— From the community
Videos & links
62 videos and 22 articles, threads, tools and official pages that explain the SP-404MKII well, from Roland’s own videos to the community’s best tutorials. Each one also appears beside the guide section it covers. Videos load from YouTube only when you press play.
Introducing the Roland SP-404MKII Creative Sampler and Effector
RolandChannel
Roland’s own 13-minute tour of the hardware, sampling, bus effects, patterns and DJ mode. It dates from the 2021 launch, so there’s no TR-REC, looper or side chain yet.
SP-404MKII in 2026 | Everything You Need to Get Started
Gear4music Synths & Tech
Andy from Roland takes a beginner from banks and pads through resampling, effects, the step sequencer, skip-back and the looper. Filmed in 2026, so it matches a current unit.
SP-404 Mk2 Beginner's Guide (Part 1): Setup, Sampling, Recording & Chopping
Chris Laps
A patient 25-minute start, from setup and SD cards to recording and chopping. Parts 2 and 3, also listed here, pick up effects and patterns.
SP-404MKII Creative Sampler and Effector Video Manual
Roland Cloud Academy
Roland product specialist PJ Bridger works through the unit in 93 minutes, with a chapter for almost every function. It was filmed at launch, so nothing added since then appears.
Roland SP-404MKII Sampler Version 2.0 Update
RolandChannel
Roland’s walkthrough of 2.0, the update that brought TR-REC, motion recording and chromatic recording. The TR-REC chapter starts at 1:45.
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.
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.
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.
Roland SP-404MKII V5.50 Firmware Update
RolandChannel
Five minutes on 5.50’s side chain compression: where the menu is, picking sources and targets, then threshold, ratio, release and gain.
【SP-404MKII】SAMPLING / RESAMPLE【How to Setup】
Roland ｜ ローランド
Sampling from an external input, then three ways to resample, in under ten minutes. From Roland’s Japanese channel, so expect Japanese; YouTube offers auto-generated English captions.
【SP-404MKII】EFFECTS / BUS FX・INPUT FX・DIRECT FX【How to Setup】
Roland ｜ ローランド
A tidy run through BUS 1–4, Direct FX, Input FX, DRY routing, mute bus and effect grab. From Roland’s Japanese channel, so expect Japanese; YouTube offers auto-generated English captions.
【SP-404MKII】PATTERN SEQUENCER【How to Setup】
Roland ｜ ローランド
Real-time recording, TR-REC, then recording and erasing effect and pad mute motion. From Roland’s Japanese channel, so expect Japanese; the only captions are auto-generated Japanese ones.
【SP-404MKII】DJ MODE【How to Setup】
Roland ｜ ローランド
DJ mode basics, adding markers, playing samples and rolls, ending with a demo. From Roland’s Japanese channel, so expect Japanese; the only captions are auto-generated Japanese ones.
【SP-404MKII】BPM / PITCH / SPEED【How to Setup】
Roland ｜ ローランド
How sample, bank and project BPM relate, what BPM sync does, and how pitch/speed settings differ. From Roland’s Japanese channel, so expect Japanese; YouTube offers auto-generated English captions.
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.
SP-404MKII Sample Chop with Dibiase
RolandChannel
Dibiase shows auto-chop mode for real-time chopping in under a minute.
SP-404 Mk2 Beginner's Guide (Part 2): Effects, Busses, Routing, Resampling & Skipback
Chris Laps
Part 2 moves to effects, the difference between BUS 1–2 and BUS 3–4, routing, resampling, skip-back and input effects.
SP-404 Mk2 Beginner's Guide (Part 3): Patterns, Real Time Recording, TR-Rec Mode & Chaining
Chris Laps
Part 3 covers real-time recording and layering, project and bank tempo, cropping and copying, bouncing, TR-REC and chains.
ROLAND SP-404 MK2 Review // 9 tips & ideas to make the most of it // Tutorial for the SP-404 MKII
loopop
A 50-minute tutorial and review from launch, with nine ideas and a list of pros and cons near the end. It predates TR-REC, so treat its sequencing chapter as out of date.
The Roland SP-404 MK II Deep Dive tutorial guide
XNB
Nearly two hours on projects, banks, patterns, playback modes and effects, with chapters to dip into. Uploaded just before 4.04, so there’s no looper or sound generator.
SP404-MK2 Storage Explained!
SPVIDZ
Four minutes on how storage works on the 404, which differs from older SPs, including a change that arrived in 3.0.
SP404 mk2 - Powering Over USB and Recording Audio to a DAW
NearTao
NearTao answers whether you can power the 404 over USB and record its output into a DAW, and covers the ground noise you might run into.
10 Powerful SP-404-MK2 Shortcuts You NEED TO KNOW!
SPVIDZ
Ten held-button shortcuts filmed in 2026, from selecting pads silently to swapping bus effects and protecting a bank.
SP404 MKII Pad Shift Functions Explored
SPVIDZ
Goes through what each pad does with Shift held, from Fixed Velocity to EFX settings. Filmed at launch, but the pad layout hasn’t changed.
Roland SP-404 MK II Mute groups & link groups tutorial
XNB
Under five minutes on setting up mute groups and pad link groups.
SP-404 Guide: Pitch Shifting, Time Stretching, and BPM Sync
Chris Laps
A thorough guide to vinyl mode, pitch and time algorithms, project and bank tempo and BPM sync, worked through on drums, bass and vocals.
SP-404 MKII - Tutorial Series EP-50 - Using End Snap For Perfect Loops By Nervouscook$
NervousCook$
Episode 50 of NervousCook$’s long series of short lessons: using End Snap to record clean loops. The other episodes are worth browsing by topic.
SP-404 MKII - Tutorial Series EP-13 - Record Setting Menu By Nervouscook$
NervousCook$
Another short episode from the same series, this time on the Record Setting menu.
THIS is why you buy an SP404-MK2 (Resampling walkthrough)
SPVIDZ
A ten-minute walkthrough of the resampling workflow, the reason many people buy a 404 in the first place.
A full guide to the 4.04 LOOPER MODE! 🔄 (SP404-MK2 Tutorial)
SPVIDZ
A full guide to the 4.04 looper: setup, controls, recording a loop, undo and redo, and bouncing to a pad.
3 Ways to Make the Most of SP404MK2 Sound Generator for Sound Design
sunwarper
Uses the sound generator as a synth, for drum one-shots, for resampled loops and for live improvising. Its section on 4.04 bugs may no longer apply.
The Best Way to Connect the SP404 MK2 with any DAW (The Unlimited Possibilities of USB Routing)
sunwarper
Sunwarper’s preferred USB routing between the 404 and a DAW, for using it as a sampler, effects box or interface.
3 Sample Chopping Methods on the Roland SP-404 for Quick Easy Chops!
Chris Laps
Three quick ways to chop, shown on piano, drums and vocals, ending in a finished beat.
Roland SP-404 MK II Sample Edit Tutorial Guide
XNB
A steady tour of the sample edit screens: start and end, truncate and normalise, emphasis, marking, chops, envelopes and pitch/speed.
SP404 MK2 Bus Effects Explained! (Routing Tips + My Go-To Setup)
sunwarper
Explains Input FX, BUS 1–2 and BUS 3–4, gives effect ideas for each, and shares a go-to BUS 3–4 combination.
SP-404 MK2 BUS FX ROUTING Explained
Nonjuror
Serial versus parallel buses, assigning pads, and separate settings for performing and for beat making. From 2022, so there’s no side chain, but the routing it explains still applies.
SP-404MKII SIDECHAIN TUTORIAL (Threshold, Ratio & Release Explained!)
Nonjuror
Breaks down source, target, threshold, ratio, release and gain, then applies two contrasting settings to a real beat.
Roland SP-404 MK2 : EVERY. SINGLE. EFFECT.
Perfect Circuit
Every effect auditioned with commentary and timestamps, so you can jump straight to one. From 2021, so effects added in later updates aren’t here.
EVERY EFFECT on the Roland SP-404 MkII // No Talking!
Chris Laps
All 40 effects in under 15 minutes with no talking, including later additions such as Cloud Delay and Back Spin. Handy for hearing the range quickly.
SP-404 MK2 VINYL SIM vs SP-303 & SP-404A | Comparison
Nonjuror
Takes the 303 and 404 vinyl sims apart parameter by parameter, compares them with an SP-303 and SP-404A, then stacks the two.
Vocal FX Walkthrough - SP-404MK2
ZEALE
Connecting a microphone, routing it, and using input and bus effects on vocals for stage and studio. From 2021.
SP404-MK2 - Step Sequencer FULL breakdown (Software v2.0)
SPVIDZ
TR-REC as it shipped in 2.0: adding sounds, deleting, start offsets, substeps, pitch, velocity and step hold. Later additions such as microscope aren’t covered.
10 Killer tips for the SP404-MK2 TR-REC Mode
SPVIDZ
Ten practical TR-REC tips from 2026, including soloing sounds, microscope mode, tap recording and combining pattern modes.
Getting beats FINISHED on the SP404-MK2 (Pattern Chains & Bouncing)
SPVIDZ
Getting a beat finished: building, saving and playing pattern chains, then bouncing them to a sample.
The Roland SP-404 MK II DJ MODE Deep Dive tutorial guide
XNB
A 27-minute deep dive given over entirely to DJ mode, useful once you’ve got the basics.
SP-404 MK2: How To Use DJ Mode Like a Pro
Touch Base
Sets up bus effects and cueing for mixing two tracks, and is honest about DJ mode’s limitations.
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.
Beginner's guide to organising SP404-MK2 Projects!
SPVIDZ
A beginner’s guide to organising work across projects and banks, with three main methods plus mute groups and patterns.
SP404 mk2 44.2 - Importing and Exporting Projects
NearTao
How to import and export whole projects. Filmed before 4.04 added direct import from an SD card, which Roland’s 4.04 video covers.
SP404 mk2 44.1 - Importing and Exporting Samples
NearTao
The companion session on getting samples on and off the unit.
SP404 mk2 44.4 - System Restore and Factory Reset
NearTao
Restoring from an SD card and resetting to factory state. Worth watching before you need it.
Roland SP404-MK2 - ESSENTIAL Customisations!
SPVIDZ
Setting up the 404 for speed: MFX buttons, bus colours, pad settings, bus favourites, pop-ups, skip-back time, count-in and the boot-up screen.
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.
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.
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.
Serato DJ Pro x Roland SP-404MKII - But WHY?!
Digital DJ Tips
A DJ’s view of the 404 as a Serato controller: setup, loading tracks, pad modes and stems, then a frank look at why you’d bother.
Using the SP404-MK2 to chop DRUM BREAKS - Its almost TOO EASY!
SPVIDZ
A straightforward process for chopping drum breaks with the chop feature.
How to make groovy Basslines on the SP404mk2 | Tips & Tricks
imLowKey
Builds a bass sound in the sound generator, shapes its envelope, writes a simple line, layers it and makes it sit in the mix.
How I Build SP404 MK2 Live Sets That Aren't Just Pressing Play
sunwarper
How finished tracks become a live set: choosing what to perform, moving it to the 404, building the performance and finalising the transitions.
Revealing my SP404-MK2 BUS HOT SAUCE!
SPVIDZ
One producer’s actual effect recipe, explained bus by bus, including what BUS 3 and 4 add.
Official Akai
- Roland - SP-404MKII | Creative Sampler and EffectorRoland — Roland’s product page, with features, videos and links onward to downloads and support.
- Roland - Support - SP-404MKII - Updates & DriversRoland — Roland’s list of system program releases and its update history. Go here for the current version.
- 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.
- Roland SP-404MKII - Serato DJ HardwareSerato — Serato’s page for the 404, which confirms it unlocks Serato DJ Lite for free, with Pro as a paid upgrade.
- Watch 10 Creative SP-404MKII Performance Effects in ActionRoland Articles · 2026-04 — Rod Brakes explains ten effects parameter by parameter, each with a tip on where it works.
- Ultimate Guide: Customizing the SP-404MKIIRoland Articles · 2021-10 — Roland’s guide to faceplate skins and custom startup and screen saver images, with the file names and formats they need.
- Roland Engineering: Designing the SP-404MKIIRoland Articles · 2021-10 — The engineers on why the 404 works as it does: bus effects, Lo-Fi and Cassette Simulator, the Resonator and DJ mode.
Articles & reviews
- Roland SP-404 MkIISound On Sound · 2022-02 — Simon Sherbourne’s detailed review from early 2022. Some of its complaints, such as no quantising after recording, have since been dealt with by updates.
- "An already incredibly capable product that keeps on finding ways to surprise us at every turn": Roland SP-404 MKII reviewMusicRadar · 2021-11 — A launch-era verdict: a practical modernisation of the classic 404, held back by a limited sequencer and few knobs. Updates have since added to the sequencer.
- Roland SP-404MKII review: Roland’s second coming shows the sampling world who’s bossMusicTech · 2021-11 — William Stokes gives it 9/10, and is useful on how long the bus routing takes to click and why buses 1–2 and 3–4 feel different.
- Happy 404 Day: These sound tips reveal the SP-404MKII does more than you thinkCDM · 2023-04 — David Abravanel’s genre-by-genre ideas with audio sketches: compressing hard, vinyl sims on drums and skip-back for off-grid beats.
- SP-404MKII side chain compression; #404day videosCDM · 2026-04 — Peter Kirn’s write-up of 5.50, including which buses can be source and target.
- Roland SP-404 MkII Sampler ReviewDigital DJ Tips · 2022-07 — Phil Morse looks at the 404 from a DJ’s side: building sets, pitch bend, sync and headphone cueing, and why the App makes set preparation easier.
- Roland SP-404 MkII Now Works With Serato DJ & Serato StudioDigital DJ Tips · 2025-04 — What the 5.00 integration does in each app, and the difference between Serato DJ Lite and Pro.
- NearTao's Guide to the SP404-mk2NearTao · 2022-01 — A free, unofficial PDF guidebook, growing since 2022, with version 0.38 uploaded in November 2025. Its author calls it a work in progress.
- Sampson Sample Managerirpina · 2026-02 — A community desktop tool that organises, converts and renames samples before they go on the card, with an SP-404MKII profile. Open source and young, so back up your library first.
Forum threads
- SP404 mk2 production tips/tricks/problem solving/bugsElektronauts · 2022-01 — Owners swapping fixes and workflow ideas since 2022. Older posts can describe bugs that later updates fixed.
- Roland SP-404 Mk2 (Part 2)Elektronauts · 2024-04 — The main owners’ thread since April 2024, still active in November 2026, so a good place to see how each update is landing.
- Roland SP-404 Mk2 (Part 1)Elektronauts · 2021-09 — Nearly 10,000 posts from before launch to April 2024. Better for searching when you hit a specific question than for reading through.
- Just got an sp404mk2, looks/sounds great butElektronauts · 2023-06 — A short thread where a frustrated new owner gets practical advice on how to learn the 404.
- The Boss/Roland SP sampler threadlines · 2019-04 — 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.
- SP-404MKII Tips 'n TricksSP-FORUMS — The MKII board on the long-running SP community forum: small, but with practical tips from people who’ve used several generations of SP.