Ziv Eliraz let us know about his latest loopop video, which offers an in-depth review of the new Roland S-1 Tweak Synth.
The S-1 Tweak Synth is the latest addition to the AIRA Compact family of pocket-sized instruments, which also includes the T-8 Beat Machine, J-6 Chord Synthesizer, and E-4 Voice Tweaker.
The Tweak Synth is inspired by the classic Roland SH-101 from the 1980s, but reimagined as a polysynth packed into a minisynth body. It’s based on Roland’s Analog Circuit Behavior (ACB) technology, and extends the original’s design with four-voice polyphony and a slate of new features.
In the video, Eliraz dives deep into the features and workflow of the Tweak Synth, and also does a head-to-head comparison of how it sounds compared to an SH-101.
Check out the video and share your thoughts on the S-1 Tweak Synth in the comments!
Topics covered:
0:00 Intro
1:20 vs Compacts
2:40 Overview
3:45 Workflow
5:15 Build & I/O
6:10 OSC vs 101
10:00 LFO vs 101
11:40 Filter vs 101
14:30 Env vs 101
17:05 Draw
18:40 Mult & sync
19:35 Chop
21:05 Comb
21:35 Riser
23:50 Effects
26:15 Sequencer
26:35 Live rec
26:55 Motion seq
28:00 Step seq
29:15 Ratchets
29:35 Probability
30:10 Step preview
31:20 Transpose
31:40 Step loop
32:05 Shuffle
32:25 Reload
32:45 Arp
34:00 Poly/Chord
35:10 D-Motion
36:40 Pros & cons
39:40 Outros & presets
This is brilliant. Add the little T-8 drum machine and I can have a portable battery powered rig for under $400. Just add headphones.
well you may want a mixer if you’re going to start running multiple tiny instruments on your kitchen table
this is already accounted-for with the stereo mix input; they are designed to be daisy chained with no mixer necessary
I use a magic bullet. I can make smoothies while jamming raw detroit inspired techno….
Now I wish I had a kitchen table with multiple tiny instruments on it!!
Not bad at all! I have a modded SH-101 and still consider getting this for convenience and portability.
Nice one. If I didn’t have Roland Cloud sub. I would buy it in a heartbeat
Not a fan of one oscillator anything, even with a sub oscillator.
Just add a second oscillator. For crying out loud.
Not my kind of instrument, but I’m glad Roland is producing something low cost and effective. I’d feel more comfortable to give my money to Roland than some crazy other unreliable clone-maker
every once and a while Roland srtumbles onto something good
in spite of themselves