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SH-1 - Image 1

SH-1

KeyboardAnalogMonophonic

Back in 1978, this synth kicked off Roland's legendary SH series, delivering raw analog power in a compact package that powered Vince Clarke's iconic lead line on Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough."

A single analog VCO spans five octaves with sawtooth, square, pulse, and PWM options, plus a sub-oscillator offering one- or two-octave-down square and pulse waves for thick, rumbling basses. The filter section shines with a resonant 24dB/octave lowpass and a non-resonant highpass, both controllable via a shared ADSR envelope, while a separate AR envelope handles VCA duties. One LFO with sine, square, and random waves modulates pitch, filter, or amp, and pink/white noise adds texture; CV/gate in/out, trigger input, and external signal input make it modular-friendly. Housed in a sturdy metal chassis with 32 mini keys and straightforward front-panel knobs—no menus, just immediate tweakability.

Owners cherish its fat, aggressive bass and screaming leads, calling it a rarer, more robust alternative to the plastic-bodied SH-101, though its scarcity drives up collector prices.

Released

1978

Status

Discontinued

Synthesizer
Format
Keyboard
Type
Subtractive
Internal Battery
No
Voice
A/D
Analog
Polyphony
Monophonic
Oscillators
1
Oscillator Type
VCO (Voltage Controlled)
Voices
1
Filter
Highpass, Lowpass, Resonant, 4-pole
Envelopes
2
LFO
1
Effects
No
Expression
Aftertouch
No
Velocity
No
MPE
No
Additional
-
Software
-
I/O
Audio In
1x external audio input
Audio Out
1 mono
Headphone
-
MIDI
-
MIDI Type
-
Ports
CV/Gate, Trigger In
Wi-Fi
No
Workflow
Arpeggiator
No
Sequencer
No
Mod Matrix
No
Memory
None
Measurements
Dimensions
W:610mm (24in) D:370mm (14.6in) H:135mm (5.3in)
Weight
6.4kg (14.1lbs)
Last updated Mar 21, 2026