Roland SH-201 Synthesizer

Introduction

Experience the magic of creating your own sounds with the Roland SH-201 Synthesizer. For over a quarter century, Roland has been at the forefront of synthesizer innovation. The SH-201 offers a user-friendly interface designed to teach the fundamentals of sound creation, applicable to virtually any synthesizer.

Roland's rich history in synthesizer development includes iconic models such as the SH-1000 (1973), SYSTEM-700 (1976), JUPITER-8 (1981), JUNO-60 (1982), D-50 (1987), JD-800 (1991), and the V-Synth series (2003-2005). The SH-201 builds upon this legacy, combining Roland's state-of-the-art technology with an accessible user interface.

The SH-201, released in 2006, features two powerful analog-modeling oscillators, Roland's renowned Supersaw waveform, and a resonant filter, making it a capable instrument for exploring sound design. This guide will provide tips for creating classic synthesizer sounds and will guide beginners through the process, opening up a world of creativity.

Top Panel Overview

The SH-201 features an Ultra-EZ front panel, logically designed to teach the basics of synthesis. Key components include:

• An invisible infrared D Beam controller (P5) for expressive control.
• An Arpeggiator to add instant rhythmic motion to sounds.
• A short recorder to capture and loop performances and knob movements.
• Controls for OSC (P9), FILTER (P11), AMP (P13), and LFO (P15).
• Built-in delay, reverb, and overdrive effects (P19).
• An external input (P17) for manipulating audio from CD/MP3 players.
• A USB port for audio/MIDI connection and integration with VSTi Editor software.

The Basic Structure of a Synthesizer

A typical synthesizer follows a signal flow that can be understood through its core components: OSC, FILTER, and AMP, modulated by LFO and ENV generators.

Signal Flow Diagram Description: A block diagram shows OSC 1 and OSC 2 feeding into a MIX/MOD stage, which then feeds into the FILTER, and finally into the AMP. Control signals from LFO 1, LFO 2, PITCH ENV, FILTER ENV, and AMP ENV are depicted as influencing these stages.

• OSC (Oscillator): The heart of the synthesizer, responsible for selecting the waveform and pitch. Analog synthesizers refer to this as a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator), which generates frequencies based on voltage. The SH-201 features two OSCs for richer sound possibilities.
• FILTER (VCF): Processes the audio signal from the OSC, shaping its tonal characteristics by emphasizing or rejecting specific frequency ranges. Analog synthesizers call this a VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter). The SH-201 includes three distinct filters for varied sound sculpting.
  • LPF (Low Pass Filter): Allows low frequencies to pass while attenuating high frequencies.
  • HPF (High Pass Filter): Allows high frequencies to pass while attenuating low frequencies.
  • BPF (Band Pass Filter): Allows a specific band of frequencies to pass while attenuating frequencies above and below that band.
• AMP (VCA): Amplifies the signal processed by the filter, controlling the overall volume (level) of the sound. Analog synthesizers refer to this as a VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier).
• LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator): A sound generator producing low frequencies used for modulation effects like vibrato (pitch modulation), wah-wah (timbre modulation), and tremolo (volume modulation).
• ENV (Envelope Generator): Controls how sound parameters (like pitch, filter cutoff, or volume) change over time after a key is pressed and released. It uses ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) stages to shape the sound's evolution.

The simple OSC → FILTER → AMP structure of analog synthesizers allows for dynamic sound variation through real-time control, making the SH-201 an excellent tool for creative expression.

Let's Play

You can begin playing the SH-201 immediately upon powering it on. Adjust the sound using the [MASTER VOL] knob while playing the keyboard.

Key Controls and Features:

• Power Switch: Turns the unit on/off.
• D Beam: An infrared controller located on the upper left of the keyboard, used to manipulate pitch, volume, or brightness with hand movements.
• Knobs and Sliders: Allow for gradual adjustment of various sound parameters.
• Lever: Located on the left side of the keyboard, it can be moved left/right for pitch bending or forward to add vibrato.
• Patch Storage: The SH-201 can store up to 64 user-created sounds, called patches. These are organized into GROUPs (PRESET/USER) and BANKs (A-D) with NUMBERs (1-8). Half of these locations are user-programmable.

Experimenting with the controls while listening to the sound is encouraged, even if the exact function of each control is not immediately clear. This hands-on approach is key to learning sound programming.

Sound Programming for Thought: Utilize the factory-preset patches as inspiration to create your own unique sounds from scratch, enhancing your sound-making skills.

The Function of Controls

OSC (Oscillator)

The OSC is fundamental to sound creation, determining the waveform and pitch. It's akin to the VCO in analog synthesizers.

Example: PRESET D-8

1. Select the "PRESET D-8" patch. This patch uses the sawtooth wave.

2. Play the keyboard to hear the basic sawtooth sound. To understand how changes affect the sound, play after each adjustment.

3. Experiment with different waveforms by pressing the [WAVE] button. Available waveforms include Sawtooth, Square, Sine, Noise, FB OSC, SUPER SAW, and EXT IN. Each waveform has distinct harmonic characteristics:

• Sawtooth Wave: Rich in harmonics, suitable for simulating brass and string instruments.
• Square Wave: Contains odd-numbered harmonics, good for woodwind and percussion sounds.
• Sine Wave: The most basic waveform, lacking harmonics, sounding like a whistle.

4. Adjust pitch using the [PITCH] and [DETUNE] knobs. Listen to how these affect the pitch. It's good practice to return knobs to their center position after experimentation.

5. Explore pitch envelopes using the [A], [D], and [DEPTH] sliders for the PITCH ENV. These can simulate the initial pitch variations found in instruments like trumpets.

FILTER

The FILTER shapes the sound by modifying its frequency content, affecting brightness and tone.

1. Select the LPF (Low Pass Filter) by pressing the [TYPE] button. The LPF allows low frequencies to pass while reducing high frequencies.

2. Adjust the [CUTOFF] knob. Turning it counter-clockwise from MAX to MIN gradually muffles the sound as higher frequencies are filtered out.

3. Turn the [RESONANCE] knob. As it's turned up, it emphasizes frequencies around the cutoff point, creating a distinctive, sometimes howling, sound. Turning it too high can produce piercing tones generated solely by the filter.

4. Experiment with the FILTER ENV sliders ([A], [D], [S], [R], [DEPTH]) to create time-varying filter effects, mimicking the natural decay of a piano's sound.

5. Use the [KEY FOLLOW] knob to adjust how the filter's response changes with the pitch of the notes played.

AMP

The AMP amplifies the sound and controls its attack and decay characteristics via the Envelope Generator.

1. Adjust the [LEVEL] knob to control the overall volume.

2. Shape the sound's envelope using the AMP ENV sliders ([A], [D], [S], [R]). This mimics the natural sound progression of instruments like pianos (gradual decay) or organs (instant stop).

3. Use the [SOLO] button for monophonic playing, which is useful for lead sounds. It also enables smooth transitions between notes when playing multiple keys.

4. Utilize the [PORTAMENTO] button to create smooth pitch slides between notes, similar to a violin's glissando. The speed can be adjusted.

5. To save your programmed sounds, press the [WRITE] button, select a USER BANK location (e.g., D-8), and press [WRITE] again.

LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator)

The LFO generates low-frequency signals to add expressive modulation effects like vibrato, wah-wah, and tremolo.

1. Select a patch like "PRESET D-8" to experiment.

2. Use the [SHAPE] button to select the LFO waveform.

3. Adjust the [RATE] knob to control the speed of the modulation. Common vibrato rates are 2-7 cycles per second.

4. Use the [DESTINATION] buttons to choose where the LFO's effect is applied: PITCH 1/2, PW 1/2, FILTER, or AMP.

5. Control the intensity of the modulation with the [DEPTH] knob.

EXT IN (External In)

The EXT IN feature allows you to process external audio sources, such as portable music players, through the SH-201's effects and filters.

1. Connect your external device and set it to Play mode.

2. Adjust the input volume using the [INPUT VOL] knob.

3. Use the [CENTER CANCEL] button to remove centrally panned audio, like vocals or bass.

4. Engage the filter by pressing [FILTER ON] and selecting a filter type, such as LPF.

5. Experiment with the [CUTOFF] and [RESONANCE] knobs to shape the external audio. You can also use the [SOLO] button to prevent distortion when playing along with the external source.

The EXT IN function offers creative possibilities for integrating external music with your synthesizer playing.

Synth-Programming Examples

1. Synth Bass

1. Choose "PRESET D-8".
2. Lower the [PITCH] knob on OSC 1 to -12 for one octave down.
3. Set the [CUTOFF] knob on the FILTER to MIN.
4. Slightly raise the [D] slider of the FILTER ENV for the attack.
5. Slightly raise the [S] slider of the FILTER ENV for the sustain.
6. Press the [SOLO] button for a glissando effect.
7. Slightly raise the [DEPTH] slider of the FILTER ENV to darken the timbre.
8. Press the [SLOPE] button and select -24dB for a darker tone.
9. Turn the [RESONANCE] knob to add bite.
10. Press the [FX ON] button.
11. Turn the [TIME] knob in EFFECTS to MIN and turn the [DEPTH] knob to fatten the bass.
12. Fine-tune the [DEPTH] slider of the FILTER ENV for the final sound.

2. Synth Lead

1. Choose "PRESET D-8".
2. Set the [CUTOFF] knob on the FILTER to the "two o'clock" position.
3. Set the [RESONANCE] knob on the FILTER to the "one o'clock" position.
4. Slightly raise the [A] and [D] sliders of the FILTER ENV for the initial sound.
5. Raise the FILTER ENV [DEPTH] slider for the overall timbre.
6. Press the [SLOPE] button and select -24dB for more bite.
7. Press the [PORTAMENTO] button.
8. Press the [SOLO] button for monophonic playing and smooth note transitions.
9. Press the [FX ON] button.
10. Set the [TIME] knob to "twelve o'clock" and turn the [DEPTH] knob for echo (delay).

3. Synth Pad

1. Choose "PRESET D-8".
2. Select SUPER SAW waveform using the [WAVE] button on OSC 1.
3. Turn the [PW/FEEDBACK] knob on OSC 1 to "one o'clock".
4. Set the [CUTOFF] knob on the FILTER to MIN.
5. Select HPF (High Pass Filter) using the [TYPE] button.
6. Raise the FILTER ENV [D] slider midway and the [R] slider fully up for timbre.
7. Gradually raise the FILTER ENV [DEPTH] slider for overall timbre.
8. Turn the AMP [LEVEL] knob to MAX.
9. Raise the AMP ENV [A] slider midway for a slower attack.
10. Raise the AMP ENV [R] slider midway for sustained sound after key release.
11. Press the [FX ON] button.
12. Set the EFFECTS [TIME] knob to MIN and turn the [DEPTH] knob to enhance resonance.

4. Sound Effects

Create sound effects like a synth drum, often generated from filter sounds.

Caution: Sudden loud sounds may occur. Turn knobs slowly to protect hearing and speakers.

1. Choose "PRESET D-8".
2. Select NOISE waveform using the [WAVE] button on OSC 1.
3. Set the [CUTOFF] knob on the FILTER to MIN.
4. Turn the [RESONANCE] knob on the FILTER to MAX.
5. Raise the FILTER ENV [D] and [R] sliders midway.
6. Lower the FILTER ENV [S] slider fully down.
7. Gradually raise the FILTER ENV [DEPTH] slider.
8. Lower the AMP ENV [A] slider fully down.
9. Raise the AMP ENV [S] and [R] sliders fully up.
10. Slightly turn the [KEY FOLLOW] knob to adjust brightness based on key position.

The Three Elements of Sound

Sounds are vibrations that travel through the air, perceived by our ears. The shape of these sound waves determines their characteristics. Sound is fundamentally composed of three elements: pitch, volume, and brightness.

• Pitch: Determined by the frequency of the sound wave (measured in Hertz, Hz). Higher frequencies result in higher pitches. For example, A4 is 440 Hz, and A5 (an octave higher) is 880 Hz.
• Brightness: Influenced by the complexity of the waveform and its harmonic content. Brighter sounds contain more high-frequency harmonics, while darker sounds have more low-frequency harmonics. This is often shaped using subtractive synthesis, where filters remove certain harmonics.
• Volume: Determined by the amplitude or width of the sound wave. Wider waves produce louder sounds, while narrower waves produce softer sounds.

Harmonics: Waveforms are often combinations of sine waves. Complex waveforms like sawtooth and square waves are built from a fundamental frequency plus additional sine waves at integer multiples of that frequency (harmonics or overtones). The combination of these harmonics defines the timbre and brightness of a sound.

Waveform Visualizations:

• Sawtooth Wave: Depicted as a ramp-like shape, rich in harmonics.
• Square Wave: Depicted as a rectangular pulse, containing odd-numbered harmonics.
• Sine Wave: Depicted as a smooth, simple curve, representing a pure tone with no harmonics.

The SH-201 utilizes waveforms with built-in harmonics, which can be shaped by filters to alter the sound's brightness.

Voice from the Artist

Hisashi Saito reflects on the Roland SH-201, noting that its panel design immediately inspires creativity. He highlights its foundation in the pursuit of "synthesized sound" rather than mere replication, a departure from many PCM synthesizers.

Saito praises the SH-201's carefully selected eight oscillator waveforms, which offer distinct analog-modeling qualities. The smooth yet aggressive filter contours are attributed to Roland's extensive experience. He also points out the effectiveness of LFOs for modulation effects.

The instrument's control layout, featuring rotary knobs for filters and pitches, and vertical faders for time-variable parameters like envelopes, is designed for intuitive sound creation. Saito commends its lightweight design, cost-effectiveness, and overall 21st-century craftsmanship.

He encourages users to explore the SH-201, emphasizing its ability to create sounds from scratch with simple analog controls, reminiscent of classic synthesizers.

Hisashi Saito Profile: An active figure in the Techno/Club scene since the 1980s, Hisashi Saito has supported musical instrument development, participated in events and seminars, and written for music magazines. He is also involved with the Japan Synthesizer Programmers Association (JSPA), promoting electronic music education.