Top panel

When charging via USB port:

Orange (lit): Charging.

Green (lit): Charging is completed.

Green and orange (blinking): A charging error occurred.
Please contact your dealer or Roland support.

https://www.roland.com/support/

When not charging via USB port:

Red (lit): The remaining battery power is low. Charge the battery.

The P-6 powers down within 30 minutes.

Use this jack to input synchronization signals from an external device.

Use this jack to output synchronization signals to an external device.

This is an input jack for audio signals.

The sound from connected devices is output from the MIX OUT jack.

This is an output jack for audio signals.

You can plug a pair of headphones into this jack.

You can also connect a headset here.

If you’ve connected a headset to this jack, the jack also functions as a MIC IN jack.

Adjusts the volume of audio coming from the MIX OUT jack.

This is a four-digit, seven-segment LED display.

Changes the values shown in the display.

Use this in combination with other controllers.

Switches the unit to pattern selection mode.

Plays the pattern.

Press the button again to stop playback.

Switches a pattern that was input in real time to record standby mode.

When in this mode, you can start pattern recording by pressing the [ø] button (Recording your performance in real time (Real-time input)).

Configures the effects.

Refer to “Effects and effect parameters” for details.

Switches the DJFX Looper on/off.

This effect loops the sound in short cycles.

You can also change the playback direction (forward/reverse) and the playback speed for the sound that’s inputted.

Switches the Chromatic PS on/off.

This effect changes the pitch.

Switches the Sync Delay on/off.

Gives an echo effect in sync with the tempo.

Switches the Filter+Drive on/off.

This is a filter with overdrive.

It cuts the specified frequencies and adds distortion.

Switches the Scatter on/off.

This effect swaps the sound played back by a loop in steps, altering its playback direction and gate length.

This produces a digital groove feel to the loop playback.

Turns the effects on/off.

Press a step button while holding down the [MFX] button to select the effects.

Refer to “Effects and effect parameters” for details.

Sets the sample pitch.

Specifies the position at which the sample starts playing.

Specifies the position at which the sample stops playing.

Sets the sample volume.

Lets you sample.

You can also import samples from a computer.

Refer to “Loading samples (Import)” for details.

When this is on, the Lo-Fi effect is used to degrade the playback sound quality (lowering the sample’s bit rate).

Press the [LO-Fi] button while holding down the [SHIFT] button to set the intensity of the Lo-Fi effect (Setting and checking the Lo-Fi effect intensity).

Changes the sample playback mode.

The way that samples play back when you press sample pads depends on the playback mode.

Refer to “Changing the sample playback mode (gate/one-shot)” for details.

Press the [GATE] button while holding down the [SHIFT] button to make the keyboard buttons trigger the samples at the same time.

Refer to “Layering and triggering the same sample (polyphonic)” for details.

Deletes a sample.

When the [SAMPLING] button is lit (in sampling mode), press the [DELETE] button to mute the mic.

When this is on, the sample plays back in a loop.

You can change the direction in which the loop plays back.

Refer to “Selecting the sample playback direction” for details.

MEMO

When the [GATE] button is off (one-shot), the loop does not stop playing back even after you take your fingers off the sample pads. To stop the sample playback, press the sample pads again.

Switches the pad bank (banks A–D).

When banks A–D are selected, the [A/E]–[D/H] buttons light up.

To select banks E–H, press the [A/E]–[D/H] buttons twice.

When banks E–H are selected, the [A/E]–[D/H] buttons blink.

Press the [A/E]–[D/H] buttons while holding down the [SHIFT] button to mute the bank samples.

These play the samples assigned to each sample pad.

MEMO

• The settings for each sample pad are saved in the P-6 system and used in common by all patterns.
• Press a sample pad while holding down the [PATTERN] button to select a sample pad without playing it back.
• Press sample pads while holding down the [SHIFT] button to mute the notes of the pads.
  The mute settings are saved in the patterns.

This triggers the granular sampler.

MEMO

• The tone settings are saved in the patterns.
• Press a sample pad while holding down the [PATTERN] button and the [GRANULAR] pad to select a sample used by the granular sampler.
• Press the [GRANULAR] pad while holding down the [PATTERN] button to select the [GRANULAR] pad without triggering the granular sampler.
• Press the [GRANULAR] pad while holding down the [SHIFT] button to mute the notes of the [GRANULAR] pad.
  The mute settings are saved in the patterns.
• Press the [GRANULAR] pad while holding down the step button to edit each step.

These buttons are used for switching between patterns and banks, inputting notes for the sampler and granular sampler and so forth.

When the [KYBD] button is on, the step buttons function as keyboard buttons.

You can use the keyboard buttons to play the sample you’ve selected using the sample pads as notes in a scale.