Roland SP-404(SX)

[theshoegazer]

Just ordered one for $60 off MAP price. Anyone else here rock an SP? How are you liking it?

[SirBlend12]

I haven't used one but I'm sort of interested in one. How are you going to use it? I'm curious because my main issue is how you can MIDI sync it, because I'd wanna be able to use a footswitch with it to trigger samples.

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

im rockin the 404 and ive been fairly impressed with it. its a nice machine, fx are above what i thought, sampling, looping, one shot sounds, resampling are all great, really intuitive for on the fly type shit. cant comment on the sequencer, never used it. dont really think u would buy one of these for the sequencer. plus the whole "saves your shit when u turn it off" is nice so you dont havta reload samples everytime.


what is the difference between the regular 404 and this 404sx do u know?

[theshoegazer]

im rockin the 404 and ive been fairly impressed with it. its a nice machine, fx are above what i thought, sampling, looping, one shot sounds, resampling are all great, really intuitive for on the fly type shit. cant comment on the sequencer, never used it. dont really think u would buy one of these for the sequencer. plus the whole "saves your shit when u turn it off" is nice so you dont havta reload samples everytime.


what is the difference between the regular 404 and this 404sx do u know?

There actually isn't too much difference between the old 404 and the SX. There is a software sample manger tool (like the one on the 555) included with it and some of the effects are improved and reportedly the sound quality is significantly better. I just got the SX because I wanted to buy new

I haven't used one but I'm sort of interested in one. How are you going to use it? I'm curious because my main issue is how you can MIDI sync it, because I'd wanna be able to use a footswitch with it to trigger samples.

I know the 404 can act as a MIDI slave but cannot be used as a trigger (no MIDI out). I'll see if I can dig up some info on using a MIDI foot controller to trigger it. I'm almost positive its possible though.

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

thats funny they keep improving the sound b/c most ppl still prefer the dirtier sound of the 303s and 202s

[my bloody television]

I really like my 404, my only complaint is that I can't loop stuff on the fly, i.e. if I have a mic plugged in to the 404 and run stuff through it I can't loop a phrase as a sample. I think you can do that with the 555 though.

I'm also still trying to figure out the best way to match samples so they stay in time with one another. I know you can adjust the tempo of individual samples but it doesn't always work matching the tempo

really cool unit though. great for loading backing tracks or quick hits or sounds that you just couldn't get otherwise

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

I really like my 404, my only complaint is that I can't loop stuff on the fly, i.e. if I have a mic plugged in to the 404 and run stuff through it I can't loop a phrase as a sample. I think you can do that with the 555 though.

I'm also still trying to figure out the best way to match samples so they stay in time with one another. I know you can adjust the tempo of individual samples but it doesn't always work matching the tempo

really cool unit though. great for loading backing tracks or quick hits or sounds that you just couldn't get otherwise

yea i havent figured out a good way to match tempos of different loops yet either. chopping them into smaller parts (like 1/4 notes or 1/8 notes) would probably be the best solution, (then resample) to get accuracy but it is really time consuming on the sp and i have my mpc to chop with.

with that being said, i dont believe it is meant to be a "on the fly looper" like a boss rc20, akai headrush and the like. although u could prolly make it work (im sure someone out there has) spforums.com might be a good place to dig for info, get some insight to some different techniques and shit u may or may not have thought of.
and ive made some pretty cool beats on it with off time loops that dont quite sync up all the time.

the machine has its own vibe to it (<<<this is why i really dig the sp, its different from what i was used to, which is sampling/making beats on my mpc) and ive heard ppl make some nasty music only using an sp (404, 303, even a 202). ive also heard talks about some unorthodox techniques that make looping/tempo matching and chopping easier and faster on the sp but have yet to figure that out. i guess, practice makes perfect.

[penelope tree]

I just acquired one of these today and it's in worse condition than I was expecting, presumably there should be a door for the battery compartment?

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

yes there should be a battery door

[penelope tree]

yes there should be a battery door

Okay, I think I'll see if I can send it back. Perhaps I will have to consider buying a new unit as second hand models usually seem to have experienced a traumatic life.

[kbit]

I got mine second hand and it didn't have the batter door or the metal covering that tells you what all the extra functions are

But hey, cheap is cheap.

[Ghost Hip]

I really want one of these as well. Definitely post your thoughts once you get it!

[kbit]

Whatchu wanna know?

[penelope tree]

I got mine second hand and it didn't have the batter door or the metal covering that tells you what all the extra functions are

But hey, cheap is cheap.

I wouldn't really mind, but it was described as being in 'great' condition!

[Ghost Hip]

Whatchu wanna know?

Will I want to use it on every single one of my recordings once I get it?