Roland Gaia SH-01 Synthesizer
High-performance value with old-school charm.
The Roland GAIA SH-01 synth offers high-performance value with old-school charm. The Roland SH-01 delivers massive sound, hands-on ease, and an affordable price. The synth's triple-stacked engine puts... read more
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In this Instagram posted by Martin Garrix in July 2016, his Roland Gaia SH-01 Synthesizer can be seen at the center of his studio setup. ... more

In this photo of Porter Robinson performing live during his 2014 Worlds tour, the Roland Gaia SH-01 Synthesizer can be seen to Porter's r... more

In a video of Disclosure performing live, they can be seen playing the Roland Gaia SH-01 Synthesizer. more

The Roland Gaia SH-01 can be seen amongst the synths Steve Angello is packing up to head to Europe. more
Reviews
Trusted musician and artist reviews for Roland Gaia SH-01 Synthesizer
Based on 12 Reviews

Solid choice
I'll be honest, I rarely use this for more than super-saws (Which it excels in, by the way), however, It's a tremendous option to add into any performance or studio rig. It has a simple, to-the-point layout, which doesn't require much of a learning curve. It isn't my go-to, but its still an excellent option, especially considering the price.
Great one to learn Synthesis!
Cool white color!. Lightweight, but a heavy hitter.


Practicality is key.. this is one of those synths that just begs to be touched, grabbed, caressed...
Super
Super compact Synth, nice for use in studio and Live, you can create and save 64 pactches, as well the 64 preset Patches.

edited almost 2 years ago
Favorite Synth
The GAIA is the most fun to program synth I own. Zero menu-diving (but some advanced settings need repeat owner's manual diving to remember button-press combinations). The high polyphony allows for huge pads. Plus there is a General MIDI engine on-board (which actually has a few nice sounding instruments, including piano and synths), each instrument having it's own MIDI-controllable filter settings. That gives it some nice multi-timbrality, in a round-about way. Great sound palette for use with your favorite DAW.

Must have
I feel like using this synth allows me to understand synthesis on a much deeper level. Its really easy to get into and there are great tutorials on Youtube to get started

Great Synth for great price! My first professional hardware synth!
This synth help me to learn proper synthesis. It is a great instrument for someone to start. Before I was using only VSTs and only presets. With GAIA I started to create all my sounds and I still learn something new every day. There could be some more details in it, like LCD display to show you the presets parameter's value. However there is a fan made GAIA tool software, that helps you big time. You can save your sounds, edit them in PC and control the values of parameters. So far I am very happy. Sometimes I feel a bit limited with it, especially wit bass sounds, however I am just starting my journey as a synthesist, so that could be a reason too.

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Details
Description
High-performance value with old-school charm.
The Roland GAIA SH-01 synth offers high-performance value with old-school charm. The Roland SH-01 delivers massive sound, hands-on ease, and an affordable price. The synth's triple-stacked engine puts potent virtual analog synthesis under your fingertips, yet the control panel is so fun, friendly, and inviting, even first-timers can create great sounds.
The Roland synth's signal flow is simple to grasp, with logically arranged knobs, sliders, and buttons. Hands-on control and fat sound make the little Gaia SH-01 a powerhouse and a joy for music students, songwriters, session players, and live performers of all styles and skill levels.
Triple-Fat Virtual Analog
Sink your teeth into the new triple-stacked virtual analog engine, comprising 3 complete synths for incredibly thick, powerful sound. Unleash the beef of 3 oscillators that drive a trio of multimode, resonant filters, multi-shape LFOs, and amplifiers, plus 9 envelope generators. The Roland Gaia SH-01 is like having 3 synthesizers in 1! With 64 polyphonic voices onboard, the GAIA SH-01 makes it possible to play massive sounds without experiencing note drop-out.
Stackable Effects
From the silkiest reverb to the grittiest growl, the Roland SH-01's instantly selectable multi-effects catapult your sounds into another spatial dimension. You can layer up to 5 simultaneous effects for dozens of variations. Onboard Roland effects include reverb, distortion, fuzz, bit crash, flanger, phaser, pitch shifter, low boost, and delay with panning and tempo sync. Roland eqips the Gaia SH-01 with cdedicated control knobs for tweaking the effects in real time.
Portable Power
At less than 10 pounds, the Roland GAIA SH-01 is lightweight, compact, and great for musicians on the go. The 37-note keyboard is full-size, however, so performers can play naturally and comfortably. The synth can be powered via AC or batteries* for the ultimate in portable convenience. A battery-life indicator on the front panel ensures that you won't lose power unexpectedly. When used in conjunction with a battery-powered amp such as Roland's CUBE Street, MOBILE CUBE, BA-330 or KC-110, the GAIA SH-01 can be played and heard anywhere!
Instant Control
The front panel puts every control directly under your fingertips. There are no hidden menus, no nonsense. Just play and move the knobs and sliders, or wave your hands over the invisible D Beam for dramatic effects. The logically designed front panel shows the signal path from left to right. It helps beginners understand synthesis, while experienced players will love the instant gratification of hands-on control during performance.
Phrase Recorder and Arpeggiator
Hold a note or chord and let the arpeggiator create musical magic automatically for you. The tempo can be set via tap tempo. In addition, the onboard Phrase Recorder lets you record what you play on the keyboard as well as the movements of the knobs and sliders. The controller data can also be played back independently to complement the notes you play in real time.
USB and EXT IN
Connect directly to a computer (Mac or PC) with one simple USB cable, and stream audio directly to the software of your choice. The SH-01's USB ports can also be used to transmit and receive MIDI data, and to store your patches and phrases (recorded with the Phrase Recorder) to a USB memory stick. For integrating with external devices, the SH-01's EXT input lets you connect external audio sources such as an MP3-player and play along with your favorite songs or backing tracks-great for practice and live performance. Manipulate the incoming audio with three Center Cancel modes, which let you eliminate pre-recorded vocals, guitars, or bass.
*Can be powered by 8 rechargeable Ni-MH AA batteries.
Specifications
- Huge sound with 3 virtual analog engines onboard, each with a dedicated oscillator, filter, amplifier, envelope, and LF0
- Layer up to 5 simultaneous effects, including distortion, flanger, delay, reverb, low boost, and more
- 64-voice polyphony for massive sounds without note drop-out
- Fun, hands-on control panel that's great for instant gratification, and for learning synthesis
- Lightweight, compact body with 37 full-size keys
- Runs on AC or battery power for portable convenience
- D Beam, arpeggiator, and Phrase Recorder onboard
Beast Machine
Great synth with a lot of possibilities for sound design, easy to program, works great for layering