I honestly don't know where this frikking dude came from using the Koto to accentuate histrummin phrases in real-time with no quantize or sync? Like a thugged out Yutaka Yokokura is badass!!!! I'm sold on the 404!
My roommate and I did a performance at our house show last month, and we both ran into this problem of trying to do too much. We had guitars, Bass, synths, drum machines, and we both had a SP404, but only used them for effects. Watching this video has me wishing I saw this earlier, as it would have helped with a lot of problems we had. We're doing another show next month, and I sent this to him, thank you for this amazing deep dive into the untapped world of the 404 as something other than a groove box!
We've all been there~ I'm happy you found it helpful! Move slow and enjoy the music as it comes. Find the natural flow and run with it! And get some video, share with the Discord 😉
Dude. I’m a simple, humble guitarist. I know my instrument. But I prefer to play alone and to create ambient music. I’d love to start playing live again. I knew I needed to dip my toes into this world to achieve that. But you nailed it - hardly anyone documents the transition between the writing and composing process and how to take that to a stage. Thank you. A thousand times. You’ve shown me the way and the device I think I need. ❤
This is like the third video of yours I've seen. I've been researching samplers (as a beginner ambient artist) and your videos and approach has been invaluable. Amazing channel and content. Thanks for your efforts.
This video is exactly what I've been searching for! Thank you so much!!! Edit: Seriously, I cannot overstate your genius in putting this together. I can't believe this is online for free. Wish I could donate a little money in exchange for this incredible lesson you created...
@@winterzealot I really appreciate that! I don’t accept donations but you’re welcome to visit my gumroad and buy a sample pack! They’re all quite cheap.
Great video! This was exactly what I was looking for after looking at so many other videos and products. Luckily I remembered this device and found your video. 🔥🔥💚
This was exactly what I was hoping to learn about, using it in this kind of context. Thank you for taking the time to lay out such a well crafted, and thoughtful demonstration.
Nicely done. Gotta say, it's rare that i would click on a 30 minute video, but you do pitch it very well, and I just received my 404mkII after almost 4 months of waiting... just gotta tie it all together now... keep up the work, it's appreciated
Very dope. I'm so glad people respond well to the longform and hope it's helpful. Admittedly though, the 404mkII could take this concept so much further with midi sync and DJ mode. Take the concepts fof what they're worth and have fun exploring ~
Man this is great, im a musician not a beat maker and want to do a like ambient drone set and this seems like the perfect machine and you explain it well without overbearing on the nitty gritty of using the damn thing
For sure. I went a solid year of using it without getting into the nitty gritty of it; it's great for doing a simple job like audio playback if that's what you need it for.
such an easy video to follow for those who are planning on acquiring a sampler o specifically an sp and heads up for you music showcase as well, doing both things at the same time, well played, love your approach and your sounds, keep up.
Dude! Great video. Thank you. Great inspiration and great at showing how to do it live. Very clear, straight to the point and the notes on the side is a game changer. Cheers
Those 404 vids are just what I needed ! I'm an occasional keyboardist in a soul group which just happened to have Lost its drummer. We're considering ditching half our répertoire, and adapting the rest and Come UP with solutions a out givi g it some rhythm. I would very much like to sée the 404 in a live band environnement.
Be sure to check out my other video, SP-404 for Live, which shows how the SP404 can be used as an instrument! I demo it against two different synth musicians, as well as a jazz band and a Rock jam
Stumbled over this channel now and instantly subbed. What an ambiance in that music. Amazing take on the 404, now I need to try to find money to get one after all 😅 Thanks for the video!
Great video..answers to many questions... I had an akai studio 2 and after a while I started to wonder similar questions on live play...dividing my chords, one complete chord loop, drums, efx etc...first video I found about this topic...subscribing btw, greetings from chile, great channel 🇨🇱
Man, thank you so so so much for this content! I'm getting into the dawless world, but come from band/songwriting way to compose, arrange and produce and perform it live. There's so little content on how to combine these things and you do it really really well! Thanks for your time and effort to breakdown ways to make it happen! PS: have you ever seen the Sonicware's Smpltrek? It was my first dawless gear and I think it fits great to this purpose, since it has a lot of the SP404 things (minus the performance FX) but it has midi sync and midi capabilities to be a brain to other midi devices. Would love to see your approach to this sampler.
I was just in the middle of uploading a video of me using my 404s as instruments! Even borrowed some of your techniques lol. Though mine is definitely going for a different sound. Anyways I absolutely love these videos because while I am a beat maker I also only became a beat maker after playing traditional instruments for nearly twenty years. So seeing someone else blending both worlds is great. I may load up an SD card with stuff like this for just jamming on instruments at home. It sounds like a fun way to relax at the end of the day.
I am an emcee and rapper. I was never so much into just rapping on stage and having a DJ cue and mix my tracks. The idea of just standing in stage with a microphone has always given me a nauseous feeling. Then I discovered samplers my first being the sp-555. Since then I havent gone back and have continued to learn more about the tools amd equipment to better my performances. So I have started building a live rig and dawless set up that also allows me to be more engaged in my performances and presentation. Been taking some time to learn but I agree with many of these points. I meet a lot of musicians while gigging that generally have never thought of getting into samplers and synths to build more diverse performances and sets. Rig consisting of a octatrack as the mixer and main hub for sound. Sp 404mk 2. Cueing audio out for effects. I then use the synthstorm deluge as the main clock for everything and sequencing the 404. Sp 4p4 going into octa input a and b and c and d in the octa are for the behringer crave and deluge allowing for individual instruments to be sent to sp 404. With the live loop jangling in the octa I am very excited to try it out for next years gigs. Great vid. Likes and thumbs up
Great info! I've got the SP-404sx. I've been thinking of pairing it with the new SP404mkii. Waiting for the next taobao sale haha. Lately I've been messing around with the SP delay trick, where you can loop things without it going into self oscillation. You can make a fake side chain compression sound using the CTRL 2 knob. It's a lot of fun.
Y'know there was a reddit post a few days back discussing that exact pairing, and I've heard the MkII sort of alleviates the need for two SP's together because of it's multiple busses and stuff. Still, more pads for jamming i suppose! I saw a vid about that delay trick and it really is an amazing thing.
thanks so much for this - I've not bought a 404 yet, it's on my shopping list but this is what I want it for as extra instrumentation along with my acoustic instruments and vocals on stage and there's nothing online about how to use it in this context. I wasn't even sure if it was the right thing for me or would do what I wanted it to, but this has shown me it will. Thanks again!!
@@yukesmusic thank you! And if you want to do more videos on this topic of using on stage with instruments and vocals I'm sure a lot of people in these comments wouldn't complain! : ) Lovely music you made in this video too. Keep up the good work!
That was awesome! I am about to get a 404 for samples, but you just presented the possibilities in such a way that while you were talking I went on visual day dream type of imagening me having two 404 s and a dj mixer doing all kinds of stuff, great video, now I will get 2 of them 😊
of course. All the music you're hearing was made on Ableton and Maschine, and played back using the 404. The point of the 404, in this instance, is to simplify. Computers have failed me far too many times on stage, too many potential points of failure. The 404 will never, ever fail you (assuming you import everything properly and rehearse.) Generally, I'm a control freak, I like to have full access to the levels and controls of every sound source of my set. Without a 404, I perform on Maschine with 8 distinct groups (channels) and that way, on a moment's notice, if I find the drum is too loud, I can adjust the group. Snare has a bad/unexpected frequency in a new venue? adjust it. synth too loud or busy? mute it. But that's a lot of energy spent thinking and dwelling, whereas I aught to be focusing on the instrumental performance. This video focuses on a simple playback method, tried and true with few points of failure.
This workflow with the new 404 mk ll should be easier with the pattern option, of course you can still have all the song in one pad but this gives you the chance to have different parts and you will have to push the next pad, no need to stop the last. You can even preprogram the patterns order before, or change things on the pattern. ❤🤘
Great video! I technically use the second method you talked about, but with patterns! I'm actually impressed you didn't mention It. Using pattern mode on the sp404 solves many problems in live, if you select a pattern It Will automatically play on time After the one that's playing finishes. Plus you can play all your samples while the pattern goes on. The only real problem you Need to work around Is the tempo, unfort there is only One BPM value for all patterns and you Need to change It live. Have you ever experimented with patterns? P.s. keep uo the great work!
this is very helpful. incidentally, can the 404sx be used as a looper for several live instruments if used through a mixer for each track? or, would it be better to use rc 505 instead? seeing how far i can stretch it.
@@warblur you’re definitely looking towards a 505. The 404sx/a’s looping functionalities are hardly considered a feature. I’d never rely on a 404 for live looping. The 404mkII has live looping, but nothing’s as instantaneous as a 505
I perform with my SP404 very similarly as a cellist ! I'm struggling to get consistent volume with my MK2, effect changes like vinyl sim, flanger, ESPECIALLY tremelo even phaser heavily change the volume of the output of my songs. do you have any tips for getting consistent (maybe louder even) output volume for videos and such? you're intro was extremely clear and loud! but also only one effect (filter) which isn't a huge volume changer
yes, consistent volume is always tricky! A good compressor/limiter at the end of your chain (even as an external device after the SP404) with a quick attack speed is generally the safe solution. You could put this on your 3/4 bus as Master Effects, or an external unit, a lot of people like the Analog Heat. Instrumentalists would rely on a good FoH sound engineer to solve that issue for them but for BGM with volume-affecting FX, the burden lies on us. More often than not, I keep a hand on the volume knob. If it's a show-breaking concern and you need a solution that frees up your hands, you could always consider a volume pedal, so you can quickly add or remove volume to your output. I use one as a sort of emergency valve for condenser microphones on stage to fight off feedback.
@@yukesmusic thank you very much, this is the kind of specific niche information we need more of with the SP, seriously.i'm the same way, i've never made a beat with the SP lol. amazing video. I want to make follow up video to this to get more of this out into the world, specifically for string players and maybe expound on the section method. I experiment with a fusion between the classic and sectional method where I group the entire song into 4 pads. drums on one pad, synths on another, bass on another and maybe sound effects/texture for the 4th pad. this. on the mk2 you'll get 4 songs per bank this way. 3 pads may be enough for some people, or maybe even 2. this way you can manipulate specific voices of the song without having FX on the entire song. more control individually using the remain button, also it gives you a little more to do than just pressing one pad, using fx and playing along. I find I have a little more brain capacity for the classic method and this is a nice step up after.
Only thing I hate on the MK2 is that it can easily distort the input signal. Almost impossible to have the same volume level on both the pads and the input sound. I never experienced this with the OG or other SP's...
Thank you for exactly the video I needed to watch :) I am a singer & guitarist and I'm looking for a sample device which I can use for playing soundscapes, beats, but also vocal harmonies I record myself. So a question: I use Logic Pro X. Can I just record some vocal harmonies in Logic, export it and load it into the 404? Or do you need special software to work with the 404? Another question: would you recommend the mk2 or would you stick to the first edition? Thanks man, looking forward to your answer :)
Glad you enjoyed and it sounds right for you! There's three ways to get your sounds onto the SP404 but the simplest way is to use an SD card reader and Roland's freeware "SX WAVE CONVERTER" which will detect your SD card, convert your exported files and drop em in whichever pad you want. Kind of slow but it works fine. There's also an 'import' folder on the memory card, but you'll need to export your files perfectly and it's kind of a crapshoot if it works or not. Be sure to make sure they loop first! Use audacity or a simple audio player to check. As for the SX/A vs the MkII, it depends. MkII is arguably one of the best pieces of hardware for the price, fixes almost every issue the SX/A has. Hardcore 404 fans would suggest starting on the A and learning the workflow first, then alleviate yourself of the headaches when you inevitably upgrade to the MkII. MkII has a lot more control, MIDI functionality, better effects, cleaner & way more organized. You can see in this vid, you're sort of working "blind" in that you can't see the waveforms and such. If you can spend the extra money, go for the II. But if you really just need a set of "dumb pads" to play back samples, an SX/A would do fine if the price difference is big enough.
Thank you so much again@@yukesmusic for your quick reply & kind explanation! Ok so if I understand well, I can create whatever vocal harmonies myself in Logic Pro, export it into a WAV file and load it onto the 404? And the WAV file has to loop already? Can you maybe tell me how to make sure the WAV file with the vocals loop themselves? And thanks for the advice on the 404SX/A and de MKII. Second handed the SX/A are almost as expensive as a new MKII in my country. So I'd better go for the MKII then I guess :)
Would do you think of workflow when you have a sampler and instrument (e.g. synthesizer and/or guitar), and how to make a whole composition with them (without going to computer/daw)? Have you done that often?
My upcoming video is about using a single synthesizer to make banks, although it focuses on noise moreso than whole arrangements. I do like this idea and plan to make a video on the topic! But admittedly I'm waiting for the MkII to come in 😉 In short, yes, I've definitely done it while traveling, but never at home as I'm pretty DAW-reliant. Commercial background and whatnot. But it's certainly approachable. Best to have an instrument with a wide range of timbres.
@@yukesmusic thanks for reply :) exciting to hear that new videos are coming, I enjoy this series very much. Though, as 404sx owner, I'd like to ask that you keep non-mk2 folks in mind which means e.g. mentioning alternative approaches if something that you talk about is mk2-specific only. As for "wide range of timbres", it was a cool surprise to me to encounter a video of Nick Reinhart (known for Tera Melos and other bands) in which he demonstrates how he uses sampler, guitar and effect pedals together: the most cool thing was, perhaps, that he has contact mic on guitar, so he records all the variety of weird noises made by fingers to transform them afterwards. Or even singing into guitar, ha-ha.
The OG SP-404, which uses an antiquated CF card, indeed has a 1gb limit. The SP-404SX & SP-404A uses an SD card with a limit of 32gb. SP-404mkII, if I'm right, will accept those fancy 1tb SD cards.
@@mollykeane2571 might be a hot take in the 404 community but... The original kind of sucks. It'll slow you down every step of the way and limit how much you can keep on the device. You're adding creative friction for the reward of a supposedly better compression. I'm all for creative limitations to inspire forward momentum, but even i draw the line at the OG SP404. Maybe as an FX box at a significant discount, or if you're a hardcore Dilla fan. Go for a used SX or A, you're not missing anything.
You're looking for a function called "choke groups." Not available on the 404og/sx/a, only on 404mkII. You're best bet is to learn to press buttons together; turn one off while turning another on.
My eureka moment was when I had my first gig and had one idea going in but as I performed, organically, my method of performance evolved and by the end of the show had discovered how I would create and perform music from that point on. I have it a bit easier because I make music “off the grid”. my loops are of various lengths and the melodies and progressions don’t really fit into any particular meter so they can always sound good no matter when the loop starts -A hybrid between eno like phasing with more structured improvisation with synths and acoustic instruments (hammered dulcimer, wood flutes, guitar). My transitional sound is a super reverbed overdriven piano with massive sustain that fades in and out between songs - a textured drone so to speak. I have these templates per piece that tell me what pad combos sound good and in what order to create an outline/loose structure to improvise over and within, what the key is, what mode(s) work best - this takes out most of the technical/tactical aspects so I can just concentrate on making music - a structured chaos. Fading in and out gritty drum loops create additional climactic moments and, because I’m off the grid, the drum beats basically act as another drone-p in a rhythmic sense, allowing me to bring it in and out at any moment. 😊
Another nice thing about off the grid music - I don’t have to deal with tails on the loops. My loops often contain a lot of empty space so the sound can naturally start and end, stopping or fading out naturally on their own.
@@GrootsieTheDog getting off the grid is what draws so many people to the 404, back on the og/sx/a we certainly didn't have the choice! Thanks for explaining, i hope other viewers take the time to read it.
It certainly makes the process easier~ this sort of technique is best used with a DAW. But depending on what gear you're using, there may be a way around using a DAW. The important thing is being able to make a perfect loop.
Exactly the content I was looking for to get the most of the SP404 for my type of music. Thank for doing this. Is your music on the video available? Also interested in the Guzheng but don't know where to 'hit you up'.
Roland owes you a pint on this one. I've been searching for a solution to play my songs without running a DAW in the background, while keeping the 'playing an instrument' feel alive. The SP404 might very well do the trick.
For some odd reason, something really stylish in chengdu is decorative paper tape. Not sure if it's historical or just trendy, but every museum gift shop, every hip little shop has their own decorative tape. I bought a roll thinking it'd look good on the sides of the 404. It... doesn't. But the paper feeling is nice.
@yukesmusic Yes, it's a thing in China. Funny, we have just come back from visiting two Chinese friends of ours. They are from Sichuan :-) Small world.
Does the FX Unit route need to be independent of the other performance techniques? Or can you be performing loops and such while also sampling an instrument live like a synth?
Interestingly, incoming sound on the 404 is treated as a pad, just as the samples are. You'll only hear the line in if the pad is enabled lit. Normally, when you turn an effect on, it will be applied only to the sample of the current pad; the effect will not be applied to other samples. Or, the MFX can apply to all sounds playing. So the FX is applied to either the BGM, or the BGM + the incoming sound. I'm not sure if you can set the effects to *only* the incoming sound. I can check when I'm back home, but the answer is maybe. Sampling live is only possible while BGM is not playing. The 404mkII changes this.
@@yukesmusic Thanks for the reply! I have a midi-controlled pedalboard for guitar that I was planning on adding a synth as a second input for looping synth textures and stuff. Then I thought it would be cool to also be able to trigger samples by foot which led me to the SP and to your channel which is amazing btw. I thought it would be cool to run the SP into the board (albeit mono) and have the synth running into that. I’m ok with the onboard FX only apply to the samples and not the synth as long as the synth could pass through while the loops are playing also. I guess I could use a mixer for the synth and the SP and maybe a vocal mic before the pedalboard. Or maybe the pedalboard just needs to be for guitar only. I was just hoping to use all of the advanced looping capabilities of the board for more than just guitar if that makes sense. I have some of the Spitfire plugins for Ableton and would love to add those textures in without needing my computer
Well thought out vid which tackles the subject in a less technical and more artistic way. There's a plethora of vids for the button mashing side of things but yours answered the question I was asking myself in regard to live playing while being an instrumentist and singer.
For sure! There's certainly better BGM machines out there, but for someone who wants to try their hand at beatmaking *and* have a machine to playing live as an instrumentalist, the 404 can walk the line fairly well. Happy to have helped.
Personally all my music is clearly rhythmic so even if the drum isn't going, it's still not too hard to switch between parts. There is a solution, though, if you're willing to play back in mono. You could loop a click track which is a stereo file, except the R track is muted. And you can export all your beats as stereo, with the L tracks muted. Send the L track to the mixer while performing, and use headphones to hear the click + your beats. It's convoluted, and the RC505 has this function built in.
@@Kaijetuckerofficial of course. You can preload the loops, don't need to make them on the fly. There are 99 project slots; each slot could be a song section with five layers which you could switch on and off or mix on the fly. I have a few ambient sets with each "loop" actually being 25 minutes long, without any rhythm, and i fade different layers up and down.
This video gave me inner peace. I've been creating music at home and am planning to play my songs live. I have a lot going on in the tracks and will be using my hands for playing guitar and triggering longer sample loops. As much as I would love to live loop everything, play the guitar, sing, play keys, finger drum. No, just no. Too stressful. I started out as a looper but dont have the confidence in my ability to do it all live. I had thoughts that I would be a bit of a phony by having a lot of the composition triggered by pads rather than playing each element live but I will choose my battle. Guitar, vocals and some nob twisting/pad triggering will be the live aspect and the rest is more a backing for the composition as a whole. Thank you for reminding me that I am still a musician and the way I plan on doing this is not me being a fraud but maybe a touch afraid. I dont have an SP 404 yet but I'm much closer now. I plan to have this as a performance tool as a lot of my song writing is with loops and elektron gear/ other synths. The fact this has vocal effects is an added bonus. Spiel over. Thank you for this video. Subscribed.
Exactly~ i think the threshold for looking/feeling like a phony is much higher than most musicians think. Nothing wrong with backing tracks if you manage to put on a good show 👍
I agree with the bandwidth concept. I have learned through playing live every month that there is only so much you can do at one time. It's ok for me to sing and select the song pattern. Any more isnt enjoyable. My online music artist name : Mairk
Came across this randomly because I’ve been wanting to pick up some kind of sampler to play around with. Ended up watching several of your videos and subscribing because I just totally appreciate your approach and just overall vibe. It reminds me of my own passion for music but if I was better at talking to people 😅 Keep up the awesome work! Looking forward to digging in to more of your vids 💯
im a bass player, i want to be able to perform by myself so i want something to accompany me but also allows me to be creative. what do you think is best this machine or a loop station ike the boss rc 202?
A 404mkII would cover both bases! Pun not intended. Looping on an SP404 isn't really feasible. It is, but it's really unintuitive. But you can chop up samples that you record, and make music that way. Very creative and fun. But in this video, i don't actually make any music on the 404. I use it only for playback. The 202 would allow you to either loop your bass, or play back music that you import from your daw. But other than performance and live looping, there's really no creation happening on the looper, unless you're using it with a synth or drum machine or something.
Great playing! In the universe of boring af generic 404 lofi beats you sir are a breath of fresh air. Not decided if I’m getting one yet. The UI seems awkward but also pretty cool.
bro thats crazy @ 1:45 u said u can't wrap your head around the process of choppin records on the sp for beats but you like the yin to the yang of those that see it that way because look at u on the other side! u teaching me a different way to look at it! Im so happy i found these vids
Ayyy i appreciate it! Always nice to have an outsider's perspective on things, hope there's a new thing out there for seasoned beatmakers that I can help illuminate
I honestly don't know where this frikking dude came from using the Koto to accentuate histrummin phrases in real-time with no quantize or sync? Like a thugged out Yutaka Yokokura is badass!!!! I'm sold on the 404!
compliment of the year. Glad you dig it
My roommate and I did a performance at our house show last month, and we both ran into this problem of trying to do too much. We had guitars, Bass, synths, drum machines, and we both had a SP404, but only used them for effects. Watching this video has me wishing I saw this earlier, as it would have helped with a lot of problems we had. We're doing another show next month, and I sent this to him, thank you for this amazing deep dive into the untapped world of the 404 as something other than a groove box!
We've all been there~ I'm happy you found it helpful! Move slow and enjoy the music as it comes. Find the natural flow and run with it! And get some video, share with the Discord 😉
Dude. I’m a simple, humble guitarist. I know my instrument. But I prefer to play alone and to create ambient music. I’d love to start playing live again. I knew I needed to dip my toes into this world to achieve that. But you nailed it - hardly anyone documents the transition between the writing and composing process and how to take that to a stage. Thank you. A thousand times. You’ve shown me the way and the device I think I need. ❤
Man, I been looking at many vids about the 404. Your approach is natural, musical and intuitive. I wasn’t convinced until I saw this. Thanks man.
Be sure to consider the mkII!
really cool video
This is like the third video of yours I've seen. I've been researching samplers (as a beginner ambient artist) and your videos and approach has been invaluable. Amazing channel and content. Thanks for your efforts.
So glad to be of assistance! 404mkii is probably the way to go
You remind me of my college friend, enthusiastic, clear and full of ideas and casual experience, no ego! nice work
Dude you should have millions of followers. This is so well made and thought out. Thank you.
This video is exactly what I've been searching for! Thank you so much!!!
Edit: Seriously, I cannot overstate your genius in putting this together. I can't believe this is online for free. Wish I could donate a little money in exchange for this incredible lesson you created...
@@winterzealot I really appreciate that! I don’t accept donations but you’re welcome to visit my gumroad and buy a sample pack! They’re all quite cheap.
Astounding video, im a sample based producer n i really like your prospective
Great video! This was exactly what I was looking for after looking at so many other videos and products. Luckily I remembered this device and found your video. 🔥🔥💚
One of the best sp404 videos I’ve seen yet, should be required watching for new sp404 owners
♥️
This was exactly what I was hoping to learn about, using it in this kind of context. Thank you for taking the time to lay out such a well crafted, and thoughtful demonstration.
That soundboard demo at 25:15 was gorgeous!
Nicely done.
Gotta say, it's rare that i would click on a 30 minute video, but you do pitch it very well, and I just received my 404mkII after almost 4 months of waiting... just gotta tie it all together now... keep up the work, it's appreciated
Very dope. I'm so glad people respond well to the longform and hope it's helpful. Admittedly though, the 404mkII could take this concept so much further with midi sync and DJ mode. Take the concepts fof what they're worth and have fun exploring ~
Best video about sp404 I've seen so far, the only one got my attention to watch from the beginning to the end.
Man this is great, im a musician not a beat maker and want to do a like ambient drone set and this seems like the perfect machine and you explain it well without overbearing on the nitty gritty of using the damn thing
For sure. I went a solid year of using it without getting into the nitty gritty of it; it's great for doing a simple job like audio playback if that's what you need it for.
Great video, I was looking for something like this..
Great video! Thanks from Zhuhai
This is an awesome video both in terms of quality and actual practicality regarding how this device can be used in your workflow.
Gat Dayum that beat goes hard. i had to pause the video. chefs kiss
such an easy video to follow for those who are planning on acquiring a sampler o specifically an sp and heads up for you music showcase as well, doing both things at the same time, well played, love your approach and your sounds, keep up.
Exactly why i put in the time 🙏 enjoy your newfound sampling life!
Dude! Great video. Thank you. Great inspiration and great at showing how to do it live. Very clear, straight to the point and the notes on the side is a game changer.
Cheers
Second video I watched today. Again, amazing content and you have a great way to explain things. Thanks.
very useful video thank you brother
Thinking of getting one to run backing tracks, click left and main audio on the right perhaps... great demo!
It's a bit of a **hassle for split channel stuff, but as a set of dumb pads it works well enough!
Edit:: typo
@@yukesmusic For backing tracks for small group of two maybe more reliable than my iphone 6
@@Vadlife oh, for sure. It's a lot of fun, I'm sure you'll find all sorts of uses for it.
Those 404 vids are just what I needed ! I'm an occasional keyboardist in a soul group which just happened to have Lost its drummer. We're considering ditching half our répertoire, and adapting the rest and Come UP with solutions a out givi g it some rhythm. I would very much like to sée the 404 in a live band environnement.
Be sure to check out my other video, SP-404 for Live, which shows how the SP404 can be used as an instrument! I demo it against two different synth musicians, as well as a jazz band and a Rock jam
Stumbled over this channel now and instantly subbed. What an ambiance in that music. Amazing take on the 404, now I need to try to find money to get one after all 😅 Thanks for the video!
Great, thoughtful presentation! Loved watching this. Thank for the video
Great video..answers to many questions... I had an akai studio 2 and after a while I started to wonder similar questions on live play...dividing my chords, one complete chord loop, drums, efx etc...first video I found about this topic...subscribing btw, greetings from chile, great channel 🇨🇱
Man, thank you so so so much for this content! I'm getting into the dawless world, but come from band/songwriting way to compose, arrange and produce and perform it live. There's so little content on how to combine these things and you do it really really well! Thanks for your time and effort to breakdown ways to make it happen!
PS: have you ever seen the Sonicware's Smpltrek? It was my first dawless gear and I think it fits great to this purpose, since it has a lot of the SP404 things (minus the performance FX) but it has midi sync and midi capabilities to be a brain to other midi devices. Would love to see your approach to this sampler.
I was just in the middle of uploading a video of me using my 404s as instruments! Even borrowed some of your techniques lol. Though mine is definitely going for a different sound.
Anyways I absolutely love these videos because while I am a beat maker I also only became a beat maker after playing traditional instruments for nearly twenty years. So seeing someone else blending both worlds is great. I may load up an SD card with stuff like this for just jamming on instruments at home. It sounds like a fun way to relax at the end of the day.
What a fascinating video ❤.
I am an emcee and rapper. I was never so much into just rapping on stage and having a DJ cue and mix my tracks. The idea of just standing in stage with a microphone has always given me a nauseous feeling. Then I discovered samplers my first being the sp-555. Since then I havent gone back and have continued to learn more about the tools amd equipment to better my performances.
So I have started building a live rig and dawless set up that also allows me to be more engaged in my performances and presentation. Been taking some time to learn but I agree with many of these points. I meet a lot of musicians while gigging that generally have never thought of getting into samplers and synths to build more diverse performances and sets. Rig consisting of a octatrack as the mixer and main hub for sound. Sp 404mk 2. Cueing audio out for effects. I then use the synthstorm deluge as the main clock for everything and sequencing the 404. Sp 4p4 going into octa input a and b and c and d in the octa are for the behringer crave and deluge allowing for individual instruments to be sent to sp 404. With the live loop jangling in the octa I am very excited to try it out for next years gigs.
Great vid. Likes and thumbs up
Nice set up. Can you share some or your work ?
@@laurentbriet9159 when I have finished working out the kinks it will be my pleasure
I didn't know anything about the SP-404, now I'm an expert. Great vibes man, keep up the good content 👍
Atta boi!
Great info! I've got the SP-404sx. I've been thinking of pairing it with the new SP404mkii. Waiting for the next taobao sale haha. Lately I've been messing around with the SP delay trick, where you can loop things without it going into self oscillation. You can make a fake side chain compression sound using the CTRL 2 knob. It's a lot of fun.
Y'know there was a reddit post a few days back discussing that exact pairing, and I've heard the MkII sort of alleviates the need for two SP's together because of it's multiple busses and stuff. Still, more pads for jamming i suppose! I saw a vid about that delay trick and it really is an amazing thing.
Thanks
Great video really well put together
Great stuff. Thanks.
thanks so much for this - I've not bought a 404 yet, it's on my shopping list but this is what I want it for as extra instrumentation along with my acoustic instruments and vocals on stage and there's nothing online about how to use it in this context. I wasn't even sure if it was the right thing for me or would do what I wanted it to, but this has shown me it will. Thanks again!!
Absolutely! Be sure to look up the differences between the 404sx/a and MkII. You might find some functionality that's worth the upgrade 👍
@@yukesmusic thank you! And if you want to do more videos on this topic of using on stage with instruments and vocals I'm sure a lot of people in these comments wouldn't complain! : ) Lovely music you made in this video too. Keep up the good work!
I love your videos! Lots of inspiration and very enjoyable music 🌌🚀🔊
Thank you for this video. It was great!
wise man! big ups yukes, looking forward to more classes. Let me know where I can find music you put out! I rly dig ur approach to the box
Thank you! Go check out Yukes玉刻 on Spotify, I don't have much released but i was just featured on a friend's ambient set!
That was awesome! I am about to get a 404 for samples, but you just presented the possibilities in such a way that while you were talking I went on visual day dream type of imagening me having two 404 s and a dj mixer doing all kinds of stuff, great video, now I will get 2 of them 😊
The 404mkII has a DJ mode describing exactly that!
Really cool. Thinking about the 404, but couldn't this also be achieved with Ableton and a controller?
of course. All the music you're hearing was made on Ableton and Maschine, and played back using the 404.
The point of the 404, in this instance, is to simplify. Computers have failed me far too many times on stage, too many potential points of failure. The 404 will never, ever fail you (assuming you import everything properly and rehearse.)
Generally, I'm a control freak, I like to have full access to the levels and controls of every sound source of my set. Without a 404, I perform on Maschine with 8 distinct groups (channels) and that way, on a moment's notice, if I find the drum is too loud, I can adjust the group. Snare has a bad/unexpected frequency in a new venue? adjust it. synth too loud or busy? mute it.
But that's a lot of energy spent thinking and dwelling, whereas I aught to be focusing on the instrumental performance.
This video focuses on a simple playback method, tried and true with few points of failure.
wow ..
This workflow with the new 404 mk ll should be easier with the pattern option, of course you can still have all the song in one pad but this gives you the chance to have different parts and you will have to push the next pad, no need to stop the last. You can even preprogram the patterns order before, or change things on the pattern. ❤🤘
good stuff!!!!!!!!!!
Great video! I technically use the second method you talked about, but with patterns! I'm actually impressed you didn't mention It. Using pattern mode on the sp404 solves many problems in live, if you select a pattern It Will automatically play on time After the one that's playing finishes. Plus you can play all your samples while the pattern goes on. The only real problem you Need to work around Is the tempo, unfort there is only One BPM value for all patterns and you Need to change It live. Have you ever experimented with patterns?
P.s. keep uo the great work!
👍
Thoughts on pattern mode on the MK2?
this is very helpful. incidentally, can the 404sx be used as a looper for several live instruments if used through a mixer for each track? or, would it be better to use rc 505 instead? seeing how far i can stretch it.
@@warblur you’re definitely looking towards a 505. The 404sx/a’s looping functionalities are hardly considered a feature. I’d never rely on a 404 for live looping.
The 404mkII has live looping, but nothing’s as instantaneous as a 505
I perform with my SP404 very similarly as a cellist !
I'm struggling to get consistent volume with my MK2, effect changes like vinyl sim, flanger, ESPECIALLY tremelo even phaser heavily change the volume of the output of my songs. do you have any tips for getting consistent (maybe louder even) output volume for videos and such? you're intro was extremely clear and loud! but also only one effect (filter) which isn't a huge volume changer
yes, consistent volume is always tricky! A good compressor/limiter at the end of your chain (even as an external device after the SP404) with a quick attack speed is generally the safe solution. You could put this on your 3/4 bus as Master Effects, or an external unit, a lot of people like the Analog Heat.
Instrumentalists would rely on a good FoH sound engineer to solve that issue for them but for BGM with volume-affecting FX, the burden lies on us.
More often than not, I keep a hand on the volume knob. If it's a show-breaking concern and you need a solution that frees up your hands, you could always consider a volume pedal, so you can quickly add or remove volume to your output. I use one as a sort of emergency valve for condenser microphones on stage to fight off feedback.
@@yukesmusic thank you very much, this is the kind of specific niche information we need more of with the SP, seriously.i'm the same way, i've never made a beat with the SP lol. amazing video. I want to make follow up video to this to get more of this out into the world, specifically for string players and maybe expound on the section method.
I experiment with a fusion between the classic and sectional method where I group the entire song into 4 pads. drums on one pad, synths on another, bass on another and maybe sound effects/texture for the 4th pad. this. on the mk2 you'll get 4 songs per bank this way. 3 pads may be enough for some people, or maybe even 2. this way you can manipulate specific voices of the song without having FX on the entire song. more control individually using the remain button, also it gives you a little more to do than just pressing one pad, using fx and playing along. I find I have a little more brain capacity for the classic method and this is a nice step up after.
Only thing I hate on the MK2 is that it can easily distort the input signal. Almost impossible to have the same volume level on both the pads and the input sound. I never experienced this with the OG or other SP's...
Is there a way to switch between mic & line level? Have you tried the gain knob?
Thank you for exactly the video I needed to watch :) I am a singer & guitarist and I'm looking for a sample device which I can use for playing soundscapes, beats, but also vocal harmonies I record myself. So a question: I use Logic Pro X. Can I just record some vocal harmonies in Logic, export it and load it into the 404? Or do you need special software to work with the 404?
Another question: would you recommend the mk2 or would you stick to the first edition?
Thanks man, looking forward to your answer :)
Glad you enjoyed and it sounds right for you!
There's three ways to get your sounds onto the SP404 but the simplest way is to use an SD card reader and Roland's freeware "SX WAVE CONVERTER" which will detect your SD card, convert your exported files and drop em in whichever pad you want. Kind of slow but it works fine. There's also an 'import' folder on the memory card, but you'll need to export your files perfectly and it's kind of a crapshoot if it works or not.
Be sure to make sure they loop first! Use audacity or a simple audio player to check.
As for the SX/A vs the MkII, it depends. MkII is arguably one of the best pieces of hardware for the price, fixes almost every issue the SX/A has. Hardcore 404 fans would suggest starting on the A and learning the workflow first, then alleviate yourself of the headaches when you inevitably upgrade to the MkII.
MkII has a lot more control, MIDI functionality, better effects, cleaner & way more organized. You can see in this vid, you're sort of working "blind" in that you can't see the waveforms and such.
If you can spend the extra money, go for the II. But if you really just need a set of "dumb pads" to play back samples, an SX/A would do fine if the price difference is big enough.
Thank you so much again@@yukesmusic for your quick reply & kind explanation!
Ok so if I understand well, I can create whatever vocal harmonies myself in Logic Pro, export it into a WAV file and load it onto the 404? And the WAV file has to loop already? Can you maybe tell me how to make sure the WAV file with the vocals loop themselves?
And thanks for the advice on the 404SX/A and de MKII. Second handed the SX/A are almost as expensive as a new MKII in my country. So I'd better go for the MKII then I guess :)
Would do you think of workflow when you have a sampler and instrument (e.g. synthesizer and/or guitar), and how to make a whole composition with them (without going to computer/daw)? Have you done that often?
My upcoming video is about using a single synthesizer to make banks, although it focuses on noise moreso than whole arrangements.
I do like this idea and plan to make a video on the topic! But admittedly I'm waiting for the MkII to come in 😉
In short, yes, I've definitely done it while traveling, but never at home as I'm pretty DAW-reliant. Commercial background and whatnot. But it's certainly approachable. Best to have an instrument with a wide range of timbres.
@@yukesmusic thanks for reply :) exciting to hear that new videos are coming, I enjoy this series very much. Though, as 404sx owner, I'd like to ask that you keep non-mk2 folks in mind which means e.g. mentioning alternative approaches if something that you talk about is mk2-specific only. As for "wide range of timbres", it was a cool surprise to me to encounter a video of Nick Reinhart (known for Tera Melos and other bands) in which he demonstrates how he uses sampler, guitar and effect pedals together: the most cool thing was, perhaps, that he has contact mic on guitar, so he records all the variety of weird noises made by fingers to transform them afterwards. Or even singing into guitar, ha-ha.
Love the Kraftwerk shirt
Thank you! A gift from my girlie
I thought you were limited to using -at the max-a 1GB card on the 404.
The OG SP-404, which uses an antiquated CF card, indeed has a 1gb limit.
The SP-404SX & SP-404A uses an SD card with a limit of 32gb.
SP-404mkII, if I'm right, will accept those fancy 1tb SD cards.
@@yukesmusic For some reason I thought you were using the OG here. I was going to get one but now I’m not so sure.
@@mollykeane2571 might be a hot take in the 404 community but... The original kind of sucks. It'll slow you down every step of the way and limit how much you can keep on the device. You're adding creative friction for the reward of a supposedly better compression.
I'm all for creative limitations to inspire forward momentum, but even i draw the line at the OG SP404. Maybe as an FX box at a significant discount, or if you're a hardcore Dilla fan. Go for a used SX or A, you're not missing anything.
@@yukesmusic Thanks for the heads up.
Thanks 🙏 i have sp 404og. I want to asking you. We want to play sample pads like mono not. Poly ?? How 🙏🙏
You're looking for a function called "choke groups." Not available on the 404og/sx/a, only on 404mkII.
You're best bet is to learn to press buttons together; turn one off while turning another on.
Can we talk to you on facebook???
@@جورجشاهين-ر7ث Instagram would be better. Meet_yukes
kitty
Why are you high?
I live in China bro 😂 i can't get high
Auheard.yes we are seeking a bit of midi configureations shall we say please
Love it. You’re an awesome teacher man - thank you! ❤❤❤
this is great info thank you so much
My eureka moment was when I had my first gig and had one idea going in but as I performed, organically, my method of performance evolved and by the end of the show had discovered how I would create and perform music from that point on. I have it a bit easier because I make music “off the grid”. my loops are of various lengths and the melodies and progressions don’t really fit into any particular meter so they can always sound good no matter when the loop starts -A hybrid between eno like phasing with more structured improvisation with synths and acoustic instruments (hammered dulcimer, wood flutes, guitar). My transitional sound is a super reverbed overdriven piano with massive sustain that fades in and out between songs - a textured drone so to speak. I have these templates per piece that tell me what pad combos sound good and in what order to create an outline/loose structure to improvise over and within, what the key is, what mode(s) work best - this takes out most of the technical/tactical aspects so I can just concentrate on making music - a structured chaos. Fading in and out gritty drum loops create additional climactic moments and, because I’m off the grid, the drum beats basically act as another drone-p in a rhythmic sense, allowing me to bring it in and out at any moment. 😊
Another nice thing about off the grid music - I don’t have to deal with tails on the loops. My loops often contain a lot of empty space so the sound can naturally start and end, stopping or fading out naturally on their own.
@@GrootsieTheDog getting off the grid is what draws so many people to the 404, back on the og/sx/a we certainly didn't have the choice!
Thanks for explaining, i hope other viewers take the time to read it.
Do I need to use daw to bounce patterns down to pads?
It certainly makes the process easier~ this sort of technique is best used with a DAW. But depending on what gear you're using, there may be a way around using a DAW. The important thing is being able to make a perfect loop.
helpful contents from a cool guy! subbed
Exactly the content I was looking for to get the most of the SP404 for my type of music. Thank for doing this. Is your music on the video available? Also interested in the Guzheng but don't know where to 'hit you up'.
Instagram and here, for the most part! Music releases will come soon. I just uploaded a neat lil 10min ambient piece. Thanks for listening ~
@@yukesmusic Just heard it. Fantastic! Thanks.
Why is your 2i2 in the wii position?
It's an 8i6 and because no one can stop me
Nice I would not have sticker bombed the sp tho
Super inspiring content! Thanks
Thank you!! I was waiting for this exact video 💜
Roland owes you a pint on this one. I've been searching for a solution to play my songs without running a DAW in the background, while keeping the 'playing an instrument' feel alive. The SP404 might very well do the trick.
Def consider the MkII as it solves a lot of the issues laid out in the video!
Ok interesting, great tips
Why do you have tape running down both sides?
For some odd reason, something really stylish in chengdu is decorative paper tape. Not sure if it's historical or just trendy, but every museum gift shop, every hip little shop has their own decorative tape. I bought a roll thinking it'd look good on the sides of the 404.
It... doesn't. But the paper feeling is nice.
@yukesmusic Yes, it's a thing in China. Funny, we have just come back from visiting two Chinese friends of ours. They are from Sichuan :-) Small world.
Excellent!
Does the FX Unit route need to be independent of the other performance techniques? Or can you be performing loops and such while also sampling an instrument live like a synth?
Interestingly, incoming sound on the 404 is treated as a pad, just as the samples are. You'll only hear the line in if the pad is enabled lit. Normally, when you turn an effect on, it will be applied only to the
sample of the current pad; the effect will not be applied to other
samples. Or, the MFX can apply to all sounds playing.
So the FX is applied to either the BGM, or the BGM + the incoming sound. I'm not sure if you can set the effects to *only* the incoming sound. I can check when I'm back home, but the answer is maybe.
Sampling live is only possible while BGM is not playing. The 404mkII changes this.
@@yukesmusic Thanks for the reply! I have a midi-controlled pedalboard for guitar that I was planning on adding a synth as a second input for looping synth textures and stuff. Then I thought it would be cool to also be able to trigger samples by foot which led me to the SP and to your channel which is amazing btw. I thought it would be cool to run the SP into the board (albeit mono) and have the synth running into that. I’m ok with the onboard FX only apply to the samples and not the synth as long as the synth could pass through while the loops are playing also. I guess I could use a mixer for the synth and the SP and maybe a vocal mic before the pedalboard. Or maybe the pedalboard just needs to be for guitar only. I was just hoping to use all of the advanced looping capabilities of the board for more than just guitar if that makes sense. I have some of the Spitfire plugins for Ableton and would love to add those textures in without needing my computer
@@seandavidharris that should work out!
Well thought out vid which tackles the subject in a less technical and more artistic way. There's a plethora of vids for the button mashing side of things but yours answered the question I was asking myself in regard to live playing while being an instrumentist and singer.
For sure! There's certainly better BGM machines out there, but for someone who wants to try their hand at beatmaking *and* have a machine to playing live as an instrumentalist, the 404 can walk the line fairly well. Happy to have helped.
Question: how do you deal with click tracks? need to keep in time with parts of the song where the beat drops out
Personally all my music is clearly rhythmic so even if the drum isn't going, it's still not too hard to switch between parts.
There is a solution, though, if you're willing to play back in mono. You could loop a click track which is a stereo file, except the R track is muted. And you can export all your beats as stereo, with the L tracks muted.
Send the L track to the mixer while performing, and use headphones to hear the click + your beats.
It's convoluted, and the RC505 has this function built in.
@@yukesmusic the RC505 is a loop station, it has the functionality to be used for backing tracks as well?
@@Kaijetuckerofficial of course. You can preload the loops, don't need to make them on the fly. There are 99 project slots; each slot could be a song section with five layers which you could switch on and off or mix on the fly.
I have a few ambient sets with each "loop" actually being 25 minutes long, without any rhythm, and i fade different layers up and down.
thanks for this helpful vid homie 💪
This video gave me inner peace. I've been creating music at home and am planning to play my songs live. I have a lot going on in the tracks and will be using my hands for playing guitar and triggering longer sample loops. As much as I would love to live loop everything, play the guitar, sing, play keys, finger drum. No, just no. Too stressful. I started out as a looper but dont have the confidence in my ability to do it all live. I had thoughts that I would be a bit of a phony by having a lot of the composition triggered by pads rather than playing each element live but I will choose my battle. Guitar, vocals and some nob twisting/pad triggering will be the live aspect and the rest is more a backing for the composition as a whole. Thank you for reminding me that I am still a musician and the way I plan on doing this is not me being a fraud but maybe a touch afraid. I dont have an SP 404 yet but I'm much closer now. I plan to have this as a performance tool as a lot of my song writing is with loops and elektron gear/ other synths. The fact this has vocal effects is an added bonus. Spiel over. Thank you for this video. Subscribed.
Exactly~ i think the threshold for looking/feeling like a phony is much higher than most musicians think. Nothing wrong with backing tracks if you manage to put on a good show 👍
I would love to do method 2, and have done it in the past in duos, but I still need a third hand
Don't we all! Quick solution is a MIDI pedal
thank you for this, I gained an insight into how samplers can be used for music making that I didn't find anywhere else!
That's the plan! Stay tuned for the next one coming out in a week or so~
Wow very nice video, gives a lot of inspiration. Thank you so much 😊
I agree with the bandwidth concept. I have learned through playing live every month that there is only so much you can do at one time. It's ok for me to sing and select the song pattern. Any more isnt enjoyable. My online music artist name : Mairk
That's right ~ and if the beat is good, sometimes you can just stand there and groove ~
I wish more of RUclips (and the Internet) was like you and your material.
Shyue shyue ^^
♥️
Thank you, great video
Yep I do that pretty much what you talked about ruclips.net/video/iqF9-FPwXpI/видео.html
Great video, added it to my Music Lessons playlist. I do a similar thing with a Kora and an MPC Live.
Very informational video. Thank you!
Came across this randomly because I’ve been wanting to pick up some kind of sampler to play around with. Ended up watching several of your videos and subscribing because I just totally appreciate your approach and just overall vibe. It reminds me of my own passion for music but if I was better at talking to people 😅
Keep up the awesome work! Looking forward to digging in to more of your vids 💯
That's awesome, thanks for subscribing! Been a little busy the past few months but cooking up some new stuff coming soon~
One of the greatest video about 404 'ever seen!
Great video! Subscribed
im a bass player, i want to be able to perform by myself so i want something to accompany me but also allows me to be creative.
what do you think is best this machine or a loop station ike the boss rc 202?
A 404mkII would cover both bases! Pun not intended.
Looping on an SP404 isn't really feasible. It is, but it's really unintuitive. But you can chop up samples that you record, and make music that way. Very creative and fun.
But in this video, i don't actually make any music on the 404. I use it only for playback.
The 202 would allow you to either loop your bass, or play back music that you import from your daw. But other than performance and live looping, there's really no creation happening on the looper, unless you're using it with a synth or drum machine or something.
this is exactly what i need
Great playing! In the universe of boring af generic 404 lofi beats you sir are a breath of fresh air. Not decided if I’m getting one yet. The UI seems awkward but also pretty cool.
MkII is way better. Have a look
Hi
I like your videos!
Thank you kindly
dope content bro
Thank you kindly
bro thats crazy @ 1:45 u said u can't wrap your head around the process of choppin records on the sp for beats but you like the yin to the yang of those that see it that way because look at u on the other side! u teaching me a different way to look at it! Im so happy i found these vids
Ayyy i appreciate it! Always nice to have an outsider's perspective on things, hope there's a new thing out there for seasoned beatmakers that I can help illuminate
@@yukesmusic u did it 🌊