I'm looking forward to the release of the new Roland SH-4d.
This is Roland's latest in the line of synths belonging to the SH family.
It brings memories of such legendary machines like the SH-101, SH5 & SH-7
So I thought it would be fun to make a SH list
Let me know if I've forgotten any synths belonging to this family.
SH-1000
This was Roland's 1st synth
1973. Monophonic,
Designed to complement an organ
Single oscillator feeding a lowpass filter, an ADSR envelope, and two LFOs.
It features 10 Preset sounds.
SH-2000
Rolands 2nd synth
It's a single VCO machine. Preset only.
Thus its not as flexible as the SH1000
1973 - 74
Uses a transistor ladder filter.
Although most Roland analog keyboard synthesizers have 1V/1oct VCOs, this one uses Hz/V.
SH-3
the year was 1974
I love this synth.
It was Roland's first synth that wasn't preset based.
Its uses a diode filter like on the EMS VCS-3
SH-3a
1974
The later SH-3a uses a transistor ladder-filter and as a result can generate Moog-like sounds."
Both the 3 & 3a synths can do additive synthesis by mixing in up to five different waveforms.
The synths are both monophonic, having just one VCO & a noise module.
Interestingly there are two LFOs
LFO1 has a sawtooth waveform
LFO2 has a sine & square wave with a delay slider.
The LFO's can be assigned to the VCF, VCA, or the VCO.
SH-5
1976 -81
This was pre-midi
CV/gate controls.
The styling is very close to the modular Roland system-100
SH-7
1978-81
When I see this synth I think of INXS
Duphonic.
two Syncable VCOs. Two ADSRs,
VCO1 has 5 Sliders which control levels of 32',16',8',4' and 2' .
This is the flagship of the early SH series
SH-1
It's a 32 key synthesizer
1978
One Oscillator & sub oscillator., LFO, HP & LP Filter.
It's the great grand-daddy of the SH101
The VCO has PWM and the subOSC that can work 2 octaves below the main OSC
CV/Gate with a trigger output.
A precursor to the legendary SH-101
There are 2 envelopes to control the VCA. (ADSR & AR)
SH-2
1979
Two oscillators & a suboscillator
There is a total of 5 waveforms available across both VCOs
SINE, SAWTOOTH, SQUARE, PULSE-WIDTH and NOISE.
The MODULATOR section features a RANDOM (S/H) waveform that can be
used to modulate tone and pitch
Control : CV/gate
24dB filter
Wonderful creamy lead sounds.
I think this synth is hugely underrated
SH-09
1980
Just one VCO, LFO, Filter
PWM.
CV/gate
A stripped down version of the sh-1 ??
SH 101
1982 -86
Legendary synth.
CV/gate.
One VCO + sub osc, LFO
The SH-101 was based on a single CEM3340 oscillator.
Squenchy filter
Built in sequencer/arp. Love how you can make a sequence out of random notes
and then loop. Your fingers can now tweak parameters on the fly.
SH-32
2001
Wave acceleration synthesis ???
The raw waveforms are sampled. (67 waveforms)
Does it belong with the famous SH synths of the 70s & 80s ?
Roland decided to revive the famous SH line.
Its been almost 20 years since the SH101
This synth reminds me very much of the new SH-4d
Also a 4 part muti-timbral desktop module.
Lots of knobs and sliders.... no menu diving
32 voices
No sequencer but does have an Arp though.
SH-201
10 voices
2006
Its a analog modelling synth
It's got a USB connection to allow communication with a software editor.
SH-01 Gaia
64 voices
Analog modelling
2010
sh-01a
analog modelling
2018
A mini-me sh101 in boutique format
note that the vintage SH101 was limited to a 4 oct range (16' to 2')
The sh-01a adds 32' and 64' to the osc's range
