Roland SH-3A

This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: "Roland SH-3A" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

The SH-3A is a monophonic analog synthesizer that was manufactured by Roland from 1975 to 1981.^[1] It is unique in that it is capable of both the usual subtractive synthesis and also the less common additive synthesis, offering mixable waveforms at different footages. Two LFOs and a unique sample-and-hold section provided capabilities not found in competing self-contained synthesizers of the time. The SH-3A was Roland's first non-preset based synth. The predecessor, the Roland SH-1000, could also do this but didn't offer as much control as on the SH-3A. The rhythmic pulsing in the Blondie song "Heart of Glass" is an example of its sound.

Contrary to common belief, the initial version "SH-3" did not infringe on the transistor ladder-filter patent of Robert Moog. It used a diode filter like the EMS VCS 3. The SH-3A does use a transistor ladder-filter and as a result can generate Moog-like sounds.

Notable SH-3A users

• Blondie
• Chris Carter
• Covenant
• The Human League^[2]
• Radio Massacre International
• Vangelis

• 
  Close-up of SH-3A controls

References

External links

• Roland SH-3A review by Bruce Gibbs on International Musician and Recording World (December 1975)
• Demo of SH-3A on YouTube

This article relating to electronic musical instruments is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e