Roland SP-404 Mk2 (Part 1)

The Lounge Other Gear
8946

Saw the below shared on sp404 discord and just wrapped my head around it and it’s awesome, and allows for pseudo midi triggered sample record with auto ext bpm sample assignment.
and with END SNAP; tight loops from your gear.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SP404/comments/1860oey/using_roland_sp404mkii_as_a_multitrack_recorder/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3

So for recording external machines that are master clock this is the basic setup:

  • x blank pads assigned to step 1 of an x length pattern in TR-REC (ensure HOLD STEP > LAST is on, and velocity is 127 or to PAD etc)
    Process is in TR-REC sequence page press SUB PAD, select pattern assigned blank sample pad, adjust trig params, enter on step 1, repeat for as many loops you want to capture.
  • Exit TR-REC
  • EXT SOURCE to EXT IN (or MIX to use FX busses, but remember to mute any captured loops so you don’t double up, unless you want to!)
  • EXT SOURCE ENABLED
  • COUNT IN WAIT (you can’t start the pattern resampling with midi transport sadly , but you can auto trig start recording with the audio, and that’s as good as it can get at the moment) (ASFAIK!)

The recording process:

  • Enter pattern select.
  • RESAMPLE, press desired blank sample pad.
  • Press the pattern pad to enable COUNT IN WAIT.
  • Press PLAY on external device. Recording starts when auto trig level is hit.
  • END SNAP on, and stop recording at the end of the pattern length for a neat loop without need for trimming, bpm detection/manual entry and all that frustrating stuff.

Sample is recorded to pad, with EXT bpm and correct length (as far as know this isn’t possible in standard sampling mode)
Repeat last steps to layer or (mute the recorded pads and) capture new loops.

THIS HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR ME!
mk2 is perfectly capable of recording BPM accurate loops from my gear.
it’s a great way to multitrack external gear as looped clips, but remember if there’s no sound it won’t trigger on the 1st step. workaround possible.
YES!

EDIT : so after some further testing with this method Roland rounds up the EXT clock amount after recording to whole numbers (ext 157.7bpm = SP 158.00bpm) on the sample, which isn’t ideal.
It kinda sounds ok/usable, but not as precise as we’d wish. and on playing again with 157.7bpm ext clock the sample will subtly repitch i assume.
I’m not clear with two decimal places of precision for samples/patterns why this happens.

Using the sp as master will most likely resolve all this, but from what i read for most of us the mk2 is at the end of the chain rather than start.

EDIT EDIT : you can record just like this in bank mode! but mk2 loads with ext sync disabled on boot. when external clock is being received shift + 11 enables EXT SYNC in bank mode. (this is not mentioned in version of manual i currently have)
you can then use same audio trigger method to record with normal sampling mode and end snap. loop bpm and length are set seem pretty usable, if whole numbers.

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