First Impressions of the Roland S-1 (and How I Used It to Build a Beat from Scratch)

At NAMM this year, I finally got a chance to check out Roland’s entire Compact line, and I left really wanting to learn more about the S-1. I'm a huge fan of the SH-101, a classic analog mono synth from Roland. I’ve tried countless emulations and I’ve even got a Behringer MS-1 clone of the legendary synth, but the S-1 felt like something different.

It wasn’t just the compact form: it was the automation recording, the four-voice polyphony and the promise of that classic SH-style sound in a new workflow. So I managed to borrow one, still sealed in the box. Naturally, I had to check it out and here I am reporting on my findings.

You can watch my full first impressions and beatmaking here, or read on for more details below

Setting Up the Combo

I paired it with the Roland P6 because it just felt right: a synth and a sampler is one of my favorite beatmaking combos. The S-1 would handle sound design and melodic content, while the P6 would take care of drums, chopping, and sequencing.

Once I got them both on the desk, I set a BPM around 96 and started with a simple square wave patch. A bit of filter tweaking and some subtle LFO modulation brought it to life right away.

Quick Sound Design on the S-1

Here’s where the S-1 really shines.

• I adjusted the ADSR envelope for longer sustain.

• Added a touch of sub oscillator for more weight.

• Used LFOs on pitch and filter cutoff to add some evolving textures.

• Switched on portamento for more movement and that slightly analog feel.

Even though the onboard keys are a bit cramped, the sound itself was rich and flexible, and it took just a couple of minutes to dial in something usable.

Sampling into the P-6

Once I had the sound, I sampled it into the P-6. I kept the sample rate low for some gritty, lofi texture, then chopped the audio across eight pads. I also dropped in a few drum one-shots and manually built out a groove, eventually slowing the BPM to match a more relaxed vibe.

For those unfamiliar, the P-6 is Roland’s compact sampler. You can quickly record external audio, chop it, sequence patterns, and even layer percussion or resample melodic phrases.

I added some unquantized hi-hats, layered a little percussion loop (adjusting start/end points on the fly), and duplicated the pattern using the shift+play function to build a longer structure.

Building a Beat with this DAWless combo

From there, I added:

• A bass sample from a previous project (repitched to D to match the rest of the track).

• A bit of shuffle to add groove.

• A sprinkle of probability triggering to randomize the melodic chops and make it feel more alive.

The whole thing came together quickly and that’s exactly what I love about combining these two boxes.

First Impressions of the S-1

After a quick hands-on session, my first impression is: this synth is pretty awesome. It's got that SH-101 Charm and filter/resonance response but with some added features like polyphony and automation recording.

• The sound engine is flexible, with real depth for a compact digital box.

• The workflow is fast, especially when you're into designing sounds from scratch.

• The ACB modeling gives a surprising amount of character, especially with subtle LFO mod and filter shaping.

  
  

The only real con so far? The mini keys are tough to play expressively... but that’s kind of expected at this size. If you're using a MIDI controller or just sequencing with external gear, it should be a non-issue.

Want to make the most of the Roland S-1?

If you're digging what the S-1 can do, I put together a downloadable guide called the S-1 Synth Recipes Cookbook. It’s packed with ready-to-use patch ideas for leads, basses, textures, and rhythmic FX, great whether you’re brand new to the S-1 or just looking to go deeper with sound design

📘 Grab the Cookbook and start exploring

Roland S-1 Synth Recipes Cook Book

Buy Now