Computers, MIDI and apps · SP-404MKII guide

13.1Intermediate

Connect MIDI gear and sync tempo

MIDI lets the 404 work alongside other gear. A keyboard or sequencer can play its pads, a controller can ride its effects, and a drum machine or DAW can set its tempo. It works in the other direction too, so the 404 can play and clock other machines.

Two ways in and out

MIDI IN and MIDI OUT. Two stereo mini jacks on the rear panel. You need TRS/MIDI connecting cables, sold separately: Roland lists the BOSS BMIDI series, such as the BMIDI-5-35, and the BOSS BCC series.
USB. The USB-C port carries MIDI and audio together to a computer, phone or tablet, with no driver to install. Plug in directly, because data won’t pass through a USB hub, and don’t use a cable that only charges. Roland doesn’t guarantee that every app works, or that Android devices work at all. Plug everything in has more on cables and power.

Roland also lists two wireless BOSS pedals as options for the 404: the EV-1-WL MIDI expression pedal and the FS-1-WL footswitch.

What the 404 sends and receives

Message	Sends	Receives	What it’s for
Notes, with note-on velocity	Yes	Yes	Playing pads and switching `EXT SOURCE`. See Which MIDI notes play which pads.
CC 16–19 and CC 80–83	Yes	Yes	Switching and choosing effects and moving `Ctrl 1`–`Ctrl 6`. See Control effects with MIDI CC.
CC 7 and CC 8	In DJ mode	In DJ mode	Volume sliders and the crossfader in DJ mode.
CC 20–27	In DJ mode	No	Reporting DJ mode’s pads, such as play, `SYNC` and `CUE`.
CC 85–91	Not stated	In looper mode	Working the Build up a loop live with the looper from an external controller.
Program change	No	Yes	Selecting patterns, when `PC Rx` is `ON`. See Which MIDI notes play which pads.
Pitch bend	No	Yes	Bending the Vocoder on channel 11, when `Vocoder` is the input effect.
Clock, Start and Stop	Yes, with conditions	Yes, with conditions	Sharing tempo and transport. See below.
All Sound Off	No	Yes	Roland’s one note here: all samples stop playing if the MIDI cable is unplugged.
Active Sensing	Yes	Yes	Roland gives no further detail.

Everything else is off the table in both directions: note-off velocity, aftertouch, system exclusive, song position, song select, tune request, reset all controllers, local on/off, all notes off and system reset. The 404 receives in Mode 3 (omni off, poly).

Clock is how two machines agree on tempo and transport. The 404 can follow incoming clock or send its own, and it only sends when no tempo is arriving from outside. While it’s receiving a tempo signal, it’s in what Roland calls remote mode, and that’s when it responds to incoming clock and to Start and Stop commands.

Follow another device’s tempo

Connect the other device to MIDI IN or to the USB port.
Open the MIDI tab of the system settings (Every system setting) and set MIDI Sync to Auto, or to the one route you’re using.
Send clock from the other device.
Turn on BPM SYNC for any sample you want to follow that tempo. See Lock a sample to the tempo.
If the two machines sound slightly apart, adjust SYNC Delay.

Send the 404’s tempo to another device

Connect MIDI OUT on the 404 to MIDI in on the other device.
Set MIDI Sync Out to ON. Clock, Start and Stop now go out of MIDI OUT, as long as the 404 isn’t receiving a tempo itself.

The tempo settings

Setting	Values	What you use it for
`MIDI Sync`	`Auto`, `Internal`, `MIDI`, `USB`	Picks the tempo source. `Auto` follows clock whenever it turns up on MIDI IN or USB. `Internal` sticks to the 404’s own tempo. `MIDI` and `USB` each follow that route only.
`MIDI Sync Out`	`OFF`, `ON`	Sends clock, Start and Stop to whatever is on MIDI OUT.
`SYNC Delay`	0–20ms	Delays the 404’s playback to make up for latency between it and the other device. Higher values play later; at 0, the sound and the MIDI leave together.
`Bend SYNC(DJ)`	`OFF`, `ON`	Sets what clock does when you use the `BEND+` and `BEND-` pads in DJ mode. `OFF` keeps it steady. `ON` lets it move with the 404’s playback speed, so connected gear follows. Hold `REMAIN` as you press a bend pad to keep it steady for that press.

Other MIDI settings, by what you want to do

To do this	Set this
Send a note from MIDI OUT each time you play a pad	`PAD Note Out` to `ON`
Send notes from MIDI OUT as a pattern plays	`SEQ Note Out` to `ON`
Pass MIDI IN straight on to MIDI OUT	`Soft Through` to `ON`
Bridge USB and the jacks: USB MIDI goes out of MIDI OUT, MIDI IN goes out over USB, and the 404’s own sound module still hears it all	`USB-MIDI Thru` to `ON`
Change patterns with program change	`PC Rx` to `ON`
Choose how notes map to pads and banks	`MIDI Mode`, `Pad MIDI Channels` and `Note offset`. See Which MIDI notes play which pads.
Decide how incoming notes affect `EXT SOURCE`	`MIDI EXT SRC`. See Which MIDI notes play which pads.

Other places notes end up

Pattern recording captures notes arriving on MIDI IN or USB. See Record a pattern as you play.
The sound generator plays from a keyboard on MIDI IN, a computer over USB, or a DAW app on an iOS device. See Make your own sounds with the sound generator.
The Vocoder takes its NOTE value from notes on channel 11, from the same kinds of source. See Pitch and voice effects.

From the community

If MIDI won’t work between the 404 and another box, check the cable. One owner’s Digitone link only worked after swapping a TRS Type B cable for a Type A one. via Peppe3000 on Elektronauts

SP404 mk2 10.2 - Midi System Settings
NearTao
What each MIDI setting in the Utility menu means. From 2022, so anything added since won’t be covered.

The BEST way to connect the Digitakt & SP404MKII // Dawless Midi Sync Beatmaking Tutorial
sunwarper
Starts at the settings for syncing the 404 with a Digitakt. Later chapters cover audio routing and whether to use MIDI mode A or B, which applies to other gear too.

13.2Advanced

Control effects with MIDI CC

Control change messages let a controller or DAW do what your hands do in the effects section: switch an effect on, choose which one is loaded and move its parameters. The MIDI channel picks the destination and the CC number picks the control. See How buses and effects fit together if the buses are new to you.

The channel picks the destination

MIDI channel	Destination
1	BUS 1
2	BUS 2
3	BUS 3
4	BUS 4
5	INPUT, the input effect

The CC number picks the control

CC	Control	Values
19	Effect switch	0–63 off, 64–127 on
83	Effect number	0–127, from the tables below
16	`Ctrl 1`	0–127
17	`Ctrl 2`	0–127
18	`Ctrl 3`	0–127
80	`Ctrl 4`	0–127
81	`Ctrl 5`	0–127
82	`Ctrl 6`	0–127

The 404 sends these CCs as well as responding to them. Roland’s update history adds that CTRL 1–CTRL 3 have transmitted CCs from system version 5.00.

Some messages, in hex

B0 10 00 sets Ctrl 1 on BUS 1 to 0.
B1 13 7F switches the effect on BUS 2 on.
B2 50 7F sets Ctrl 4 on BUS 3 to 127.
B3 53 01 loads effect 1 on BUS 4, which is 303 VinylSim.

CC 83 values for BUS 1 to BUS 4

Effect	BUS 1 and BUS 2	BUS 3 and BUS 4
(OFF)	0	0
`303 VinylSim`	18	1
`404 VinylSim`	19	2
`Back Spin`	41	–
`Cassette Sim`	20	3
`Chorus`	23	27
`Chromatic PS`	30	19
`Cloud Delay`	40	39
`Compressor`	37	6
`Crusher`	33	14
`Direct FX1`–`Direct FX5`	1–5	–
`Distortion`	35	13
`DJFX Delay`	42	40
`DJFX Looper`	–	35
`Downer`	7	5
`Equalizer`	36	7
`Filter+Drive`	–	10
`Flanger`	25	29
`Ha-Dou`	8	21
`Hyper-Reso`	31	18
`Isolator`	–	8
`JUNO Chorus`	24	28
`Ko-Da-Ma`	9	25
`Lo-fi`	21	4
`Overdrive`	34	12
`Phaser`	26	30
`Resonator`	–	17
`Reverb`	22	20
`Ring Mod`	32	15
`SBF`	12	16
`Scatter`	6	36
`Slicer`	28	32
`Stopper`	13	–
`Super Filter`	16	9
`Sync Delay`	–	23
`SX Delay`	39	38
`SX Reverb`	38	37
`Tape Echo`	14	26
`TimeCtrlDly`	15	24
`To-Gu-Ro`	11	34
`Tremolo/Pan`	29	33
`Wah`	27	31
`WrmSaturator`	17	11
`Zan-Zou`	10	22

Nothing is assigned to 43–127 on BUS 1 and BUS 2, or to 41–127 on BUS 3 and BUS 4. Values 1–5 on BUS 1 and BUS 2 select the five Direct FX slots, so what you get depends on what you’ve assigned to them. See Put your own effects on the effect keys.

CC 83 values for the input effect, on channel 5

Value	Effect
0	(OFF)
1	`Auto Pitch`
2	`Vocoder`
3	`Harmony`
4	`Gt Amp Sim`
5	`Chorus`
6	`JUNO Chorus`
7	`Reverb`
8	`TimeCtrlDly`
9	`Chromatic PS`
10	`Downer`
11	`WrmSaturator`
12	`303 VinylSim`
13	`404 VinylSim`
14	`Cassette Sim`
15	`Lo-fi`
16	`Equalizer`
17	`Compressor`

Nothing is assigned to 18–127 on this channel. Add an effect to what’s coming in covers these effects.

In DJ mode

CC	Control	Values	Direction
7	Volume slider. Channel 1 is `CH1` on CTRL 1, channel 2 is `CH2` on CTRL 2, and channel 3 is the pattern sequencer on CTRL 1.	0–127	Sent and received
8	`X-FADE` on CTRL 3, channel 1 only	0 is all `CH1`, 127 is all `CH2`	Sent and received
20	Play/pause pad	0 pause, 127 play	Sent
21	Return-to-start pad	0 released, 127 pressed	Sent
22	`SYNC`	0 off, 127 on	Sent
23	`CUE`	0 off, 127 on	Sent
24	`BEND+`	0 released, 127 pressed	Sent
25	`BEND-`	0 released, 127 pressed	Sent
26	`BPM+`	0 released, 127 pressed	Sent
27	`BPM-`	0 released, 127 pressed	Sent

CC 20–27 work on all three DJ mode channels: 1 for CH1, 2 for CH2 and 3 for the pattern sequencer. Mix, sync and roll the decks explains the controls themselves.

In looper mode, on channel 1

CC	Same as	Value	Result
88	`REC`	127	Starts sampling.
88	`REC`	0	Stops sampling.
89	`RESAMPLE`	127	Switches on overdubbing.
87	`DEL`	127	Deletes what the looper has sampled.
90	CTRL 3	0–127	Adjusts the BPM/PLAY-RATE parameters.
86	`PITCH/SPEED`	127	Resets the tempo setting.
85	`EXIT`	127	Counts as an `EXIT` press. Four quick presses stop all samples.
91	`SHIFT` + `PATTERN SELECT`	127	Undoes what you just recorded.
91	`SHIFT` + `PATTERN SELECT`	0	Cancels the undo, which is a redo.

Value 0 has no job on CC 85, 86, 87 and 89. Build up a loop live with the looper covers these controls on the panel.

From the community

Changing effects over MIDI doesn’t normally show on screen. Hold REMAIN and press MFX first, and the parameter screen stays up and follows your controller. Press VALUE for the second row of parameters. The screen closes if you turn the effect off. via ktips on Elektronauts
MIDI can reach things the panel doesn’t. Trying it in 2022, 2197 edited parameters on an effect’s first and second pages at the same time, and changed INPUT FX parameters while recording a sample. via 2197 on lines

Controlling SP-404MKII Effects with MIDI!
Free Beat
Makes the case for controlling effects over MIDI: adjusting several buses at once and calling up any effect on any main bus or the input bus.

The Boss/Roland SP sampler threadlines — Covers every SP, so much of it isn’t about the MKII. From late 2021 the MKII comes up often, including using MIDI to control its effects.

13.3Advanced

Which MIDI notes play which pads

To play the 404 from a sequencer, DAW or keyboard, you send the right note on the right channel. The map is regular once you see it. Within a bank, the lowest note is the bottom-left pad, and the notes climb left to right, a row at a time, up to the top-right pad. The MIDI Mode setting decides how the banks spread across channels and notes.

The two modes side by side

Detail	Mode A	Mode B
Channels	One per bank: channel 1 is bank A, up to channel 10 for bank J	Two: the first carries banks A–E, the second carries banks F–J
Notes	The same 16 on every channel: 36–51	Five blocks of 16 in a row: 12–91
`EXT SOURCE`	Note 35	Note 0
Adjustable	No	Yes, with `Pad MIDI Channels` and `Note offset`

Mode A, laid out like the pads

Pad row	First	Second	Third	Fourth
Top	`PAD 1` 48 (C3)	`PAD 2` 49 (C♯3)	`PAD 3` 50 (D3)	`PAD 4` 51 (E♭3)
Upper middle	`PAD 5` 44 (A♭2)	`PAD 6` 45 (A2)	`PAD 7` 46 (B♭2)	`PAD 8` 47 (B2)
Lower middle	`PAD 9` 40 (E2)	`PAD 10` 41 (F2)	`PAD 11` 42 (F♯2)	`PAD 12` 43 (G2)
Bottom	`PAD 13` 36 (C2)	`PAD 14` 37 (C♯2)	`PAD 15` 38 (D2)	`PAD 16` 39 (E♭2)

Mode B, block by block

First channel	Second channel	Notes	Note names
Bank A	Bank F	12–27	C0–E♭1
Bank B	Bank G	28–43	E1–G2
Bank C	Bank H	44–59	A♭2–B3
Bank D	Bank I	60–75	C4–E♭5
Bank E	Bank J	76–91	E5–G6

Each block runs through the pads in the same order as Mode A. Its lowest four notes are PAD 13–PAD 16, the next four are PAD 9–PAD 12, then PAD 5–PAD 8, and the highest four are PAD 1–PAD 4. So note 72 (C5) on the first channel is PAD 1 in bank D.

Adjusting Mode B

Pad MIDI Channels: Picks the pair of channels the two groups of banks use.Range 1/2, 2/3–9/10, 10/11
Note offset: Shifts the note numbers up or down. Roland leaves notes 1–11 and 92–127 blank to make room for this.Range -11–35

Channels with special jobs

Channel 16, notes 36–60 (C2–C4): plays samples in chromatic mode. See Play one sample across the pads in key.
Channel 11, notes 0–127: drives the Vocoder when Vocoder is the input effect. Pitch bend works on this channel too. See Pitch and voice effects.
Channels 1–5: also carry the effect CCs in Control effects with MIDI CC. A note on channel 1 plays a pad, while a CC on channel 1 controls BUS 1.

The 404 sends the same note numbers it receives for the pads, when PAD Note Out or SEQ Note Out is on. See Connect MIDI gear and sync tempo.

How notes affect EXT SOURCE, set with MIDI EXT SRC

Value	What happens
`TOGGLE`	Each note-on flips the button on or off.
`GATE`	Note-on turns it on and note-off turns it off, so it follows the length of the note.
`THROUGH`	Incoming notes leave the button alone.

Program change selects patterns. With PC Rx set to ON, program changes 0–15 pick patterns 1–16, and the channel follows the note map to pick the bank. In Roland’s example, program change 15 on channel 4 (C3 0F) selects pattern 16 in bank D. The 404 doesn’t send program changes.

From the community

Roland SP-404MKII V3.0 Update Overview
RolandChannel
Covers 3.0’s sequencer changes, one-shot playback, DJ mode cue points and quantising after recording, each with its own chapter.

13.4Basics

Get started with the SP-404MK2 App

The SP-404MK2 App is Roland’s editor for your computer. It shows every pad in every bank on one screen, which makes it a quick way to adjust sample settings, drag audio and patterns on and off the unit, and manage your projects. It also takes MIDI files made in a DAW and data from an SP-404SX or SP-404A.

What Roland’s guide to version 4 lists

Requirement	Details
Operating system	Windows 10 or later, or macOS 10.15 or later
Recommended resolution	720 × 860 pixels or more

Connect the App

Connect the 404 to your computer with a USB cable.
Switch the 404 on.
Open the App.
Click Connect. Once it has connected, the App shows the Samples screen.

The three screens

Tab, at the lower left	What you do there	More
`Samples`	Edit a sample’s waveform, pitch and speed, and organise all the samples in banks A–J.	Edit and organise samples in the App
`Patterns`	Organise patterns, including ones from an SP-404SX or SP-404A and MIDI files from your DAW.	Manage patterns in the App
`Settings`	Set the project tempo, and the tempo and volume of each bank.	Manage projects and tempo in the App

What version 4 brought in

Drag and drop for exporting samples and patterns.
MULTIPAD EXPORT, which turns a phrase in a pattern into audio, one file per pad.
Editing a project file offline, with no 404 connected.
Adding chop points (markers) in the App.
Carrying on with other jobs while samples import or export.
Importing and exporting samples in pattern mode, as long as the pattern is stopped.
A redesigned interface.

Change how the App looks

Click App Settings at the bottom right. On the start-up screen, you can also right-click to reach it.
Adjust the settings below.
Click OK to save them.

App Settings

Color mode: The background colour.Range Dark (Default), Light, Redzone, Fuji-san, Orange
Use Custom: Tick the box to use your own images as the background, then choose one with the ... button.Range On/off
...: Brings an image into the App. The standard size is 700 × 800 px, and anything larger gets cropped instead of compressed.
-: Removes an image you brought in.
Position menu: Where the image sits; Roland’s guide gives this menu no name. Stretch enlarges small images to the standard size.Range Top, Mid, Bottom, Stretch
SlideShow: Cycles through your images at this interval. OFF turns it off.Range OFF, 5 sec, 10 sec, 30 sec, 60 sec
Gradient Top: The shading at the top of the background. Slide it right for a darker, flatter shade.
Gradient Bottom: The same, for the bottom of the background.
Mask Opacity: How see-through your custom image is. Slide it right for a darker, more solid image.
Scale Factor: How big the App appears on screen. The App marks this setting as needing a restart.Range 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0

Error messages in the App

Message	What went wrong	What to try
`Connection is Lost, please Disconnect!`	The computer has lost touch with the 404.	Check the USB cable at both ends and connect again. If that fails, restart the App and the 404.
`Media Error.`	The sample data wouldn’t load.	Make sure file and folder names use only single-byte letters and numbers. Check the length too: 16 minutes is the limit, and the sample may also be too short.
`Error.`, `Not Found.`, `Open Error.`	A file or folder wouldn’t open.	Follow the steps under the table.
`Read Error.`	A file couldn’t be read.	Follow the steps under the table.
`Write Error.`	A file couldn’t be written.	Follow the steps under the table.
`Media Full Error.`	The SD card is full.	Delete data you no longer need from the 404.
`BPM Detect Error.`	The BPM analysis failed.	Enter the BPM by hand.
`Protected!`	Bank protection is blocking the function.	Switch to an unprotected bank, or turn protection off for this one. See Protect banks and delete samples.

For open, read and write errors

Keep the USB cable in place while the App is running.
Check the USB connection and connect again.
If that fails, restart the App and the 404.
If it still fails, the file or folder may be corrupt, or its name may include something other than single-byte letters and numbers. Check that the data saved properly.

From the community

Workflow tips for SP-404MKII app
Roland Cloud
ZEALE’s three minutes on the App’s Live Export, Live Capture and Resample Live.

Roland Cloud How-To: Download SP-404MKII App and Beat Maker Sample Packs
Roland Cloud
ZEALE on creating a Roland Account, using Roland Cloud Manager and downloading the App. Filmed in 2021, so the screens may look different now.

Roland - Support - SP-404MKII - Owner's ManualsRoland — Every Roland document for the 404 in one list, including the Quick Start and the Shortcut List. Roland asks you to accept a licence before opening each one.

13.5Basics

Edit and organise samples in the App

The Samples screen is where the App earns its place. You can see all ten banks at once, check a sample’s waveform, adjust its settings and drag audio on and off the pads from your computer. Much of it covers the same ground as Trim where a sample starts and stops, Fade a sample in and out and Change a sample’s pitch and speed on the unit.

What’s on the screen

Part	What it does
Waveform viewer	Draws the selected sample. The `S` and `E` icons mark the start and end of playback. The `L` icon appears when the loop is on, and the loop runs from `L` to `E`.
Sample editor	Holds the selected sample’s settings, on the `Info`, `Prms`, `TS/PS` and `AHR` tabs. On `Info`, click the `E` button beside a value to edit it.
`Preview`	Plays the selected sample on the 404. The space bar on your computer does the same.
`Truncate`	Deletes the audio outside the start and end points.
`Normalize`	Raises the sample’s overall level.
`Emphasis`	Lifts the high frequencies.
Project selection menu	Chooses the project you’re working on.
Pad area	Shows the pads of every bank. White pads hold a sample and black pads are empty.

Info tab: ranges and playback

Channel: Tells you if the sample is stereo or mono.Range STEREO, MONO
Length(smpl): Shows how long the sample is.Range 0–1000000000
Start: Where playback begins. You can also drag the S icon.Range 0–1000000000
End: Where playback stops. You can also drag the E icon.Range 0–1000000000
Loop Start: Where the loop begins. You can also drag the L icon.Range 0–1000000000
Gate: Tick to turn gate on. See Gate and hold: what letting go of a pad does.Range OFF, ON
Loop: Tick to turn the loop on. See Loop forwards, backwards or both ways.Range OFF, ON
Fixed Velocity: When on, the sample always plays at the maximum of 127, however you hit the pad. See Control how hard the pads hit.Range OFF, ON
One Shot: Tick to turn one-shot playback on. See Play a sample through without interruption.Range OFF, ON
Play Mode: The direction of playback, including the two ping-pong options.Range Forward, Reverse, Fwd Ping-Pong, Rev Ping-Pong
Level: The sample’s volume.Range 0–127
Balance: The sample’s place in the stereo image.Range MONO(L), L50–C–R50, MONO(R)

Prms tab: linked pads and effects

Mute Group: The mute group the pad belongs to. See Let samples cut each other off.Range Off, A–J
PAD Link: The pad link group, for pads that play together. See Trigger several pads from one.Range Off, A–J
BUS FX Assign: The bus the sample plays through. See Send each sample to a bus.Range DRY, BUS 1, BUS 2
Roll: How fast a roll repeats. See Repeat a sample with rolls.Range Off, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64
Chromatic Mode: How the sample’s notes behave in chromatic mode. See Play one sample across the pads in key.Range Mono, Legato, Poly

TS/PS tab: speed, pitch and groove

BPM: The sample’s tempo. See Give a sample its tempo.Range 40.0–200.0
Analyze BPM: Works out the tempo and enters it for you.
Set BPM by St/End: Sets the tempo from the length of the playback range.
BPM Sync: Tick to keep playback in time with external clock. See Lock a sample to the tempo.Range ON, OFF
Time Stretch: Changes the sample’s length and with it the speed: shorter plays faster, longer plays slower.Range 50.0–150.0
Pitch Coarse: The playback pitch.Range -12–12
Pitch Fine: Fine tuning of the playback pitch.Range -100–100
Vinyl: When on, speed and pitch move together, as on a turntable.Range ON, OFF
VARI MODE: Backing suits sounds with an obvious decay, Ensemble suits sustained sounds, and Off leaves VARI mode unused.Range Off, Backing, Ensemble
Groove: A groove template. The 8-beat and 16-beat templates each have their own swing amount and timing. See Give a sample some swing.Range Off, 8<, 8<<, 8>, 8>>, 16<, 16<<, 16>, 16>>
Rate: How hard the groove shifts the timing by its set amount. Very high values can hurt the sound quality.Range 1–15
Humanize: Adds random variation to how hard the timing shifts.Range Off, Low, Mid, High

AHR tab: fades

Attack: How long the fade-in takes.Range 0–127
Hold: How long the sample holds between the fades, as a share of its total length.Range 1–100 (%)
Release: How long the fade-out takes.Range 0–127

Chop points are the markers that show where a sample will be split into smaller samples. Chop a sample across the pads covers how they work on the unit.

Mark chop points

Tick the Edit Chop box under the waveform.
Right-click the waveform at the spot you want, then choose from the pop-up menu below.
Click Preview to hear playback from the chop point.

The chop point menu

Item	What it does
`Add Chop`	Adds a point at the cursor.
`Remove Chop`	Removes the point at the cursor.
`Remove All`	Clears every point.
`Auto Assign`	Opens a window that places points by a rule. Choose one of the rules below, then click `Create Chop Points`.

Auto Assign rules

Rule	Values	Where the points go
`TIME DIVISION`	2–16	Evenly through the sample.
`LEVEL`	1–10	Wherever the level goes above the value you set.
`TRANSIENT`	`HARD`, `MID`, `SOFT`	At big jumps in volume, such as a sound with a sharp attack.

Audio formats you can import

Route	Formats
From an SD card (Bring audio in from an SD card)	16-bit linear WAV, AIFF and MP3
With the App	WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC and M4A (ALAC, AAC). ALAC and AAC need the macOS version of the App.

Import audio from your computer

Drag one or more audio files from your computer to empty pads in the App.
Wait while the App shows Working..., or click Cancel to stop. When it finishes, the pad turns white.

Export a sample to your computer

Drag the pad to the FILES tab.
Click OK at the confirmation, or Cancel to back out. The sample lands in the EXPORT SAMPLE folder on your computer.

Move a sample to another pad

Drag the pad to the pad you want. The new pad turns white and the old one turns black.

Copy a sample to another pad

Hold Ctrl on a PC, or Command on a Mac, and drag the pad to the pad you want. The new pad lights white.

If the pad you drop on is already full

Button	Result
`Exchange`	The two samples swap places.
`Overwrite`	The dragged sample replaces the other, which is deleted.
`Cancel`	Nothing changes.

Delete a sample from a pad

Drag the pad to the recycle bin icon.
Click OK at the confirmation, or Cancel to back out. The pad turns black.

From the community

Exporting samples through the App to a DAW doesn’t carry the BUS 1–4 effects, as far as NearTao can tell. If you want them in the file, resample first and export the result. via NearTao on YouTube

SP-404 mk2 DJ Mode | Ultimate Beat Set Walk-Thru Tutorial
Verysickbeats
Uses the App to load beats and samples, then performs a beat set in DJ mode, with a transition tip. From 2022, before later DJ mode updates.

13.6Intermediate

Manage patterns in the App

The Patterns screen lets patterns travel. Write a part in your DAW and bring it in as a MIDI file, reuse a pattern from an SP-404SX or SP-404A, or take a 404 pattern out as MIDI or audio. The pads here are blue when they hold a pattern and indigo when they’re empty, and the panel above them shows MIDI details for playing the pads over MIDI (Which MIDI notes play which pads).

What you can import

Data	File	Conditions
SP-404MK2 pattern	`.bin`	None listed
SP-404SX or SP-404A pattern	`.bin`	Length of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64
MIDI file (SMF) from a DAW or similar tool	`.mid`	Format 0, TPQN of 480 or less, length of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64, and no more than 24,000 notes

Import a pattern

Drag the file onto an empty pad in the App.
Wait while the App shows Working..., or click Cancel to stop. When it finishes, the pad turns blue.

Export a pattern

Drag the pad to the FILES tab. A confirmation window opens.
Choose an export mode from the menu, then click OK, or click Cancel to back out.

Export modes

Mode	What you get	Folder on your computer
`SMF mode`	The pattern as a MIDI file (`.mid`).	`EXPORT PATTERN`
`MULTIPAD mode`	One `.wav` for each pad used in the phrase. See Export a pattern as stems.	`EXPORT SAMPLE`
`BOUNCE mode`	The whole pattern as one `.wav`. See Turn a pattern into a sample.	`EXPORT SAMPLE`

Move a pattern to another pad

Drag the pad to the pad you want. The new pad turns blue and the old one turns indigo.

Copy a pattern to another pad

Hold Ctrl on a PC, or Command on a Mac, and drag the pad to the pad you want. The new pad lights blue.

If the pad you drop on is already full

Button	Result
`Exchange`	The two patterns swap places.
`Overwrite`	The dragged pattern replaces the other, which is deleted.
`Cancel`	Nothing changes.

Delete a pattern from a pad

Drag the pad to the recycle bin icon.
Click OK at the confirmation, or Cancel to back out. The pad turns indigo.

13.7Intermediate

Manage projects and tempo in the App

A project you’ve exported sits safely on your computer, so you can clear space on the unit and bring the project back later. The buttons you need sit by the project selection menu on the Samples and Patterns screens: Init, Import to MKII and Export to PC. The App’s Settings screen also lives here, because it sets tempo and volume across a whole project.

Save a project to your computer

Open the Samples or Patterns screen.
Choose the project in the project selection menu and click Export to PC.
Click the ... button, pick where to save it and click Choose.
Click Save, or Cancel if you want to change the location.
Click OK at the confirmation, or Cancel to back out.

The App makes a ROLAND folder at the location you picked. Your project goes inside that, in a folder called SP-404MKII, as PROJECT_**, with the lowest unused number in place of the asterisks.

Load a project from your computer

Get the project data ready on your computer.
In the project selection menu, choose the project you want to fill, then click Import to MKII.
Click the ... button, find the project and click Open.
Click Import to MKII, or Cancel to pick a different project.
Click OK at the confirmation, or Cancel to back out.

Bring in a project from an SP-404SX or SP-404A

Put the SD card holding the old unit’s data into your computer’s SD card slot.
In the project selection menu, choose the project you want to fill, then click Import to MKII.
Click the ... button, choose the SP-404SX or SP-404A file and click Open. The data is in the SP-404SX/ROLAND/SP-404SX subfolder on the card.
Click Import to MKII, or Cancel to pick a different project.
Click OK at the confirmation, or Cancel to back out.

Clear a project

Click Init. A confirmation window opens.
Choose what to delete from the menu, and the bank too if the menu asks for one.
Click Init in the window, or Cancel to back out.

What Init can delete

Menu item	What goes
`All`	All of the project’s data
`All Samples`	Every sample in the project
`Samples Bank`	Every sample in the bank you choose
`All Patterns`	Every pattern in the project
`Patterns Bank`	Every pattern in the bank you choose

The Settings screen

Tempo Select: Chooses whether the project tempo or the bank tempos are in use. See Choose and set the bank or project tempo.
Project Tempo: The tempo for the whole project.
Bank A Tempo–Bank J Tempo: A tempo for each bank.
Volume: A volume for each bank. See Balance one bank against another.

13.8IntermediateSystem 4.04+

Control Koala Sampler from the 404

Plug a phone or tablet running Koala Sampler into the 404 and the app takes over part of the panel. Roland calls this Koala Controller Mode. Pads, knobs and buttons reach into the app, so you can sample, sequence and mix there from the hardware.

What you need

Item	Requirement
Koala Sampler	Version 1.4082 or higher, installed on an iOS, iPadOS or Android device
SP-404MKII	System version 4.04 or later. See Check your version and update.
Connection	A USB cable. An iPhone with a Lightning socket also needs Apple’s Lightning to USB Camera Adapter or Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter.

Set it up

Install Koala Sampler on your device.
Connect the device to the 404 with a USB cable.
Switch the 404 on.
Open Koala Sampler. It finds the 404 by itself and shows SP-404MKII CONNECTED across the top, and the 404 goes into Koala Controller Mode.

What the banks do

Banks	Role
A–D	Controller for banks A–D in Koala Sampler
E–J	The `SP-404MK2 Sampler`, as Roland labels it

The main controls

On the 404	In Koala Sampler
`PAD 1`–`PAD 16`	Plays the samples stored in the app. In Sampling or Resampling mode, a blank pad starts recording. In Sample Import mode, a blank pad opens the Sample Selection screen.
`A/F`–`D/I`	Chooses sample banks A–D.
`REMAIN`	Opens the `SAMPLE` page.
`PATTERN SELECT`	Opens the `SEQUENCE` page.
`ROLL`	Opens the `PERFORM` page.
`START/END`	Opens the `EDIT(SAMPLE)` page. Press it again for `EDIT(MIX)`.
`PITCH/SPEED`	Opens the `PITCH/SPEED` page.
`REC`	Switches to Sampling mode.
`RESAMPLE`	Switches to Resampling mode.
`EXT SOURCE`	Brings in audio from the mobile device.
`GATE`	Sets `GATE` for the selected sample.
`LOOP`	Sets `LOOP` for the selected sample.
`REVERSE`	Plays the selected sample backwards.
`DEL`	Deletes the selected sample.
`SUB PAD`	Retriggers the selected sample.
`MARK`	Takes you into Skip-back sampling or Looper mode, for capturing what you just played or recording in loops from the app.
`HOLD`	Keeps the effect parameters where they are.
`EXIT`	Closes a pop-up.
VALUE	Turn it to move the cursor. Press it to confirm.

Anywhere in Koala Controller Mode

SHIFT + REC: Switches to Sample Import mode.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + PAD 1: Enables sample velocity.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + PAD 3: Turns the headphone monitor on or off.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + PAD 4: Puts the selected sample in chromatic mode.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + PAD 9: Turns the metronome on or off.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + PAD 11: Opens the BPM setting screen.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + PAD 13: Opens the SETTINGS list.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + PAD 14: Opens the EXPORT list.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + SUB PAD: Opens the LOAD SONG list.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + EXT SOURCE: Opens the MICROPHONE EFFECTS list, plus the 404’s input settings screen for setting the input level.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + MARK: Reconnects to Koala Sampler.With Koala Sampler
SHIFT + EXIT: Leaves Koala Controller Mode and returns the 404 to normal mode.With Koala Sampler

On the PITCH/SPEED page, for the selected sample

VOLUME: The sample’s volume.CTRL 1 knobRange inf–6.00 dB
PITCH: The sample’s pitch.CTRL 2 knobRange -12–+12 Semi
PAN: The sample’s pan position.CTRL 3 knobRange 100:0–0:100

Shift layer of the PITCH/SPEED page

SHIFT + CTRL 1: Adjusts ATTACK for the selected sample.With Koala Sampler, on the PITCH/SPEED page
SHIFT + CTRL 2: Adjusts RELEASE for the selected sample.With Koala Sampler, on the PITCH/SPEED page
SHIFT + CTRL 3: Adjusts TONE for the selected sample.With Koala Sampler, on the PITCH/SPEED page

The 404’s screen follows along on this page. It shows volume, pitch and pan, and switches to attack, release and tone when you press SHIFT. Press EXIT or PITCH/SPEED to go back to the pad display.

On the SEQUENCE page

On the 404	In Koala Sampler
`A/F`–`D/I`	Chooses pattern banks A–D.
`PAD 1`–`PAD 8`	Chooses a pattern.
`SUB PAD`	Starts or stops the selected pattern.
`REC`	Starts or stops recording the selected pattern.
`PATTERN EDIT`	Opens the Piano Roll screen.

Shortcuts on the SEQUENCE page

START/END + PAD: Chooses the next pattern with PAD 1–PAD 8 while the current one plays.With Koala Sampler, on the SEQUENCE page
SHIFT + PATTERN SELECT: Undoes what you just recorded in a pattern.With Koala Sampler, on the SEQUENCE page

On the PERFORM page

SHIFT + PAD 16: Opens the MIXER page.With Koala Sampler, on the PERFORM page

Mutes on the MIXER page

Button	Mutes
`A/F`	`BUS-A`
`B/G`	`BUS-B`
`C/H`	`BUS-C`
`D/I`	`BUS-D`
`E/J`	`MAIN`

For the app itself, see Koala Sampler’s learning pages.

From the community

Roland SP-404MKII v4.04 Update Overview
RolandChannel
Roland’s longest update video, at half an hour: the looper, sound generator, groove, microscope editing and much more. Converting SP-404SX/A projects from an SD card starts at 23:45.

Koala Sampler & SP404 MK2: This Beatmaking Combo Just Got Even Better with Official Integration
sunwarper
Connection and cables, controlling Koala from the 404, stem split and time stretching, then a beat made with both.

Roland - Support - SP-404MKII - Owner's ManualsRoland — Every Roland document for the 404 in one list, including the Quick Start and the Shortcut List. Roland asks you to accept a licence before opening each one.

13.9IntermediateSystem 5.00+

Control Serato Studio from the 404

Connect the 404 to a computer running Serato Studio and two of its banks become controllers: bank E for decks and bank J for scenes. The other banks stay as the 404’s own sampler. You can run Studio’s audio through the 404’s effects too, so the unit stays useful as an instrument while it drives the software.

What you need

Item	Requirement
SP-404MKII	System version 5.00 or later, from Roland’s downloads page. See Check your version and update.
Serato Studio	Version 2.3.2 or later, on macOS or Windows. Serato’s download page has its latest requirements.

Install on macOS

Download Serato Studio from Serato’s download page: click Download and follow the prompts.
Double-click the downloaded file to open the installer.
Click Continue.
Read the licence agreement, click Continue, then click Agree if you accept it.
Check where it will be saved and click Continue.
Click Install.
Click Close when it finishes.

Install on Windows

Download Serato Studio from the same page.
Right-click the downloaded folder and choose Extract All.
Double-click the extracted file to open the installer.
Read the licence agreement. To accept it, tick I agree to the license terms and conditions and click Install.
Click Close when it finishes.

Connect

Update the 404 to system version 5.00 or later, if it isn’t already.
Connect the 404 to the computer with a USB cable.
Switch the 404 on.
Open Serato Studio. It finds the 404 by itself. The Serato logo appears on the 404’s display, followed by a mixer screen labelled C1:Gain, C2:Filter and C3:Pan.
When you’re finished, quit Serato Studio to disconnect.

What the banks do

Banks	Role
A–D and F–I	The `SP-404MK2 Sampler`, as Roland labels it
E	Serato Studio controller for decks: Deck mode
J	Serato Studio controller for scenes: Scene mode

What PAD 1–PAD 16 do

Mode	A press does this
Deck mode, bank E	Triggers the audio assigned to that pad in the deck.
Scene mode, bank J	Selects that scene.
Mute mode, from `GATE`	Mutes the audio assigned to that pad in the deck.

Transport and other buttons

Button	What it does in Serato Studio
`START/END`	Starts the scene or song. Press it again to stop.
`REC`	Starts scene or song recording.
`BPM SYNC`	Turns BPM sync on or off for the selected sample deck.
`GATE`	Selects Mute mode.
`LOOP`	Switches looping on or off for the scene or song.
`REVERSE`	Turns reverse playback on or off for the selected deck.
`SUB PAD`	Retriggers the last pad you triggered, in Deck mode.
`MARK`	Gives you the 404’s Save what you just played with skip-back or Build up a loop live with the looper function.

Knobs, for the deck

Gain: The deck’s gain.CTRL 1 knob
Filter: The deck’s filter.CTRL 2 knob
Pan: The deck’s pan position.CTRL 3 knob

Serato Studio shortcuts

SHIFT + PAD: Deletes the audio assigned to that pad in the deck.With Serato Studio, in Deck mode
SHIFT + PAD: Deletes that scene.With Serato Studio, in Scene mode
PITCH/SPEED + VALUE: Changes the project BPM as you turn VALUE.With Serato Studio
SHIFT + REC: Turns overdubbing on or off for scene recording.With Serato Studio
SHIFT + BPM SYNC: Turns key sync on or off for the selected sample deck.With Serato Studio
SHIFT + CTRL 1: Adjusts the deck’s attack.With Serato Studio
SHIFT + CTRL 2: Adjusts the deck’s release.With Serato Studio
SHIFT + CTRL 3: Adjusts the deck’s tempo, or glide on an instrument deck.With Serato Studio

Here’s how the audio flows. Studio’s deck comes into the 404 over USB on IN 1/2, on banks E and J. It goes through the effects along with the 404’s sampler, LINE IN and MIC/GUITAR IN, then on to the master output. The 404 also sends its mix back to Studio on OUT 1/2 for recording. See Turn an effect on from the keys for using the effects.

From the community

Roland SP-404MKII Version 5 Update Overview
RolandChannel
How 5.00 ties the 404 to Serato DJ and Serato Studio: connecting, controls, stems, hot cues and building a pattern. The last chapter covers skip-back.

13.10IntermediateSystem 5.00+

Control Serato DJ from the 404

With Serato DJ on your computer, the 404 works as a compact two-deck controller. Its pads and knobs load, mix and cue tracks, and Serato’s audio runs through the 404’s effects. You can still add a mic or guitar, or play the 404’s own samples, during a set. This is separate from the 404’s built-in DJ mode, which needs no computer.

What you need

Item	Requirement
SP-404MKII	System version 5.00 or later, from Roland’s downloads page. See Check your version and update.
Serato DJ Lite	Version 3.3.1 or later, on macOS or Windows. Serato’s Lite page has its latest requirements.
Serato DJ Pro	Version 3.3.1 or later, on macOS or Windows. Serato’s Pro page has its latest requirements.

Install on macOS

Go to the Lite or Pro page above, click Download and follow the prompts.
Double-click the downloaded file to open the installer.
Click Continue.
Read the licence agreement, click Continue, then click Agree if you accept it.
Click Install.
Click Close when it finishes.

Install on Windows

Go to the Lite or Pro page above, click Download and follow the prompts.
Right-click the downloaded folder and choose Extract All.
Double-click the extracted file to open the installer.
Read the licence agreement. To accept it, tick I agree to the license terms and conditions and click Install.
Click Close when it finishes.

Connect

Update the 404 to system version 5.00 or later, if it isn’t already.
Connect the 404 to the computer with a USB cable.
Switch the 404 on.
Open Serato DJ. It finds the 404 by itself. The Serato logo appears on the 404’s display, followed by the mixer page, labelled C1:DECK1, C2:DECK2 and C3:XFADE.
When you’re finished, quit Serato DJ to disconnect.

Here’s how the audio flows. Deck 1 comes in over USB on IN 1/2 and goes through BUS 1, and deck 2 comes in on IN 3/4 and goes through BUS 2, so the bus effects work on each deck separately. The 404’s sampler, LINE IN and MIC/GUITAR IN join on the unit. The mix then goes to the master output, and back to Serato on OUT 1/2 for recording. Either deck can also feed the cue output for your headphones, from before its volume control.

Find and load tracks

Control	What it does
VALUE	Turn it to move the library cursor up or down.
`A/F`	Loads the highlighted song into deck 1.
`B/G`	Loads the highlighted song into deck 2.
`C/H`	Sorts the library by BPM.
`D/I`	Moves the cursor up a level.
`E/J`	Moves the cursor down a level.

In the library

SHIFT + VALUE: Moves the library cursor quickly as you turn VALUE.With Serato DJ, in the library
SHIFT + C/H: Sorts the library by song.With Serato DJ

Mix

Control	What it does
CTRL 1	Sets the output level of deck 1.
CTRL 2	Sets the output level of deck 2.
CTRL 3	Moves the crossfader between the left and right decks. After you press `START/END`, it sets the headphone balance between the cued decks and the master output instead.
`START/END`	Switches CTRL 3 between crossfader and monitor balance.
`PITCH/SPEED`	Disables and enables the crossfader, so you can’t knock it by accident.
`MARK`	Flips the screen between the mixer and effect pages.

For each deck, the mixer page shows the current BPM, the offset from the song’s original BPM, the playback time, the playback status and the track name. Between them sit the deck volumes and the crossfader. The effect page shows the bus, the effect’s name and its parameter values.

Knob behaviour

SHIFT + VALUE: Switches CTRL 1–CTRL 3 between Catch and Direct as you turn VALUE. Catch waits until a knob reaches the current value, and Direct always sends the knob’s position.With Serato DJ, on the mixer

Choose what the pads do

Press	Pad mode	What you get
`EXIT`	Default	Play, stop and related controls for both decks.
`PATTERN EDIT`	Hot Cue	Eight hot cues per song.
`LOOP`	Auto Loop	Loops of a set length on each pad. Marked for Serato DJ Pro, though Roland also says Lite can use the 1, 2, 4 and 8 beat loops.
`PATTERN SELECT`	Stem Control	Four stems per deck: vocal, melody, bass and drums.
`ROLL`	Roll Beat Jump	Rolls and beat jumps. Marked for Serato DJ Pro.
`SUB PAD`	Serato Sampler	The sample slots in the Serato Sampler.
`HOLD`	SP-404MK2 Sampler	Temporarily puts the pads back on the 404’s own samples, so you can play them.

In the Default, Hot Cue, Auto Loop, Stem Control and Roll Beat Jump modes, the left two columns of pads belong to deck 1 and the right two to deck 2. Deck 2’s pad number is always two higher than deck 1’s.

Default mode

Job	Deck 1	Deck 2	What it does
Play/Pause	`PAD 13`	`PAD 15`	Starts or pauses the song.
Cue	`PAD 14`	`PAD 16`	Turns cue on or off. The deck whose pad is lit goes to your headphones.
Temp Cue	`PAD 9`	`PAD 11`	The first press after you switch songs sets a temporary cue point. Later presses jump back to it.
SYNC	`PAD 10`	`PAD 12`	Matches the song’s tempo (pitch) automatically.
Pitch Bend Up	`PAD 1`	`PAD 3`	Bends the pitch upwards.
Pitch Bend Down	`PAD 5`	`PAD 7`	Bends the pitch downwards.
Tempo Increase	`PAD 2`	`PAD 4`	Speeds the song up. The pitch rises with it unless key lock is on.
Tempo Decrease	`PAD 6`	`PAD 8`	Slows the song down. The pitch falls with it unless key lock is on.

Default mode shortcuts

SHIFT + PAD 13: Jumps deck 1 back to the top of the song and keeps playing.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 15: Jumps deck 2 back to the top of the song and keeps playing.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 10: Cancels sync on deck 1.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 12: Cancels sync on deck 2.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 9: Clears deck 1’s temporary cue point.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 11: Clears deck 2’s temporary cue point.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 1: Fast-forwards deck 1.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 3: Fast-forwards deck 2.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 5: Rewinds deck 1.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 7: Rewinds deck 2.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 2: Steps deck 1’s tempo range through 8%, 16% and 50%.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 4: Steps deck 2’s tempo range through 8%, 16% and 50%.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 6: Turns key lock on or off for deck 1, holding its pitch steady.With Serato DJ
SHIFT + PAD 8: Turns key lock on or off for deck 2, holding its pitch steady.With Serato DJ
REVERSE + PAD 13: Plays deck 1 backwards. Press the combo again and it reverses from wherever playback has got to.With Serato DJ
REVERSE + PAD 15: Plays deck 2 backwards. Press the combo again and it reverses from wherever playback has got to.With Serato DJ
REVERSE + PAD 9: Censors deck 1: it plays backwards while you hold both, then jumps ahead on release to where it would have been.With Serato DJ
REVERSE + PAD 11: Censors deck 2: it plays backwards while you hold both, then jumps ahead on release to where it would have been.With Serato DJ

Hot Cue mode

Hot cue	Deck 1	Deck 2
1	`PAD 1`	`PAD 3`
2	`PAD 2`	`PAD 4`
3	`PAD 5`	`PAD 7`
4	`PAD 6`	`PAD 8`
5	`PAD 9`	`PAD 11`
6	`PAD 10`	`PAD 12`
7	`PAD 13`	`PAD 15`
8	`PAD 14`	`PAD 16`

Press an unlit pad, while the song plays or while it’s paused, to store a hot cue at that spot. Press a pad that already has a hot cue to play from there straight away.

Hot Cue mode shortcut

SHIFT + PAD: Deletes the hot cue on that pad.With Serato DJ, in Hot Cue mode

Auto Loop mode

Loop length	Deck 1	Deck 2
1/4 beat	`PAD 1`	`PAD 3`
1/2 beat	`PAD 2`	`PAD 4`
1 beat	`PAD 5`	`PAD 7`
2 beats	`PAD 6`	`PAD 8`
4 beats	`PAD 9`	`PAD 11`
8 beats	`PAD 10`	`PAD 12`
16 beats	`PAD 13`	`PAD 15`
32 beats	`PAD 14`	`PAD 16`

Press a pad during playback and the song loops at that length, worked out from its BPM. Roland gives the automatic loop range as 1/32 to 32 beats.

Auto Loop mode shortcuts

SHIFT + PAD 13: Halves deck 1’s loop length.With Serato DJ, in Auto Loop mode
SHIFT + PAD 15: Halves deck 2’s loop length.With Serato DJ, in Auto Loop mode
SHIFT + PAD 14: Doubles deck 1’s loop length.With Serato DJ, in Auto Loop mode
SHIFT + PAD 16: Doubles deck 2’s loop length.With Serato DJ, in Auto Loop mode
SHIFT + PAD 9: Shifts deck 1’s loop backwards while it plays.With Serato DJ, in Auto Loop mode
SHIFT + PAD 11: Shifts deck 2’s loop backwards while it plays.With Serato DJ, in Auto Loop mode
SHIFT + PAD 10: Shifts deck 1’s loop forwards while it plays.With Serato DJ, in Auto Loop mode
SHIFT + PAD 12: Shifts deck 2’s loop forwards while it plays.With Serato DJ, in Auto Loop mode

Stem Control mode

Stem	Mute or unmute: deck 1, deck 2	Stem effect: deck 1, deck 2	Effect
Vocal	`PAD 1`, `PAD 3`	`PAD 2`, `PAD 4`	Vocal Echo
Melody	`PAD 5`, `PAD 7`	`PAD 6`, `PAD 8`	Melody Echo
Bass	`PAD 9`, `PAD 11`	`PAD 10`, `PAD 12`	Bass Braker
Drums	`PAD 13`, `PAD 15`	`PAD 14`, `PAD 16`	Drum Echo

Mute pads drop parts out of the song. Effect pads switch that stem’s effect on or off, so you can build a remix from just the processed stems. Roland marks the effect pads and the key shortcuts below for Serato DJ Pro.

Stem Control mode shortcuts

SHIFT + PAD 2: Raises deck 1’s key without changing its tempo.With Serato DJ, in Stem Control mode
SHIFT + PAD 4: Raises deck 2’s key without changing its tempo.With Serato DJ, in Stem Control mode
SHIFT + PAD 6: Lowers deck 1’s key without changing its tempo.With Serato DJ, in Stem Control mode
SHIFT + PAD 8: Lowers deck 2’s key without changing its tempo.With Serato DJ, in Stem Control mode
SHIFT + PAD 10: Turns key sync on or off for deck 1, which puts two songs in the same key.With Serato DJ, in Stem Control mode
SHIFT + PAD 12: Turns key sync on or off for deck 2, which puts two songs in the same key.With Serato DJ, in Stem Control mode

Roll Beat Jump mode

Job	Deck 1	Deck 2	What it does
1/16 Beat Roll	`PAD 1`	`PAD 3`	Loops the audio while you hold the pad.
1/8 Beat Roll	`PAD 2`	`PAD 4`	The same, at 1/8 beat.
1/4 Beat Roll	`PAD 5`	`PAD 7`	The same, at 1/4 beat.
1/2 Beat Roll	`PAD 6`	`PAD 8`	The same, at 1/2 beat.
Beat Jump Left	`PAD 9`	`PAD 11`	Jumps backwards by the set number of beats, even during a loop.
Beat Jump Right	`PAD 10`	`PAD 12`	Jumps forwards by the set number of beats.
Halve Beat Jump Size	`PAD 13`	`PAD 15`	Reduces the number of beats in a jump.
Double Beat Jump Size	`PAD 14`	`PAD 16`	Increases the number of beats in a jump.

When you let go of a roll pad, playback skips ahead by the time the roll took, so the song carries on as though it had never stopped.

Serato Sampler mode

Pad	What it does
`PAD 1`–`PAD 8`	Plays sampler slots 1–8. How they play depends on the playback mode, which Serato’s own documentation explains.
`PAD 9`–`PAD 12`	Switches between sampler banks A–D, each with eight slots.
`PAD 13`	Sends the sampler’s output to deck 1.
`PAD 14`	Sends the sampler’s output to deck 2.
`PAD 15`	Sends the sampler’s output to the master.
`PAD 16`	Mutes the sampler’s output.

Serato Sampler mode shortcut

SHIFT + PAD: Stops the sample playing from that slot pad.With Serato DJ, in Serato Sampler mode

From the community