Pretend Roland hired you to rescue their SP sampler division

[admbmb]

On Roland's site it says they have sold 300,000 units (http://www.roland.com/sampler/sp_gallery.html). I assume this is from the SP-202 (1997) to present day. Pretend the sampler division is in real trouble and needs to increase sales or it will be shut down in two years.

What changes would you make? Imagine you could talk directly to the CEO and he would back your ideas 100%. Would you create new products or upgrade existing products (or both)? And for the new products/upgrades, be specific. Would you sponsor an artist (or artists), perhaps other than DJ Kentaro, to represent you products? How would you market SP samplers differently? Think $$$ and practicality, and if you have ideas for new/improved products, suggest retail price amounts that are realistic (to be manufactured/developed and that you would actually spend the $$ on).

Roland's SP sampler division is totalled F@%#'d and they are relying on you to save their @ss. Go.

[Rabot]

Hum. The 404sx is still a really good product...

Let's say they'd drop the 404sx price to 300 or something.

Then I say they'd be 3 lines (2 new and continue to sell the 404sx for 300, tha'd be their low-end one for a long time...)

The 500$ one would be like a 404 shape wise and feature wise (just not as large as the 555/808) but would have (at least):

1: SENSITIVE PADS
2: 4 Track AUDIO recorder (ala 808)
3: MUTE GROUPS
4: 1 bank for PITCH
5: EXTERNAL RESAMPLING
6: ADSR ENVELOPE (or at least an effect that we can resample the sample with)
7 (bonus): better midi implementation like controlling level/pan via midi / midi out / 2 pairs or audio out? and in? (lol)

This thing would not be based on sequencing, but the resampling / live play way of doing thing. A lot of the SP-User works like that and I'd see such a thing being super popular as a live sampler/all in one box thing.



The 750 to 900$ one.

That one would be the mix of the 555 and the 808 and the MV8000 I guess.
I don't know the specs exactly but it'd be more around a studio type of thing, defenitly larger. Some sort of screen, good USB/MIDI thing with a dope software-ala Machine. 16track sequencer, hard drive where you can stock kits and synth. Fuck yeah, a fucking Juno synth in it.

I really don't know what people would want in such a thing, but let's say that thing would stay in a studio more than in a live setting, but like a 555, you STILL can bring that thing live... you just don't rock 2 of em.



As far a sponsoring artist, get the SP-live user a la diabase / simian / jonwayne, but also have some feature on the Roland page once a month with SP-PRODUCERS and we know who we're talking about here.


OOH, and stick to 1 color shame maybe?

[P00K]

Microsampler keys with pads for chops + external resample , 202 fidelity (lofi) pitch etc, with 606 effects
and 202 color scheme

[V-F!]

606SX for iPAD.

[admbmb]

I think the 404SX is still a good product as well, Rabot. But it also came out in 2009. Each year that Roland unveils its new product line, I look to see if a new sampler is coming out (as I am sure a lot of us do), but....nothing. Not even hints of products in the works...

I don't have sales figures, but it sure seems like more Maschine systems/units are selling right now than MPC's (at least in my area). It is obvious that laptops/controllers are gaining more popularity over hardware only platforms. Is there something that Roland could do with the SP division to entice more folks to go that route?

[sleepy eyes]

a sp midi controller would be cool i guess (but cant 606 do that and be used as a standalone?) but that kinda takes the fun out of it at least for me

[admbmb]

a sp midi controller would be cool i guess (but cant 606 do that and be used as a standalone?) but that kinda takes the fun out of it at least for me

I agree. If I want a MIDI controller, there are already plenty in the game that do it well. The SP stuff definitely has a niche and workflow not achievable by other available platforms.

[admbmb]

Some random ideas:

What if you had a portable mic that was exactly like the 404 mic that ran off a AAA battery and stored samples on an sd card (you could put it on your keychain)? I was also thinking you could use cloud technology to upload samples and found sounds and have a setup where this stuff could be retrieved by (synced) your sampler.

It would also be be cool if the SP's contained a simple mono synth engine with basic sine, saw, square choices that you could trigger with the pads in (synth mode). Effects could be added and you could resample the synth performances while you are resampling a break or other sample (i.e. adding bass live over a loop you sampled or made). I know they could do this, esp. because the 555 basically has this but with the d-beam.

I was also thinking if the SP-404sx could be used as a soundcard (like the 555), it would be pretty slick.

Also would be cool if there were a cut and paste feature where you could add samples together with a push of a button instead of resampling?

[CULP]

Some random ideas:

.

It would also be be cool if the SP's contained a simple mono synth engine with basic sine, saw, square choices that you could trigger with the pads in (synth mode).

606 has this for use with the pads

we need a new 606 or some f__kin new drivers for mac/win7

[sleepy eyes]

i think a 202 sx would be cool if they kept it the same as the old model and added more effects (comp, eq), resampling, and possibly a sd card. it would still have to have that crusty sound tho. reatail at like $200-$250 new

edit: if i was ever thinking about buying a mpc i would just buy a 606 instead heh heh

[Unfolding]

Pretend the sampler division is in real trouble and needs to increase sales or it will be shut down in two years.

I don't think that we need to pretend about this bit. Sadly.

If I had my way I'd simply bribe every producer to bang on and on about how good SPs are (kinda like how Ableton gets its dick sucked by everyone with a laptop). Word of mouth will pick sales up, if it doesn't: coerce staff in music shops to sell SPs.

[JZTR]

i think a 202 sx would be cool if they kept it the same as the old model and added more effects (comp, eq), resampling, and possibly a sd card. it would still have to have that crusty sound tho. reatail at like $200-$250 new)

That would be fantastic! More poly and a sample start/end trim too. In fact, I'd take all the stuff that makes the 404sx quick & easy and stick it in a raw dirty 202.

[fauna]

i'm surprised they've only sold 300,000 units, given that everyone on here owns 3 or 4 dif SP models!

[tape smoke]

sp 707, it could go in a few directions, affordable components = affordable unit and less features more workarounds and sp hacking.

or expensive components, d beams, motorized faders and lcd, if the latter does not include the features we want dont bother. and make the affordable one. if roland wants to fly me down to japan to design this thing, i got the next few weeks off.