Roland SH-201 Review (Continued)

Roland was a pioneer in slathering poor reverb over poorer quality waveforms in the early days of PCM instruments, so I wasn’t expecting much from the SH-201’s effects. Certainly the anemic two-knob editing section did nothing to bolster my confidence. Nevertheless, the effects don’t actually sound bad at all, and the factory patch programmers have shown uncommon restraint in applying them to the included patches. You can also bypass the effects with a single button.

There is one more sound source available in the form of an external audio input, but Roland has upped the ante by providing a dedicated filter section just for external signals. Oddly, this particular filter contains an additional mode in the form of a notch filter. It’s otherwise identical to the filter in the synthesis section.

Entry-level synthesizers are not known for extensive modulation possibilities, but the SH-201 is no slouch in this department. The LFOs each offer seven waveforms, tempo sync, and adjustable rate. Like the main oscillator section, the LFO section requires that you edit the two LFOs independently. There are two user-definable destinations for each LFO, including both filters and amplitude. You can modulate the pitch and pulse width of both oscillators individually, and each destination gets its own LFO depth knob. The only thing lacking, really, is a delay or fade in time. It’s also a pity that you can’t assign the envelopes to the depth amount, but that might be expecting too much for an instrument in this price range.

In addition to the LFOs, there is a dedicated two-stage pitch envelope with adjustable depth control. This is a real bonus, as it can add some life to your patches. It’s especially handy if you are using the ring modulation to create clangorous sonorities.

I wasn’t expecting to see Roland’s D Beam controller on so inexpensive an instrument, as I remember when you could spend as much on the standalone D Beam unit as the SH-201 costs. I am a big fan of motion-sensing modulators, though you’ll be disappointed if you expect to play a Theremin solo on it. The pitch modulation is a bit too coarse for that.

There is, needless to say, an arpeggiator. (Did you expect anything less from an instrument with Supersaw waves onboard?) The arpeggiator offers 32 different pattern templates and can be pushed up to a frantic 250 BPM. You can latch it, and you can create your own patterns with the included software.

Speaking of software, plug-in fans will be glad to know that a VSTi and AU controller is included with the SH-201, so you can treat the instrument as you would a native softsynth. A standalone editor/librarian is also included, a vital feature since the instrument only stores 32 user patches at a time. This restriction may be a bit too limiting for intensive live work. The editor is accessed via a single USB cable, which can also shuttle MIDI and audio data between your computer and the 201.

While we are on the subject of live performance, it must be said that the physical construction of the unit may not be up to the pounding it could take on the road. It is one of the flimsiest instruments I have ever seen. According to Roland’s specs, it weighs all of eleven pounds, and I have to wonder if they were including the external power supply when they had it on the scale. The SH-201 is a bedroom synth if ever there were one.

Other physical attributes include the dreaded Roland pitch lever. Next to the knob on my old Arp Odysseys, the Roland lever is my least favorite pitch-bend/modulation device. There are 49 full-size keys, and you can split the keyboard or layer two sounds across it. Despite the meager key count, the instrument itself is not small. The panel is roomy and the footprint, though not on a par with a JD-800, is still of a decent size.

Conclusion

Overall, the SH-201 is a decent little box. Yes, the preset patches are a bit on the predictable side, and with a mere 10 voices of polyphony, it won’t be a good choice for full-on orchestrations. Nevertheless, it’s priced to compete with even the nattiest old used synth for your dollar. The name may suggest a return to things past, but the advertising promises an instrument ideal for beginners. In reality, it lies somewhere between the two. Newbies may not know what to make of feedback oscillators and ring modulation, but the SH-201’s clean layout will get them going. Seasoned synthesists and live performers might balk at the construction and skimpy allotment of user patch slots. In all honesty, though, there is enough real-time control to patch this thing onstage.

It isn’t right for everyone, and the Roland sound can be a bit too generic for my own tastes, but with some tweaking, the SH-201 can produce the goods. While it’s a good buy for first-timers, I would suggest to veteran synthesists that they should check it out in person before committing.

Scot Solida

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