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Writer's pictureSunwarper

5 Ways to Make Beats on the SP404 MK2 With Any Setup (Standalone, Dawless & DAW)

It’s 404 day and to celebrate I’ve got a new video breaking down how to make beats on the SP404 MK2 with any kind of setup, even just the SP!

The SP404 has become a mainstay in every setup I use now because of how versatile it is. Roland also released a 4.0 update, adding some amazing features like live looping! I'll have a video on the new features in a few weeks (dealing with a newborn takes most of my time) so stay tuned and thanks for watching :)


🔷 I’ve also updated the SP404 cheat sheet with how to MIDI CC the SP’s effects to external hardware. If you use the SP in dawless gear or a DAW, this is a game changer! 


Here's a quick breakdown of each method:

SP Only: Pattern Sequencing (Real Time and TR-REC Mode):

Using patterns, you can sequence samples, drums and even the new sound generator to create full tracks. There's a lot of nuance available in both types of pattern sequencing. Check out my SP404 Cheat Sheet and the video above for more tips & tricks.

Resampling:

This is the classic method of creating beats by layering sounds on top of each other, destructively recording new parts on top of the existing sounds. There's not a lot of undo/mixing wiggle room with this method, but it is a great exercise in letting go of perfectionism and quickly finishing beats.

Dawless:

Additional Samples/extending polyphony:

The SP has 16 minutes of sample time, PER PAD and 32 voice polyphony. With the SP in your setup, you can bypass any polyphony limitations of your other gear and open up a lot of layered possibility by adding 32 voices of samples on top of your other gear.

FX and MIDI routing:

The SP has some amazing effects, and there's a few options for accessing them in a Dawless setup. You can trigger them like normal on the SP, or use MIDI CC to set them to trigger from external hardware.

DAW:

Resampling DAW sounds and adding live FX:

The DAW is a powerful production tool, but automating lines of fx is nowhere near as fun as using the responsive knobs on the SP. Fortunately, this is one of the few times you can have your cake and eat it too. If you connect the SP using USB-C, you can send audio both into and out of the SP for resampling, live FX or for creating live sets on the SP from DAW tracks.

 

If you want to truly master your gear and learn how to create, mix and master songs email me at sunwarpermusic@gmail.com for one on one coaching.

🎧My Music: https://fanlink.to/imlnd 


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