling capabilities and a 24-bit 48kHz 16-track audio recorder with 16 different effects processors and 3-band EQ on every channel.

Korg Nautilus 88

Customer rating:

(5)

Available for 2,499.00 € at

• More from KORG

Kurzweil K2700

The K2700 is an incredibly versatile instrument from the expressive 88-key Fatar TP/40L keyboard to the realistic Kurzweil sound engines onboard.

These include the V.A.S.T, 6-operator FM, and VA1 Virtual Analogue synthesis engines, the KB3 ToneReal organ, and K.S.R. (Kurzweil String Resonance) modeling technology.

The K2700 has a 16-track sequencer and also offers a MIDI CC sequencer for automation which is useful, and the comprehensive effects section gives you so much creative power.

• More from Kurzweil

Kurzweil K2700

Customer rating:

(11)

Available for 2,879.00 € at

More about Workstation Keyboards:

• More about keyboards
• All about synths

Video:

*Note: This article contains affiliate links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post The Best Workstation Keyboards under $2500 appeared first on gearnews.com.

Three great deals from two of the market leaders in e-Drums, Alesis & Roland, with two kits and a really useful trigger pad!

This week we have three great deals on a couple of e-Drum kits and a super useful sample-based drum trigger pad. Prepare to save some serious cash!

Alesis Nitro Max e-Drum Kit

I raved about this kit back in October of last year. The Alesis Nitro Max represents superb value for money even when it is at full price. Now it is discounted by over €175 EUR*!

The Nitro Max is a great practice kit which features mesh heads all-round and a chokable crash cymbal. All of these are mounted on a sturdy tubular rack which folds up very compactly when not in use.

The kit comes with a very well featured brain, stuffed full of sounds from the BFD sample library. It has Bluetooth audio streaming, a handy device holder and USB MIDI. You can even expand it with the Nitro expansion kit!

Alesis Nitro Max Kit

Customer rating:

(6)

Available for 399.00 € at

Alesis Nitro Max Expansion Pack

Customer rating:

(4)

Available for 119.00 € at

• Save 30% on the Alesis Nitro Max e-Drum Kit now at €399
• More from Alesis

Roland TD-17KV2 e-Drum Kit

Roland are synonymous with e-Drums since launching their V-Drum range in the 1990s. They are also known for their premium pricing and with good reason. Roland gear is top-quality stuff and now, with this discount, you can get into the Roland e-Drum ecosystem for less!

With a saving of over €400 EUR*, the TD-17KV2 gives you a full mesh head kit with a drum brain that features samples from the range-topping TD-50. That means great feel and great sounds! Everything is hung off a sturdy tubular rack. You will need to buy your own kick pedal. You can use the money you save to buy one!

The drum brain is already packed with preset drums and kits but you can even load your own samples and create your own. There’s a ton of connectivity too, including Bluetooth for wireless audio.

Roland TD-17KV2 E-Drum Set

Customer rating:

(8)

Available for 1,398.00 € at

• Save 22% on the Roland TD-17KV2 now at €1,398
• More from Roland

Roland SPD::ONE WAV

A second deal from the mighty Roland comes in the form of the cute SPD::ONE WAV. It’s a simple and versatile tool that’s not just for drummers. It is playable with sticks, hands or feet.

The SPD::ONE WAV features 4GB of internal storage into which you can upload 12 WAV samples with 1 click track each. The click track only appears at the headphone socket. Samples can be one-shot or phrases, giving you loads of flexibility.

It is mountable on a drum kit, rack or pedal board. Power comes from 4x AA batteries or an AC power supply (not included). Outputs include a stereo out and headphones for monitoring. The micro USB port provides both MIDI and data transfer.

The Roland SPD::ONE WAV is currently available with a €100+ EUR* discount!

Roland SPD::ONE Wav

Customer rating:

(29)

Available for 262.00 € at

• Save 22% on the Roland SPD::ONE WAV now at €262
• More from Roland

*Note: percentage discounts may vary according to your region and currency conversion rates on the day of purchase. Displayed percentage discounts are guidelines only.

**Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post e-Drum Deals from Alesis and Roland: Kits and Pads appeared first on gearnews.com.

Until February 29, you can save up to 70% with the Softube February Sale on software plug-ins for music production, mixing, and mastering.

Softube is a renowned developer of analogue modeling instruments and processing plug-ins. Whether you need tools for mixing, mastering, or creating music, Softube offers an authentic-sounding solution for your DAW.

Softube February Sale

Softube February Sale

Available for check all deals at

Starting from only $45, you can get new Softube additions to your plug-in library in the form of softsynths, EQs, compressors, and other creative effects. You can shop the entire sale here with this link, and we’ll take a closer look at some of the highlights:

Model 84

The Softube Model 84 brings the iconic Roland JUNO-106 to your DAW with the same lush warm sound associated with this classic synth. What’s more, all the original controls are on deck to recreate that analogue experience.

The Model 84 also has a few extra touches like unison, as well as velocity and aftertouch support. Here, you can add more expression when playing, affecting the VCA, PWM, and filter.

• Get 50% off the Softube Model 84 now at $69

Softube Model 84

Available for $69 at

Weiss MM-1

Weiss Engineering specializes in ultra high-end audio tools for mastering audio in various formats. The Softube Weiss collection is a range of software plug-ins meticulously modelled on these prestigious hardware units.

With the MM-1 mastering maximizer, you get an easy-to-use but highly effective finalizing processor inspired by the Weiss DS1. Quickly take control of your master bus with five limiter modes and controls to set the amount of processing you need.

• Save 65% on the Weiss MM-1 now at $69

Softube Weiss MM-1

Available for $69 at

Drawmer S73 Intelligent Master Processor

The S73 IMP is a condensed and versatile mastering plug-in based on the Drawmer 1973 3-Band FET Stereo Compressor. With its ten different processing modes, you can use it to add glue to your entire mix, or enhance channel groups and individual tracks.

Moreover, the controls are simple enough so that it doesn’t get in the way of your creative process when producing music. Instead, you have a powerful dynamics enhancer tool that can deliver great results, no matter your audio experience level.

• Get 49% off the Softube Drawmer S73 Intelligent Master Processor now at $45

Softube Drawmer S73 Intelligent Master Processor

Available for $45 at

More about the Softube February Sale:

• Shop the Sale
• More Deals

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post Get up to 70% off with the Softube February Sale for a limited time. appeared first on gearnews.com.

Dub pioneer Lee Scratch Perry was a mystical figure who had a major influence on recording and electronic music culture in many ways.

Like his music, Perry was a man of many colours and he went through different phases throughout his career. He began working with labels like Studio One and Amalgamated Records, before forming his own label, Upsetter Records, in 1968.

This was a particularly tumultuous time during which Perry broke ground by releasing controversial singles like People Funny Boy and Run for Cover that took shots at figures within the music industry.

He also achieved success with his studio band, The Upsetters, with an instrumental called The Return of Django in 1969. However, it was his haunting and outlandish production of The Wailers’ single Mr Brown that would set the tone for his future work as a producer.

The Lee Scratch Perry Sound

As an artist, engineer, and producer of music styles such as Dub, Reggae, and Rocksteady Soul, Perry was prolific, notably working with Bob Marley, Junior Murvin, Max Romeo, Eric Gale, and many others in his famous Black Ark Studio from 1973 to 1978.

Like many artists in Jamaica at the time, Perry didn’t have access to the latest studio gear. This didn’t bother him or hold him back, though. In fact, he developed his profoundly unique methodology by working on decidedly average equipment, as well as handmade and modified gear with a few interesting pieces here and there.

TEAC A3340

In the days of Lee Perry’s Black Ark Studio, the TEAC A3340 was the main tape recorder used in sessions, along with another TEAC 2-track recorder for mixing down.

The A3340 was a quarter-inch 4-track tape machine that was released in 1972 for semi-professional or home recording use, and quickly became a hit amongst artists and was widely used throughout the 1970s.

While Perry’s apparent practice of breathing the smoke from a certain medicinal plant onto his tape reels may have worked wonders for him, there’s no tangible evidence of its effect on the sound.

You too can take the tape route, and with a correctly calibrated machine and good-quality tape. Alternatively, the T-Racks Tascam Tape Collection from IK Multimedia has a detailed software recreation of the A3340.

• More about Tape

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RTM LPR 35 1/4″ 1100m Plastic Reel

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Grampian 636 Spring Reverb

While some dub artists like Mad Professor condemned spring reverb, the Grampian 636 was a main fixture in the Black Ark Studio, imbuing its character on many recordings.

For a spring reverb, the 636 is unbelievably clean-sounding and creates a sense of space without allowing sounds to get lost in the mix. Another key aspect of the 636’s allure is its preamp, which can subtly introduce colour or create distortion effects.

The key to using spring reverb in a dub context is to use it as a parallel effect on the aux sends of a mixing desk. This gives you real-time control to send any channel to the spring reverb in varying amounts.

The 636 and its subsequent recreations have always been sought-after pieces of studio kit, but never before has it been more accessible than the Behringer Spring Reverberation 636.

• More about Spring Reverb

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Roland Space Echo RE-201

The Roland Space Echo was first introduced in 1974, making it a prime Black Ark era piece of gear. It combines a tape echo and a spring reverb in one easy-to-use and very tweakable unit.

The main control knob selects a different configuration of tape heads, spring reverb settings, or a combination of both. Meanwhile, the range of knobs includes EQ for the reverb, and intensity and rate controls for the tape echo.

Besides its unique sound, the Space Echo is popular because it allows you to easily manipulate sounds with a performance-orientated approach. For this reason, it is a perfect tool for dub music and essential to Lee Perry’s sound.

A more compact, and lightweight option is the Boss RE-202, which adds controls for Saturation and Wow & Flutter. Meanwhile, there are many other ways to create the sound of the Space Echo, so be sure to check out this post for more details.

• Space Echo Alternatives

Boss RE-202 Space Echo Delay/Reverb

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Mu-Tron Bi-Phase

Another key aspect of the Lee Perry sound is the Mu-Tron Bi-Phase pedal that he used for delay effects. Unsurprisingly, the Bi-Phase was also released in 1974, using photocell circuitry which offered a wider dynamic range than the average FET phaser.

One of the core elements that makes the Bi-Phase unique is the feedback controls. This allows you to emphasize the peaks within the phase shift loop where no cancellation was present, resulting in that fat, colourful sound we love.

The Bi-Phase is particularly effective when stacked on dub delays, so each step is coloured in a slightly different way. The beauty of the effect is that it’s far from being a one-trick pony, hence the range of artists that have created great sounds with Bi-Phase also includes Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins.

As a modern alternative, the Behringer Dual-Phase gives you a recreation of the Bi-Phase without paying vintage prices, and it also has CV input for external control.

• More about Phaser Effects

Behringer Dual-Phase

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Alice Mixing Console

Finally, at the center of the Black Ark Studio, was an Alice Mixing Console. This colourful-looking board was in fact designed for broadcast purposes and never regarded as a professional console by Lee Perry.

However, although they lack the same routing options as recording consoles, broadcast desks are generally equipped with great preamps and EQs due to the focus on speech intelligibility.

Moreover, Alice consoles specifically had impressive headroom for mixers in the 1970s in their price range. What’s more, there was a built-in stereo limiter on the output which ensured that your signal didn’t melt the tape.

Which mixing desk should you use for creating dub music? Undoubtedly, one with a wealth of aux sends like the Allen & Heath MixWizard WZ4.

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Allen & Heath WZ4 16:2

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Which of your favourite artists would you like to see in our Sound-alike series? Please let us know in the comments below!

More about Lee Scratch Perry:

• Lee Perry’s Linktree
• More Sound-alikes
• Creating dub delays

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post The Upsetter: How To Sound Like Lee Scratch Perry appeared first on gearnews.com.

We’re looking at SP-1200 Alternatives for classic sample-based music production like Daft Punk, The Prodigy, Wu-Tang Clan, DJ Premier, and A Tribe Called Quest.

The E-mu SP-1200 is an 8-voice 12-bit 26040 kHz sampler with 10 seconds of sample time that rose to popularity in the late 1980s. Like the famous Emulator II keyboard, the SP-1200 combined lo-fi sampling with an analogue filter section, which produced a unique sound.

In the case of the SP-1200, the SSM2044 analogue filter used was similar to that of the KORG PolySix, Octave Plateau Voyetra 8, and the PPG Wave. However, it did not have a resonance control like these aforementioned iconic synths.

The SP-1200’s sound became the reason it gained a cult-like following among hip-hop and electronic music producers. Moreover, when combined with the AKAI S950 sampler from the same era, it provided a unique workflow for those sampling from vinyl.

SP-1200 Alternatives

In the current vintage gear collector’s market, getting hold of an original SP-1200 will probably set you back around $6000. But one has to ask, do you really have to spend that kind of money just to get a similar punchy, warm, lo-fi drum sound?

As we are firmly in the post-production era of music, there are many ways to affect and manipulate digital audio that simply weren’t possible in the golden age of Hip-Hop or the early days of the warehouse rave movement.

Does this mean artists are more creative? Nope, but it makes certain aspects of the process like the fight for longer sampling time completely redundant. Let’s check out a few ways that you can take a similar creative and sonic approach to the iconic SP-1200 users:

TAL-Drum

From Ableton and FL Studio to Reason and Logic Pro, most DAW systems come with excellent sampler plug-ins. With a combination of a bit reduction plug-in and an analogue-style low-pass filter, you can give your sounds more grit and character.

That being said, if you want a plug-in that’s inspired by 1980s samplers like the SP-1200, the TAL-Drum provides a complete platform for modeling that old-school one-shot sampler style in one plug-in.

One of its most interesting features is the LO-FI section, with variable sample rate and bit depth, as well as Compand, Jitter, and Hiss controls to add that extra layer of authenticity.

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TAL-Drum

Available for $60 at

Sonicware LIVEN Lo-Fi 12

The LIVEN Lo-Fi 12 is a 4-track sample sequencer with plenty of sound manipulation options as well as aspects that compare and contrast with the classic SP-1200.

You can operate in 16 or 12-bit mode, and run at either 12 or 24-kHz sample rates. The major difference is that the sequencer allows not only chromatic mode, but also per-step sample triggering. Overall, this opens up the creative scope of the Lo-Fi 12 considerably.

On each track, there are 11 effects you can use, including delay, chorus, tremolo, flanger, bit crusher, compressor, HP and LP filters, tilt EQ, and isolator. Meanwhile, there are eight master effects such as reverb, arena, tunnel, room, and plate, as well as cassette and vinyl simulator effects.

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Sonicware LIVEN Lofi-12

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Roland SP-404 MKII

Although it’s a completely different animal to the SP-1200 in many ways, it would be impossible to mention lo-fi sample-based beatmaking without inviting the Roland SP-404 to the party.

It’s portable, for starters, and the classic pad grid makes it an exciting creative tool for loop creation. Moreover, its wealth of effects allows you to achieve an impressive level of depth and texture without additional processing.

Its sequencer might not be the most intelligent beast, but once you’ve tamed it, you can create patterns with relative ease. What’s more, with 16 GB of internal storage and an SD card slot you’ll always have room to expand your sample library.

• The History of Roland

Roland SP-404MKII

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Elektron Octatrack MKII

It doesn’t have a truckload of tasty onboard effects, and you’ll quickly develop a love/hate relationship with its interface. However, the Octatrack MKII is still an incredible creative instrument with features that no other sampler or drum machine has.

As a sampler, its slicing and time-stretching features are impressive, and you can create custom workflows for both creating beats and performing live. When combined with its powerful sequencer, the Octatrack can easily become the focal point of your studio or stage setup.

Its ability to route audio or MIDI provides a platform for different styles of music, and the crossfader tool is an amazing piece of design that encourages you to work in a performance-orientated fashion.

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Elektron Octatrack MKII Black

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ISLA Instruments S2400

When you have to have the authentic SP-1200 experience, the ISLA Instruments S2400 has the same fader-focussed interface and a range of features to replicate or even improve on the classic sampler design.

The S2400 sampling engine provides a Classic mono 12-bit 26Khz mode and a Hi-Fi 16-bit 48Khz sample mode that can be varied over each of the 32 sample slots.

Besides the authentic SP-1200-style anti-aliasing filters, the S2400 is also equipped with a flexible sequencer. This offers a range of triggering methods, including TR-style input, as well as 32 polyphonic audio tracks and 32 MIDI tracks for sequencing other instruments.

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ISLA Instruments S2400

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Still not impressed?

The SP-1200’s original designer Dave Rossum offers a modern reissue through his own company Rossum Electro-Music. Be warned though, that it does come with a $4000 price tag.

More about SP-1200 Alternatives:

• All about E-mu
• Rossum Electro-Music
• More about Samplers

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post SP-1200 Alternatives for Sample-based Beatmaking appeared first on gearnews.com.

Cancel culture is something we see everywhere today. But surely, it wouldn’t happen to some of our favourite artists? From The Beatles to Rage Against The Machine, here’s why these songs were hated at release. 

Cancel Culture: Why were these all-time classics hated at release?

Rock music has never been far away from controversy, but isn’t that kind of the point? It doesn’t take a lot to upset your enemies or even your fans. Amps too loud, lyrics too strong, hair too long. It seems you can’t win.

However, even some of the most clean-cut artists over the years have experienced some form of cancel culture. Popular opinion has been quick to divide listeners. Let’s delve into the rights and wrongs of these 5 all-time classic hits, and why they might have been disapproved of once upon a time.

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds – The Beatles

Our first look at cancel culture comes from The Beatles’ revolutionary 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, but how could the Fab Four ever cause uproar?

It appeared that the title was far too much for a somewhat naive late-60s audience. Speculation that the title of the track was a reference to ‘LSD‘, a popular term for the hallucinogenic substance. Although not shy with such pastimes, the group insisted that the track had much more innocent foundations.

Unfortunately, the BBC banned the track. An early form of cancel culture? Despite the song being inspired by a poem that was written by John Lennon‘s son, Julian, called ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’. Oh, the poor girl with kaleidoscope eyes never meant such malice.

Moreover, throughout the recording of the track, George Harrison uses his Rocky Fender Stratocaster. Complete with custom psychedelic paintwork and a Leslie speaker. Both of which are pretty hard to get hold of today, unless you get creative:

Axe Heaven George Harrison Rocky No customer rating available yet

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Cancel Culture: God Save The Queen – Sex Pistols

Secondly, we’re looking at arguably one of the Sex Pistols’ most well-known numbers. The group were never far away from unpopular opinion, in-fact they were at the very centre of it. How could a basic rock riff in A hurt?

Today, cancel culture can occur as a result of an ill-timed social media post. However, this 1977  politically punk-fuled record featured treason which was disliked very much by a then-patriotic British public. Released during the Silver Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II, the group ended up with a total ban on the song.

Furthermore, the ban on air-time only resulted in increased popularity. In addition to radio silence, popular record shops, such as Boots and Woolworths, refused to sell it. Speculations therefore arose at the time that there was a fix in the charts, as it never officially reached the number 1 slot despite massive sales.

The opening bars feature Steve Jones on guitar, blasting out of his 1972 Fender Twin Reverb amplifier. You can’t get hold of a new unit to the same specification, but you can still get pretty close:

Fender 68 Custom Twin Reverb

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Killing In The Name – Rage Against The Machine

Our next look at cancel culture doesn’t necessarily stem from the release of this RATM record. Although, in 1993 Radio 1 accidentally played the uncensored version live on air. Subsequently leading to 138 complaints.

17 years after release, the group found themselves playing live on BBC Radio 5. This was as a result of the protest rock song making it to Christmas No.1 in 2009. Naturally, the BBC requested that the strong and expletive lyrics be censored for the live broadcast. Initially, the band obliged.

However, upon reaching the final reprise of the song lead vocalist Zack de la Rocha appropriately neglected to accept the BBC’s request. Not only did listeners get plenty of explicit language, but television viewers received a healthy dose of hand gestures in addition. Looking back it’s a cool but undeniably offensive performance in the true spirit of rock and roll.

Notably of RATM and Audioslave fame, Tom Morello played on that iconic performance. You can check out his signature Stratocaster. Complete with a Floyd Rose, kill switch and a nasty attitude!

Fender Tom Morello Strat FR RW BLK

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Hound Dog – Elvis Presley

Following our list of artists that were potentially subject to cancel culture is The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Whichever way you look at it, the 1956 track was surrounded by various forms of bad press in period.

After an initial TV broadcast in June 1956 on The Milton Berlie Show, Elvis’ dance moves were considered lucrative, inappropriate and of ill taste. Historical context has to be applied of course. A clean and rosy-cheeked post-war American audience was clearly not ready for young male to move in the way that he did.

Unfortunately, this was not the only criticism that Hound Dog received. The track was originally recorded by Big Mamma Thornton back in 1952. Being a black Blues and R&B singer, the ideology that a white American male would record the same music was deeply frowned upon. Crazy right? In 2024 we can reflect on the hilariously outdated views and expectations of the 1950s.

Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood

Concluding our look at songs that were hated at release, is this cancel culture contender from Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Unlike Elvis or The Beatles, this group were intentionally badly behaved.

Surprising, I know, but the BBC banned this song following a performance on Top Of The Pops in 1984. Unsurprisingly, it was on the grounds for what was considered obscene lyrics such as, ‘Relax, don’t do it, when you want to come…’. In addition, the track was accompanied by a fairly strong music video, even by today’s standards.

Originally released in 1983, Frankie Goes To Hollywood didn’t air again with the song until late 1984 when it was re-released and had the ban lifted for a Christmas performance. Ultimately it became one of the best-selling singles of that year. Impressive considering that it had the Band-Aid single to contend with.

Plug-in time! The legendary Jupiter-8 brushes shoulders with the likes of the Yamaha DX7 in terms of Synth royalty. You can get hold of this plug-in to sample some of the sounds from Relax at home:

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Available for 222.00 € at

Cancel Culture: Forgive and Forget?

Today, we can smile and stream these controversial hits. Although, as we’ve looked at, things were quite different in their respective contexts. Or, were the BBC just trying to take away good music? What other records from musical history do you like that were initially frowned upon? Do let us know!

Video:

Further information:

• Get that Sex Pistols tone
• How to sound like The Beatles 
• Elvis Hologram World Tour

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