Roland S-1 and the problem of many modern synths.
Do we need all these?
Roland recently released their brand new AIRA compact synthesizer called the S-1 Tweak Synthesizer. The S-1 is inspired (mostly for branding reasons) by the famous SH-101 which is another Roland vintage synth that is still one of their most popular mono synths.
It uses Roland ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) to mimic the characteristics of an analog synth while being fully digital and Roland claims it can produce the authentic tone and response of the SH-101. On top of that, they added a ton of features like 4-voice polyphony, custom waveshapes, a 64-step sequencer with motion sequencing, probability, sub-steps, and more, D-Motion where you can control a parameter by physically moving the synth around, and effects like Reverb, Delay, and Chorus - again inspired by Roland Synths like the JUNO or JX-3P.
All the AIRA Compact series instruments are tiny, made of plastic, extremely lightweight, and can be battery powered which makes them a great portable solution. And the S-1 is also very affordable costing only 205€ brand new.
So what’s the problem?
On paper, this type of music gear sounds perfect. Cheap, made by a well-respected company, and with an enormous amount of features. But in reality, I feel like it’s more of a quick way for Roland to make some extra cash since they’re not bringing something new to the table while trying to dazzle us with all the features they added and the so-called vintage sound you can get out of them.
To get this out the way, Roland’s fixation on their vintage synthesizers and drum machines has become so annoying. To the point that they have now started to make mini-clones of their own clones. There is the OG SH-101, the Boutique SH-01A, and now the S-1. And they’ve done the same for the JUNO and the TR-808. Are we on the verge of seeing a Tamagotchi-sized JUNO synthesizer in the future??
And don’t get me wrong, the S-1 actually sounds nice and it can be a useful tool for a beginner but also for an advanced producer. But I can’t help but think that it does not have anything new or exciting on it. And the worst thing is that it’s so small that it’s impossible to tweak it as the Tweak Synthesizer name suggests and the menu-diving & secondary functions on this thing are too much.
It, once again, tries to do so many things adequately but not a single thing amazingly. It’s so common nowadays to get a piece of gear with a huge list of features and end up using a mere 5%-10% of those features or, even worse, having it collecting dust after a few months of using it. There is so much work and engineering focused on implementing all those features and making them accessible by a tiny user interface but far less time and R&D spent on making something fresh that will inspire musicians. If you just compare this to an OP-1, that is almost the same size you can immediately see how much more inspiring and unique the OP-1 is. And although the OP-1 field costs 10 times the price of an S-1, for me, it’s better to spend 2K on something that you’ll use for many years to come, than on something you’ll buy for 200€ and stop using after a few weeks or maybe months.
Workflow is king
At the end of the day, we make music and we write songs. And instruments are just enablers for us to express ourselves and make our songs and melodies come to life. There’s only so much you can do with the same 4 main waveforms so the workflow of an instrument and the time you’ll need to get from point A to B is way more important than having a million ways to randomize a sequence or draw a waveform that will probably sound trash if you spend too much time tweaking it.
If you actually record music and not just have fun playing with synths, I’m sure you’ll agree that we don’t want more S-1s in our lives. But tools that are easy & fast to use - so no extensive menus and hard-to-remember button combos, great out-of-the-box sounds, and a workflow that will require a minimum time to translate your idea into sound.
There is certainly a point of “too much“. And to be fair and not bashing Roland for synths like the S-1, I’ve bought the E-4 Voice Tweaker which is also an AIRA Compact device. The E-4 is an autotune device where you can easily tune your vocals, pitch them, mess with the formant, and add harmonies. A very simple, easy-to-use, and super-effective device that has all the essentials for vocals. It also has a looper, effects, and a collection of sequencing effects so it’s an awesome little device for vocalists that gets the job done instantly but also sparks creativity! A perfect example of a useful instrument for any studio that focuses on the things that matter and have a few extra features you might need while not having to use them if you just need to tune your vocals and add some reverb.
The difference between those two AIRA devices is that the S-1 is a hard-to-operate deep device that ends up being distracting, while the E-4 is a straightforward tool that gets the job done in a heartbeat. And I’m always more into immediate devices with easier workflows that make me go forward faster.
Conclusion
We live in a time where making sound is more accessible than ever. Even 10 years ago, having a 4-Voice synth with so many features that will fit in your back pocket seemed impossible and now we’re flooded with instruments and gear that is doing everything we’ve ever dreamed of and that cost less than 200€. But at the same time, I feel that the market is over-saturated and has become so profit-driven that we’re starting to forget why we even buy instruments. Which is to make songs and not to hurt our backs leaning over tiny devices with microscopic knobs to make a basic patch. It’s just sound after all.
I hope that the industry shifts its direction and starts focusing on the workflow and making things more intuitive. Always with the goal of helping people make more songs than just sounds. You can even use an old smartphone to make sounds but the hard part is to create songs that sound good faster and that’s not only based on synth specs. So I would suggest to try and not to fall into the traps of extensive feature lists and focusing on considering music gear as tools. Finding the things that will move your songwriting abilities forward and enable you to make better music.
If you feel that the S-1 will get you there, go for it. It’s definitely not a bad piece of gear. It sounds great and warm, and if you take the time to get used to it, I’m sure you could make amazing stuff with it.
