Forum for all other samplers & synths such as Maschine, MVs, Akai S & Z series, Roland, Korg, OP-1, analog synths etc.
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By NearTao Tue Aug 16, 2022 12:10 pm
The CTRL1 knob doesn't have the best granularity especially on the edges. After 160 is appears to skip 2-3 bpm per knob adjustment for me.

If you want to set BPM specifically... your best bet is to go to SHIFT-PAD11 to get into tap tempo, use control 1 to select project or bank tempo, and then the value you knob to increase/decrease the tempo.
By ShengTao Tue Aug 16, 2022 12:44 pm
Thanks Illgreen & Neartao for the response! I wound up using shift+tap temp and was able to set it correctly.. like NT said, ctr 1 is a bit flaky. Hopefully the encoders are not defective and will last.

I am loving the SP!! Can't believe my luck... I found it on sweetwater as a demo model for 475!! This is my first sp since I bought my 808 back in 98. I wish there was a dedicated forum here, even though it's not an MPC. The SP forum seems quite dead and no way to join(?)
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By NearTao Tue Aug 16, 2022 1:17 pm
To join SP Forums is a bit of work... you need to send an email to the forum admin, but it's mostly long time users.

I've got a discord server at https://discord.gg/qMuSpuxC4n
There's also a SP discord at https://discord.gg/2As9tRV6

The thread on the SP404 mk2 at Elektronauts is good https://www.elektronauts.com/t/roland-sp-404-mk2/161021/5459
The thread on the SP404 mk2 at Modwiggler is okay https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3806130#p3806130
The thread on the SP404 mk2 at Gearspace is good https://gearspace.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-and-electronic-music-production/1362254-roland-sp-404-mkii.html
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By Ill-Green Tue Aug 16, 2022 6:29 pm
Yeah, some stuff still feels loose. I really don't mess with changing BPMs, except when creating a pattern. Other than that, 98% percent of the time, I slow or speed samples until I feel the "it", resample parts (intro, verse, chorus...) then I make a 2 track recording on my DP008EX. Dump it on an SD card and export to Audacity to figure out the BPM and upload to the world.

Mainly, I use pattern mode for complex drum patterns. Resample that pattern; and then chop it and flip it like it came off vinyl. Though back in my teens, I used to frequent the SP505 and made tracks using Song mode, which is pattern chaining undercover. But I felt crippled by patterns and sequencers, that I remained recording beats live after that, which became my bread and butter.

I don't go to sp-forums like I used to. Too many trolls now and mods cannot ban anyone. So it's like one person can invent 5 user names, vote for himself in a beat battle to win and no one knows and can't do anything. It's annoying.

My place is reddit for now, the SP groups of course. Near Tao is there too. Gotta sign up to those new sites you mentioned.

I can't get discord at times, as well as elektronauts. It's my service for sure, since Liberty bought AT&T a lot of the UK and EU sites are closed to me. Very weird, but they said they are transitioning and will allow access... soon.

Enjoy that SP, hope you figured how to put images on it. It's a real headbreaker, but once you get it, you'll be bombarding your SP with all kinds of pictures :-D
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By NearTao Wed Dec 07, 2022 5:55 pm
Still rolling with daily vids on the 404 mk2 at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLreK ... Y1yAUhIS58

Not all are great, but plenty of details out there.

Also posting a daily video for the month of December with free samples you can do whatever you want at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLreK ... -jSA_vZEpd for anybody interested.

Happy Holidays!
By Masenkoooo Thu Dec 08, 2022 8:10 pm
whats your main pros cons with this machine? i really wanted one when they first came out but im thinkin a sp202 might suit me better
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By NearTao Thu Dec 08, 2022 8:22 pm
The 202 is fine, but most people are going to pick it up for "that sound", whatever that means. Still got one, and I do enjoy working with it, but it's quite expensive to get these days, more so if you want to get the storage upgrade for it. Check out this blog post I did a while back on the 202 https://neartao.wordpress.com/2021/09/07/you-just-bought-a-boss-sp-202-what-next/. It's a fine box, but it only has so many tricks.

If you’ve already got other software, instruments, or effects… well… take stock of what the mk2 is really going to do for you. The mk2 has some good things and bad things going for it… and depending on your usage patterns and desired workflows is going to determine how much you get down with it, and how much you fight with it.

What the mk2 has going for it (as of firmware 2.0.1):

Quite portable, and a lot of options to power it is really nice
* Integrates well with other devices over usb-c/line in/mic/guitar jack
* Very quick sampling and resampling
* A well curated (but not terribly broad or deep) set of effects
* Graphic display for better editing/parameter setting
* Decent (though not complete) amount of settings to configure it to your uses
* Skip Back for capturing happy accidents without needing “always record” gear
16x projects!
* Good enough PC/Mac Software

Nice to Haves:

* In general I’d say it strikes the right balance between brief interfaces and what controls do
* Chromatic Mode is pretty good, not great, but I’ll take it for what it is…
* Pattern Mode, it’s head and shoulders above previous SPs, even if it still falls a bit short
* TR REC Mode was a surprise, and great, addition to the SP
* Chopping Modes are really handy, and another feature to put it above the other SPs
* DJ mode is interesting, though missing some key features… it’s there and can do fun things
* Midi implementations are getting to be decent, though not quite perfect…

Not My Jam:
* TR REC Pitch setting doesn’t respect your pad’s pitch… this above all irritates me the most
* Current Implementation of Envelopes
* Missing Post Pattern Record Quantize
* Max 16 pad chops… it works… but even up to 64 chops would open up a lot more (for me)
* TR REC has a good start, but something like parameters locks could help make it feel more dynamic
* Editing TR REC events is a straight up pain and Roland should take some notes from Elektron/TE
* I still feel strongly that you should be able to play multiple patterns at the same time, as it would open up a lot more performance styles
* FX automation is a huge missing feature, and could open up a lot of amazing performance characteristics for the mk2
* A live looper that could dump straight to a pad and keep playing in loop mode would… chef’s kiss
* Chromatic Mode needs more +/- octave options
* Envelopes need a few different behaviors… because it is tied to sample size… so looping short samples is weird that it doesn’t follow release, and the envelope just ends on gate off… meh
* Would have appreciated a built in microphone… sometimes it’s just the little things

So yeah… those are my opinions on the SP404 mk2. I like it a lot, but I’m not in love with it (though I guess the what, 300’ish video count might suggest otherwise). For what it does, I really appreciate it, solid sampler, solid effects, and makes for a pretty good “Swiss Army” style does a bit of everything, even if it isn’t the best tool… leading to the “what’s the best camera?”… “the one you have with you”… The mk2 probably isn’t going to change anybody’s world per se, but if you’re heading out and don’t want to bring a laptop, or just want something fairly well self contained that doesn’t have a crazy amount of menu diving… well the mk2 could be the box for you. And as a first piece of hardware to get back into, it’s not a bad choice, especially if you just want something that is pretty self contained and more or less well streamlined. In the same price category for sampler/sequencer space I’d probably suggest also looking at what Elektron has to offer, and seriously the Akai MPC One is, in my mind an incredible value.

Back to the mk2 though, I’d say, like a fine wine, the mk2 is best when paired with something else. If I was forced to keep the mk2 and could only have one other device, I’d probably go with the iPad just given how much different sequencing, synth, effect, and other options it brings to the table, but other serious contenders would be an MPC Live (also portable, nice synths, plenty of effects) and setup the mk2 as a loopback effect/sampler, or go for an instrument like the Access Virus or Waldorf Iridium to sample off of (though the lack of a good sequencer would kill me), or maybe an OP-Z because the sequencer pairs quite nicely with the mk2 and the OP-Z brings some interesting effects to the table. I’d almost consider an OP-1 or an Organelle, but both feel like they probably hedge too much into the same weak areas of the mk2… and I’m not sure I’d want to do that to myself.
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By Ill-Green Fri Feb 17, 2023 2:37 am
Danoc wrote:Wow, didn't know you were interested in this. What up man! how you. :smoker:



Ill-Green wrote:I told you 2.01 will show quick. This one fixes bugs.

https://www.roland.com/us/support/by_pr ... 0b6d11901/

:-D Yo! Danoc, how you been bro! Sorry for such late reply, I roam the Reddits nowadays, but I heard about a miniature MPC coming so thought I dropped by.

Yeah! I been a Roland head since 1996, though its a new company since Kakahashi died but I like the SP and MV line. I know these machines in and out like you know MPCs. Also for their small size.
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By inflict3 Fri Feb 17, 2023 7:16 am
Yo, yo, yo,. What’s up guys!!
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By Ill-Green Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:57 am
Yo Inflict3! Whats going down, feel like I knew you since we were kids :-D

NearTao! I see you bro. They be talking about you on the reddits, you a journalist in the making.
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By inflict3 Thu Feb 23, 2023 2:58 pm
Yo, yo, yo.. just popped in, yea illgreen, I just realized I’ve been on these forums for 15 years already, hahahah.. man, I swore I was gonna get a 404 when/if they dropped a new one, and here I am without one, and I blame Koala. Having that damn sampler in my pocket every day, I’m out here sampling birds in the woods, the ocean, digging digitally, you name it, I don’t bring my mpc500 around with me like I use to because of this damn sampler in my pocket..lol..but real talk, I’m getting old, I gotta put damn reading glasses on to see stuff now, the struggle is real b.. :WTF:
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By Ill-Green Sun Mar 05, 2023 2:59 am
At least the good news is Mk2 is in stock everywhere.

I been rocking the PO33KO. Got the MPC case for it and its a lot better to use now. MK2 was too big to hide at work, but with this little guy, I can hide in my shirt pocket.