WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

We will have nightmares about having a 404 day – 24 hours of broken web pages – but for Roland, it is a cause for celebration. On 4 April, the company is taking the opportunity to showcase everything that’s great about its SP-404 sampler, giving you live performances, a new streetwear collection and a free sample pack.

There will be a total of 12 livestreamed 404 performances. J Rocc, Sarah The Illstrumentalist, Acemo, Flofilz, Reo Matsumoto, Lightfoot, Foodman, Mr. Slipz, Phennel Koliander, Valerio Delphi, Mayumikiller and Huey Mnemonic are all broadcasting via their own social media channels – check out the schedule below.

There will also be a live, in-person tribute show for Ras G, the late LA beatmaker which will take place at the Poobah Record Shop in Pasadena, CA between 3 and 7pm local time. It will feature performances from Dibiase, Dakim, The Vivians, Linafornia and AshTreJinkins, and the event will also be streamed live via dublab.

If you want to wear your love of the SP-404 quite literally on your sleeve, you can check out the new Roland Lifestyle Ras G Tribute Streetwear Collection. This will be unveiled during the Poobah Record Shop performance, and includes a t-shirt, long-sleeve shirt, hoodie, hat, milk crate and wooden keychain. Prices range from $38-$110.

Proceeds from the sale of the Ras G collection during the event and online will benefit Ras G’s hometown of Leimert Park through music education programs for children in partnership with the Fernando Pullman Community Arts Center. Roland will also be making a $2,500 donation.

Meanwhile, if you want some fresh inspiration for your own 404 projects, you can check out the 404 Day Beat Maker Sample Pack Vol. I. This draws inspiration from SP beatmakers around the world, with the likes of Japan’s Phennel Koliander, Detroit’s Meftah, Australian expat Nonjuror, and Brazil’s Tiago providing a wide variety of lo-fi, hip-hop and deep house sounds. It’s free for all Roland Account holders via the Roland Cloud Manager.

Roland’s celebration package is rounded out by an article examining São Paulo’s early noughties hip-hop and beatmaking scene, and the impact the SP-404 had on it, and two limited-edition shields from V-Moda, the company’s headphone brand.

Perfect Circuit let us know about an exclusive release, the PULSAR-23 Andrew Huang Edition.

A collaboration between musician/video producer Andrew Huang and the creative minds at SOMA Laboratory, the PULSAR-23 Andrew Huang Edition is priced the same as the standard PULSAR-23, but features a limited edition color scheme and custom knobs.

The SOMA PULSAR-23 ‘organismic drum machine’ has become a cult classic instrument, because of its unique, hands-on design. The PULSAR-23 features 52 knobs, 11 switches and over 100 inputs and outputs, which mean you have a tremendous range of immediate control over the sounds and rhythms that you can explore.

PULSAR-23’s four voices are tailored to produce kick, bass, snare, and hat sounds, all of which can be controlled using the built-in recorder/sequencer or external MIDI or control voltages.

The Perfect Circuit exclusive PULSAR-23 includes a custom colorway, knobs, and hat — all developed in collaboration with Andrew Huang to complement his unique take on this experimental drum machine.

Features:

• Exclusive Andrew Huang artist edition experimental drum machine
• Custom neon yellow colorway with custom knobs + alligator clip hat
• Four-voice analog sound generation with digital effects
• Alligator clip interface for experimental + intuitive patching experience
• Control via built-in sequencer, MIDI, or control voltages from modular synthesizers

The Pulsar-23 Semi-Modular Drum Machine Andrew Huang Edition is available now for $2,250.

The price on the Ashun Sound Machines Hydrasynth Explorer has dropped to $499, the cheapest we have seen for this synthesizer.

The Hydrasynth Explorer packs the sound engine of the original Hydrasynth into a portable mini-key synth. It features the same powerful sound design options and even polyphonic aftertouch, but in a much more compact, battery-powerable package.

The synthesizer is an eight-voice polyphonic design, with an extremely deep voice architecture that combines wave-morphing oscillators, two filters per voice, extensive modulation options and flexible effects.

With the current sale pricing, the Hydrasynth Explorer is arguably the most powerful mini-key synth ever, and is one of the most affordable options for trying out polyphonic aftertouch.

Features:

• Eight-voice polyphonic wave-morphing synthesizer
• 37 mid-sized keys with polyphonic aftertouch
• Battery-powered option
• Two OLED displays for waveform visualization and patch editing/performance display
• Four endless encoders for individual or macro controls
• Complex arpeggiator with extensive control options
• Extensive modulation matrix with up to 32 paths
• Three oscillators per voice with 219 selectable waveforms
• Oscillators 1 and 2 offer Wave Scanning between user-definable wave lists
• Four mutators per voice, allowing FM, several flavors of PWM, Harmonic scanning, Sync, and more
• Open-ended ring modulator and noise section
• Two filters per voice, with parallel or series configurations
• Filter 1 offers tons of distinct types, including LPG and Formant filters
• Filter 2: classic state-variable 12dB/octave morphing filter
• Five looping DAHDSR envelopes with option for relating segment duration to current BPM
• Five complex LFOs
• Integrated delay, reverb, and various modulation effects
• CV & Gate outs for easy integration into modular synth workflows
• Global & per module randomization and initialization always accessible straight on the front panel, with several intelligent randomization features
• Easy access to each module’s internal parameters via dedicated Module Select buttons

The Hydrasynth Explorer is available with sale pricing for $499 (normally $599) via Amazon, Perfect Circuit, Sweetwater and other retailers. Details on the Hydrasynth Explorer are available at the ASM website.

If you’ve used the Hydrasynth Explorer, share your thoughts on it in the comments!