Superbooth 25: A couple of years back were were singing the praises of the SH-4d. At the time, we were thrilled that Roland had finally released something that wasn’t firmly retro-angled, and was orienting the ethos of the brand forward into a new domain. That superb desktop synth/drum machine has now received a significant update.
The new free V2.0 firmware update expands the unit’s original capabilities in a number of key ways.
Of particular note are two new OSC models, the introduction of pattern chaining and some slick workflow tight-ups including system-level FX and a new Sub-Step option for off-grid note entry.
The two OSC models are the main draws here though. Firstly there’s Step, a basic step-based LFO modulation that can conjure those more classic-sounding analog step sequencer-esque phrases and movements.
Meanwhile, Harmonic can be a bit more expansive, and - via a classic drawbar organ layout - can be used to carve anything and everything from rich pads to throbbing bass tones.
