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

404 DAY WORLDWIDE EVENTS TAKEOVER

SP-404 20th-anniversary celebrations are kicking off in a big way, with worldwide events during the week of 404 Day in cities that have played a key role in the rise of SP-404 beat culture. Spanning five continents, the festivities will hit Tokyo, Osaka, Kumamoto, Yokohama, Melbourne, Mumbai, Rome, Berlin, London, São Paulo, Atlanta, Detroit, Philadelphia, Boston, Portland, Sacramento, and more.
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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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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”