Roland SH-32, Manual Book

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High-quality waveforms for unlimited
sound creation
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Let’s take a look at the basic waveforms. The SH-32 contains seven
waveform groups: saw, square, pulse, PWM, triangle/sine,
Spectrum, and Noise. Each of these has variation waveforms, for
a total of 67 oscillator waveforms. These waveforms include those
found on traditional analog synthesizers, plus all-new waveforms
for creating sounds never heard before.
To begin, let’s audition some typical preset patches. Let’s start
with C11 “Bass” which uses a basic sawtooth waveform. This
demonstrates the fat and powerful SH-32 character (Track 01). The
preset “Bass2” also demonstrates this quality (Track 02).
To check out the Oscillator Sync function, select patch C12 “Sync
Lead 1” (Track 03). And for leads, patch D18 “Comp-F Lead” has
a powerful presence (Track 04). Next, listen to patch C13 “Slicer 1”
which uses the Slicer Sync effect to achieve a changing rhythmic
effect (Track 05). You will see that all sorts of characteristic
synthesizer sounds can be produced by a single SH-32 when you
listen to C23 “Ring Bell” (Track 06), which uses Spectrum, and C25
“Noise Pad” (Track 07), which uses Noise.
When listening to these preset patches, you should notice the high
quality of the SH-32’s waveforms. To demonstrate this further,
choose any of the Square waveform variations and turn on the
sub-oscillator with Subsonic function. This alone brings out the
warm atmosphere of an analog synthesizer. The amount of PWM
applied is also similar to an analog synthesizer. The Spectrum
waveform, on the other hand, produces sounds characteristic of
digital synthesizers. Having access to both of these qualities in the
same box is part of what makes the SH-32 so fascinating.
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Onboard rhythm sets with complete
editing capabilities
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The SH-32 has four rhythm sets (two preset and two user). As
stated earlier, these sets feature rich bass qualities, but the large
number of waveforms contained should also be noted.
For starters, there’s a full sampling of sounds taken from the
TR-808 and TR-909 Rhythm Composers. Accurate to the last
detail, these sounds can be morphed into entirely new sounds by
varying the pitch, filters, envelopes and effects. The classic CR-78
and TR-606/707/626 waveforms are also included, plus a healthy
dose of synth percussion instruments like LoFi Bongo, 909 Dist
Kick, Jungle Kick and Reggae Rim.
Now, listen to “Power Beat” and “HipHop Beat” (Tracks 8 and 9).
These will give you a glimpse of what is possible when these
sounds are layered and arpeggiated.
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Multimode filter with smooth, analog feel
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The filter is probably one of the most important facets of synthesizer
sound creation. The SH-32 has four filter types: low pass, band pass,
high pass, and peaking (there is also an OFF setting). The peaking
filter strongly emphasizes harmonics in the frequency range set
with the cutoff. By periodically changing the cutoff frequency you
can achieve a powerful wah effect. For filter slopes, you can switch
between –12 dB/oct, which is smooth sounding and suitable for
pads, and –24 dB/oct, which is tight and powerfully resonating.
Sound transitions are also very natural. The response when using
filter envelopes and the Key Follow function is true to the analog
tradition. You will no doubt feel just how smoothly and easily
sounds change when following the direction specified by the knobs
and sliders. The SH-32 provides a wide setting range for cutoff
frequencies and resonance width. Whether it’s a synth bass with
a strongly boosted bottom range or a hard techno sequence, you’ll
get a response that’s both aggressive and accurate. (To make the
SH-32’s filter scream, just crank up the resonance!) Even if you
don’t like to program sounds, we strongly encourage you to
experiment with the filters. You’ll like the results.
Of particular note are the 20 variations provided for the Spectrum
waveform. These waveforms are based on special harmonic overtones
and formants that would be difficult to express on subtractive
analog synthesizers. But with the SH-32, you can turn them into
gorgeous digital synth sounds or unique lead sounds difficult to
produce on an analog synthesizer.
Adding to the effectiveness of the SH-32’s sound is the sub-oscillator
with a unique Subsonic mode for ultra-thick bass sounds. Just
choose from one of three settings: octave down, Subsonic mode,
and off. The result is deep, booming bass that dance music producers
crave. And since the subsonic mode is more than a simple low-range
EQ boost, you can achieve fantastic effects even when using prominent
lead sounds and filter sweep pads.
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Filter and Modulation
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This section explains the SH-32’s filter section. The filter is what
determines the timbre of a sound. By adjusting the cutoff, you can
make a sound seem brighter or darker. Add some resonance and
you get that distinct “electronic” characteristic synthesizers are
known for. There are four filter types on the SH-32: low pass, band
pass, high pass, and peaking. The slopes can be switched between
–12dB and –24dB for truly sharp and penetrating edges. The
peaking filter is particularly powerful—keep an eye on the
resonance to avoid blowing your speakers! The SH-32’s filter is so
responsive, you can even produce wah-wah like sounds by
adjusting the cutoff while leaving the resonance fixed.
Like the oscillators, the SH-32’s filter was designed with analog
feel. So while there is no analog circuitry inside, you still get that
sharp analog edge and easy knob- and slider-based control. Be
sure to check out the Envelope Depth slider, the method for
changing the emphasis of the ADSR envelope on the filter cutoff.
Many musicians place a high value on analog synthesizers
because it’s easy to edit sounds. The SH-32 fits right into that
“analog” niche by successfully re-creating the sound and feel of
these classic instruments.
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LFO
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Equipped beneath the oscillators and filters is the LFO section.
Short for “Low Frequency Oscillator,” LFOs are used to introduce
variation to a sound such as vibrato. The two main elements of the
LFO section, Depth and Rate, can be precisely controlled by knobs.
In addition to the LFO 1 and LFO 2 Select buttons you can select
among five destinations: OSC1 and OSC2 for obtaining vibrato,
Filter for obtaining a wah effect, Amp for obtaining tremolo, and
Pan for obtaining an auto-pan effect. There are also seven LFO
waveforms including random.
The BPM Sync feature is also unique and convenient. This allows
you to synchronize the LFO rate with the BPM (tempo can be input
using the Tap function or with the Value buttons). You can select
among seven settings—16th notes, triplets and 8th notes—up to
two measures in length. This function makes the SH-32 very useful
for dance music production where tempo-based effects are
frequently used.
Aside from these basic features, the SH-32 includes 35 insertion
effects like distortion and phaser, ten types of reverb and delay
(loop effects), a user-programmable arpeggiator, plus a Chord
Memory function for creating chords from a single note.
Section 2 Exploring the SH-32
This section goes into detail on how to get the most out of the SH-32. We recommend
that you listen to the attached audio CD while reading this section.
Section 1 What is the SH-32?
4 3
Wave Acceleration Synthesis
Wave Acceleration Synthesis
Roland's Wave Acceleration Synthesis employs a proprietary
"accelerated generation" technique for creating synthesizer
waveforms. This technique allows the oscillators in Roland's
custom synthesis engine to yield more polyphony and
waveshape variations when compared to conventional "Analog
Modeling" methods. The Wave Acceleration engine also
includes highly-optimized filters and other modifiers. The
result is an endless variety of amazingly expressive, incredibly
fat and punchy synthesizer sounds—from ground-shaking
vintage synths to shifting exotic textures and more.
Track
01-07
Track
08-09
Figure 2: Waveform List
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