Bad Gear - Roland SH-201 - The MP3 Synth??? (feat. Alex Ball)

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  • Опубликовано: 11 мар 2021
  • Check out Alex Ball's Roland SH-2 video:
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    Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Roland SH-201. Is this zero years plastic contraption with the big name the MP3 synth?
  • ВидеоклипыВидеоклипы

Комментарии • 1,5 тыс.

  • @AudioPilz
    @AudioPilz  3 года назад +85

    Don't forget to check out Alex Ball's Roland SH-2 video for some REAL SH-goodness!!!
    ruclips.net/video/XHUxR1S6r2s/видео.html

    • @apislapis
      @apislapis 3 года назад

      Alex is compulsory viewing for synthusiasts. Every vid is gratefully received as is the case with you Florian. Keep them coming.

    • @RM-jj2kq
      @RM-jj2kq 3 года назад

      m.ruclips.net/video/uG4OtCfT3zc/видео.html

    • @Synthysynthsynth
      @Synthysynthsynth 3 года назад +2

      This is a great synth for learning synthesis. All the major functions are laid out clearly and sequentially. Eventually, anyone who stays with synths is going to want a better piece of equipment, but this is a great tool for learning.

    • @matthewdeward1984
      @matthewdeward1984 3 года назад

      speak of devil lol

    • @Big_Nigs64
      @Big_Nigs64 2 года назад

      not even the sh-201

  • @coolbossnessFTW
    @coolbossnessFTW 3 года назад +311

    Finally figured out the scheme: buy pieces of bad gear, make videos that make them slightly desirable, sell for a profit.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +99

      You know too much😂 😂 😂

    • @SyntheticFuture
      @SyntheticFuture 3 года назад +41

      100% this. I bet he buys hundreds of these to create artificial scarcity as well...

    • @navboi12
      @navboi12 3 года назад +12

      @@SyntheticFuture just imagine, piled high! 🤣

    • @187onasimp
      @187onasimp 3 года назад +48

      He probably started this channel because he owns all this bad gear and nobody was buying it. Now he can finally hype them up and get rid of them and buy the hair treatment he always wanted. Watch one day you'll click on his channel an he'll say "Hey guys sorry to say but I've reviewed all the bad gear so I'm shutting down the channel"...and he'll be sporting a full head of hair.

    • @SyntheticFuture
      @SyntheticFuture 3 года назад +19

      @@navboi12 *bumps camera during live demo, giant piles of synths* "oh shit... Ooh you where not supposed to see that... Ooooh f*" *camera cuts out*

  • @aefonta
    @aefonta 3 года назад +12

    "Leave a comment if you've used a D-beam sober" I really like this channel.

  • @JorbLovesGear
    @JorbLovesGear 3 года назад +148

    "Demo guys were held in captivity" absolutely killed me. Lmao

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +13

      Freaking CAGES!!!

    • @nolram
      @nolram 3 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz The Tierschutzverband will be in touch shortly.

    • @rcs2003
      @rcs2003 3 года назад +6

      Rolands SH-201 demo videos are so embarrassing. Kinda stuck in the mid-90s..

    • @JorbLovesGear
      @JorbLovesGear 3 года назад

      @@rcs2003 the early boss demos it what I really know well, like the re201 pedal, and the slicer etc. Really relics

    • @RM-jj2kq
      @RM-jj2kq 3 года назад

      m.ruclips.net/video/uG4OtCfT3zc/видео.html

  • @staticchoir
    @staticchoir 3 года назад +75

    my setup includes an SH-201, MPC500, and a Drumbrute. I am feeling so called out.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +10

      It's nothing personal;)

    • @mrz80
      @mrz80 3 года назад

      But, are you not one with the Body? You will be... absorbed. It is the Will of Landru™. :)

    • @scottcupp8129
      @scottcupp8129 3 года назад

      Behringer Deep Mind 12, Oberheim Matrix 12, JD800 and an old school TR909 and Yamaha RX5 here. Oh also the Novation Mini Nova and Ensoniq SQ1+ We as creators love our toys don't we?

    • @mrz80
      @mrz80 3 года назад

      @@scottcupp8129 Ah, you're the first person I've seen in AGES who's using one of those Ensoniqs. We've had one as our primary (and for most of the time ONLY other than the piano) keyboard at church ever since it first came out.

    • @scottcupp8129
      @scottcupp8129 3 года назад

      @@mrz80 Yeah it is a solid synth even to this day. I mean I use a lot of VSTi stuff when I compose, but I always wind up using at least something out of the good old SQ. It's built like a tank and a real work horse. I have some modern analogs too. I have a Behringer DeepMind 12 and a Novation Mini Nova. My controller is an M-Audio Keystation Pro 88.

  • @s.fleming2441
    @s.fleming2441 3 года назад +148

    you're really killing it with this channel, its just the right mix of comedy and technical explanations and good songs, useful tips for us bad gear collectors(which this channel has taught me that I am one), great production values,. The bad gear angle is really fresh. A great channel that has resurrected many items from the back of my storage unit.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +8

      Thanks! Happy to hear that!

    • @RM-jj2kq
      @RM-jj2kq 3 года назад

      m.ruclips.net/video/uG4OtCfT3zc/видео.html

    • @MikolajZMiasta
      @MikolajZMiasta Год назад

      @@AudioPilz Agree. Around 30% of my general synth knowledge is from your channel LMAO

  • @StephanS
    @StephanS 3 года назад +42

    The SH201 was marketed as a "real beginner" synth. Remember, it was 2006 and most synths were menu-diving complicated and expensive machines. The SH201 was targeted at younger audiences as VSTs were getting better and better. I remember the local music store selling them so damn cheap, i almost bought one. Years later, i bought one used for less. It appears on the first ambient works i did a few years ago and some remixes

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +8

      Great for ambient as a string&pad machine!

    • @seedmole
      @seedmole 2 года назад +7

      Yeah I got one around 2010 as I was getting into making ambient music. It worked great, did exactly what I needed, and any alternatives either were menu-digging nightmares.

    • @richardharris9708
      @richardharris9708 Год назад +2

      I bought one when it came out for £400 (quite a lot for me at the time). It aliases like crazy but I loved its simplicity. Jordan Rudess made patches for it including some amazing distorted synth leads and you can play the leads over a pad on the same keyboard thanks to the split. Oh yeah, some of the plastic knobs fell off and the second set of 8 memory buttons stopped working so I have to open it up and resolder them. Build quality was absolutely terrible.

    • @rectivequen8117
      @rectivequen8117 9 месяцев назад

      Thank you for explaining this. I learned so much from my 201 since I bought it in 2009. I do remember it being marketed as a beginner synth and that being one of the reasons I bought it. Sure there are better synths out there, but this helps hard wire the fundamentals for new creators.

  • @franciscojaviergomez4807
    @franciscojaviergomez4807 3 года назад +51

    This was a long waited episode. I own the SH-201, I love it

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Thanks!

    • @JohnWDisco
      @JohnWDisco 3 года назад

      Might buy one now. 😂

    • @jibjamjangles
      @jibjamjangles 3 года назад +1

      Love mine too! So happy you finally found one!

    • @lizw2587
      @lizw2587 3 года назад +1

      Me too!

    • @pipschannel1222
      @pipschannel1222 20 дней назад

      I used to own an SH-201. I loved its accesibility and the design of its controls but I have to admit it's pretty cheaply built.. I really liked the sounds I got out of it and the arpeggiator is very nice and easy to use but my Korg Minilogue XD sounds a lot better and way more detailed indeed, which is why I get the MP3 reference..
      Comparing it to a Minilogue isn't fair on my end though as that's way more powerful and a lot newer of course ;-)
      The SH-201 is a nice synth for starters and people who are on a budget and want to experiment creating some cool sounds.. It's a lot of value for the price in the very least!

  • @ishroyer222
    @ishroyer222 3 года назад +10

    “The supersaw... a sawtooth waveform on party supplies” is probably your greatest quotable yet

  • @GabeMillerMusic
    @GabeMillerMusic 3 года назад +40

    LOVE that Rolandvania jam. And maybe it's because I grew up on mid/late 2000s electronic music, but I actually dig the way this thing sounds.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +6

      Thanks! The 201 would totally work in DnB, Dubstep or Trance of that time

    • @JobimSynthMusic
      @JobimSynthMusic 3 года назад +5

      I can see those sounds becoming nostalgic and sought after in about 10 years.

    • @oxycominum
      @oxycominum 3 года назад +5

      I second this. If you were a kid like me who gobbled up all the Future Trance and Dream Dance CDs there were, this hits you right in the nostalgia.

    • @illford6921
      @illford6921 3 года назад

      @@AudioPilz would sound fitting in something made by Flume ngl

    • @mrz80
      @mrz80 3 года назад

      It's a little too nasal sounding, though you might be able to eq your way around that. Really though, my bloodlust for cool old synths has largely been assuaged by the myriad array of free and nearly-free (bang on Juno 106 emulation for 25 clams? SIGN ME UP!) plugins out there. Software takes up no desk space, and (at least with the free stuff) doesn't show on the Visa statement for the wife to gripe about :D

  • @gamma_noize
    @gamma_noize 3 года назад +12

    "You can set up Leias and splits" - Shiiiit! I fell from my chair because i was laughing so hard! 🤣🤣

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +3

      That's what I understand when I'm listening to myself;)

  • @Gainn
    @Gainn 3 года назад +27

    That minimal jam is fiyah.
    Roland likes abandoning products.. *Cries in SH-01 GAIA*

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +2

      Thanks! Did they really abandon the GAIA already?

    • @Gainn
      @Gainn 3 года назад +7

      @@AudioPilz there are still win10 drivers.. but they're more like 'suggestions' that ask your PC if it'll work with it for the most part. Some days, some PC's it plays nicely.. others not.. They stopped updating the firmware in about 2012 even though there were buglists that would have made Starship Troopers proud.

    • @PhilanderingBastard
      @PhilanderingBastard 3 года назад +5

      Joins in V-Synth GT

  • @els1f
    @els1f 3 года назад +62

    This is precisely what still makes me nauseous when i see Roland's name on things. I always try to explain it as:
    Imagine if fender only made guitars for a few years in the 50's or 60's. Then, they continue making these weird plastic things that don't have strings but have buttons that makes a sound that's somehow similar to a guitar, but call them telecasters and stratocasters anyway.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +8

      Very fitting comparison!

    • @187onasimp
      @187onasimp 3 года назад +25

      Really??? The SH-101,TR0-808,Jupiter 8, TB-303 where all HATED and I mean absolutely HATED and despised when they came out and now they praise them like they're the greatest instruments in the world. If you had a time machine and you ventured back to the 80's there would be some dude just like you complaining about one of those legends calling them the worst thing on Earth. Every gear is bad until a good musician steps behind it and uses it to create what becomes a classic hit and then all of a sudden it's AMAZING!

    • @MSM5500
      @MSM5500 3 года назад

      @@187onasimp "Really???"
      No. It's just about the TS getting an excuse from the "loser oriented" RUclips channel for being a loser.

    • @cheapmusicgear
      @cheapmusicgear 3 года назад +1

      @@187onasimp so true

    • @a-nus
      @a-nus 3 года назад +1

      @Jonathan Stark its not just about that, these things were not cheap new. Imagine being hyped for your new instrument, and when it arrives its a wobbly mess. Then you call the manufacturer to ask if iits a defect, and they tell you that's how its supposed to be.

  • @donaldpriola1807
    @donaldpriola1807 3 года назад +75

    The designer of the synth went on to a healthy career making products for Axe Body Spray.

  • @tomfenn7149
    @tomfenn7149 3 года назад +10

    Lovin' the Retrofuturistic piece! You are a talented chap Herr Pilz. Please release an album!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +3

      Thanks! Working on it!

  • @frhntubeable
    @frhntubeable 3 года назад +25

    I remember when this thing just came out, I was still in elementary school and my parents was looking to buy a piano in a music store . I saw this synth in the store and asked the store staff what this was for, and he said “it’s to make weird sounds” 😂

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +16

      Obviously a sales professional ;)

    • @Lost_Dutchman
      @Lost_Dutchman 3 года назад +6

      One time, while I was spending all day in Guitar Center trying out some synthesizers, a customer being shown learning keyboards and digital pianos pointed and asked about the other entire room chock full of awesome synths and I overheard the salesman say, "I don't know. Those are for like DJs and stuff." They didn't come into the room.

    • @kenfusion
      @kenfusion 3 года назад +1

      😆😁😅😂

  • @t3hjnz
    @t3hjnz 3 года назад +7

    Fantastic, as always. You have a real knack for making hilariously bad synths sound cool in context. What a pleasant surprise to have Alex Ball's face to react to some of the sounds as well!

  • @maxstatic
    @maxstatic 3 года назад +5

    The futuristic minimalist bit was awesome! I could listen to that all day.

  • @matthewlowe1120
    @matthewlowe1120 3 года назад +21

    Sounds like a recording of a recording of a SH-101.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +3

      A bad recording of a bad recording...

    • @mrz80
      @mrz80 3 года назад

      Advanced media and tape-head degradation free of charge

  • @movraptor
    @movraptor 3 года назад +2

    your videos are so well produced idk how you do it man keep up the good stuff :D

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Thank you! I just don't mess around much

  • @ianmccoy13
    @ianmccoy13 3 года назад +5

    Every time I see such low quality knobs, a little piece of me dies inside.
    Another solid video! Keep up the great work!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Thanks!

    • @MrBrandonLau
      @MrBrandonLau 3 года назад

      It would be nice with plain solid black knobs. I think a store on eBay sells the correct replacements.

  • @MichaelCozineSounds
    @MichaelCozineSounds 3 года назад +12

    I'm so happy there's finally a good demo of this on RUclips. I love this synth!!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Yeah, it surprised me not to find any

    • @baddriddimworkshop
      @baddriddimworkshop 3 года назад +2

      @@AudioPilz because people are keping them, not worth selling for the price

  • @beloyaraistov8007
    @beloyaraistov8007 3 года назад +3

    Sh-201 have a superb design, beautiful

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      The layout is indeed great

  • @johnwilmarth833
    @johnwilmarth833 3 года назад +2

    You really are the best in the game. From the editing to the delivery and most of all the insight of a lifer who has been in the game since WHAM! (maybe not that long, but still) Your videos have been a bright spot during the past year, thanks so much for this. I've also owned one too many of the pieces of gear you have reviewed, vindication!

    • @johnwilmarth833
      @johnwilmarth833 3 года назад +1

      SH-32 would be a good follow up to this! I had that one for a minute, kind of an oddball concept but you know, Roland's gonna be Roland.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Thank you so much! It means a lot to me!

  • @JeanBernal
    @JeanBernal 3 года назад +22

    "Sounds like an MP3", I thought the same when I heard the Juno Di, or other keyboards of the same range hahaha. Great video!!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +2

      Yeah, there are quite some instruments that trigger this association

    • @wickedmonroe
      @wickedmonroe 3 года назад +2

      @@AudioPilz don't you dare do an episode on the juno di

    • @B1SCOOP
      @B1SCOOP 3 года назад +4

      Yamaha RM1X sequencer gave me similar impression. Internal patches sound not terrible, not great, yet work fine as placeholders.

    • @raistaparta
      @raistaparta 3 года назад +1

      The Juno-Di would be a great candidate for Bad Gear!

    • @NickHchaos
      @NickHchaos 3 года назад

      Strangely enough, there’s an old interview with Grimes where she says something like, “Well, now that I got this fancy keyboard, the Juno Di..”

  • @kristofersknesis
    @kristofersknesis Год назад +4

    i remember when this was my Dream Synth that i dreamt i could one day afford. a locally famous band was using one and i loved the sound. eventually i was able to afford one and spent a lot of good time with it, although i had no understanding of what was going on with the knobs and sliders and what did what. later i sold it to fund a microbrute purchase, a decision i can't regret to this day, because of how important a step it was in my musical journey - i recently graduated from Elektron machines and started venturing into the modular world.
    yet i feel nothing but fondness for the SH-201 and wish i could get my hands on one today.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  Год назад +1

      That's quite a journey indeed!!!👍 👍 👍

    • @slowpunkforslowpunks2050
      @slowpunkforslowpunks2050 Год назад +1

      Hehehe, I'm an idiot who doesn't sell anything, ever. So I still have mine.
      I can't say I cherish it, or even that I use it a lot (I need to fix some of its preset switches, after all). But when I later got an actual analog synth and started with modular, I kinda sorta knew what was going on thanks to its control layout.

    • @paulnevvgeneva3157
      @paulnevvgeneva3157 9 месяцев назад +1

      hey, me too. 201 is a good synth for those who wants to learn how to understand the concept of (subtractive) synthesizer. it should be the synth in every school until its modwheel was beat to death.

  • @seedmole
    @seedmole 2 года назад +4

    I got the sh-201 as my first synth, absolutely loved it. It had a huge learning curve because I had no clue how subtractive synthesizers worked, but it worked really well in the end. The phrase recorder has some super cool functions when you tweak stuff like the delay time. There's also a decent number of hidden two-button functions for stuff like ramp times and reverb/delay parameters.

  • @franciscorodeghiero3679
    @franciscorodeghiero3679 3 года назад +2

    Wow!! Finally somebody made a cool video about this little boogie!! I still have mine. Really love the cool songs you made and the clever editing. You just got a new subscriber! I’ll join the request list on the GAIA. Thanks!! 👍🏻👊🏻

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Thanks! Yeah GAIA is officially on the list!

  • @TallicaMan1986
    @TallicaMan1986 2 года назад +2

    it's amazing that every video has banging tracks

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад

      Happy to hear that, thanks!

  • @aksen303
    @aksen303 3 года назад +17

    it has the legendary d-beam. it has to be amazing.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +3

      The ultimate UI element

    • @illford6921
      @illford6921 3 года назад

      WHAT DOES THE D BEAM DO THOUGH
      I'M HAVING A MENTAL BREAKDOWN OVER IR

  • @mycosys
    @mycosys 3 года назад +111

    Definitely has everything i dislike about the sound of early VA synths, neither crunchy and lo-res like an early digital synth, nor smooth and squelchy like a good analog, it sits in this uncanny valley of thin fingernails on chalkboard.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +14

      That sums it up pretty nicely!

    • @alexwestconsulting
      @alexwestconsulting 3 года назад +4

      This came after the JP-8080 which is awesome. I wouldn't call it terribly good VA, but I would call it terribly good regardless. Roland just cheaped the hell out of this one.

    • @WARDISWARD
      @WARDISWARD 3 года назад +1

      Roland has been doing va's for almost a decade when the the sh 201 was released in 2005-2006, so no it's certainly not a first gen va
      I still have one of the first gen va's , a clavia nord modular and it still sounds fantastic , even after 20 years

    • @alexwestconsulting
      @alexwestconsulting 3 года назад +1

      @@WARDISWARD Yup the Clavia Nord's have been top class always along with the Access Virus. The Rolands of that era were always more prosumer grade. Still are.

    • @WARDISWARD
      @WARDISWARD 3 года назад +3

      @@alexwestconsulting
      The jp8000 most def. was NOT prosumer grade , agree that the sh201 is
      But it's still shoulders above the abomination called gaia , at least the sh201 had real calculated dsp generated waveforms , the gaia used sample based osc's and
      Let's just say that Roland also released prosumer stuff alongside their more pro grade stuff
      Clavia never released pro-sumer , clavia was cool , now they are just plain boooring

  • @skysten2605
    @skysten2605 3 года назад +2

    I'm enjoying your production style and pace and your humour

  • @23jackleeder
    @23jackleeder 3 года назад +2

    I love the Alex Ball method for the reviewing of synth presets. Great episode all round!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      He never misses. Thanks!

  • @AngryBulldogg
    @AngryBulldogg 3 года назад +3

    Just listening to your intro track again around 5 mins and I thought to myself, sounds like im waiting in a team death match lobby on black ops 2. Amazing work

  • @hubbarao
    @hubbarao 3 года назад +3

    At the first glance, the Roland SH-201 is ticking all the boxes. I dig it! Thanks and nice work on the episode!

  • @YouBredRaptorsMusic
    @YouBredRaptorsMusic 3 года назад +2

    i don't care what anyone says.
    this was the first NEW synthesizer i ever bought, because it checked all the boxes i was looking for, and i could afford it. i toured with this thing a lot when i was just out of high school,for a while just with a soft case (i didnt have very much money) and despite bouncing around the back of a trailer with heavy guitar cabs, it to this day has never let me down. it gave me INTUITIVE hands on control night after night without the need for an lcd screen of Any kind. seriously, i could go through a set blindfolded and still find all my patches and parameters i tweak live. it introduced me to the idea and process of synthesis. helping wrap my head around something i never would have with a lot of other, even more expensive digital (and many analog) synthesizers. it has routing IN (i ran an SP404 into mine) which isnt something you were seeing on a lot of synths at the time. had reverb and delay Built In. and honestly, you can say the preset patches don't sound good, but tweak them a little bit and you can get this thing sounding great. i think this sounded significantly better than the MicroKorg (which was the big competitor of the time) and with full sized keys and hands on controls for everything with practically no menu diving, i think this was a better performance machine. but hey, everyone can hate on whatever they want at this point. but in all honesty, i still find myself reaching for this thing on certain tracks To This Day.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      I assumed that it would be hard to kill this thing 😅😅😅

    • @YouBredRaptorsMusic
      @YouBredRaptorsMusic 3 года назад

      @@AudioPilz 100% . And those knobs might have play in them, mine haven't broken off or stopped working yet. who knows, maybe it's a design element. hahaha. Rubber bendy pots. Hahaha.

  • @JuiceBrick
    @JuiceBrick 3 года назад +4

    "And most importantly, Scooter" 🙏

    • @rcs2003
      @rcs2003 3 года назад +1

      And they never used this synth in fact. Just on stage during shows, switched off and fake playing on it

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Legend!!!

  • @LORDS.And.Hammers
    @LORDS.And.Hammers 3 года назад +8

    As limited as it is, its super incredible as a set of synthesis training wheels. I learned so much from this piece of equipment.
    Side note: Weight wise, it’s so light. When it arrived from the courier, I thought the box was actually empty and that I had been ripped off. 😂

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +3

      True, a very educational (and super-lightweight) synth;)

  • @CrookedHillSound
    @CrookedHillSound 2 года назад +38

    This was actually my first synthesizer 15 years ago. I still use it plenty. I think it's unfairly disliked, it mostly seems to be hated by tech-snobs so I don't lose sleep over its bad reviews. I find it fun to craft sounds on.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад +3

      Great if it fits your sound and setup!

    • @baddriddimworkshop
      @baddriddimworkshop 2 года назад +1

      i agree all the way, i love my 201, and it's been thru lots... got in when it was released aswell, mored than 15 years ago...

    • @noth606
      @noth606 2 года назад +1

      @@baddriddimworkshop I tried to find one but couldn't, but I found a Gaia SH-01 instead which I'm quite happy with. Doesn't quite sound the same but I've grown to like the Gaia sound, and I find the keys to feel very good on it.

    • @baddriddimworkshop
      @baddriddimworkshop 2 года назад +1

      @@noth606 i think the main differtence is that the oscilators are sampled, but i wouldnt sware. dont forget to check the layer function

  • @adrianoconnor3020
    @adrianoconnor3020 3 года назад

    love the visuals,nice little unreal tournament reference,another highly entertaining video

  • @mcringelpietzz4085
    @mcringelpietzz4085 3 года назад

    Watching u since the m Audio venom Episode and ohhhh boy man u always made my Day
    Shoutout to you, you takin all out of the Boxen

  • @Roboprogs
    @Roboprogs 3 года назад +3

    I love the artwork on this channel. The “pre Jetsons” Art Deco retro future animation around 7:20 was really cool.

  • @emiel333
    @emiel333 3 года назад +3

    I should be working on productions at this moment but I just can’t get enough of your awesome video’s!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +3

      Thank you! I catch myself at procrastinating all the time

    • @emiel333
      @emiel333 3 года назад +3

      @@AudioPilz I’m glad I’m not the only one procrastinating! 😊

  • @TheLokiBiz
    @TheLokiBiz 3 года назад +1

    You finally found one!!! I've been waiting for this episode - this was my first ever "real" synth (as in not just a rompler or whatever)

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Not the worst introduction to the whole synth thing from a usability perspective

  • @Nismology5
    @Nismology5 3 года назад +1

    YES been looking forward to this!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      I hope it was worth the wait...

  • @NeoLudditevisons
    @NeoLudditevisons 3 года назад +3

    Excellent!! A true mp3 synth - finally! We need more face reactions from Alex in the future too

  • @apislapis
    @apislapis 3 года назад +4

    Still have my SH-201 and although it does sound rather thin and lacks heft at the bottom end I find it perfectly fine to use in the mix. If it were a vocalist it would be providing the BVs not the lead, as long as you accept that the 201 is in the middle of the food chain then it ain't bad gear. Thank goodness many people are unable to manage their own expectations Florian. You'll have a job for life at this rate.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Thank you so much! Let's hope so!

  • @RikMaxSpeed
    @RikMaxSpeed 2 года назад +1

    Always fun when my favourite RUclipsrs link up and feature in the same video!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад

      ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  • @BusyLizzy575
    @BusyLizzy575 8 месяцев назад

    i love these videos. Any time i see a ad for a synth and it looks a decent price i watch you to figure out if its worth a go.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  8 месяцев назад

      Thank you!!!

    • @BusyLizzy575
      @BusyLizzy575 8 месяцев назад

      Thank you! Such fun videos. and informative. i loved the photo that flashed up by the way. I paused it, and it made me goggle.

  • @zanderxymox
    @zanderxymox 3 года назад +5

    SH-201 was my first synthesizer I got for a couple hundred USD several years ago, since then I added a few more synths to my lineup, but the SH-201 always has a part in the music I make. And funny enough, I do make Retrowave / 80s inspired dark electronic music, so I loved that you made a retro song for your demo of it

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Great for adding a new touch to retro tones!

  • @andimcc6131
    @andimcc6131 3 года назад +5

    5:00 "Trance exercise": This is absolutely the menu music from a 1990s PC game
    6:15 "Downtempo jam": This is the music that is playing in the rave scene in one of those slightly-goth sci-fi films from the glut right after "The Matrix" came out. The budget is pretty low. There is a woman starring that you thought was Milla Jovovich but when you look it up on IMDB you realize it was somebody else.
    7:15 "Film score minimal music": I think you pretty much nailed what this one's about, but one thing that struck me listening to this clip was how much it just honestly sounded like a Ladytron song. Ladytron was in your list of SH-201 users at the start and I was like "really?" but no, now I think I can hear it

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Very thorough analysis, thanks!

  • @mattiazzoivarzzoni3854
    @mattiazzoivarzzoni3854 Год назад +2

    Your channel is easily the most entertaining on RUclips. Even though you sometimes give some of my favorite gear the "bad gear" treatment

  • @TommaurerMaurer
    @TommaurerMaurer 3 года назад +2

    You always make these sound epic.

  • @hednodsflyingoscillatorcir9827
    @hednodsflyingoscillatorcir9827 3 года назад +33

    My pet rat ate mine, it was so cheesy. It’s kind of a Jugo version of a Juno or ... some fatherless creation.

    • @danvandal4127
      @danvandal4127 3 года назад +4

      Top comment!

    • @mrz80
      @mrz80 3 года назад

      Yugo version of a Juno... See, when cheap econobox and a synthesizer REALLY love each other...
      Yuno! :D

  • @oneness_one
    @oneness_one 2 года назад +8

    love this episode! you hit every remark on this synth spot on! The SH was my synth that got me into all this. And still using it from time to time and liking the sound.. but maybe it is some kind of stockholm syndrome I've contracted over the years..

  • @mixrasta
    @mixrasta 3 года назад +1

    So far the best RUclipsr I've seen! But it also would be ok to deliver a new video every 2 weeks, don't wanna miss you cause of a burnout ;-)

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Thanks! No worries, I'm used to heavy workloads

  • @LouisSerieusement
    @LouisSerieusement 3 года назад +1

    Always cool to see Alex face in your videos :p thank you so much for this episode

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Thanks for watching!

    • @LouisSerieusement
      @LouisSerieusement 3 года назад

      @@AudioPilz may I ask where does this wonderful comic strip come from ? 8:09

  • @GenuineHeather
    @GenuineHeather Год назад +6

    This was the first of your videos I've seen, so as a fan of the SH-201 I wasn't sure quite what to expect. As it happens, I think you did a good job highlighting both the strengths and weaknesses of the SH-201. Everything you said is perfectly fair. It's not what I'd consider a major league synthesizer. But I still love it for several reasons. For one, the simple surface controls make crafting a sound fast and efficient. I use this board in my live rig, along with an FA-06 and AX-Edge. It fills in a lot of gaps and is super easy to play, even on the fly. It's also incredibly lightweight, which is one big reason the SH-201gets to go to gigs while my far better synthesizers stay home. Sad but true. Pound for pound, it does a fine job, and in live performance its shortcomings aren't very noticeable. I also still use it in my home studio. It may not be top dog, or even close, but it has its role to play and is always there when I need it.

  • @dylanleroysynth
    @dylanleroysynth 3 года назад +3

    Nice video! Never played one of these but per usual you made it sound pretty dang good! Don't mind the look of the synth to be honest.

  • @BigMichaelR1
    @BigMichaelR1 3 года назад +1

    Another great vid!!! ❤❤❤

  • @tronos
    @tronos 3 года назад +2

    that was fast.!!! last week it was still in my posession. great to see my synth again in a awesome way

  • @char252
    @char252 3 года назад +7

    you can hear the pixels in the bass

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +2

      True that. 480 bass!

  • @uly1981
    @uly1981 3 года назад +5

    Love it! The demo sounds and arpeggio inspired me to create 100 new 1998 trance tracks

  • @AH-wt7zu
    @AH-wt7zu 3 года назад

    AudioPilz, making nerdy meme videos kool af... great as always!(:

  • @htechdance
    @htechdance 3 года назад +3

    I have recently discovered your channel and it's the most impressive synth breakdowns
    I have ever seen. The 201 was the first synth I ever owned and it has great nostalgia for
    me even though I agree with most all your critique. The overdrive was my favorite feature!
    They said it could blow down doors and I agree but unfortunately, the build quality was
    abhorrent. The red area on mine saw all the paint wear off and I hand repainted it only
    later to trade it in for $175 in 2015 for a brand new Jd-Xi. If you watch both videos of
    this channel on these two models I think it becomes abundantly clear which sounds better.
    I remember Madonna's keyboardist had a custom white 201 and that comment how
    the lead designer went on to sell Axe cologne suddenly makes perfect sense. BTW, I own
    a Gaia and have to say the arpeggiator is really cool on the Gaia and overall sound quality
    with a stacked 3 oscillator sound trumps the 201 every time. However I hate the LCDs or
    lack thereof on ALL of my great sounding Roland boards. Korg's workflow beats Roland's
    every time. I have a MicroKorg-S and XL+ and absolutely love those two beasts!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Thank you!!!

    • @2112jonr
      @2112jonr 2 года назад

      True, but the MicroKorg's UX isn't exactly a paradime of joy either. Which doesn't reflect well on the Roland.

  • @DaneXbsinthe
    @DaneXbsinthe 3 года назад +7

    Oh! This is the one I’ve been waiting for!
    Edit: yeah, you’ve said exactly what I’ve been saying. Once you hear it....

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Yeah, you can't polish that one!

  • @Analoque444
    @Analoque444 3 года назад +3

    Thanks a lot for the video. A friend gave me the synth for an weekend to program him the patchbanks with my signaturesounds. I know, it is easy to underrate this synth but don´t be fooled, it can sound very big and nice, raw etc. which is often good to cut through a mix or in live situations. There are hidden possibilities to make funny things with it, like delay/reverb section in extreme settings and modulation by hand to very short times etc. I like this synth :D it has a big fun factor too.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Agreed, there are some interesting sweet spots albeit well hidden ;)

    • @Analoque444
      @Analoque444 3 года назад +1

      @@AudioPilz Yeah, thats almost right but not quite. "Some" is relative - I think there are "many" and if you want almost infinite. Like many gear, it will show up with the time you use it. Or it will never show up. It depends on you.

  • @kenfusion
    @kenfusion 3 года назад

    That JAM !!
    And the video . Both excellent .
    I just bought a gaia. Listening to a generative patch right now . I love analogue but always had a hankerin for that (plastic) roland sound . Listening to what the sh-01 does I can't wait to hear what you could do with it even if it gets the bad gear of the year award . ROCK ON bad gear dude !

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Thank you so much!

  • @kalanix51
    @kalanix51 3 года назад +1

    Trippin! This synth was and still is a blast to write with.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Lots of fun can be had but I wouldn't want to mix a record that has this synth on it

  • @Dorpz
    @Dorpz 3 года назад +4

    My god, the Unreal Tournament Arcane reference! Legendary.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +2

      I know that level like my apartment

  • @OutrageTerrorTraxx
    @OutrageTerrorTraxx 2 года назад +4

    Had one, sold it... And i miss it a lot. I find it a great synth for what it is. A cheap and very easy VA poly synth. Thinking of buying one back.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад +1

      Very easy to use indeed!

  • @WokeUpScreaming
    @WokeUpScreaming 3 года назад +1

    We had an SH-201 at my college and I used to love it because Hadouken! used one and they were my favourite band at the time!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Hadouken! is probably the most 90s zero years phenomenon

  • @M3urs
    @M3urs 11 месяцев назад

    Your music arrangement at 7:19 is stunning and hypnotic!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  11 месяцев назад +1

      Thank you!!!

    • @M3urs
      @M3urs 11 месяцев назад

      @@AudioPilz How did you learn how to make thoses complexes arrangements?

  • @ChrisSmout
    @ChrisSmout 3 года назад +4

    I've been on the fence about picking up an SH201 as there is one in my area but it's a little expensive. This video has killed my GAS for it - thanks!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      It would be nice as a rack unit maybe

  • @superikone
    @superikone 3 года назад +3

    On point! Very good music examples. 👏🏻 By the way: I had nearly the same impression of the Roland Gaia. Better look, but same plastic sound (in my ears).

  • @callummacdonald9610
    @callummacdonald9610 3 года назад +2

    Some of the best music content I’ve seen on RUclips in a long time. You’re super talented

  • @astrologyambience240
    @astrologyambience240 Год назад +1

    U kill me... ty for all the hard work and COMEDY!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  Год назад

      Thank you so much for watching!!!

  • @fredrikh9299
    @fredrikh9299 Год назад +7

    I've owned the JP8 that is super hyped, and the 201 that is super ditched. To me they are both inspiring instruments that sounds great in their own ways. The 201 is great for EDM, trance, house. After all, it's the musician that should bring pride to the instrument, not the other way around. Actually, I've never owned a bad Roland product.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  Год назад +2

      It's got THAT 2010 EDM sound

    • @frigginFin
      @frigginFin Год назад +1

      At the moment as I type this, I have a SH201 and JP-8000 right next to me to my left. They both serve their purpose as does the Yamaha CS2X between them. Not to mention the gear that's a bit further right and back of me. Korg Wavestation EX, Kurzweill K2000, Alsesis QS6, two Korg Tritons, Novation Supernova and a EMu yellow trance module. It's all about what floats your boat... 😎

  • @djlocodoc
    @djlocodoc 3 года назад +5

    Haters: sounds like an mp3 synth
    Audiopilz: hold my beer rookie!
    Us: Bad gear gold!
    Great vid and jams!!

  • @beepboop4846
    @beepboop4846 3 года назад

    I love that you left the crash report prompt open

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Ain't nobody got time for that ;)

  • @jinggarcia
    @jinggarcia 3 года назад +5

    deep inside his heart he actually loves the 201.

  • @auralplex
    @auralplex Год назад +5

    I think it sounds amazing. I had it for years and made some really great tunes.

  • @alexwestconsulting
    @alexwestconsulting 3 года назад +3

    Thx for this. I've got a couple JP-8080's which are awesome so I never understood why this one released so soon after is so completely misaligned. I've always wanted to get one just to try it and solve the mystery. I personally think that the VSTi integration was really forward thinking and it/Roland should get credit for it.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Thanks! I read a post today that they were using cheap processors that were easier to write code for

  • @activelow9297
    @activelow9297 Год назад +1

    Your summary at the end of this video is exactly how I feel about the Access Virus series. "Once you know what you are listening for, you can't unhear it".

  • @JonathanDotExe
    @JonathanDotExe 3 года назад +1

    First of all, I want to say that I really enjoy this series and that it is probably my favourite one on RUclips right now. Keep up the good work!
    And now to my question: I know an owner of an SH201 and he wasn't able to get the driver running on Windows 10. Therefore I wanted ask which "weird things" you had to do to your computer. Thanks in advance :)

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Thanks! The seller sent me a link which I didn't want to publish bc of accountability

    • @JonathanDotExe
      @JonathanDotExe 3 года назад +1

      Oh ok. Thanks for your answer!

  • @marcomaureira
    @marcomaureira 3 года назад +3

    Alex ball pretty epic, great video as always I love seeing new synths (even if they're bad gear lmao)

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +1

      Thanks! I ROFLed hard when he sent me the vid

  • @dariusmines
    @dariusmines 3 года назад +5

    I bought one of these for $50 5 years ago. It kills in RnB and Funk, the presets suck but going into an amp or EQ it does cool things.

  • @romanpistelak58
    @romanpistelak58 3 года назад +1

    Hey, i love your jams in the end of videos. Everyone! 👌

  • @h2o1969
    @h2o1969 2 года назад +1

    I am re watching this since it first came out. Forgot how good that last 4 to the floor movie jam was.

  • @dman030
    @dman030 3 года назад +5

    i like that retrofuturistic cinemascope track. you should get some of these tracks out or even tutorials on the creation process, if you are going to put the time into making them and they sound good, why not.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Thanks! I try to put as many of them as possible onto Patreon...

  • @ssmodk
    @ssmodk 3 года назад +21

    You truly deserve all the credit in the world for your editing choices, self-awareness, and self-deprecation. Even my five-year-old really enjoys watching your videos.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад +2

      Thanks! Happy to hear that!

  • @Bod8998
    @Bod8998 3 года назад

    Best synth channel on here quality as usualalways manages to make it sound half decent love end tune reminds me of com truise

  • @noble_rosethorn
    @noble_rosethorn 3 года назад +1

    At 3:46 is that a Unreal Tournament map? That's a next level pun...

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Yeah, "Arcane Temple" - legendary!!!

  • @Flop-Bop
    @Flop-Bop Год назад +3

    Holy shit, i bought my SH-201 for $200 about 2 years ago. Since this video, they’re on reverb for like, $350-$500. This video literally brought up the value!!

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  Год назад +2

      Wow, I haven't checked in a while!!!

    • @Matt-zp1jn
      @Matt-zp1jn Год назад +1

      I just got an sh-201 for only around $260 usd.
      It only had 1 owner who only used it a few times and left it in his house after that. It is in mint condition, looks & feels brand new, I got the power cables, the unused cdrom editor disk and a nice padded perfectly sized keyboard bag that is basically new too! 😊.
      It will be the perfect 1st Synth for learning synthesis on and having fun with.
      I like the visual simplicity, the lack of confusing menu diving, and that it can be great for a dawless setup with a few other pieces of gear! The nice strings, pad sounds, multiple waveform options, 2 oscillators, and a Supersaw, for me it makes it an underrated piece of gear for learning and $ value wise on a budget.
      I was also considering a used JD-Xi synth too, but their prices were almost double what I got for the SH-201. While the JD-Xi has more depth to it, analog & digital synths, it also is more cluttered with knobs, sliders, buttons and has alot of menu diving WHEN compared to the elegance of the SH-201’s layout of what you see is what you get. Plus the keyboard on the SH-201 is vastly superior to to the JD-Xi small cheaper quality keys.
      When you factor in the major price increase for a JD-Xi , or even a Mininova synth, Bass Station II, Microkorg, etc, I know I can get alot out of the 201 , an still sell it for more than I paid in the future, if I grow completely out of it!
      Great SH-201 review and music tracks made by Florian on this video of its various tones, sounds etc! 😊

  • @robr135
    @robr135 2 года назад +4

    This thing is really, really good for Trance. If thats not your thing look elsewhere. If you want it to sound like a warm gentle wet fart like an old analog beast there are superior synths for that. As far as Supersaws go, this can get them no problem. The issue here are the presets on this thing. Lets face it, they sucked and most who tried it turned away. I have already created new ones to replace the existing ones and I can bet people would have a way better time playing it. Also the built in effects are just not good enough but with a good daw to connect this synth to as a vsti you can get superior reverb/delay and this thing will sound way more beautiful.
    Also why anybody would criticize this as a touring synth needs their heads examined because with a synth like this you put it in one spot and keep it there ie. Your studio. the quality is cheap but what's inside is gold if you actually know how to program it and disregard the lackluster presets it comes with.

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад +3

      Trance stuff actually works really well

    • @Matt-zp1jn
      @Matt-zp1jn 11 месяцев назад

      The classic trance and supersaw, pads, strings etc are great for what it is, fun to play and creativeness flows easily.
      Low cost too!

  • @TheLokiBiz
    @TheLokiBiz 3 года назад +2

    I did always love the layout of this synth. It was a really good first synth in that way, as it was good at teaching me the fundamentals of how subtractive synthesis works - that build quality though..... i'd have totally donated you mine if it weren't sitting in my closet broken :P

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      Thanks! Yeah, it's very educational

  • @ChrisHopkinsBass
    @ChrisHopkinsBass 2 года назад +1

    Alex reviewing sounds with his face never fails to cheer me up

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  2 года назад +1

      The man. The legend.

  • @Necroblas
    @Necroblas 3 года назад +3

    I use VR-09's D-Beam in a band for growl sax and chime sweep effects all the time. I might even have been sober at practice once or twice.

  • @spaceranger145
    @spaceranger145 3 года назад +10

    Supersaws are like pizza, there are no such thing as bad supersaw

    • @AudioPilz
      @AudioPilz  3 года назад

      There is some truth to this, wise words!!!

  • @MrSpinek
    @MrSpinek 3 года назад +1

    OOOOOOOOOH baby ive fantasized about having one of these for a while. Juicy