Roland GAIA SH-01 DemoItem ID: SH01d37-key Virtual Analog Synthesizer with Arpeggiator, Phrase Recorder, Onboard Effects, and 64-note Polyphony Yes, It's In Stock!
This item is available for immediate delivery. You'll enjoy the fastest delivery time in the industry with our centrally-located warehouse and latest shipping cut-off times.
Condition: This item was thoroughly inspected by our factory-authorized service team. It is certified to be in perfect working order. There are a few light marks on the keyboard. While the packaging may be rough, the product inside is in great shape and contains the full manufacturer's warranty.
What does Demo mean?
The image(s) shown do not necessarily represent the condition of this particular item.
Only 1 left! Get More Value From Sweetwater
Limited Time Offer
12 Months Interest Free Financing!On purchase of Roland or BOSS products totaling $499 or more, made with your Sweetwater Card now through June 30, 2013. From Our Research Team:Massive Sounds in a Lightweight Synth!Are you in love with the sounds of the past but equally in love with technology? The GAIA SH-01 uses a trio of virtual analog engines — each with its own dedicated oscillator, filter, amplifier, envelope, and LFO — to conjure massive tones that would make you swear you're playing a vintage synth. But the cool thing is that this baby is thoroughly modern, giving you vintage flavor and the conveniences afforded by the latest technology. There are no menus to navigate and no pages to scroll through, just analog-style knobs and faders that drive the synth engines.Click for Video & Audio Demos:
Play Demo
The GAIA SH-01 gives you a ton of effects (reverb, distortion, fuzz, bit crash, flanger, phaser, pitch shifter, low boost, and delay) to take your sonic explorations even further. And with 64 voices of polyphony, expansive synthing (sans note dropout) is at your fingertips. When combined, all of these elements come together to create massive sound, packed into an extremely lightweight chassis. How lightweight? The GAIA SH-01 weighs less that 10 lbs., making it easy to take your sound with you. Plus, you can run the GAIA SH-01 on battery power. How cool is that? And no synth would be complete without a solid arpeggiator. Just hold down a single key and let it work its magic! Plus, you can record your creations — along with the movements of the knobs and sliders — by using the onboard phase recorder. Use the USB port to plug the GAIA SH-01 into a computer to send and transmit MIDI data, or store your patches and phrases (recorded with the phrase recorder) to a USB memory stick. Integrate the GAIA SH-01 with external devices, such as MP3 players, via the EXT input and play along with your favorite songs or backing tracks — great for practice and performance. And the GAIA SH-01 is perfect for newcomers to synthesis. The SH-01's front panel puts every control right at your fingertips. The logically laid out front panel shows the signal path from left to right, helping beginners understand synthesis. Experienced players will dig the instant gratification of hands-on control. Roland GAIA SH-01 37-key Virtual Analog Synthesizer Features at a Glance:
Once again, Roland innovates the synth, with the GAIA SH-01!
Can We Help?Sweetwater's friendly and knowledgeable Sales Engineers are regarded as the most experienced and educated professionals in the music industry, with extensive music backgrounds and intense training on the latest products and technologies. As your personal contact here at Sweetwater, they are available to provide personalized advice any time you need it.Call toll-free (800) 222-4700 or E-mail us Recommended Accessories
Phillip, Lynwood, IL Reviewsbased on 20 reviewsRoland GAIA SH-01 Subtractive Synth
by Martin Horn from Redding, CA
This is the way a subtractive synth should be, in your face, tactile, instant creation of sound with a tweak. As a true starving artist, going without food in favor of music, this purchase is a 20 yea... read more [+]r dream. Ever since Roland introduced the JP8000 I have waited until funds were available. Rewarded for my patience the Gaia is like owning 3 JP8000's!!December 4, 2012 Music Background: Professional - Musician - Composer - Recording Engineer As a recording engineer starting back in the early 80's, I understand the analog need of the synth musician (live performance). But as a recording artist, the purist analog sound never makes it to the digital track, so why handicap yourself with a mono analog synth? This synth is everything I thought it would be…simple. No menu's, just reach for the control to create the sound in your head. Then once you have produced the sound, reach out and tweak for the joy of it and discover an entirely new sound you weren't thinking of, but now are. I have owned many synths over the last 30 years, but not one was a joy to this musician. Pages of menus, push, search, find, save, oh crap #$@%#$!!!!! By the time I produced the sound in my head on these menu synths, the freedom to create and compose was gone. I am not able to combine left brain right brain when in a creative spirit. But with this synth, there isn't a technological thought in my head, I use the buttons and sliders just in the same creative way I am playing the keyboard keys. If you are one who can compose with creative spirit while using a mouse and computer keyboard; typing, using pulldowns, reading tech data, fiddling with tiny knobs and sliders with a mouse….then you don't need this instrument, buy a software synth. For any other musician that would like to make this statement - "I am in a creative zone while composing AND creating sound"…. then sell your menu synth and buy this one, I did and never regretted it. close [-] An excellent replacement for older analog synths!
by John Cassetty from Gainesboro, TN
As the owner of an ARP Odyssey since 1973, I was looking for a synth that was a bit more up to date while still retaining the analog synth sound and programming feel. Being old school, there are a few... read more [+] nuances that the GAIA has that I’m still trying to get used to but nothing that cannot be worked around. I agree with Bob Manson about the keyboard consistency but that can be overcome by turning the keyboard sensitivity level to zero, which will make the keyboard respond like the synths of old.August 7, 2012 Music Background: Classic Rock Musician and Hobbyist Get into the manual editing mode and create a standard synth lead sound, copy it to the second oscillator where you can select it and detune it slightly or tune it an octave above/below the first oscillator. Select both oscillators then use the sliders and controls to put yourself in analog heaven! Everything about the synth will pretty well be old school from that point. It also has some very nice features that old school synths don’t have including the programmable user presets, which I highly recommend being used. Create the sounds you like and save them. No, it’s not cheating; it’s called saving time! Also, I highly recommend getting the Sweetwater patches by Daniel Fisher. He has done a heck of a job recreating some of the synth sounds of old. Take these sounds, dissect them and you can get a good feel of how to use the features to program the synth. If you want a true old school synthesizer look and feel, prepare to shell out a couple of grand plus for an old school style synth or for a vintage instrument. Otherwise, the GAIA will be an adequate replacement for a Minimoog or an ARP Odyssey at a fraction of the cost. Also, there is much more programming capabilities there than the average player will probably ever use, including myself! close [-] Best in it's price range
by Rob Parker from Murfreesboro, TN
I heavily debated between the Gaia and Novation's Ultranova. While both have a great sound, the shear amount of hands-on controls and lack of any screens/menus is what won me over. If you're looking f... read more [+]or a synth to create your own sounds on, (you know, what synthesizers like this are meant for in the first place) then this is the best choice in terms of price range. I'm not saying it will compete with the likes of a Virus or Moog, but new-coming synthesists and seasoned synthesists alike will find this to be a great synth. close [-]
April 15, 2012 Music Background: Owner, Producer/Engineer Great synthesizer
by Z from
Roland Gaia is great - all parameters you can control from the front panel. You don't need screen really, because everything is on your hands. The sound is very clear, low boost makes your sound so de... read more [+]ep! And nice to use also as midi controller too. It has 2 USB - one for computer connection, other for flash drive for extra space to store more own presets. Very light for traveling.April 14, 2012 Music Background: Sound Artist, Composer. Experimental Electronic Music What the most I like it is really intuitive and "no diving menu". Superb close [-] Sweetwater Advice
Daniel FisherThere are many reasons to love working at Sweetwater, but one of my favorites is being the first to play with and program the coolest musical toys, long before anyone else. So I find it amusing to read people's comments on internet forums that make definitive statements about a product they've never even had their hands on. The SH-01 GAIA Synthesizer is a good example of this. I can assure you that this *is* a virtual analog synthesizer, and that the oscillators waveforms *are* modeled (not sampled). This beast can get as big, and fat, and warm, and snappy as you want to program it. The most important part to understand is that it's not just an ordinary 3-oscillator synth. Most 3-oscillator synths mix down to one signal path and *then* go to a single Filter and Amp. This baby has a separate Filter, Amp, LFO, and 2 Envelopes for each and every Oscillator! Only then does it get mixed down into a powerful effects section. Real-time editing and tweaking is fun because you have a dedicated knob, button, or slider for every parameter. The very clever Tone Select buttons on the left allow you to quickly select which Tones you're tweaking. You can choose to edit any or all of the three Tones at once. By using the Key Hold button, you can play some notes and then let go; now your hands are free to go crazy on the parameters. This is so much more fun than dialing through Edit Menus! You can move multiple sliders/knobs all at once as fast as you want. It's a complete rush to synthesize on-the-fly while the Arpeggiator is going. Within a day or two you'll be making synth-based recordings that are far more interesting than most of the CDs or downloads that are out there. Get a GAIA, grab some sliders and go for it! Also popular
Roland GAIA SH-01
Buy Today, MakeSweetwater's Flexible Payment Plan is a convenient, interest-free way to buy gear now and stretch your purchase across three budget-friendly payments. Simply choose the "3 Easy Payments" option in your cart, and we'll divide your purchase amount into three convenient payments, billed to your current MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express card. There is a $10 processing fee for using this service, and your billing address must be in the United States to be eligible. It's just another way we make shopping at Sweetwater easy and convenient!Get your Roland GAIA SH-01 now and spread out the payments!This program is subject to credit approval. We will pull a copy of your credit report to approve your application. |