Zoë Blade's notebook

SH-101

SH-101 tech specs

Roland SH-101
Roland SH-101

The SH-101 was a monophonic synthesiser released by Roland in 1983. It's the sibling of the MC-202, which has a better-featured sequencer (if harder to program) but worse keyboard.

Unlike most monosynths, the SH-101 has a microprocessor, allowing it to feature an arpeggiator and modest digital step sequencer. Sure, on the one hand, it lacks the MC-202 and TB-303's accents and multiple patterns (you'll need the "SH-1oh1" mod for those). On the other hand, it still supports rests, ties, and note-specific portamento (as in slides), and it can store far more than sixteen notes and rests in its single pattern — up to a hundred.[5] Perhaps most importantly, it's much more intuitive to program.

As with most synths that predate the use of tiny 16×2 character LCDs, the SH-101 is agreeably tactile, making it reasonably intuitive. There's a slider or switch for every parameter that affects the sound.

As with Roland's SH-1 and SH-09, it features a two-octave sub-oscillator.

In terms of the visual aesthetics, it's not a million miles away from Roland's System-100M, with its grey case offset by the controls' sparse yet bright colours. Its CV and gate outputs make it a fine substitute for the 100M's own controller keyboards — a combination employed by Chris and Cosey. The arpeggiator and sequencer don't hurt, either.

Notable users

References

  1. "Soho Soundhouse" Soho Soundhouse (Vendor), Electronics & Music Maker, Dec 1982, p. 45
  2. "Soho Soundhouse" Soho Soundhouse (Vendor), Electronics & Music Maker, Feb 1986, p. 70
  3. "SH-101 manual" Roland, 1982, pp. 37—38
  4. "SH-101 service notes" Roland, Nov 1982, p. 8
  5. "SH-101 service notes" Roland, Nov 1982, p. 1
  6. Parallel Universe 4 Hero, 1994
  7. "The State of Technology" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Nov 1989, pp. 54—60
  8. "Richard's at Door of Disc Dreamland" Jeremy Ridge and Dale Webb, The West Briton and Royal Cornwall Gazette, Jan 1992
  9. "~~ rephlex ~~ aphex ~~ drn ~~" Ben Middleton, alt.rave, Oct 1992
  10. "Live and Kicking" Andy Crysell, DJ Magazine, 1993
  11. "The Aphex Effect" Dave Robinson, Future Music, Apr 1993, pp. 22—23
  12. "Aphex Twin SYROBONKERS! Interview Part 1" Dave Noyze, 2014
  13. "Straight Outta Lanner" Jim Butler, Aphex Twin: A Disco Pogo Tribute, 2024, ISBN 978-1-0687642-0-2, pp. 24—41
  14. "Apollo Four Forty: Ad Astra" Sam Molineaux, Sound On Sound, Nov 1999
  15. "In the Studio With Biosphere" Headphone Commute, Jan 2021
  16. "Beat Dis" Mike Collins, Sound On Sound, Jun 1991, pp. 24—30
  17. "Strange Changes" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Dec 1991, pp. 30—36
  18. "Matt Cox: MIDI Tech for The Chemical Brothers" David Greeves, Sound On Sound, Dec 2011
  19. "The Creative Technology Institute" Chris Heath, Electronics & Music Maker, Sep 1984, pp. 38—40
  20. "Home Taping" Tony Reed, International Musician & Recording World, May 1986, pp. 118—119
  21. "Eat Static: Chart Success" Jonathan Miller, Sound On Sound, Jan 1997
  22. "Faithless: Breaking Down Classic Tracks with Sister Bliss" Jamie Franklin, Jan 2021
  23. "In the Studio With Gimmik" Headphone Commute, Jul 2022
  24. "Calling Occupants" Maff Evans, Future Music, Mar 1995, pp. 61—63
  25. "Signal Path: Richie Hawtin on His Origins as F.U.S.E. and How He Made Techno in the Early '90s" Maya-Roisin Slater, Fact, May 2019
  26. "Mixing metaphors" Tim Barr, The Mix, Jun 1995, pp. 88—92
  27. "Machine Head" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Jul 1991, pp. 56—62
  28. "Massive Attack's New Studio" Sue Sillitoe, Sound On Sound, Oct 2005
  29. "Nightmares on Wax: Groove Is in the Heart" Claire Francis, Electronic Sound, Jun 2020
  30. "Turning Tides" Maff Evans, Future Music, Feb 1995, pp. 56—58
  31. "The Magic Circle" Phil Ward, Music Technology, Jun 1993, pp. 56—60
  32. "Music of Spheres" Nigel Humberstone, Sound On Sound, Apr 1994
  33. "Paul and Phil Hartnoll (Orbital). Ask Me Anything. Streamed live on 27th February 2023." Orbital, Feb 2023
  34. "The Lone Raver" Tim Goodyer, Music Technology, May 1992, pp. 68—72
  35. "Prodigious Talent" David Robinson, Future Music, Feb 1993, pp. 31—34
  36. "Liam Howlett: The Prodigy & Firestarter" Paul Nagle, Sound On Sound, Sep 1996
  37. "Playing With Fire!" Robin Green, The Mix, Mar 1997
  38. "Rack & Roll" Phil Ward, Music Technology, Dec 1993, pp. 20—22
  39. "Warp Factor 8" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Nov 1993, pp. 32—33
  40. "Tales Of The Supernatural" Simon Trask, Music Technology, Dec 1990, pp. 48—52
  41. "Stereo Speakers" Phil Ward, Music Technology, Apr 1993, pp. 40—45

Further reading

Reviews

Encyclopedias

Modifications

Downloads

Documentation

Digital step sequencers: MC-202 | MS-1 | RD-6 | SH-101 | TB-303 | TR-606 | TR-808

Hardwired synthesisers: CZ-101 | Juno-6 | Juno-60 | Juno-106 | MC-202 | MS-1 | MS-5 | Minimoog | Model D | Polivoks | RS-101 | RS-202 | SH-5 | SH-101 | Solina String Ensemble | String Ensemble | TB-303 | VC340 | VP-330

Monophonic synthesisers: MC-202 | MS-1 | MS-5 | Minimoog | Model D | SH-5 | SH-101 | TB-303

Roland: Boss | DCB | Edirol | JV-1080 | Juno-6 | Juno-60 | Juno-106 | MC-4 | MC-8 | MC-202 | MPU-101 | R-8 | RS-101 | RS-202 | SH-5 | SH-101 | SN-R8 series | SN-U110 series | SO-PCM1 series | SR-JV80 series | System-100 | System-100M | TB-303 | TR-606 | TR-808 | TR-909 | U-110 | VP-330 | W-30