Minor thing: I forgot to mention it can resample (works the same way as regular sampling) And if you want to buy one or check alternative samplers use my links & support the channel in the process: Compact P-6 EU: thmn.to/thoprod/600028?offid=1&affid=623 Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/ba6G6b Perfect Circuit: link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/S0BERUlFSUBFR0VHSEdATEpITA?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perfectcircuit.com%2Froland-aira-compact-p-6.html ALTERNATIVE SAMPLERS TO CHECK OUT Liven Lofi 12 (its great fun!) EU: thmn.to/thoprod/555755?offid=1&affid=623 US/NA: bit.ly/LivenLofi TE K.O 2 has solid poly sample playback & time stretching EU: thmn.to/thoprod/580267?offid=1&affid=623 US: bit.ly/40ZtGBE UK: tidd.ly/3GfYnZt 1010music Lemondrop is a good granular synth/sampler EU: thmn.to/thoprod/536616?offid=1&affid=623 Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/rne4Rv Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/1010musicXPerfect Affiliate links to stores support the channel regardless of what you buy
Wow, Roland! The P-6 looks like a game changer. The combination of granular synthesis, the Elektron-ish sequencer and the sampling possibilities with a built-in mic in a portable device is Incredible. I'm already imagining the creative possibilities in the top of the hill creating music with that little beast!
Right!? When I first learned what it could do, I was basically like "Whoa, Roland - good job!!" [And I still think that, heh.] It's the first of the Compact range I'm SERIOUSLY interested in. Even *without* the granular stuff, it's such an appealing little box. Tons of features for such a little thing, while still seeming to be *relatively* easy to use for what it is. And it's fairly versatile in terms of how you can use samples - you can use it like a sample-based drum machine, or play samples chromatically, and even *polyphonically,* etc. Seems so cool and useful. Plus there's the chopping, the granular stuff, and all that. Plus a pretty good 64 step sequencer with motion sequencing, apparently substeps, etc. Multiple different ways to sample, or you can just load the samples. And filter(s), actual ADSR filter/volume and pitch envelopes, a good selection of effects, and more. Definitely GAS-worthy. And all for a (relatively) great price! If I can somehow swing it at *some point,* this might just end up being the first electronic instrument I've bought for years and years [A lot of that's money related, but still. This thing looks like it SLAPS.]
This is absolutely nuts. Also, the granular has complete MIDI CC control, so it can basically act like a whole standalone hardware synth in combination with a MIDI controller with a bunch of knobs. Though, it's pretty disappointing that there's almost no MIDI CC for any of the sampler and effects stack stuff. Only the reverb and delay
A major point in favour of the Aira Compact range, which this latest sampler complements very well, is that they fit very neatly in my back pocket. Even better than all those volcas back in the day!
Great device! By the way you don’t need to reboot for each pad bank. This is correct if you want to make a backup but if you want to use the editor or just transfer samples on the device you have access to all the pads at once.
Thank you for this video, always great quality 🎉 As I already have the SP404, the Polyend Tracker+ and Play+, I tell myself that this P-6 would not bring much added value. But as I also have Aira equipment (MX-1, DJ-808...) I think the immediate connectivity could be interesting! You give me food for thought😅😊
Thanks for the video Bo! I really like how thorough you are with all the options. Also, you've got great skills brother! 🎶🙌 I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the S1 and P6 to finish out my compact AIRA collection. I don't have all the skills yet, still, great devices to learn and have a lot of fun. 🤘
Great video. Appreciate teh honesty about shortcomings. I have the j-6 and the s-1 and the voice tweaker already. This doesn't excite me like those did.
I think the best thing with these Roland Aira is they are full with features. But I also see it as a problem. There sure were lots of different shift combinations to remember. And I think some of the changes to the knobs also seem a bit hard to remember. But I think the granular engine sounds perfect! All videos I’ve heard of it has been the best granular engine I’ve heard.
I personally turned away from smaller samplers, saving up some money for the SP404... Nevertheless: Man, that small machine seems quite powerful, especially given the sampling and resampling, 16 note polyphony, granular synth, micro-timing, ratchets etc... Some or many of the afore-mentioned are usually discarded in smaller units.
Thank you for the review, Bo. My take: probably, if you intend to use this device on a very regular basis, it's probably not a problem to get used to the cryptic messages on the 4-digit 7 segment display (I would not use the word "screen" here). I have a few "travel devices" that I like using when taking a trip, but thing is: that is only a few times per year. And then it *does* become a problem that it doesn't have a proper screen that is more explanatory, because the chance that I remember all functions after months is not very high. And that - for me - would be the main reason to not buy this (if I were in the market for one: I am happy with my EP-133, even though it's a bit fragile to travel with)
I keep PDFs of all my synth handbooks on my cellphone for easy reference. I just downloaded the T-6 manual and it looks really well laid-out and easy to navigate.
Thank you for the review. We, as consumers, can now decide whether or not we want to purchase this device. I think the devices that have shortcuts and a limited screen are a turn off. I mean... even after switching the screen to Deluge I just cannot seem to get back to the shortcut-based user interface with a small screen especially when it comes to sample editing (cutting, slicing etc.). In fact, I think it is time to sell Deluge to a dawless aficionado with the rest of the shortcut-based devices. Thanks for the thought-provoking review.... really got me thinking.
As much as this is instantly on my wishlist and my T-8 is such great fun, I really hope those batteries can be replaced once they stop holding charge (or at least dead ones removed before they damage the unit).
The battery can be unplugged and replaced, you just look for another one of the same physical dimensions and equal or greater mAH capacity. But then any replacement likely will not have the same tiny molex(?) connector and you'll want to splice that plug onto the new battery. So meh. At least it is a simple and easy task for anyone with little to no soldering experience.
Battery replacement with a bigger battery is rather easy. If you open the P-6 there is a lot of empty space inside the plastic cage. You could insert a cheap battery and connect the plugs with some plastic tape. Easy peasy for daredevils on the road.
Would like to see a comparison table between this, the liven sampler and the po-133. Which is best for live jamming? Probably the po-133? And what's the battery runtime?
I have an SP-404 mk2 which is awesome, but this seems a very different thing to me. Having the sequencer and chromatic pads separate from the main pad bank opens up a lot and makes it easier to use for quick jams. The granular stuff on top is really awesome. I'm definitely going to get one, it looks very easy to use and a lot of creative fun.
Thanks Bo(b) ! Interesting product but, with X-MAS season coming soon, I'll wait to see if anything new is coming on the Novation circuit Rhythm side. Great budget gear, though. Tak!
I’m happy to see hardware samplers are popular again. In regards to the P6, I guess I’m likely not the intended market for it but I’d love to see a bit more variety in the factory samples (more on that in a bit) and is likely be using this as a sound module being controlled via an external sequencer and keyboard. Out of the new batch of smaller samplers, I think the 1010Music Tangerine is certainly the best in regards to its versatility but I really love the on-board samples of the Sonicware Lo Fi 12 XT. I know it’s a bit ridiculous to be interested in the factory sounds of a sampler but there’s so many iconic sounds from classic samplers (Fairlight, Emulator, Prophet 2000, Mirage etc) where you know exactly what instrument and library those sounds were from. The Sonicware samples in the Lo Fi 12, although simple bread and butter categories have their own distinctive flavour to them. The strings, choir, guitar, etc have their own voice and it’s kind of a shame that these new samplers are being catered towards beatmakers. Nothing wrong with beatmaking but I’d just like to hear a bit more variety in the demos and factory sounds. There’s not even a list of on-board sounds for the P6 on the Roland website...or even the 1010Music Tangerine for that matter.
Sorry, but your comment is rather silly. No hard feelings. But samples of the Lo Fi 12XT can also be put on this little Roland P-6 gadget. Samples without remixing sound the same thrtought the speakers... right ? Or do you want to tell something difrent ?
I love your videos. Can I please ask your opinion on how this compares to a Circuit Rhythm. I already have a Circuit Tracks an Aira S1 and a Yamaha Reface DX. I need a sampler to complete my rig.
Such a complex feature set, with such a basic screen, and no way to save and restore the entire memory. These are serious limitations. But as a go-anywhere budget stereo sampler, it's got a lot to like. As usual with Roland, they throw too many features in the box, so it's difficult to judge it based on whether it does the basics well. And without a global save/restore (ideally to SD card), I'm kind of a "no". My favourite feature is the ability to set a sequence step to trigger only on specific loop repeats, that will save a lot of copying and editing of patterns, to get generative-stye grooves. It does things the SP-404 mk2 should do, like the sample filter, and effects sends per sample. It doesn't do as much as the MC-101 groovebox, though, even just for raw sample playback capability.
cool.... I was just thinking about purchasing the 404, but this new baby is much more compact... I use sampling from the TV a lot and it could be the ideal machine... for this price I mean....
Buy both. Get the SP 404 mk 2 first, then (after a month or two {time will vary} get this little thing to accompany the SP 404 mk 2 (the same way Madlib and MF Doom would use the SP 303 to use with their SP 404 sks )
gosh that is neat. I sure hope the metronome has a volume selector because that is one loud metronome. I guess people will be making some sure to sign tracks on this little device during lunch, recess, and probably daycare.
For me the major weaknesses of these small samplers (TE's, SP404 mkii, P-6, etc) are the lack of LFO's/modulation (I want to modulate sample start/end/loop-point and many other parameters) and poor or null midi implementarion
The update to the SP series that the MkII should've been but wasn't. The MkII has the SP form factor, whereas this doesnt...but this is far more SP-like in all other ways while doing things that the SPs always shouldve been able to (e.g. speed-type pitch, panning, mute group) and much more besides.
Very well thought out and useful video to discover this machine, and choose it or not, thank you very much :-) Any point of view regarding the sound quality (DAC quality) ?
Adding a sync in out as well as MIDI? Now thats something I could get behind. If this could deliver around 25-40 minutes of full track sequencing ... So I could literally run an entire gig without relying on a laptop and just MP3 backing tracks...
Thankyou for your videos on the P-6 :D It's helped me alot but I am now stuck in that my unit does not remember the patterns that I program in. When i restart the unit, what I have programmed on that particular pattern is lost. Do you have any advice please? many thanks,
Great review! Can you answer one question? Is the P-6 able to provide power over USB? Say for powering a small external keyboard? Have looked at the specs on the Roland site and it doesn't seem clear to me.
Hi Bo, When you play with a midi controller, how many octaves can you play? I noticed that the sp404mkII is fairly limited on this front, making it difficult to use as a polyphonic synthesizer if you want to play across a few octaves.
great video review i was loving it until you said no sample chopping adjustments , so basic sampling i can do that with my old korg es1 already but if its cheap i may buy it but i like something slightly bigger i think its a bit fiddly, but that seems to be the trend lately for mini units, great review, thanks
I've only seen comments saying that Koala kills all hardware samplers badly, and I would not expect Roland to ever compete because Roland... tends to be very roland. 🤣
You can manually chop actually....just sample in, then copy that sample to however many pads and then adjust the start and end points. Would be mich cooler to have some kind of lazy chop functionality though
I can see this as a quick sampler for use on the go or for grabbing sounds or loops within a modular setup. That said, it seems quite late to a really crowded party…
What an amazing creative device with fantastic features and really hands on usability for 1994. Roland should bring this as a new upgraded device in 2024, I will buy it immediately!😈
Got this. Haven’t tried to sample yet but trying to figure it out I had a volca sample from Korg and I hated it. Batteries killed it and it sits ready to be ewaste unless someone is good with a soldering iron.
I have a question: Can I integrate the sequencer of the P6 with Ableton?? So I can run and record sequences inside clips (a la fruity loops) through midi???
Bo, please help me understand what the significance of 16-voices polyphony if it can only sequence 8-voices per step? That would pretty much kill ambient and long tails or chords, no? Unless resampled I guess
The limit seems to be so voice stealing won’t occur. Imagine you sequence 16 notes on step 1 and then 16 on step 2. That would mean that all notes would cut off between 1 and 2. And for drums that might be fine but for chords not so much. My guess is Roland implemented a step limit so that people wouldnt run into the voice stealing problem. Its a bit like how the MPC has limits on how many synthsyou can load so as to not choke the CPU. When I hit the 8 note limit I didnt hear any voice stealing, leading me to think ”ah, ok, so basically this makes sure the device can still handle overlapping chords and sounds” Another way to look at it: a 16 voice synth doesnt mean people play 16 note chords. They might just play say 5-6 notes at a time, but the 16 poly helps as it means those big chords can overlap. Hope my explanation make some sense. Limits like this are always double edged: For some users it will be helpful, and others will prefer to just hit the limits.
Amazes me that rorland can put a metronome in a 200 buck mini sampler, but can't put it in a 500 buck desk top synth like the sh4d😢 nice wee sampler tho
HOT TIP: If you own a MPC Live 2 on a stand and own a Decksaver for it, this (and All Aira compacts) fit in that indentation on the Decksaver perfectly. Got my P6 today. Feels great
Hmmm it seems like Roland was late to the party and made Volca Sample 3. Don't get me wrong, it's actually good that Roland keeping Volca series vibe alive. Someone got to do that when Korg seemingly abandoned it. Not going to buy one (coz Liven and Donner options are more lucrative) but hey, at least Roland is trying.
P-6 takes 3.5mm plugs. MC-101 has a 3.5mm headphone output, right? Then a regular 3.5mm aux cable in that case. Alternatively, 1/4" TRS to 3.5mm TRS cable, or dual 1/4" TS to 3.5mm stereo Y cable, depending on what you want to hook up to the P-6.
difficult choice SP404 will definitely be more difficult to use but way deeper than this! The P-6 will be more immediate but wont last you as long. Thats my take
@BoBeats Thank you Bo. You are the gold standard for evaluating and learning about this stuff. I scored a mint 404 mk ii for 350 and will learn it in the next coming weeks.
It's unfortunate that this thing looks like an absolute nightmare to use. The combo of the 8 segment UI and those tiny sequencing / keyboard pads are a 1-2 punch that I think puts the EP-133 on top, even with its shortcomings (pun very much intended)
I would happily spend the extra ten dollars to have a video display from an era beyond 1981. These little Volca-style synths/samplers (not "units", Bob Eats; and please say when you receive products to review rather than adding little text notes to do that, which I say for your benefit, though I personally trust your opinions) from Roland pack an admirable number of sound-making features into an inexpensive form, like this one, but some of the choices seem odd. The tiny sample memory is understandable for granular usage, but it really limits sampler functions in unnecessary ways. Memory is not so expensive these days, and it is not so big. So this is another choice that seems way too concerned with hitting a cost target rather than optimizing the musical uses of the device. That said, given that the price target seems to be met, the result is, despite more and less odd flaws, a worthwhile little sampler. Focusing on what is good about the P-6 - the choice to venture into 44k sampling and a bit of granular at this low price level, with good polyphony, and the usual Roland advantages on effects - it is hard to argue it is not a good value for people in the market for inexpensive synths (and who here is not?) and do not want the recent TE KO thing that looks like a desk calculator and costs substantially more (and would actually pair with the P-6 well enough). Which is pretty well your conclusion, so well done, Bo. Tell Bob we love him too.
@@BoBeats I get it, but some of the omissions made by manufacturers are simply stupid. An SD slot would have cost them a nickel or so to implement. It is common tech.
@deanmass It's what's keeping my GAS at ease. Knowing you have to constantly manage your samples with a computer means you're now incredibly hindered in the amount if projects you can do on the go, at least for me. No GAS for me
Minor thing: I forgot to mention it can resample (works the same way as regular sampling) And if you want to buy one or check alternative samplers use my links & support the channel in the process:
Compact P-6
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/600028?offid=1&affid=623
Sweetwater: sweetwater.sjv.io/ba6G6b
Perfect Circuit: link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/S0BERUlFSUBFR0VHSEdATEpITA?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perfectcircuit.com%2Froland-aira-compact-p-6.html
ALTERNATIVE SAMPLERS TO CHECK OUT
Liven Lofi 12 (its great fun!)
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/555755?offid=1&affid=623
US/NA: bit.ly/LivenLofi
TE K.O 2 has solid poly sample playback & time stretching
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/580267?offid=1&affid=623
US: bit.ly/40ZtGBE
UK: tidd.ly/3GfYnZt
1010music Lemondrop is a good granular synth/sampler
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/536616?offid=1&affid=623
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/rne4Rv
Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/1010musicXPerfect
Affiliate links to stores support the channel regardless of what you buy
I was about to ask about resampling. That's super powerful then!
Wow, Roland! The P-6 looks like a game changer. The combination of granular synthesis, the Elektron-ish sequencer and the sampling possibilities with a built-in mic in a portable device is Incredible. I'm already imagining the creative possibilities in the top of the hill creating music with that little beast!
@@NoisyMachines 💯👈without a doubt🦇
Right!? When I first learned what it could do, I was basically like "Whoa, Roland - good job!!" [And I still think that, heh.] It's the first of the Compact range I'm SERIOUSLY interested in. Even *without* the granular stuff, it's such an appealing little box. Tons of features for such a little thing, while still seeming to be *relatively* easy to use for what it is. And it's fairly versatile in terms of how you can use samples - you can use it like a sample-based drum machine, or play samples chromatically, and even *polyphonically,* etc. Seems so cool and useful. Plus there's the chopping, the granular stuff, and all that.
Plus a pretty good 64 step sequencer with motion sequencing, apparently substeps, etc. Multiple different ways to sample, or you can just load the samples. And filter(s), actual ADSR filter/volume and pitch envelopes, a good selection of effects, and more. Definitely GAS-worthy. And all for a (relatively) great price! If I can somehow swing it at *some point,* this might just end up being the first electronic instrument I've bought for years and years [A lot of that's money related, but still. This thing looks like it SLAPS.]
Bo is probably the best ambassador for music creation hardware than anyone else on here. Ricky Tinez is a close second!
This is absolutely nuts. Also, the granular has complete MIDI CC control, so it can basically act like a whole standalone hardware synth in combination with a MIDI controller with a bunch of knobs. Though, it's pretty disappointing that there's almost no MIDI CC for any of the sampler and effects stack stuff. Only the reverb and delay
Thanks for explaining the Save process. It seems like you are the only one who did that. I was losing my edits every time I turned it off.
Wow! That's an extremely powerful little sampler. What a feature set! Thanks for the thorough walkthrough, as always!
I thought this was a great review as well. I just got the p6 yesterday so between this video and a print out of the manual, I will see what I can do.
The real star of the show is the P-6’s internal swing.
It makes almost any pattern sound sooo good!
Felt this was a glaring omission on some of the Volca series. It's on the kick, but not on the bass 🤷♂️
A major point in favour of the Aira Compact range, which this latest sampler complements very well, is that they fit very neatly in my back pocket. Even better than all those volcas back in the day!
Absolutely brilliant review - this has told me exactly what I need to know! Thank you!
♥️♥️
Great device! By the way you don’t need to reboot for each pad bank. This is correct if you want to make a backup but if you want to use the editor or just transfer samples on the device you have access to all the pads at once.
Thank you for this video, always great quality 🎉 As I already have the SP404, the Polyend Tracker+ and Play+, I tell myself that this P-6 would not bring much added value. But as I also have Aira equipment (MX-1, DJ-808...) I think the immediate connectivity could be interesting! You give me food for thought😅😊
Thanks for the video Bo! I really like how thorough you are with all the options. Also, you've got great skills brother! 🎶🙌
I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the S1 and P6 to finish out my compact AIRA collection. I don't have all the skills yet, still, great devices to learn and have a lot of fun. 🤘
I love your channel Bo. You give great examples of real usage . I have so much gear its ridiculous . But this thing is super cool
Dang, Bo! I'm only 12 minutes in, and the improvised track you've built with mostly onboard samples is very cool.
Thank you!!
Great video. Appreciate teh honesty about shortcomings. I have the j-6 and the s-1 and the voice tweaker already. This doesn't excite me like those did.
Appreciate you watching! To me this is more exciting then those synths, but im a sampler guy so
You can copy triggers. Shift+play+push the trigger you want to copy. Then repeat where you want to paste
I think the best thing with these Roland Aira is they are full with features. But I also see it as a problem. There sure were lots of different shift combinations to remember. And I think some of the changes to the knobs also seem a bit hard to remember. But I think the granular engine sounds perfect! All videos I’ve heard of it has been the best granular engine I’ve heard.
Thanks for demonstrating using it with a Keystep 37. Using a Keyboard controller really opens this unit up. Nice review!
like the demos you made for this 👏👏
Even the lowly TE PO-33 has pattern chaining so you can make, you know, songs. The seems like a pretty big omission on the P6.
They should release song mode or something like that with future updates, like they did with mc 101 and others
I agree. Even the ep133 doesn’t have the same chaining capabilities that the POs and the OPZ have. Baffling.
I personally turned away from smaller samplers, saving up some money for the SP404... Nevertheless: Man, that small machine seems quite powerful, especially given the sampling and resampling, 16 note polyphony, granular synth, micro-timing, ratchets etc... Some or many of the afore-mentioned are usually discarded in smaller units.
Buy both 🤣
Definitely buy both
It’s not it’s crappy crap the daiwoo of samplers
The process is closely related to controlling result-oriented supply chain processes where stakeholder feedback is crucial.
@@Tuvalu977 your right this is a pos
Best explanation of this unit I've watched, thanks.
Reminds me of the Model:Samples but with that Roland touch! 🔥
Except you can actually sample into it 😂🔥
it's what the model samples should have been
@@Arkansya Absolutely!
Looks really cool. I want one.
Thank you for the review, Bo. My take: probably, if you intend to use this device on a very regular basis, it's probably not a problem to get used to the cryptic messages on the 4-digit 7 segment display (I would not use the word "screen" here).
I have a few "travel devices" that I like using when taking a trip, but thing is: that is only a few times per year. And then it *does* become a problem that it doesn't have a proper screen that is more explanatory, because the chance that I remember all functions after months is not very high. And that - for me - would be the main reason to not buy this (if I were in the market for one: I am happy with my EP-133, even though it's a bit fragile to travel with)
I keep PDFs of all my synth handbooks on my cellphone for easy reference. I just downloaded the T-6 manual and it looks really well laid-out and easy to navigate.
Thank you for the review. We, as consumers, can now decide whether or not we want to purchase this device.
I think the devices that have shortcuts and a limited screen are a turn off. I mean... even after switching the screen to Deluge I just cannot seem to get back to the shortcut-based user interface with a small screen especially when it comes to sample editing (cutting, slicing etc.).
In fact, I think it is time to sell Deluge to a dawless aficionado with the rest of the shortcut-based devices.
Thanks for the thought-provoking review.... really got me thinking.
33:30 I think thats the reason why i feel like im not using my T-8 to its fullest potential... mini OLED screens have come a long way
As much as this is instantly on my wishlist and my T-8 is such great fun, I really hope those batteries can be replaced once they stop holding charge (or at least dead ones removed before they damage the unit).
The battery can be unplugged and replaced, you just look for another one of the same physical dimensions and equal or greater mAH capacity. But then any replacement likely will not have the same tiny molex(?) connector and you'll want to splice that plug onto the new battery.
So meh.
At least it is a simple and easy task for anyone with little to no soldering experience.
@@Jason75913 excellent! Thanks Jason.
Battery replacement with a bigger battery is rather easy. If you open the P-6 there is a lot of empty space inside the plastic cage. You could insert a cheap battery and connect the plugs with some plastic tape. Easy peasy for daredevils on the road.
Might need to get it just for the granular synth. Running it through the 404 MKII might produce some interesting things.
Would like to see a comparison table between this, the liven sampler and the po-133.
Which is best for live jamming? Probably the po-133?
And what's the battery runtime?
Good question
Thank you for the review Bo. The P-6 seems cool to have fun everywhere but i prefere the Liven Texture Lab wich is a great alternative imo
I have an SP-404 mk2 which is awesome, but this seems a very different thing to me. Having the sequencer and chromatic pads separate from the main pad bank opens up a lot and makes it easier to use for quick jams. The granular stuff on top is really awesome. I'm definitely going to get one, it looks very easy to use and a lot of creative fun.
I have similar thoughts to you. I *wish* the 404 MK2 had sesperate buttons for the sequencer, it would make the workflow so much better
The GAS is real
This is my dream sampler honestly
Out of interest why?
@@thelibrarian3734
-small
-stereo effects
-track mutes
-easy sampling with mic or line in
-32 step sequencer
-performance effects
For 200 dollars
How about dishonestly?
I love that you just put the P-6 on the Polybrute 12 to use it :D
Thanks Bo(b) !
Interesting product but, with X-MAS season coming soon, I'll wait to see if anything new is coming on the Novation circuit Rhythm side.
Great budget gear, though. Tak!
I’m happy to see hardware samplers are popular again. In regards to the P6, I guess I’m likely not the intended market for it but I’d love to see a bit more variety in the factory samples (more on that in a bit) and is likely be using this as a sound module being controlled via an external sequencer and keyboard. Out of the new batch of smaller samplers, I think the 1010Music Tangerine is certainly the best in regards to its versatility but I really love the on-board samples of the Sonicware Lo Fi 12 XT.
I know it’s a bit ridiculous to be interested in the factory sounds of a sampler but there’s so many iconic sounds from classic samplers (Fairlight, Emulator, Prophet 2000, Mirage etc) where you know exactly what instrument and library those sounds were from. The Sonicware samples in the Lo Fi 12, although simple bread and butter categories have their own distinctive flavour to them. The strings, choir, guitar, etc have their own voice and it’s kind of a shame that these new samplers are being catered towards beatmakers. Nothing wrong with beatmaking but I’d just like to hear a bit more variety in the demos and factory sounds. There’s not even a list of on-board sounds for the P6 on the Roland website...or even the 1010Music Tangerine for that matter.
Sorry, but your comment is rather silly. No hard feelings. But samples of the Lo Fi 12XT can also be put on this little Roland P-6 gadget. Samples without remixing sound the same thrtought the speakers... right ? Or do you want to tell something difrent ?
Cool gadget, nice features! The wonderful full sized, velocity sensitive pads on my Circuit Rhythm instantly cured any GAS I had though 😅
Svensk English is better than any other English, haha! Awesome review and tips!
@14:14 my heart and soul can't take this rhythm here
quite interesting but.... another USB c powered box means a lot of disturbing noise as i found on other instruments. worst yet was the SH-01
So that means these little things require isolated power supplies.
I love your videos. Can I please ask your opinion on how this compares to a Circuit Rhythm. I already have a Circuit Tracks an Aira S1 and a Yamaha Reface DX. I need a sampler to complete my rig.
Bad Gear dude just drooled.
yep. and if Bad Gear dude drools, we all know , whe have to Gas buy this little gadget. hihi.
Such a complex feature set, with such a basic screen, and no way to save and restore the entire memory. These are serious limitations. But as a go-anywhere budget stereo sampler, it's got a lot to like. As usual with Roland, they throw too many features in the box, so it's difficult to judge it based on whether it does the basics well. And without a global save/restore (ideally to SD card), I'm kind of a "no". My favourite feature is the ability to set a sequence step to trigger only on specific loop repeats, that will save a lot of copying and editing of patterns, to get generative-stye grooves. It does things the SP-404 mk2 should do, like the sample filter, and effects sends per sample. It doesn't do as much as the MC-101 groovebox, though, even just for raw sample playback capability.
cool....
I was just thinking about purchasing the 404, but this new baby is much more compact... I use sampling from the TV a lot and it could be the ideal machine... for this price I mean....
Buy both. Get the SP 404 mk 2 first, then (after a month or two {time will vary} get this little thing to accompany the SP 404 mk 2 (the same way Madlib and MF Doom would use the SP 303 to use with their SP 404 sks )
gosh that is neat. I sure hope the metronome has a volume selector because that is one loud metronome. I guess people will be making some sure to sign tracks on this little device during lunch, recess, and probably daycare.
Yea it can be turned down
For me the major weaknesses of these small samplers (TE's, SP404 mkii, P-6, etc) are the lack of LFO's/modulation (I want to modulate sample start/end/loop-point and many other parameters) and poor or null midi implementarion
The update to the SP series that the MkII should've been but wasn't. The MkII has the SP form factor, whereas this doesnt...but this is far more SP-like in all other ways while doing things that the SPs always shouldve been able to (e.g. speed-type pitch, panning, mute group) and much more besides.
Dammit Roland. Just got an mpc one+, but this scratches an itch for portable gear and as I've got the others, seems a no brainer.
Pre ordered.
Very well thought out and useful video to discover this machine, and choose it or not, thank you very much :-) Any point of view regarding the sound quality (DAC quality) ?
Sound quality is overall very good (compared to similar devices). This is something Roland does well.
@@BoBeats thanks for the answer :-) WHat is today you prefered granular synth ?
This looks really nice - what's the closest software VST you could get that's similar to this?
Inphonik RX1200
Can you sample without stopping playback?
Great stuff. Can the Mix in be routed to effects as well or is it only unaffected pass through?
Yes it can be routed thru fx
This is cool it's like a budget Digitakt
Adding a sync in out as well as MIDI?
Now thats something I could get behind.
If this could deliver around 25-40 minutes of full track sequencing ... So I could literally run an entire gig without relying on a laptop and just MP3 backing tracks...
Thankyou for your videos on the P-6 :D
It's helped me alot but I am now stuck in that my unit does not remember the patterns that I program in.
When i restart the unit, what I have programmed on that particular pattern is lost. Do you have any advice please?
many thanks,
Great review! Can you answer one question? Is the P-6 able to provide power over USB? Say for powering a small external keyboard? Have looked at the specs on the Roland site and it doesn't seem clear to me.
I dont think so
@@BoBeats Ah, thanks. I feared as much. Shame.
Hi Bo,
When you play with a midi controller, how many octaves can you play? I noticed that the sp404mkII is fairly limited on this front, making it difficult to use as a polyphonic synthesizer if you want to play across a few octaves.
There is a video on RUclips that couples it with the OP-1 and I believe he got 4 octaves up and down.
great video review i was loving it until you said no sample chopping adjustments , so basic sampling i can do that with my old korg es1 already but if its cheap i may buy it but i like something slightly bigger i think its a bit fiddly, but that seems to be the trend lately for mini units, great review, thanks
In terms of sampling, how would it compare to the immediacy and sampling capability of the Koala sampler?
I've only seen comments saying that Koala kills all hardware samplers badly, and I would not expect Roland to ever compete because Roland... tends to be very roland. 🤣
Got it!
You can manually chop actually....just sample in, then copy that sample to however many pads and then adjust the start and end points. Would be mich cooler to have some kind of lazy chop functionality though
Amazing.. but it looks like they got rid of dmotion button! Unacceptable! ;)
I can see this as a quick sampler for use on the go or for grabbing sounds or loops within a modular setup. That said, it seems quite late to a really crowded party…
A fair point. I suppose the price (about half of Ko2) could be an argument for it. But it is indeed crowded
What an amazing creative device with fantastic features and really hands on usability for 1994. Roland should bring this as a new upgraded device in 2024, I will buy it immediately!😈
😂 ouch
Got this. Haven’t tried to sample yet but trying to figure it out I had a volca sample from Korg and I hated it. Batteries killed it and it sits ready to be ewaste unless someone is good with a soldering iron.
Watch this Mr Korg!
I have a question: Can I integrate the sequencer of the P6 with Ableton?? So I can run and record sequences inside clips (a la fruity loops) through midi???
Dream on.
is playing 88 sampled keys polyphonically possible? Regardless i think you got me sold on this little magical device!!❤
Can you use this as a clip launcher? Loop samples?
Roland should have went with bigger devices like the liven series with better screen 📺
Bo, please help me understand what the significance of 16-voices polyphony if it can only sequence 8-voices per step? That would pretty much kill ambient and long tails or chords, no? Unless resampled I guess
The limit seems to be so voice stealing won’t occur. Imagine you sequence 16 notes on step 1 and then 16 on step 2. That would mean that all notes would cut off between 1 and 2. And for drums that might be fine but for chords not so much. My guess is Roland implemented a step limit so that people wouldnt run into the voice stealing problem. Its a bit like how the MPC has limits on how many synthsyou can load so as to not choke the CPU. When I hit the 8 note limit I didnt hear any voice stealing, leading me to think ”ah, ok, so basically this makes sure the device can still handle overlapping chords and sounds”
Another way to look at it: a 16 voice synth doesnt mean people play 16 note chords. They might just play say 5-6 notes at a time, but the 16 poly helps as it means those big chords can overlap.
Hope my explanation make some sense. Limits like this are always double edged:
For some users it will be helpful, and others will prefer to just hit the limits.
@@BoBeats no, that makes perfect sense now! I am just going to have to dig in and play with it and try to hit that wall. Thanks, Bo!
Can this be used as an effects unit like the SP-404?
Amazes me that rorland can put a metronome in a 200 buck mini sampler, but can't put it in a 500 buck desk top synth like the sh4d😢 nice wee sampler tho
improvise with the drum track
The P6 Is about to be my SP-404 MK2's Lil brother 🎧🎶
And If you will Put it into a WS?
is it possible to define the actual (root) key for the recorded samples to have the correct keys played as written on the tap buttons?
Not that i am aware
I try and record all in C so they line up with the keys
No SD storage.
Printed the manual? Amen Bosse! Köp en Kindle eller surfplatta fårr hilvede pååååg!
🤣
HOT TIP: If you own a MPC Live 2 on a stand and own a Decksaver for it, this (and All Aira compacts) fit in that indentation on the Decksaver perfectly. Got my P6 today. Feels great
Can this be used as a live effects processor for something like a turntable?
You're far better off with an SP404mkII or Zoom MS70CDR for that. MC-707 is even better if you can aim for it.
so its like 6 channel synth n each channel can have sounds from one 8 banks woooow thats deep
Can it do pattern chaining in a similar fashion to the po33 or the sp404?
No
Not yet. The MC-101 lacked features like that and they made many updates to add features.
Hi Bo! Can one upload it's own samples on it bypassing it's proprietary software? Thanks!
Unsure… there is reference to this in the manual but couldnt get this to work
Yes. Can sample into it via input or mic and can also add samples via usb and editor.
@@BoBeats yup... same here... read the manual and manual says it can work as a hard drive... i guess it's going to be the next software update
Does anyone know if the p6 has pattern chaining?
Hmmm it seems like Roland was late to the party and made Volca Sample 3. Don't get me wrong, it's actually good that Roland keeping Volca series vibe alive. Someone got to do that when Korg seemingly abandoned it. Not going to buy one (coz Liven and Donner options are more lucrative) but hey, at least Roland is trying.
Can it play a sample in reverse 🤷♂️😁
Yes!
Can I plug in an mc 101 or my cycles or tenorion? What kind of wire guitar plug?
P-6 takes 3.5mm plugs. MC-101 has a 3.5mm headphone output, right? Then a regular 3.5mm aux cable in that case. Alternatively, 1/4" TRS to 3.5mm TRS cable, or dual 1/4" TS to 3.5mm stereo Y cable, depending on what you want to hook up to the P-6.
It's either this new or an excellent used SP404 mk II for $375 (talked down to $325 maybe). What say you???
difficult choice
SP404 will definitely be more difficult to use but way deeper than this! The P-6 will be more immediate but wont last you as long. Thats my take
@BoBeats Thank you Bo. You are the gold standard for evaluating and learning about this stuff. I scored a mint 404 mk ii for 350 and will learn it in the next coming weeks.
Thanks Bo nice review - I am particularly interested in the granular synth element - can you recommed an affordable granular synth? Thanks in advance
Sonicware has a Liven Texture Lab, its granular. Got a review on YT
Thanks I'll check it out 👍 @@BoBeats
How can I sync / connect this to my Syntakt? This don't have a Midi hookup?
3.5mm MIDI in/out, you may need adapters depending on what your Elektron takes.
How many latin america fan of BoBeats are here?
They seriously need to build a bigger expanded version of this.
With a real screen Roland!!
Something like the sp404?
@@jeroendeclercq7580 lol
No pattern chain 😢
🤟
Wouldn't the closest competition be the Woovebox?
Shouldn't that be the Korg Volca Sample2?
@@Jason75913 yep 👍
It's unfortunate that this thing looks like an absolute nightmare to use. The combo of the 8 segment UI and those tiny sequencing / keyboard pads are a 1-2 punch that I think puts the EP-133 on top, even with its shortcomings (pun very much intended)
I wouldnt say ep-133 is easier to use. About the same i think
I would happily spend the extra ten dollars to have a video display from an era beyond 1981. These little Volca-style synths/samplers (not "units", Bob Eats; and please say when you receive products to review rather than adding little text notes to do that, which I say for your benefit, though I personally trust your opinions) from Roland pack an admirable number of sound-making features into an inexpensive form, like this one, but some of the choices seem odd. The tiny sample memory is understandable for granular usage, but it really limits sampler functions in unnecessary ways. Memory is not so expensive these days, and it is not so big. So this is another choice that seems way too concerned with hitting a cost target rather than optimizing the musical uses of the device.
That said, given that the price target seems to be met, the result is, despite more and less odd flaws, a worthwhile little sampler. Focusing on what is good about the P-6 - the choice to venture into 44k sampling and a bit of granular at this low price level, with good polyphony, and the usual Roland advantages on effects - it is hard to argue it is not a good value for people in the market for inexpensive synths (and who here is not?) and do not want the recent TE KO thing that looks like a desk calculator and costs substantially more (and would actually pair with the P-6 well enough). Which is pretty well your conclusion, so well done, Bo. Tell Bob we love him too.
Thanks for the feedback! Appreciate it
Is there a song mode and how many songs
seems. no song mode. My Roland MV-1 has a song mode. its good. Buy the MV-1
The internal sample memory is kinda stupid small...:/
48 samples it s more than ridiculous
And it appears to NOT have an SD card slot
Correct. No expandable storage. But its about what u get around this price point if you look at other samplers
@@BoBeats I get it, but some of the omissions made by manufacturers are simply stupid. An SD slot would have cost them a nickel or so to implement. It is common tech.
@deanmass It's what's keeping my GAS at ease. Knowing you have to constantly manage your samples with a computer means you're now incredibly hindered in the amount if projects you can do on the go, at least for me. No GAS for me
Haha bra Biltema spons😋
måste snacka med dem om det där alltså….