Roland’s extensive collection of synthesizers has a new addition – the SH-4d is here with many a sound design tool to encourage creativity.

Roland’s new SH-4d Synthesizer is a powerful new “Future Retro” desktop synthesizer in the manufacturer’s SH range of synthesizers. In fact, Roland’s first synthesizer, the SH-1000, entered the market 50 years ago!

Roland states, “The SH name has represented the company’s core synthesizer instruments ever since, merging innovative new technologies with tactile interfaces for quickly designing sounds in the moment”.


The Roland SH-d Synthesizer

Roland’s SH-4d gives you Roland’s latest analog modeling advancements, offering a wide variety of controls that allow you to get deep into your creative sound design sessions.

In fact, the Roland SH-4D desktop synth gives you 11 oscillator models, a plethora of precise yet creative sound design tools, and a multitimbral pattern sequencer. Its hands-on panel is filled with knobs, buttons, and sliders that allow you to make fine or big adjustments to your sound, despite being small enough for studio, stage, and traveling.

The eleven oscillator models include vintage analog tones with SH-4d, SH-3D, Chord, Ring, and Sync Models, in addition to digital models including Cross FM, Wavetable, and Drawing Models. In addition to a two-plus octave button keyboard, the 32 knobs, four sliders, variety of multi-function buttons allow you to manipulate all of these models in elegant ways.

Then you can use the filter, amp, and LFO sections to further shape your sound. The SH-d gives you a flexible and powerful modulation matrix where you can utilize and add expressive movement and tonal enhancements by routing the LFO and envelope generator to different synth parameters.

Additionally, the SH-4d features built-in motion sensors that allow the user to pick up the synth and adjust sounds with physical movements too! For instance, the “D-Motion” mode gives you an X/Y control for two parameters, while the “Visual Arpeggio” allows you to shape note patterns with an interactive display. And the LCD, sliders, and buttons will automatically reconfigure their functions to follow a mode you select.

Together, every element of the SH-4d makes this desktop synthesizer a versatile instrument that’s fun to play and create with. It’s made for both modern electronic musicians and synth collectors to enjoy, and it features a multitimbral sequencer “with four synth parts and a customizable rhythm part”. As a result, you can create “intricate patterns with motion recording, extensive effects, and more”.

In fact, you can access the SH-4d sequencer with a singular button press and turn your sound ideas into loops or even compositions. The sequencer gives you a total of 60 notes of polyphony, so you really can develop complete musical ideas with this synthesizer. You can even apply filter and amplitude modulation to the steps with the LFO!

Furthermore, the SH-4d features a flexible drum synthesizer with tools for tone-shaping so you can create your own kits from scratch too. And a selection of renowned onboard Roland effects to “frost, finesse, rough up, or mangle tones, and patterns” are available too.

The SH-4d operates on USB-C but will operate for up to four hours on AA batteries, and its MIDI I/O ports allow for external control in an expanded hardware setup. Roland also says that the SH-4d functions as a USB-C MIDI interface for digital music production on computers too.


Availability

The Roland SH-4d Synthesizer will be available in the U.S. in March for $649.99.


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