Roland | 404 Day

SP SAMPLERS & THE SOUND OF
LO-FI HIP-HOP

404 DAY 2026–
Around the world and back

SP-404 celebrations are building around 404 Day, with partner activations, events, and creator-led moments expected across the global beat scene. This year’s celebration is anchored by a Roland livestream event, partner activations with Berklee and Stones Throw, alongside workshops, performances, and local gatherings that spotlight the worldwide community continuing to shape SP culture.
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404 day worldwide events takeover

Roland 404 Day Live

The Roland Studio in Los Angeles is hosting a warehouse session featuring performances from DIBIASE, Marques Murrey, Bravodomo, Tvkii, and Low Key with special guest Daru Jones (DARUTRONICS). The event streams live on 404 Day across multiple channels, including Roland Synth + AIRA and Dibia$e Instagrams, with performances published on YouTube later in the month.

Best Kept Secrets: 404 Day, A Lightfoot SP Music Selection

Boston-based David Bellow, aka Lightfoot, is a deft artist rooted in lo-fi who resists simple categorization. A producer, DJ, and educator, Lightfoot plays an influential role in guiding young creators at Berklee College of Music. Sample a curated collection of lesser-known gems featuring the Roland SP-404, courtesy of the beat impresario.
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A Lightfoot SP Music Selection
Side Chain Compression

Side Chain Compression

The SP-404MKII keeps growing with free updates shaped by the way people actually use it. Version 5.50 adds Side Chain Compression, a long-requested feature that brings one of the signature techniques of modern beatmaking and dance music directly into the SP workflow, with no extra routing or outside gear required.
VIEW PRODUCT

LO-FI EDUCATION:
THE SP-404 IN THE CLASSROOM

David Bellow, aka Lightfoot, and Michele Darling explain the process of establishing a groundbreaking SP-404 course at Berklee College of Music.
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(L-R) David Bellow aka Lightfoot, Matt Chicoine aka Recloose, Takeo Shirato, Bad Snacks
Original SP-404 designer Kenji Yamada and current project leader Takeo Shirato

ROLAND ENGINEERING: SP-404 PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Original SP-404 designer Kenji Yamada and current project leader Takeo Shirato discuss the 404 concept, its widespread popularity, and more.
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Roland SP-404 | The Origin

PART 1

THE ORIGIN

JAPAN, MID-1990S

Musically, there was a lot happening in the mid-nineties. People were flocking to clubs and festivals, DJ culture was on the rise, and music production technology was slowly becoming more affordable. The seeds were being sown for a musical revolution. And would-be musicians, yet to find their true calling, were about to discover a new set of creative tools.

FLASHBACK

MID-’90S MUSIC PRODUCTION

Mid-’90s music was all about the big studios. Computers weren’t yet powerful enough to handle multi-channel sampled audio, so the classic hardware/sequencer/effects/mastering combo reigned supreme. This meant you needed lots of gear—plus an understanding of how it all worked—to get anything done.

Mid-’90s Music Production Photo by @Kmeron
The Price Of Progress

MEMORY CHIPS

THE PRICE OF PROGRESS

Music producers wanted to experiment with sampled audio, although few up-and-comers could afford the professional-grade sampling behemoths of the day, as their memory chips were so expensive. This meant there was a real need for a simple and affordable sampler that people could use to get creative.

MS-1 / 1995

THE PREDECESSOR

Launching in 1995, Roland presented the MS-1 as an affordable ‘phrase’ sampler, meaning you could trigger a static sample—like a drumbeat or vocal—but couldn’t sample a bass note and play it across a keyboard, like you could on more expensive rack-based samplers. With eight trigger pads and no effects, the MS-1 had a basic sequencer so you could record audio directly into the device and start making music.

Roland MS-1 - The Predecessor
Roland SP-404 | The Tools

PART 2

THE TOOLS

DJS TAKE CONTROL ... 1998 ONWARDS

As the MS-1 came to the end of its life, the DJ scene was really hitting its stride. With two turntables and a mixer, forward-thinking DJs were thinking about how to add a creative edge to their sets. If only there was a low-cost sampler available...

Roland SP-404 | The Music

PART 3

THE MUSIC

MID-2000S, USA

With thousands of SP samplers now in circulation, producers and beat makers started exploring the capabilities of their machines, and began finding creative workarounds for any limitations. And in the mid-2000s, a new music genre started to form, partly shaped by the gear used in its creation. Here are some of the highlights...

MADLIB & MF DOOM

MADVILLAINY

Marking one of the early appearances of the SP-303 sampler, Madvillainy was a collab between future superstars Madlib and the late MF Doom. Released in 2004, the album set the standard for the ‘less is more’ production ethic. Many of the tracks were created by Madlib during a trip to Brazil using his SP-303, turntable, a stack of vinyl and a tape deck.

Madvillainy
Jneiro Jarel

JNEIRO JAREL

GET YUH OWN

Talking to Billboard magazine way back in 2005, Jneiro Jarel mentioned that the SP-404 was one of his band members. His newly released album ‘Three Piece Puzzle’ contained a track called ‘Get Yuh Own’ ...thought to be the first time an SP-404 was used on a commercial release.

J DILLA

DONUTS

Celebrated as one of the most influential hip-hop albums of all time — and certainly one of the most beloved — J Dilla’s Donuts is a stone-cold classic. Released in early 2007, it’s even more remarkable that the album was made using the most basic of setups: vinyl, a turntable, and his SP-303. Dilla’s far-reaching vision and boundless talents remain an inspiration to this day, despite his tragic passing just a few days after Donuts was released.

Donuts
Dibia$e

MOVERS & SHAKERS

DIBIA$E

With a sound that’s simultaneously laid-back and tightened-up, Dibia$e is a quintessential figure in the lo-fi movement, having carved a spot for himself in the unofficial 404 hall of fame. Beginning with his debut album, Machines Hate Me, he’s blended skipping-stone beats and sepia-toned electric piano with soulful vocal samples. Proudly organic in his approach, Dibia$e says, “I like my music to have a certain sound. Most of the time I let the process happen naturally.”

Beat Culture & The SP-404

BEAT CULTURE & THE SP-404:
FEAT. DIBIA$E, FLYING LOTUS AND RAS G

In the early 2000s, Los Angeles cultivated an underground hip-hop beat culture, where every budding producer was on the same wavelength, experimenting like mad scientists in laboratories, and producing their next instrumental masterpieces.

The Culture

Image Courtesy of Orikami Records

PART 4

THE CULTURE

2010 ONWARDS, WORLDWIDE

One of the best things about music is when it brings together like-minded people. Influences mix, friendships are formed, and sometimes a distinctive style starts to emerge from the musical melting pot. From custom overlays and amazing artwork to beat tapes from up-and-coming producers, lo-fi hip-hop is a vibrant music scene that keeps on growing, and keeps on giving.

Inside the São Paulo Beat Scene Photo by Andre Deak

GLOBAL

INSIDE THE SÃO PAULO BEAT SCENE

Explore the multifaceted São Paulo beat scene with this in-depth history of its close-knit ecosystem of artists, beatmakers, and labels.
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Japanese Beat Scene

GLOBAL

INSIDE THE JAPANESE
BEAT SCENE

The lo-fi sound and aesthetic have deep roots in Japan. Dive into the colorful subculture with the Japanese beat scene's key players.
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The Art Of The Overlay Photo by Cremacaffè Design

SKIN DEEP

THE ART OF THE OVERLAY

Welcome to the rich artistic world that’s grown around SP-404 skin overlays and beyond. We speak to visionary illustrator Zom Kashwak and check out the lo-fi aesthetic of other inspiring designers.
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LA Beat Scene

LISTENING GUIDE

THE LA BEAT SCENE

The LA Beat Scene was a multi-tentacled explosion of musical energy blending rap, jazz, ambient, trip-hop, and dozens of other genres into a heady brew. Rooted at the Low End Theory club night, the community even spawned breakout stars like Flying Lotus and Thundercat. Join us as we take you through the essentials.
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MF Doom Photo by The Arches

LISTENING GUIDE

AN INTRO TO... MF DOOM

Take a tour through the work of the late MF Doom with a veteran music journalist as your guide. Revered for his lyrical prowess and deep discography, the British-born rapper influenced generations of artists. Get to know the fundamental tracks from the man behind the iron mask.
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MF Doom Photo Courtesy of Bryan Shorter

NOT FORGOTTEN

REMEMBERING RAS G

We pay our respects to scene stalwart Ras G, the producer, DJ, and label co-founder, and DJ who released an awe-inspiring 24 albums and mixtapes in his too-brief career. Featuring exclusive interview content and participation from the artist’s family, we explore the life and music of the immortal Ras G.
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