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The slightly improved successor to the original Alpha Juno. Great analog sound and one of the most famous Techno sounds ever, the “hoover” sound.
Roland Alpha Juno-2 audio demos
Original Sound Chart Factory Programs (the “mythical” bank found in the earlier production Alpha Junos – thank you http://www.llamamusic.com/mks50/mks-50_patches.html for the information and data!)
Factory Programs A (same as Alpha Juno and MKS-50)
Factory Programs B (same as Alpha Juno and MKS-50)
The Roland Fantom XR is the rack-mount version of the Fantom X synth / sampler workstation. Produced in 2004, it offered many banks of high quality sounds, and a sampling option.
Streamlined version of the classic D-50 series. Simplified synth engine but multitimbral, and still with many features, including effects and on-board PCM drum machine.
The Roland D-10 offers many classic L.A. (Linear Arithmetic) sounds, including excellent vox and string pads, organs, basses and FX.
The sequel to the classic D-50 (even though it was really more like an upgrade of the U-20 – or “U-50” as found on the motherboard).
The D-70 is a wonderful synthesizer, that captures the spirit of the classic D-50, and takes it to a new dimension. This is a quality synth from a bygone era.
Great features include 76 keys, sound layering, and a very expressive aftertouch.
Like the D-50, Eric Persing and team did an unbelievable job with the sounds of the D-70. Patches like “Ghosties”, “Prologue” and “SpaceDream” are masterpieces of synth sound design. The sounds in ROM have a very punchy, full, “complete” sonic character that sounds great even today. The on-board effects are also of very high quality.
Roland D-70 audio demos
Roland D-70 factory demo – “Schizoid” by Eric Persing – copyright 1990 Eric Persing:
Note: You may need to slow down the transmission rate of the sysex, and the D-70 will receive it.
You can also press 5 when powering up and it will offer the menu to load sysex, but I found you don’t need it really… the D-70 receives the sysex from the main screen as well (which right now you see as a garbled mess – it’s okay).
The key in my case was to slow down the sysex transmission to very slow.
You can use any sysex software you like, but the shareware Bome’s SendSX or MIDI Ox worked well for me:
Go to Options–>Settings and set the “Speed of Sending MIDI” to the lowest position
In the same menu, set “Wrap long sysex messages upon loading”.
Also don’t forget to select the MIDI interface that you are using, in the Bome’s “Midi Out” menu.
Connect the MIDI out from your computer to the D-70’s MIDI In
On the D-70, press Edit –>System Setup and set the “Exclusive RX” to ON and the Unit Number to “17”
The Roland JX-8P is a six-voice polyphonic synthesizer that came out in 1985. It is a typical “hybrid” synth of that era, featuring DCOs but VCFs and VCAs.
The sound is – like its relatives JX-10 and MKS-70, very “lush”, classy and full. The keyboard is dynamic and has aftertouch. There are many editing parameters available, and also they typical Roland on-board chorus, and portamento.
Since the synth was built at a time when digital technology had exploded and all synths started looking like the DX7, the JX-8P has no knobs – but relies on multi-functions, buttons and a slider to edit the sounds. The PG-800 programmer can be used to program the synth with a more traditional “analog style” interface. The Roland JX-8P features full MIDI, and also accepts a cartridge to store 32 additional patches.
The SIEL DK 80 is a nice mid-level synth from 1985. It features:
12 voices
Double sound generation
Dynamic keyboard
Advanced MIDI functions
87 programmable parameters
Up to 150 programs on line
2-track real time polyphonic MIDI sequencer.
The “sonic character” of the DK 80 is very nice and interesting, and it’s a classic “hybrid” with DCOs and VCFs/VCAs. Still, it’s capable of very powerful and “fat & gluey” sounds.
The DK 80 can also have an optional pedalboard, called “PD 80” which features two pedals: the one on the left is programmable, and the one on the right is dedicated to Sustain. A great setting for the left pedal is to “scroll” the patch programs, because – in pure mid-80s style – one needs to select the program with the keypad and then press “Enter”. With the left pedal, it’s much quicker to go through the programs to play / check them out. It’s also great for live use.
