The new Roland GAIA SH-01
Sound designer & composer Richard Devine discusses and demos the new Roland Gaia SH-01 keyboard synthesizer at the 4/24/10 Keyz’n’Beats event.
Roland TB-303 emulator and a drum machine
Pulse Code Inc has released 4 iPhone music apps as free downloads through Aug 8th, including a Roland TB-303 emulator and a drum machine.
Here’s a rundown of the 4 free iPhone music apps:
- Android FX – a robot tone synthesizer and sound effects generator.
- BtBx – a drum machine style music sequencer.
- DB-303 – a virtual Roland TB-303 Bass Line synthesizer.
- Joke Bot – a robot comedian that at it’s heart is a text-to-speech engine.
DXi brings FM to your phone
Yamaha’s interpretation of Frequency Modulation synthesis needs no introduction. It’s a sound splattered across many ’80s synth classics, and recreated by various soft synths.
DXi brings FM to your phone, but it’s closer to the DX27 than the legendary DX7. There are four operators rather than six and polyphony is reduced from 16 to three, from what we can tell. DXi also offers a neat 16-step sequencer and an effective XY performance pad, to mix operators and patterns in real time.
Sound editing is primitive. You can flick between eight algorithms and edit a four-stage amplitude envelope for each operator, but you can’t listen to frequency and feedback changes as you make them – you need to press Audition again for these to be heard.
While DXi does sound good, and you can recreate many classic sounds, it lacks versatility for the experimentalists, and completeness for the purists, sort of defeating the point of it being a synth and not a ROMpler.
Brett Domino offers perspective on the Roland’s Lucina AX-09
In this review, The Brett Domino Trio’s Brett Domino offers his unique perspective on the Roland’s Lucina AX-09 keytar strap-on shoulder synthesizer. Brett Domino reviews Roland’s Lucina AX-09 keytar exclusively for MusicRadar, taking inspiration from Herbie Hancock and Gerry Rafferty along the way.
Enjoy
SCI Pro One bass line
Found this nice video with the sound of an SCI Pro One bass line being controlled by an Oberkorn analog sequencer (separate cv and filter). The Roland System 100m is also being controlled via the sequencer.
Need any more synths?
A full jam session using Roland SH-101/MC-202/TB-303/TR-606/TR/707/TR-909/KORG MS-10
Inside the GAIA SH-01
GAIA SH-01 : This 37-key compact synthesizer brings serious sound, instant control, and ultimate flexibility to the synthesis experience. Combining a classic panel layout reminiscent of vintage Roland synthesizers with the latest in Roland’s analog-modeling technology, GAIA is perfect for any students, songwriters, session players, and live performers of all styles and skill levels.
The GAIA SH-01 is lightweight, compact, and great for musicians on the go. The 37-note keyboard is full-size for natural playing, and can be powered via AC or batteries. The GAIA SH-01 is able to create rich, massive sound with three virtual-analog sound engines, each with a dedicated oscillator, filter, amplifier, envelope, and LFO. With 64 polyphonic voices onboard, GAIA makes it possible to play massive sounds without experiencing note drop-out.
The instantly selectable multi-effects of the GAIA SH-01 allow for the layering of up to five simultaneous effects. Onboard effects include reverb, distortion, fuzz, bit crash, flanger, phaser, pitch shifter, low boost, delay with panning, and tempo sync that can be controlled in real-time with the built-in D Beam.
The GAIA SH-01 front panel features dedicated knobs and faders for a variety of parameters, with no hidden menus. GAIA is perfect for learning the signal flow of synthesis, or for creating a dynamic live performance. Along with the included Arpeggiator is the Phrase Recorder, allowing synthesists to record, play back, and play over their recorded phrases of notes or knob tweaks.
The GAIA SH-01’s EXT input allows for connection and playback of external audio sources such as an MP3 player. Incoming audio can be manipulated with three Center Cancel modes, which let you eliminate pre-recorded vocals, guitar, or bass. GAIA also includes USB ports for streaming audio, transmitting and receiving MIDI data, and storing patches and phrases to a memory stick.
Price: Suggested retail price of USD 799.00.
Visit: roland.com
The powerplant from Germany
The powerhouse from Germany never seems to fade as an inspirational source 
Here are two clips I found yesterday
Hi! I bought apple’s new device iPad.It is fantastic instrument for playing music! It have great possibility.
so I played “The ROBOTS” on this instrument with fun.Please listen!
Gear:
Upper: Emu EMAX II HD
Mid: Roland JP8000Tape Machine: ReVox B77 MKII
Backtrack sequenced on Pro Tools at first, then dumped to tape.
Got apetite for some more vocoder demos?
Continuing on the vocoder theme hare a nice demo of the Roland SVC-350 together with a Roland Juno 60 and Roland TR-808.
In depth on the Roland TB303
If you’re interested in the early history of ROLAND, the Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments and the TB-303 Bassline, you’ll enjoy this 20-minute video. The TB-303 and its design are described in depth, and many examples of popular music made with the machine are presented
Roland TB-303 Documentary BASSLINE BASELINE by Nate Harrison from Jack Time on Vimeo.
DATAMASKIN
