Friendly and fun with great analog-style sound and synthesis control.

Perfect for musicians new to synthesizers or pros looking for authentic analog sounds, the SH-201 features Roland's famous Supersaw waveform, resonant filter, saturation control, and more.

Great Analog-Style Sound
Even though it's super fun and easy to use, the SH-201 is no toy when it comes to sound. With two beefy analog-modeling oscillators onboard, complete with Roland's famous Supersaw waveform and resonant filter, this little synth can blow down doors. It also comes with high-quality delay and reverb effects for adding depth and dimension to the sound, an overdrive control for adding a ripsaw edge, and an arpeggiator for instant rhythmic motion.

Ultra-Easy Operation
This is synthesis at its friendliest. The SH-201's front panel puts every control directly under the player's fingertips in a logically positioned signal path from left to right. No hidden menus, no nonsense. Just play and move the knobs and sliders. It's as simple as that. Students of synthesis will love the ease and immediate gratification of the SH-201. No other modern synth on the market is as fun, friendly, and inviting.

External Audio Input
Playing the SH-201 from its keyboard is only half the fun. External audio sources can be plugged into the SH-201's external input (CD/MP3-player, sampler,, etc.) and the sound can be twisted with the front-panel knobs and sliders. Wave your hands over the SH-201's invisible D-beam for dramatic modulation.

USB Connectivity
The SH-201 can be connected to a computer (Mac or PC) with one simple USB cable. Both MIDI and audio can be routed through the USB port. A VSTi software editor is included, which allows SH-201 sounds to be manipulated from within a VSTi-compatible host software sequencer.

Roland SH-201 Synthesizer Features:

• Great-sounding analog-modeling synth
• 49 semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive keys
• Ultra-EZ front panel is logically designed to teach the basics of synthesis
• External input for manipulating external audio from CD/MP3 players, etc.
• Built-in delay, reverb, and saturation effects
• Arpeggiator adds instant rhythmic motion to sounds
• USB port for audio/MIDI connection to computer
• VSTi Editor software included for computer integration
• Invisible infrared D-beam controller

A great way to get started with synthesis. Order now!

Roland SH-201 Synthesizer

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The Best for the Price

Posted by Connor from Toronto, ON on Mar 21, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Hobbyist

Reviewer's Play Style: Electronic

The Roland SH-201 is by far the best synthesizer for beginners I've ever seen or used. With great panel controls which are easy to use and don't force you to move through on-screen menus and read long manuals to understand. With 64 presets, it urges the player to go further and create their own sounds for this synth. The sound is amazing, and the velocity sensitive keyboard compliments this, as well as its' audio input for filtering anything you'd like. But what makes the SH-201 isn't its impressive sound, controls, and filters, it is its ability to both be a spectacular synth for jamming on your own, or working with your computer in your studio. Using a computer with the SH-201 is like heaven, most synths at this price fall short of anything like it's librarian and editor software, which enable you to synchronize the software with the synth, and control parameters on the synth through USB MIDI, in addition to being able to download the thousands of patches which you'll be able to find online for the 201. Overall, an incredible deal, the only downside of this synth is it's midiocre looks.

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Small price tag, BIG sound.

Posted by secretfungus from Kentucky on Nov 12, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician

Reviewer's Play Style: Industrial, Rock, Ambient

I own a Korg Radias and I just picked this up. I am very pleased with the sound this thing delivers. The Bass on it is very raunchy sounding, thanks to the super saw ;)

I paid half the price for this next to my radias, and I can honestly say that its better in some ways...

The only drawback is the 32 user preset bank. thats all you get, but thanks to the included editor, you can save and write your presets at ease.

For anyone looking for a simple synth, yet complicated, with rich sounds and punchy bass tones, pick this up.

You will not be dissapointed. ;)

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ugly synth, beautiful sound

Posted by goodnoize 43 from Santa Fe, NM. on Apr 7, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: 25 years, play instruments, run live sound, record

Reviewer's Play Style: 80's Metal, 70's Country, Synthesizer Jazz

First let me say, that this synth is uglier than a junkyard dog with a missing eye and a crippled leg. But the sound is fantastic! When recording it along my 80's Korg Polysix, I could not tell the difference! It sounds more analog than some analog synths. The sound is fat, rich, and strong. And the way the controls are laid out is very nice, no lousy menu screen to confuse you, no shift keys to get a second set of functions from the controls, just basic and down to earth analog control. You want to change your ocillator or filters, or lfo, just turn the knobs and it happens right away, with just the right amount of dsp effects; reverb, a nice delay and overdrive. I did my own rendition of Gary Numann's "Cars" and I found every sound in the Sh201 that he used for that song. The presets are good, and with 36 arpeggiator patterns, you really don't need to program any. The Sh201 also does layers and splits, and has a nice unison button which instantly gives a thick mono sound, and the D-Beam controller, a Roland exclusive, gives you more modulation control than any wheels or ribbons, you just wave your hand over it and you can assign it too. I've read alot of people say it's cheaply made and feels flimsy. But let me say it is not that bad! I own Virus TI, Korg Radias, Moog Voyager, General Music Equinox, Ensoniq Fizmo, Hammond XK2, and many other expensive synths from the 90's and 80's, and it's kinda neat to have one that has Casio keyboard build quality, with Jupiter 8 sound! And, also the combination of knobs and sliders really make this board feel like a genuine 80's analog synth. They don't put sliders on synths anymore, and they give a better feel to adjusting the adsr on the envelopes. And one more thing; Madonna's keyboard player has one of these in his concert rig. As far as computer control with software and recording programs, I know nothing about that, except that it played my Korg Legacy collection software very well. I record tracks onto Adat tape with a Mackie mixer. I'm 43, and all that software recording technology is for all you smart young people out there! Buy the SH-201, you'll like it!

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Good first Synth

Posted by PrestoTheBesto from Huntsville AL on Mar 3, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active musician

Reviewer's Play Style: blues, nu-metal, rock, techno

I bought the SH-201 as my first synth. It is a really easy hands-on synth. You can change your sound in so many ways. I have had it for over a year I have yet to be bored with it. Its expensive but all good things come w/ a price

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Powerhouse Synth

Posted by Anonymous Musician from Portland OR on Feb 20, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Guitarist, recording engineer, progressive synth

Reviewer's Play Style: progressive, experimental, heavy break beats

The 201 is an amazingly powerful analogue synth, as well as an extremely powerful midi control, as long as you run it through the right programs (reason), (protools). Great features, easy to use and GREAT GREAT sound! Cheap plastic housing sucks. I would buy this over just about anything else out there.

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Roland SH-201 Synthesizer

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