Roland SH-101

[Odhr]

anyone here using a Roland SH101 ?

suggestions on good settings for PE/Death?  i guess the NOISE function would come in handy;)

i know Grey Wolves use one....any other artists that you know of that use one?

cheers

[Leatherface]

Peter Nystrom (Megaptera) use a SH-101.

[Andrew McIntosh]

I'm no artist but it's been the core of my own shit for over 20 years. I fucking LOVE this synth! Good, rugged sound, but you definitely need to put it through a pedal or two to get the best out of it. That said, it's amazing the mileage you can get when you bother with it. One of the best things about it is the hold function - gives you both hands to manipulate. Fuck with the LFO and the VCF, use the freq. and res. dials sparingly (go low!* And keep the range low too), fuck with the source mixer (and go sparing on the noise function, it's okay at times but overuse is just corny) and don't worry so much about the random and noise functions on the wave form dial unless you want to do hipster fun noise. If you want pulsing, oscillating synth sounds with a good range to manipulate in, you've got the synth you need.

The more recent "boutique" series re-release is a reasonable replication of the old war horse, although it's obviously a more purer tone than something that's been around for a couple of decades. Still, worth investigating. I just love playing with the familiar dials.

*Mind you, I've replicated feedback-like tones by going high as well.

[Odhr]

I'm no artist but it's been the core of my own shit for over 20 years. I fucking LOVE this synth! Good, rugged sound, but you definitely need to put it through a pedal or two to get the best out of it. That said, it's amazing the mileage you can get when you bother with it. One of the best things about it is the hold function - gives you both hands to manipulate. Fuck with the LFO and the VCF, use the freq. and res. dials sparingly (go low!* And keep the range low too), fuck with the source mixer (and go sparing on the noise function, it's okay at times but overuse is just corny) and don't worry so much about the random and noise functions on the wave form dial unless you want to do hipster fun noise. If you want pulsing, oscillating synth sounds with a good range to manipulate in, you've got the synth you need.

The more recent "boutique" series re-release is a reasonable replication of the old war horse, although it's obviously a more purer tone than something that's been around for a couple of decades. Still, worth investigating. I just love playing with the familiar dials.

*Mind you, I've replicated feedback-like tones by going high as well.

Andrew, thank you very much for your reply and help regarding which dials to manipulate!

i definitely wont be making any 'hipster fun noise'! definitely want 'pulsing and oscillating'!:) and yes i love my effects if only to distort the signal but delay always seems to be enjoyable to my ears.

Do you use the seq/arp much or more so just holding a single note and altering the dials...?

[Odhr]

Peter Nystrom (Megaptera) use a SH-101.

great thanks! haven't listened to Megaptera for years....need to get back to them.

[Andrew McIntosh]

Do you use the seq/arp much or more so just holding a single note and altering the dials...?

I've had some good results using the sequencer, which for this sort of old unit is pretty practical, but only the few times I've bothered with it. It's more a musical thing, for me at least. The arpeggio hasn't interested me with what I wanted to do, for this synth. 

[GEWALTMONOPOL]

The SH-101 is horribly overpriced IMO. The original version SH 09, not sure what the difference is apart from the 09 sounding a bit fatter to my ears, is cheaper. I'd recommend that one.

As demonstrated here by the Polish lunatic Jexus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw2JZ8YVERI

[Euro Trash Bazooka]

anyone here using a Roland SH101 ?

suggestions on good settings for PE/Death?  i guess the NOISE function would come in handy;)

i know Grey Wolves use one....any other artists that you know of that use one?

cheers

The noise function isn't specific to the SH-101 and if it's seeing the Noise thing that influenced your choice for this particular synth, my advice is to seriously spend some time looking at how synths work to understand why there's a Noise function and fader on the SH-101. The Noise waveforms (there are several types, named after colours) are very useful once tinkered with filters and whatnot to make percussive sounds for instance (like snares or hi-hats.) Noise waveforms are also interesting because they're a random electric signal, which means they can influence the pitch or the modulation of the sound depending where or how you route them, etc... In the SH-101, the Noise influences the VCO and the VCF.
Anyway, either you know for a fact you want this particular synth for its sound and whatnot, or you should just look at all the monophonic synths that come your way to find the one that best suits your needs. They're more than likely will have Noise functions as well. The synth I use the most is a monophonic one as well, from the 70's, and it has a noise function that I barely use, but I make speakers rumble with its über thick bass, create brutal feedback with its auto-oscillation capabilities, and it has a very powerful filter. Once you understand how a synth work, you definitely have a better grasp at what it can potentially do, and how it'll fill your needs. As far as I'm concerned, and maybe because I now know better hat to expect and what I need, I wouldn't pick an SH-101 as a monophonic synth now. There are much more interesting alternatives available today in my humble opinion. But Andrew tells you otherwise because he found the best ways to use it for what he does, and I'm sure a lot of people would have a different opinion than I have about the monophonic synth I use...

Also, be careful. Just because synths are used by bands you like, it doesn't mean they're good. For instance, Whitehouse used the EDP Wasp, which fetch now ridiculous prices because they were pieces of trash built of cheap plastic and with a crappy touch-sensitive keyboard, and most of them didn't stand the test of time. So now some guys have emulated its most interesting part (its filter) through VSTs or modules, and people can have fun and recreate buzzy sounds without shelling out money for some overpriced junk.

Sorry for the long post.

[Coma Detox]

I have a SH-101 and a SH-09 and always preferred the SH-09.  The fact the SH-101 doesn't have an external filter is a huge negative.  The SH-09 definitely has a warmer and fatter sound even when using with effects and dirt pedals.

[Odhr]

The SH-101 is horribly overpriced IMO. The original version SH 09, not sure what the difference is apart from the 09 sounding a bit fatter to my ears, is cheaper. I'd recommend that one.

As demonstrated here by the Polish lunatic Jexus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw2JZ8YVERI

some great sounds from that synth! are you familiar with the sh-2?

[Odhr]

anyone here using a Roland SH101 ?

suggestions on good settings for PE/Death?  i guess the NOISE function would come in handy;)

i know Grey Wolves use one....any other artists that you know of that use one?

cheers

The noise function isn't specific to the SH-101 and if it's seeing the Noise thing that influenced your choice for this particular synth, my advice is to seriously spend some time looking at how synths work to understand why there's a Noise function and fader on the SH-101. The Noise waveforms (there are several types, named after colours) are very useful once tinkered with filters and whatnot to make percussive sounds for instance (like snares or hi-hats.) Noise waveforms are also interesting because they're a random electric signal, which means they can influence the pitch or the modulation of the sound depending where or how you route them, etc... In the SH-101, the Noise influences the VCO and the VCF.
Anyway, either you know for a fact you want this particular synth for its sound and whatnot, or you should just look at all the monophonic synths that come your way to find the one that best suits your needs. They're more than likely will have Noise functions as well. The synth I use the most is a monophonic one as well, from the 70's, and it has a noise function that I barely use, but I make speakers rumble with its über thick bass, create brutal feedback with its auto-oscillation capabilities, and it has a very powerful filter. Once you understand how a synth work, you definitely have a better grasp at what it can potentially do, and how it'll fill your needs. As far as I'm concerned, and maybe because I now know better hat to expect and what I need, I wouldn't pick an SH-101 as a monophonic synth now. There are much more interesting alternatives available today in my humble opinion. But Andrew tells you otherwise because he found the best ways to use it for what he does, and I'm sure a lot of people would have a different opinion than I have about the monophonic synth I use...

Also, be careful. Just because synths are used by bands you like, it doesn't mean they're good. For instance, Whitehouse used the EDP Wasp, which fetch now ridiculous prices because they were pieces of trash built of cheap plastic and with a crappy touch-sensitive keyboard, and most of them didn't stand the test of time. So now some guys have emulated its most interesting part (its filter) through VSTs or modules, and people can have fun and recreate buzzy sounds without shelling out money for some overpriced junk.

Sorry for the long post.

thanks for the long post haha! yes i definately need to spend some time learning about synths...i didnt mean to give the impression that i was choosing a 101 based on the Noise function..obviously i need to go and find out what it actually does! cheers

[Odhr]

I have a SH-101 and a SH-09 and always preferred the SH-09.  The fact the SH-101 doesn't have an external filter is a huge negative.  The SH-09 definitely has a warmer and fatter sound even when using with effects and dirt pedals.

have you used the SH-2?

[Euro Trash Bazooka]

anyone here using a Roland SH101 ?

suggestions on good settings for PE/Death?  i guess the NOISE function would come in handy;)

i know Grey Wolves use one....any other artists that you know of that use one?

cheers

[Geek shit]

thanks for the long post haha! yes i definately need to spend some time learning about synths...i didnt mean to give the impression that i was choosing a 101 based on the Noise function..obviously i need to go and find out what it actually does! cheers

You're welcome. I didn't mean to imply the Noise function was the reason why you'd pick that synth over another but I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were dealing with in order to avoid a maybe misinformed  buy that wouldn't reply to your needs or expectations, you know?
Synths are amazing instruments but once one gets out of preset thing, it's important to understand what each thing does on the synth in ordr to be able to enjoy its abilities.

[GEWALTMONOPOL]

The SH-101 is horribly overpriced IMO. The original version SH 09, not sure what the difference is apart from the 09 sounding a bit fatter to my ears, is cheaper. I'd recommend that one.

As demonstrated here by the Polish lunatic Jexus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw2JZ8YVERI

some great sounds from that synth! are you familiar with the sh-2?

His demos are great. Always a go to place when I'm curious of any vintage synth.

I know of it but never used one. I'm tempted to buy that one instead of the 09 but it's a later commitment.