Roland SH-4b Leak: a new photo shows a possible hands-on bass Synthesizer brother of the SH-4d with knobs, a touch keyboard, and more.
Update
The leak is wrong. Sorry. According to Gearnews.com and their “man in Japan,” the photo came from an official email newsletter, “Behind the scenes at Roland”. It was about the development of the new SH-4d. The important is the words written in the newsletter that I didn’t have when the leak was released.
“Synth geeks, equipment geeks, fun musical instrument geeks, DJ performers, etc. have all been so eager for this new product, but who do you think made the prototype in the first place? In fact, it was made by newly hired engineers in their first year at the company during training!”
So what we’re seeing in this “leaked photo” is not a new SH-4b but a prototype of the Roland SH-4d made by a young, new developer. Roland has also confirmed that.
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Article March 6th, 2023
In the last few days, there has been a lot of discussion about the SH-4d, Roland’s new digital multi-timbral, multi-oscillator Synthesizer that can also be Groovebox. Opinions are still polarizing.
Many see it as another repackaging of the Zen Core Engine, this time light and easy to use. For others, one of the most exciting Roland synthesizers in recent years. Recently a photo appeared that shows that Roland might have another compact SH-4.. style Synthesizer in the pipeline.
Roland SH-4b prototype leak
On the table, we see two young Japanese men—probably Roland developers. On the left, we see the Roland SH-4d, which was recently released. To the right of that is something we don’t know yet. Japanese writing is emblazoned above it.
Kazuhiko Gomi posted the photo in Roland AIRA group on Facebook, a person closely related to Roland. In the comments, he writes that this is a prototype of the SH-4b. He doesn’t note precisely what it is. But the letter “b” suggests that it goes in the direction of a bassline synthesizer.
Possibly a 303 Bassline synthesizer also, with multi-oscillators and the same concept as the SH-4d. We also see an interface with numerous knobs and a touch keyboard on the right. This is in the form of a classic keybed and integrated with small LEDs. Probably to visualize the steps. There is also a screen on the left side.
The case still seems a bit bulky and big to me. I can imagine that this will be even thinner in the final version. But It would make sense to continue the series like this.
I’m curious if the Roland SH-4b leak is accurate and if we will see this year on the market.
More information here: Roland
The Roland SH-4d is available at my partners
Roland SH-4d might be the first of a new Roland lineup ,if the SH-4d sells well of course but I like this design from the recent Roland attempts and the workflow.
Maybe it’s bulky… because it’s analog/hybrid.
The only way I believe such a product would make sense in current Roland’s lineup.
A mix between a TB-303, a collab with Studio Electronics and a drums part with some drum design like on the 4D, that would make of it a very relevant piece of gear.
Roland making useless synths for 30 years now.
Yes! yes! yes!
All the Roland gear of the past few years reminds me of those kids toys where you feed in the putty and squeeze it out in different shapes. The putty is ZenCore and the different plastic “squeezers” are all the Roland hardware boxes. In other words you’re just squeezing the same shit out of different shaped boxes.
LOL – Zencore in a nutshell!
I feel the latest sh-4d is different tho – a unique digital synth with its own character.