Roland’s latest reboot of the classic SH-101 brings vintage analogue tones at an impressively affordable price. Greg Scarth finds out more.
Over the course of the last five decades, Roland have played a major role in shaping entire genres of electronic instruments, from drum machines to grooveboxes and lots more besides. The new Roland S-1 Tweak Synthesizer is the latest in that long line of innovation. Coming as part of Roland’s AIRA range, the S-1 is essentially an affordable groovebox which draws on Roland’s own history in an attempt to define another new category of instrument. Whether or not we see more instruments described as tweak synthesisers in future is up for debate, but the S-1 makes a compelling case as an instrument in its own right.
‘Tweak synth’ moniker aside, the S-1 is essentially a polyphonic groovebox with a digital synth engine based on the classic SH-101 synth of the early 80s. Vintage Roland fans will know that the SH-101 was a brilliantly funky little analogue synth, excelling at bass sounds and capable of some impressively 303-esque acid riffs. Aficionados of newer Roland gear will also be aware that the SH-101 was emulated by the excellent Boutique SH-01A synth, which is still available priced at just under £360. The S-1 is part of the AIRA Compact range which uses the same Analog Circuit Behaviour virtual analogue sound engines as the more expensive Boutique models, so at a price of just over £160 it has the potential to offer great value when compared to the SH-01A.
As a fully paid-up member of the SH-101 fan club, my expectations were high for the S-1, and first impressions certainly don’t disappoint. The SH-101 was a basic, single-oscillator synth and the S-1 replicates the same kind of architecture, with blendable pulse and sawtooth waves, sub-oscillator and noise source, plus a resonant low-pass filter. Editing options are kept relatively simple, but there are some nice little twists on the classic formula, not least allowing you to play more than one note at a time. Turning monophonic synths into polyphonic instruments doesn’t always work in practice, but the S-1 effectively allows polyphonic and chord modes as well as monophonic and unison. Dialling the synth settings back to slightly thinner sounds is the most effective approach for polyphonic mode, with filtered sawtooth waves creating impressively rich, analogue-style pads. Of course, monophonic basslines are still the clear strong point of the S-1’s arsenal, particularly when paired with the simple delay and reverb effects to add a little depth.
So what exactly do Roland mean when they describe the S-1 as a tweak synth? The word crops up plenty of times throughout the documentation, encouraging you to tweak tones and create new synth sounds. Essentially, the objective seems to be pitching the S-1 as an extremely hands-on instrument which rewards experimentation and, well, tweaking. The combination of synth with step sequencer and arpeggiator is particularly effective here, allowing you to set up patterns or loops and then manipulate the sound, using a combination of LFO modulation and D-Motion modulation (by physically moving the synth) to add organic evolution to your sounds.
The single biggest addition to the classic 101 formula is the inclusion of a unique OSC Draw function, allowing you to create custom waveforms using the step sequencer pads. The OSC Chop function then allows you to cut your custom waveforms up in to slices and create unusual new tones. It’s not particularly in keeping with the simplistic SH-101 approach, but it does add a big layer of extra creativity to the S-1.
The S-1 is a relatively affordable instrument at £169, but it’s worth noting that it’s powered by a built-in lithium-on battery, rechargeable via USB-C, a premium touch which you’d expect from much more expensive instruments. Otherwise, the formula is quite similar to what you’d expect from something like a Korg Volca, pairing a good, intuitive step sequencer with an impressive synth engine. The Volca Bass is probably the closest rival, coming in a little bit cheaper at £127, but there are still compelling arguments for the S-1 over the Korg, particularly if you want to hook up other Roland kit to create a hardware setup. The T-8 drum machine would make an excellent foil to the
The AIRA Compact range is quietly shaping up to be one of the strongest areas of Roland’s impressive product line-up. With other models already based on the Juno-60, TR drum machines and TB-303, the S-1 adds another flavour of classic Roland sound to the series. What’s particularly impressive is how it combines user-friendliness with depth. Complete beginners will be able to get to grips with it, but the more advanced aspects of its features will provide interest once you master the basics. Another hit for Roland. Tweak away.
Greg Scarth
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