Copped an SP606

[nubes]

So, I got myself a good deal on the 606. 130$ no power adapter, no memory card. Luckily, I had an old CF card from my MPC500 I bought years ago, It's a 128 MB card from AKAI with the MPC logo, and funny enough, with a quick format... It works!

So on to the machine itself...

This thing is sick. The fact that no one mentioned that the 606 has the same Vinyl Sim as the 505 is a shame! Isn't the 505's vinyl sim compared to the 303 as similar? Would that mean that the 606 has the same vinyl sim? I have never heard the 303 vinyl sim in person so I can't make that call but yeah, it's there! Combining 2 effects is so sick too, cause coupled with the compressor you can make some really fat sounding tracks with the stereoizer and the master compressor. Another effect trick I figured out:

The Sp606, like the 505 has BPM Sync, which means you can use a samples bpm to sync effects to the tempo. So, the delay on the 606 can sync to this, and with a sample at 40 BPM (slowest speed available), you can sync the delay and push all knobs to the right to create the Dakim delay style looper and make some long and expressive live beats. Using the feedback knob you can mute out your mistakes, and unlike the 404 method, you hear what you are playing when the delay is on. Another advantage on the 606 is that with the D-Beam, you can use the filter to transition between loops. I'm currently using this to write new music and it's super fun.

I've also noticed that the pads are much easier to play. The velocity sensitivity and the mute groups are amazing advantages. Does anyone know if there is a way to make wider pads for any of the SP's? can we do something similar to a fat pad upgrade like MPC?

Anyways in all, I think the 606 is the most complete SP out. It's extremely versatile for live music and has alot of power with the options for everything.

Thoughts?

any tricks you can tell me about?

[Ill Green]

The 606 had a real short life, only on the market for 1 1/2 years before Roland discontinued it. Thats why not many own one, it was $800 at the time too rivaling Akai's MPC1000 but it failed to compete. Then ushered in the 404.

I bought mine a couple months after launch. Having the 303 and 505, I was disappointed. It felt like a 505 in a new fancy box. BUT, that all changed as I dived into it thoroughly. First thing I noticed was the quiet sound. 505 has this white noise that annoyed me after a while (which is why I sold it), so I began to crack a smile. I also noticed the sound is distinct from the rest of the SPs, a real rich lo fi organic sound is how I describe it. Then I learned it and had loads of fun just drifting into a zone making music, I loved that.

For me, the effects are boosted up a step in quality compared to the 303 and 505. Vinyl Sim is awesome too. Besides the three knobs, you can tweak some FX further by going into the menu. Just select the FX and check the bottom screen for a prompt. Some effects can be tweaked further, others no.

Gotta go, got lots to say but maybe others can shine light too.

[Unfolding]

Because of what Ill Green said, there's no market for pad (or any other kind of) upgrades on the 606. Pity.

Spend the time to learn all the effects. As you said, those BPM effects are killer! The BPM slicer is great if you use it subtly (layer it with the original sample or reverb). The tremolo & pan are great for colouring rhythms. MFX11 is incredible for fills. Try reversing a sample & use MFX45 release. Resample & reverse again so the sample plays the original way, but now with a more gentle start, it's a ghetto amplitude attack!

Learn the mirco-edit for the sequencer too. Once you've learned the values (00-00-48 is halfway between quarter notes, 00-00-64 is a triplet etc) you can get some really complex stuff programmed.

Have you found the hidden synth settings yet?

[nubes]

Because of what Ill Green said, there's no market for pad (or any other kind of) upgrades on the 606. Pity.

Spend the time to learn all the effects. As you said, those BPM effects are killer! The BPM slicer is great if you use it subtly (layer it with the original sample or reverb). The tremolo & pan are great for colouring rhythms. MFX11 is incredible for fills. Try reversing a sample & use MFX45 release. Resample & reverse again so the sample plays the original way, but now with a more gentle start, it's a ghetto amplitude attack!

Learn the mirco-edit for the sequencer too. Once you've learned the values (00-00-48 is halfway between quarter notes, 00-00-64 is a triplet etc) you can get some really complex stuff programmed.

Have you found the hidden synth settings yet?

I did and honestly this is sick! I'm dissapointed that I didn't get a 606 sooner, seems like the type of machine I can spend hours with. I'm curious about all these samplers, the only one I havent been able to touch is a 303...

[Headphones]

I didn't jibe with the 606 all that much. But I do miss the dual fx, and how it hooked right to my laptop as a sound module. Perhaps I just didn't sit down with it enough? But, enjoy!