Jupiter-8
Classic Analog Polyphonic Synthesizer
The famous 64 original Factory patches: (light reverb only was added to these examples)
Stream all audio examples below
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| Utilizes the negative envelope and sync capabilities of the JP-8 to create a surging sound with a sharp attack. Play long, sustained chords coupled with moving bass lines or lead lines. | A wonderful, warm reso-pad | |
| Utilizes the neg envelope capabilities of the JP-8 to produce a bright, sweeping sound with a sharp attack. Play rhythmic chords with different sustain lengths. | Classic 1980s sound, perfect for many genres | |
| Uses negative envelope and high resonance in the VCF to produce a 'wet' quality. Play 'funky' clavinet type rhythms. | Showcases well the characteristic Roland Jupiter-8 filter | |
| Utilizes the sync function of the JP-8 to create a surging sound. Very heavy sounding. Play long, sustained monophonic lines. | Powerful lead. Setting the JP-8 in Unison mode makes it even more powerful! | |
| Similar to the sound used on 'Let's Go' by the Cars. Play lead lines in unison or solo mode, depending on phrasing requirements. | The classic "sync" sound, as originally found on the Prophet-5 Sync II patch | |
| A bright, metallic sound; very heavy sounding and suitable for power solos. Make use of VCO-2 bend only for sweeping sync, and use LFO/VCO extensively. | Useful for many genres | |
| A sound similar to that used by Jan Hammer for mellower soloing. Choose key mode depending on phrasing requirements. | Nice, gentle soft synth solo | |
| Similar to that used by George Duke for junky soloing. | Classic late '70s/early '80s synth lead | |
| One of the many clavinet-type sounds available on the JP-8. Play funky rhythms or arpeggiated figures. Good dualed with 35 or 37,brass,77,blip. | Emulation of the quintessential FUNK KEYBOARD - the Hohner Clavinet | |
| A sound using the JP-8's HPF to achieve a 'thin' quality. Good for classical lines. Good dualed with 31, 32 strings, splits 31/22,85/22. | Realistic harpsichord patch | |
| Uses envelope mod to produce a slapback echo effect. Play staccato lines and chords. The echo engages when they key is released. | Perfect for scoring scary movies! :-) | |
| A sound similar to that of a soft electric piano. Play pianistically using a DP-2 damper pedal for sustain (Plug into HOLD). Good dualed with 31 strings. | Beautiful emulation of the Rhodes electric piano, with superb tremolo effect | |
| Similar to an out-of-tune piano. Play pianistically. | The classic Far West saloon piano | |
| A sound using envelope mod to create an attack similar to that of tuned percussion instruments. Play staccato lines and chords. | A great patch - very in vogue in the 1980s | |
| Uses the negative envelope mod and the HPF of the JP-8 to produce a sound similar to a mix between the plucked and sympathetic strings of a sitar. Play staccato lines and rolled chords (Descending). | Cool sound design | |
| A beautiful effect similar to that of a plucked harp. Play arpeggiated lines or rolled chords, or staccato solo lines. A great arpeggio vehicle. | This gorgeous harp sound is - indeed - perfect to show off the Jupiter-8 fantastic arpeggiator | |
| A sound designed to recreate the basses and 'cellos in an orchestra. Play sustained chords using Poly I or Poly II depending on phrasing requirements. Good dual with 37 (brass S/H) or 24 (rhodes) | The mega-classic "JP Strings" now become a standard sound in all modern-day synths and samplers | |
| Designed to recreate the violas and violins in an orchestra. Play sustained chords using Poly I or Poly II, etc. Good dual with 31 lo strings, 36 hi brass. | Cool orchestral strings | |
| Designed to recreate the high, silky violin ensemble. Play monophonic or chordal lines. | Perfect for mixing with sampled strings | |
| Good for warm background string parts. Play sustained chords. | Beautiful cinematic strings | |
| Recreates the tubas and low trombones in an orchestra. Play punchy or sustained chords. | The mega-classic "JP Brass" now become a standard sound in all modern-day synths and samplers | |
| Simulates the trumpets and trombones in an orchestra. Play sustained chords. | Solid analog brass sound | |
| Similar to that used in 'The Camera Eye' by Rush. Play sustained chords. | Great S & H effect | |
| Similar to the 'brass' patch on other popular brands of polyphonic synths. Good for punchy brass as used in 'Mr. Briefcase' by Lee Ritenour. | Quintessential '80s brass | |
| A sound similar to that of a tone wheel organ processed through a rotary speaker. | Not bad at all, with a nice "speeding-up" Leslie simulation | |
| A 'light' organ sound similar to that of other polyphonic synths. | Classic Lounge organ of the 1950s and 1960s | |
| Designed to recreate popular compact organ effects. | The usual Farfisa/Vox emulations | |
| Designed to recreate a small church organ; the 'chiff' effect simulates the sound of pipes or reeds opening and closing. Works well in dual mode with patch 45, pipe organ. | Nice | |
| Designed to recreate a larger cathedral organ. Works well in dual mode with patch 44, chiff organ. | Powerful | |
| Designed to recreate the pedal sound of a tone wheel organ. Use in split mode, lower keyboard with patch 47, organ, in upper keyboard. | It really does sound like the pedals on an organ | |
| A sound similar to that of a tone wheel organ with the lower three drawbars pulled out. Use with patch 46, organ bass pedals, in split mode. | Very good Hammond emulation | |
| Simulates the percussion effect on tone wheel organs. Use this in dual mode with any percussive organ sound. | Nice to add on top of organ sounds | |
| Designed to recreate an oncoming locomotive. Effect engages gradually, so play any number of notes in the lower keyboard area and use lower hold to hear the train approach. Designed to be used with patch 52, train horn, with split mode, assigned to the upper keyboard. | Classic sound FX | |
| Designed to be used in split mode with patch 51, train chug. To enhance the effect of a moving locomotive, play any interval (perfect fourth works best) to 'blow' the horn, release the keyboard to hear the 'doppler' effect. | Fantastic emulation!!! | |
| A sound reminiscent of older modular synths. Play various notes around the keyboard while using the bender to make the beasts 'growl'. Designed to be used with patch 54, birds, in dual mode. | Chatty animals | |
| Another sound reminiscent of a modular synth. Play various notes around the keyboard while using the bender to increase the 'chirping' effect. Designed to be used in dual mode with patch 53, jungle beasts. | Flying things | |
| Similar to a 'funny' voice Tomita might use. Play single line notes or chordal lines. | The classic Tomita-style voice | |
| Designed to recreate a muted background choir. Good for 'spacy' Alan Parsons choir effects. Play sustained chords. | Beautiful, gentle syn choir | |
| A patch using an inverted envelope to produce the pitch sweep. Play staccato notes. | Perfect emulation of the classic modular synths | |
| Uses the JP-8's superb modulation capabilities to produce the complex sound of a gong. Play single notes in the lower keyboard area. | Big | |
| Reminiscent of a squadron of prop planes or a locomotive getting into gear. Hold down various notes on the keyboard to "start up"; release the keys to wind down. | Ready for take-off | |
| Uses heavy modulation to produce a very rhythmic effect. Play various notes on the keyboard. | Almost a sequencer! | |
| Uses the JP-8's flexible modulation capabilities to produce a sound straight out of a Star Trek episode. Play various notes on the keyboard. | Classic sci-fi fx | |
| Uses the JP-8's cross mod and LFO capabilities to create a rhythmic, poly-tonal effect. Play various chords on the keyboard. | Powerful synth engine | |
| Uses envelope modulation and cross modulation to produce a sound similar to that of a tape echo effect. Play various staccato notes around the keyboard. | Gorgeous emulation, it really does sound like a tape-based echo machine | |
| One of many wind-type effects made possible by the JP-8's two noise sources. Play various notes or chords on the keyboard. | Distant storm | |
| A rhythmic effect produced by the JP-8's S/H and sync functions. Play various notes and chords around the keyboard. | The synth. | |
| Useful for applause or handclap effects. Play quickly rolled note clusters in the upper keyboard area. Use Poly I for applause. Use Unison mode with two or three note clusters simultaneously for handclap effect. Upper keyboard area produces the best results. | Standing ovation | |
| A tuned interval patch useful for leads or synth bass applications. | Classic ELP-like sound | |
| A tuned interval patch useful for warm background 'pads'. | Supremely 1980s. | |
| A tuned interval patch designed to be used in DUAL mode with patch 74, down fourth, to create a 'chord stack' effect. | Huge synth, especially when in Dual mode! | |
| Designed to be used with patch 73, up fourth. | Classic 1970s Progressive sounds | |
| A tuned interval patch designed to be used in dual mode with patch 76, horn tritone, to produce a 'chord stack' effect. | Big Band arrangements | |
| Uses Env-I sustain to modulate the pitch of the VCO to a tuned interval. Designed to be used with patch 75, horn fifth. | Lots of horns! | |
| A patch using env mod of the VCO to produce a warm pitch slide effect. | Another classic Roland Jupiter-8 sound | |
| The 'Toto' lead sound. Uses env mod to produce a punchy synth brass sound. | The classic '80s pop-brass sounds | |
| A clarinet effect suitable for solo or ensemble applications. | Honest clarinet sound | |
| Suitable for solo or ensemble applications. | Very realistic | |
| Can be used for whistle, piccolo, and flute applications. | The typical Spaghetti Western sound | |
| A low string patch with a more pronounced bowing effect, with a bright edge. Useful when playing wide intervals, i.e. string quartet type music. | Warm and analog | |
| A string patch with a pronounced bowing effect. Useful with up and down bends of the bender to produce slurring and gliss effects, i.e. 'fiddle" type sounds. | Nice | |
| One of the many types of metallic sounds produced by using the JP-8's cross modulation. | Yep | |
| Uses env mod to produce a plucked bass sound. Play in the lower end of the keyboard, using the bender with up and down bends to simulate slides. | Groovy contrabass sound | |
| Suitable for solo or chord applications. Use up and down bends with the bender and appropriate phrasing to simulate the 'blues harp' sound. Play major triads and sevenths for chord type harmonica effects. | Ultra-realistic! |
Here's a demo (that I did some time ago for the synth forum at www.harmony-central.com ) that utilizes solely the Jupiter-8 for all sounds - only the drum part is a sampled loop. Sequenced in Sonar.
Here's another demo that showcases the JP-8's filters, in the '80 vein - Other than the drum loop, all the rest is 100% Roland Jupiter-8:
A synthesizer people always talk about. Notably used by _________ in mega-hit album "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, and a staple of the '80s sound.
Physically very impressive, this is a large (wide) instrument, with cool aluminum side panels, and a slew of colored buttons. As a matter of fact, it's one of the most colored synthesizers ever.
Scrolling through the presets, we find many classic sounds heard in '80s songs:
Roland Jupiter-8 pictures
Roland Jupiter-8 original Factory patch sheets
Roland
Jupiter-8 Factory patch sheets.pdf
Roland Jupiter-8 videos
| Year of release: | 1981 (or 1982?) |
| Polyphony: | eight-voice |
| Sound generation method: | analog |
| Preset memories | yes |
| MIDI: | no (available as third party add-on |
| Sound expansion capabilities: | no |
| Sequencer | no |
| Arpeggiator | yes |
| Effects | no |
| Velocity | no |
| Aftertouch | no |