Roland have launched the SH101 plug-out synth, a meticulously recreated software version of the original synth that can be loaded as an Audio Unit or VST in a DAW or right into the System-1 synthesizer, without needing a computer.
The software model retains the simplicity of the original hardware, offering a single modelled VCO, VCF, VCA and LFO. It's this simple structure, along with the synth's tone, that made the SH101 such a popular and accessible synth. Roland have gone to great lengths to recreate the sound of the original, especially the oscillator and filter behaviour, and the interaction between the low-pass filter and the envelope controls.
In creating a software model of the SH101, a series of new features can also be added that were simply not possible with the original. For example, when using the SH-101 Plug-Out synth as a VST or Audio Unit, unlimited instances can be used within a session. The System-1 hardware synth can then be used as a dedicated controller, or can even have patches loaded onto it for live performance, free of the computer.
Roland have added a new envelope section, making two in total, so the VCA and VCF can be given assigned settings. It's also possible to revert back to single-envelope operation, like in the original. The SH-101 Plug-Out synth also features reverb, delay, chorus and crusher effects that were not included in the original.
The SH101 Plug-Out synth is not on general sale, but can be downloaded for free by System-1 owners.
